Raw Chico and Home Brewed Sacramento
I woke in Oregon for the last morning, Molly was flying back to Phoenix, I was getting on the road without a definite destination. It was a bit gray and lightly off and on raining, but I was ready to go, showered and packed I was out the door. Molly caught a ride to the airport, I rode along as far as the interstate entrance.
A heavily tattooed guy drove me from that spot to I-5 where I pointed myself south. Sacramento was on my mind, there was friends and home brewed beer there now ready to drink, brewed when I was there for beer week a month before.
I caught a short ride, just 15 more miles, then continued marching through the threat of heavier rain. My next ride was heading for the coast, I considered heading that way, but hopped out when he made the turn off. I walked along the freeway until an over passing bridge proved to be a dry spot to become stationary, I thumbed from that spot for a while.
A camper van stopped, a hip girl named Gabriella was in the driver seat, a man was passed out in the back. She said she'd picked him up via craigslist rideshare, they were coming from Seattle I think, heading for San Francisco. I told her I was headed for Sacramento, but my head was spinning ideas of Chico, which was almost along the way, and San Fran, since that's where she'd be ending up.
We talked travel, vans and other things, enjoying each others company, me enjoying moving and being dry. She shared some snacks with me, including a really tasty apple. We stopped for her to fill up and switched seats, I got to driving down the road. At this point I'd decided on seeing Donna in Chico, figuring Sacramento would be the next step.
I drove us as far as Orland, they continued on without me from there. I started walking down the road in the direction towards Chico, I let Donna know where I was. I wanted to try and hitch the last 20 miles, but it was dark and Donna offered to come scoop me up, so I found a spot and waited for her to come.
I was happy to see her, we caught up in the car ride back to her house. She'd gone on a retreat and was now on a raw food diet, she'd learned some new tricks in the kitchen because of this. She made me a great quesidilla all the same, I'm on take-what-I-get diet. She also gave me bites of various raw food cracker type foods she'd conjured up, also good. We caught up on a show she'd been watching, then I soon went and caught some good sleep.
I woke up refreshed, Donna made me a bowl of homemade cereal. We went on a bike ride after that through the park, I saw a great metallic green bus parked in some one's driveway that reminded me of the bus I was to help set up with Larry in Phoenix. We stopped at a bike shop for a quick repair and some supplies for her fleet of flat bikes.
Later Ethan and Eric stopped by Donna's, we went out to a spot to play Buck Hunter and drink some beers while we caught up a bit. They dropped me at Donna's after where she was well at work on some sushi and coconut soup, we gobbled it down along with a glass of wine.
She dropped me off in town next where I met back up with Ethan and his lady friend where we got to drinking pitchers and playing darts. The night went on for a while, a few more pitchers and various opponents at the dart board, we won every game, I get better with beer.
I woke up at Donna's hungover, had a bowl of cereal while she started making candies, and passed out again. I woke up and the candies were done, I enjoyed one or two while making a "Sac" sign. I was soon walking down the block after some goodbyes, heading for the on ramp where I started flashing my sign and thumb.
An older guy picked me up, he didn't say much of anything, just dropped me off on the edge of town. A trucker picked me up there, he took me all the way to Sacramento, he was heading further south.
Aaron and Jess picked me up along the freeway in the slow traffic, they'd just got back from the gym. We got back to there place and I got to try the home brew at last, a sweet hefeweizen, sweet because of the excess sugar we used trying to boost the alcohol content, it made for a good summer beer. We drank some down while watching some movies along with some pasta, then fell to sleep.
They went to the gym again the next morning, I got myself together, shave and a shower. We headed to the casino after where I managed to lose the larger portion of my already small cash stack, but they managed to win a chunk of change. We headed to Manderes after, a good beer bar, and had a pint or two.
A stop at the grocery store, then we were back at there place getting chicken and tri tip cooked up, some more friends filtered in. It was a night of good food, beer and laughs, a cigar or two thrown in the mix in the backyard.
The next day we sat talking plans, Aaron and Jess with looking for a mini trip to go on, I was looking to get myself to Sonoma by the days end, my family was due in that night from Connecticut. We landed on heading towards Lagunitas in Petaluma, perfect for me, because that beer is incredible and Petaluma is right next to Sonoma.
We got on the road, deciding to visit the Budweiser plant we'd otherwise drive right by. We went on the tour with beer snob grins, cracking jokes on their rice flavored water concoction. The tour came with a couple free beers, I went for the Stellas. Free beer is always good, no matter what it is.
We found ourselves in San Francisco next, trying the Anchor Brewery to find it was closed, which it always seems to be, then headed for a well reviewed beer bar a little ways away. After much circling for parking, we walked into the beer bar we were aimed for, it was pretty packed and we headed to a place next door which was empty, but had a good selection too.
I got a stout that only poured three fourths full, the keg was tapped, the beer was free which was fine by me. We sat for a while admiring the places and the beer in our glasses, talking to the bartender who was in the process of setting up her own place.
From there we drove up to Petaluma, arriving at Lagunitas Brewery just in time for last call. I got a pint down and we headed out towards Sonoma. Not ready to call it a night quite yet, we found a small brewery there for one more beer, there was a big band playing in a small corner in the back.
We stopped for a good meal at Taco Bell, always good after drinks, then they dropped me off at the hotel my family was due to arrive at late night.
