Turning North towards home - Santa Rosa and Petaluma Feb 24 - 28

 We enjoyed a slower "get going" morning, to wait out the morning traffic rush to clear through downtown San Francisco before heading out. By the time we hitched the car it was 9:45 am. Looking on google maps, the two accidents earlier this morning were cleared ... Yeah!

Our drive is just under 2 hours and it definitely is a grey drive with the odd shower. The "big snow storm" is expected tonight. First time ever Los Angeles have issued a "Snow Warning" at higher elevations! What crazy weather this year. The I-5 is closed in both directions at the "Grapevine".

Pretty uneventful drive to the Sonoma County Fairgrounds, just south of Santa Rosa. Wide sites, nothing special though. They do have free wifi though, which we are thankful for as we've used up all our cell phone data this month. We were all set up pretty quick without any rain. 

Not snow lol just new gravel.

Next up lunch. We chose to go to BJ's Brewhouse which is only 10 minutes away. We've gone to several BJ locations and always have a good meal.

The skies looked pretty ominous, so we decided to just go back to the coach. Good thing, as it started to pour. Turned it into bread making day instead. :) 

The higher elevations here are expecting mixed snow and rain later today. According to the San Francisco news this morning, the orchard growers, especially almonds, are worried about this weather as their trees are blooming and all this rain/snow will knock off the blossoms. It is definitely unseasonal weather for them.

It rained off an on the rest of the day. Saturday morning we woke to grey skies and more showers. Hopefully it quits, as we are meeting Mike and Grace in Petaluma at 9:30 to do some wine touring today.

We arrived at 9:30 at Grace and Mikes. She treated us to coffee and fresh cinnamon buns, yum. This is the view out their back window at the snow on the hills.

In their car by 10 and off to the Bueno Vista Winery. Fortunately the showers quit by the time we arrived. What a place. 

Great huge eucalyptus trees line the driveway up to the winery. With it being damp out, you can really smell the eucalyptus.

They have pictures frames to have some fun with beside the courtyard.

They even have a maze.

The path is this way

The historic Buena Vista tasting room, which dates back to 1857, is located one mile from the Sonoma Square. Tour the original winery and taste the wines of Buena Vista in the Press House built in 1862 or outside in the stunning courtyard.

The History:

Before there were vineyards in every valley north of San Francisco, before Napa and Sonoma were household names before there was a California wine world at all, there was Buena Vista. Founded in 1857, and spanning from Sonoma and into Napa, Buena Vista is California’s first premium winery, and its history is as colorful as it is proud. Today, the legend has been re-born under the vision of Jean-Charles Boisset.

Just outside the town of Sonoma, the original winery is now a California Historic Landmark, and home to our Winery, one of our Tasting Rooms, and Visitor’s Center. Chateau Buena Vista, located in the heart of downtown Napa, is the realization of a dream to re-establish the winery with a permanent destination in Napa Valley. Housed in the 1929 Gordon Building, the art deco inspired Tasting Room brings the experience of Champagne and Caviar with Cabernet and Chocolate to guests.

Apparently you're supposed to have "tasting reservations" ... but they did say we could taste a glass up at the bar. Well.... Grace, Mike and I stepped up to the bar with Ray keeping an eye on us lol, our tasting guru, Millie, decided we can probably be worth her time :). The three of us ended up tasting about 6 wines, one being their champagne, delicious and one of their most expensive reds at $150 per bottle  in the "Founder's collection". Millie even gave Mike the metal label to keep. We found this wine not as nice as the Sherriff at 1/4 the price.


he wines in the Founder’s Collection celebrate and honor Buena Vista’s founder, Count Agoston Haraszthy, and the pioneering role he played in creating the California wine world. Each wine is true to the Count’s legacy and legend from the Haraszthy family crest to his untimely death by a crocodile in Nicaragua in 1869. This one was 2019 THE FOUNDER RED WINE


The next wine that we tasted was "The Sheriff" The three of us preferred that one so far.


he story of our founder is as long as it is colorful. One of California’s first sheriffs, Agoston Haraszthy was elected the Sheriff of San Diego County in 1850. He built the first jail and served two exciting years before moving north to pursue purple gold and the perfect terroir for fine wines. He found it in Sonoma County where he established Buena Vista Winery in 1857. It is his legacy that inspired this wine and the work of sheriffs everywhere that we honor with its release.

We did taste the Pino Noir and Zinfendel, but the wine pictured above is one of our favourites.  We also were fed a salomi and cheese tray with crackers. Ray had to sit down at one of the "reserved tables" to wait for us as he couldn't stand any longer. Millie gave both Grace and I the metal sherriff label. She was such a good host. 

The Count serving up some tastings for a Bachelorette party.

Millie and us

Millie came around the counter and "anointed me with the Sherriff badge from the wine.

