Hawaii In A Hurry

Elapsed time to paradise:
5 hours on a plane from San Francisco to Lihue.
25 minutes renting a car.
20 minutes in the car to Poipu.
5 minutes at Snorkel Bob’s renting gear in Koloa.
15 seconds under water at Beach House and my companion comes up sputtering through her snorkel mask, “They are all right here!”

They are the bold black and gold Moorish Idol, the sinuous snowflake moray eel gracefully curving through cracks in the coral, the comical puffer, the silvery needlefish floating an inch under the surface, electric blue parrotfish, schools of long-nosed golden butterfly fish.

A few feet from the sand at Beach House, a few steps down the block from our condo, some of the best snorkeling in the world waits to be discovered. Offshore, a few hundred yards, two longboard surfers take turns catching the last outer break while the sun sets and the sea flattens. This is a guide to Kauai for the hectic, the harried, the hurried. And while nothing comes close to a week or more on the island, for those with a long weekend to spare, here’s Hawaii in a heartbeat.

Where to stay:
Prince Kuhio Condos in Poipu Beach offer a reasonably priced and central location, with beach views from the third floor condos. From here you can walk to great snorkeling and surfing spots, drive to boogie boarding beaches at Shipwreck (across from the Hyatt) and Brennecke Beach (with its baby beach perfect for families with young kids) and strike out further a field for day hiking the Na Pali cliffs or coasting down Waimea canyon on a bike. It’s a short drive into Koloa Town, a sleepy cross road conglomeration of grocery store, t-shirt, trinket, and time-share shops, plus Lappert’s coffee, a great place to start the day with a latte and sticky bun the size of your head.

What to do:
Snorkeling:
If you stay at Prince Kuhio, keep it simple. Cross the street, and get in the water at the Beach House. Done. It’s that easy, and the snorkeling is that good. Beach House is also known as Lawa'i Beach.

If you want something more adventurous, throw your gear in the car and head for the end of the road. No kidding. Take highway 56 and when the road stops, park and get out. That’s Ke’e beach at Haena State Park at the foot of the Na Pali cliffs. You’ll pass Hanalei Bay (home of the movie South Pacific and the Peter Paul and Mary song, Puff the Magic Dragon), Tunnels (a favorite surf and snorkeling spot), and some excellent places to kayak.

Parking is tricky at Ke’e so be prepared to drive down the dirt road until you can find a space. The snorkeling is worth the drive, and if anything, even better that at the Beach House. On calm days you can venture out beyond the reef and swim with the sea turtles. But don’t ever try this when the surf is breaking over the reef.

Hiking
Bring sturdy shoes and a couple bottles of water and after snorkeling Ke’e, hoof it over the Na Pali cliffs. These are knife edge volcanic cliffs and the trail is billy goat steep. Two miles in you’ll find a secluded beach and a stream pouring out of the mountains. It’s a perfect spot to picnic, find a swimming hole and soak your bones until you are ready to hike back.

Kayaking
Hanalei Bay not only boasts some of the most spectacular scenery on the island, it is home to the Hanalei River, a gently flowing, family friendly river. Along the banks sharp-eyed birders will spot night herons, gallinules, the Hawaiin state bird, the nene. Kayak Kauai, an outfitter out of Hanalei, leads tours into the serene Waioli Valley and out to the Puupoa reef.

Bicycling
This is your chance to ride downhill for hours. 13 miles of smooth blacktop from the rim of Waimea Canyon descend 3600 feet to the Pacific. Two trips are lead each day – one at the crack of dawn and one at the end of the day by Outfitters Kauai. Check in for the dawn patrol tour at 6 am and you’ll be done by 10:30, which means you’ll have plenty of time to spend the day at the beach.

Boogie Boarding / Surfing
Brennecke Beach and Shipwreck, on the south shore. Drive past the Hyatt, find a place to park, and you’re at the golden sands beach known as Shipwreck. The shipwreck is long gone but some of the best surfing on the south shore is here, especially in the afternoons. Beginners and families with kids should take a lesson with surf champ Margo Oberg. She guarantees you’ll catch a wave in one lesson.