A heavily tattooed guy drove me from that spot to I-5 where I pointed myself south. Sacramento was on my mind, there was friends and home brewed beer there now ready to drink, brewed when I was there for beer week a month before.
I caught a short ride, just 15 more miles, then continued marching through the threat of heavier rain. My next ride was heading for the coast, I considered heading that way, but hopped out when he made the turn off. I walked along the freeway until an over passing bridge proved to be a dry spot to become stationary, I thumbed from that spot for a while.
A camper van stopped, a hip girl named Gabriella was in the driver seat, a man was passed out in the back. She said she'd picked him up via craigslist rideshare, they were coming from Seattle I think, heading for San Francisco. I told her I was headed for Sacramento, but my head was spinning ideas of Chico, which was almost along the way, and San Fran, since that's where she'd be ending up.
We talked travel, vans and other things, enjoying each others company, me enjoying moving and being dry. She shared some snacks with me, including a really tasty apple. We stopped for her to fill up and switched seats, I got to driving down the road. At this point I'd decided on seeing Donna in Chico, figuring Sacramento would be the next step.
I drove us as far as Orland, they continued on without me from there. I started walking down the road in the direction towards Chico, I let Donna know where I was. I wanted to try and hitch the last 20 miles, but it was dark and Donna offered to come scoop me up, so I found a spot and waited for her to come.
I was happy to see her, we caught up in the car ride back to her house. She'd gone on a retreat and was now on a raw food diet, she'd learned some new tricks in the kitchen because of this. She made me a great quesidilla all the same, I'm on take-what-I-get diet. She also gave me bites of various raw food cracker type foods she'd conjured up, also good. We caught up on a show she'd been watching, then I soon went and caught some good sleep.
I woke up refreshed, Donna made me a bowl of homemade cereal. We went on a bike ride after that through the park, I saw a great metallic green bus parked in some one's driveway that reminded me of the bus I was to help set up with Larry in Phoenix. We stopped at a bike shop for a quick repair and some supplies for her fleet of flat bikes.
Later Ethan and Eric stopped by Donna's, we went out to a spot to play Buck Hunter and drink some beers while we caught up a bit. They dropped me at Donna's after where she was well at work on some sushi and coconut soup, we gobbled it down along with a glass of wine.
She dropped me off in town next where I met back up with Ethan and his lady friend where we got to drinking pitchers and playing darts. The night went on for a while, a few more pitchers and various opponents at the dart board, we won every game, I get better with beer.
I woke up at Donna's hungover, had a bowl of cereal while she started making candies, and passed out again. I woke up and the candies were done, I enjoyed one or two while making a "Sac" sign. I was soon walking down the block after some goodbyes, heading for the on ramp where I started flashing my sign and thumb.
An older guy picked me up, he didn't say much of anything, just dropped me off on the edge of town. A trucker picked me up there, he took me all the way to Sacramento, he was heading further south.
Aaron and Jess picked me up along the freeway in the slow traffic, they'd just got back from the gym. We got back to there place and I got to try the home brew at last, a sweet hefeweizen, sweet because of the excess sugar we used trying to boost the alcohol content, it made for a good summer beer. We drank some down while watching some movies along with some pasta, then fell to sleep.
They went to the gym again the next morning, I got myself together, shave and a shower. We headed to the casino after where I managed to lose the larger portion of my already small cash stack, but they managed to win a chunk of change. We headed to Manderes after, a good beer bar, and had a pint or two.
A stop at the grocery store, then we were back at there place getting chicken and tri tip cooked up, some more friends filtered in. It was a night of good food, beer and laughs, a cigar or two thrown in the mix in the backyard.
The next day we sat talking plans, Aaron and Jess with looking for a mini trip to go on, I was looking to get myself to Sonoma by the days end, my family was due in that night from Connecticut. We landed on heading towards Lagunitas in Petaluma, perfect for me, because that beer is incredible and Petaluma is right next to Sonoma.
We got on the road, deciding to visit the Budweiser plant we'd otherwise drive right by. We went on the tour with beer snob grins, cracking jokes on their rice flavored water concoction. The tour came with a couple free beers, I went for the Stellas. Free beer is always good, no matter what it is.
We found ourselves in San Francisco next, trying the Anchor Brewery to find it was closed, which it always seems to be, then headed for a well reviewed beer bar a little ways away. After much circling for parking, we walked into the beer bar we were aimed for, it was pretty packed and we headed to a place next door which was empty, but had a good selection too.
I got a stout that only poured three fourths full, the keg was tapped, the beer was free which was fine by me. We sat for a while admiring the places and the beer in our glasses, talking to the bartender who was in the process of setting up her own place.
From there we drove up to Petaluma, arriving at Lagunitas Brewery just in time for last call. I got a pint down and we headed out towards Sonoma. Not ready to call it a night quite yet, we found a small brewery there for one more beer, there was a big band playing in a small corner in the back.
We stopped for a good meal at Taco Bell, always good after drinks, then they dropped me off at the hotel my family was due to arrive at late night.
Not sure if this means anything at all but I do enjoy reading your blog and I'm thinking of stepping up and doing the same thing myself quite soon. Great blog!
ReplyDeletethanks, and go for it, have fun!
ReplyDelete