We drove US Route 50 from Sacramento to Gardnerville, NV today, visiting family. The route through the high Sierra Nevadas along the American River was beautiful. Moving from flat and featureless Sacramento to this rugged Alpine forest in less than two hours was disconcerting. We hit snow at about 6500 feet elevation and stayed in a winter spring wonderland for miles.

I would normally have pictures of the trip on the blog by now, but I left my carefully-packed bag of connectors, chargers, cords and adapters at home. I’m out of practice packing and traveling – rookie move. So I’ll update later.

We didn’t spend long enough in Napa, but rainy weather forced our hand and moved us east a day early. Staying here in a mountainside estate will be slow and peaceful. Just what I need.

And the winner of the Best Tasting in a Pandemic category goes to…Quintessa! Our wine tasting at Quintessa was among the top 3-4 tastings ever, with or without pandemic. Superb wine, superb customer service, and a private Frank Lloyd Wright-style little tasting room at the top of a hill (in the Mayacamas) overlooking Quintessa’s 370 acres of heaven.

Pictures later.