Tracy Chapman - World-of-Newave.info http://answers.world-of-newave.info/tracy-chapman.htm Latest news and articles about Tracy Chapman en-us Copyright (c)2004-2008.§/Newave SARL. All rights reserved. webmaster@world-of-newave.com (Webmaster) Sat, 30 Aug 2008 03:37:47 GMT Sat, 30 Aug 2008 03:37:47 GMT Newave Lisa XML Engine v1.0 - http://www.world-of-newave.info/about.htm 60 http://www.world-of-newave.info/images/wi8831.gif World-of-Newave.info - Knowledge and Informational Database http://www.world-of-newave.info/ 88 31 {LITERATURE > CYBERPUNK} - Night of the Gun, a new book by David Carr. http://articles.world-of-newave.info/arts/literature/genres/cyberpunk/night-of-the-gun-a-new-book-by-david-carr-20080731526.htm http://articles.world-of-newave.info/arts/literature/genres/cyberpunk/night-of-the-gun-a-new-book-by-david-carr-20080731526.htm Sun, 20 Jul 2008 17:51:43 GMT Every time I try to explain David Carr to a friend, I say something like "That dude is the real deal." Carr is a media/culture columnist for The New York Times, and he's a better writer and a tougher human than I'll ever be. I've corresponded with him a few times over the years about stories he was working on, or whatever, and I met him in Los Angeles when he came to visit Boing Boing tv for a piece he wrote about our launch. So, I've been eager to see his new book come out, ever since I learned he was writing it -- and I'm excited to say that it's out in a few weeks, and there's a preview in the NYT today. The Night of the Gun recounts David Carr's life as a crack addict, pieced back together through interviews with people who were part of his life at the time. It's an amazing book. You have to read this thing. I hope I'm not revealing any spoilers here, but when I asked Carr about the project last in LA year, he told me about reconnecting with one of those old friends, and trying to recover the facts about one night when he was out of his mind high on speed, something about jumping through a window and police showing up and a huge fight with the friend, the sort of high velocity drug-o-drama you'd see on COPS. In the hazy, semifictional way an addict can try to remember things that happened when he was high -- he's always remembered his friend pointing a gun at him, at one point during the climax of that crisis. But when Carr went back years later to interview that friend for this project, the friend told him something like, "No, you were pointing the gun at me." I believe that's where the title comes from. Here's a snip from the excerpt in today's NYT: Where does a junkie?s time go? Mostly in 15-minute increments, like a bug-eyed Tarzan, swinging from hit to hit. For months on end in 1988, I sat inside a house in north Minneapolis, doing coke and listening to Tracy Chapman?s ?Fast Car? and finding my own pathetic resonance in the lyrics. ?Any place is better,? she sang. ?Starting from zero, got nothing to lose.? After shooting or smoking a large dose, there would be the tweaking and a vigil at the front window, pulling up the corner of the blinds to look for the squads I was always convinced were on their way. All day. All night. A frantic kind of boring. End-stage addiction is mostly about waiting for the police, or someone, to come and bury you in your shame. After a while I noticed that the blinds on the upper duplex kitty-corner from the house were doing the same thing. The light would leak through a corner and disappear. I began to think of the rise and fall of their blinds and mine as a kind of Morse code, sent back and forth across the street in winking increments that said the same thing over and over. W-e a-r-e g-e-t-t-i-n-g h-i-g-h t-o-o. They rarely came out, and neither did I, so we never discussed our shared hobby. Continue reading excerpt; photos and multimedia stuff here too. Me and My Girls [New York Times] Buy the book: The Night of the Gun: A reporter investigates the darkest story of his life. His own. [amazon] Website, with first-person video. Flash required. Night of the Gun [Simon and Schuster]... Boingboing.Net Night of the Gun, a new book by David Carr. {new window}   Www.Boingboing.Net - Every time I try to explain David Carr to a friend, I say something like "That dude is the real deal." Carr is a media/culture columnist for The New York Times, and he's a better writer and a tougher human than I'll ever be. I've corresponded with him a few times over the years about stories he was working on, or whatever, and I met him in Los Angeles when he came to visit Boing Boing tv for a piece he wrote about our launch. So, I've been eager to see his new book come out, ever since I learned he was writing it -- and I'm excited to say that it's out in a few weeks, and there's a preview in the NYT today. The Night of the Gun recounts David Carr's life as a crack addict, pieced back together through interviews with people who were