On a Saturday in June, we traveled through the valleys of Sonoma and Napa with little intention of tasting the wines. I’m sure that’s heresy, especially for someone like me who works with vintners and wines, but it wasn’t that kind of day. We drove from Oakland, crossing the bridge that takes you by San Quentin prison, where the fog was rolling over the hills.
We saw the missions bells along the way, one of my favorite things to spot in California. They mark the trail of Spanish missions in the state.
We turned at the Sonoma Raceway to head up towards the Sonoma Valley and our first destination…
Passing the beginnings of the farmlands and vineyards, where a flag flew from a tree in the glory of the day.
Our actual destination was Glen Ellen, home of Jack London, and we cruised through the small town which had changed since my friend had last been there and had met London’s daughter in a small bookstore. Neither remains. We headed to the park, touring the museum and then heading down the trail to Wolf House, the incredible 15,000 square foot dream house that London and his wife, Charmian, built. It burned to the ground days before they moved in. I can only imagine their complete devastation at seeing the charred ruins.
The trail was lovely, although it got hot quickly that day. Thank goodness for the drinking fountains and benches along the way. It’s not that far in, but can be a trek in the heat. 
The signs along the way tell you that you’re in a wilderness area. There were also signs to watch for a mountain lion that had been spotted in the area.
Wolf House was spectacular, even in ruins. No wonder it burned to the ground before help could arrive. It’s deep in the woods, surrounded by trees. But, you can envision their dream. Here’s the entrance.
And a couple of other views. Looking down into the house, you see the place it would have been, a house to entertain and enjoy. 
As an English major, I hate to admit that I didn’t know that much about London. I’d read a little back in high school, but he wasn’t one that I explored. After seeing the place and hearing his story, I ended up reading “The Call of the Wild” on the plane going home. I get him now. And his wife, Charmian. Quite a story. I walked up to their cottage, where he wrote and experimented with pigs and crops, becoming quite the farmer on his land. 
There were vineyards and cactus without stickers (not very technical) he grew to see if they could feed the cattle.
Leaving the ranch, we spotted a fruit stand. I love fruit stands, an homage to my mother who never passed one without stopping. We filled the car with the smells of the last of the cherry crop and apricots and sampled the juicy fruits as we drove.
Up Sonoma we headed, watching for Francis Ford Coppola’s winery, which I had visited several years ago and thought my movie loving friend might enjoy. After passing it several times (no sign on the highway and my maps weren’t giving us time to exit), we found it in all it’s glory. I’d been here about 8 years ago and the place looked like it had doubled in size, including adding a resort pool for families, which is unique since it’s not a resort. It was packed, so I guess people stop for a swim. It was lovely, just interesting since it’s in the middle of just about nowhere. 
Lunch was great, overlooking the vineyards. 
They had added more movie props along with the Oscars and other awards. This is the desk from “The Godfather” – so they say. There was also a Tucker automobile from the movie, “Tucker.”
It was late afternoon when we left and the wineries were closing for the weekend. We traveled through the Alexander Valley to cross over to the Napa Valley. Some of the best wineries are in this area, marked with signs going every direction. A gorgeous drive along curvy roads through the hills, lovely on a Saturday afternoon.
We headed south through the Napa Valley, passing through Napa as the Wine Auction was taking place, one of the top fundraisers in the country and probably the most profitable charity wine auction. Since I’ve worked with wine auctions over the last ten years, it was fun to even breathe the air of this giant event. 
Other than wine with late lunch, we didn’t sample the wines, but it was a delightful trip through the valleys that have changed this country’s wine industry. It’s always lovely. We circled back to our base in Oakland, ready to find another adventure the next day.
Confetti Thoughts 