Day tripping from Monte Rio............Guerneville...............Armstrong Redwoods State Natural Reserve, a toast of champagne and more!

Cheers from Guerneville!

 It's somewhat difficult to think of Guerneville in terms of a day trip since it's just four miles from Monte Rio.  We're passing through it frequently on the way to other inland destinations, and shopping for groceries at the Safeway, which is located in town.  Because of its easy accessibility we've never dedicated a full day there, but we have enjoyed a bit of what this historic logging town that's been around since the early 1800's has to offer.

Guerneville has a population of around 5,000 people and takes great pride in its friendliness and diversity.  There is a robust stretch approximately one mile long of shops, restaurants and other businesses along River Road, as well as Johnson's Beach, which is one of the Russian Rivers most popular destinations.  We don't tend to eat out too often, but we did enjoy a nice casual outdoor dinner at the Main Street Bistro one night while we were keeping James and Emma.  I don't know if its seasonal or year-round, but Monday night is "Community Night" at the bistro, and they had some nice specials for $8.

Johnsons Beach

Just a few miles from downtown is Armstrong Redwoods State Natural Reserve.  This 805-acre park, named after Colonel James Armstrong is covered with coastal redwoods.  There is a visitors' center, several shaded hiking trails and picnic areas for day use.  There is no overnight camping allowed in the park, but there is a nearby campground in the Austin Creek State Recreation Area.

Before the big hike

Beth and I visited the park on two separate occasions.  The first time it was just us, and although it was in the middle of the day and the temperature was in the mid-80's, the tall redwoods (some over 300 feet high) provided a great deal of shade making our hike and picnic very comfortable.  The second visit was in the late afternoon, and we enjoyed walking some of the trails with James and Emma.  The park wasn't too busy on our first visit, and because it was late in the day we pretty much had the place to ourselves with James and Emma.

Many of the trees in Armstrong Redwoods Natural Reserve are 300 feet tall.

Impressive root system on this one.

Friends along the trail.

Happiness is a wide, flat trail!

On our second visit the "trail guides" were leaving us behind!

Just a couple of birthday buddies out for a walk in the redwoods with James leading the way!

There is no entrance fee required, but there is a parking fee (currently $10, but if you're old you get a dollar discount).  Limited parking is available on the street near the paid lot.  We were lucky and found street parking near the entrance saving us a little money and getting us a few more steps.

Also, just a few miles from the city limits of Guerneville is the Korbel Winery and Champagne Cellar.  We're not huge wine people, but the Korbel Winery looked interesting, so we decided to stop in for a visit.  The winery offers complimentary tours several times a day (space is limited).  We happened to arrive shortly before a tour was starting and since there was space available, the price was right and there was the promise of a complimentary glass of champagne at the end we said, absolutely!

The tour was informative and shared the story of the Korbel Brothers who immigrated to the US and settled in the Guerneville area in the 1850's.  According to our tour guide, their first business was logging and they were quite successful. However, looking to expand they began making wine, but not just any wine.  Their wine was "sparkling", and they named it after a similar product from France known as "champagne".  Lawsuits were filed claiming that only sparkling wine from the champagne region of France could be marketed as "champagne".  Eventually the Korbel Brothers prevailed and were "grandfathered in" and allowed to use "champagne" although it had to be labeled as "California Champagne".  Currently they bottle around 1.6 million cases per year.  Adding the word "California" to the label hasn't seemed to hurt matters.

The tour of the champagne cellar started outside underneath this cluster of redwoods.  Our tour guide shared with us how the redwoods protect themselves in order to survive.  In the middle of this group is a very large tree that was cut down many years ago.  As it began to be cut down, the tree starts to grow new trees from its roots. In this case new trees from the same roots completely surrounded the original tree.  After learning this, we saw evidence of this throughout the redwood forests, including a nice example in front of the Airbnb where we are staying.

The museum had nice exhibits of the Korbel Brothers lives', from immigration to logging, to wine making. 

