Heading For The Pacific Ocean

(left) Jordan Winery on the way to the

ocean. (right) Some of the redwoods we drove through on the way to Mendocino.

Being the computer whiz that I am, I had all kinds of trouble getting to my blog last night when we arrived on the Mendocino Coast at the Little River Inn. Google would not accept my pass word and the frustration grew and grew through the night since we were trying to get to dinner and all, so I am writing this on Saturday morning as we get ready to leave to head down the coast. 'Nuff of my problems, though, huh.

This morning, I went on the password worked so here I am blogging away, just like I knew what I was doing!

When you leave the wine country of the Napa Valley north of Calistoga, you don't really leave wine country. You just run into more vineyards climbing up the mountain range and more wineries, many of which I had never heard of. On route 128, a little but good two-lane road, you climb a big mountain range that separates the coastal country from the Napa valleys. The drive is incredible, past Healdsburg and Cloverdale. Forrest's of old oak and pine trees surround green vineyards where huge purple grapes hang from the vines, nearly ready to pick and begin making more wine for all of us.

As we are climbing the mountain, near Robert Louis Stevenson State Park, we came upon Jordan Cellars, one of my favorite wines. The notice at the gate said tours and tasting by appointment only but we drove into this beautiful, oak-laden estate anyway, with the idea that we could sneak a peak. The ancient building, which looks like a monastery, was covered in ivy and nicely manicured green lawns and old rock walls surrounded the estate.

We didn't get to tour the building or taste any of their sumptuous wines, but I did get to buy a couple of bottles they no longer sell outside the winery. I got 2000 Jordan Cab and a 2006 Jordan Cab that Harold and Lynch and I will devour as soon as I get back. The gentlemen from Jordan, talking with us, said to hold the '06 for another three to five years, but that's a risk when you are nearing 70! The winery was just gorgeous and we all were happy we stopped to see it, even though Bernie and Mimi don't drink wines. Honestly, they really enjoyed the stop!!

We stopped in Healdsburg to see where Uncle Donn's summer family home used to be. We found the area near Fitch Mountain and along the Russian River but we couldn't locate the actual cabin his family had for years. Uncle Donn had many great memories of his time as a child with he and his sister Margot, so it was neat to go there and it's wonderful countryside. I remember all of these little burgs pretty well from my SF Examiner days when I was covering high school sports. I used to keep track of the whole northern California area for high schools, so the names of towns were familiar.

The wine country has its own sense of beauty, for sure, unique in every way, but that drive over the mountain range to Highway One, was something else. On the west side of 101, the main freeway (which we are on for only about five miles), 128 meandors through an unbelievable number of groves and huge redwood trees. These groves barely let in any sunlight. They are a 100 or so feet high and stacked together like rows of pencils. They are magnificent to see and the foilage under the trees is incredible with huge dark green wild ferns and patches of clovers. We stopped in one of the groves to observe these redwoods up close and take pictures. The little two-lane highway runs right next to them and some of the trees literally grow right into the road as your car barely misses them, especially when another car is coming the other way.

Then you hit the coast line and highway 1 and wow, the ocean socks you right in the face with its rugged coast line, high cliffs and big rocks that stick out of the water. It was foggy when we arrived and again this morning, but it appears the fog is clearing today so the views should be spectacular. I'll save the good shots for my slide show when I get home (aren't you looking forward to that!). I may pour good one.

I escaped the wine country, buying only four bottles of wine, which is pretty good. May add to the list today. That's the problem of having your own car. There is always room for more stuff!

The Little River Inn sits nearly right at the edge of ocean and there are great views of the rocks, ocean and cliffs from our little cabin (bungalow) this morning. Last night it was darker than heck as we drove down highway 1 to a restaurant called Ledford's that sits right at the edge of an ocean cliff. It was so dark, you realized you were on the edge of the cliff, but couldn't really see anything. The food was wonderful.

One thing we've done well on this trip is eat eat eat. We are only two meals a day but the breakfasts are usually outstanding (we had the best ever at Sol Bar in Calistoga yesterday morning with the Henderson's) and the dinner's are filling, to say the least. Conditioning programs will be on our agenda when we get home.

We miss everyone, especially our grand kids and love you all.

Happy Trails.