part of his life at the time. It's an amazing book. You have to read this thing. I hope I'm not revealing any spoilers here, but when I asked Carr about the project last in LA year, he told me about reconnecting with one of those old friends, and trying to recover the facts about one night when he was out of his mind high on speed, something about jumping through a window and police showing up and a huge fight with the friend, the sort of high velocity drug-o-drama you'd see on COPS. In the hazy, semifictional way an addict can try to remember things that happened when he was high -- he's always remembered his friend pointing a gun at him, at one point during the climax of that crisis. But when Carr went back years later to interview that friend for this project, the friend told him something like, "No, you were pointing the gun at me." I believe that's where the title comes from. Here's a snip from the excerpt in today's NYT: Where does a junkie?s time go? Mostly in 15-minute increments, like a bug-eyed Tarzan, swinging from hit to hit. For months on end in 1988, I sat inside a house in north Minneapolis, doing coke and listening to Tracy Chapman?s ?Fast Car? and finding my own pathetic resonance in the lyrics. ?Any place is better,? she sang. ?Starting from zero, got nothing to lose.? After shooting or smoking a large dose, there would be the tweaking and a vigil at the front window, pulling up the corner of the blinds to look for the squads I was always convinced were on their way. All day. All night. A frantic kind of boring. End-stage addiction is mostly about waiting for the police, or someone, to come and bury you in your shame. After a while I noticed that the blinds on the upper duplex kitty-corner from the house were doing the same thing. The light would leak through a corner and disappear. I began to think of the rise and fall of their blinds and mine as a kind of Morse code, sent back and forth across the street in winking increments that said the same thing over and over. W-e a-r-e g-e-t-t-i-n-g h-i-g-h t-o-o. They rarely came out, and neither did I, so we never discussed our shared hobby. Continue reading excerpt; photos and multimedia stuff here too. Me and My Girls [New York Times] Buy the book: The Night of the Gun: A reporter investigates the darkest story of his life. His own. [amazon] Website, with first-person video. Flash required. Night of the Gun [Simon and Schuster]...
Night of the Gun, a new book by David Carr. - Boing Boing {...}
Published: July 20, 2008, 5:51 pm - Indexed: July 20, 2008, 11:14 pm - Page Size: 68KB
Category: Arts > Literature > Genres > Cyberpunk

]]> Arts > Literature > Genres > Cyberpunk {NORTH AMERICA > LODGING} - Indian Summer of MT TAM+Muir Woods+BoRidgelCoast Trail NYT Hike+WiFi (NYT mention-Best Rates-Stinson Beach+HBO) $75 1bd http://articles.world-of-newave.info/regional/north-america/united-states/california/metro-areas/san-francisco-bay-area/travel-and-tourism/lodging/indian-summer-of-mt-tam-muir-woods-boridgelcoast-20080835226.htm http://articles.world-of-newave.info/regional/north-america/united-states/california/metro-areas/san-francisco-bay-area/travel-and-tourism/lodging/indian-summer-of-mt-tam-muir-woods-boridgelcoast-20080835226.htm Mon, 18 Aug 2008 20:29:50 GMT Announcing, awestmarintaxi service by request, A/P Marin/SFO+Oak Airports/SF Bay Area/Flat and Metered Rates. Office Dispatch 415 868-1330, cell 415 497-6656.. NYTimes Travel Report-7 day Hike-Redwood Coast Trail to MT TAM+Muir Coastal Trail-MT TAM-Muir Woods-BoRidge-Clean Air 7 day NYTimes Hike. See, www.stinson-beach.com for pics, of rooms, take advantage of Specials, $55. for a single, Sun. -Thurs., $250. + 10% Tax, for a single, 5 Days in either the Redwood or White Rooms, at the World at Peace Redwoods Haus-Beach, Bed & Breakfast Inn in Stinson Beach 94970. Complimentary King Sized Breakfast, Condiments+Bread+Salad+Potatoes+Rice+Pasta for Potluck B.B.Q's, Queen Sized Bed, Cable T.V./HBO/VHS/200+Video Library, WiFi/Computer/Phones/Piano Onsite, Public Transportation by way of the Marin Stagecoachor A West Marin Taxi, 415 868-1330, Taxi by Request, A/P West or Greater Marin, SFO + Oak Airports. Or go green, hike the redwood trails, both So. & No. to Destination, Redwoods Haus. Now read on, the writers account of Trailblazing on the Redwoods Coast Trails, as well as a brief description of The Great Blue Heron/Egret & Snowy Egret Sanctuary, the Audubon Canyon Ranch, Way out West in West Marin.. The New York Times Wednesday, February 6, 2008 Travel Section Explorer/Marin county, Calif. A Wild Ramble, Near the Golden Gate By Gregory Dicum Edited/Abridged/Added to by the SBCCommerce, www.stinson-beach.org, Minister of Info. MARIN COUNTY, just north of San Francisco, cradles wealthy bedroom communities in picturesque bays. But nearly half of the county’s 520 square miles is protected open space — bucolic and wild, its tiny towns separated by forested mountains. The Rambling Trails of Marin County, California It is the kind of landscape, with miles of well-maintained trails, that people travel across the globe to traverse — to Wales, say, or the Cinque Terre. But Marin, particularly its western reaches, offers something for anyone spry enough to walk a mile or two, on any budget. One Friday afternoon last fall, my wife, Nina, and I rode the Golden Gate Transit{www.goldengatetransit.org}to the San Rafael Bus Transit Hub, across the Golden Gate Bridge out of San Francisco with the hordes of commuters. We planned to spend the next three days hiking back to the city. While our route may have been ambitious — covering as many as 20 miles a day — it’s easy to choose shorter routes, or make connections by car or bus if you want to do it in less time. We got off in Olema[by way of the West Marin Stagecoach, www. marin-stagecoach.org, which we transferred to in San Rafael], a crossroads in a long valley formed by the San Andreas fault. We already felt a world away in the eucalyptus-scented darkness before the understated wooden form of the Point Reyes Seashore Lodge, where we had booked a room. In the morning, we headed out into a dazzling fog, climbing east toward the Bolinas Ridge. Ghostly white deer — descendants of fallow deer imported in the last century — looked down on us through dripping stalks of fennel. The air smelled like a cool herbal balm, and our boots grew dark with dew. At the ridge, fog was pouring in from a neighboring valley like heavy cream. Tomales Bay, where the fault reaches the sea, shone in the distance. All about us was mad morning chirping and grass bejeweled in the sun. Heading south along the ridge, we met our first human beings at noon. Bolinas Artist, Peter Lee Brownlee{wayne.browningstreet.net/bio/peterbrownlee" & BoBo Troubador Stu Art Chapman, www.flickr.com/photos/bbraasch/251709196/, were on a northward walk markedly better organized than our own, to a vantage point to paint the Sunset through the trees, a hidden spot on the Ridge, that Peter wished to reduce to canvas. Having rambled & sailed throughout Europe, Western Hemisphere, Asia and Africa, individually, they settled in West Marin, in the Coastal Village of Bolinas, continuing their artistic pursuits, where they popularized their individual art forms, meshing with the local variegate 60's Haight Ashbury Dead Head Counterculture. We chatted for a bit and serenaded by Stu Art, were inspired by his Bo Counter Culture Ballad, " Way out West in West Marin". As we parted, Mr. Brownlee turned and called back in his gruff, New York/South Seas/Bo/Long John Silver Merchant Marine Accent, “ I am 87 years old, by the way!” “So,” Nina said as we watched them proceed jauntily toward Olema, “46 more years of this for us?” Soon, we joined the Coastal Trail, which follows the shoreline at a distance, atop a ridge. In the late afternoon, it broke onto rolling, golden hills and our first view of the Pacific. Hawks and vultures romped in the updrafts, swooping close to the shaggy-maned hills, while paragliders sought to imitate them from a promontory, atop Mt. Tamalpais, up ahead. We were above the Bolinas Lagoon Preserve, part of the Audubon Canyon Ranch[See , Sieze the Day, below] and one of the first places in the county to be protected — a reminder that these hills are not unspoiled by accident. Freeways and subdivisions planned in the 1960s were blocked by local activism. Instead of sprawl on its slopes, West Marin County has salmon in its streams. As the sun lowered, the ocean became a molten blaze punctuated only by the Farallon Islands near the horizon. The surf whispered from Stinson Beach below us, and we turned toward it. The woods soon gave way to streets of bougainvillea and Monterey cypress around ’60s-era beach houses with BMWs and surfboards out front. We were quickly in the center of Stinson Beach: a green, some shops and cars tooling up and down the Shoreline Highway. We made the beach just in time to see the perfect ball of evening fire quench itself across Bolinas Bay off Duxbury Point. The hills we had marked with our footprints seemed improbable pink confections. “It feels like another country,” said Nina, even though we had been on that beach many times before. We stayed that night at the World at Peace Redwood Haus Inn, www.stinson-beach.com, 415 868-9828, 868-1034, a bed-and-breakfast Inn that harked back to West Marins Spanish/Pioneer/Seafaring/60's flower child days. In the welcoming breakfast/potluck dinner room, we listened to the owners’ tales of life in San Francisco(spanning the Eisenhower Beatnik Years, to the Flower Child 60's), nibbled set out appetizers & tea on the buffet table. Then we went upstairs and slept like logs, the surf sighing through our open window. We woke at dawn to murmuring in the dovecote