A weekend in the mountains

Well, with the kitchen still not up and running, Sherry and I did another weekend get-away. This time to the mountains. We have a friend with a cabin near the town of Strawberry, CA (which is about 50 east of Sonora). So 5 of us headed for the mountains for the weekend. We try and go every year but somehow our schedules never lined up in '07.

The drive out on Friday was pretty uneventful. It takes about 4 1/2 hours to get there from home. But we had both taken the day off and where in no real hurry. We arrived to some of the most beautiful mountain weather imaginable. The highs were in the upper 70s and the lows in the low 40s. On our arrival, there was not a cloud in the sky. The other 3 were already there when we arrived so we performed the functional duties of unpacking before settling down to relax.

The cabin is very close to the South Fork of the the Stanislaus River. So after a little relaxation I hiked down to the river and spent some time exploring. Is there anything better then a mountain stream to wash your cares away. I found a big rock to sit on and just sat there thinking about nothing and everything. Finally, it was back to the cabin for grilled tri-tip and other assorted goodies for dinner.

Saturday dawned just as beautiful as Friday. For me, the day started with a 55-mile ride to Kennedy Meadows and back. I was feeling strong and considered going to the top of Sonora Pass. I am still not sure if it was the allure of tri-tip sandwiches and beer for lunch or the sign stating 26% grade that changed ultimately my mind. This is my third ride in the mountains this year and they have all been special in their own way. (There may be more about the cycling in a future post.)

Back at the cabin it was time for lunch. After which, I tried to read and relax a little. It ended up being more of nap a little and then nap a little more as I was sitting on the deck. I eventually found enough energy to do more river exploration and spend some time writing in my journal. I am in the slow process of writing a book. (I actually started this blog to practice my writing style.)

That night brought another great dinner and then one of our group wanted to play cards. I have to admit that I am not much of a game player. And I can definitely do without card games. But, I wanted to be a good sport so we played for a couple of hours. I definitely understand the reason people enjoy playing cards as we spent a great deal of time laughing.

Sunday morning brought another ride, only 20-miles, and then it was time to head home. All-in-all, it was the perfect weekend retreat.

To add to our fun here are the wines we drank.
Navorro 2006 Pinot Gris
RWC Le Mesnil Champagne
Valley of the Moon 2004 Cuvee de la Luna
Ferrari Carano 2006 Fiorella Chardonnay

We may try our first winter trip this year which should be spectacular. Until then, we will keep warm with the memories of this recent trip.

Ciao!