Wineries with the Wilson's

It is great when you can get together with friends from many years back.  In May of 2019, Post 7 had a reunion and Gary Wilson and his wife, Sandie, attended.  Gary was one of leaders of Post 7 in the 1990's but we had become friends in the late 1980's as we were both involved in the High Adventure Training (HAT).  Gary's daughter, Karen, was a member of the Post but when she aged out, Gary also left and that ended the parts of scouting that we had in common.

In the early years of our friendship I did a good deal of trail work with Gary and my scout troop.  My scouts learned a great deal of respect for our wilderness during that time.  And then when we became leaders in the Post, we continue to do environmental projects.  Many of the scouts from Troop 777 earned the Trail Saver awards (sageventure.com/venturing/conservation.html#trail).  The Explorers from the Post earned the Forest Saver awards (sageventure.com/venturing/conservation.html#forest).

I can remember Gary being involved with the Troop/Post to Havasupai falls.  This was during a spring break trip in 1996.  We all hiked together to the falls.  For the most part, Gary took care of the Explorers and I took some of the scouts on a hike to the Colorado from our camp.  In 1998, Gary joined me in another Troop/Post activity and that was a 50 mile Colorado River trip.  Great times!

With my Post, we traveled to three jamborees in other countries.  My wife was the co-leader for two:  1994 New Zealand Venture and the 2000 Australian Venture.  The second, in 1997, Gary and I took the Post to the Canadian Jamboree while visiting Glacier National Park and Canadian scout units on our way to the Canadian Jamboree.

Lunch at Cougar's

At the Post reunion this year, Gary, Sandie, my wife, Barbara, and I found that we had the enjoyment of wine in common so the Wilson's invited us to go wine tasting with them when they got back from vacation.  In August and again in October, they invited us to visit the wineries of which they were members in Temecula.  We had a great day visiting three wineries where we bought some wine which we have enjoy.  The wineries we visited were:

• Danza del Sol
• Cougar
• South Coast Winery

It is great getting back together with a good friend from the past and this time our wives are joining us!