If there's enough interest, we will approach DeRose Winery for a reprise of our romantic wine & chocolate fiberglass adventure February 14 & 15, 2009. This is a winery located near Hollister, northern CA. The weather has cooperated in the past, and there's room for about 8-10 of us in their "romantic" parking lot. This is totally dry camping--we bring our own fires, tables, chairs, etc. although they generally give us grape vine trimmings for fire wood--makes great grilling! Let us know if you are interested--if we have 5 or so, I will approach the owners to see if we are welcome.

I'm interested.

Hi Nancy,

We are interested. The last gathering at DeRose was fun. That is one of our favorite parts of the country.

I like Hollister. Never been to the DeRose.

I'll come.

we enjoyed it last time and Lora is ready to go "somewhere" since she has a new knee.
so count us in

Well, there's an event there on Saturday, so I think we'll toddle on down and see if they remember us!
http://www.derosewine.com/news.html

so what did you find out, Nancy?

If you make it happen, we will be there.
Thank you
MK

I am finally getting it together. We didn't make it on the day I said we were going, but have now emailed them to confirm. I'll keep you posted.

Okay, we are confirmed!! So, we will arrive Saturday morning--around 10 or so. Then, we may reserve the event center--it hasn't rained in the past, but you never know, and it would be nicer to be warm just in case. Let's see how many are actually coming. We will bring our fire pit, and any other heat source you might want to bring would be welcome. Bring a table and chairs. We'll bring a leg of lamb and bbq. Other welcome dishes would be a potato thing, a salad, and of course chocolate!!

hoo rah Nancy. Lora says she has a broccoli salad that has been widely accepted. ( i know some
more advanced people don't like broccoli)
but we will be there.

...and broccoli is so romantic! (We love it!)

Hi Nancy,

Still interested. I sent you a PM.

Bob

I need to check with Lori, but we would like to come.

since it's a 5-6 hour trip for us, and we want to be there about 1000 2-14. we have decided to leasurely leave home on 2-13 and going to hollister hills svrv park about 2 miles short of the
winerey.
it's a first come first serve state park with, it seems, dry rv sites that are $10.00/nt unless
you have a disabled permit and then it's 5.
it is formost a large ohv park.
also limited to 18 foot rigs. sorry Mike.

Are there showers available for the campers at the winery? Thanks.

Hi Marilyn i'm not Nancy, but i don't think there are showers there. it is not a rv park. we
will be staying in there barn yard. strictly "dry camping". ie, no facilities.
i think there is a shower and some "facilities" at hollister hills svrv park.

Yes, it is very dry--just a parking lot--unless of course it rains! Oh, then I guess you could stand outside to shower?!

We're interested in joining! We'll be on a trip from Oregon through California about then. Plus, Feb. 14 is our anniversary! Sounds like fun. Marilyn and John

We'll make it specially romantic for the two of you! I still have the card for the group that played and ate and drank with us--I was thinking of inviting them--they added a nice touch and didn't charge us anything! We'll see...

We will also be arriving 10 am 2/14. We're looking for spot to stay 2/13 and perhaps 2/15 as well. We may try that Hollister Hills SVRA unless someone has another suggestion.
MK

Others have stayed at the Fairgrounds. That has hookups and I think even showers. Let me see if I can find a link to it.

That was easy: http://www.sanbenitocountyfair.com/ They are even having a "special" 3rd night free. The SRVA is dominated by kids with souped up dirt bikes, etc. and their dads. It looks pretty, but I don't know about the noise factor.

yea Nancy, i had forgot about the fairgrounds (it's been 4 years) that's much better.

So far we have 8:
Nancy & Ollie
Lou & Lora
Mike & Josephina
Anne & Ellis (maybe)
Bob & Peggy
Mike & Lori (maybe)
Marilyn & John
Joy

We could potentially have 10, if we all coordinate/cooperate on circling the wagons! We'll get there by 10, but I think Lou & Lora have done it before, so they could direct traffic, too.

Just confirmed "Old World Style", the group that played for us last time. Just Brian & Marianne this time--no mandollin. They will play for food and wine! Very romantic. Here's what we looked like!

Tried to upload another photo, but no space, I guess.

Hi Nancy (and all)

Jim and I won't be able to make this winery rally this year. Jim leaves for one of his convention photo trips the day after and there just isn't time. We will miss it - it was fun.

Here are a few photos from the last one.

Here are three more photos.

The last one, trailer with Odyssey Van, was taken at the Fairgrounds where we stayed. Notice we stayed in the parking area to camp.. there wasn't any other camping area available, that we knew of - we did see a couple of campers in an area that we didn't think we would like - maybe it would have been OK.

