Saturday, December 28, 2013

Three Kinds of Decisions


There are only three kinds of decisions in life.  Recognizing which of these three types you are making can help you make quicker and better decisions.  You can also help others learn to make their own choices and stay away of unproductive interference in their lives.

The first kind of decision involves selecting between two alternatives where one of clearly better than the other.  Yeah, this one is really easy.  Selecting between Starbucks and a BP station for coffee?  Easy.  Wendy’s and McDonalds for a cheeseburger.  Not a problem.  We all know what we like better and making these decisions hardly seems like a making a decision.  If you have problems making these decisions, seek professional help.

The second kind of decision is deceptively difficult for most people.  Try deciding between two equally good alternatives.  An example of this I see quite often is people trying to select their dinner entree on a restaurant’s menu.  “I can’t decide between the sea bass and the stuffed pork chops”.  Then it’s ten minutes of staring at the menu waiting for divine intervention, followed by “I’ll go last” when the waiter arrives.  Then they ask you “What should I get?”, as if you know better than they should.  The silly thing about this is that you can’t make a bad decision.  By definition you’re choosing between two good alternatives, so either one will make you happy.  When you find yourself struggling with this “between equals” decision, just pick one.  If one is really a little better or just better at that moment, your feelings will make that choice. No thought needed.  If you see someone else struggling, make them pick for themselves.  Use this type decision as a learning lesson as your children are growing up to teach them to make decisions. Explain that “good-good” is the type of decision they’re making and how useless, and stressful, thinking about it over and over will be.  This really is an easy decision, although many people turn it into a long and arduous one.  Learn to make this what it is.  Easy.

The final kind of decision is truly difficult.  Deciding between two bad, but similar alternatives. They don’t even need to be equally bad, just that each decision has a component that is really undesirable.  An example of this can be deciding to file for divorce or staying in a miserable marriage.  Filing may involve losing daily contact with your children and staying is unimaginably stressful.  But while this type of decision is difficult and deserves careful thought, you will eventually have to make a decision and live with its consequences.  You may find afterwards that the fear of your choice was much worse than its reality.  

Learn to recognize the type of decision you’re making and avoid the stress of the “good-good” scenario or interfering in other’s decisions.  Save your energy for the really hard life decisions.  And I pray they do not happen often.

Wednesday, December 25, 2013

Responsibility, Authority and Rewards


My approach to my career seems to have worked fairly well.  My goal all along was never to approach work any different than play.  “Do what you love and you never work a day in your life” and “it’s all about the journey, not the destination” always rang true to me.  But I also wanted to earn a respectable wage, which at first seemed at odds with enjoying work.  And it certainly can be.  I found that being the first to take risks, ones that others were unwilling to step up to, was the key.  So in my usual “keep it simple” view of things, I developed a strategy to accomplish “rewarded fun”.  The steps, in this order are, take responsibility, obtain authority and finally, achieve rewards.  I’ll explain these in more detail.

The first step is to take responsibility and this is the only part that is mostly your choice.  Volunteer to be part of a new and important project.  Put in the extra time to make it successful.  Make your team successful.  But don’t select just any project, select one that sounds like fun but is somewhat risky.  Avoid selecting the easy, low-risk project.  Taking responsibility is a lot easier than you might think.  Most people will shy away, or flat run away, from the unknown, the new and the risky.  Becoming known as the person that steps up and delivers results in the face of unknown obstacles is the key to an interesting, and ultimately rewarding, career.

The next step involves getting authority and that’s a choice other people make.  You may become team leader, a department manager or get formal authority over a business process.  You get to set priorities, select your team members and deliver more results than you can personally deliver by yourself.  You help set the culture of your team and how they interact with other functions.  What you don’t get is control, but you do gain more influence.  Accepting authority is not for everybody, and for most people only up to a certain level.  You may like leading a group of three people, but the thought of leading a group of one thousand is unacceptable. But the level of authority, which reflects the overall level of responsibility you’ve undertaken, will play a significant part in how much you’re paid.