So I encouraged her to give Grace one too. :)

Her work paid off lol. Ray gave her a great tip and Grace bought 3 bottles of wine and I bought 2, one of the Sherriffs and a cabernet sauvignon. Pricey, but oh so delicious. Grace and Mike joined their free membership and are only required to buy 3 bottles of wine every 4 months .... they do that anyways from this winery. Definitely a win, win situation and get 20% off and free tastings, so today cost us only the wine we bought and the tip.

We spent so much time at this place .... and did not mind the 6 testers we had ... we decided that is enough of wine tasting lol. The three of us had a nice "glow on".

Back outside we took a quick peek into the "cave" they age their Champagne in.

Next up in downtown Petaluma, Ray driving us now (gee I wonder why). :)

San Francisco Solano, the last California mission, was founded on July 4, 1823. The 1840 church was restored in 1913. The restored mission complex includes the church, the padres' quarters (now a museum), and a large quadrangle. There is a commemorative wall with the names of the Indian neophytes located on the west side of the mission.

We parked and took a walk around. 

They have this huge prickly pear cactus in front, with lots of fruit. More than we've ever seen. Look at the size of its "trunk".

We walked the short distance to the Presidio of Sonoma Historic Park. 

The gift store have this display of "Mission Tiles".

They have it set up well with music playing and sounds of drinks being made at the bar! lol

We continued exploring the plaza with all the old buildings.

Mike waiting for Grace, Ray and myself to pick out our chocolate at one of the small shops.

This picture of a breezeway wall feels like spring.

St. Vincent de Paul Cathedral

Ray's back and legs are done with standing and walking, so it's time for lunch. Grace chose the HopMonk Tavern, just our kinda place. There's even live music on a Saturday afternoon.

After lunch. we headed back to their house with a few "picture worthy" places before picking up our car and were home by 4 pm. A long day, but fun.

The fields are now all covered in yellow with mustard seed. So pretty.

Lots of vineyards in the distance.

Sunday we woke to cloudy skies but at least it's not pouring rain. The plan today is to meet up with Grace and Mike at 1 pm and start our Petaluma Tour before going back to their house for dinner.

It poured all morning, fortunately just a little showery when we left to Grace and Mike's. They knew all the places to get up higher to see their city they love. We managed to stay dry.

The history and events that shaped the West and California are reflected in Petaluma’s landmarks and historic attractions. Rich in authenticity, Petaluma’s heritage can be traced through Native American tribes, Mexican settlements, the discovery of gold, railroad expansion, and the San Francisco earthquake.

Chartered in 1858, Petaluma is one of California’s oldest cities. The city’s riverfront location made it a bustling destination during the mid-19th century Gold Rush when the river carried produce, poultry and dairy products from this fertile valley to the rapidly exploding populations of San Francisco and Oakland.

Spared much of the destruction of the 1906 earthquake, Petaluma boasts buildings whose foundations were laid a century and-a-half ago and whose facades are some of the best examples of iron front building architecture in the entire United States.

Today, these architectural gems in our walkable downtown district house specialty stores, restaurants and galleries.

Gotta chuckle over the power plant putting a plug on their wall. These views are from a couple of parking garages downtown.

Now some wandering around the very old buildings.

The old clock tower.

Over to the old "train station" which is now the Visitor's Centre.

A train even came by but not a steam train lol

Next up some beautiful historic homes, but first one last old, old, sign.

Free Public library, unfortunately not open today.

After all the driving it's time for ice cream from the Creamery. 

Back in the car and we lucked out, the last spot Grace and Mike took us too the sun came out.

After 3 hours it's time to go back their house for appies and dinner. Grace made marvelous mango margaritas.

Cheers to a great day.

Our two days of touring were awesome inspite of the weather. Thanks a bunch guys.

Monday morning raining again. Not a nice day. My Facebook post to let friends know how we are doing with this awful weather:

"Interesting weather day! I-5 closed at Mount Shasta. When it partially reopened only cars and trucks with chains were allowed through, no big rigs and they stopped you to check. We are supposed to continue on Highway 101 to the coast tomorrow but there is a high pass between Santa Rosa where we are and Loleta, California on the coast. It is also closed today with snow. They are expecting between 1 to 2 FEET OF SNOW TODAY AND TONIGHT on the top of that pass!!!

Even if we went a little south and picked up Hwy 1 instead, the road from the coast up to Rockport and then Highway 1 carries on inland through the mountains to Highway 101 at Leggett. This stretch is now closed until March 3rd with mud slides.

So we are hunkered down in Santa Rosa, CA for possibly for an extra day.

Today's weather here is cool with thunderstorms rolling through. We had a great couple of days touring Petaluma, just south of us, with some RV friends for the last couple of days inspite of the rain."