Korbel was the official champagne of Y2K (remember that?).  According to the Guiness Book of World records, this is the largest bottle of champagne ever produced 

The 45 minute tour was interesting and as promised there was a tasting at the end.  Here's a toast to the Korbel Brothers for their hard work in developing a champagne that got the attention of the French! 

 

Day tripping from Monte Rio............Occidental.........the Bohemian Highway, inexpensive Mexican food and Wild Flour Bread

Occidental.......the halfway point on the Bohemian Highway

There is a 10-mile, very winding drive between Monte Rio and Freestone that is known as the Bohemian Highway.  It is frequently listed as one of California's most scenic drives, which is high praise since the state has so many beautiful drives.  I did a little research and tried to find how many curves there were in the ten-mile journey, but I couldn't find a definitive answer.  The sources that I checked all used terms like "a lot" and "many".  Trust me, they're not exaggerating.  If you've ever driven Hawaii's road to Hana, think just as curvy, only shorter in length.

It even looks winding on Google Maps!

Approximately mid-way along the journey is the small village of Occidental (pop. 1,100).  It's a great place to stop, stretch your legs and let your body and brain get back in sync before taking on the second half of the drive.  Along the Bohemian Highway in Occidental there are about 2-3 blocks of shops and restaurants.  We were excited to discover El Mariachi Cafe, a small Mexican food restaurant that was described as "inexpensive".  The word "inexpensive" is rarely used to describe anything in California.  We were thrilled that it was not only very good, but that it also turned out to be inexpensive.  We enjoyed a nice lunch for two for fifteen dollars.........not bad anywhere, but especially out here!

Near the Freestone end of the Bohemian Highway is Wild Flour Bread.  We learned about Wild Flour Bread from Sarah.  She had learned about it from a friend, proving once again the power of word-of-mouth advertising. 

Wild Flour Bread

There's a good chance you may start smelling the bread and other goodies baking in the brick oven before you actually see the small bakery.  You'll also know you're there by the cars filling the parking lot and parking alongside the road.  We were there mid/late on a weekday morning and the line (which moved quickly) was about 20 people deep.  There is no indoor seating at Wild Flour Bakery, but there is a small garden that has tables and chairs where you can relax and enjoy the amazing goodies baked up by the friendly staff.  The bakery is open Friday-Monday from 8:00-6:00.  I'd be surprised if there is much left late in the day.  The day we were there several items were already sold out............but don't worry we found plenty!  We walked away with a loaf of the Occidental Bread, a sticky bun, and two scones which we enjoyed over the next several days.

Waiting patiently

The breads are on display through the large front window.  Your order is filled as it is placed so the line moves quickly.

The menu of breads stays pretty much the same..........

the scones and cookies change a bit from day to day.

The garden behind the bakery is worth taking a few minutes to explore..........

.....or to enjoy a tasty treat, fresh from the oven..

The Bohemian Highway is a lot like life itself. It's a beautiful journey that throws a bunch of curves at you along the way, but there are also adventures and treats to savor...........enjoy the ride!

Day tripping from Monte Rio.........Santa Rosa..........Peanuts and the "Greatest Fair on Earth"

Snoopy carefully guarding the entrance to the Charles Shulz Museum and Research Center

 Monte Rio is ideally located for day tripping.  There are multiple options in every direction.  Drive a few miles west and you're on the coast.  There are great choices driving both north and south along the Pacific Coast Highway (California 1).  Inland there are numerous towns and cities with plenty to keep you entertained.  If wine is your thing, Sonoma County boasts over 425 wineries!  All of these options are within an easy, scenic, although winding drive of Monte Rio.   

One of our first day trips after settling in was to Santa Rosa, which is just over a thirty-minute drive inland.  For this adventure we met Sarah and James (Emma was in school) at the Charles Shulz Museum and Research Center.  If you're not familiar with the name, you're most likely familiar with some of the loveable characters he created.  Shulz was the creator of the Peanuts comic strip and introduced us to Charlie Brown, Lucy, Linus and of course Snoopy.  There were about 10 main characters that appeared throughout the years and about the same number of characters who appeared less frequently. 

