Waimea, Holualoa on the Big Island

Today, we shot some footage around Waimea on the Big Island. This is the farm/ranch area of the Big Island. It's on the Northwestern part of the island and has a great history with giant ranches like Parker Ranch sprawling out over flat and rolling grasslands. We’ll be back to Waimea to film later in the week.

We poked around to Holualoa, a funky, artsy town in Kona Coffee country. I enjoyed a Kona Coffee at a local café and explored a ukulele shop. Kona is the only area of the United States where coffee is grown. It takes just the right conditions, which the small area of Kona has, for the coffee to grow. We also did some environmentally friendly graffiti, using white coral on the lava fields. People have been leaving their mark here for decades. You’ll have to watch the Big Island episode to see what we spelled.

Parker Ranch, Big Island

Parker Ranch is an institution on the Big Island. Karoll of Cowboys of Hawaii took us out to ride a PART of the ranch. Touted at one time as the largest privately owned ranch in the United States, Parker Ranch is huge.

The distances here can be deceiving too. Out in the distance, I spotted a cinder cone in front of Mauna Kea, the largest mountain in the world if you measure from its base (which is underwater) to the summit. I asked Karoll how long it would take to ride there. She said that though it looked pretty close, it would take a couple of hours. Once you start riding, you understand that things may be farther than they seem.

Parker Ranch was founded in 1847 by John Palmer Parker. Parker was called on to help King Kamehameha solve the problem of the wild herds of cattle and he did. Parker eventually formed a cattle empire. The ranch is still huge at 150,000 acres.

Karoll told us about the past and present prestige associated with being a Parker Ranch cowboy. In the old days, cowboys were put through many tests before they could work at the ranch. These tests continue today, but are nowhere near as treacherous as they once were.

The weather in Waimea can change pretty quickly. Our sunny skies clouded over, as we trotted through the grasslands and it began to rain. We actually do film in the rain sometimes, but decided to forgo this today and instead, go with Karoll and Mystery, who also leads rides at Parker, out to lunch. Later in the afternoon, Karoll and I would tour two of the old Parker residences, learning more about the history of the Parker family and seeing some unique European art on the Big Island.

Hawaii Volcanoes National Park

For our first adventure on the Big Island, we headed from our flight in Hilo to Hawaii Volcanoes National Park. Lots of people venture here to see hot molten lava flowing. We did too, but that lava flows here are unpredictable, so that wasn’t in the cards for us. We did explore the park anyway though by driving and hiking the Chain of Craters Road and Crater Rim Drive.

Crater Rim Drive is a nice loop around the summit of the caldera, but I personally liked the Chain of Craters Road better. This will take you down to the ocean, where you can see the lava that hit the sea. You’ll pass by lava flows from different years. It’s pretty humbling to see the power of nature here. There’s a spot where lava flowed over the road, but we didn’t make it on a hike there, as the wind was blowing pretty hard. Instead, we ventured to the Sea Arch, which formed when lava flowed into the sea. The waves crashed against the cliffs and through the sea arch, forming rainbows in certain points as the sun shone through the spray.

Sugarloaf Ridge State Park with Triple Creek Horse Outfit

Well, I have definitely found another of the best rides in Sonoma with Erin and her husband Dominic of Triple Creek Horse Outfit. These two are great horse people whose passion for horses caused them to make it their profession.

We met up with them at Triple Creek Horse Outfit in Sugarloaf Ridge State Park. One of my girlfriends actually rode with Erin a couple of weeks before and highly recommended her rides. She did the ride in Bothe-Napa State Park, another one of Triple Creek’s rides.

Erin grew up riding in Sonoma and riding in Sugarloaf, so the park has a special place in her heart. She has great stories about riding bareback on her pony through woods. Growing up riding in the area means that she’s a great person to take you around on horseback, because she knows it so well.

I rode a 14-year-old black and white Tennessee Walking Horse named Romer, who was very smooth and well-behaved. Erin was on Deuce.

The wind was blowing slightly as Erin pointed out Sugarloaf’s peak in the distance, as we took off through a golden meadow. We would be riding up to a high look out point on the Vista Trail. Once on top, the barn would look like a matchbox, and we would see stunning views of Napa and the valley at sunset. I couldn’t wait, as I breathed in the smell of tarweed that lined the trail. Off the trail, there were rattlesnakes, so we were on the look out for those too, especially as our film crew took off into the grass. Dominic warned the crew, who were walking along beside us and our photographer got a little nervous. Rightly so!

