Santa Rosa to Clear Lake

This month's trip starts in Santa Rosa, home of Snoopy (World War I ace fighter and nemesis of the Red Baron) and the Charles M. Schultz Museum, and ends at Clear Lake at the northern end of the Wine Country. From Highway 101, take the exit for Highway 12 going east. This section is very short; at the bottom of the hill, make a left on Farmers Lane, then at the T-intersection turn right on Sonoma Highway. A couple of miles later, turn left on Calistoga Road and you are on your way.

Calistoga Road soon becomes Petrified Forest Road and takes you around Sugarloaf Mountain , all the way to Calistoga. The turns are really nice but traffic is often dense, so do not expect to set a lap record. On the way you may want to stop by the Petrified Forest, which features one of the finest examples of fossil forests in the world. At the end of the road, make a left on Highway 128, then immediately turn right on Tubbs Lane. At the T, make a left on Lake County Highway (Highway 29). On Tubbs Lane, you can make a quick stop and visit the "Old Faithful Geyser of California". It does not quite have the scale of Yellowstone, but it erupts regularly, an unusual geological feature, and it is only 18 miles away from 101 in Santa Rosa.

Highway 29 starts with a series of switchbacks and tight corners, and the uphill grade features passing lanes every mile and a half or so until you reach the summit at mile 25. Soon you are in a forest of redwood trees and manzanitas. Seven miles north of Calistoga, the Robert Louis Stevenson State Park beckons on the left hand side. At the Lake County line, the pavement improves noticeably, the road straightens out and you soon arrive in Middletown at mile 33. If you are a fan of renewable energy, I understand it is possible to visit the Calpine Geothermal Center located on Central Park Road. Calpine operates 19 plants in the area that make electricity from the geothermal heat underground.  

In the center of Middletown , turn left on Highway 175 towards Kelseyville. The first few miles are straight and flat, but the curves soon start again as the road climbs over Cobb Mountain . It is all uphill until Hobergs at mile 43. In Loch Lomond , at mile 45, the Roadhouse has a nice market & deli, bar & grill and Giovanni's coffee shop. Chris, the Porschephile owner, drives a euro-spec 928.

If traffic is light, keep going down Highway 175 to Kelseyville and enjoy the pine forest. If however, there are too many vehicles for your liking, backtrack half a mile and turn west on Harrington Flat Road, proceed for a mile or so and make a left on Sulphur Creek Road, then right on Bottle Rock Road. This is the road used by Calpine crews. There are a few homes and a couple of wineries, but by and large there is almost no traffic: a major highlight. At mile 50, a 9% grade will test your brake pads. At mile 52, you will get your first glimpse of Clear Lake as you descend through the forest.  At mile 55, you can pull over and buy buffalo meat at the local farm if you are so inclined. A quarter mile later, you are back to Highway 29. Make a left towards Kelseyville.

Kelseyville advertises itself as the "Bartlett Pear Capital of the World" and hosts a pear festival every year in September. Main Street has a number of quaint old structures and shops of the type familiar in old California towns. Whether you are looking for antiques, wine, pears, quilts or lumber, you will find all you need in town. In addition to tourism, farming is the big economic driver in Kelseyville. Pear and walnut trees abound all around. The Clear Lake State Park Visitor Center provides an introduction to the area. 

Three miles west of Kelseyville, turn right on South Main Street / Lakeshore Boulevard. Esplanade Street in Lakeport goes right along the water. A stop is a must to enjoy the spectacular view of the lake, Mount Konocti to the south, and the mountains around Pinnacle Rock to the north and east. It snowed in February, so the peaks are still all white with their winter coats. Lakeport is famous for its excellent bass fishing and boating opportunities.

By now you are driving due north. At mile 74, turn east on the Nice-Lucerne cut-off that will take you to Highway 20. As the name implies, the next two towns are Nice and Lucerne, respectively. The landscape is definitely more like Switzerland than the Mediterranean. 

With the mountains on the left and the lake on the right, one could easily imagine driving around Luzern See, at least until one reaches the Jack-in-the-Box outlet. In Nice, the Woodpecker Bird House Store will cater to the needs of the most discriminating flying pet. The Ceago Vinegarden, located between the highway and the lake shore, is a biodynamic farm and wine tasting room with a terrific view. Their floating dock will easily accommodate your seaplane if you choose to leave the Porsche at home.

At the west end of the lake, mile 96, turn right onto Highway 53 towards the town of Clear Lake, where you will find gas, food and all the necessities. After a stop, it is back south towards Middletown and Calistoga. Watch out for the CHP, who often set up their "toll booth" between Clear Lake and Lower Lake . Depending on the time of day, there are plenty of excellent restaurants in the wine country on the way back to San Francisco . I like to make a detour via Sonoma to enjoy fish and seafood at the Sonoma-Meritâge. The J Vineyards Pinot Gris goes well with oysters, clams and crab. If you make it to San Rafael and sushi is your game, you may want to try Tenkyu, reputed to be the friendliest sushi restaurant in Marin County .