by the longboards and the smell of frying potatoes and eggs. We eagerly, joined in the Buffet Style BreakFeast, set out for all, took our laden plates to the the Biergarten, surrounded by a Rainforest of Succulents, Fruit trees and Redwoods on a patio of bricks and cobblestones in a Buddhist Zen atmosphere. After Breakfast and the camaraderie of international and domestic guests/new friends and discussion covering interesting topics, from Global Warming, Crises of Leadership in the World Politic, Health and the need for Peace in the World, as well as trail tips & directions to, off the beaten path; Red Rock Beach Sulphur Hot Springs; Pacific Plate Wildcat Beach, Bass Lake & Alamarin Falls. We ascended the staircase to our room, with nostalgic VCR Tapes from the 200+ Video Library & the Wi-Fi Passcode for our laptops. Noontime, Mourning Doves, in the branches of trees, that paralleled our windows, chortled, "Surfs up". We slipped into provided wet suits & boogie boards & set out to challenge the waves of the Pacific breaking on the white sands of Stinson Beach. Afterwards, showered away dried salt and sand, used the Haus Computer Fax & Copier, scanned RH Proprietor Handwritten Maps of the Bo Palomarin Trailhead & Red Rock Beach Goat Trail. Made calls to the Times, most cell phones don't get service on the Coast, luckily for guests, there is a provided Long Distance Land Line at the Redwoods Haus. Saying Goodbye to our New Friends and Family, we shouldered our packs and headed off into the fog along the Dipsea Trail. We ascended through fantastical, gnarled woods into open, misty heath. Quails, rabbits and an elegant buck — in the mist all the same carob color as the trail—granted us room to pass into a dense redwood forest. As we climbed, sunbeams pierced the brume to pick out pools of water in bowls of polished rock and carpets of glistening, emerald ferns. Big trees lay over the narrow ravine, their backs covered in moss. As we rambled higher still, blue sky tinted the fog and, suddenly, we were in warm sun on the golden flanks of Mount Tamalpais. The Sacred Miwok Mount is beloved in the Bay Area, and as we approached the Pantoll Ranger Station, the headquarters of Mount Tamalpais State Park, the trails became crowded. Hikers, bikers, campers, walkers, runners and others swarmed the routes to the mountain’s peak. But a friendly ranger directed us to a trail, Troop 80, that even on a sunny Sunday, was quiet and lovely. Even better, when we emerged at the Mountain Home Inn, we were able to get a table for lunch on the deck right away. We sat overlooking Mill Valley, and beyond it the bustling Bay Area, while Mount Tam’s green mass loomed behind us. . “This beats sitting on a rock with a PowerBar,” observed Nina, sipping a tall glass of iced tea mixed with lemonade. Truth be told, anything tastes good after a few miles on the trail, West Marin is an area, that is home to many artisanal food enterprises, such as Tomales Bay Croat Founded, Tonys Seafood, Vladimir's of Inverness, Rancho Nicasio, Bolinas Coast Cafe, Stinson Parkside & Sandollar. Still, with full bellies we were glad to be heading downhill. Now that we were more than 30 miles from Olema, people we met found our ramble enchanting: many who know these trails well had not considered linking them together, and surprisingly few take multiday walks there. A trail as steep as a ski slope deposited us into the Muir Woods National Monument. A grove of truly gigantic redwoods, Muir Woods, declared a national monument by President Theodore Roosevelt 100 years ago, has long been a popular tourist excursion from San Francisco. The trails at its heart are paved, and visitors are separated from the monstrous trunks by split-rail fences. Children with tall ice cream cones gathered around a friendly, dapper ranger who explained the circumstances behind the latest fallen tree (nobody was around, he told them, so it didn’t make a sound). We soon found ourselves walking past tour buses in the parking lot. But a few more steps and we were alone again, hiking through meadows and scented alders along a river. Evening fog gathered in the last mile, restoring the air’s coastal quality. Then we smelled wood smoke, and came out in front of the Tudor confection of that day’s destination: the Pelican Inn. We walked right into a cheerful scene of dark wood beams, roaring fires, darts, and fish and chips. As guests at the inn, we repaired to the snug private drawing room off the pub with a couple of pints and, sloughing off our boots, propped our feet by the fire to toast the 15 miles we had walked that day. Part of West Marin’s appeal is its diversity of enclaves. Shortly after leaving the Pelican Inn the next morning, we were walking through fields of organic greens at Green Gulch, a Zen retreat and organic farm. Wool-clad Zen students nodded to us as we passed them at work