Was wondering, how close is the wine country to Gun stock wood country. I've toured the wine country before while working in Martinez, had to take customers etc. Was thinking of tricking my wife in to thinking she was going on a wine run and buy a blank or two if the logistics are right. Somebody give me the logistics, sounds like plan, think she would catch on.

If you are still in Martinez. Say hi to my relatives. They are every where.
You might try a short trip to Chico. There is a guy there on Stanley Ave. that had a huge operation. I bought several there while I was on an assignment. He sells mostly to the trades and his pantograph is right there.
Frank

Gringo,
Chico seems to be the hotbed of wood dealers in CA. Don Cantwell and the Presliks are old time dealers from there. There is a Wineland there who deals in wood but it is actually his last name. I do like the idea of a nice table and a good bottle of wine and the opportunity to look over some choice blanks. Maybe you have a great idea for a bus load of gun nuts and their pissed off wives.

Chic,

Sounded like a plan to me, I ran it past my wife and told her I could kill two birds with one stone, she bought off on it. I may try to make a run in July/aug when its hot has hell here in South Texas. Looks like no plains game hunting this yr cause of house being built so a west cost trip for wine and wood may be fun.

I did this on a trip to Reno for the SCI and Guild shows. My wife has a sister in Sacramento so after the shows we made a loop around Chico, Marysville, Sacramento, Lake Tahoe and back to Reno. Bought 2 English blanks in Marysville from Rimrock (www.mako.com/bastogne/rimrock.htm) right off the sawmill, still drying in my garage. Chico is the epicenter, there's lots of good dealers there.

Chico is about 100 miles from me. I live in the center of good wine country, Zinfandels and Sauvignon Blanc being the premier wines of the Sierra Nevada Foothills and this county. Also from Chico you are pretty close to Lake County at about the same distance, which has a few good wineries and is just over the hill from the Napa Valley, another 30 miles further. The Napa Valley is over-priced and over credited. There are as good or better wines elsewhere for far less $$$$, Sonoma County and the Paso Robles area being two where fine wines are produced at less dollars. Paso Robles area is quite remote from the Chico area but Napa, Sonoma, El Dorado and Amador counties (the latter two where I live,) are loaded with vineyards, wineries and really neat people like me!!!



If you need more info or help, let me know. You've hit two of my hobbies and I'm always happy to help a fellow Texan.

Gringo, check around Orovile Ca also, not far from Chico. There are some good wood sources there too. RCBS is also there, next door to Huntingtons store along with some incredible trophies from the founder, Fred Huntington. Also a museum relative to his hunts.

Enjoy yourself, sounds like a great trip.

You can do that trip in a day if you don't kill too much time. Reno to Sacramento is 100 miles. Marysville is about 40 miles from Sac. Chico about 100 miles from Sac. Lake Tahoe is just up the hill from Reno, if going by way of I-80 it's about 20 miles off the interstate some 30-40 miles from Reno, but you'd probably want to drive around the lake which would take 3 or 4 hours. You'd probably want to do a day around Lake Tahoe and do the other on another day but you could do it all in about 8-10 hours if you don't mind driving that much, 400-500 miles total.

I suggest you plan on a 1/2 day to 3/4 day for wood and a day and half for wine. Pick your wines, as there are way way way too many too see. It does take time to drive from one to one and it does take time to visit and sip.

Drinks lots of water........ you would be amazed how snockered you can get on four half sips of wine from different vintages and case lots. It isn't the same as from one bottle.

Speaking form experience.........

:-)

RobertD

Glen, we took a couple of days doing that loop, spent one night in Lake Tahoe. If you spend time around Chico or Marysville visiting more than 2 or 3 wood merchants and looking over their blanks, and sightseeing around Lake Tahoe, it will take at least a couple of days. If you also want to visit the wine areas, allow a couple more days. Actually, at the last Gun Guild Show, Preslik had some gorgeous blanks at very competitive prices so it wasn't really necessary to go to the sources for better deals. More selection yes, and maybe a little less money for green wood. Get to the Guild show EARLY, the best stuff at the best prices goes fast.

fla3006 - Yes, I attended the last Guild show also. I was thinking of making this side trip on another visit to Reno later this year.