Napa, California: Okay, you can just click away from this website for the next few days because we are going to do the same old thing and visit the same old places and dine in the same old restaurants we usually visit while in Napa. (Maybe not so many restaurants due to global pandemic.) Such creatures of habit. When we were here in August, most vineyards were closed to tastings, but now quite a few are open, but only over the weekend... and Monday is not a weekend. We have terrible timing.
On my walk this morning in Red Bluff (yep, no rain and no excuse to not exercise), I found the most beautiful assortment of fall leaves. I stole a few. Most likely KOA will send me a bill for these pirated leaves, but since they charged us a ridiculous $82 to camp here last night, I will fight the charge! Anyway, pressed-flat all day, the leaves made a pretty centerpiece, and our only "Halloween" décor.
Do y'all feel fall-ish now?
We had an easy drive from Red Bluff to Napa - only stopping once at a rest stop - making yummy sandwiches from the left-over chicken thigh from last evening's repast. After arriving to Napa, we had quite the check-in scenario at the Napa Valley Expo RV Park. We had one reservation for today and another for two more nights November 1-2. (A bit of a dinosaur website.) While registering, the camp host was finally able to situate us in a campsite that did not require us to move from one site to another. (Not a huge problem, but still, one we do not enjoy.)
After setting-up camp and starting laundry, we went to the nearby Oxbow Public Market. DT wanted rose and ice cream. I wanted nothing, but still found a few things. This is why it is great to travel with a pantry, refrigerator and freezer! DT found his rose and had an ice cream. I found fun dried pastas - pumpkin-shaped and cocks comb-shaped dried pastas from Marella Pasta in Puglia, Italy. The pumpkin-shaped pasta will be super fun for the kids when they visit for a week over Thanksgiving, and how much sauce do you think the cocks comb pasta will absorb?
As is our custom, I made a pot of chili for our Halloween dinner and also corn bread (with green chiles). The chile was prepped last night and placed into the crockpot in the fridge overnight. When we stopped for lunch, I put the crockpot in the kitchen sink and warmed the chili all afternoon. I'm classy like that.
There was baseball on TV. There was football on TV. I paid none of it no never mind.
Though we purchased candy yesterday, we had no Trick-or-Treaters tonight. Probably not a camper under age 50 here tonight. I went out with our bowl of M&Ms and did a reverse trick-or-treat. I gave out candy to the two couples sitting outside at dusk (not too warm here tonight). I gave three packages of M&Ms and received one package of almonds. A good night - plus met a few fun people, a few nice dogs, and was able to speak Mandarin (poorly) with our neighbors.
Don't be afraid. We have a very non-frightening adventure planned for tomorrow. Rain is expected, but it will not stop us from eating ourselves through the Napa Valley.
Until my next update, I remain, your not-very-haunted-in-any-way correspondent.
RV PARK: Napa Valley Expo RV Park - Really a small park and hard to snag a reservation, but what a great location. Walk to town. Full service pull-through and back-in sites. We are paying $54 per night.
We didn’t have trick or treaters either. We are back off the road but it’s well lit.
So many of our city churches have big festivities for the kids. Also, our neighbors children have all grown up, like ours…..things change….sigh!
Enjoy Napa, a great area. Rose ice cream, something to try next time! Yum.
No. He bought a bottle of rose wine, and had a scoop of ice cream.