There's nothing to "wine" about

These are two pictures of a particularly curvy undulating bits of Highway 1. and this is the River's End Restauarant where I had lunch. The impression from the roadwat isn't much but the view out the back and the food are amazing.

This is one of those views that no picture can capture. And yes P-A, I was stopped when I took it.

This is a small part of what i could see from the balcony off my second floor room at the Beachcomber Motel in Fort Bragg.

Started off at around 9:15 this morning along Highway 1. The speed of the bike accentuates the coolness of the air to the point that I had to turn on the heated grips and the "bum warmer", as Jane calls it, for the first hour or so.

I stopped for lunch at River's End, a highly rated coastal restaurant in Stewarts Point where according to their own flyer "a mystical river ends (and) a celebration of food and wine begins". I must say that the fish and chips and the glass of fine Chardonnay.

I had thought I would then take a small road marked on my map to go over to Geyserville (I mean how can one resist a place with that name) but, after a kilometre (or maybe a mile) on the roughest curvy surface I've encountered so far and with the prospect of another 20 miles of it, I turned around and drove further south on Highway 1. But, fear not keen reader, I did make it to Geyserville, a quiet place, by following route 116 from Jenner. Having taken note of Chuck Shields suggestions I found the square in Healdsburg and stopped to walk around a bit. I'm afraid the wine tasting tour will have to be some other time as motorcycling on winding roads and sipping wine, either before or during, don't mix very well. I then made my way via routes 128 and 29through St Helena and Younville to Napa. The last part was very slow but it did afford me the opportunity to look at the scenery more closely. To say that there are wineries in these parts is like saying there are redwoods in the Redwood Forest; its vines everywhere and as in some places as far as one can see. I assume the local constabulary must be quite busy as there are signs along the road that encourage people to call 911 to report drunk drivers. From there it was on to Sonoma. I had another excellent meal of oysters, the black cod and a couple of glasses of local wine at the El Dorado Kitchen.

After dinner I walked around the town square, even if it was only 8:30 neraly all businesses, including many of the restaurants were closed, and returned to the Best Western where I had a room for the night.

Today I'm riding back to the coast and following Highway 1 to San Fransisco.