Miles today: 140.
Miles to date: 6832.
I woke today to cool temperatures and an overcast sky. I checked out of the Mark Hopkins and packed the car and headed toward what I expected to be one of the highlights of the trip, California wine country - Napa, Sonoma, and the Russian River Valley. Maybe it was the cool weather, or the rain that forced the roof of the little blue Audi to stay up for most of the day. Perhaps it was the overly groomed/manicured look of Napa, Yountville, and St. Helena. It might have been the overly salty lunch I had at a restaurant in Yountville NOT owned by Thomas Keller. Or maybe I was finally weary of the road.
At any rate, I was underwhelmed by Napa, Yountville, and St. Helena. I tried to enjoy it, but I was left with a feeling of too much pretention, too much management, too much fuss, and too few friends to enjoy it with. I'm a little sick of talking about myself to strangers and answering the same questions and getting the same reaction.
I swung by The French Laundry, but it was most unwelcoming as they were clearly heavily involved in prep for their many-months-in-advance-booked dinner service. Of note, across the street from the restaurant, is their own garden patch for some vegetables and herbs.
Maybe I'll solve this funk like the Americans do and get prescribed something that is barely tested....
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