Calistoga CA Pre - Drive Suggestions | FerrariChat

Calistoga CA Pre - Drive Suggestions

Discussion in 'California & Nevada (Northern)' started by SAFE4NOW, Feb 1, 2019.

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  1. SAFE4NOW

    SAFE4NOW F1 Veteran
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    #1 SAFE4NOW, Feb 1, 2019
    Its that time again , where Boardwalk Ferrari sends me out to some amazing areas to try and come up with 3 days of drives ( 3 half day drives at least ) all starting from Calistoga area.

    I will be out June 5th to the 9th to try and put some routes together. The actual rally will not be until July.

    I prefer to stay off of highways. I prefer to avoid towns with high police presence. And most important is quality of roadway , we are driving Ferrari's after all.

    Thank you in advance for your suggestions and ideas!

    Steve

    p.s. The Maui owners rally in 2018 was amazing, proved that high speed is not needed to come away with amazing experiences for all involved!
    https://www.ferrarichat.com/forum/threads/boardwalk-ferrari-owners-rally-on-maui.570709/
     
  2. SAFE4NOW

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    #2 SAFE4NOW, Feb 1, 2019
    Did I mention that one drive needs to be to the Coast and back.

    S
     
  3. DavidDriver

    DavidDriver F1 Rookie

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    #3 DavidDriver, Feb 1, 2019
    I'm not in Northern California. But if I was, I would suggest Calistoga - down Silverado and up and over Howell Mtn. to Butts Cyn and up to Middletown and back across Cobb to Calistoga.

    When I bought my car (in Medford), that's they way I came back from Hidden Valley Lake after visiting a relative.

    For the coast? Boonville Rd (128) and comeback across Willits Rd. (20) from Fort Bragg.

    There's also Petrified Forest to Mark West Springs, then pick-up the Russian River over to Jenner.

    Just my 2-cents. :D
     
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  4. Rifledriver

    Rifledriver Three Time F1 World Champ

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    #4 Rifledriver, Feb 1, 2019
    West to Jenner, North to Mendocino then back east and down past Clear Lake back to Calistoga.

    Check for Sprint car racing at Calistoga Speedway under the lights on Saturday night. Usually attracts some good names. Walking distance from the main street.
     
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  5. SAFE4NOW

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    #5 SAFE4NOW, Feb 1, 2019
    That would make for a great day drive!

    I used to go to the Devils Bowl Speedway East of DFW ( Dallas ) for years!

    Could you imagine a group of 40 Ferrari Owners crowding into the parking lot and stands at Calistoga Speedway to watch dirt track racing????????
    How awesome would that be? I broke ground years ago when I ended a local drive at Babe's chicken... maybe you are on to something!

    S
     
  6. SAFE4NOW

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    #6 SAFE4NOW, Feb 1, 2019
    What is Stewarts Point / Skaggs Springs road actually like, is it in any way Ferrari friendly? ( Remember we drove all over Maui on 1 lane roads )
    Looks like a straight shot between Calistoga and the coast. Then down to Jenner and back over to Calistoga for a slightly shorter route.

    S
     
  7. SAFE4NOW

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    #7 SAFE4NOW, Feb 1, 2019

    Funny , I was mapping out routes , using your waypoint, and when I first put in " Silverado " it routed me 474 miles South to Silverado CA .... LMAO , I was like, NOPE! Then I zoomed in closer and see you meant Silverado Trail ROAD... , yep, that makes more sense!

    Thank you for your suggestions.

    S
     
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  8. DavidDriver

    DavidDriver F1 Rookie

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    #8 DavidDriver, Feb 1, 2019
    You're very welcome!

    That's my old stomping-grounds. I've got a great picnic route from the bay, past Sears Point Raceway, stop a Vianz(s?)a, Gloria Ferrar for almonds and bubbly, across the street to Angelo's for some sandwiches, to Safeway for some wine, across the back of the park, past the graveyard to 7th street and up to the winery behind the Agnosto Harzathy Museum (his original house), which will have no-doubt, once again, changed names. The last I recall was Bartholemew, before that one other and before that Hacienda and before that, still another one.

