For those of you who haven't been to Gualala...

You'd have no idea there's the regular route and the boozer's route

Regular route: you go past Fairfield, maybe stop at the Jelly Belly factory, head past Napa, stop at Babe's (wonderful, breathtaking, gut busting hamburgers), stop for gas in Petaluma, salt water taffy in Bodega Bay, groceries at the Surf Mart and on to your final destination

Boozer route: before you ever leave Sacramento, you get a 12 or 18 pack of some sort of light beer (so you can drink more without getting drunk!) and a pack of gum. You make your first stop at Madonna winery and stumble across the street to partake in some Tattinger-style bubbly at Domaine Carneros. You then hit up Babe's not because you want to eat, but because you need to pee. Of course, as you empty your bladder, you'll feel the need to fill your stomach at which point you'll give into the beefy goodness. Bonus point: food sucks up the alcohol and you're ready for your next stop: Ernie's Tin Roof Bar

The Tin Roof Bar looks just like it sounds: as you walk into the bar you walk up to the bar. Capacity of the place is maybe 20; which is about how many delicious beers they have available (Eye of the Hawk and Speakeasy IPA are among my favorites). If you're a fan of the Eye, beware that at over 8% alcohol content, you may need to have your buddy order the third round if you want to legally drink more than two. Hmm, suppose that should be "legally"

From the Tin Roof, you stop in Petaluma to buy more Lite beer and get back on the road to Bodega Bay. If it's nice, you stop in Bodega and drink on the water; if not, there's an Indian Restaurant just before the Guerneville turn-in that has wicked good beer (including your third legal- no parentheses- Eye of the Hawk). Continue on through to Gualala and pick from a brillz selection of microbrews at the Surf, park your car, and fall asleep after your wonderful, alcohol blitzed trip to the coast. Bon Alco-tit!