…aka Lost In The Supermarket
USA Music Tour Day 5
Plymouth California Tuesday 25 August 2015
It was going to be shopping time today at Folsom.
But first we had some early wine business to attend to. David took us to his neighbour Ted’s house just down the gravel road.
Ted has some wine maturing in oak barrels for almost two years now (from David’s grapes) and, as Ted was away, David was checking on both the quality and the volumes in the barrels. Evaporation through the porous oak (I believe what leaves the barrel is called, in terms of whiskey at least, the ‘angels share’) means that the barrels need to be topped up regularly. Before doing so, the wine needs to tested/tasted to assess its progress.
David asked our opinion and offered Jim and I a small portion each. Now it was around 9am and I don’t usually starting drinking that early (certainly not before morning coffee!), but it seemed ill-mannered to decline. It certainly was acidic but you could tell there was a pretty good underlying flavour to it.
Tasting From This Barrel – Photo By Jim Jacob
It was around an hour’s drive to Folsom where’s seemingly unlimited stores to meet most people’s needs. For the next few hours, it was a you-had-to-be-there experience and, as details may bore you, I’ll move on quickly. After REI, DFW, Subway, Famous Footwear, Starbucks and Wholefoods, we were done except for one important matter.
Folsom Prison is of course most famous in popular culture for the landmark Johnny Cash presence, so a short trip there and drive-thru seemed like an excellent idea (we didn’t want to stay overnight, that’s for sure). So we found it quickly enough, nestled at the end of Prison Road (of course!).
Folsom State Prison – Photo By Jim Jacob
Our return to Plymouth was uneventful, even with using our own wits rather than the car’s GPS which, according to David, would have recommended an alternative and inferior route.
It was evening by the time of our return to the house and what followed was a wonderful meal, beautiful wine and engaging conversation, all al fresco as the night enveloped us all. It occurred to me at some point that, despite the hot days there were no flies and even though the nights were balmy, few mosquitoes – quite unlike Australia under the same weather conditions.
Maddie enjoying the sunset – Photo By Jim Jacob
Dinner table is set – Photo By Jim Jacob
Our view for the evening – Photo by Jim Jacob
Our view for the night – photo by Jim Jacob
All too soon, it was time to turn in as the grape picking would start early. Our hosts Bronwyn and David would be up first, the pickers would be arriving, the tractor humming outside and we should also be there to observe, before heading to Sacramento Airport.
Tomorrow would be a transit day and our first serious music experience of the tour awaits tomorrow night.
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