    Lower Lake Jr High '69-'70
    Fort Bragg Jr High '70-'71
    Fort Bragg High School '72-'75

    I've been all over up there!

    - That sounds like a heck of a drive!

    If you guys do it, post some pictures!
     
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  9. Rifledriver

    Rifledriver Three Time F1 World Champ

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    #9 Rifledriver, Feb 1, 2019
    BTW. Rafanelli Winery in Dry Creek just outside Healdsburg makes good hearty reds and the owner is a long time Ferrari owner. Gil Nickel, founder of Far Niente and Nickel and Nickel was a prominent West Coast Ferrari collector and a generous benefactor of the Ferrari Club. He passed a number of years ago but Far Niente is a beautiful winery.
     
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  10. DavidDriver

    DavidDriver F1 Rookie

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    #10 DavidDriver, Feb 2, 2019
    That's very cool!

    FWIW: The PPO of mine (s/n #10314) is Michael Fallow, the winemaker who took William Hill from 500 cases/year to 10,000 cases/year, before moving to Brazil.

    Michael used to make private deliveries in Napa, with the GT4 Dino, when he owned it.
     
  11. Rifledriver

    Rifledriver Three Time F1 World Champ

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    #11 Rifledriver, Feb 2, 2019
    Forgot to mention. Alfred Hitchcock lived in the area and a number of movies were filmed around there like The Birds. And East of Eden was filmed in Mendocino.

    If you do the winery thing Ferrari Carano in Dry Creek is a good place and beautiful gardens and can be incorporated into a drive to the coast.
     
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  12. DavidDriver

    DavidDriver F1 Rookie

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    #12 DavidDriver, Feb 2, 2019
    Summer of '42 was also filmed there, when I was in High School. A number of my classmates are waiting in-line to go into a movie theater in one of the scenes, in the movie. I also did a Yamaha commercial with Patsy Garret (Room 222, Nanny and the Professor), in '72. Hollywood does a lot of filming up there. $3,400 for 2-days work as a sophomore in high-school, and that was one hell of a lot of money back then!
     
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  13. gw32

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    #13 gw32, Feb 5, 2019
    I live in Sonoma County, about 20 miles west of Calistoga and about 15 miles from the coast. Hwy 128 up through Alexander Valley, through Cloverdale and over the mountain to Anderson Valley and the coast would be a great route (mostly vineyards and wineries), as would be the roads east of Calistoga toward Lake Berryessa and north to Clear Lake. I'd avoid Napa Valley itself as there would be too much traffic (and law enforcement). The secondary roads to the west in Sonoma County are poorly maintained and not a lot of fun in my Scud. Best route for getting to the coast would be Mark West Springs to River Road to Jenner by the Sea. I'm not sure about Sewarts Point/ Shaggs Springs Rd., might be a good choice, I've only been up it a couple of miles past Lake Sonoma and it was ok but the road surface condition might deteriorate as it goes up the mountain. Pope Valley Rd., Howell Mt. Road & Chilles Valley Rd. are fantastic. Wide open country with great line of sight, few driveways or intersections and good mix of fast sweepers, long straights and tighter corners and excellent blacktop.

    I'd be happy to check out any of potential routes personally. I also know the wineries pretty well (I'm a small grower and wife's in the industry). How do we participate in the drives?
     
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  14. Need4Spd

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    #14 Need4Spd, Feb 21, 2019
    Yes. The winery still has a few cars from his collection.
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  15. Rifledriver

    Rifledriver Three Time F1 World Champ

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    #15 Rifledriver, Feb 21, 2019
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  16. Rifledriver

    Rifledriver Three Time F1 World Champ

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    #16 Rifledriver, Feb 21, 2019
    Gil that is, not Phil.
     
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  17. SAFE4NOW

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    #17 SAFE4NOW, Jun 14, 2019
    Quick Update.

    Spent last Weds - Sun driving all sorts of routes , most of which did not pan out... road conditions made it difficult to put a complete route together without back tracking.

    Day 1: Arrived in Calistoga and drove a quick route North to Middletown and then back down South through Deer Park and back around to Calistoga
    Dinner at Bosko's Trattoria
    This was a nice drive , easy, nice way to dip one's toe into what will be several days of twists and turns and ups and downs!

