Napa and Petaluma, CA

We left Winters once we were done getting the bus back into working order. Unfortunately, it looks like the reason why it blew that gasket is because it was just so cold outside and I didn't give it time to warm up. I guess you live and learn. I feel pretty stupid about that one but it is in the past so eff it.

The plan was to leave and find a camping site at Lake Berryessa. Anna had 2 scouted out already so we made our way out there. The road was pretty rural and I was a bit uneasy after the bad morning but the Bus did great. We stopped at both of the campsites and they both looked cold, depressing, and few campers. We decided Lake Berryessa was not going to make it on our trip and left for Napa because it wasn't too far off.

We took ca-121 over to Napa. That road truly tested the Bus. It had twists and turns big uphills and downhills. We made it past without problems but I do know that I don't expect the Bus to go more than 40 mph over any decent sized hill :P. Going along the roads we just saw vineyard after vineyard and it was quite beautiful with the fall colors on them. Lots of rolling hills in the Napa Valley with lots of Agriculture made for a very picturesque drive. We found a camping site call Skyline Wilderness park and paid our $30 bucks so that we could have electrical hooks up and a place for the night.

A California native growth garden at Skyline

We looked around just for a small bit and then started to make dinner. With the electrical going and they also had wifi we were just chillin' in the Bus with our computers surfing the net, checking Facebook etc. etc. I jumped on Hulu and watched some shows. I thought it was funny that we decide to make this crazy trip and "live without" for awhile and here we are vegging in front of the computer watching our favorite shows. Anna wasn't happy that the new episode of Gossip Girl wasn't up yet though.

Before going to bed I started to read Walden by Henry David Thoreau. I had started it earlier this year but didn't get very far and just decided to start over. I probably read the first 20 pages of Economy. The observations he made and the way he sees life is quite enlightening. He wrote this book back in 1854 yet the things he observed about the people that surrounded him seem like people alive today. We get so wrapped up in things we think we need and work so hard at jobs we don't like to try and get these luxuries. Then it turns out you never reach the point where you are happy and have all the luxuries you desire and looking back you spent you life in unhappy situation after unhappy situation. You become a slave to the things you desire not realizing that your desires will not provide what you hope. I enjoyed the read.

Fell asleep then woke up and we had some breakfast and then went for a hike. There was a main trail there that led to Lake Marie. It was mostly uphill and a decently challenging hike. According to the map we were almost to the lake before we decided to turn back because we were tired and had been hiking for a good solid hour.

A Cave on our hike

We spotted Paul Bunyan on the hike

Weird cutaway in the rocks on our hike

After the hike we left the camping site and went to visit Anna's Great Uncle Ray. He lives in Napa and we drove across town to see him and visit. I had never met him and Anna hadn't seen him in a long time. We were welcomed with open arms. Ray went out and got us pizza for lunch and then we just talked about our plans and talked about the past. Ray had just recently lost his wife (she was 81 I believe and he 82). So we talked about her for awhile talked about him growing up and why he moved everywhere he decided to move. He came from Indiana to Hayward, CA then to Napa, CA. After about and hour or two visiting we were off to Petaluma not too far probably like 40 miles from Napa.

We filled up on gas for the first time on the trip in Petaluma and found our campsite. It was a "Boondocking" site which basically means it isn't a formal campground. It was in a parking lot of a 24hour mom and pop restaurant. We busted out the bikes and rode them to the historic district and walked around. After a good while we went by the theaters and decided to watch Due Date. It was funny and by the time it was done it was dark. We rode our bikes back to the Bus and I realized that we definitely need some headlights for our bikes. After that we just made ourselves comfortable in the Bus for the rest of the night.

 

Pics from walking around Petaluma the church is St. Vincent de Paul