Brennecke Beach boasts a gentle shore break that’s perfect for boogie boarding or body surfing. It’s a small beach, and sheltered enough to be safe for beginners. Rent boogie boards at Snorkel Bobs in Koloa Town or Nukumoi Surf Shop across the street from Brenneke’s.


How to get there:
Non-stop flights to Lihue Airport on Alaska Airlines from Seattle, American Airlines from LA, United from San Francisco and LA, and US Airways from Phoenix put the aloha spirit within reach for those with a long weekend.

Holstein 100

Ten Things I Wish Someone Told Me Before My First Century

A common sense guide to riding your bike 100 miles in a day and being able to walk afterward.



1. Train for it
It’s a good idea to get in shape before you attempt to crack off 100 miles. Spinning classes are a quick way to develop cardiovascular strength and build muscle in your legs. But there is no substitute for miles in the saddle. To make the most of the time you have, point your bike at the nearest hill. Ride up it. Turn around. Ride up it again, this time in a slightly harder gear.

2. Make sure your bike is in good working order
No kidding. I rode my first century after having my trusty bike mechanic dial in my shifting, and tighten up my headset. I got to my century, rode off and discovered I couldn’t shift past second gear. That made for a disconcerting 20 miles. After some judicious pounding at the first rest stop, the bike shifted fine for the rest of the day. Still…

3. Get up early
Everyone talks about the weather, but you can do something about it. Instead of riding the last twenty miles into a gale force headwind at the end of the day, get up early, and ride your miles during the first part of the day. The longer you wait, the windier it’s going to get.

4. Bring a pump and a spare tube
You might not need them, but rest assured, someone else will.

5. Pigs get slaughtered: don’t gorge at the registration table

Usually you’ll find muffins, bakery goods and coffee at the registration table. Avoid them. They’ll come right back up on you during your first hill. You’ll be better off if you eat a bagel and peanut butter earlier in the day, or wait until your first rest stop before you start taking on food.

6. Drink plenty of liquids

Water is good, and diluted Gatorade might even be better. Avoid the colored stuff. Bring two water bottles, one for each cage. Use them frequently and be sure to refill at each rest stop.

7. Gear up for it

If you are riding through hills or mountains, ride with a triple crankset. Failing that, get the biggest rear cluster your bike can accommodate. I recommend something about the general size of a pie pan. If you can’t transform your bike to a triple crankset, consider using a mountain bike derailleur that can accommodate a super large rear cog – up to 34 teeth. It might look funny, but it sure beats pushing your bike up a hill.

8. Get a cyclo-computer

You’ll really appreciate having a computer on your handlebar that can tell you how fast you are going, how far you’ve gone, how long it has taken you, and more importantly, how much longer you have still to pedal.
It will keep you honest.

9. You’ll count up to 80 and down from 20
The mind plays an interesting trick on you. For the first half of the day you’ll check your odometer and count the miles up to the 80 mile mark. Once you get to 80, you’ll start counting down. 20 miles to go…15 miles to go… 7 miles to go…

10. Stretching is not for sissies.
You’ll feel better if you learn a few basic stretches for your quads, hamstrings, calves, lower back and neck. Do them frequently. At every rest stop. And on the bike, if you can manage. You’ll thank me if you can walk the next day.

Bonus Points:
Be friendly. Talk to people. Find the biggest, fastest guy out there and draft behind him for as long as you can. Then return the favor and lead him out. Find a few friends like these and you’ll soon be riding 25 miles an hour for hours. Use sunscreen. Often. Thank the volunteers who work the rest stops. Have fun.

--Sam McMillan

Greetings from e-Podunk

Thinking of moving to a small town any time soon?

Check out epodunk.com, a compendium of small town stats from across the country. 46,000 small towns are profiled in its enormous database. It’s an invaluable resource for any one contemplating pulling up stakes and heading for a simpler life (I’m all for it if I can get a fast Internet connection).

