The adventure begins early on Saturday with a drive to ATL – nothing initiates (nor signals the end of) a wonderful journey more than warm southern genteel hospitality of Hartsfield International’s award winning customer service. The drive over and parking go smoothly and soon we are at our gate with time to spare. We gamble on an aeronautical cocktail that Shannon has devised for me to help ease the flight. After a brief flight to Charlotte and a couple hour layover, the long haul begins with a five-hour flight to SFO. The medical concoction is a success and we touchdown in Frisco, our luggage comes tumbling down the shoot early and off we go in search of the car rental place. After two escalator rides, an elevator trip with Wang et al, and the blue line shuttle tram, we finally meet Austin who directs us to our Toyota chariot. With siri barking coordinates and Shannon adeptly navigating, we zip along over the Bay Bridge thru the city. Hungry and thirsty and clueless as to what the local time is, we choose a six-pack of bud light and taco bell drive thru to quench our nutritional desires. Day 1 comes to a close at the Fairfield Marriott.

We are awakened by the light emerging thru our curtains as Shannon gently eases them open to determine the luminous source. Joyously, we are met by a gloriously radiating full moon that seems only just outside our touch! A crappy cup of hotel room coffee and a plan is devised to hit the Starbucks for proper fueling and then a brisk walk thru a nearby park that is simply wonderful.   This begins to provide vistas that will soon become our destination. Napa is today’s. With coordinates entered, off we go. My expectations are undetermined but it’s a requirement to attend! We’ll visit the downtown area for lunch and shopping before our winery tour – only problem is there wasn’t the downtown as you would expect but we found a cute little market and kick off the epicenter of American Wine with a cool draft beer! With the recommendation from a friend we head up the mountain to go spelunking for grapes. The weather is perfect – I mentioned to Shannon that if it’s this nice on the first tee at Pebble of Friday, I will probably weep! We are gated in to our winery and walk up to the cave entrance – a cave entrance! The Jarvis Winery was a real treat with Tom taking us thru the cavern. With uncertainty as what to expect, I’d have to say Napa was not what I expected,

Starbucks again fuels our plans as we prepare for Point Reyes and day two. Off we go. As we head towards the lighthouse, the anticipation grows and we round each curve and crest each hill to the joyous site of the Pacific. Cows guide us along the way, as the terrain becomes treeless fields of rolling green. Finally, peeks of our excitement begin to emerge and soon, our peripheral is engulfed with blue as far as our ocular lenses reveal. Our perfect timing continues as the parking angel provides us with the last spot in a tiny lot for the lighthouse followed by the sign that says the lighthouse is closed Tuesday thru Thursday!. Our digitally chromatic instruments and compositional efforts will not convey this experience.  Holy cow – beautiful cliffs with crashing surf surrounded by the far reaches of sight. The lighthouse fog alert calls out twice each minute with a gentle moan that this day beckons a few whales instead of heeding  warnings to wayward sailors. We check in with Kai at Ten Inverness Way B&B and grab a few beers at the market to enjoy a refreshment at the local landmark – a beached trawler!