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Halloween Weekend Trip to
Paso Robles and Los Olivos!
Well, this photo was actually from in front of the Trader Joe's on Encinitas Blvd., but you get the idea...
We jumped in the Sportsmobile on Thursday morning, Oct 30, and drove north on I-405 and I-5 until we got to Route 46 where we turned west and headed to Paso!
Driving through LA is always a pain and Paso is about a 300 mile drive from our house, so we were ready to take the edge off. First stop: Tobin James!
It's the first winery you come to as you approach Paso Robles. It's always lively, the tastings are free (!) and the wines are pretty good.
A fun tasting room where you can buy just about anything as long as it has the TJ seven pointed star logo.
How many seven-pointed stars can you count in this photo? 30?
Oh, wait, here's another one!
Being sufficiently relaxed after leaving Tobin James we checked in at the Wine Country RV Resort.
We brought the mums and little pumpkins with us.
We were ready to Rock-N-Roll!
The next morning, Friday, we drove up Airport Road to the Pleasant Valley area.
It was a little overcast but rain wasn't expected until late afternoon, just in time for the trick-or-treaters.
We were a little early for tasting so we took our time and snapped a few photos.
Here is the worlds largest corkscrew. I wonder what the call the size bottle that it could be used on, a triple-double Nabuchadnezzar?
We decided to try J&J because that was the closest winery at 11:00 AM and we had to pee!
I saw this plane coming at us!
I had to duck!
I call this photo "Row 83"
The partially sunny sky was creating a lot contrast on the vineyards and rolling hills.
Some of the vines were turning and others were still vibrant green. All the grapes were harvested already. We liked J&J. Their Bordeaux varietals were tasty and very reasonably priced.
Ranchita Canyon was literally a "ma and pa" operation (in the good sense) and we met both of them.
Again, reasonably priced, decent Bordeaux varietals, nice people and scenic vineyards.
The parking lot wasn't crowded.
Ranchita Canyon tasting room building
We know why this guy says "see you tomorrow". We had a great lunch of chicken nachos and beer here, just off the town square in Paso. I would go back tomorrow if it were a little closer.
After that late lunch at Papi's we went to see Terry Hoage, a winery that we've heard a lot about but had never visited
These are scenes from Terry Hoage's which is on the west side of Paso
The clouds were still out there threatening rain.
Looking out the tasting room window
Outside the tasting room window
Love the rolling hills from Santa Barbara to Paso and beyond!
The winebarrelow.
That was it for Friday. The rain finally came down in torrents after we were comfortably tucked back away at the WC RV Resort. I'm sure there were a lot of wet kids in Halloween costumes out there somewhere.
Saturday, Nov 1
On our way to Calcareous, we saw this sign, so we stopped.
This is where we met the owner, wine-maker, marketer, farmer and Jack of all trades, Donald Thiessen, pictured here, a man of many stories.
There is something about these small, family-owned enterprises that is appealing. It is fun to talk to the person in charge.
After a quick stop at Calcareous where we encountered some rain, we drove to Minassian-Young, a little farther down the road
It was starting to clear, but there were still a few clouds shifting around
Dancing vines
At Aron Hill, you can buy lunch if you also buy a tasting or a glass of wine or a bottle.
Not a problem.
The front of AHV with a delivery truck
That "X" shape to the left of this photo reminded me that it was martini time (I think it looks like a stubby martini glass), so we headed back to the "Resort" for dinner.
This is what we had for dinner, along with some food.
Sunday, Nov. 2
We were to meet our most amazing and wonderful friends, Greg and Kelly, in Los Olivos in the mid-afternoon, so we decided to make a pit stop in Avila Beach
Avila Beach is a nice little town due west from San Luis Obispo.
Our "pit stop" included a Bloody Mary, surprise, surprise, at a seaside bar.
It's a little touristy but nice and the weather finally cleared for a beautiful day.
Not one, but two piers!
Selfie with sand, water and sun glasses, and Lorri. We had a nice lunch at an Irish pub in Orcut, where we watched part of the Chargers dismantling at the hands of the Dolphins. Ugh. Where are the photos? I don't know.
We finally made it to Los Olivos where we met G&K, had a chat with Mike Carhartt and did some tasting in Carhartt's "back room" while we waited for the house to be ready.
Here is the Carhartt Guest House. This was after we moved the chairs around a bit so we could all sit by the chiminea.
That's Lorri on the deck that you see to the right in the photo above. Check out the view!
This is looking up the slope behind the house.
This is Greg, Kelly, Lorri and Evan. Evan is the member of the Carhartt task force in charge of the guest house and what a great job he is doing!
The house was perfectly clean and organized with all the conveniences that anyone could expect, including that little wine cooler that was stocked with Carhartt wines at wine club prices!
Direct TV! Thankfully the Chargers were done losing by then so we didn't have to watch it.
The dining room
The view over the edge of the bocce court.
Monday, Nov 3
The day dawned bright and sunny, a perfect day for a drive to the "Wine Ghetto" in Lompoc
We piled in the van and headed west
Here I am with one of the Ghetto Girls at Montemar, with Kelly and Lorri in the background.
This is what we tasted. We also visited Ampelos and Samsara.
We took the southerly route back toward Solvang, stopping at Lafond for a tasting and a picnic lunch.
Lafond
La picnic
La vines
La mountain
La moon. See it? This was back at the house.
Warming up by the chiminea
Tuesday, Nov. 4
We stopped to pick up lunch supplies at the world-famous Los Olivos market.
Here is Greg dealing with lunch supplies.
First stop, Firestone.
Veronica there was great!
At Demetria, you need to have an appointment and the gate code to get in.
It's a 2-1/2 mile scenic drive from the gate to the winery.
The winery looks like it could be in Tuscany.
The tasting is done in the back courtyard and they bring the wine to you. Beautiful.
The view from our table.
Oh, oh, Lorri stole my iPhone...
Kelly and me.
Just me.
Me and Greg
You don't get tired of these views. You may get tired of my photos though.
Tuscany!
Provence!
There was a private little picnic area a few yards downhill from the courtyard.
Rioja!
Hmmm. Good thing we brought the van!
More views of the property around the Carhartt house.
The entry drive. You can see the gate in the middle right area.
From the west, sort of.
Can you see the tire swing? According to Evan, these vines are Sangovese grapes.
Pizza Night!
The Dirtmobile.
The bocce ball court.
Nothing like a cool glass of rose and a little bocce ball, I always say.
Good bye Carhartt House, we're packing up to go. I have a feeling we'll be back...
We stopped along the highway, somewhere north of Ventura just to soak up a little sand and sun, and maybe to pee.
It was a great week and thanks to Greg and Kelly for arranging the Carhartt House rental and for being such great friends!
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