Housing prices, college grads by state, per capita income growth, homeowner costs by county, demographics, earning power, even the ten most popular cars to be stolen in Maine Ford (LTD owners, beware!)– it’s all here, residing in the world’s biggest portal on small town life.

Drill down to a particular town and you’ll get a statistical glimpse of small town life and its charms. Tired of big city crime? Check out Amherst, VA. The number of violent crimes recorded by the FBI in 2003 was 6 out of total population of 2,251. The number of murders and homicides was 0. You have to like those odds. If you are single and hoping to mingle, epodunk gathers stats on the marital status of adults in Amherst. 22.3 % of the women in Amherst have never been married, 10% are divorced, and 21% are widowed. On the other side of the dating game, a full 30% of the men have never been married. County wide, another list tells you, the proportion of single men to women is 73%.

Epodunk gathers its information from a number of sources, including federal, state, and local government agencies, databases, print reference works and news organizations. A few of the government databases that supply epodunk with information include the Army Corps of Engineers (watch for flooding), the Bureau of Economic Analysis (find out if your neighbors are employed), the Bureau of Justice Statistics (find out how many of your townspeople are in jail), the Census Bureau, the Environmental Protection Agency (always good to know if you are next to a hot zone) NASA (in case you plan on blasting off into outer space), the National Center for Education Statistics (just how many people in your town graduated from high school) and the National Climatic Data Center (is it hot in this town or is it just me?)

--Sam McMillan

I Felt It: The best road bike in the world for my money

A Full Carbon Felt F3C for under 2 grand

Since my bike and I got trashed in a drunk driving accident over a year ago, I’ve been thinking about getting back in the saddle on a new bike. Carbon fiber seemed to be the way to go, especially at my age, and in my condition. Light, strong, stiff, and forgiving, a carbon fiber frame and fork are designed to smooth out the bumps, soften the effects of broken pavement, and in theory, at least let me walk the next day after a long ride.

Problem is, full carbon frames are expensive. And they look, to my eye, like something designed in a wind tunnel for riding around one of the moons of Jupiter. When I buy a bike, I want it to look like a bike.

In my price range of sub $2000 bikes the pickings were slim. I could get something called a Scattante (I think it’s Italian for Cheap Chinese Knockoff”) at Performance Bikes, and at $1800 it’s a great deal: full carbon, all Shimano Ultegra and a Shimano Wheelset.

Riding the Tiburon Loop on a friend’s Trek 2300, I bumped into a guy riding a Felt. “How do you like your Felt?” I asked. 20 minutes later he was still going, raving about what a great bike it was, and how he got a great deal at the Sports Basement. Plus, if you had the 20 percent off coupon distributed at the Trips for Kids Bike Swap, that sweetened the deal, too.

Long story short: I marched into the Sports Basement with my 20 percent off coupon, found a Felt F3C on sale, marked down from $2900 retail and rode off with a bike that cost me $1600 before tax.

And what a ride. Takes off like a rocket on the climbs, with enough rigidity to transfer power to the wheels immediately. On the descent the bike tracks sure and steady, goes down as eagerly as a hooker on U Street. And as promised, following a long ride, I can walk the next day.

The bike looks great, too. I don’t ride for the ego stroke, but… at the Mill Valley Depot, while I’m
putting my bike in the rack, a guy sitting at the café shouts out, “You can store that in my truck, if you want.”

And when I come out, there’s another bike rider hovering over the Felt. He tells me the Easton Ouzo Carbon Fiber Fork is worth $400 alone.

Now all Felt needs is a slogan. Here are my contenders:

• I Felt It
• With A Name Like Felt, It Better Be Fast
• I Got Felt Up at Sports Basement

--Sam McMillan

SEED - Science is Culture

I've been reading the monthly periodical SEED since it came out and look forward to its articles that blend the multi- disciplines of Science with our lives and society. The articles are extremely readable and the 'look and feel' of SEED is beautifully designed.

In the recent September 2006 issue there is a fascinating article on the impact of AIDS over the last twenty five years ago. The magazine also has interviews, current science research, elegant photographs and amazing illustrations of the natural world.

