The Tribe That Loves to Explore!

Arlen has deemed this tribe the Tribe That Loves to Explore.  I don't think anyone stayed 100% on route all day....they wandered from winery to winery, criss crossing the route along the way.  Why not?  It was a short day with a screaming 2 mile downhill to start the day.  Screaming was what I did all the way down.  Jack informed me that if he used the brakes anymore than he was, we wouldn't have any brakes.

Some of the homes that we have seen on this trip are amazing.  When we get into camp tonight I will be able to go back and post the pictures that I have taken along the way.  In Petaluma the houses were the old mansions from the late 1800's and early 1900's.  A couple along the road to Sugarloaf were breathtaking.  Of course the wineries are spectacular....

After a day of pedals and wine most of the tribe headed into Napa to explore the old town.  We found our way to the Oxbow Market on 1st Avenue.  If you make it to Napa it is one place to see.  It's an open indoor market with everything wine country that you could imagine.  An olive oil shop,  cheese shop, herb and spice counter, restaurants, (two of which featured 100% gluten free menus), oyster bar, coffee bar, produce stand, cupcakes, chocolates.....too much to take in!  Unfortunately it's also very pricy.  A bowl of clam chowder was $16.00: the cheeses started at $20.00 a pound.  Around the corner from the market is a meat shop named "The Fatted Calf".  It has every cut of pork, lamb, beef, whole turkeys, ducks, chickens, geese.....amazing place.  But, beef jerky was $40.00 a pound.  I bought a bag of organic dried beef dog treats.

We stayed tonight at the Skyline Wilderness Park just outside of Napa.  It's a great little park with a beautiful Native Habitat Garden to wander through.  We saw Blue Jays, Acorn Wood Peckers and Wild Turkeys.  Unfortunately this camp ground had one set of two bathrooms and two showers at our end of the park.  Made for some long lines in the morning!

After a dinner of spicy cabbage & pepper salad, curried chicken, peanut yam tofu, rice & sprouted beans, sautéd snow peas and chocolate birthday cake, (we had two birthdays today), the tribe followed along with Jerry and learned a few new line dances.  Pretty cute.  I think tomorrow night it's the mocorana.  Maybe even the time warp!  Oh how I love the Rocky Horror Picture Show!  But that's another story.

Tomorrow we're off to Calistoga.  I think the tribe will be exploring the whole valley, back and forth from winery to winery.  We are heading through the great town of St. Helena to hit up the Model Bakery.  I'll let you know what we find.