The final step, and the one too many people want to start with, is the rewards.  You will eventually be fairly compensated for the value you bring, but that rarely happens as fast of you think it should.  Sometimes company policies restrict advancing their employees too quickly.  Or you may be in a smaller company without the resources to pay you to the level of your value.  But the rewards will come, either with your current company or another.  The important point is that the rewards come last, not first, and are earned, not handed to you.

Sunday, September 15, 2013

Running Full of Memories

I started running in 1972 when I was a junior in high school and have logged well over 40,000 miles over the years.  I started by running 0.9 miles, resting for fifteen minutes, and running back.  I dropped my weight from 204 pounds to 144 and ran on the track team in the spring of my senior year.  I was always a "middle-of-the-pack" runner, never having to worry about winning anything, which wasn't my goal anyway.  I just loved being outdoors and simply ran for fun.  The Dayton area is blessed with hundreds of miles of interconnected bikeways and I've run quite a bit of that, including the entire span of the Little Miami River bikeway from Milford to Springfield.  I couldn't have been born and raised in a better place to be a runner.  Anyone that runs as much as I have will accumulate a few stories.  The following are some of my favorites.


  • I began running at Deweese Parkway and Island Park in North Dayton, which was mostly grass and dirt trails.  I remember deciding to run barefoot on my usual 4-mile run, leaving my parent's house with just a pair of running shorts on (much to my mother's dislike), and walking down to Deweese.  Running barefoot was beyond my wildest dreams!  It felt like walking on air with such a sense of freedom.  


  • I mentioned I ran track my senior year in high school.  One day a buddy of mine and I decided to make a competition of that day's schedule, which consisted of a mile, 1/2-mile, 660, 440, and 220-yard runs, with a short break in between.  Whoever won at least three of the five would be the victor.  We took off on the mile together, stride for stride, as fast as we could.  I narrowly won the mile with a time of 4:58, the only time I have broken 5 minutes.  Tired, we also ran neck and neck in a torrid 1/2-mile, ending with me claiming another narrow victory.  Exhausted, we ran the 660-yard segment and I put everything into it to win the third leg and claim victory.  Drained, we jogged the final two legs.  I realized later that we had a track meet the following day and awoke the next morning with sore legs and no desire.  In a miracle, the meet was rained out and rescheduled for another day.  What a relief!


  • I started my first full-time job at Wright State University in November of 1977.  The day before I ran the first of what would become many Dayton River Corridor Classic half-marathon races, and the first time I had attempted a race of that length.  The race went fine, but the next day my legs were so sore I could hardly walk and barely climb stairs.  But the worst was trying to go downstairs, which required turning sideways, gritting my teeth, and accepting the pain.  Those first two days were not spent in my office where movement could be minimized, but instead at an IBM event at the Drawbridge Inn in Covington, Kentucky, where I was moving all day long.  I learned that sore legs are at their worst the day after the day after (so Tuesday in this case).  But watching a 23-year-old young man in a business suit limping around must have been quite the sight.


  • A large portion of my running has been with my best friend Jim, who hired me at Wright State and helped me get a job at Mead.  Our lunchtime routine was to run 4-5 miles, pick up a pizza or a sub, eat at our desks, and leave work together around 6:00 pm.  Lots of good memories, but the one that stands out occurred during a business trip together in Washington D.C.  We stayed in Crystal City, a couple of miles from the Washington National (DCA) airport.  We decided to run over to the airport and back, about a 4-mile trip.  But when we got to the airport we weren't the least tired and seeing the Washington Monument, which didn't look too far away, we decided to run into the city.  We went to several of the monuments and memorials and then realized we had to run all the way back too.  All told we figured we ran over 13 miles that evening or about a 1/2 marathon.  Two tired puppies!