I particluarly liked the article How We Know by the Editor at Large, Jonah Lehrer on the relevance of how one learns by doing things. He sights how an Algebra class in Cambridge, MA, the success of Toyota and a classical musician are inextricably linked.

Enjoy Seed online, but try to get in the newsstand, the print piece is a pleasure to leaf through.

The Sierra’s Best Kept Secret

Sierra Club Clair Tappaan Lodge Offers Three Hots & A Cot


7000 feet above sea level, hidden in the mountains where the Donner Party perished, is one of the Sierra's best-kept secrets. Built in the 1930s by volunteers, the Sierra Club’s Clair Tappaan Lodge is a throwback to simpler times.

In the winter you won’t find lift lines here. In fact you won’t find any lifts. But you can strap on your cross country skis and go skiing right out the back door, up into the high country overlooking the Emigrant Pass. The lodge rents cross country skis and snowshoes. A shuttle bus stops out front and will take downhill skiers to a number of ski runs in the area including Boreal and Sugar Bowl.

In the summer, the Clair Tappaan Lodge offers easy access to world-class mountain biking. Hard core bikers can test themselves on the Hole In The Ground Trail, or drive into Tahoe and spend the day riding around the lake on the death defying Flume Trail. For bikers just getting their legs under them, the nearby Emigrant Basin Trail that leads to Prosser Lake and Stampede Reservoir is a great choice. Gentle rollers and fairly level terrain make this a great 20-mile out and back ride. Road bikers who head out on a weekday will have these roads almost all to themselves.

Other summertime activities include hiking and backpacking the Pacific Crest Trail, which runs nearby, rafting and kayaking down the nearby Truckee River, and exploring the abandoned rail tunnels. Generations of bay area parents have introduced their kids and their grandkids to skiing, frostbite, and a love of the outdoors here. Programs include outings for bikers, hikers, yoginis, and bluegrass aficionados.

Sound good? It gets better. For approximately $50 bucks (if you are a member of the Sierra Club) you get three meals a day, along with a place to sleep. Meals are served camp style at long tables. A recent dinner featured grilled Talapia, pasta primavera, salad and ice cream. Breakfast is hearty: oatmeal, French toast, cereal and fruit. Lunch is sandwiches which you fix yourself, stuff in a sack, and take with you for your day’s outing. A library contains old journals and daybooks (Ansel Adams slept here!) and a common room is equipped with kids games, a piano, and an enormous fireplace.

Be warned: The Clair Tappaan Lodge is Spartan. If prisoners lived like this, 60 Minutes would do an expose. The rooms are so small you have to open a window just to change your mind. And unheated. Bring a sleeping bag and your sense of humor. Check your attitude at the door. It’s all in a good cause.

Directions:
From the bay area, drive East on Interstate 80 approximately 3 hours. Exit at Norden/Soda Springs. Drive 2.4 miles east on Donner Pass road. The lodge is at 19940 Donner Pass Rd. Look for the sign slightly up the hill on your left and the wide footpath leading up to the Lodge. Parking is available on either side of the road.

--
Sam McMillan

A trail with beer at the end of it

The Nature Friends Chalet, Mill Valley, CA

A hot, sunny day. You walk a mile through a redwood forest extending up the flanks of Mt Tamalpais. The trail is quiet, carpeted with fallen leaves that muffle your steps. In less than an hour of walking the level trail you come around a bend, and out of the redwoods appears a European style mountain chalet that looks like Hansel and Gretel won the lottery. Welcome to the Nature Friends Alpine Club, where you can sit on the deck, admire the sweeping panorama of the Pacific and Muir Woods, and, even better, order a pint of cold, handmade lager. Yes, these redwoods come with their own brewery!

If you are smart you packed a lunch, which you can enjoy while taking in the stunning view. If you are lucky, you timed your hike for a weekend when the Friends of Nature are getting down with their gemutlicht selves.

