This is an excerpt from blog review:…read morehttp://tinyurl.com/ykupu9n The weekend of Nov. 21-22 was the Holiday in Carneros event, with over 20 wineries participating. The event is sponsored by Hospitality de Los Carneros ("HDLC"), which is a collective of Napa and Sonoma wineries located within the Carneros Appellation.Wine, Song, Love I don't make it down to 'the Valley' - a/k/a Sonoma Valley, as much as I'd like to, so I was glad that this weekend didn't have a lot of events to compete with Holiday in Carneros. I had previously stumbled upon the similar "April in Carneros" event last year, and had a good time, so I was really looking forward to going back. Taking my own advice from my post on the Wine Road Wine and Food Affair, I took the time to do some planning. The HDLC website helped by providing a well marked map, and a handy list of who was offering what. I was a bit surprised to see some number of Carneros wineries did not participate, especially the many of the 'tin warehouse' wineries on 8th Street. (Lets see some Appellation Solidarity.) But, there were more than enough wineries to visit for the day. Printing out the Map and the Event details, I laid out a plan that took me to mostly wineries I had not visited before, and had varietals, and descriptions that interested me. Having just returned back home after being in Portland all week (again), I decided to rest up on Saturday, and make a full day of it on Sunday. This turned out to be prudent, as several wineries reported that the crowds were lighter on Sunday, which allowed more quality time to interact with winemakers. I also followed my own advise about carrying a spit cup, and brought my own. For the most part, toting around a spit cup not only helped my tasting, but it also occasionally impacted what I was served. At one winery, a less experienced pourer gave me a funny look, in others I was offered tastes of wines not on the "menu." Wineries visited: Roshambo, Anaba, Ty Caton, Parmalee Hill, Robert Stemmler Winery, Etude, Ceja. Event is well run, organized, and participating wineries do a great job. I look forward to their April in Carneros event, next.

an awesome 2 day event! it was great intro & opportunity to check out sonoma specifically…read morecarneros wines & wineries! mellow for the most part, didn't have the large obnoxious drunk crowds -- so we appreciated that. went to the following: etude, cuvaison, 8th st. wineries (tin barn, talisman, ty caton, enkidu), anaba, bonneau, adastra, ceja, mantra @ grange sonoma. AWESOME discoveries: - 8th st. wineries area ****talisman (1 of our new faves)!!! excellent pinots!!!!! ** cuvaison -- excellent cab, breathtaking views of the surrouning vineyards & rolling hills - etude love this so much -- we'll be back next year & will check out april in carneros.

The main claim to fame here is for folks doing the Highway 1 or going to Dillon Beach. Side…read morenote.... Highway 1 is also known as Pacific Coast Highway (PCH) even though I usually use that term for the highway in the south state. This is really the only way to Dillon Beach unless you're a cow or enter by boat/kayak/canoe/swim. Given that, the very few businesses in Tomales get busy. Real busy. So here are your option: -Route One Kitchen and Bakery -Tomales General Store -Out the Door, seafood -William Tell House. Hotel open, Bar and Grill closed -Tomales Hotel -A food truck -And for all'z y'allz so inclined a Catholic church so you can confess your sins you committed over the weekend get away on the beach. So that is about it. There is a post office and an event center where they hold cow beauty pagents and not sure what else. Getting a 5 cause there is nothing to compare it to and it's the only coffee/champs/beer regroup around.