cutting chard. Visitors looking for the deeply contemplative experience of dawn zazen and Japanese tea ceremonies can stay there, but we had just begun our day and were soon climbing out of the valley. On the ridge, we turned and looked back. Below us, Muir Beach sat fast like a pleasant Hobbitown. Beyond it, the Pacific was glowering slightly, and low, ominous streaks of rain splattered the sky. A drizzle set in, and by midday we came to a fog-shrouded eucalyptus copse where two paths diverged. One led down to Sausalito and the ferry home. “Come on, let’s go,” said Nina. So we took the other path, rambling on along the ridge down to the Golden Gate Bridge, into the city and right to our doorstep . FIRST STEPS OF MANY GETTING THERE Marin is an easy drive from San Francisco. Bus service is also available from Golden Gate Transit (415-455-2000; www.goldengate.org) and Marin Transit (415-499-6099; www.marintransit.org); the latter’s West Marin Stagecoach (415-526-3239) serves the small towns of West Marin. Call 511, for up to date, changes in scheduling, of local bus routes. WHATS NEXT in Stinson Beach The Strip, Commercial sector bordering Hwy. #1, beginning with the World at Peace Redwoods Haus, including the Sandollar and Stinson Beach Grill Restaurants, as well as the Stinson Beach Market and Meristem Florists, Many Villages Pacific Rim Indigenous Talismans & Emporia-White Light Sage & Seer, Osheno. Further on, the Cycle Race Pack loses its cohesiveness as it passes the Stinson Beach Fitness Center, Donnies Surfboard/Kayak Rental & the Video Odyssey, [the three have excellent provided seating & vantage points for photo pics]. WHERE TO STAY There are many options, but they all fill up fast, so make reservations. In Olema, the Olema Inn (10000 Sir Francis Drake Boulevard; 415-663-9559; www.theolemainn.com; rooms start at $185) and the Point Reyes Seashore Lodge (10021 Coastal Highway 1; 415-663-9000; www.pointreyesseashorelodge.com; starting at $135) are both central and comfortable. Stinson Beach has many vacation rentals, but few nightly options. One is the World at Peace Redwood Haus Inn, #1 Belvedere and Redwoods Highway #1; 415-868-1034; www.stinson-beach.com; the five rooms start at $55. for a single person on weekdays, $440. for a weekstay in either the Redwood or White Room, includes Texan/German Style King Sized Breakfast, WiFi/Computer/L.D.Phone on Site, VCR/VCR Library, HBO/Cable T.V., Biergarten, B.B.Q. Facilities, Boogie Boards/Wet Suits). Bus Service, is direct by the West Marin StageCoach, bicycle friendly, just tell the driver, "The Redwoods Haus", he will drop you off right in front, Coast Hwy. #1 and #1 Belvedere. In Muir Beach, the Pelican Inn (10 Pacific Way; 415-383-6000; www.pelicaninn.com) has rooms from $190, while at the very different Green Gulch Farm Zen Center (1601 Shoreline Highway; 415-383-3134; www.sfzc.org/ggf) doubles start at $145 with three meals a day. You can always, take part in the functions at the Green Gulch Zen Center, commute, from the coed lodging of the World at Peace Redwoods Haus. Stinson Beach Chamber of Commerce, www.stinson-beach.org, 415 868-1330. Up to date, rental listings, list of B&Bs, hotels and motels in the SW Marin Area-Bolinas, Stinson & Muir Beach. MAPS We found the “Rambler’s Guide to the Trails of Mt. Tamalpais, Muir Woods and the Marin Headlands” (Olmstead & Bros.; 510-658-6534; $8) indispensable, even though most trails are well marked. It is a detailed trail map that not only is printed on waterproof material, but also includes a reassuring guarantee from the publisher, Gerald Olmstead: “If you’re lost out in the woods somewhere, please note that my phone number is on the map. Just call me up.” Farther north, we used the “Point Reyes National Seashore and West Marin Parklands” map from Wilderness Press (800-443-7227; www.wildernesspress.com; $9.95). Wilderness also publishes the helpful “North Bay Trails,” by David Weintraub ($16.95). The Proprietors of the World at Peace Redwoods Haus (circa 1910), provide up to date info., on: trail accessibility; out of the way places; day/night concerts at restaurants/community centers; hidden beaches/lakes/streams/waterfalls/hot springs in West Marin. Also Provided, hard to find services in West Marin: WiFi/Computers w FAX, Scanner & Copier/Long Distance Free Calling Onsite; VCRS w 200+VCR Library; Breakfast-Dinner Potlucks-BBQ; BBQ [we show you how]Tomales Bay Oysters; Boogie Boards & Wetsuits; 2nd & 3rd story view decks & rooms, w views of Stinson Beach Village/MTTAM/Bolinas/Pacific Views & Decks ORGANIZED TRIPS Wine Country Trekking (888-287-8735; www.winecountrytrekking.com) offers a variety of supported rambles through West Marin that also include things like kayaking excursions and wine tastings. The Sierra Club runs numerous outings through West Marin as well, some with features like meditation, birding, painting