Lovely Leaves

October 02, 2004

The Chronicle recently ran a great travel article on places to go to catch the change of season. Some of the places featured included the Sierras as well as Acadia National Park in Maine. Ah, Maine. Sigh.

Trip Report - Part I

March 01, 2004

We left town on the 27th (my birthday) and headed up to Mendocino for our retreat. It was a modern miracle that we even made it our the door that morning. It certainly did not help matters that we spent half the previous night well up until after midnight packing. Nevertheless we managed to get out of the door @ 10 (2 hours after we said we wanted to leave by).

Rhonda wanted to take the scenic route and also allow us time to stop at one of our favorite breweries in Hopland. We took the 580/680/780 to get us out of the Bay Area and then proceeded to take the back roads into Napa and Callistoga. We were in Callistoga by 11:30 when we passed the BBQ place by the blinking lights. Remembering what one of my colleagues told me about this shack, I was so tempted to stop there for lunch. But no...I had to have lunch at the brewery in Hopland. It was tradition. Enough said.

We climbed our way out of the Napa valley and headed North via 29/128 towards Lake County. Along the way we stopped, I hauled out my 35mm and digital camera, and took a few shots of the Valley.

We went through some of the most curvy roads I have ever seen in my life. Not even the roads in Spain along the coast of Malaga could compare to these things. I was amazed by the little towns that would magically appear than disappear in a blink of an eye...all nestled within the trees.

We pulled into Hopland around 1:30 in the afternoon. There it was, one my favorite breweries...the Hopland Brewery. I could just taste several pints of "Eye of the Hawk" and "Black Hawk Stout" to go with their Chicken sandwich with home made beer mustard.

Rhonda and I walked into the brewery to find the place totally deserted and the permanent closure of their kitchen. This was not an auspicious start to my vacation. I was greeted with an end to a tradition dating back to my very early college days...beer and food at the Hopland Brewery...denied.

True to my old fraternity days, we improvised and got food from next door and I proceeded to drink my sorrows away. We got my birthday celebration started with a bang. I figured that if I couldn't get my food here, I could at least drink my way through lunch. Besides there were two other breweries on the way to Mendocino to drink and eat at. I would get my fill for sure. :D

Mendocino Bound

February 27, 2004

Time for some hiking, drinking, reading, and yes, House shoppping. Career moves are in progress.