Resources and Reflections

The route shown below was built in Google Earth for navigation purposes and is the first of two possible routes from the high point on Reeves Canyon Road at the Upper Ranch through the back country and in through the back side of Montgomery Woods State Park to Orr Springs Road about five miles downhill from Orr Hot Springs. Most of the route can be traced visually from the satellite photos, with the exception of the section designated by the group of map pins. At that location, the visible traces of the road are completely obscured by vegetation, and that’s where things can get dicey.
I’m posting this well in advance of riding it and will be posting notice on the Yahoo Mendo Community BB group to solicit any advice or warnings and hopefully avoid disturbing any activity out there. My purpose is solely to pass through, and absolutely NOT to find anything that others don’t want found. I’ll be carrying a penny-whistle and using it frequently to notify any folks who might be out there gardening that I’m coming through. In addition, just like hiking in Alaska, I’ll be giving frequent shout-outs to the forest so as not to surprise any aggressive wildlife. More »

Popularity: 28% [?]

Others are far more eloquent than I when describing the excellence of the terrior, the this of the that and so on and so on, and there are a number of other sites (from which we will quote liberally) that do a far better job than we at using the language of wine. What we will do here that no one else does is to geotag all the wineries and to fill out, over time, the posts here with our own personal impressions and those of our guests as we travel through the countryside and sample the fruit of the vine.

GoMendo.com is an excellent source for all things Mendo related and we here will be focusing more on personal experience rather than purely promotional materials, but for the moment we will quote their text and links as place holders. Remember, Emerald Empire Adventures can arrange for private tastings and tours as a part of any multi-sport, cultural and/or nature-based Adventures. In addition to the wineries listed here, there are many small, unique vintners with no website, no tasting rooms and unusual varietals. If you would like to visit one (or several) of these hidden treasures, be sure to let us know and we will see what we can do.

From my personal experience living in and cycling through the Po Valley and the Alto Adige regions of northern Italy, I can say without  equivocation that the combination of vines, climbs, friendly folks and great local foods and arts available and Mendocino and surrounding counties is rapidly approaching a kind of critical mass that promises to develop into a place equal to any in Italy.

Popularity: unranked [?]

A tour of the Mann Ranch. First settled in 1905, this 1600 acre hilltop hacienda is a stunning spot to rest and take in the vista after the 1500 ft. climb up Orr Springs Rd. The high, bare knob at stands at the very crest of the Coast Range and about 30 miles from highway 1 and the Mendocino Coast. You can spend the night in the old A frame or ride on down the hill to Orr Hot Springs for a long soak and a night in their historic old cabins.

The family is looking towards recent history when, in the 60’s and 70’s Mann Ranch was the venue for widely attended conferences and chataquas conducted by the likes of Joseph Campbell and Carlos Casteneda. Plans are afoot to re-establish the site as a venue for future events.

A place for breathing

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Fresh breezes and long, blue vistas make this a spot for contemplation.

Geo-tagged

Popularity: 76% [?]