  • Speaking of puppies, one of the scariest moments I've had running was during a 10-mile run heading south out of Xenia Station.  A couple of miles into the run I began to hear dogs barking.  Lots of dogs.  Gradually the barking got louder and closer.  I was out on a bikeway with no one around, no place to go, and no place to hide.  Suddenly I pack of about 30 dogs burst out of the woods and joined me in my run, darting in and out of my path, and friendly as can be.  They ran with me for over a mile until I reached a crossing road and they collectively decided to turn around, leaving me to finish my run without their companionship.  


  • Running races was not the rage when I was younger.  I participated in the first Turkey Trot races held in Miamisburg, Ohio on Thanksgiving mornings.  Being part of a few hundred dedicated runners who braved the early morning cold, snow, and occasional rain shower to run 8K (4.97 miles) felt like being part of a close-knit society of people that shared your passion for running.  This race, now extended to 5 miles for the metric-challenged, has exploded to nearly 10,000 participants and has become more a jog than a run.  I still do them, but now head to Starbucks for coffee after the race, then enjoy a Bloody Mary in my hot tub with my wife and daughter and wrap it with a nap.  I really like the new routine, but have a misty eye for times past.


  • Most days running feels about the same, but there are times when you realize you're having a bad day, you can't get up to speed and it just hurts too much.  And then there are the wonderful days when you fly like the wind, feel like you can run forever and you break a personal best by more than a little bit.  But when that happened, only one time ever on race day, it made my day.  I've run quite a few Dayton River Corridor Classic races, a half-marathon along the Great Miami River, but this one particular day I averaged 6:45 per mile, at least 20 seconds per mile better than ever before or since.  I averaged 6:17 for the first 4 miles and ran the first 10K in under 39 minutes.  My best 10K race time ever was 40:28.  I just had it that day.  Don't know why, but it was a special day.


  • I've attempted 3 marathons in my life, completing only one.  The marathon is the only race where I stand at the start line and wonder if I'll finish.  For the shorter distances, I just ponder how fast I think I'll run that day.  The marathon I completed (all three attempts were the Columbus Marathon) occurred during the second attempt and was an unusually warm October 13th.  I adapted to the heat, kept myself hydrated, and plugged on.  The worst part of the race was between 14 and 20 miles.  It was during that stretch that I didn't know if I could make it.  At the 20-mile mark, I had 6.2 miles to go, a 10K, and I knew I could make it.  While still hard physically, the harder, mental part was passed.  But there were a lot of runners cramping and I concentrated hard on keeping my stride even and not making any jerking types of moves.  Then the finish line was in sight.  I focused on not making any sudden moves.  At least until I reached the finish line when I jumped in the air and pumped my fist in victory and realized that I was going to land on two very tired legs, which might collapse, leaving me an embarrassed mess, crumpled on the asphalt.  I landed, both hamstrings strained, started to cramp, and then miraculously held firm.  And my jump was captured on film by the finish line race camera, which I didn't know until I saw the previews mailed to me days later.  And this story ends with me driving an hour and a half back to Dayton, barely able to walk up the stairs from the garage to the first floor, and enjoying my son's 9th birthday party.  Quite a day!


  • While a marathon is grueling, the race that wiped me out the most was a 14-miler at Caesar Creek.  I knew going into it that it was a trail run, winding through the woods.  What I didn't realize was how narrow, twisty, and root-filled the path was going to be.  The course was a pair of out-and-back 7-mile routes, with runners frequently headed at each other.  So I had to avoid runners and try not to trip on the roots, while not being able to ever get a stride going.  I only fell once, a quick face plant, while trying to simultaneously avoid runners coming at me and the roots. I was tired after the first 7 miles, but with some hope that the second portion would not be as bad, decided to run the second half, which was a major mistake.  By the time I crossed the finish line, I was more exhausted than I'd ever been, way more than the marathon I completed.  I quickly grabbed a bottle of water, and in a near panic walked to my car and headed home.  I felt so bad I just had to get out of there.  That feeling of panic is something I never want to experience again. 


