Being in the Russian River area, we had to spend a day exploring a couple of wineries. Today was that day! So, we set off after dumping and pumping at Sonoma Coast Beach and found this little place!
They had a beautiful little cafe with seating outside in the redwoods, so we decided it would be wise to eat something prior to tasting…well confession, we did have a glass of champagne with the lunch. 🙂
Lauterbach Winery
In the RV world there is a boondocking program called Harvest Hosts which allows you to stay at participating wineries. There were a few in the area that participated, so looking at the pictures, we decided to stay at Lauterbach. The program requests that you do a wine tasting and purchase something from the host. Not a hardship, since Clarice was parked for the night!
Clear Lake State Park
Clear Lake State Park is the largest natural lake (spring fed) in California. We had a lovely drive winding through the mountains to get there and then spent two lovely nights chilling and just enjoying the area. I even got out the carpet for the first time with Sally, which in retrospect was a mistake. The oak trees where leafing out and dropping all sorts of nasty stuff. So, I rolled it back up later that day since it was suppose to rain that night. I was really glad I did as it would have been a real mess otherwise! Nonetheless, we enjoyed the area and each other.
Colonel Armstrong
I had been informed that “we must see the Sonoma Redwoods because the tallest one was there”. I thought there was a certain amount of local pride in that statement, since the people who told me this live in the area; but, after seeing it, I have to say it is truly astonishing!
Last night at new friends!
I met Jo and Steve in Arizona at River Island State Park and followed them to Buckskin Mountain. They had two dogs and we met in the dog park. Dottie really enjoyed playing with Lizzie, their 9 month old Golden Retriever. However, Cheesy was very protective of Jo, so we just kept Dottie away. After they learned that Sally was flying out of their nearby airport, they invited us to spend the last night at their home.
Steve had just turned 80 the day before we showed up, and the friends and family had a Greek themed celebration for his birthday. So we were the fortnuate recipients of the leftover Moussaka and a lovely salad for dinner. It was truly delicious! I don’t have any pictures, but we slept well in their driveway which borders a state park and a creek. We were awoken by the turkeys in the trees in the morning!
Thank you, Jo and Steve! We really enjoyed your hospitality! Hope to see you again!
One other thing to share. Jo has a group of women friends that call themselves “The Queens”. This is meant in the royal sense of the word. To be a member, you must have disposable income and do outrageous things. They have at least ten years of stories and one of the events took place at Jo and Steve’s house. They had an Alice in Wonderland party where they dressed up as the characters. Since Jo is a talented artist, she decorated the entire yard with all these creative Alice in Wonderland areas (eg: the rabbit hole, the Queens throne, etc). It was all still there to see!
Farewell
Sadly, it was time for Sally to return home. She had a 8:45am flight; and, I had scared her about what time we needed to get to the airport. In fact, she had dreams about missing flights. So erring on the safe side, I dropped her shortly after 7 am and give her a big hug, then shed a tear as she walked into the airport!
Sally, thank you so very much for traveling with us! We had a wonderful time with you! I miss your companionship, laughter and love; and, Dottie sure misses those extra treats!
Catching up on your posts! You’ve had some absolutely amazing scenery! I am so happy Sally was able to travel with you and share your experience for a bit!
So glad you and Sally had such a great visit! Thank you for sharing the harvest host winery and the redwoods! Looks like the perfect place for RV travels!
Hi Ellen! They were both great fun places to experience!
I hope you and LG are getting out there soon with Buster. I hear spring has been a bit slow to arrive at home. I’m living in perpetual spring with highs in the upper 50’s and plenty of rain all along the coast.
Karen, my dear, thanks for letting me share in your adventure! I enjoyed living the RV life with you and Dottie, and becoming a member of the tribe. And I now have a lasting fondness for Hint of Lime Tostitos!! Our time went by too quickly. Safe journeys, and much longer be back to you both!! ❤️Sally
Thanks, Sally! We really enjoyed sharing the journey with you!
LOL on the hint of lime tostitos. They are a tribe favorite! Dottie even likes the little pieces that sometimes fall to the floor. 🙂