Shulz, who passed away in 2000 had been a resident of Santa Rosa since 1969.  The museum opened two years after his death and is the home to many of the original Peanuts comic strips.  There is a theater that features short films about his life and the Peanuts comic strip. There is also a display of his office/studio, as well as both permanent and rotating exhibitions about his work.

This is a 22 foot tall mural inside the museum.  It's made up of over 3,500 comic strips.  I'll bet if it was live action that Lucy would move the football at the last second.

Shulz's office/studio has been recreated using all the original furniture.

James trying to figure out what Charlie Brown and Woodstock are building.

Admission to the museum was very affordable.  The current admission prices are Adults $12, Seniors $8, Youth (4-18) $5.  The museum easily lived up to its high rating and we enjoyed spending a couple of hours roaming the two floors and outside grounds, as well as walking through the adjacent ice-skating rink. 

Shulz's nickname was "Sparky" and the early editions of the cartoon ran under the name of Sparky's Li'l Folks. The first publication of the comic strip as "Peanuts" was in October of 1950.  In his lifetime Shulz produced a total of 17,897 Peanuts comic strips (15,391 daily strips and 2,506 Sunday strips), that appeared in over 2,600 newspapers in 75 countries and translated into 21 languages.  Interestingly, the last original Peanuts comic strip was published on February 13, 2000, just hours after his death.

Sarah admiring James's skills.......maybe we have a future cartoonist on our hands.

He quickly reached the conclusion that I was hopeless!

The museum is a great tribute to both the man and the beloved characters that he created, and is well worth visiting.

Our second Santa Rosa adventure came a few days later, while Beth and I were keeping James and Emma for a few days.  It also proved to be a great day.

We had read about the Sonoma County Fair, which billed itself as "The Greatest Fair on Earth".  We also learned that on the first Monday of the fair that admission was $1 if you brought 3 cans of food, which would be donated to the local food bank.  There was no way that we were going to miss something with such a lofty billing and such a low admission price.

Getting into the spirit of the "Greatest Fair on Earth"!

We carefully planned our day in advance to make the best use of our time and certainly not miss any of the many feature attractions.  The fairgrounds were laid out in a manner that made it easy to navigate, and although it was busy, it wasn't overcrowded.  We marveled at Twiggy the Waterskiing Squirrel, motorcycle daredevils, juggling clowns and much more.  We kept cool with dipping dots and sno-cones.  But the highlights of the day were the "audience participation" activities that James and Emma participated in throughout our visit.  They battled with rock em' sock em' robots, spun plates on sticks while standing on one foot, and marched in the daily afternoon parade around the fairgrounds.  James was really on a roll.  He took home first place in both the bubble gum blowing and screaming contests.  Emma was so proud of his accomplishments!

Dippin Dots..........just one of many things that put smiles on their faces!

James in an intense battle of Rock em' Sock em' Robots!

Emma battling hard!

A proud warrior......with a ribbon and animal crackers as a reward for her effort.

Twiggy the Waterskiing Squirrel had James, Emma and the rest of the audience spellbound! 

It was an impressively loud and shrill scream.  The judges face speaks for itself.  

High level talent and on one leg!

Ready for the parade!

By the time we made our way towards the exit, we had spent several more hours than we anticipated.  We had been entertained with wholesome family fun that kept us smiling and laughing the whole day.  It just may have been "The Greatest Fair on Earth" after all!

Heading for the exit after a great day at the Sonoma County Fair!

    

Monte Rio, California

 

Greetings from our cabin in the redwoods of Monte Rio!

Since leaving Florida on July 23, we've made the small village of Monte Rio, California our home.  Once again, Beth out did herself and found us an amazing Airbnb that we're really enjoying.  Monte Rio is about an hour and a half north of San Fracisco.  It's located along the Russian River in Sonoma County, on what would be considered the western edge of the California wine region.  Just over 1,000 residents live amongst the redwood trees in this amazing setting.  