  • Some running surprises really shouldn't be so unexpected, such as a 16-mile training run I had on one cool, cloudless early spring day.  I ran the Great Miami River bike trail from the downtown Dayton YMCA to Miamisburg, grabbed a drink, and ran back.  Only took two hours, so I moved at a pretty good pace, about 7 1/2 minutes per mile.  But the surprise happened when I was taking my shower in the YMCA locker room.  My skin hurt.  I didn't know why, it was so strange.  Then it dawned on me.  I was sunburnt!  I had spent two hours in bright sunshine without a shirt, the first time that year after running all winter bundled up and losing my tan.  But the cool day prevented me from noticing that I was turning red.    


  • Dayton is blessed with four seasons, with the occasional harsh winters and scorching summers joining the perpetual green of spring and the oranges and reds of autumn.  During one of those harsh winter days, with single-digit temperatures and 20-mile-per-hour winds, my girlfriend Elaine, now my beloved wife and running partner, and I went for a run on the Great Miami River Bikeway.  Falling in love is wonderful and spending time together, however, and whenever you can, apparently overrides any logic that would have stopped us from trying such a crazy stunt.  Neither one of us had ever been that cold in our lives, so cold that it just plain hurt.  Eyes, ears, lungs, feet, everything was frozen.  I'm really glad she owned a hot tub!  


  • Dayton also gets the occasional good snowstorm and when I saw one day that we were likely to get about 8 inches I thought that starting the run as the snow started to fly would be loads of fun.  So I put on my cold weather gear and headed to Spring Valley, a handy spot to park and catch the Little Miami River bikeway.  I timed it just right, starting my 10-mile run to the south just as the snow began, running right into the falling flakes.  Running alone, along the bike path, in the snow was such a serene experience. The first half ended with about 4 inches of snow on the bike path, my footsteps the only scars on an otherwise beautiful blanket of snow.  A few inches of snow is not hard to run in.  Four inches starts to be a challenge.  By the time I got back to my car, there were 8 inches of snow, and the last part could hardly be called a run.  But what a memory!


As I mentioned at the start, I've always been a middle-of-the-pack runner, so the following personal bests are not impressive, just the most I've been able to extract from my body over the years.  I list them because I'm proud of them and proud of the work I put into accomplishing them.  But these are just numbers and I don't recall these very often.  It's the memories, those detailed above and the hundreds of others, that make my running passion (it's not over yet!) a special part of my life.  If you're a runner, a skier, a cyclist, or whatever passion calls you, I recommend you write down your special times and share your memories.  


½ Mile - 2:17

1 Mile - 4:58

2 Mile - 10:58

10K - 40:28

½ Marathon - 1:28:43

Marathon - 3:50:22



Monday, September 9, 2013

Getting Sideways



A number of years ago I made a week-long trip with my best friend Jim to Napa Valley.  We kept notes everyday on what we did, which appear chronicled below.  I highly recommend making a similar log if you tour wine country.  It serves as a living memory that can be revisited over and over. It’s amazing the memories you can pack into a week and you’ll not want to forget the details.

And drinking wine all day long does tend to lead the memory loss.

Tuesday, May 2nd

  • Easily avoided a lady backing out onto Andrew Road, who was looking in the wrong direction (maybe English?)
  • Played the CD with the intro and music to get in the vacation mood. Worked.
  • Really long flight from Columbus to Philadelphia to San Francisco (9 hours). Went well. Open middle seat to SF helped.
  • Immediately went to the Buena Vista, near Fisherman’s Wharf, for Irish coffee. Then to the hotel in Rohnert Park.
  • Hotel has no in-room coffee, hair dryer, fridge, or about anything else. Next to Booger King and Toxic Bell. But a nice buffet and Chili’s is close by. The buffet has a senior discount Jim loves.