and nature study (415-977-5522; www.sierraclub.org/outings). The World at Peace Redwoods Haus, www.stinson-beach.com, 415 868-1034 or 868-9828, supplies up to date info. on Hikes & Foot races hosted by local internationally recognized Enviro Sports, www.envirosports.com, & other recognized local hiking/foot race event organizers. There are spontaneous hikes, volleyball games, cookouts, campfires that occur at the RWH daily and nightly, amongst the guests inspired by the freedom of opportunity, freshness of the sea breeze mixed with the Scent of the surrounding Redwoods Forest & blossoming Rain Forest of the RWH. There are also, birding expeditions, both organized & spontaneous by those interested in the Audobon Canyon Ranch Activities or their own individual forays to the Bo Lagoon, to catch glimpses of the Blue Herons, Pelicans, Egrets & migrating Aquatic Fowl that visit the Lagoon. Not to mention, Tule Elk, Elephant Seal & Whale Watching, maps/directions via the RWH. Wading in Duxbury Reef, Red Rock Hot Springs, Bass Lake, Esteros of Sir Francis Drake Bay…Discover the Paradise of the Coast of Marin, www.stinson-beach.com, 415 868-9828 or 868-1034.. The Places to Explore We offer information on all of the local natural viewing locations of interest where you can see Whales, Seal and Elephant Seal colonies, Egrets, Herons, Pelicans, and the Tule Elk. Visit the Sulphur Hot Springs at Red Rock Beach , 4-5 days a month during negative tide periods of the Full Moon, the Ocean rolls back, giving 2 hrs., to enjoy the 110 degree heated Seawater, in a open pool of rock, by the edge of the Ocean. Walk into the tide pools of Duxbury Reef during minus tide, study close up the indigenous sea life of the Reef: Sea Anemones; Clams; Mussels; Starfish;Crabs;Coral; and the reef fishes in small pools of water. On Visitors Days of the Week, walk down the 300 steps leading to the Point Reyes Lighthouse, on the Point Reyes Peninsula, see the interior and the antique beacon light of French Manufacture, dating back over a 100 yrs. Kayak with Point Reyes Outdoors www.pointreyesoutdoors.com, 415 663-8192 Sea Kayaking Tours & Classes Guided Nature Hikes Mesa Road in Bolinas: Visit the Point Reyes Bird Observatory and take part in banding expeditions of migratory birds as well as study statistics of their numbers and sightings; Hike to Bass Lake on the Panoramic Trail head, from the parking lot at the end of Mesa Road ; See Agate Beach, where all the rocks are green agate. Hike the many trails that abound in the Golden Gate Recreation Area, Mt. Tamalpais and Tomales State Parks , as well as the Point Reyes National Seashore: Matt Davis-Steep Ravine-Dipsea-Lake Lagunitas-Kent & Nicasio Lakes. Gather Mussels in Season, for ethnic & old fashioned soups/stews. Dance at Smiley's Schooner Saloon & dance/dine at Rancho Nicasio, Sat. Nights to live music. Eat at your pick of 3 art bedecked and fine food dining establishments here in Stinson & two in Bolinas. Rent/Ride Horseback at Five Brooks Stable, Horse Rental, Open Year Round in Olema. 415 663-1570, Fax 415 663-8766, www.fivebrooks.com Workout Regimen, Beach Accessories, Kayaks, Surfboards: At the Stinson Beach Health Club, open daily, 7a.m.-9p.m.,415 868-8801, 3605 Shoreline Hwy.#1 , full range gym, offers weight sets, stationary bikes, Pilates studio, w views of Easkoot Creek in a Polynesian Village Natural Setting Ambiance. Stinson Beach Surf and Kayak Co., same location, Rent and Sell Beach Accessories, Full Range of Kayaks & Client friendly surfboards, Donny 415 868-8801, cell 415 257-1831. Los Banos Surf & Adventure Camp- Coach Dave Lich, certified lifeguard, 415 847-2221 or 415 380-8900, www.stinsonbeachsurfcamp.com, Surf School Classes beginning 6/11, all ages welcome. Free shuttle from Mill Valley. "Bringing the beach to the kids of Marin & Fellow Travelers." BoBo Bikes located in Bolinas, 6 Wharf Rd., 415 450-0621, Bike & Surfboard Impresario Sports Czar Terrence, Proprietor. High Tech State of the Art Bikes, Surboards, Skates from the Czar of Sports Gear. Every detail of hardware can be found as well as Terrence's Extensive Knowledge of what sports gear, is right for you. Bring your equipment in for troubleshooting & maximal gain for high performance on the roadway or surf. Visit/Shop: Claudia Chaplines Art Gallery, Annies Bookstore for Hiking/Biking Maps/Postcards, SurfGear/Beach Wear, Live Water Surf Shop. Many Villages, 2264 Hwy. #1, where you can select from a vast emporium of indigenous jewelry, buddhist artifacts, sacred totems, folk art of Bali, Handmade Oracles Mystical Talismans from the Island Jungles of Thailand and the floating Villages of Indochina. Astute World Expert/Time Traveler of White Light, Oshen, 415 868-1419. Experience: The Museum of Miwok Native American Artifacts at Slide Ranch; Nicasios Russian Orthodox Church, dating back to the Russian Colonial