Wine Country and Mud Pits and Andrew's New Girlfriend

Departure time: 11:15am

Finished getting lost with the help of sophisticated satellite GPS technology: 12:45pm

Understand this: residential location approximately 20 minutes to Firestone Vineyard.

California Wine Country Resident (CWCR) facilitated off-road scenic adventure today. California Tourist (CT) patiently trusted CWCR and Mr. Garmin (manufacturer of said sophisticated GPS device).

CWCR: There is more oil field than vineyard right now.

Mrs. CWCR: Didn't we pass that cow already?

CT's Daughter: I've gotta pee.

CWCR: Hold up. (Reprograms GPS then turns around...following new GPS directions.)

CT: Um. I don't think you're supposed to go up there.

CWCR: Damn GPS says to go there.

CT: Well...Um...I think the GPS is wrong. That's not a road. I'll bet if you get up close, the sign on that gate says, "Turn around or we will shoot you."

CWCR: Hmmm...Maybe I better go back.

The "ground" is awfully soft underneath the car. As CWCR backs up, there are noticeable ruts in the MUD. Wheels start to spin...ruts get deeper...back end is sliding.

CWCR: Engaging traction control.

We are lucky to have gotten out of there. We had no cell phone signals and were afraid some homesteaders might show up with their shotguns to run us off. Even if we had cell coverage, I'm not sure it would have really been helpful. If the GPS didn't know where we were then emergency personnel certainly wouldn't.

CWCR: This concludes the scenic drive portion of our day.

Great experience at Firestone Vineyard. Very personable wine-taster-hostess-person, so we had a really nice visit while learning about the wines we were tasting.

Beckmen Vineyard wine-taster-hostess-person wanted CWCR.

CWCR: Really? I seriously don't notice stuff like that.

CT's daughter: Um, yeah...she wouldn't really talk to us much, but as soon as you walked in she got sparkles in her eyes.

Mrs. CWCR: Yeah, I thought I was gonna have to jump over that counter and stab that tart. (Not the term originally used. Censored for delicate sensibilities.)

CWCR: She was just bein' friendly.

Mrs. CWCR: I will show her friendly.

After a visit to Solvang where we enjoyed some kettle corn and assorted chocolate delights, we headed to Nipomo for an awesome steak dinner at Jocko's.

It was a good day catching up on family news, lots of laughs, great scenery, good wine, and awesome food.