Wednesday, May 3rd

  • Quick breakfast at Arby’s. Need something in the stomach.
  • Started at Chateau St. Jean. Typical $5 tasting fee. Get 5 tastes. Ended up with 12 tastes (about 1 ½ to 2 glasses). Off to a flying start. Paul bought an awesome 2002 Sonoma County Reserve Chardonnay and a great 2004 St. Jean Estate Vineyard Viognier.
  • Continued down Route 12 to Kunde (rhymes with Monday). Met Bob Kunde, the 78 year old owner. The pourer, Bruce, is a 75 year old retired Minister. No way he looks 75. Does a lot of Europe travel and uses www.untours.com. Jim buys a bottle of 2002 Bob’s Red, a very good wine for the money.
  • Lunched at a Mexican restaurant (La Casa) on downtown Sonoma
  • Short ride over to Ravenswood. Pourer suggests Ledson Winery for Petite Sirah. Jim buys bottle of sweet wine, a 2005 Muscato Leggero. Paul buys a 2003 Sonoma County Petite Sirah. Ravenswood is having a BBQ this coming Saturday evening (Cinco de Mayo + 1). Under consideration.
  • Long ride over to Napa, stopping first at Trefethen. Paul buys a 2002 Oak Knoll Cabernet Franc, two shipping boxes and a better cork puller for Jim.
  • Last stop was Goosecross. Since Paul is a wine club member, we get free tasting. Paul buys a 2005 Napa Valley Viognier. Most rocking winery, most fun.
  • Dinner at Fresh Choice near the hotel. Salad, soup, pasta and dessert buffet. Jim enjoys the senior discount.

Thursday, May 4th

  • Breakfast at Starbucks.
  • First winery of the day was Ledson in Kenwood, suggested by the staff at Ravenswood. Huge castle based on a European style. Introduced to Ken, who pours our wine. Wines are absolutely fantastic. Paul signs up for their wine club (2 bottles, 6 times per year), they waive the tasting fee and then began pouring their best wines, and a lot of it. We were there about two hours and had about two glasses of wine in total. Paul orders a 2003 Knight’s Valley Bellisimo, a Meritage blend, for Richard, and a 2003 Contra Costa County Petite Sirah for the first wine shipment. Paul also buys a pair of logo wine glasses. Ken says to call ahead on the next trip out and we’ll get a Reserve tasting, complimentary, of course.
  • Lunch is at V. Sattui, which is one of the few wineries that are allowed to serve food. They have an awesome deli. Purchase bread, turkey, pastrami, cheese and a couple pops. Eat lunch outside on picnic tables with dozens of other folks.
  • Second winery is Vincent Arroyo in Calistoga. Start with the normal wine tasting, then a busload of ladies arrived, so they took us to the back and did some barrel tasting. Met the owner, Vincent Arroyo. Played with J.J., the black lab. Paul buys a 2002 Winemaker’s Reserve Petite Sirah, 2002 Napa Valley Sangiovese, 2001 Napa Valley Merlot, 2003 Napa Valley Petite Sirah Port and a pair of logo wine glasses. Jim also buys a 2003 Napa Valley Petite Sirah Port. Port is described as an L.P.R.(Liquid Panty Remover). Paul gets a free waiter’s corkscrew. Ladies buy cooking oil. Vincent Arroyo is having a free BBQ on Saturday. Might be a winner.
  • Getting late, so we decide the best course of action is to go north to Fieldstone, which is open later (5 pm) than most. Enjoy a good tasting, but the first two were hard to match. Paul buys two bottles of 2005 Staten Family Reserve Viognier and a 2001 North Coast Sangiovese.
  • Dinner consists of the leftovers from V. Sattui and a couple sodas.

