November 30-December 3, 2016 Ukaih to Calistoga , California

I think ( fingers crossed) we have left the Pacific Northwest rain belt. We have had 4 days of sunshine and no rain.

We drove back up the narrow, steep and winding highway 2o back to highway 101. We were driving slower than the cars. Fortunatly there were numerous turn offs for slow vehicles so we pulled off in each one to let the cars by. We are now parked at Jaxon Keys Winery outside of Ukaih, California. It is another Harvest Host so we park for free, just have to buy something. Ukaih spelled backwards is haiku. It was another glorious sunny day in the 50’s.

The bus at the winery. With all the rain everywhere is a beautiful spring green. After our wine tasting and buying a bottle- our rent for the space  we started our search for a brewery in Hopland. I mean seems there would be lots of hops there. They used to grow hops there and there used to be a brewery. But both are gone now.  The Hopland Tap House was listed as a brewery, but now it is just a bar. So we went back to Ukaih.There are two breweries there, but one of the patrons at the Tap House told us one was not worth wasting your time on. So we found Mendocino Brewing. The beer was good but the  ale house was kind of plain- in strip mall behind the dentist.  The tap house had more character.

We woke up to fog outside. It slowly burned off. Quail outside the bus window. They are so cute the way they are always bobbing  and scurrying around.

When the last of the fog burns off and  the sun got through was such magical colors. Some of these  oaks are decidious and have no leaves, but the branches are  covered with lichen.

We drove through miles of vineyards. Naturally, we are in California wine country.  The vines  are in fall colors and the grass is soooooo green after all the rains. The narrow winding road to Calistoga was lined with oak trees. See the vineyards in the bottom road picture. The first time we came to this area  we took a smaller road in and the oak tree branches were  twanging the CB antenae on the roof and the road was way to narrow. Until 8th grade I lived in the Bay area in the rolling grass covered hills with oak trees. I love them.

When we got to Calistoga County Fairgrounds RV park we found that it was full for the weekend. We got the last spot available. Right next to the bathrooms and the RV dump. Fortunatly it does not smell. It is in the sun all day. I went biking then sat outside in the lawn chair and worked on my pine needle xmas ornaments. I finally got the offical photo of this small basket I finished some time ago. 

The mechanism for the foot rest on my chair broke. John had to take the whole chair up to fix it, but he did. What a man. We walked downtown to check it out and find the brewery. Fall colors on the walk. We have been following fall south so far this winter.

We found the Calistoga Inn restaurant and brewing. They were the first brewery in Napa county since prohibition in 1933.  On our stoll we walked by the Sugar Train in a train car, they have 7 vintage train cars with shops in them by the old depot. Most of the stores in historic downtown Calistoga had this sign in the window. Earthquake warning, this is an unreinforced masonry building. You may not be safe inside or near unreinforced masonry building during an earthquake.  We are out of the tsunami zone into the earthquake zone.  The leg is a Xmas ornament outside the shoe store.  Sunset with the sliver moon over the fairgrounds.