    Day 2: Drive from Calistoga to Elk to Jenner to Calistoga
    Dinner at Gott's Roadside in St Helena
    WAAAAAYYYYYY too long for a day drive , too few places for a group of Ferrari to actually stop and have lunch. The roads however were spot on and had no problems.
    Gualala was an interesting town to stop in for lunch. Only police sighting was along the coast heading South where a driver had crossed over the center line and driven
    into the field headed towards the cliffs!

    Day 3: Drive from Calistoga to Stewarts Point to Jenner to Calistoga
    Dinner at Gott's Roadside in St Helena
    THIS was a much better " day drive " much more manageable. I really liked the drive TO the coast... starting out with nice , wide, well paved roads, tapering down to
    to asphalt switchbacks, then ending up with rounded off one lane non-divided asphalt surfaces. The ending was epic IMO. 10-15mph MAX speed , windows open,
    making our way through the forest of huge towering trees ( redundant I know! ) the switchbacks and roller coaster like route ended with an epic view. As you crest the hill and start down to the coast, the trees part, the incline makes it so that you are staring at the ocean and you arrive at Stewarts Point store for snacks and bathroom break.


    Day 4: Drive from Calistoga to Lower Lake to Knoxville pass Lake Berryessa and back around to Calistoga
    Dinner at Pizzeria Tra Vigne
    OK, so on paper ( map ) it looks like an amazing day drive... reality is that around Knoxville itself the road goes from moderately Ferrari friendly to not so much, should
    have brought a truck.... ok drive, just NOT Ferrari friendly. A lot of water crossings, pot holes, and very rough pavement , at times even no pavement at all to speak of!

    Day 5: Drive from Calistoga to Pope Day use area past Spanish Flat Resort then back around to Calistoga
    Another nice drive like Day 1 , a few hours long, only clean restroom stop with parking for Ferrari's was at the ranger station along the shoreline Lake Berryessa.


    Made stops along the way, several winery stops, many small owner run businesses along the way!

    Will add some photos soon.

    Steve
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  18. SVCalifornia

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    #18 SVCalifornia, Jun 14, 2019
    Try Vallarta Market in Calistoga for lunch. Great tacos and burritos!

    SV


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  19. SAFE4NOW

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    #19 SAFE4NOW, Jul 25, 2019
    Another successful drive in the books!

    Day 1 Route: https://goo.gl/maps/cN8p7EMbmVvoC8Mx8
    Calistoga Ranch to Middletown to Pope Valley to Lake Hennessy back to Calistoga Ranch

    Day 2 Route: https://goo.gl/maps/ULJnzsgPS7iPUSN69
    Calistoga Ranch to Ferrari-Carano to Stewarts Point to Coast Kitchen ( lunch ) back to Calistoga Ranch

    Day 3 Route: https://goo.gl/maps/FCB4Ds6QfLAwqXqr9
    Calistoga Ranch to Pope Creek Day Use area to Kuleto winery ( lunch ) back to Calistoga Ranch


    A few photos courtesy of Michael Sianan and others:



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  20. SAFE4NOW

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    #20 SAFE4NOW, Jul 25, 2019
  21. SAFE4NOW

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    #21 SAFE4NOW, Jul 25, 2019

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  22. SAFE4NOW

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    #22 SAFE4NOW, Jul 25, 2019
    and the only fatality of the entire event.. ....You know how it went... oh look another one of those large pine cones, rolling down the incline right into the lane in front of me!
    ....Target fixation insured impact with said " pine cone " ... ouch, that felt like more than a pine cone.... I wonder if that's ..< DING! - malfunction message pops up on screen >
    tire PSI screen pops up ( no pun intended ) where it shows the passenger front tire psi is dropping ... 32..... 28.....21 ..... 18......12.... 9.... 3 .... ZERO
    Where to pull over? Do I have cel service ( Yes! ) What am I going to do for the next 3 hours... Damn, I should have brought snacks ... or at least something to drink..

    I couldn't have been father away from Calistoga Ranch or Ferrari of San Fran!

    Ferrari roadside assistance + Mill Valley Towing + Ferrari team members going above and beyond made it so we did not skip a beat!


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