Sonoma beauty...

This morning I was most excited to wake up in Sonoma and explore some wineries in the beautiful weather.  Our first winery was the Benziger Family winery. We were so glad we elected to do the tractor tour to learn more about the hillside agriculture, insectry, biodymics, and family history.  I was so surprised to learn that they have used the hillside and basin shaped land to develop and sustain their own crops. Including the trees they grow to attract certain birds that assist with pest control.  Every detail and row of flowers or shrubs was thought out and planned for the success if the winery as a whole. So informational and amazing!  Next up was VJB for tastings and a brunch of flatbreads, charcuterie, and macaroons.  Sitting on the patio with my favorite people in the sunshine of Sonoma is something I will never forget. We then made a quick stop at Wellington so Charles could taste their newest addition of whiskey, and then finished with the Mayo family winery which was not our favorite, but still brought new memories.  We then drove 1 hr into our final destination of San Francisco to check in at the Riu Hotel for our last 3 days of adventure. After dropping luggage, we decided to take a quick walk to Pier 39 and eat at the Boudin Bakery. We stayed inside due to the chilly weather and then headed back to get some good sleep before our big day tomorrow.

Redwoods to Sonoma

Good Morning from Phillipsville, CA!  After a brief breakfast at the hotel, we drove straight to the Visitor Center for the Humboldt Redwoods State Park. We were thankful we did that so we could ask questions about the park and find the best hikes for our family. We settled on 2 hikes that were under a mile roundtrip and were easier for Charles. The first was the Gould River Bar, and the second one was Founder's Grove. Gould River was an easy hike that featured a way down to the river bed and benches to allow you to just sit and take in the beauty. I closed my eyes several times to breathe in the air and listen to the wind in the tops of the trees. So peaceful. The second hike was through Founder's Grove which was very informational and my favorite. We were able to have a booklet that told us details along the way with the highlight for me being the Dyerville Giant. This is the tallest recorded tree at around 370 feet tall. The roots were massive and I had to just stare in awe for several minutes. The way God thinks of every little detail down to how the roots grow, how to make the bark fire resistant, and the inside wood a natural insect repellent is just amazing. We took lots of pictures! We were sad to say goodbye to the redwoods...but had to start our drive to Sonoma.  On the road we stopped in a small town along the way to eat lunch at a small cafe, then jumped back on the winding roads to Sonoma. The drive was beautiful and we arrived at the Jack London Lodge around 7pm. For dinner we walked to the Saloon on the property of the Jack London Lodge and shared a few appetizers.  It was a perfect way to end a wonderful day and beautiful memories.