Napa Valley – June 27-28

We left Davis, California, under sunny skies and headed west to the town of Winters and then over winding, scenic roads to the Napa Valley.  Between Davis and Winters we passed almond orchards, strawberry fields, peach orchards and large fields of sunflowers.  This is a very fertile part of California and as we crossed a mountain pass and entered the Napa Valley, the only crop to see was grapes.  It was a bit cooler in the Napa Valley but it was in the 70s with clear, sunny skies.

We arrived at Razi Vineyards and were instantly greeted by old friends, Fred (Farhad) and Kathy Razi whom we knew in Teheran, Iran, many years ago.  After a quick lunch they showed us around their new tasting room, wine barrel storage area, and where the grapes are crushed and bottled.  At the Tiki Bar by their swimming pool we sampled their main crop, Chardonnay.  We also met their daughter-in-law and grandchildren.  Their black labrador, Shamsi, wanted to play and chase her toys in the swimming pool.  Fred and Cathy’s vineyard is a small boutique winery with about 15 acres planted in Chardonnay grapes  but Fred buys red grapes and bottles red wine (a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Shiraz) under his label.  We sampled several bottles over the afternoon.

Fred grilled chicken and vegetables on the barbecue while Cathy prepared delicious Persian saffron rice with the crunchy bits called tadik.  We stayed up talking, eating, and drinking into the evening.

Tuesday morning we all woke to a steady, cool rain which everyone assured us was unusual this time of the year.  Everyone said it was like Napa’s winter weather.  Rita and I drove the Silverado Trail north through Yountville, Rutherford, St. Helena, and Calistoga which covered most of the Napa Valley.  We returned on parallel highway 29 and stopped in Napa for a cup of soup, which fit the rainy weather.  The Razi Vineyards are close to the Stags’ Leap Winery and we saw many of the famous Napa Valley Vineyards such as Opus One, Mumm (Champagne), Charles Krug, Beringer, and Mondavi to name drop just a bit.  

In the afternoon we returned to the Razi’s house and ordered in pizza for dinner.  We opened several more bottles of Razi white and red wines to make for an interesting evening of conversation.  We won’t forget our visit to Razi Vineyards soon even if some of the visit is a bit hazy.

Lassen Volcanic National Park - June 26, 2011

We started the day in Red Bluff, California, on Interstate 5.  The sky was clear with a warm feel to the air.  We decided to see what we could see in the Lassen Volcanic National Park since we skipped it yesterday when we found out highway 89 was closed because of snow.  We headed east on highway 36 and arrived at the park entrance an hour later.  Snow was piled up very high alongside the road but with the sun shining bright it was not frigid.  All trails were closed as they were under six feet of snow at least.  The road was open into the park for eight miles so we drove to the Bumpass Hell parking area and parked the car for a look.  We had clear views of Lassen Peak and for miles around us.  We both experimented with our new camera, too.  The altitude at the point where the highway was blocked was about 8,000 feet.

Returning downhill we stopped at a place named Sulfur Works that had small pools of bubbling, boiling, muddy water.  There were also vents of steam that melted all snow around them and they smelled strongly of sulfur or rotten eggs.  Near the park entrance we stopped at the Visitors Center for a while then exited the park.  There wasn’t a lot to see and do but the scenery was spectacular and we were glad we made the trip.

We headed a little further east and stopped in the town of Chester where we stopped for lunch at a nice little restaurant called The Red Onion Grill.  After lunch we stopped at another little shop (Jeffroe’s) and had peach pie with ice cream.  We also had coffee to keep us awake during the afternoon siesta time.  We back tracked to highway 32 which we took southwest to Chico.  The road followed Deer Creek and was quite scenic with hundreds of twisty curves.  We worked our way to Interstate 5 once more and headed south towards Sacramento.  We checked into our hotel in Woodland and drove into Davis to the home of a Foreign Service friend we served with in Paris.  Bill Mooney had only recently moved to Davis from Maryland but he knows good restaurants in the area already.  We talked for a while then went to Crepeville for delicious salads and crepes and more conversation until it was time for Rita and me to return to our hotel.  We are really enjoying the chance to see old friends on this trip.

June 25, 2011 - not the best of days

What a day!  First we left Crater Lake this morning in mid-30s temperatures and by the time we arrived in Red Bluff, California, it had risen to 95 degrees.

As we were leaving Crater Lake I noticed a different light on our dashboard – not one I had seen before.  The Toyota manual said it had something to do with tire pressure so that got me worried.  I visually inspected all four tires and they looked fine.  I stopped at a gas station at the Oregon/California border and checked all the tires with a pressure gauge.  They were all fine.  So later in the day, when we stopped in Redding, California, I asked the info center where a Toyota dealer was located, thinking I would stop there after we had lunch.  Sure enough, after lunch the warning light no longer was lit up.  What gives?

