Hark! Is that spring which has sprung outside my blogsmithing window? I dare not believe it as we are not even one week into February!

But it is true, we are experiencing very atypical weather here in Sonoma County, with temperatures well above the average and very little rain. While January usually has highs in the 50s, we experienced a few days with temps as high as 84, and an average in the mid 60s. With very few storms passing through town, we have been very dry; 7 inches of rain when our average for this period is about 20 inches.

This great, clear weather has forced many local trees and shrubs into bloom. Magnolias, roses, almonds, plums, quinces, and pretty soon, the grape vines. All along the roads, I’ve seen workers in the vineyards pruning back vines in a rush to maximize the output of the vitis vinifera.

Riding a bicycle along the back roads of Sonoma and Napa wine countries at this time of the year, in these mild conditions, is the best, second only to riding the roads of France. Who would know that better than Lance Armstrong and Team Astana (including teammate and Sonoma County resident, Levi Leipheimer)? They have been practicing here in our wonderful backyard, getting ready for the Amgen Tour of California, which will depart Davis, Ca, travel through upper Napa County, and end in several laps around downtown Santa Rosa on the 15th of February.

The snow conditions in the Sierras are just wonderful, and we’ve got several ski trips going out very soon – call us if you’re coming to the area and would like to book one of these unique experiences.

With weather acting this way, we are set to enjoy quite the wonderful tour season! Come join us on a bicycle tour through Calistoga or Dry Creek, taste wines at the finest wineries in these appellations, kayak down the Russian River (or combine kayaking and cycling and wine tasting with our Pedal ‘N Paddle tour!), or paddle around the estuary of the river at Jenner.

The dawn broke on Sonoma County with perfect clarity. I woke early to get ready for a paddle on the Russian River at Jenner by the Sea. After packing a nice variety of greens, fruits, cheeses, meats and chocolate covered cheesecake I set out to pick up my gear for a simple private party trip. Just as I was about to walk out the door I went on the net to check tides and weather. Even though it was still outside my window the report warned of high winds along the coast. I quickly added a few paddle jackets to my gear bag and set off to the coast.

I got a call on my cell from Scott and Beth asking me for directions from the Carneros Inn. I thought to myself if they were just leaving southeast of Sonoma now they would never make the put in by 10 am. I gave them detailed directions to Jenner and relaxed a bit knowing there would be no need to hurry. I stopped at Peet’s for a cup coffee and a bearclaw, breakfast of champions (and slightly sleepy tour guides). I arrived at Jenner at about 10:15 and enjoyed the sunshine while I waited. As I sat the wind started to pick up, a nice catspaw about 10:15 was turning into a fresh breeze. You sailors know that a freshening breeze that early can be a sign of fun to come. We kayakers know that it is a sign of a very wet day to come.

Scott and Beth arrived about 11:00 and we quickly went over the equipment and safety talk. They were experienced kayakers but we did pay special attention to weather paddling. It was good that I had stowed extra gear as Beth didn’t have a shell and borrowed one of mine. We normally launch and paddle out towards the mouth of the river but the wind was now about 20 knots and we were having trouble making headway so we reversed course and headed east. I knew we could ride the wind east and then make it back in the lee of thee Jenner headlands. We paddled and got acquainted and the conversation while not quite at a scream was certainly above normal voice. My paddling partners were from Atlanta but had lived briefly in CA before. They hadn’t remembered this windy of a day in October. At that point I didn’t admit I had not had such an October experience like this as well and I have been paddling the coast for 27 years.

By the time we made our turn the white caps were aboil and the wind speed was over 25 knots. As I predicted we were able to hug the head and while the strokes were quite strenuous we made good time back to the launch point at the visitor’s center. The only problem was we now needed to traverse the estuary at about a 45 degree angle into the chop and wind. We all took a deep breath and off we went. The spray pelted our faces with each splash on the bow and was quite refreshing. The crossing took about 15 minutes and we were soaked to the bone upon arrival at take out. Although everyone was wet, cold and tired it was another perfect paddle on a perfect day.

-John

October is a fantastic month on the coast, and today was a perfect example. We arrived on the coast to the last golden rays of sunshine greeting the day. Pelicans were flocking out from the refuge of the Russian River estuary, and a great blue heron was stalking the shoreline for her breakfast. We turned our kayaks up the river and headed off on our adventure. It was a great day for all.
-Ken

The rainy weather of the weekend has passed to sunny clear blue skies this week. We are definitely into Indian Summer territory. The zinfandel vines are fading into a purple that is just fantastic. We had a couple out today; they were celebrating a birthday with a trip to the wine country. They traded in the rainy skies in Seattle for the sun of California. We zipped up and down the valley, thanks to their legs being honed by years of mountain biking and lugging kids up and down stairs. They were joyous to have the week to themselves to just relax.
-Ken

