Matthew's web log

With a friend from college in town, I went up to Napa Valley for some food and wine tasting.  Traffic was light getting there.  After a lunch stop, we made it to two wineries.  Visiting Rustherford Ranch the wine was good and very moderately priced.  We both bought some to take home.  The lovely girl in the tasting room asked where we had been and where we were planning to go.  We said we had no specific plan and asked if there were any places she recommended.  She kindly provided a map of the Silverado Trail and recommended a visit to Sterling.  I had heard of Sterling, but she told us they had a cable car up the mountain where you can tour and taste wine.  We were sold on it and made the short drive over to Sterling.  We paid for the tram ride and tour and it was well worth it.  The wine was good (although Rutherford Ranch was better), but the views were great.

View the photos from Napa. 

While the parents were visiting, we explored Big Basin State Park in the Santa Cruz mountains.  Dad was able to break in his new camera, I could again use my camera back home, and Mom could enjoy a windy mountain road.

View the Big Basin photos.  

All of the Great Britain and Southern Ireland trip reports and photo albums are now online.  The main index page is:

http://www.sanjoseabrams.com/photos/GBSI2007/index.php

Given the length of the trip and number of photos, everything is broken up by day (with the exception of the pre-tour time in London which is all together).  

The trip was a lot of fun, the people were great, and Contiki put on a well organized adventure.