They're really not kidding about this being an open space because I'm not sure what makes this area…read moregeologically unique. A lot of trees and a lot of rocks. That pretty much summarizes my informed opinion of Loma Alta. Marked by an overpass bridge, it's off Sir Francis Drake Blvd just past Fairfax - though you need to slow down to turn off on the broadened shoulder to park comfortably. Don't let the speed-obsessed morons behind you feel bad about wanting to stop here. The underbelly of the bridge is saturated by graffiti, which actually makes it a visually interesting start to your hike. Now you can be adventurous and hike up Sunrise Fire Road almost right away and get to Loma Alta peak that much faster. That ain't me. I just followed the relatively flat, somewhat circuitous Old White Hill Grade to the Fox Hollow Trail. Very woodsy and on the edge of Marin suburbia, but you can get back to nature by following another fire road on Smith Ridge. Yes, your thighs get a workout during this uphill stretch, but it's not nearly as traumatic as the Sunrise route. The views were nice but truthfully not that extraordinary as Loma Alta felt a bit more enclosed than other similar open spaces in Marin like the adjacent Big Rock area. One unexpected treat occurred when I got back to the car and noticed there was a path aptly named the Sherwood Forest Trail. Here I was surrounded almost cocoon-like by a grove of big redwoods. Lovely. RELATED - Up for a hike? Here's a collection of trails I've walked and reviewed: https://bit.ly/2OrC8nU

Fantastic place for a hike, but do not try to follow the trail maps. There is private property…read morepeppered throughout this preserve. Trails end at Gates that threaten law enforcement action if you passed through. Scenery is quite pretty, and be sure to learn a little bit about the geology of the area.

I'm never doing another event with this company again. I ran the China Camp Challenge 10K today,…read moreand it was horribly organized. The course wasn't clearly marked by ribbons; as a result, the majority of the runners got lost. I turned around and backtracked to the starting line after I searched for the correct colored ribbons for about half a mile (which included a steep grade). There were a few groups of people lost at several junctions. I've done races that not only clearly marked the correct trail, but also had the wrong way marked to ensure that runners didn't make a wrong turn. The race director claimed that someone moved the ribbons. I wonder when the course was marked with ribbons and if the course was double checked before dozens of people were sent up the mountain. After the event was over, the race director sent an email offering all the participants a 10% discount, which means I could save about $4-$8 off a future event the next time I want to risk getting lost again due to lack of planning. No thank you. One of the reasons I pay for events is so that I don't have to worry about mapping out the course.

I've run two races organized by Urban Coyote Racing - the Rodeo Beach Rumble in April 2016 and the…read moreChina Camp Challenge in February 2018. For the Rodeo Beach Rumble, I'd have given Urban Coyote Racing three stars; but for the China Camp Challenge, Urban Coyote barely deserves even one star. To be clear, I don't expect much when I sign up to run trail races. The post-race food and drinks are great, but the main thing I want when I pay to run in a trail race is for the course to be well-marked so that I don't have to map out the course beforehand and so that I don't have to pay a ton of attention to the trail posts while running. I just want to be able to follow the ribbons that mark the course and run. The Rodeo Beach Rumble was fine. I'd had better experiences running trail races organized by Coastal Trail Runs and Enviro-Sports, but my experience wasn't bad, either. The course was marked well enough (though I'd wished that there had been more ribbons -- there were some stretches where I started to get nervous because I hadn't seen a ribbon for a while), and they had really good banana bread at the finish area. The China Camp Challenge, however, was an awful experience. Several miles into the race, runners found that the course wasn't marked correctly, and we could no longer follow the ribbons. The map of the course that had been provided by Urban Coyote didn't provide enough detail to make it easy to run the course without the ribbons, so a bunch of us ended up just backtracking to the start/finish line. When some of the runners told the race director that the course was no longer marked, the race director brushed off the runners, saying something along the lines of, "Oh, that's weird," and made no attempt to correct the course. The banana bread wasn't enough to make up for the fact that I'd paid $50 to run a trail race that I didn't get to run due to lack of oversight by the race director. In contrast, I recently ran a trail race organized by Coastal Trail Runs where some mountain bikers had deliberately moved ribbons or simply removed the ribbons entirely in hopes of keeping runners off of the trails where they wanted to ride. Once the race director found out about this, a young man with seemingly endless energy sprinted around the course to replace ribbons, redirect runners, and get everyone back on track. The race director then personally apologized to people at the finish area. The contrast in how the two race organizers dealt with this situation is stark. There are simply too many other race organizers in the Bay Area who put together well-organized trail races for me to ever consider participating in an Urban Coyote Racing event again.