The third Sunday of May, July, and September the Nature Friends hire a traditional Bavarian polka band, and literally roll out the barrel. The air is thick with polkas, redolent with grilling knockwurst, and the dance floor is crowded with lederhosen-wearing waltzers. Like the beer, the food is homemade and fresh. Admission for the alpine festivals is $15, otherwise access to the Nature Friends chalet is free.

Directions:
From 101:
Take HWY 1 toward Muir Woods/Stinson Beach
Go approximately 2 miles.
Turn right at fork, on Panoramic Hwy, toward Mt Tam.
In approx 1 mile you will intersect with the Dipsea Trail on the right and the Sun Trail on the left. Park and take the Sun Trail to the Alpine Club. This is a mostly exposed hike through the rolling headlands overlooking the Pacific. You can continue driving another half-mile to Mtn Home. Park in the lot on the left. Walk south on the Panoramic Trail (back the way you came) and turn right on the Redwood Trail. Follow the Redwood Trail to the Alpine Club. You can download a crappy photocopied PDF of trails around the Alpine Club, and click on the Muir Woods National Monument Trail Map link.

From customs to paradise in 20 minutes

Costa Rica is a small country filled to the brim with huge natural wonders. You can climb a rain forest canopy, bathe in hot lava waterfall overlooking a volcano, white water raft a wild river or sit back on a glistening beach by a mighty ocean or a calm blue sea. The people of Costa Rica (Tica's) are truly appreciative of their country and ecosystem. It is this balance between the man-made and the natural that makes this country so memorable and a constant return visit. There are so many wonderful excursions in Costa Rica for all types of experiences, but one special one is Xandari as it is the perfect entry into this tropical paradise.

So lets face it, it's a hassle to fly. From the constant herding, and the schlepping and the waiting in long custom lines -- it's refreshing to step through customs at San Jose,Costa Rica's airport and be whisked away to an exotic oasis in less then 20 minutes. Nice.

Xandari is made up of 21 private villas, secluded on a organic coffee plantation overlooking the Central Valley of Costa Rica, only minutes from the Airport. Sherrill and Charlene Broudy, Xandari's innovative owners, hail from California. They have used their creativity and skills as an architect and fine artist team to create a unique resort that is a stunning balance of luxury and the natural.

There are wonderful views, a spa for fitness, yoga and massage, a delicious restaurant and lounge, botanical gardens, a lap pool and nature trails to hidden waterfalls.

Beyond the public spaces are the well detailed rooms that combine design with comfort. Xandari can be appreciated as a family destination or a quiet place for intimacy. We generally stay at Xandari for a day or so to adjust and then we return the night before we leave San Jose. It bookends the trip. For a truly wonderful memory the rates are worth it. So, if you want to jump into your vacation I recommend this delicious kickstart for your next visit to Costa Rica.

Enjoy.


Steven '

All the necessary details are on the website Xandari -- which if you were curious is a made up name from the imagination of the owners.

Timeless Noble View

There are certain places in my life that transcend the physical. Those places that bore deep within to unlock hidden chambers in my heart and mind. Noble View is one of those places that has made my life better. My father took our family to Noble View in Russell, MA for an unassuming, reasonable vacation spot when I was an 14 yr. old kid. Since that visit over 35 years ago, I have taken my family and close friends to this unassuming jewel in the Western Massachusetts woods for fun, contemplation, celebration and spiritual re-charging.

What makes Noble View so special is its timelessness. It harkens back to an earlier time when it was a 19th century gentleman's farm owned by the Noble family. Years later, the farm, the trails and the lodgings were taken over by the Appalachian Mountain Club (AMC). In many ways it has retained a charm from times gone by.

The accommodations are sparse, clean and rustic. There is sense of Thoreau and New England charm deeply rooted in the feeling of Noble View. One can camp or stay in the farm house, the double cottage or the north cottage.

Over the years we have gathered to celebrate large family Thanksgivings, spent memorable weekends with friends toasting marshmallows at blazing campfires and taken awesome side trips to TangleWood to catch an outdoor concert of Beethoven.


