October 21, 1999- Thursday- we entered the 21st century by placing our first gifts through the web with a book order for Paula's big birthday. I'll never say "50". It certainly beat the traffic to the mall, figuratively speaking. A phone call then came in from Fleetwood. When we were in Decatur, IN last September we had the coach weighed and found that the rear weight was almost 1000 pounds over the 19000 rated axle. I called in the warranty people, who called in the engineers, and gave us a hard to believe explanation. Long story short, the 2000 model years have a 20000-pound rated axle. The only difference is that it costs Fleetwood $40 more to have the axle rated higher. No physical difference, so, they will re-rate our axle, and we will then be within legal weight limits. Also, they are retrofitting the motor homes with larger front tires- going from 225 x 22.5" x 275 x 22.5", no charge. So, we will have 8000 free miles on the front end.
Then off to Pataluma, 10 miles north, to get the repaired washer/dryer and microwave reinstalled. A pressure valve for the first appliance, and nothing for the second. It was strange, but we had the backup generator at the Panament Springs Campground providing power in Death Valley, and it was probably being drawn and therefor providing lower voltage. This lower voltage must have misled the electric clock in the microwave, because since that week, it's worked fine. At four, head up to Windsor to start our two of four free weeks at a Thousand Trails Campground. By buying a new motor home, Fleetwood sent a 30 day free trial at this membership park. Being the freeloader, or is it the economical person (?) that I am, we decided that we as well use the $900 or so value (30 nights at $30).
We checking into the park, found our space, and set up housekeeping in the center of the wine country.
October 22, 1999, Friday- our golf access card listed a nearby course at two for one greens fees- so off we went to a round at $28 for two. My style! It was a great course around a senior community of single family homes, about 20 years old, and for a nice change- flat. Then we were lucky- we got there ½ hour early- and with nobody ahead, played 17 holes before we caught up with the group in front, and had nobody behind, so we could replay as many shots as we desired.
Poor Debi- still putting all those hours at work. Hopefully the budgets will be finished soon and the department can get back to normal hours- these 80 to 100 plus weeks get old fast. I was kidding her that working those hours will make her rich- no time to go out to shop or do dinner.
The market made back 450 of the 600 points it fell the prior week. Hopefully we are now going forward!
October 23, 1999, Saturday- a nice surprise with Rob calling this morning that he was off for the rest of the day, and wanted to come an hour and fifteen north for the day. The town of Healdsburg, ten minutes away, has a delightful town square and quaint little shops- a mini Sonoma. Lunch at the local brew pub on a sunny patio- hit the spot. On the menu were a dozen or so home brews offered in three different sized containers- a glass, a pint or a 22 ounce mug. Robert ordered a pint of the local stout- but since it had a high alcoholic content- they could only serve it in the smaller "glass" size. (I was driving so no problem there!)
Then, we cruised west and stopped at the Korbel winery for a tour and sampling. First we were shown the micro brewery, that was started only two years ago. We received a great explanation on beer/ale brewing- and how they filter the water through the malt and then boil it with hops, and finally add the yeast. Sampling different flavor hops showed how the different flavors are achieved. Also, during most of the fermenting process the carbon dioxide gas is vented out, and only during the last steps is the vent closed and the bubbles stay in the brew. The earlier the vent is closed, the more gas remains in the brew, and the more foam that fills the glass. Hops are added at different times in the fermenting process, that addition depending on how bitter or aromatic the finished product is to be.
Next, onto the champagne - which is nothing more then wine that hasn't been vented- and has a carbon dioxide pressure buildup of over 100 pounds per square inch. This process takes from 3 to 7 years to accomplish- with better product with more aging time. Now I don't know who counted, but there are supposedly 14,000,000 bubbles in a glass of champagne. Back in the good old days with less mechanized labor and more manual processes there was man called the riddler- whose job was to rotate each bottle of champagne one quarter of a turn per day. This kept the yeast moving, and eventually this yeast plug was removed from the bottle. Talk about carpal tunnel syndrome- the riddler rotated 30,000 to 50,000 bottles per day!
Korbel is the largest producer of champagne in
the country, and has a 40% production increase for the millennium New
Year. But, this place didn't always make alcoholic beverages. Leaving
Bohemia in 1860, three 
brothers
arrived in the Russian River Valley and purchased a cigar box
manufacturing business. As more and more trees were cleared- the
question was what to do with the newly created fields. First they
were a dairy, then added olives, then tobacco, and finally
grapevines. When they started to need printing equipment for labels,
it gave them the opportunity to print some political magazines and
cartoon publications.
Afterwards- off to the coast- a rocky one, overlooked the Pacific Ocean. Here we watched a hang glider start his giant first step off the cliff!
October 24, 1999, Sunday- after a relaxing morning we decided to see if all of the parts on our bicycles were still together. It was probably back in Maine, in early August since we did some peddling. What better place to turn the cranks then the beautiful wine country. We rode past several vineyards, lots of fields of grapes, and into Healdsburg, where we were yesterday. After 17-mile tour, we were amazed that everything held together, us included!