I have biked this long fire road on multiple occasions--mostly without mishap, but sometimes, WITH…read moremishaps. I park at Natalie Coffin Greene Park, near Ross, and then bike around the Lakes. It can be quite steep and challenging at places, but it's still nonetheless a popular spot for cyclists. I don't recall seeing too many hikers, but I suppose some people hike it as well. I have never seen strollers or horses on this road. No mini bikes either. From the East peak of Mount Tam, I once took Eldridge grade down. It was way too difficult for me, and I had to walk carefully around lots of boulders. The problem was that if one fell off the bike you could easily go down a ravine on the other side, never to be heard from again. Well okay, it was not really that bad, but I was still pretty careful. In The Lakes District near Ross, I find Eldridge grade to be a a fun ride down. I usually start at Filter Plant Road, and then connect to Eldridge grade.

Want a road bike ride that will give you a phenomenal work out? Here's one. I've included the route…read morebelow. Be warned, for beginners it's very challenging. If you are an avid rider and are trying to get someone you like to try something new -- this is not the ride to convince them. On the other hand if you are trying to break-up with someone, well taking them on this ride may seal the deal. I enjoyed it on a beautiful Saturday, but it was definitely challenging. I was very tired afterward. Here's the route -- I think it's about 25 miles Start at the Coffee Roastery in Fairfax Take Bolinas Road (becomes Fairfax-Bolinas Road) --- climb and climb and climb Take left on Ridgecrest Boulevard Take a right on Pan Toll Road (begin descending) Take a left Panoramic Highway (follow to four corners) Take a left on Sequoia Valley Road Take a right Edgewood Avenue Another right on Molino Avenue Take a left Montford Right on Miller Avenue and then a final right on the Bike Path towards Sausalito

I was surprised I haven't seen NCKA in here already. If you like to go fishing or kayaking…read morefishing this website is for you. This is not a membership club and anyone can become a member. These folks fish all over Northern California, salt and fresh water. If you want to go some where search the hookup area and find out who is going out, or post something and try to link up with some one. They also have forums on kayak set ups, recipes, making things for fishing, techniques. All in all it is great place to learn about the Fishing in Northern California

Update: I've been riding with Bethany for over four years now, and I truly cannot say enough…read morewonderful things about her and her training program. Bethany is incredibly patient, knowledgeable, and genuinely invested in both horse and rider development. Her teaching style is always positive and encouraging, creating an environment that is supportive, fun and motivating to learn in. She is also a talented rider, and her expertise shows in every training ride she does with my horse. I can immediately feel the improvement in my own rides afterward. Most importantly, Bethany always prioritizes the wellbeing and happiness of her horses while still helping riders achieve their goals--whether serious competitors or those who simply ride for enjoyment. My horse has also had some serious health setbacks recently, but Bethany has never given up on us. Her advice, training techniques, and thoughtful approach throughout this process have meant so much to me. I'm incredibly grateful to train with someone who combines such skill, kindness and true horsemanship, and I highly recommend working with Bethany!

Bethany is truly a one of a kind instructor! Every clinic and lesson I have taken with her, I have…read moreleft with a smile on my face and a feeling that I'm building something deeper than just my riding skills, but also strengthening the trust and communication with my horse. What sets Bethany apart is how much she genuinely cares for both sides of the partnership. She's invested in her students' progress and the well-being of both horse and rider, always putting their needs first. Her eye for detail, patience, and encouragement creates an environment where you feel supported but also challenged in the best way! Bethany truly embodies the saying that "the best partnerships don't always needs use words to communicate". She helps each of her students to feel every movement underneath them, and then guiding you to respond in a way that makes sense to both horse and rider! If you're looking for a trainer who will truly help you grow as a rider while deepening your relationship with your horse, or ever have the opportunity to take a clinic with her, I could not recommend Bethany enough!