Friday, May 5

  • Breakfast at Starbucks.
  • Drove up north into Alexander Valley to Geyser Peak. Excellent Sauvignon Blanc and Cabernet Franc. Unusual lineup of wines includes Malbec, Petite Verdot and Tannat. Jim tries a couple ports, but one is too syrupy and the other too much of caramel. Paul and Jim both buy a bottle of 2003 Trione Ranch Cabernet Franc and get free waiter’s corkscrews. Get recommendation from Linda to go to Foppiano for Petite Sirah, which is on the way to Korbel, our lunchtime plan.
  • Luckily stumble directly to Foppiano. Navigator struggling. Suspect too much ‘fun’ at Geyser Peak. Have a great, long tasting and lots of conversation with the pourer and her girl friend. Meet the cellar master, an older Mexican gentleman who apparently began Cinco de Mayo when he woke up that morning. Get recommendation for lunch in Mendocino at the Little River Café. Also suggested is have a brandy at Heritage House, which has a spectacular view of the Pacific Ocean. Winery recommendations include Roederer for sparkling wine, Navarro and Greenwood Ridge. Paul buys a bottle of 2001 Russian River Valley Petite Sirah.
  • Get to Korbel, not so directly, for lunch. Jim had a turkey sandwich and a black cherry soda. Paul has an Italian sandwich and a glass of Cabernet Sauvignon. Eat outside in the, finally, beautiful sunshine. After lunch, go have a champagne tasting. John, the pourer, is a hoot. Paul likes the basic Korbel Natural above the others, which is available in Ohio. Jim has high hopes for the sweeter champagnes, but they turn out to be very good, but not very sweet. Port is also not sweet enough. Jim and Paul buy several toppers to reseal champagne and four 99 cent airplane bottles of brandy.
  • On the drive back towards Healdsburg, we take a flyer on a winery we’ve never heard of called Porter Creek. Way in the boonies, but has a small crowd after we arrive. Nice wines, nothing spectacular. Paul buys a bottle of 2004 Old Vine Reserve Zinfandel.
  • Work our way back up to Healdsburg and to Clos du Bois winery, the final stop of the day. Sauvignon Blanc was a winner, but available at home. Also a very good meritage called Marlstone. Paul buys a 2003 Sonoma Valley Merlot split for the evening.
  • Dinner is at Taco Bell. Jim and Paul both have spicy chicken soft tacos and a soda. Paul is rapidly digesting the food and turning into a toxic gas. Jim vows never to take Paul to Taco Bell ever again, unless the country is attacked by terrorists, the situation is grim and the risk of total annihilation is acceptable.
  • Sit outside in the hot tub. Fresh air seems to take the green tinge out of Jim.

