Get Out From Behind the TV and Dismal News Broadcasts–Spend a Day with the Beauty of Nature
Greetings from BoomerGal where we find ourselves hunkering down again amongst all the tales and information coming out on the coronavirus. It seems to be a hugely moving target that causes all of us angst, frustration, and not knowing what to expect tomorrow. For us Boomers and Seniors, this can be especially disheartening because so many of us made plans with friends and family and other events thinking that the Phased-In approach was working, when in reality, much of it has been altered or even cancelled. A daunting situation to say the least.
Not to be outwitted or outmaneuvered by the medical community or the so-called experts willing to give advice of any kind, my BoomerGuy and I decided to make the best of the situation and create some lasting memories by taking a road trip. Not a long one by any means, because we didn’t want to find harbor in some hotel that wasn’t observing proper hygiene, so we made it a day trip.
Living in southern California affords one the ability to take a wide-variety of day trips arriving home in the late afternoon or early evening and nestling in your home reviewing the wonders of the sights and sounds, and the memories created through the photographs. In our case, it would also include the taste sensations of having visited some of southern California’s finest wineries located in the Temecula area, just a short drive from Los Angeles, San Diego and Orange County.
Currently there are over 40 wineries in full bloom offering visitors many wine tasting and dining experiences, not to mention spectacular views of endless vineyards and outstanding architecture. There are the family run establishments along with the destination wineries offering high-end lodging and other unique amenities.
Although the wineries in the Temecula region are fewer than what can be found in Napa and Sonoma, we’re proud of our viticulture heritage. Along with the 40+ established vineyards, new wineries are in the planning stages allowing for an additional 120 wineries to begin operating on over 33,000 acres. The Temecula wineries produce award winning Chardonnay, Merlot, and Sauvignon Blanc, along with smaller and boutique quantities of Zinfandel, Syrah, Pinot Gris and various sparkling and desert wines.
The elevation of Temecula is approximately 1500 feet above sea level and being just a short distance from the ocean offers cool summer nights and afternoon breezes following relatively warm days. This climate along with Temecula’s light sandy loam soil permits water to drain easily, thus forcing the roots to grow deeper to find water yielding stronger vines and smaller grapes.
With all that as a backdrop, here are a few photos taken along the way of our delightful single day outing. The minute we jumped in the car, all our concerns about the coronavirus vanished as we had our masks, gloves and Handi-wipes to keep us safe.
This journey is to be shared, but more importantly, it is meant to be inspirational to all of us Boomers and Seniors looking for a respite from COVID-19 and the daily news. We certainly don’t need to be inextricably attached to the TV or the internet, so get out there and explore. Take a bike tour, take a walking tour, take a car tour as we did, and turn off the engine and walk-about. When you get tired, break out the snacks and a cold drink and pretend you’re on a picnic. The nice thing about visiting wineries is , of course, the wine tasting, so assign a designated driver to look after everyone else in the party. The wineries are open for business and, by the way, are very, very health and safety conscious, so you will be greeted with sanitary conditions that should cause no worries.
Here’s wishing you good days ahead even in the midst of all this. Your BoomerGal and BoomerGuy from SoCal.
If you have a trip that you would like to share, please by all means drop us an email with your contribution and we would love to post them on your behalf.