Hey, Heading out to northern california. Never spent much time out there, so what are the must see hot rod oriented..welll, hot spots? Hitting the breweries are on the list...Anderson Valley, etc. Will be up north of San Francisco then up to Fort Bragg/mendocino-ish. Any hidden gems, let me know! I know the southern california thing is huge...but any rekloose hot rod Randy of the redwoods out there? Taking a stab in the dark before I Google...I figured you guys would be much better search engine. Thanks!
Tardel's is hot rod mecca. I hear Brizio and Sanderson in South San Fran give good tours. If you find yourself 2 hours north of Fort Bragg, look me up. I'll show you around my shop and cars.
def do a trip to tardells if you can, if your in santa rosa if you can get to creative concepts (might be cotati speed shop now) they have some cool stuff. def hit brizios in sf too if you can. outside of that if your our towards calistoga hit up the petrified forrest, if your into the outdoors, its a pretty cool spot to stop. oh yeah flowmaster is right there in santa rosa too down the street from creative if you wanted to hit them up
The Towe Auto Museum in Sacramento is a pretty cool visit, but it doesn't sound like you're getting all that far inland...
Sacramento Vintage Ford. When are you going to be in the area? Might be able to meet up in Fort Bragg, can show you some BITCHIN roads in the area.
If you make it to Fortuna, try the nuclear wings at the Eel River Brewery. but put a spoon in the freezer first.
I always forget about them! Yeah Sacramento Vintage Ford is a great visit if you make it out here. I'm sure there are more I'm forgetting too.
This is my friends shop.....very much worth your time to stop by- get ahold of me if you're interested. here's a link to some pics: http://www.flickr.com/photos/farmerjohn/sets/72157603824699633/ here's my number (925) 917-0776. always down to show another Kansan around, that's where i'm from. The shop Hotrod Garage is located 35 miles east of San Fransisco zip code 94553 re: the posts above....Flathead Jack is just 5 mins down the road from Martinez, and Sacremento Vintage Ford is an hour north of us. Also "All Ford" in Campbell, Ca. is awesome!
Lagunitas brewing. 3:00 tour each day. Free beer in their upstairs bar: http://www.lagunitas.com/ Russian River Brewing. Has the beer voted best in the USA, Pliny the Elder: http://www.russianriverbrewing.com/ Have enough beer and it will make you forget about cars.
The Towe Museum is now called the California Auto Museum. Combine that with a visit to Vintage Ford and it definitely makes a trip to Sacramento worthwhile. http://www.toweautomuseum.org/ And if you are driving up I-680 near Benicia you might stop in to http://www.specialtysales.com/. Just a huge show room full of classics. Pat
Thanks for the info! I should be going through Santa Rosa at some point so looks like that will be a good move for sure....I believe Russian River Brewery is there also...(Calpyro I will certain check your links! Much appreciated as I am going for the great beer and not the wine...). I intend on "accidentally" getting lost and detouring to hot rod shop if a plans work well...."oh, honey....what is this? Is that a hot rod!?"....thats my plan. I have not figured the drive times as 101 seems the quickest route from a to b...but will hit highway 1 for sure. Would like to have my 56 there, but I will have to grow some confidence and finish my brake upgrade before I hit the 1 and travel half way across the country. Need to add a pair of brass one's also. Needless to say, if I have good travel times the more stuff I can hit between SF and Mendo. It is my honeymoon...is it wrong to detour to rod shops and breweries! Will keep you all posted on where I go....does Vern Tardel give tours/let you see what he is working on? Would hate to be a tire kicker to a guy so respected...and probably busy. Thanks again!
Vern's cool. I've only ever showed up unnanounced and he's always said come on in. Sometimes he was too busy to talk, but other times he showed me all sorts of cool shit.
Farmer....you say you are a Kansan...I saw in your profile you have a relative named after John Brown! Like "john browns raid"!? Pretty wild if that is the truth. I lived in Lawrence Kansas for a while and they have a beer named after him at the free state brewery there....come to think of it, I went a small brewery tour of the kansas area yesterday...and spent some time at free state-john brown is on one the shirts. Good stuff, Kansas was (and still is) a wilder place than people think. Calpyro-forgot to let you know...tried the Lagunitas IPA last night at my local watering hole....good stuff! Thanks again all!
Uhm, did everybody forget about the Blackhawk Museum? Vern's place is cool, but you will never be able to pull off accidentally driving by his place.
....Scott B...sounds like a "double dog dare" to me! My sense of direction was lost a generation ago in my DNA...so it may be feasable!
well if you are going to Anderson valley...check out Bear Republic in Healdsburg. If you head down to Napa, go to Bilcos (about 65+ brews on tap, including my favorite stout "Death and Taxes"). Should you continue out to Medocino and want to try something super different, look up Germain-Robin, great stuff there. On your way up from SF, swing by Lagunitas in Petaluma, or Moylan's in Novato (home to the "Kilt Lifter")...oh, did you say hotrods? and if you are in SF, go to Speakeasy brewing. From SF north: Speakeasy Ales and Lager: http://www.goodbeer.com/SWF/index.html (slight detour to the East in Alameda, best views of SF, completely unknown by everyone but the locals...oh, an they make vodka, not beer as an FYI): http://www.hangarone.com/ Moylan's Brewery: http://www.moylans.com/ Lagunitas Brewing Co: http://www.lagunitas.com/ Bear Republic: http://www.bearrepublic.com/ one of my favorite: (no tasting room, but keep your eyes peeled for this small gem: "Death and Taxes") http://www.moonlightbrewing.com/ that is a good short list, if you are in the mood for something specific let me know.
If you can only make one brewery, go to Russian River. They are the Mothership of great beer. Great pizza too.
Fur biscuit....looked up Germain-Robin....now that sounds good! Brandy...what a fine girl.....(fine girl) I definitely need to extend my trip! Some many good spots...and just north of SF. I have tried brews from Bear Republic as they just started distribution just a year or so ago in the KC area...very good stuff...and Hoprod Rye (good name-great beer!). Russian River is definietly going to be hit...we cannot get any out my way...and all the local hop heads talk it up. I heard Firestone Walker is great also? ...can't thank you all enough for the help! It is going to be good times!
Kraz- yeah, John Brown is my name actually lol, and I too have enjoyed Free State brewing company's John Brown Ale while in Lawrence a few years ago. Gimme a holler if you come out this way-
California was great...I can see why there are many a nice car out there...room to roam and a great back drop. We hit Russian river, North coast in fort brag, anderson valley..dudes were a ton of fun there...then had to drive through mountain view road!! I missed Vern Tardels place on the way back as we hit San Francisco late the the last day of the trip...and did not have time to stop in Santa Rosa. Farmer-Thanks for giving me a buzz to tell me about the highlights...needless to say I did scratch the surface. I have a friend who moved out to Oakland, so we will have to hook some time and view your buddies car collection. ...check this out, was in Santa Rosa and went to buy a pack of smokes at the book shop next to Russian river and spotted a guy with a CHURCH t-shirt. Yes, fellow hamber sighting. Nice guy, sorry forgot your name. All in all...need to get back out there and I figured out my buick would not be able to handle HWY 1! Much twistier that I imagined....but damb georgous. Thanks for the help..much appreciated.
yeah visted from New Zealand last year was blown away by 32 coupe kinmont brakes ardun heads ect built as a stock car by a 17 year old kid his name A.J.Foyt in towe museum
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