May 25, 2014 Sunday

Day 5 of the Fay Moore Memorial Trip South

Rancho Sisquoc, Firestone-Walker and bumper-to-bumper traffic

"Dad, there's a good winery near here that I have been to before, lets swing by there. It's not far and the road parallels the freeway."

Kevin and I were on the last day of our trip, traveling up Highway 101 from Montecito in Santa Barbara to Mill Valley. The adventure was not over. We had an excellent breakfast and good conversation early this morning with Greg and Della at the Summerland Cafe in Summerland, a classic place in an old wood frame house, family run that has been there for years. Their specialty was giant omelets at reasonable prices. Our first pit stop was El Refugio State Beach near Gaviota before Highway 101 turns inland. On big north swells Refugio has a good right point break, but not today. We had a long trip and with no swell on the water, we put off any thought of surfing, especially on the Sunday of Memorial Day weekend. So, at 10 am we pulled off 101 just north of Buellton at the turnoff for Los Olivos and Solvang (Highway 154).

Kevin had Map Quest up on his iPhone set to the Rancho Sisquoc Winery, our destination. "Turn left onto Zaca Station Road," the iPhone female voice chimed in. We turned onto a two lane country road with stunning scenery: rolling hills of grass and oak trees with grazing cattle interspersed with acres of grape vines with one small winery after another. After several minutes the voice came on again, "Turn right onto Foxen Canyon Road and proceed for ten miles."

 "Ten miles! I thought you said this place was close! We have already traveled eight miles and we're not even half way." I was getting a little worked up thinking about our long drive home.

"Dad, it's not far and we're paralleling the freeway."

So we pushed on. Kevin was right. We pulled into Rancho Sisquoc's visitor center, a wooded grove surrounded by cattle fields and vineyards. We tasted a few reds, and since we came all this way I had to buy a couple of bottles: a Cabernet Sauvignon and the Sisquoc River Red (their red blend). Back onto Foxen Canyon Road to Betterravia Road and within a few minutes we merged back onto 101 at the south end of Santa Maria (a town I know well, Kate and I met here in 1970).

Our next big decision was lunch. I normally stop at MacDonald's in Paso Robles, at the intersection of 101 and Highway 46. Greg's son Dana owns this restaurant and I figure to give him a little business. Kevin was ready for something better. I mentioned to Kevin that on the drive down I passed the Firestone-Walker Brewery, located next to the freeway. We figured they would have an eatery to help beer sales. Kevin quickly founded it on Map Quest and we pulled off the freeway right into their visitors' parking lot.

What a pleasant surprise. Firestone-Walker was huge – one big building for the brewery, another building for their restaurant and store and large lot containing a pyramid of 500 empty kegs. Their "Tap Room" was as big as a football field. The hostess greeted us with, "do you have a reservation?" Fortunately a small table was available outside, we took it. The food was good and so was the beer. We split a "sampler" of four of their brews. They specialize in British session beers – ones with strong hop taste and low alcohol (4 to 6%).

Kevin took over the driving from Paso Robles to Salinas. After a short Starbucks pit stop, we cut over to Highway 1 via 186 through Castroville (the Artichoke Center of the World). Traffic was heavy but moving through Santa Cruz and along the coast. At the south end of Half Moon Bay we hit stop and go traffic. Warm, sunny, holiday and thousands had traveled to the beach. Everyone was trying to get to Highway 92 to head over the hill to the peninsula and the backup stretched for miles.

Being familiar with Half Moon Bay, I decided to cut up to Main Street, which parallels Highway 1 up to Highway 92. That move worked. But then I made a major mistake; I turned onto Kelly Avenue to head for the St Francis State Beach for our last pit-stop of the trip. As soon as I crossed Highway 1 to get to the beach, I realized my error. The traffic in the other direction, coming out of the beach park (about a half mile) was bumper to bumper. Getting to the park was easy but leaving it was impossible. The traffic only moved when the light at Highway 1 turned green, and since the main traffic was the cross direction, the green light was on for three or four seconds, permitting only two or three cars to pass each time. For 30 minutes, we inched the half-mile from the St Francis State Beach to the intersection of Highway 1 and Kelly Avenue.

Once we passed Highway 92, the road opened up and it was smooth sailing all the way home. I had to cross San Francisco to drop off Kevin and then headed across the bridge to Mill Valley. It was dark by the time I arrived home, ending a long for interesting day and as well as five adventurous days.