Saturday, May 6

  • Out early to take the long trip up the coast on Highway 1. Stop at La Dolce V in Sebastopol for a quick cappuccino and pastry.
  • Take Highway 12 to Highway 116 to Highway 1 and up the coast to Mendocino. Takes about four hours total. Lots of winding roads and great sights of the Pacific Ocean and redwood forests. Stop and take a lot of pictures.
  • Can’t find the Little River Café, so we stop in Mendocino at the Mendocino Café. Jim has a Vietnamese chicken salad and a Ginseng cola. Paul has a cup of New England clam chowder, a Crab Cake sandwich and a Vanilla Crème.
  • Head back down the coast towards Highway 128, which goes inland and has most of the Anderson Valley wineries. Stop at a beach and take pictures of the ocean and scuba divers in their wet suits.
  • First winery of the day is Greenwood Ridge, only because we passed Roederer without seeing it. Building is done Frank Lloyd Wright style; very gorgeous. Find out that the nearby town of Booneville is having a beer festival and that’s helping keep the normally busy Saturday afternoon crowd down to a minimum. Paul buys a bottle of 2002 Scherrer Vineyard Zinfandel.
  • Backtrack less than a mile to Roederer for a sparkling wine tasting. They’re pouring six sparklers and one still wine. Learn some history of Anderson Valley, including that the climate is somewhat cooler at the lower elevations and very good for Pinot Noirs and Chardonnay. The highest elevations are good for the grapes like Zinfandel. Get recommendations for Goldeneye and Maple Creek. Paul buys a bottle of non-vintage Anderson Valley Brut sparkling wine, the cheapest and best of the group.
  • Back down Highway 128 again, and just past Greenwood Ridge is Navarro, the last of the recommendations we had from Friday. Beautiful redwood building, picnic tables with grape wines trellised overhead and a wide selection of wines, including a couple of late harvest Rieslings. Jim tries the sweet wines and finds one good, but not quite right for the misses. Paul buys a bottle of 1997 Anderson Valley Reserve Pinot Noir.
  • Continue down Highway 128 to Goldeneye, which is owned by the Duckhorn Wine Company, Jim’s favorite wine producer, and specializes in Pinot Noir. The tasting is the most upscale we have had and consists of two Pinot Noirs served which a little tray of cheese, almonds and raisons. The first Pinot Noir is called Migration, the sister label of Goldeneye. Wow, wow, frickin wow! Only question now is how much to buy. Their first wine is called Goldeneye, and very, very good, but both Jim and Paul like the Migration a little better. Order four bottles of 2004 Migration Anderson Valley Pinot Noir, shipped home, which includes one for Richard, one for Jim and two for Paul. We now have a real race for ‘wine of the trip’ between the Ledson Bellisimo and the Migration Pinot Noir. Pending field trials, the Vincent Arroyo Port might get Jim’s vote.
  • Have time for one more winery, but the Pinot Noir is still on the tongue and we decide to savor it. Drive down Highway 128 to Highway 101 and back to Rohnert Park. Beat after 9 and ½ hours on the road. Too late to make the Vincent Arroyo BBQ.
  • Dinner is at a Chinese restaurant. Jim has Chicken Teriyaki and Paul has Mongolian Prawns. Both have green tea. Stuffed and tired. Bed time.

Sunday, May 7

  • Breakfast at the Sonoma Valley Bagel Company. Jim has a bagel with jam. Paul has an egg/sausage/cheese/onion/green peppers bagel. Both have a small fresh-squeezed orange juice.
  • Drive south to Carmel. Make a short stop in downtown San Francisco to drive down Lombard Street.
  • Park in Carmel and walk down Ocean Avenue to the beach. Walk the beach towards the Pebble Beach golf course. Play with a Pembrooke Welsh Corgi named Jester. Find three golf balls on the beach. While cool to us, it doesn’t stop a few people from lying out and working on their tans.
  • Head up to Monterey and park at Cannery Row. Watch some of the live entertainment and walk around. Have lunch at Bullwackers. Jim has a salmon burger, Paul a regular beef burger. Both have salads and sodas.
  • Do the 17-mile drive and take lots of pictures. Stop at the The Lodge at Pebble Beach and have Guinness’s at The Tap Room. Walk out to the 18th green and watch a couple groups finish.
  • Drive back up to Rohnert Park. Long day in the car. Grab a little food at a gas station for dinner.

Monday, May 8, 2006

  • Repeated breakfast at the Sonoma Valley Bagel Company. We both have sesame bagels. Paul has cream cheese; Jim has salmon spread.
  • First stop of the day is at Hanna in the Alexander Valley. Beautiful circular doomed building with massive wooden struts. Paul buys a 2002 Zinfandel, Bismark Mountain Vineyard for himself and a 2001 Noir (Bordeaux blend) for Richard.
  • Just up the road is Sausal, which is Spanish for willow, which is a native tree to the area. Paul buys a 2003 Century Vines Zinfandel.
  • Make a return trip to Vincent Arroyo. Do another tasting, including barrel tasting of their Petite Sirah and Port that will be released later this year. Jim buys two more bottles of 2003 Napa Valley Petite Sirah Port. Paul buys a 2000 Cabernet Sauvignon for Richard and orders on pre-release, to be delivered in September, one 2004 Petite Sirah, two 2004 Merlot, two 2004 Greenwood Ranch Petite Sirah and one 2004 Port.
  • Continue down the Silverado Trail and stop at Casa Nuestra. Paul buys a 2004 St. Helena Tinto.
  • Drive down to Napa and stop at Stagecoach Express and Company to have two cases of wine delivered home.
  • Have lunch at the Genova Delicatessen. Jim has a turkey sandwich on a seeded bun and Paul has a prosciutto, mozzarella, tomato and anchovy on a soft roll. Both have ginger ales.
  • Final stop is at Domaine Carneros. Take the 15 minute tour on the making of champagne. Sit outside in the warm sunshine and enjoy some Carneros Brut.

