RUTHERFORD

RUTHERFORD.
Today is Wednesday, June 10, 2009. We are off to Rutherford, in the Napa Valley, at 10;15. Our mini-bus is full - eight residents plus two volunteers, Tony (our skilled chauffer), and Kelli, our Activities Director - just back from Maternity Leave.
While this is a repetitive trip to the Valley, it is not a negative. The Napa Valley is such an inviting, and beautiful place, I never tire of it. You can live in far worse places!
As we pulled out of the parking lot, Kelli told Tony that his gas-tank cover, on his red pick-up, was “open”. Tony said that someone siphoned gas from his tank the night before, and apparently, they got spooked when the dog barked. At least they didn’t steal all of his gas, as he didn’t run out on his way to work this morning. will be a big problem now, that gasoline prices are climbing every day - (they have increased 20 % since the first of the year!) I don’t know the “start to siphon price”, but we probably have reached it, at around $70.00 a barrel for crude. Today, the local Shell station lists gas at $2.98, Chevron at $3.00 and Arco at $2.86! (Why would anyone go next door to Chevron? - only an employee of Chevron!)
Construction is still continuing on the North Texas overpass and “Off and On” ramps to I-80. This is really a big project. (I wonder if any federal -stimulus funds are involved?) Traffic is light on I-80, and the weather is overcast and cool.
As we drive along I-80 Westbound, I notice a blackened area of grass on the hillside, on the right side, near an overpass. Another carelessly tossed cigarette butt I would guess. We pass the local Buick Dealer. They have just as many cars on the lot as before GM declared bankruptcy. Auto Dealerships are a tough business to be in right now. But, when everyone’s cars start falling apart, a buyer will end up on a “waiting list” to replace it! We pass the Marriott Courtyard. This hotel used to be a Holiday Inn.
Tony is cruising at the 65 mph speed limit, and yet cars are passing us like we are standing still! (Where is the California Highway Patrol car, with the officer holding the radar gun?) The speeders must be, 1) Late for work; 2)- Racing, or 3) Suicide bent! We pass a truck hauling a K-Line Container back to the Port of Oakland. A ship must be in and waiting. The left two lanes have been resurfaced recently, giving us a smooth ride. But, there are the three right-hand lanes to be completed. Don’t go there. Recently, two nieces and a nephew visited Marie and I from Michigan. They were impressed with the great condition of our freeways. I would hate to drive in the /Detroit area!
We are passing through Jamison Canyon which is very picturesque. Heavy traffic moving Eastbound in the opposite direction. Most cars have their lights on - a good safety measure on a two-lane highway. A unique sight - two white horses - side by side - nibbling the grass. Horses and cows always seem to be eating! Visibility is quite good. I can see both Mt. Veeder and Mt. St. Helen in the distance.
We are on Highway 29 now, Northbound. We pass a monument landmark - a man working at a grape press. Then, over the high George f. Butler Bridge spanning the Napa River below. We pass The Meadows, a very nice retirement community. It started out about 25 years ago with a couple of buildings. Now, there are many, stretching from Jefferson Street over to bordering Highway 29. We drive under Trancas Street on a fairly new underpass. I can remember, not too long ago, when highway 29 and Trancas traffic was practically a gridlock. One could sit for two or three light changes to get through the intersection.
Highway 29 is not a freeway, because there are traffic signals along the way. The vineyards look healthy, and have grown since the last time I saw them. The vines are at about the midpoint of their growing cycle. We are approaching Yountville. The Veterans’ Home is off to our left, and on our right, is the Vintage 1870 shopping complex, I notice a bus similar to ours ahead of us. Tony said that it was a Merrill Gardens( also an assisted living facility) bus. I told him that it was probably going the same place that we are. About then, it turned into the Vintage 1870 complex.
The highway is necking down, from a two-lane to a single lane. We pass the Oakville Grocery store. It has been at this same location for as long as I can remember. They make good sandwiches there. On our right hand side, we pass four wineries close together - Cakebread Cellars; Sequoia Grove Vineyards; St. Supery Winery and the Peau Province Winery. We arrive at the Rutherford Grill at 11:10. There are no “junky” cars in this parking lot - new and top of the line! I guess this a clue as to the menu prices!