Also, the price of gasoline on the Oregon side of the border was up to $3.98 and the guy at the station said he was still cheaper than the gas stations in California so I filled up.  Wrong!  We found gasoline as low as $3.69.  He lied or he didn’t know.

We had read that some of the roads around Lassen Volcanic National Park, which we intended to visit today, were closed earlier so Rita called the park to find out that the road through the park was indeed closed due to snow.  So we changed our itinerary and bypassed the park.  We may see how far the road is open on the south side tomorrow.

Then to top it all off, we stopped at a scenic viewing area to take photos of Mt. Shasta and the camera stopped working.  I had noticed problems with it over the past week but this time I could not get the camera to power on.  So we stopped in Redding at a Best Buy and purchased a new digital camera.  Nothing too elaborate but a Samsung with higher zoom lens and more pixels than the old camera.  We figured our old camera, which the girls gave us, was nearly ten years old and it took a lot of good photos.  So now we are figuring out the new camera, how it works and how to download photos.  Wish us luck -   good luck!

Oregon – June 21-25

In a world where it seems that all of today’s youth are only concerned with piercing and tattoos, it is refreshing to meet people like my distant cousin, Lydia, and her husband Kawn.  People like them give one hope for the future.

After a large breakfast Tuesday morning we learned how to use the Portland mass transit system called MAX (Metro Area Xpress).  We took it from our hotel through the center of Portland to the Goose Hollow stop near Washington Park.  Here we met Lydia, whom we hadn’t seen in about nine years, and her husband Kawn Beyoud who is from Morocco.  They are in the process of relocating to Washington, DC, and because they had given their notice at work they were free to show us around which they graciously did.  

First they drove us to Washington Park where we walked throughout the rose garden and then through the Japanese Garden.  It inspired me to create a Japanese garden at our house in Wimberley but hopefully we have time for that to wear off.  From the park we had clear views of Mt. Hood in the distance.  Next they drove us through most of the chic neighborhoods of metro Portland – Stadium, Pearl, Downtown, River, and Waterfront Districts.  We drove east of the Willamette River and had a tasty lunch at the Widmer Brew Pub with very good micro-brew beer.  After lunch they drove us around Portland some more and about 3:00 pm we requested they drop us off at a MAX stop.  We went back to our hotel and Rita rested while I went to get a haircut.

We met them again around 7:00 pm and walked to a nice outdoor restaurant called Violetta café where we had another good meal and conversation.  Afterwards we walked through the Portland State University campus where Lydia had worked up to last Friday.  Kawn obtained his law degree from Lewis and Clark University in Portland and practiced law up until their upcoming move.  Lydia has been accepted to American University in Washington, DC, for her master’s degree in journalism.  After walking down to the riverfront we finally said our goodbyes and parted ways.  We wish them the best of luck.

Wednesday morning we had a hearty breakfast in our hotel and were away about 9:00 am.  We explored eastern Portland (more than we wanted to) by getting lost en route to a quilting store Rita wanted to visit.  Luckily we were in good neighborhoods because we both remember reading “Bonfire of the Vanities”.  After Rita finished shopping we headed around Portland on I-205 and headed west to the vineyards of Willamette Valley known for their pinot noirs.  First we stopped at the Ponzi winery and sampled their wine.  We drove through Tualatin, Sherwood, and Newberg where we had a fine lunch at the Subterra wine cellar and more pinot noir.  

After lunch we drove west to explore the Oregon Coast starting at Lincoln City and driving south on highway 101.  The day was coming to a close and we found a nice hotel called The Inn at Otter Crest that was secluded with views of the Pacific Ocean from our room.  The weather turned cloudy during the day so we did not have the sunshine of yesterday but the views were great anyway.

Thursday morning we woke to sunshine and coolish temperatures where we spent the night near Newport.  We could sit in bed with our coffee and see seals lounging on rocks below.  Sometimes we luck out on hotels and this was one of them.  This Inn at Otter Crest was situated on a hill and we were given one of the best rooms in the hotel – at the top of the hill with views overlooking the Pacific Ocean.  We even had a funicular tram to carry us up and down from the parking lot.  And the price was very reasonable.  

We started the day’s sightseeing at Cape Foulweather, named by Captain Cook.  We were high over the ocean and joined a small group of people looking at something below.  They were watching a gray whale.  We remained there 30 or 45 minutes watching the gray whale surface about every 5 minutes, blow off his steam, and swim around a bit on the surface before diving again.