Jesse and John were the guides and we had 4 guests, 2 from Alaska and 2 Brits who have been living in India for 4 years. We embarked from the campground and leisurely pedaled to Robert Taylor winery stopping along the way to talk about wine, grapes, the Alexander Valley and surrounding topography. Even the Alaskan guests while living in an outdoor wonderland were amazed at the beauty of Sonoma County and the countryside. At the entrance to the winery we were greeted by a perfect specimen of a female black widow spider on the door jamb, quite unusual to see one out in the bright sunlight. After tasting we continued on to Mosaic winery. Along the way we stopped to talk about the geysers and seismic activity in the area. While tasting at Mosaic Jesse and I set up lunch under the shade of a grand valley oak. We talked about the ride and told stories of previous outdoor adventures. After lunch we put in on the Russian River in the middle of the Mosaic vineyards. While Jesse returned to the campground John led the two couples in their double kayaks down the late season calm waters of the river. We were surprised by the abundance of waterfowl on the river noting several great blue herons, both juvenile and some very large adults, great and snowy egrets, kingfishers, mergansers, mallards, and even a wayward cormorant. The river was quiet and we meandered south for about 2 hours back to the campgrounds and our awaiting van. A great time was had by all. Good food, wine, sun, tall tales and companionship.
-Jesse and John

The “Squeaky Wheels” group arrived in Sonoma for their third wine country adventure.

This years caper was comprised of: a day of cycling and wine tasting in both the Dry Creek and Alexander Valley appellations; a day of kayaking on the Russian River followed by another wine tasting; and a day of cycling over the Pacific coastal mountain range to Highway 1, up the coast and back inland along the Russian River where we stopped for a gourmet lunch amongst the redwoods. We finished up our last day with several tastings in the Sebastopol area.

By far, the most popular day would have to be the last. There’s nothing as exhilarating as a challenging climb up Coleman Valley Road, except perhaps the incomparable view from the ridgeline once you have reached the top. Then there’s the breathtaking descent down to the coast where you are greeted by the pounding surf, the dramatic coastline and the salty tang of the air. The guests were truly awed. But as the saying goes, “But wait, there’s more!!” As if that were not enough we added a stunning trip through the redwoods along Moscow Road as it follows the Russian River inland to Armstrong Redwoods State Preserve, where we enjoyed a wonderful picnic lunch under the majesty of the towering trees. Follow that up with a few world-class wine tastings at Iron Horse Vineyards and Lynmar Vineyards, and you have the makings of a perfect day in paradise.

We had gorgeous weather today on our bike and hike tour of Napa.

Nine of us started out at the Silverado Resort and had a leisurely cycle though the hills above the city of Napa, ending up at Skyline Wilderness Park.

Here we took a brisk hike up the Buckeye trail, enjoying beautiful vistas of the Napa Valley, and the enchanting chaparral forest. No rattlesnakes this time, but we did see a gopher snake, lots of deer and many wild turkeys.

-Milo and John

Pedal and Paddle with 5 guests. The day started out a little chilly, but heated up in the afternoon. A fun group with a married couple from PA, a couple from Chicago with a friend visiting England. We went to Robert Young and Mosaic for lunch. Then they kayaked down the river.
-Jesse and Tom

The weather couldn’t have been more beautiful in the Napa Valley as we greeted our guests at Meadowood Resort and Spa! The Fall colors are just starting to peek out on the vineyards as we bike rode to Merus Winery off the Silverado Trail. Our hostess, Katherine, led us through the caves as we sipped their amazing 2005 Cabernet Sauvignon. From there, we biked through St. Helena and over to Chase Family Vineyards where Jeff treated us to a vineyard tour and a delicious tasting of their Rose, Zinfandel and Syrah. We all had a great time and enjoyed each others company!
-Gigi, Tom, Travis, and Jesse

Thursday began with clear blue skies and a sun to follow us through the day. This was great complement to our day of kayaking. We headed off down the river for a short ride. Logs were loaded with turtles basking in the sun after a couple days of clouds. Our guests serenaded us along the way, with tunes from the Grateful Dead, Billy Joel and Bob Dylan. At lunch, we left our kayaks on the river and headed up to taste our afternoon away. We were amazed with the pinot noirs from the area, they were just fantastic. The guys headed back early for massages and a little relaxing before the evening.

Our last morning was crisp and blue, with a couple clouds catching the morning rays from the sun. We headed up the Dry Creek Valley passing the rolling hills full of vineyards. The Zinfandel vines are just about done for the season with most of their leaves turning a deep purple. We arrived at Talty Vineyards after a brisk ride. Michael, the winemaker, greeted us with open arms and a big smile. He treated us to some fantastic old vine Zinfandels, then we had to jet to our final stop of the trip, Lambert Bridge. We had a whirlwind tasting of the reserves, which were a definite favorite of the trip. Alas, the time was up and we had to travel back to Healdsburg to return the guests for a their shuttle back to the real world.

-Mary Carmen and Ken