That ‘86 flood was something else. They had just paved the Yountville cross road. The flood waters just picked up a strip 20’ long by 4” thick new asphalt and moved it about 20’ south. That was also the year I got caught in the flood coming back from visiting an artist friend in residence at Montalvo. I was zipping up 29 just ahead of road closures. Got to Zinfandel only to find I couldn’t get into St Helena. So I took Zinfandel across the valley. Toward the end the road had water on it, but I watched a Miata drive through it. I figured if a Miata could make it, so could I in a slightly larger car. Deer Park and Silverado Trail was flooded so I took Conn Valley, but decided not to try Old Howell Mountain. I ended up leaving my car at Rick Foreman’s place and trudged over Mund Road only to find a huge downed tree blocking Deer Park. A friend and my landlord were sitting on the other side of the tree, waiting to rescue me. I clamored over the tree and eventually made it home to a warm, dry house. (Those were the days when PG&E actually maintained power through rough storms.) It only occurred to me several years later that I had actually driven through the Napa River. (This was also before the slogan “Turn around, don’t drown.” Was prevalent.)
That ‘86 flood was something else. They had just paved the Yountville cross road. The flood waters just picked up a strip 20’ long by 4” thick new asphalt and moved it about 20’ south. That was also the year I got caught in the flood coming back from visiting an artist friend in residence at Montalvo. I was zipping up 29 just ahead of road closures. Got to Zinfandel only to find I couldn’t get into St Helena. So I took Zinfandel across the valley. Toward the end the road had water on it, but I watched a Miata drive through it. I figured if a Miata could make it, so could I in a slightly larger car. Deer Park and Silverado Trail was flooded so I took Conn Valley, but decided not to try Old Howell Mountain. I ended up leaving my car at Rick Foreman’s place and trudged over Mund Road only to find a huge downed tree blocking Deer Park. A friend and my landlord were sitting on the other side of the tree, waiting to rescue me. I clamored over the tree and eventually made it home to a warm, dry house. (Those were the days when PG&E actually maintained power through rough storms.) It only occurred to me several years later that I had actually driven through the Napa River. (This was also before the slogan “Turn around, don’t drown.” Was prevalent.)