We passed into a wooded area and the smell of tarweed was replaced by fragrant bay. We were headed to a nearby creek, where our horses could get a drink before we began the climb up a steep and rocky trail to our lookout point.

The terrain became pretty steep as we passed by these cool, vibrant madrone trees, who skin was peeling. I had never seen trees like this before. They lined our trail. This part of the ride was the most challenging.

We finally reached the top, which opened up into gorgeous views of the valley and a nearby vineyard. The colors were vibrant orange and pink as the sun began to set and we took in the scenery in silence. It was absolutely beautiful. We rode high up along the trails that wound around the mountain through more golden grass and headed back home, enjoying wonderful horses on a wonderful ride in Sugarloaf.

Northern Cali Beach Ride

After touring around downtown Sonoma this morning, we headed out with Rafael Hernandez of Rafael Hernandez of Wine Country Trailrides for a beach ride. In this California Wine Country episode, we are definitely seeing the diversity of Sonoma, traveling from the Redwoods to the coast. Rafael is a great. He had been playing polo all weekend, when we met him back at Larson Family Winery to head towards the beach. On the way, we passed through the seaside town of Bodega Bay, where Alfred Hitchcock’s “The Birds” was filmed.

Two other locals, Sharon and Anita, came along to ride with us for the ride. I was paired up with JT, an older, tall black Appendix (Thoroughbred Quarter Horse cross), who was a perfect fit for me on the beach ride.

We rode through the beautifully dramatic dunes at a good pace on route to the beach. It was a little foggy and the air was a little chilly. Rafael grew up at the beach and knows this area well. He told me about the laid back lifestyle found in some of the nearby beach towns, as well as the good surf spots nearby. I wouldn’t be surfing at the beach on this trip, just riding horses there.

One of the highlights of the ride was seeing a sea otter bobbing up and down as the waves crashed on the shore. I have seen the sea otters who rest on the dock in San Francisco, but never seen a sea otter in the ocean! (we didn’t have them on the East Coast where I grew up) He was probably looking for some of the abundant kelp that was floating towards the shore.

Rafael talked about what it was like for him to grow up at the beach in Northern California and his love of his horses and riding in Sonoma. His passion was evident as we cruised the shore.

Down a ways from where we were riding is Maverick, a top surfing spot. Where we rode was quiet and peaceful, just our group on horseback and a few other walkers, enjoying an afternoon at the beach.

Sonoma Bike Tour

Today we traded in the horses for two wheels on a bike tour with Goodtime Touring Company. Doug McKesson, who owns and runs the business with his wife Penny, is like a local celebrity. The former mayor of Sonoma, Doug knows everybody. When you ride with him, you get an insiders tour of Sonoma, which is exactly the way I wanted to see the area. Doug runs bike tours of the area through his company Goodtime Touring Company. It’s a gourmet ride, stopping at the award-winning Vella Cheese Commpany, Gundlach Bundschu and a picnic of fresh local foods at Bartholomeaw Park, a historic property.

We met up with Doug and some other locals at Vella Cheese Company, which has been operating since 1931. Ig Vella, the owner, introduced us to some of his award-winning cheeses. It was a breakfast of champions, including Monterey Jack, Asiago and Cheddar cheeses, all aged for various amounts of time. This was some very good cheese and got us ready for our ride.

We rode through the Sebastiani family’s vineyard, which is in the city limits, as Doug told us a bit about the history of the town. The town of Sonoma is really cute. It has a sort of artsy, friendly, small-town feel. I really like it.

We made a couple of stops, so that Doug could explain a bit about the way that wine is made and how you can tell when it’s time to harvest. We passed through a neighborhood, as we made our way to Gundlach Bundschu www.gunbun.com (Gunbun might be easier to say) for a tasting. The ride was beautiful and the weather was just perfect, though it did get a little hot towards the end. We all had to pedal pretty hard on the last hill that leads to the winery.

Gunbun is one of the older wineries in the area. It is another producer of award-winning wines. Our group was happy to head inside to the tasting room to sample a few vintages with Patrick. I learned how to properly swirl, smell and taste test each wine and particularly like one of their Pino Noirs.

Then, we headed outside for a picnic. The picnic is usually at Bartholomew Park, but as usual with our filming, we had taken a long time to actually get to Gunbun, so decided to picnic there.

