The Midwest Descends upon Wine Country

There are several ways to tour wine country. From private limo or sedan to group shuttles to personal valets who will drive your own car around. And of course, you can always take yourself, but as a single traveler who likes to swirl and swallow, this did not seem like a wise idea for me. So I booked two tours, one for each of the full days I stayed in Sonoma.

My shuttle wine tour group and our guide, Steve (first on the left), at Petroni Vineyards.
Ever wonder who buys table statuary? Signore Petroni, that's who.

The Real Neighborhoods of Sonoma County

Having been to both Napa and Sonoma valleys at this point, I can say that these two famed wine country regions are indeed as romantic and inspiring in both summer and winter as every movie, Wine Spectator article, and travel blog would lead you to believe. And like any other tourist town swept up in its own legend, Sonoma has its public side and its lesser known nooks and crannies.

Tonight's Specials: Fresh Oysters, Crab, and Locals

Best way to people watch in a small town or neighborhood? Eat dinner and hang around for a few drinks at a local bar. Make friends with the bartender, chat up the folks next to you. On the road without a DD, I haven't really taken advantage of the drinking much, but I can tell you that the money was otherwise well spent... on fresh local oysters on the half shell and in-season steamed Dungeness crab - perhaps the best reason to visit this region in the winter.

In the Heart of the Russian River Valley

Guerneville, self-proclaimed "Heart of the Russian River Valley" sits on Hwy 116, which is a scenic little road that follows the famed Russian River and will take you from Jenner (on the coast) to Sebastopol, where you can pick up Hwy 12 and skate right into Sonoma. On this highway, I saw snow still lingering in the never-sunny shadows of deep valleys, palm trees in the drive ways, cows on steep cliffsides, and this:

In front of the River Theater on Hwy 116 in Guerneville, CA

Nice Car...

As-yet to be named road trip vehicle
Roadside, US Highway 199
This could be used as a print ad, right? Call me, Mitsubishi.

Happy Cows on the Sonoma Coast

In Wisconsin, it's not uncommon to see deer crossing signs warning drivers that there may be some deer getting in your way down the road. Despite our love of dairy and dairy farming, however, you rarely see cow crossing signs. Mostly, they stay in fenced pastures, in barns, or make their way under the roads through culverts and underpasses. I think the only time I've seen cows crossing a road in Wisconsin is when they busted through a fence, and that wasn't supposed to happen. Cows cross roads in Montana, in Colorado - in ranch country. And, according to the signage, along Route 1 in Sonoma County. Still, I wasn't prepared for this...

Point Arena Lighthouse

Where can you see a piece of California history, a stark illustration of the erosive power of ocean waves, part of a set from a Mel Gibson movie, and spy cute, chubby harbor seals just hanging out? Only one place, people: The Point Arena Lighthouse. The only working lighthouse you can still ascend in this part of the country, next to the so-called "Devil's Punch Bowl" which is now just a few sort-of island/rocks off-shore, and once the set for Forever Young,starring Mel Gibson and Jamie Lee Curtis, this landmark is very easy to reach and totally worth the small fee to tour the museum and ascend the 145 steps to the top where you might see whales (I didn't) or harbor seals on nearby rocks (I did!).