Continuing down the coast we stopped again at Yaquina Head where we saw thousands of nesting birds, mostly common murres and Brant’s cormorants but also a couple of bald eagles.  We saw several sea lions or seals and, of course, the Yaquina Head lighthouse.  Views from here were terrific and the sun came out nicely.  We drove south along highway 101 which would drop down alongside wide empty beaches and then climb up giving fantastic views of the ocean, cliffs, beaches, and evergreen forests.  We stopped again at Heceta Head lighthouse viewpoint for more photos.  

In Florence we stopped for lunch at the locally famous Mo’s seafood restaurant.  I had a cup of their acclaimed clam chowder with fish and chips while Rita had shrimp-stuffed avocado.  After the late lunch we walked around historic downtown Florence a while and topped off lunch with ice cream.  Back on the road we stopped further south at the Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area and watched ATVs and dune buggies climb the large sand dunes.  At Reedsport we headed inland (east) on highway 38 which is an Oregon scenic byway along the Umpqua River.  There were overlooks to watch the local herd of Roosevelt elks but it was the wrong time of day for wildlife.  

In Elkton we had to stop for an espresso as we were too sleepy to continue.  That woke us up.  We took highway 138 to I-5 where we headed south to our destination, Medford.  Medford is the headquarters of the famous Harry and David gourmet food company.  The scenery along I-5 was once more impressive with large pine forests on the sides of mountains.  In Medford we found our hotel and ordered a calzone and salad to be delivered to our room.  We didn’t feel like going out this evening.

Friday morning the sky was clear and a warming trend was in effect.  We had breakfast at our hotel, washed a load of laundry, and stopped at a store for some supplies so we were late getting away.  But our destination, Crater Lake National Park, wasn’t far.  In the little town of Union Creek we stopped at Beckie’s Café.  If you like pie and you are in this area you should stop at Beckie’s Café.  They have several pies for dessert and we had a difficult time choosing.  Rita went for fresh cherry pie while I had a strawberry cream pie right out of the oven.  Yummy!  

We entered Crater Lake National Park from the south because the night before their website said that the north entrance and Rim Road were closed because of snow.  The north entrance and West Rim Road were opened two hours before we arrived.  Crater Lake is one of the snowiest national parks and this past winter they had about 649 inches of snowfall.  That’s a lot of snow and there is still a lot on the ground (see photos).  All the trails in the park are still closed and won’t open for some time.

We drove to the Crater Lake Lodge, built in 1913, and checked in.  I was lucky to get reservations last April as rooms book up a year ahead sometimes.  After we settled in we saw the Crater Lake for the first time – we were impressed.  Crater Lake is at 7,100 feet and about five miles across but in the clear air it didn’t seem that far.  The water was bright blue like the cloudless sky.  The East Rim Road is still closed so we couldn’t drive around the lake but we did take the West Rim Road to the north entrance cutoff.  We stopped several times for different views of Crater Lake and Wizard Island, a volcanic cone.  Crater Lake should be on everyone’s bucket list.  It is one of the highlights of our trip thus far.

We walked around the lodge some and rested our feet on the veranda, sitting in chairs outside overlooking the lake.  We had 6:30 dinner reservations at the Lodge restaurant and were treated to a gourmet meal in rustic lodge settings.  A roaring fire in the Great Room beckoned us to come sit by the fire a while but all the rocking chairs were occupied by old geezers.  I woke around 12:45 in the morning, looked out the window to an amazingly star-filled sky so I quickly dressed and went outside.  It was well worth the effort.  I saw the Milky Way stand out and more stars in the clearest conditions I have seen in a long while.  In the morning I walked outside about 6:30 am Saturday morning to see sunrise on the lake.  I was about an hour late but the sight was still impressive.  

We packed up for an early departure today since I woke so early and headed south for the California border.  We have had no phone service or Internet for a few days so when we get to our hotel tonight I should have more to post.  We did leave Crater Lake in the mid-30s this morning and arrived in Red Bluff, California at 95 degrees.  Quite a change for today!

Washington State and Mt. Rainier – June 20, 2011

We left our hosts home early Monday morning as we had an 8:00 am appointment with the local Toyota dealer to have the car’s 80K service which just amounts to oil change, tire rotation, and inspection.  It passed inspection better than Rita or I would.  We were away from the Seattle area about 9:30 am which wasn’t far from normal.

