Sonoma, June 2012 - Hot Air Balloon Festival in Windsor, Guerneville, Austin Creek, Sonoma Coast
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18 June 2012 Monday continued: We continued our short walk, admiring the rhododendron blossoms in the Kruse Rhododendron State Reserve. |
 Following an afternoon of climbing rocks at Salt Point and walking around the Kruse Rhododendron State Reserve, we decided to try out the Sizzling Tandoor Indian Restaurant near Jenner, close to the mouth of the Russian River. Adam and Jill's two kids enjoy quite a variety of food, including Indian, Mexican,and Thai, and are articulate and intelligent. |
Because of our scare with Willie the three-legged cat, we hadn't packed. I had hurriedly packed, throwing six or seven pants, tons of shirts, everything into a large suitcase. But when we arrived, I found myself looking up these steep steps, over a hundred steps, leading up to the house, with my very large heavy suitcase in hand. I hoisted it up, but throughout the week, I started bringing unneeded pants and dirty clothes down to the car to lighten the load on the way down. Oh, and despite the name, this isn't actually a treehouse, although it sort of feels like it since it's high up on the hill among the trees, is multi-layered (the bedroom and bathroom are on a lower level), has several stories of decks, and is on stilts. The cabin came with a fully equipped kitchen, and Lisa used it to cook delicious vegan meals every evening. |
Lisa found an 8-mile trail loop in Austin Creek Recreation Area (next to Armstrong Redwoods State Reserve) with a 1000 foot gain. The hike begins by going rapidly downhill in a hurry, for the most part, offering beautiful views of the grassy rolling hills, descending past oak, Douglas fir and redwood. At some point, we crossed the creek, following Gilliam Creek back, wading the stream several times, and at other times hopping across rocks, before reconnecting with the same trail going back uphill. But we were fueled by vegan sandwiches with avocado, Trader Joe's cheese doodles, nuts, and tons of water. We needed a lot of water - the day was hot, and we were hiking throughout the afternoon. We slept well that evening. |
The Coppola Winery is a very large compound with a pool and cabanas, and we enjoyed some drinks there before going on a tour. Sitting there, I realized that I was sitting at the... Coppola...Coppola cabana |
Oompa Loompa, do-ba-dee-doo, Drinking as much as an gray whale can guzzle. |
Left: apparently pirates have set up camp along the Russian River. |
 High up in The Treehouse in Guerneville, where we stayed for the week, this is a view from the main deck, a fantastic place to hang out, drink microbrews, and relax after hiking or kayaking, which is what I was doing now.
Despite the name, this isn't actually a treehouse, although it sort of feels like it since it's high up on the hill among the trees, is multi-layered (the bedroom and bathroom are on a lower level), has several stories of decks, and is on stilts. The cabin came with a fully equipped kitchen, and Lisa used it to cook delicious vegan meals every evening. |
 Large towering redwoods in part defined the dimensions of the cabin. The main part of the cabin is above, while below the bedroom and bathroom. |
 Shortly after getting back from kayaking the Russian River, Adam, Jill and their family came over for a few hours, visiting The Treehouse we were staying at in Guerneville. Adam brought his ukulele, while his kids quickly discovered the fun hanging chair. |
 Meanwhile, in the kitchen, Curious George got the chips and salsa ready. |
 Hangin' out with Adam and Jill and their kids as we prepare to eat. |
Adam and Jill's lovely kids. Both are home-schooled. Their son, just six, can already read quite well, and both are quite articulate and friendly. |
21 June 2012 Thursday: Adam, Jill, and the two kids came by, and we all went to Goat Rock Beach in northwestern Sonoma. It was quite overcast and cold, so Lisa used her magic powers to sweep the clouds away. We explored the windblown cliffsides, looking at the flowers and coast. |
Coastal flowers, Goat Rock Beach, Sonoma Coast. |
Ken's photos of Nobel Peace Prize Winner Aung
San Suu Kyi, as well as photos of Peru, Burma, India, Morocco, China, Thailand,
Ghana, Ecuador, and elsewhere, have appeared in many books, magazines,
websites, and galleries. Visit the
Ken Lee Photography Website. Some of Ken's select photos may be
purchased through his
Imagekind Store. |
Sonoma, June 2012 - Windsor Hot Air Balloon Festival, Guerneville, Austin Creek, Sonoma Coast
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This is the interior of The Treehouse, a rustic cabin near the Russian River that we rented for the week, located in Guerneville.
19 June 2012 Tuesday: We still hadn't quite recovered from the lack of sleep from hurriedly driving up to see the hot air balloon festival in Windsor (Sonoma County Hot Air Balloon Classic), but nonetheless, we thought a good long hike would be in order.
20 June 2012 Wednesday: Good and worked from the uphill, downhill but rarely level hike in Austin Creek yesterday, we decided that driving around the Sonoma wineries, through Dry Creek, and eventually to Coppola Winery, would be a good relaxing day. And it was.
Deep deep inside the Coppola Winery, where the Oompa Loompas were labeling and packing the wine, watching the patrons and singing their Oompa Loompa song:
20 June 2012 Wednesday:A couple of days ago, we went on a 8 mile hike. Paddling 8 miles in a kayak down the Russian River would be a bit more relaxing. We went through Kings Sport and Tackle. They dropped us off at Forestville. We paddled down the river, stopping along the banks for vegan sandwiches with avocado and onion and tomato, Trader Joe's cheese doodles, and raw nuts, then continuing to Johnson's Beach in Guerneville. Nice!
Want any nuts? 
