A couple of days ago we stayed at an RV park in McMinville, Oregon, in the heart of the Willamette Valley, which is known for its great Pinot Noirs. We went for a wine and cheese tasting downtown, and bought one example of each. We were saddened to learn that the summer was so cool that many of the wineries in the area aren't even releasing a vintage this year.
McMinville also had a great farmers' market which featured some magnificent produce - at boutique prices. While there we heard from one of the vendors about how nice Walla Walla, Washington is - and since we Wilsons are known for our spontaneity, we altered our route to see if she was right.
I'm happy to report that Walla Walla was a fabulous experience. We are staying for a couple of days parked at the Elks Lodge. I joined the Elks a few weeks back mostly for the opportunity for service to my community but also because they offer bargain RV sites across the country.
The lads at the bar in the Elks lodge told me that we had picked a great time to visit Walla Walla, because a big car show was scheduled for Saturday. Frankly, this did not rev Nancy's engine. But we like to experience as much local color as possible - and the car show turned out to be wonderful. It was one of those exhibits of old automobiles, some from as far back as the 1920's, some from the days of my youth, and even some new models. Block after block of the most beautiful vehicles, renovated and restored and modified, most with fantastic paint jobs. Artwork, to my eye. A smaller version of Hot August Nights in Reno.
I call this Thumb and Classic Car. I'm still learning how to take photos and videos with Nancy's iPhone and will get better, I promise.
On our return to the motorhome in the Elks lot, one of the car show participants was preparing to drive his lovely yellow and white 1955 Chevy up into a trailer. The exterior of these vehicles are so pristine that the contestants don't subject their babies to the dangers of the open road any more than necessay. He told us that he had found the car buried in mud, with plants growing through the windows. The owner said that he could have it if he could haul it out, and he did. So, a free car. Then he spent $100,000 in restoring and improving it - and he had won one of the prizes at the Walla Walla show.
Nancy immediately decided that this gentleman was unmarried, for obvious reasons, and upon her questioning, he confirmed it. However, I suggested later that it was a risky assumption. Some of our married friends have unusual obsessions, too, which have not resulted in divorce, yet. You know who you are.
Walla Walla is a thriving wine area, and downtown Walla Walla has a number of tasting rooms. We dropped into the one for Mansion Creek Cellars. Very friendly couple who've been growing grapes for a while and making very nice wines for about six years. Later, as we were walking our dogs downtown and listening to a good blues/rock band outdoors after the car show, we passed the above mentioned tasting room, and the winemaker popped out and asked us to drop by in a while for a little sushi party they had planned. We did, and had a nice conversation with them, and Nancy invited them to visit us when when we get back to California.
They are interesting and fun people, and I hope they come and see us. This is in contrast with some of Nancy's previous invitees. I remember the two schizophenic men who stayed with us overnight when she was a psych nurse in Newport Beach. Then there were the Cobbs, a family of talented street musicians, living out of their van. We came across them in Mendocino, and a few days later they knocked on our door in Ben Lomond.
So we leave Walla Walla, which you many know is famous for its onions, with tears in our eyes. Next we head up to Coeur d'Alene, Idaho, and then into Montana.
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