Stories from the Road; June 15

Stories from the road
June 15, 2016
Cloverdale, CA.
Old Crocker Inn

Old Crocker Inn

After a breakfast of Swedish pancakes we checked out of The Little River Inn headed to Rt. 128 to Sonoma. There were numerous deer and some wild turkeys on the way along with many wineries that were new to me. The road was narrow and curvy with the locals treating it like Le Mans. I pulled over numerous times to let people pass, as we were taking our time and seeing the sights.


Eventually we made it to Cloverdale, a smart little town 20 miles north of Healdsburg.  After some hassle we got on the right road for the Old Crocker Inn, which was an isolated property. Set on 5 acres the inn has a storied past, when it was a small part of an enormous ranch owned by some of the people who help built California. Now it consists of a lodge and small number of rooms and cabins in a very private, quiet area. I told the owner, a bearded man with a sharp wit, that the Inn was a unique property, and he said, “ I am unique too.” I didn’t disagree. This afternoon we’ll hang out at he Inn and go to dinner in the early evening in, Cloverdale.

local

It has been a restful afternoon in our small cabin. I looked out the window and saw a deer in the parking lot. I went out to shoot some pictures and then saw 4 or 5 more here and there around the property. It is always exciting to see wildlife.

Dinner tonight was in Cloverdale, a sleepy place with some charm. We found an Italian restaurant owned by a couple, who were very pleasant. The man was Hispanic, and his wife was Italian.  We both had veal dishes that were tasty.

It is early morning here in Cloverdale. There are no sounds out there, and I didn’t see any deer in the parking lot. After breakfast we’ll head into Healdsburg, which I visited some years ago for my 50 TH high school reunion. A classmate, Lou Preston, owner of Preston Vineyards of Dry Creek, owns a winery there.

Have a good day.

David DiCicco