Day 47 – Klamath to Leggett
Our moderate drive down the coast was pretty. Wish they could all be this nice, but also with a bit of phone signal. Being without any is unnerving (for safety reasons) and boring (for access-to-the-Internet reasons).
We arrived at a very wooded, older, but well-kept Riverside RV campground. Checkin was fast and easy. The only drawback was that we weren’t by our friends so they could use the Starlink. But this place does have good Wifi, so everyone was set for the little bit of work that each of us needed to do.
We two headed to the bar, but found it closed until 5pm, sadly. It’s hot here, too. For the first time in weeks, it’s warm. So of course the pool was filled with kids jumping/splashing/screeching. That’s where I’d be as a kid, too.
We hung out with a powerful fan and a mister. We headed to the bar when it opened. It’s cute and themed like a British pub with a ton of Harry Potter references.
After the bar, our four+some and the mosquitoes swam in the cold saltwater pool. Then, after two nights of too-little sleep, I went to bed early (for me) at 11pm.
Day 48 – rest day
12 hours of sleep!
I worked a little on our fall camping trip, steering clear of any fire areas. We also searched out this area for both restaurants and grocery stores, but there aren’t really any of either. No wonder the campground bar is also patronized by some regulars who live in the area.
We popped up to the pub for a couple of drinks and watched some olympics. It was far busier with the weekenders arriving, plus, they are down their bartender. The cook is both cooking and bartending. So, we didn’t stay too long.
I spent the evening trying to map out wineries for our four+some, but it was a puzzle I could not solve.
Day 49 – Leggett to Vacaville – hot as hell, no wine, friends’ departure
It’s hot. We went from freezing at one stop, to bliss at the next, to boiling at this one.
I tried again for the wine stuff and gave up trying to make everyone happy enough to go. It sucked.
Probably out of desperation to make it right, he found a couple of wineries for us two to visit. My hero! Our friends would figure out something to do. But, within minutes of him getting us set up, our friends texted that they have to leave due to a family emergency. We knew it was forthcoming–they were going to deviate at a later point–but no one could have predicted that it would suddenly intensify. We didn’t know until after “pajama time” for everyone. They also left early to hit the road, of course. So, we had to skip hugs. We texted that wished them the best and a safe journey. (Turns out, it wasn’t what anyone thought it would be, so they are already home in Denver and have already dealt with another family emergency. I’m sure they are rattled, but they are safe and sound.)
Day 50 – wine and date night
We hit two wineries. Lasseter was difficult to find, but worth the extra effort. I guess the heat kept everyone away because we got bumped to the lovely barrel room. The space was lovely and so was the wine. The winery dog’s owner was out for the day, so Brixie was pacing the floor looking for him. It was a lovely experience all the way around.
At Deerfield Ranch, we had our wine in their never-ending wine cave. We got seated across from the most LA couple ever, so that was fodder for a lot of laughter later. After they were late to their tasting, she was mad that they didn’t get chocolates on a cheese platter that was not pre-ordered. We didn’t gloat, but damn, those chocolate truffles were good! I should have told her that they had meat in them.
The couple that started the winery was married under a 300-year-old tree on the property over fifty years ago. They lost her a few weeks back, but he and the dog, a standard poodle named Obi Wine Kenobi, are still managing the place.
at Deerfield Ranch
After the wineries, we went back to the rig for dinner and to get dressed for a night out on the town. We found a not-so-great area of Sacramento, but we still had fun.
Day 51 – rest, planning, Mexican food, laundry
After a late night out, we slept in. He spent the early afternoon re-routing part of our trip. We dropped a couple of stops and moved a couple more. Except for the evil Lemon Cove Village RV Park in Lemon Cove, California, we got full refunds on every stay. The new plan has us skipping Pismo Beach (our friend’s choice), skipping Sequoia and Kings National Parks, seeing a little less of Lake Tahoe, and adding Reno to the list. We’ll also get to Salt Lake City a few days earlier, which keeps us from needing to hang out without enough to do before a friend gets there for his work week. It all adds up to us getting home just before the end of August.
After the plans and reservations were made, we went out for a Mexican feast and did some laundry. We also planned a second winery day including a very special winery in the Napa valley suggested by a great friend.
Day 52 – more wine!
all the wine! so much wine!
too much wine? nah, there’s no such thing!
The winery that was recommended to us was posh and ultra fancy. You know how some homes have a built in wine cellar? Well this one has a built-in winery. It’s a palace. It has some amazing features like a giant outdoor dining room and an outdoor amphitheater. The owner was even on site for the day.
We got (upgraded to?) a private tasting in a giant dining room in the basement. It was nuts. Several of the people there didn’t have reservations, so I think following protocol got us rewarded.
Our cheese plate had a cheese carved into a flower with pistachio butter and a whipped cheese with honey and a marinated cherry. We were also served a berry “buckle” or cobber in tiny cast-iron skillets.
The other winery was far more casual with a “farmhouse” style of decor. Still, the wines and our service were good. We took the scenic route back to the campground.
It was a fantastic day in every way.
in the owners former office
were set on wine-specific coasters