Tuesday, May 9

  • Time to head back to Dayton. Sorrow.
  • Drive down to the San Francisco Airport. Major delay around the San Raphael area for no apparent reason.
  • Gas up just before the airport. Another $50 tank. Gas has been around $3.50 a gallon.
  • Return the car, check-in, clear security and have 20 minutes before boarding. Perfect timing. Flight is on time. Plenty of room. Nice tailwind. Movie is the latest version of King Kong. Eat dry sandwiches bought in airport.
  • Flight from Pittsburgh to Columbus is also uneventful.
  • Have fun finding car. Can’t remember exactly where we left it. Thought is was 13D. Turns out 13D does not exist. It’s actually in 11G. Only takes a few minutes to find.
  • Only a few sprinkles on the ride home. Drop Jim off at 11:20pm. Paul goes to Cub Foods to buy NyQuil for an annoying cough.



So ends the first Jim and Paul Sideways vacation. Twenty-two wineries are explored over five days. Well over 1,000 miles logged in the car. Many delicious lunches are eaten. Many wineries desired are left to explore in the future.

The best wine is decided to be the Migration Pinot Noir. Best winery is decided to be Ledson. Biggest surprise is finding Anderson Valley.
Wine List

  • Casa Nuestra 2004 St. Helena Tinto
  • Chateau St. Jean 2002 Sonoma County Reserve Chardonnay
  • Chateau St. Jean 2004 St. Jean Estate Vineyard Viognier
  • Clos du Bois 2003 Sonoma Valley Merlot (375ml)
  • Fieldstone 2001 North Coast Sangiovese
  • Fieldstone 2005 Staten Family Reserve Viognier (2)
  • Foppiano 2001 Russian River Valley Petite Sirah
  • Geyser Peak 2003 Trione Ranch Cabernet Franc (2)
  • Goosecross 2005 Napa Valley Viognier
  • Greenwood Ridge 2002 Scherrer Vineyard Zinfandel
  • Hanna 2001 Noir
  • Hanna 2002 Bismark Mountain Vineyard Zinfandel
  • Kunde 2002 Bob’s Red
  • Ledson 2003 Knight’s Valley Bellisimo
  • Ledson 2003 Contra Costa County Petite Sirah
  • Migration 2004 Migration Anderson Valley Pinot Noir (4)
  • Navarro 1997 Anderson Valley Reserve Pinot Noir.
  • Porter Creek 2004 Old Vine Reserve Zinfandel
  • Ravenswood 2003 Sonoma County Petite
  • Ravenswood 2005 Muscato Leggero
  • Roederer NV Anderson Valley Brut
  • Sausal 2003 Century Vines Zinfandel
  • Trefethen 2002 Oak Knoll Cabernet Franc
  • Vincent Arroyo 2001 Napa Valley Merlot
  • Vincent Arroyo 2002 Napa Valley Sangiovese
  • Vincent Arroyo 2003 Napa Valley Petite Sirah Port (4)
  • Vincent Arroyo 2000 Cabernet Sauvignon
  • Vincent Arroyo 2002 Winemaker’s Reserve Petite Sirah



PreRelease Order

  • Vincent Arroyo 2004 Greenwood Ranch Petite Sirah (2)
  • Vincent Arroyo 2004 Merlot (2)
  • Vincent Arroyo 2004 Petite Sirah
  • Vincent Arroyo 2004 Port