October 25, 1999, Monday- we hit the links today at the neighboring Windsor Golf Club. This course, partly owned by Charles Schultz, of Peanuts fame, had hosted during the earlier year's of its 10-year history, the Nike tour. One 345 yard par 4- that had a tiny green, and had bent around a lake- was reached in one by John Daily. Quite a feat to reach the green on a fly, for that distance, and then hold the dance floor. We were slightly more conservative and didn't attempt an open water crossing. Pricing on this and the other area course are based on supply and demand- with Monday through Thursday costing $24 per round, Friday being $29, and weekends and holidays being $42. But to be a senior, (60 and above), only $15 per round on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday. A pretty good deal. Junior players- only $7 per round. The course was in great condition and we got to play with two gentlemen that were a joy to watch. Each shot was straight, long, and exactly where placed.
We Americans every so often have to look back to the rest of the world to appreciate what we take for granted. Two and a half percent of the people in the world are on line, but 50% of the people in the world have never made a phone call.
October 26, 1999, Tuesday- time for a wine country tour- so off we go to Sonoma- with its beautiful town square. Cruising the shops we started our Chanukah shopping with 6 quick great gifts. Then, a lovely lunch in a private garden setting at the Heirloom Hotel, surrounded by fountains and foliage. Again, Californian's know how to make salads and soups to die for. After Sonoma we headed east to Napa- and must have passed 15 or 20 wineries, some famous, and some unknown, except for connoisseurs like us, (not).
Finally we stopped for our tour- this time at the Robert Mondavi Winery. Again we are ripe to increasing our "wine" knowledge- and naturally it's here for sharing or skipping- your choice. Thirty-five years ago Robert started with 18 acres. Today, they plant 1500 acres. Production has risen from 100,000 cases to several million per year. Each location in the Napa valley is unique. Soils range from gravel to volcanic- and hence different acidity. The southern end of the valley is 10 degrees cooler then the middle, and the northern end, 10 degrees warmer. Hence, each is suited to a different type of grape. With one crop per year, they try to stagger the harvest amongst the different grapes. This spring and summer were cool and everything was going by the plan- then a heat wave brought it all to harvest almost simultaneously. Seventy percent of their grapes had to be harvested in 10 days. Lots of overtime.
Most vines take four years before the fruit can be harvested, and the best production years are 10 through 20. Afterwards the yield is higher quality but the production is too low to be economical. Spacing between the rows and pruning techniques were covered. To produce good wine, the vineyards need luck- the right amount of water (or supplemented with irrigation- but no over watering), proper temperatures, proper sunlight for photosynthesis, limited bird feedings, and no pest or fungus problems. Many acres in the area were cleared after burning- to destroy the root lice that killed the crops. The Napa valley cabernet sauvignon grapes get harvested at three to five tons per acre, and are valued at $3000+ per ton. In the Lodi valley to the south- they produce the same grape name- but of a lower quality- at ten to 15 tons per acre, and it sells for $1000 per ton. Hence, part of the difference in the price of wines.
Production facilities are being converted into more state of the art. New fermentation tanks have water jackets surrounding the holding areas. This permits the tank temperatures to be controlled for the types of wine inside. White wines like colder temperatures for their yeast to work- about 65 degrees, while the reds work best at 85. Our education continued with the different types of oak barrels- those from the US and those from France. Each wood has a different fragrance. Also- the different shapes of the barrels- and how the insides are toasted (burned) to permit the correct amount of flavor to be transferred.
With different labels for each brand level, the prices ranges from $10 -$12 per bottle, up to $150 per. Regular wines could be sampled (we did three), but the reserve wines are like pay per view. For a 3 ounce samples- cough up $3 to $25. We passed at this station.
Our tour guide, a wonderful woman from France, intimately knew all aspects of the wine business. Over 200,000 people per year go though this winery tour. Big business!
To return to the west side of Sonoma County, we had to cross the mountain range (hills?). This country rode was interesting in the Jeep. Glad we didn't have a 40' motor home in front with 12 and 16 degree descent.
October 27, 1999, Wednesday- a day to run a few shopping errands before the rains started in mid afternoon. Hopefully this will be a short-term deal and not the start of the rainy season. Yankee's in four. What a route of the Braves!
October 28, 1999- Thursday- a chance to play the same Windsor Golf Course that we played on Monday. This time we knew a little of where the holes went and what club to use. Last night's rain stopped but the course was still wet in many spots and the greens full of footprints. But, I decreased my score by 9 stokes, and for the first time ever- had two birdies (although no pars). One was on a par three and the other a par four, both on the back nine, and I finished the back with a 48. Not bad for me.
A good day for the market with the DOW up 227 and the NASDAQ up 72. Keep it going!
October 29, 1999, Friday- an catch-up day to get ready for Rob & Deb who spent the night with us. Laundry, phone calls, e-mail, etc. Life's "stuff" follows always.