Beyond group activities, Noble View is a natural and rural setting. There are gentle and vigorous trails, distant views, waterfalls, delicious swimming dips and ample places for romantic moments. Enjoy Russell Pond just down the way or take a 45 minute ride to Northampton, MA to get some great food and take an outdoor hot tub at East Heaven Hot Tubs, or visit the many Berkshire cultural excursions in Lenox, Stockbridge or Great Barrington.

Noble View has recently gone through some changes due to legal issues with the AMC. They have updated the road, rebuilt the double cottage, met fired code safety regulations and I think changed their policy for cooking. Noble View is lit by gaslight and the water is gathered from the well. Also the bathroom facilities are eco-friendly outhouses. So consider that this place is not the Four Seasons.

Change is inevitable and I remember visits when your stay was based on an honor system where you left $2.10 a night in an envelope in a rusty metal mailbox on your way out. Although times have changed there is still a great of joy to experience at Noble View.

Please make sure that you contact the Noble View Chair, Gary Forish via email before you go unless you are a key holder and a member of the AMC. Gary Forish is a good guy who talks a lot about the mission of keeping Noble View sustainable and a place not spoiled by the masses. In my last visit a year ago, I still feel Noble View is a jewel ( a bit tarnished by time and modern regulations) for those who enjoy the rustic, unspoiled and fragile things in life.

Check out the Noble View journal in the roll top desk and you will see many of my entries written down over the years.

Enjoy.

Steven

DIRECTIONS: (A bit tricky so keep your eyes open.)

From the north and south:

Route 91 to Exit 14 (Mass Turnpike West to Exit 3).
Then follow directions for "from the east and west" below.
From the east and west:
Mass Pike West to Exit 3 (Westfield).
Thru the tollbooth and take a right - South on Route 10 & 202 into Westfield to Athenaeum (1.7 miles).
At the Athenaeum (a library), Westfield Common (a park) will be on your left; turn right onto Court Street (Route 10 & 202).
Route 10 & 202 takes a left in front of Woronoco Bank, but you continue straight ahead (not on 10 & 202).
Court Street becomes Western Avenue and passes Stanley Park on the left and Westfield State College on the right.
Continue straight ahead at the fork on Western Ave (3.0 miles from the Athenaeum). Do not turn right at the fork onto what appears to be the main road (Bates Road).
Cross Northwest Road and start up the mountain on General Knox Road.
Follow General Knox Road and turn left onto South Quarter Road at the historic General Knox marker. (2nd road on the left once you start up the mountain, 3.2 miles from the fork.)
Follow South Quarter Road to the AMC and Noble View sign on the left (1.2 miles from General Knox road).
Go through the gate and up the two-lane dirt road until you reach the facility.
Please drive slowly on the driveway to the buildings. Hikers and visitors may be walking on the road. Please be courteous to our neighbors while driving on South Quarter Road - proceed slowly.
Note: Some of the street signs may not be visible. The sign on the corner of Western Ave. and Bates Rd., however, can be seen.

Shepherdstown, WVA

It’s West Virginia for Yuppies.


And if you know West Virginia, where the state flower is a satellite dish and the state vitamin is oxycontin, you’ll take that as a high compliment.

The emotional center of the town is Sheperd University, formerly a women’s college. Downtown is actually a real downtown with narrow brick sidewalks, houses that date back to the 1780s, and Odd Fellows, Mason Halls, and old bank buildings that are quickly finding new uses as theaters, galleries and white-table-clothed restaurants. It’s possible to get handmade bakery goods, local wines (caveat empty), and decent coffee served to you by baroquely tattooed art majors. You can walk through downtown in less than an hour.


Shepherdstown is built high on a hill overlooking the Potomac River, about an hour and a half drive north of DC. Culturally, the town boasts the American Theater Festival, the Goose Route Dance Festival, and first run art-house movies. The college brings in events that West Virginian’s wouldn’t otherwise encounter. You are short car rides away from Harper’s Ferry, and civil war battlefields Antietam and Gettysburg. Walk across the Potomac on highway 230 and drop down to the C&O canal towpath. A flat, level dirt trail leads through lush forests along a canal that once hauled goods by barge to Cumberland, MD. Today it serves for hiking and easy biking. If you are up for it, you could even ride your bike from Washington to Shepherdstown – it’s a doable 75 miles.

