Distance traveled: 57.7 km
Cumulative distance: 2,557.5 km
Maximum speed: 116 kph
Moving average: 60 kph
Temperature range: 28.6 - 29.0
I had a chill day here in Windsor. I slept like a log until 8:00 am, my first sleep-in on the trip and it was worthwhile, though I was a little groggy initially and I had lost some incentive to pretty much do anything; especially get on the bike. Sat outside visiting with the host and his high school friend visiting from Maine. They have been friends since junior high, in the early 60s. Then i organized myself a new a new rear tire. That's what happens on longer trips. My existing tire I think would have lasted but it would really have been tired (no pun intended) by the time i got home. I once did a trip with a fellow who tried to squeeze every kilometre from his rear tire and ended up regretting it. I decided on not taking a chance.
Being in wine country, I thought I should do some wine tasting. After a couple of coffees and some breakfast, I started coming around and my desire to have a worthwhile day improved.
The last time we were here (which was probably in the 90s) the Sonoma wineries were mostly small, family wineries whereas the Napa wineries were the big chateau-styled estates. Plus, in those days, Sonoma wineries didn't charge for a tasting. Not that I expected that now. I haven't been touring all over and I am sure there are family wineries around but the vibe has changed somewhat.
I hadn't spent a whole lot of time thinking about what wineries to visit so, like everything on this trip, i was choosing on the fly. I decided I would go to the Francis Ford Coppola Winery so, if nothing else, I could look at the movie memorabilia. Close by was another winery called Trione. I did not know the winery but I had read some positive commentary on it so I thought I would give it a try.
The first I visited was Trione. Big estate but not really "chateau" style, they have 600 acres 
and only produce wine from 3% of their grapes, the rest being sold to other wineries. The gal conducting the tasting was... my vintage, and we had a discussion about the evolving nature of the wine industry and how young people are not interested in wine like we were, that they are more interested in craft beers. I think I had read the same article about a month ago. I enjoyed the wine there quite a bit and i would characterize it thus: if we were on a driving holiday, I would happily carry home a case but riding, I would not organize shipping a case to the border and then collecting it there later. The person conducting the tasting, even knowing that I was on a motorcycle, was astounded that i wasn't taking any with me.
After, I went to the FFC winery. THIS is a palatial estate, definitely more French chateau styled, with an American twist. There is a swimming pool and a cocktail bar in the courtyard . When I presented myself, I was told $25 for a half hour tasting, $40 for a one hour tasting. I thought "more money, more time, more wine". Since i didn't want to move in I opted for the shorter session. The stuff I tasted was cheap plonk that you can get at any winery anywhere. I was very underwhelmed and left disappointed I had wasted a wine tasting. Turns out, the $40 tasting was more money, same quantity, better wine, carried further. However, looking at the movie memorabilia was interesting.
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| An actual Tucker. No. 37 of 50 produced. |
I stopped on the way back to do a couple of errands and filled the gas tank so that I would have full range for my ride to Sacramento. Not sure how long it will take because the various sources of estimates are varying, from 2 1/4 hours to 3 1/4 hours; I'll assume the longer and hope for the shorter.
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| Brahm Stocker's Dracula costumes. |
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| Copola's wall of fame. |
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| Apocalypse Now |