Walking the neighborhood in the shade of the redwoods

When we're at the house you can usually find us in the beautiful backyard

We knew the house came with a pet.  Chloe is an "outside cat" that's letting us share the yard with her.  We've never been "cat people", but Chloe may be changing our minds a bit.

James and Emma love visiting MiMi and Pop's vacation home.........and Chloe!

Monte Rio

We're about fifteen minutes from the rocky shoreline of the Pacific Ocean.  However, there are big changes that take place in that fifteen-minute drive.  The redwoods give way to hilly grasslands where cattle are grazing with a million-dollar view of the crashing waves of the Pacific.  The temperature also changes dramatically.  We hoped for cooler weather, and cooler weather is mostly what we're getting here in Monte Rio.  The morning lows are in the low/mid-fifties and daytime highs are in the seventies to mid-eighties.  Where we are staying is similar to most of the houses in the area and doesn't have air conditioning.  The house is well shaded so even on the hottest days it's not too bad. However, if we want cooler temperatures we simply have to head to the coast.  The temperature drops about a degree per minute on the drive.  As I am writing this blog, the weather channel is showing the Monte Rio temperature as 78 and the coastal temperature just a few miles away is 62.  Along the coast at this time of the year there is frequently some fog, which only adds to the ambience.  This region is a good example of California's "microclimates".

There was no fog on our first visit to the coast............

.......the view was a little different on our next two visits!

I'm not really sure of where it originated, but Monte Rio often bills itself as "Vacation Wonderland".  If outdoor activities are your thing it's hard to disagree with that tag line.  The coast is nearby, there's an abundance of hiking and biking trails and swimming, tubing, canoeing and fishing on the Russian River as it passes by on its way to emptying into the ocean.

Monte Rio Beach on the Russian River.  At this time of year there is more "beach" than "river".........

however, there is still enough water that Captain James was able to navigate the small rapid with Emma as his passenger.  We didn't have time to take too many pictures, we had to chase them down!

Bridge over the river in Monte Rio

It may be a small town, but it has its own theater.  It shows both old and new movies.  One show per night, several nights a week.

If you like golf, you're in for a real treat.  There is a nine-hole golf course, which just happens to be about a 3-minute walk from where we are staying.  It's not just any old nine-hole course.  It's Northwood Golf Club and it's spectacular.  It was designed by Dr. Alister MacKenzie, who also designed Cypress Point and Augusta National Golf Club.  The nine holes are laid out among the towering native redwoods, and it is consistently recognized as one of America's Top Nine Hole Golf Courses.  We enjoy walking by it daily and often hear the unmistakable sound of a golf ball colliding with a tree......in this case, not just any tree, but some of the largest on the planet!  My game is pretty much nonexistent these days, and given the number of trees on Northwood, I think I'll just enjoy being a spectator. 

Northwood Golf Club.  The pro shop is on the left and there is also a restaurant overlooking the first tee. 

Northwood Golf Club

Although small, once a year Monte Rio plays host to some of the world's wealthiest and most powerful men.  They gather at an ultra-secure campground known as the Bohemian Grove for two weeks of...............well, who knows what!  It's rumored to be guarded by former military and super secretive as well.  According to historians, it started as an annual gathering of musicians, artists and journalists.  Soon after its formation, they began to accept businessmen, entrepreneurs, and politicians (Nixon, Reagan, Bush Sr. and Colin Powell were all members).  The gatherings are held every year in July, so it was likely going on when we arrived and according to Google Maps, the campground isn't far from where we're staying.  We heard nothing and saw nothing other than a private helicopter buzzing overhead one day.  One other thing, it's a "male only" club.  Women can be "honorary members", but as far as full membership goes, it's still "Men Only".  Google "Bohemian Grove" and see what comes up, it's pretty interesting!

There are a number of interesting places to visit nearby.  But those will be for another blog.  Afterall, I don't want to work too hard while I'm here in the Vacation Wonderland of Monte Rio!