The river offers great small mouth bass fishing. Use spinners or bass bugs on a fly rod in the summer and wade in the shallows near the old train trestles. Tubing, kayaking, canoeing are easy here where the river runs clean and lazy. A perfect place to spend a hot summer day.

Directions:
Take I-70 West from DC. In Frederick, pick up 340 West, cross the Potomac, pass Harpers Ferry and turn right on HWY 230. Follow 230 into Shepherdstown.

--sm

A Moment in Wine Country

The Italian poet, Ceasar Pavese said we do not remembers days, we remember moments. Quivira Vineyards, Healdsburg, CA marks the moment when Sam, Ed and I toasted our commitment to onthelist. Quivira is a familiar place as it marks the denouement of our annual pilgrimages of wine tasting, hot tubing and soulful re-collections.

The setting at Quivira Vineyards seduces inspiration. One feels the passion of folks who truly care about nature, the art of wine and the joys of being human. We particularly like the 2002 Zinfandel. Bring along fresh sandwiches from the nearby Oakville Grocery, and your picnic on the patio overlooking fields of organic grapes is a moment worthy of a toast.

We toasted onthelist as a way of sharing our collection of personal experiences. Those special places that beckon smiles, of hearing a child laugh, the feelings of being overwhelmed by nature, as well as the intimacy of remembering a deep kiss, a simple meal, the irreverant, the just plain neat, and our shared joy of finding the unusual.

Onthelist is not high style a la Conde Nast. But just three guys who have collected a lifetime of savory moments.

Enjoy. For more moments and stories.

Steven


Directions:

From SF:

Follow US-101 North approximately 67 miles until you reach Healdsburg.
Take the third Healdsburg exit: "Dry Creek." Turn left at the exit onto Dry Creek Road. Follow Dry Creek Road for about 3 miles, then turn left (at the first stop sign) onto Lambert Bridge Road (the General Store will be at the crossroads on your right). You will cross Lambert Bridge. After a little less than 1 mile, make a right onto West Dry Creek Road. Quivira is about 1/3 of a mile down the road on the right hand side.

DIA: Beacon - A deep breathe of art

I frequently travel north between DC and Boston to visit family and friends in my old stomping grounds.

Recently, I took a different route and veered off the 95 corridor and headed west into the Hudson Valley. The route is beautiful with large vistas of New York's natural wonderland. Along the way, I stopped at the Dia:Beacon and was delighted by taking in a collection of art from the 60s that gave way to wide smiles and inner contemplation.

In May 2003, Dia opened Dia:Beacon, Riggio Galleries, a museum to house its renowned but rarely seen permanent collection comprised of major works of art from the 1960s to the present. The amazing thing about this museum is the location is set above the Hudson River and housed in a vast old Nabisco factory.

Since its founding in 1974, Dia has been dedicated to supporting contemporary artists that require expansive gallery space specifically designed for the display of artwork that's overwhelming in size and character.

Beacon is a refreshing side trip if you have the time to meander. There is a great bookstore and in town are other art galleries, cafes and antique shops. It's well worth the few hours off the clock to play in the mind of Warhol and others.

Enjoy and meander,

S

Directions; http://www.diacenter.org/dia/visitor/index.html

Let the day happen around you

I woke up at Cathedral Lakes, crawled out of my tent, and sniffed the air. Downwind, a 400 pound black bear was doing the same. Rumbling up out of the firs surrounding Cathedral Lakes the bear ambled closer. Thinking quickly, I grabbed a pot and a spoon and starting banging. The bear got close enough to look me in the eye and said: "That's a pot and a spoon! You got nothin. Ya hear me? Nothin. Next time I'm comin back and I'm gonna eat all your granola."

And then he turned and slowly shambled back into the woods.