At 12:55, after a nice -leisurely lunch, we headed outside. The Beaulieu Vineyards is located just beyond the parking lot. The weather is about the same - overcast and cool.
We re-boarded the bus, and headed for the Rutherford Hill Winery on Silverado Trail. We started out on curvy -Rutherford Road, and it ran into Conn Creek Road, which intersected with Silverado Trail. A left turn onto the “Trail.”. It wasn’t far - just past Round Hill Vineyards - we turned in to the Rutherford Hill Winery, after climbing the hill. We arrived at the winery at 1:05. What a choice location! One can look South, down the Napa Valley, and get a tremendous view. Across the way, is the prestigious Auberge du Soleil restaurant and inn. I haven’t been to the restaurant in a long time. The last time was many years ago, when Anne and Rick hosted Marie and I to a very nice lunch - with a tremendous view of the valley, from the deck.
While we didn’t tour the winery, we did visit their tasting room and gift shop. Only one of our group did any tasting ($15 to taste four samples).
The winery is very proud of it’s California Merlot, a red wine, and claims that it is the best in the Valley. I am sure that it is. I was tempted to buy a bottle for $25. Occasionally, at our Happy Hour - Friday afternoons - I treat myself to a glass of Merlot. It comes from Mt. Pellier Vineyards in the San Joachim Valley. I am sure it is not as good as that from the Rutherford Hill Winery, but Quail Creek charges us only $3.45 a glass ($13.00 a bottle).
We leave the winery at 1:55, and head South on the Silverado Trail.
Kelli said that the Rutherford Hill winery is the one that we were looking for a few weeks back, after we visited the Black Stallion Winery. We are passing the Conn Creek Winery on the right. They are still building in the Valley. It figures. As they plant more and more grape vines on the hillsides, they need more crushing, holding tanks and bottling capacity. There are a lot of new vineyards going in. It didn’t used to be cost effective to plant on marginal land. But, with the current high wine prices, such growing is feasible.
Just after we pass Monticello Park, a very nice community, Tony turns on to Highway 121, returning the “back way’. We start a very curvy climb. The highway is following the dry- creek bed, so that it is curvy and winding. There are so many sharp curves that it reminds me of the “Road to Hana”, except that we are climbing. Tony pulls out to let a motor home go by. They pass, and the driver saluted him with a “thank you” honk.
It is slow going, but well worth it. This is a very pretty drive. I heard a lady behind me say, “I could look at this country-side forever”. I felt the same way. What beauty! As many times as I have been in the Napa area, I never tire of the beautiful scenery and atmosphere.
The sun is breaking through the overcast. It must be because we have climbed closer to heaven! I look to my right, and am rewarded with a tremendous view of the Suisun Valley! We are near the summit now, and there are “Call Boxes” along side.
As we leave the top of the grade, there is a sign - pointing ahead - “Lake Berryessa;
Winters 40.”
We turn right on to Suisun Valley Road, and start our descent into the Suisun Valley. We pass a line in the road with “Napa County” on the near side, and “Solano County” on the far side. We approach an old one-way bridge, with signage “15 MPH”. I wouldn’t want to meet another car head-on, even at this slow speed. We are now riding in Suisun Valley. This is one of the most fertile- agricultural areas around. Besides many vineyards, there are fruit orchards and fields of vegetables cultivated. We pass a thick row of beautiful roses bordering a vineyard. There is a reason why they plant roses bordering the grape vineyards, but I can’t recall why. There is more building going on here, too. We pass the Vetzer Winery and on to Mankas Corner. Tony turns left on to Mankas Corner Road, which feeds into Waterman Boulevard.
We pass the Waterman Village shopping center, on to Air Base Parkway - leading to Travis Air Force Base. We arrive back at Quail Creek at 3:05. Our great outing, covered 92 miles, and I am tired. But, as my Mother used to say, “A good tired”.
RCL - 6/10/09.