Calistoga

We've been in Calistoga for a couple of days. Its a fun town sitting on top of thermal springs. The mud king lives here and I can see why.

The whole town smells of independence, wisdom and something else which I can't put my finger on. Must be success.

We're camping at the state campground (behind the CalMart on 4th if you are familiar with the area). The other occupants are the RV club from the local Elk's Lodge the "Elk-A-Haul-icts" and teenagers here for the Rock of Ages Christian festival at the state park next door. It's quite easy to tell them apart as the Elks are mostly 13 year old girls wearing T-shirts that say "I heart hardcore christian guys".

Went to a NASCAR bar called Suzies last night and got talking to a nice young couple who invited us to a party at their hash farm. I don't know whether it was their insistance on repeating the number of people that would be there (10-12) or their inability to tell us where they lived that led us to politely decline. Thankfully the Elk's had invited us for a pot luck supper instead.

Unfortunately the Elk's potluck supper was comfortably one of the worst meals I've ever eaten. The best dish was the lasagne because it tasted like canned ravioli. Kate decided the most unpleasant dish was the cold boiled cabbage served in a pan of lukewarm brine; she did not eat the green beans in gray paste.

We ended up in a fancy beer bar knowledgably discussing the wine trade with a fellow stoolman while a middle aged man bought his high school age girlfriend rounds of tequila shooters. Our friend pointed out "with an 18 year old girlfriend, the tequila pays for itself". He really did know a lot about the wine trade.

The band did a cover of "Act Naturally" in swinging alt country fashion (Big Starr?) so I went to talk to the singer after he finished. He told be that he'd toured in England and, when I asked the worst place he'd played, he replied "I've been to Hull".