Cathedral Lakes is a pristine alpine lake, off the beaten track (unless you are a bear), five miles from Tuolumne Meadows in Yosemite National Park. A couple of hours hike in on a rolling trail takes you to a wide open grassy meadow, a lake and the towers of Cathedral Peaks. Throw your tent down and let the day happen around you. On a weekday, you will have this place all to yourself.

Continue on (if you must) to connect with the John Muir Trail. Ambitious backpackers can make a 50 mile circuit, or hike down into Yosemite Valley.

Directions:
You can get to Tuolumne Meadows via the east and west entrances of the National Park along Tioga Road (Hwy 120 - closed in winter). The visitor center is 7 miles west of Tioga Pass and 55 miles from Yosemite Valley. Pick up the Cathedral Lakes Trailhead at the side of the road. Follow the John Muir Trail to Cathedral Lakes.
--sm

Secret Beach, Kauai, HI

Kauai, HI is an enchanted place. Mother Nature did a great job here, a well-deserved A+ for this garden island. There are oversized sunsets, billowy orange and white clouds, crashing waves, luscious waterfalls, vast grand canyons, orange scented hikes, misty forests and red footed boobies darting across azure skies.

If you are going towards Princeville (a forgettable place unless you are into the pro golf scene) on your way to the Nepali Coast (an incredible place right out of Jurassic Park) you will pass some of the best hidden beaches, the ones that are not seen in the Hollywood beach movies.

My favorite is Secret Beach, properly known as Kauapea Beach. It is a quick turn off on Highway 56, so keep your eyes peeled, no signs of course. Drive to the end of the road and park. Walk down a mildly steep path through the woods. It's a gentle hike. You don't need to be in the terrific shape and young kids can climb up and down in less than 10 minutes. Once you reach the shore, the trek ends and you found the secret. Aha! It's Secret Beach.

Secret Beach is about 1.5 miles, a big breathe of beach. There is wide stretches of white sand, crashing waves, tide pools, huge swatches of volcanic black lava and hidden coves for picnics, lovemaking and or serenity.

As a new adoptive family, we took our children to Secret Beach to celebrate our complete family with an etched memory of sun, champagne, lapping waves, laughter and adventure.

A couple of things to note, bring all your stuff from the car as going back to your car takes effort. Be careful of the tides and respect the waves, these walls of water can be playful as well as dangerous. At this time of the writing, the beach is clothing-optional so can enjoy the full natural if you so choose. Note, nude bathing is illegal in HI although the worst that happens is someone with a uniform will tell you to please put on your bathing suit.

We found going to the right once we hit the beach as our favorite direction. We walked amongst huge black lava formations and had fun in hidden beach coves, various tide pools and darting waves.


Enjoy.

Directions -- Head east [left] out of Princeville on highway 56. Take the 2nd instance of Kalihiwai road [after climbing out of the big canyon made by Kalihiwai River] at mile post 24. Turn north [left] on Kalihiwai road and then take a quick [about .1 mile] right onto a dirt road. Follow the dirt road .5 mile to a small parking lot at the end. Park in the lot or along the dirt road using care to remove all valuables from your car. The trailhead is at the north west corner of the parking lot. Follow the trail for about 7 minutes as it descends 180 feet and traverses 1/3 mile [about 500 steps] to the beach. Enjoy the varied plant life along the way.

Short walk long view

A short walk up a dirt trail in the Golden Gate National Recreation Area leads to Homestead Hill overlooking Mill Valley, Tiburon, San Francisco, Berkeley, Oakland, and the San Francisco Bay. In the fog this looks like Scotland. In the sun, this looks like paradise. Within minutes you are overlooking the Pacific Ocean. Cross Panoramic Highway, turn left, and take the Dias Ridge spur trail down into Muir Beach. Wild? Within 30 minutes you'll be looking over your shoulder for mountain lions. Stop for lunch and a pint at the Pelican Inn, a replica of an old English public house.

Directions:
From 101 take the HWY 1 Stinso Beach Exit. At Tam Junction follow HWY 1 1.8 miles. Turn right at West California. Make your first left onto Lattie Lane. Park at top of hill at dirt road.
--SM