Sadly it came the dawn of our last day. It was a "Free Day" so we could do whatever we wanted.
The morning started out wonderfully when we gathered at the invitation of John and Rita Ham to enjoy her award winning coffee cake. She won't give out the recipe. It melts in your mouth and tastes heavenly. She also made each couple a wine identifier for bottles and glasses although Tom thought he should wear his.
The morning started out wonderfully when we gathered at the invitation of John and Rita Ham to enjoy her award winning coffee cake. She won't give out the recipe. It melts in your mouth and tastes heavenly. She also made each couple a wine identifier for bottles and glasses although Tom thought he should wear his.
John Ham, Barbara McCray and gang went geocaching. His total finds logged for the period of time since the caravan began through today is 78 caches, 14 of which were "First to Find" and two Travel Bugs (one you move to another cache when you find it). Geocaching is a wonderful way to treasure hunt and find the "treasures" of the places you visit by seeking out the caches. For more information see http://www.geocaching.com/.
At 5:45 pm the members of Monaco In Motions "Wines, Mines and More" Caravan gathered for one final car pool to our farewell dinner in Sonoma at Estate Restaurant. It was our "last fling" in
the gastronomical adventure of the past 17 days. The sun was going down as we arrived and were escorted to our specially set table in the "wine room". Each participant was a given a personalized menu with his or her choices for the experience that was to follow. At a leisurely pace and with many "ooh's" and "ahhs" and picture taking of the food presentations weenjoyed our food also known as "pigging out"
After the first course our various entrees including pasta, halibut, steak, chicken, lamb, and trout (by no means as plain as these words imply) were presented accompanied by wine and thoroughly enjoyed by all.
Some groups again toured the country side at a more leisurely pace to soak in one last glimpse of the bountiful grapes ready for harvest. Other shopped. Some prepared their coaches for departure. And others just vegged out!!!!
Joann with little Sandy, Linda with Chester and Bebe, Gerri and George with Merlin and Maya Lynn and Khaki and Jana without Bud and Susie. As our human traveling companions got along tremendously, so did they.
Family Portrait: Our Canine Companions......9 coaches, 18 members and 7 dogs....
Joann with little Sandy, Linda with Chester and Bebe, Gerri and George with Merlin and Maya Lynn and Khaki and Jana without Bud and Susie. As our human traveling companions got along tremendously, so did they.At 5:45 pm the members of Monaco In Motions "Wines, Mines and More" Caravan gathered for one final car pool to our farewell dinner in Sonoma at Estate Restaurant. It was our "last fling" in
the gastronomical adventure of the past 17 days. The sun was going down as we arrived and were escorted to our specially set table in the "wine room". Each participant was a given a personalized menu with his or her choices for the experience that was to follow. At a leisurely pace and with many "ooh's" and "ahhs" and picture taking of the food presentations weenjoyed our food also known as "pigging out"After the first course our various entrees including pasta, halibut, steak, chicken, lamb, and trout (by no means as plain as these words imply) were presented accompanied by wine and thoroughly enjoyed by all.
T
om and Dee Irwin thanked the various "campers' who had helped make this caravan so successful. Gene and Linda Barron 
co-leaders for arranging the Napa/Sonoma part, all the cooks who helped prepare some of the meals, Wayne McCray for his mechanical expertise and technical assistance to all those in need, George Cederholm for his photography and group pictures, and yours truly, Joann Bush for the blog. I would also like to thank Bill Beckley, my editor and Bud Walsh and Linda Barron for additional photography. The group then presented Tom and Dee and Linda and Gene with a Vinolator (a wine aerator to help decant wine) to represent the Wines part of the caravan and several dinner gift cards to represent the gastronomical part of our adventure. We definitely learned a great deal about this part of our beautiful country and saw much of its bounty and good people along the way.
After the dessert course varying from gelato and sorbet, cheese plate, berries, cheese cake and chocolate budino we had one last treat.
Jim Law writer, producer and director, brought forth his players Stan Jones, Barbara McCray, George Cederholm and 
John Ham with a hysterical spoof of United Trails Campground (Truckee) and its very "colorful" owners as well as all the members of the group and various happenings along the way. We all laughed until we cried. 
Since some people (who will remain nameless for starting their engines so early in the morning) had to hit the road early to get where they were going, we said our fond farewells before heading back to the campground.And so another MIM Caravan is history. Another Monaco coaching experience featuring good times and great friends.
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