We headed south on highway 16 with cloudy skies but no rain.  Crossing Puget Sound once more by bridge we skirted the city of Tacoma, worked our way to Puyallup where we took highway 161 south to highways 7 and 706 towards Mt. Rainier National Park.  Just before the park entrance we stopped for lunch at highly recommended Alexander’s Country Inn, not sure if they were open for lunch.  There was nobody at the front desk and we finally found a man who said, yes they were open for lunch.  Nobody else was there.  Our waitress apologized to us and said that the chef just arrived and she didn’t know if they were going to open for lunch or not.  Despite this shaky start we had an excellent lunch – Rita with a quiche and I had a fresh trout out of their own trout pond.  I even got a discount because our waitress didn’t know how to de-bone a trout and I did most of the work.  We had laughs and a good lunch at bargain prices.

We continued into the park, driving to the Longmire Information Center first where the old park headquarters is a rustic building that went up in the 1920s and is on the National Historic Landmark list.  After looking at that we continued up the road with no views of Mt. Rainier because of clouds.  Last Friday when we arrived in the Seattle area we did see Mt. Rainier in clear conditions but did not photograph it from afar then.  Now I wish we had.  It is usually shrouded in clouds.  We stopped at several overlooks and finally came to Paradise Inn with snow piled up high (see photos).

We continued through the park to highway 123 on the park’s eastern edge where we exited the park heading south into the Gifford Pinchot National Forest.  We took highway 12 west to highway 25 which we had hoped to follow past Mt. Saint Helens but no luck as the road was closed because of snow.  In mid-June!  So we took highway 12 to Interstate 5 instead and headed to Portland which wasn’t far from us.  We stopped to use Wi-Fi at a McDonalds and made last minute reservations at a hotel in downtown Portland.  We called my distant cousin, Lydia Beyoud, and walked to a nearby restaurant for dinner.  We are ready to see Portland Tuesday on the first day of summer.

Back to the USA – June 17 – 19, 2011

Our hotel in Victoria was a block away from the Black Ball Ferry that we had reservations with to go to Port Angeles, Washington.  We had to be at the ferry at 9:00 am, which was no problem, for a 10:30 am departure.  US immigration and customs looked at our passports with minimal fuss so it was mainly a “hurry up and wait” situation.  The ferry departed on time and soon we were crossing the Strait of Juan de Fuca for the USA.  The ride took an hour and a half and we debarked in Port Angeles close to noon.  TSA greeted us but that, too, did not take long.  I asked the TSA agent for lunch suggestions and he recommended the Garden Café on the outskirts of town which had delicious sandwiches.

We took the road into Olympic National Park and to Hurricane Ridge 17 miles down the road.  Or I should say up the road as we climbed to a mile high with quite a bit of snow on the ground.  A few black-tailed deer were present and we had great views of snow-capped peaks and a few glaciers.  After a while we headed back down to highway 101 which we took east and south through winding twists and turns with pine forests alongside the road.  We arrived at the home of our hosts, Fran and Richard Davey, about 6:00 pm, just in time for a nice shrimp salad dinner.  The evening was spent discussing the joys and tribulations of living overseas and reminiscing mainly about good times in Australia.

Friday we had high clouds with some nice periods of sunshine.  In fact, we had great views of Mt. Rainier on our drive to Allyn where Fran and Richard live.  But when we woke up Saturday morning we had rain and drizzle which we were told is typical of this area.  Rain does not stop people in this part of the country – if it did, nothing would get done.  So we donned our rain gear and headed to Bremerton where we caught the ferry to Seattle.  Seattle was shrouded in clouds on our arrival and the rain increased as we started walking to the Pioneer Square area where skid row originated.  Skid row was a long downhill ramp where logs were sent down to the saw mills on the docks.  Bawdy houses and bars were built along the ramp which became known as Skid Row and the name spread to seedy areas in other cities.

Next we walked to the Pikes Place Market with seafood, produce, flowers and anything else one wants.  We saw the fish market where fresh salmon are tossed as tourists snap their cameras.  I was too late.  We saw the first-ever Starbucks coffee shop but it was too crowded to get in the door.  So we went to Kells Pub and had an Irish coffee to take the chill off.  We walked through the markets some more and then to Elliot’s seafood restaurant where we had an excellent lunch.  Three of us shared a bowl of fried calamari – Rita does not like it.  We were fortunate in our timing as the Copper River sockeye salmon had just arrived on the market.  I had that along with rice and grilled vegetables which was delicious.  Rita and I split a big dessert of chocolate cake with ice cream topping.  A bottle of local Riesling wine went well with the meal.  We walked around Seattle a bit more before heading back to the ferry.  As we were leaving Seattle the rain stopped and the clouds had lifted, revealing the skyline.  

Sunday was Father’s Day and our hosts prepared a nice brunch of eggs Benedict for the fathers.  We had a resting day and took phone calls from our children throughout the day.  Tomorrow we get the Toyota serviced and head south towards Oregon.