Penny, Doug’s wife, is quite a gourmet chef. She had prepared a feast for us, as she does for all of the rides. The picnic table was set, complete with a blue and white-checkered table cloth, and filled with Vella cheeses, fresh local seasonal fruit and wine. Penny made a tart with caramelized onions and heirloom tomatoes and a fresh salad. It was really good. We all had a good time toasting the Sonoma lifestyle, as we replenished those calories that we burned on the ride and stuffed our faces with Penny’s good fixings.

Larson Family Vineyards with Rafael Hernandez, Sonoma

Today we went out with Rafael Hernandez of Wine Country Trailrides for a horseback ride through Larson Family Winery in Sonoma. The vineyard is known for award-winning Cabernets, and its relaxed, family friendly atmosphere. It’s also the only vineyard that I found in wine country, which has horseback riding that is open to the public. It’s a great place to go to experience riding through a vineyard.

Originally, Rafael came recommended to me by a friend. He has truly wonderfully behaved horses and a beautiful setting to soak in wine country on horseback and then, of course, taste some of the Larson family’s wine.

Most Sonoma summer mornings are foggy and cool, but this burns off by mid-morning. We filmed a bit around the vineyard, before mounting up to tour it on horseback. Rafael is a professional polo player, so he practiced a bit in one of the outer fields and then paired me up with Socks, a chestnut Quarter Horse. We got along just fine, as our small group rode off into the vineyards.

There is something romantic about riding through a vineyard. Rafael talked a bit about the history of Larson Family Winery and educated us on the different rows of grapes that we passed. The harvest time is in September or October, so these grapes, though they looked edible, will make you pucker if you eat one now.

It was interesting to ride down rows, where one side held grapes for Cabernet and the other side had a different kind of wine. Rafael knows his horses and his grapes. So does his daughter, Vanessa, and colleague Janina Sass who also ride with us. The bright blue skies juxtaposed with the green vines made the ride very picturesque. It was just what I had imagined riding through a vineyard would be like.

Larson Family Winery is no stranger to horses. Rafael talked about the Sonoma Rodeo, which welcomed crowds of thousands from 1929 to the 1950’s. There were black and white photos on the wall inside the tasting room, showing women dressed in fancy costumes and also a young Seabiscuit, who apparently spent some time on the grounds as well.

After our ride, we enjoyed live music and lip-smacking good BBQ from a local catering company, Blazing Saddles BBQ, outside by the bocce court. The Larson family was there. Becky Larson gave a toast not only to the family and friends surrounding us, but how great it is to have horses on the property. I couldn’t agree more, as I sipped one of their award winning Cabernets.

After lunch, we piled into the wine train, a wagon pulled by Huey and Duey and went for another spin through the vines. It was a great way to end the day.

Larson Family Vineyards is really close to the main plaza in downtown Sonoma, making it a convenient stop on your wine tasting adventures. No matter what level of rider you are, definitely check in with Rafael while in Wine Country. With good horses in a beautiful setting, you’ll find his rides a lot of fun and a very unique experience.

Next stop, our Sonoma bike tour… stay tuned.

Armstrong Redwoods, Sonoma

Today I had my first ride in California Wine Country. We are filming an episode in Sonoma County, covering diverse rides through Redwood Forests, beaches, vineyards and California State Parks.

We ventured out with Laura Ayers of Armstrong Woods Pack Station among the Redwood Forest at Armstrong Redwoods State Park. Laura is a naturalist who has been riding through these woods for over 25 years. Laura and her husband Jonathan train all of their well-loved American Quarter Horses themselves, and this shows in the high quality of their mounts. Laura rode Jerry, a younger 7-year-old Quarter Horse who she was still training. I rode the well-seasoned Linton, a chestnut Quarter Horse in his mid-teens. Laura uses bitless bridles, something that some of my friends use on their horses back in CT, but I have never tried. Both horses were patient and good on the trails, making filming with them very easy.

We rode through trails shaded by tall Redwoods, crossing under a tree that had fallen in the forest. Laura told me about a time when she actually heard a tree fall. She said it was like a giant boom and she didn’t know what it was at first. These trees are huge, some reaching around 300 feet tall, so you can bet that they make quite a sound when they fall, even IF no one is nearby to hear it.

We got to see the scope of just how wide many of these tree trunks are, as we rode through a part of the trail where a tree had fallen. The tree had been dissected, so that people could still get by it on the trail, meaning that we rode through it. I started to count the rings to see how old this tree was, but stopped. Some of these trees are over 1000 years old. That’s a LOT of rings to count.

Riding out among the Redwoods helps put things in perspective for Laura, and it was certainly a unique and humbling experience for me.