Since we got our web site back on-line, and e-mailed our address book out, the comments have been rewarding. Doing a daily diary is a time consumer, and often I ask myself- does anybody read it? Does anyone care? Based on this week's responses- I guess it's a resounding yes. So- on I go- late into the wee hours of the night, setting type!
We
met Rob & Deb at a restaurant in Santa Rosa, 5 miles south,
called Mixx. It had an ad in a local area magazine. You never know
what to expect- but it turned out to be one of the best dinners in a
long time. A true culinary experience in a place filled with history.
The property has been a restaurant/ saloon since the 1860's. A
gorgeous wooden bar had been built in Italy, shipped to New York, and
then shipped around South American to San Francisco, and finally by
wagon, carried to Santa Rosa. For those that were wondering about
what CPA meant, the valet was a "Certified Parking Attendant".
A few rounds of euchre with Rob, Deb and Susan topped off a perfect evening. The table has four seats, one of which is facing the mirrored wall in the motor home. Naturally, Robert sat in that seat and was busted, just like in Vail- for having his reflection facing him. (It's a long standing Ast story for those confused by this comment).
October 30, 1999,
Saturday- Susan & I were up and
getting everything started for the day, waiting for 
the
kids to wake up. Low and behold, at 8 AM, this motor home park has
its loudspeaker truck telling everyone about their 8:30 "pancake
breakfast". Sorry to get you guys up this way! Susan, meanwhile was
planning to get everyone started this morning with the last of her
homemade challah, fresh ground coffee, and LEO's . Lox, eggs and
onions! A much better alternative then the pancakes. Afterwards we
drove towards Calistoga and stopped at the Petrified Forest. The size
of these 3.5 million-year-old trees is unbelievable. Some were 6 to 8
foot in diameter redwoods. Others were
rare petrified pines.
Cruising through the shops in Calistoga and St.
Helena revealed lots of boutiques, galleries and neat eateries. Then
on to a few wineries, with a tour at the St. Supery Winery. This is a
medium sized winery for the Napa Valley with 140,000 cases produced
per year. Compare this with the 92,000,000 cases sold by Gallo each
year. Our tour guide went through the various grape types, trellises,
requirements for sun, shade, heat, coolness, bugs, bacteria, etc. As
with most wineries, 
the
current flavor is to reduce the use of insecticides. Bugs
killing
bugs is great- but with each additional bug, come new problems. Even
with drip irrigation, the wineries use 7 gallons of water for each
gallon of finished product. Also, they are big power consumers to
provide needed heating and cooling of the wine during the production
processes.
One display on the interior tour was the first we encountered whereby the hints of flavor fragrance often used to describe a wine, were reproduced. Flavor fragrances of cedar, olive, wildflowers, black cherry, grapefruits, straw, etc. I don't know how they reproduce these aromatics, but they were a wonderful example of too often meaningless wine descriptions.
October 31, 1999, Sunday- an early morning phone call brought a welcome voice to our ears. After being in Nepal and Tibet for 5 weeks, Phil and Karen returned to the good old US of A. They had an exciting trip but it also sounded like parts were less then they bargained for, and weren't sure that they would see their home again. Fortunately, they arrived in one piece and can now reorient their energies in a more positive focus.
Susan and I decided to take a day trip to Mendocino. Looking at the map- just find a road, head to the coast, and keep the ocean on our left. Easy. Well, just because it's Halloween, the ghosts and goblins seemed everywhere. The first west bound road that we found turned out to be the most winding road- never being more then 10 feet of straightaway, and never more then 10 feet of staying flat. Oh yes, the road width varied between 1 ½ lanes and 1 lane in width. An official speed limit of 30 was difficult to maintain. Needless to say, the 50 or so miles to the coast- was a slooooow "go west young man" route. Finally, we arrived and now could go 60 miles north to our destination. Stay away from those "gray" roads in the atlas. Blues and thick reds, even thin reds, would be a wiser choice.
Lunch
was a picnic along the rough coast overlooking the waves crashing on
the rocks. Most dramatic! Mendocino was an great "artist colony" town
with many boutiques and eateries. Also, very dog friendly. Each shop
owner said- please come in and bring in Hobbes. One thing that struck
us- was that almost structure had a large wooden frame holding a
water tank 20 to 30 feet above the ground. Why, because this town,
starting in the 1869's- doesn't have a water system. Each building
has it's own pump and storage tank. Now, with new pump designs, the
above ground storage tanks aren't needed. Up until some 20 to 25
years ago, they didn't even have a sewer system. But, polluted wells
forced the unincorporated area to get a sanitary system. As for a
community water system- they 
don't
have a source to replace the wells, even if they could find the
money. It sounds so similar to the Death 
Valley
stories that
we wrote about earlier this month. Water rules!
For fire fighting, they have a one million-gallon storage tank. They fire department uses two tank trucks to transport water to a canvas, on site portable water tank, which feeds the pumper truck. Some of their equipment includes a historic 1887 hand pumper, and a 1948 pumper truck that is still being used. Fortunately they don't use the equipment on a regular basis.
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