Have fun at the rally, Carol and Jim

Mike & Josephina with the golden voice were there also.

Just talked to Chris at the fairgrounds. Camping is $15/night for water and electricity. There are 2 or 3 dump stations. No designated campsites. Just park anywhere, as near as I can tell. Bring copy of vehicle insurance and drivers license. First come first served.

As per the website, pay for 2 and 3rd is free. Bring copy of website. We have been looking at a restaurant on highway 1 at Moss Landing called Sea Harvest rest. and seafood market, that sounds very good. There is another one called Phil's that we have eaten at and everyone says Sea Harvest is better. Lots of parking. There is a boat ramp there and parking for tow vehicle and trailer.

We plan to stay at the fairgrounds Friday and Monday nights and eat lunch at Sea Harvest Monday.

Anyone else interested???

Sorry to say Lily and I won't be coming. I didn't realize that Valentine's Day was on Presidents Day weekend. My Nephew is coming up to spend time with me. We'll think about you while we are on the slopes.

Hope you folks have a great time and I'm sorry to miss seeing Nancy and Ollie, haven't seen them since the Pinnacles.

Mike & Lori (maybe)

We too are unable to make it. Lori has a commitment. What a bummer.

Just fluffing this posting up--We're now at 6, with room for anyone with a romantic impulse! A neighbor with a Casita may join us, too. I'll recap the menu(s) in a posting, hopefully tomorrow. Anyone should feel welcome to bring CHOCOLATE!

It looks like the weather is "unsettled" for the weekend. For those stalwarts who won't bail, we can always pay $250 to rent the Event Center, which I think has a fireplace. If we split the cost, it won't be too bad. I hope you all with stick with it!

we won't "bail"
the wx guessers say "chance of rain", "mostly cloudy" "may be a shower saturday am".

we can take our chances and stand (in my case, lou, sit) in the shower with our rain gear on.

we also have a couple of tarps we could bring, if someone could figure out how to hold them up.

so, it's looking kinda wet.
am concerned that i'm the only one posting on this site. do we go or not?

We are still planning on being there, arriving Friday afternoon and staying until Sunday. We are OK with renting the Events Room and willing to contribute toward the $250. We have snow here at home!

We have really been looking forward to this event. As of right now, I can not get the trailer out because of snow. I'm going out with a snow shovel now. We still want to go, but am keeping an eye on the weather. I can most likely get out if I am careful. My concern is returning and not being able to get home Sunday or Monday.
My opinion is we don't really need the events center. I'm not worried about the weather once we get there. My concern is only driving in the snow. I'll keep you posted on our snow shoveling progress.
MK

i needed that
we will proceed and leave tomorrow am.

we are about 70 miles from west point and about 95 from arnold.
if ya'll can't get home, you are welcome at our place.

Very glad to hear from you--we could still be 4 of us. I'm still figuring out how we will have a campfire if it's pouring, but we're still on! Stalwarts that we are!! I'm still bringing lamb--just might wind up dutch oven type rather than grilled.

good to go
Lora made her salad today and bought chocolate.
Bob B called this am and is/was thinking of leaving today...we will meet at the fairgrounds.

Ollie just got home and we're having second thoughts--it's cold and wet. Call us at 831-234-9655.

yea, we are ready to go....but....there is a time for common sense.

it's raining pretty good here right now.

the wx guessers for hollister are pretty dismal.

I think we'll cancel. I don't know how to get to everyone, though. Please call me asap at 831-234-9655. I know if some have already gone, they'll have a great time at the fairgrounds, but I think the deRose parking lot is a little too swampy to enjoy it. I'll probably go on down there to catch anyone who shows up and explain.

We are buried in snow. Can't shovel fast enough. Power out, running on generator. I hope you that go have fun. We're stuck.
MK

Hi Mike
well, by now, you know we cancelled out.
sorry we couldn't get together. we were looking forward to seeing you and Josephina again.
hope you are surviving ok.
have never shoveled snow and really don't want too. i don't even go into the hills if there is
a chance of snow. have put on chains and don't like that.
in '78, drove for safeway stores as a scab. on the last trip into nevada, on the way home, the
highway patrol required us to chain up. had no more than got the dang things on and a patrolman
came along and said we could take them off....i'm still mad.

Josefina and I were also looking forward to seeing you again. We also wanted to meet Bob, who is practically our neighbor in Arnold. I wonder if he still went? We got another 8 inches of snow last night and more is coming. No problem surviving this, we are used to it. My only concern with leaving was not being able to get back in a storm. I need to get to work on Tuesday.
Thanks to Nancy for putting this trip together, although the weather did not cooperate. Maybe we can reschedule for next month?
Mike