Adventure #1 ~ Road trip to the Napa Valley

To kick off a year of adventures, it was only fitting to begin where it all started.

We were on the road before the sun came up last Thursday. As we were winding through the desert, there came a time when the moon and the sun were directly across from each other. Hubby pulled over so I could try to do my great rearview mirror trick. Trying to align the moon above the mirror while keeping the sunrise in the rearview mirror wasn't working from my side of the car. The car was also the problem, it's a rental and things are a bit off-kilter. Hubby tried to adjust the mirrors, move forward, backward, turning slightly one way or the next, but that didn't work either. Each minute that passed meant missing a chance at getting the shoot. Time was ticking away! I looked over and saw that it was possible from the driver seat. I handed hubby the camera, gave him a few directions and had him give it his best shot.

For his first time, I think he did okay.

Our drive up took us from sunrise to sunset. We just sailed right on through the L.A. area with little to no traffic. We had a flawless lunch in Santa Clarita. It's been one of our regular stops for gas and food when we are flying non-stop, ha, ha. Lodi is the next one. Going up HWY 5, through the middle of California is the most boring, non-scenic route in America. Yes, the farmlands gracefully rolling over the hills are beautiful, but the cattle ranch will have you blocking the vents, holding your breath, or your nose to keep it from burning because of the odor. It's so bad it has it's own FaceBook page, Stinky Cows on Interstate 5!

Over the years, more and more businesses are popping up along this stretch of our drive. There are a few things to break up the boredom though. We've already done Bravo Farms a few times. Whenever we are dividing the trip in half, leaving late afternoon on one day, driving part way, then finish the drive the next, our favorite place to stay is Harris Ranch. Hitting more traffic during this jaunt is common, the ranch provides an elegant meal, a very comfy bed, and is so appealing to a lot of travelers.

Not this trip though! Remember, it was a non-stop flight, I mean drive!

We take HWY 12 from Lodi to Fairfield. It goes over the Delta's, through Rio Vista, and past these fields of windmills. Sorry about the dirty window, there really are not a lot of places to pull over for a photo op.

Friday included a little bit of business, some shopping for the perfect plant, then visiting my Aunt to share our sympathy. When we walked into our longtime favorite florist, this Jeep planter screamed Uncle Jeep! My aunt has dementia and appears to be in her own wonderful world. We talked about her art, her studio that was once in the basement, and the cute little blue shoes she had on. She never mentioned my uncle, nor did we.

After, we had lunch at the Red Hen with friends we hadn't seen for a couple years. On our way back to his brothers, we drove the scenic route through the vineyards, and we came across some more sculptures.

These are along Big Ranch Road. We found the key at the Blackbird Vineyard back in 2015 during a drive to settle my heart. We still need to find the ball and jacks. 

As expected, it was a pleasure to be part of my brother's milestone. So many wonderful stories from his co-workers. I didn't take many pictures and relied on others to capture his moments. We sat with a lovely couple and their son who recently did a Ride for The Fallen Officers. What an incredible young man!

Eagle Vines Vineyard & Golf Club

Saturday was our day for some sightseeing.

First stop was a visit to my mom.

The moments we share are different now, 

but the memories of other moments remain the same.

After a walk, a talk, and a soft breeze across my cheek, it was time to head on and see what adventures we can experience.

We proceeded to the burn area by his brothers. From his picture window, you can see just how close it came. Driving through the devastation was heartbreaking. This picture I captured from the driveway says it all. A family whose life changed with an amber falling on its roof, while the house across the street or a few doors down was intact. Wind changes directions so many times during a firestorm, it can engulf one house, while sparing another. I could only say a prayer. Growing up in the valley, I've seen this same type of devastation before. I've also seen the growth the rebuilding brought. 

I meant to snap a photo of the signs announcing the rebuilds. We didn't drive out the same way we went in. I think we both had seen enough. 

Down the road, we found this.

Outside the Gordon Huether Studio is this giant hand holding a marble. Oh, how I would have loved to have seen what was inside the closed business. During my research, I learned this hand was once on display at Napa's Bottlerock. I also found other places where his art is displayed, like the one in Peoria, AZ along with others. Guess we'll have to add some art hunts to the Bucket List.

Motoring along we took the Silverado Trail to head upvalley to find Foo-Foo Bunny! Once again we can see the mass areas that had burned. With the blackened ground from the fire, and the recent rains allowing new growth, the hills appear to be a darker green than the unburned area. Until you get closer, you don't see the devastation the fire actually caused.

We took Con Creek Road to Rutherford Road so we could cross over to HWY 29. Hall Wines is where we found the bunny.

Mission accomplished! We actually saw and did more than I thought we would have time for. After a nice picnic lunch from Genova's, we were on the road to home. A stop in Benicia for dinner with our best friends followed by a movie and a crackling fire was the perfect ending to a beautiful weekend.

Our drive home was another non-stop flight but did stop at Sizzler for dinner and halftime. Had no idea they would have a TV set up for the game. 

Our #1 adventure is in the book.