Period at Fort Ross; Smileys Schooner Saloon, an English Pub imported in 1850, oldest functioning alcohol establishment in California; Bodega Schoolhouse made famous in Alfred Hithcocks, "The Birds"; Muir Woods Trail, the setting for Hitchcocks "VERTIGO", where Jimmy Stewart followed Kim Novak into Muir Woods,on the Matt Davis Trailhead, beginning at Belvedere in Stinson(Right up from the Redwoods, #1 Belvedere]; Skywalker Ranch, East of Nicasio, creative brainchild of George Lucas; Peak of Sacred Mount Tamalpais-from which the viewer can experience 360 degree panorama views, of the Greater S.F. Bay Area & the City, Mt. Diablo, the Farollone Islands of the Pacific Ocean. These and many more view spots as well as Treasures of Wild West Architecture in West Marin Towns, will be addressed, directions will be given & an itinerary for all points of interest in Marin, Sonoma and the S.F. Greater Bay Area. AWESTMARINTAXI + Public Transportation: For all points in the SF Bay Area, awestmarintaxi@gmail.com, taxi by request, 415 868-1330, cell 415 497-6656, SFO+Oak Airports, Tours of West Marin/Greater Marin, itinerary for travelers and visitors to West Marin/Sonoma County. Use the Transit Planner site, www.511.org From San Francisco , take #70 or #80 Golden Gate Transit, to Marin City Transfer to West Marin Stage Coach, website for schedule is: www.marintransit.org, call for info., M-F, 8 a.m.-5 a.m., 415 526-3239 Important Phone No.s Stinson Beach Lifeguard Tower-415 868-0942 Stinson Beach Visitor Center- 415 388-2596 Driving Directions to Stinson Beach From Highway 101 Exit Highway 1/Stinson Beach (there will be a sign for Muir Woods/ Mt. Tamalpais at this exit) Drive about .5 miles. At the stoplight, turn left. You now have two options, both about the same distance, both on winding steep roads. Shoreline Hwy. 1 takes you along the Pacific Ocean, through Muir Beach, to Stinson Beach. Panoramic Highway take you up and over Mt Tamalpais, w breathtaking panorama views of the City, East Bay, Sonoma County, to within one block of the Redwood Haus in Stinson Beach. To get to Panoramic from Hwy. 101, Drive 3 miles on Shoreline Hwy. #1. At the top of the hill, turn right onto the Panoramic Highway. From Panoramic access, Muir Woods/Mount Tamalpais and Stinson Beach. Or Continue straight on Shoreline Highway #1 about 12 miles to Stinson Beach. When traveling South to North on Hwy.#1, upon entering Stinson Beach, Make a right at the Firehouse, onto Belvedere, a u turn and park alongside fence, at #1 Belvedere and Hwy. #1, the Redwoods Haus, On Street Parking. Olema intersection and Sir Francis Drake Blvd.-16 miles South to Stinson Beach. Point Reyes Station. So. to Stinson Beach-18 miles So. to Stinson Beach. Barbeque in the Bier-garten: Bring your own fish/chicken/duck/lamb/meat cuts/zucchini/corn/beverages and b.b.q. coals for barbeque, we provide potatoes, rice, onions, bread, condiments & b.b.q. coals or mesquite. Oysters for Redwoods barbeque[Redwoods Chef gives instructions on preparation] must be obtained beforehand at: the Tomales Bay Oyster Farm, located on Shoreline Hwy. #1, 4 miles No. of Point Reyes Station; the Hog Island Oyster Co. in Marshall; the Johnsons Oyster Farm on the Point Reyes Peninsula. Gesucht: Deutscher Schreiner oder Zimmermann fuer Renovierungs- und Reparaturarbeiten fuer Redwood Haus fuer flexible Zeit. Keine Arbeitserlaubnis noetig. Kommen Sie zu uns an die traumhafte Pazifikkueste. Sagen Sie dies all Ihren Freunden. Siehe unsere Internetseite: www.stinson-beach.de Kontakt: 415 868-1330 info@stinson-beach.com Please check our websites for our pricing and service, www.stinson-beach.com, in German, www.stinson-beach.de, 415 868-9828 or 868-1034. You will soon be convinced that we indeed have the BEST & most EQUITABLE lodging service in the entire SF Bay Area! Seize the Day Bird Lovers flock to Stinson's Audobon Canyon Ranch The Audobon Canyon Ranch, founded in 1962, one of the largest nesting sites on the West Coast, offers sanctuary & a birds-eye-view of the graceful ballet-of ritual courtship, nest-building, egg-turning, chick-rearing & first flight of the Great Blue Herons, Great & Snowy Egrets in Picher Canyon. Males gather sticks for nest building, then females arrange them just so, in the closest coastal redwoods to a 24-hour food supply in Bolinas Lagoon. Eight miles of redwoods, Douglas Fir & Bay, coastal scrub & chaparral, grassland, pond, stream & marsh trails cover 1K ares. Spring wildflowers display in dense greenery. At the Redwoods Haus, located 2 miles from the Ranch, receive trail maps & a itinerary for the folks & kids, of the many other offerings afforded visitors & birdwatchers of this Pearl of the Coast. Sfbay.Craigslist.Org Indian Summer of MT TAM+Muir Woods+BoRidgelCoast Trail NYT Hike+WiFi (NYT mention-Best Rates-Stinson Beach+HBO) $75 1bd {new window}   Sfbay.Craigslist.Org - Announcing, awestmarintaxi service by request, A/P Marin/SFO+Oak Airports/SF Bay Area/Flat and Metered Rates. Office Dispatch 415 868-1330, cell 415 497-6656.. NYTimes Travel Report-7 day Hike-Redwood Coast Trail to MT TAM+Muir Coastal Trail-MT TAM-Muir Woods-BoRidge-Clean Air 7 day NYTimes Hike. See, www.stinson-beach.com for pics, of rooms, take advantage of Specials, $55. for a single, Sun. -Thurs., $250. + 10% Tax, for a single, 5 Days in either the Redwood or White Rooms, at the World at Peace Redwoods Haus-Beach, Bed & Breakfast Inn in Stinson Beach 94970. Complimentary King Sized Breakfast, Condiments+Bread+Salad+Potatoes+Rice+Pasta for Potluck B.B.Q's, Queen Sized Bed, Cable T.V./HBO/VHS/200+Video Library, WiFi/Computer/Phones/Piano Onsite, Public Transportation by way of the Marin Stagecoachor A West Marin Taxi, 415 868-1330, Taxi by Request, A/P West or Greater Marin, SFO + Oak Airports. Or go green, hike the redwood trails, both So. & No. to Destination, Redwoods Haus. Now read on, the writers account of Trailblazing on the Redwoods Coast Trails, as well as a brief description of The Great Blue Heron/Egret & Snowy Egret Sanctuary, the Audubon Canyon Ranch, Way out West in West Marin.. The New York Times Wednesday, February 6, 2008 Travel Section Explorer/Marin county, Calif. A Wild Ramble, Near the Golden Gate By Gregory Dicum Edited/Abridged/Added to by the SBCCommerce, www.stinson-beach.org, Minister of Info. MARIN COUNTY, just north of San Francisco, cradles wealthy bedroom communities in picturesque bays. But nearly half of the county’s 520 square miles is protected open space — bucolic and wild, its tiny towns separated by forested mountains. The Rambling Trails of Marin County, California It is the kind of landscape, with miles of well-maintained trails, that people travel across the globe to traverse — to Wales, say, or the Cinque Terre. But Marin, particularly its western reaches, offers something for anyone spry enough to walk a mile or two, on any budget. One Friday afternoon last fall, my wife, Nina, and I rode the Golden Gate Transit{www.goldengatetransit.org}to the San Rafael Bus Transit Hub, across the Golden Gate Bridge out of San Francisco with the hordes of commuters. We planned to spend the next three days hiking back to the city. While our route may have been ambitious — covering as many as 20 miles a day — it’s easy to choose shorter routes, or make connections by car or bus if you want to do it in less time. We got off in Olema[by way of the West Marin Stagecoach, www. marin-stagecoach.org, which we transferred to in San Rafael], a crossroads in a long valley formed by the San Andreas fault. We already felt a world away in the eucalyptus-scented darkness before the understated wooden form of the Point Reyes Seashore Lodge, where we had booked a room. In the morning, we headed out into a dazzling fog, climbing east toward the Bolinas Ridge. Ghostly white deer — descendants of fallow deer imported in the last century — looked down on us through dripping stalks of fennel. The air smelled like a cool herbal balm, and our boots grew dark with dew. At the ridge, fog was pouring in from a neighboring valley like heavy cream. Tomales Bay, where the fault reaches the sea, shone in the distance. All about us was mad morning chirping and grass bejeweled in the sun. Heading south along the ridge, we met our first human beings at noon. Bolinas Artist, Peter Lee Brownlee{wayne.browningstreet.net/bio/peterbrownlee" & BoBo Troubador Stu Art Chapman, www.flickr.com/photos/bbraasch/251709196/, were on a northward walk markedly better organized than our own, to a vantage point to paint the Sunset through the trees, a hidden spot on the Ridge, that Peter wished to reduce to canvas. Having rambled & sailed throughout Europe, Western Hemisphere, Asia and Africa, individually, they settled in West Marin, in the Coastal Village of Bolinas, continuing their artistic pursuits, where they popularized their individual art forms, meshing with the local variegate 60's Haight Ashbury Dead Head Counterculture. We chatted for a bit and serenaded by Stu Art, were inspired by his Bo Counter Culture Ballad, " Way out West in West Marin". As we parted, Mr. Brownlee turned and called back in his gruff, New York/South Seas/Bo/Long John Silver Merchant Marine Accent, “ I am 87 years old, by the way!” “So,” Nina said as we watched them proceed jauntily toward Olema, “46 more years of this for us?” Soon, we joined the Coastal Trail, which follows the shoreline at a distance, atop a ridge. In the late afternoon, it broke onto rolling, golden hills and our first view of the Pacific. Hawks and vultures romped in the updrafts, swooping close to the shaggy-maned hills, while paragliders sought to imitate them from a promontory, atop Mt. Tamalpais, up ahead. We were above the Bolinas Lagoon Preserve, part of the Audubon Canyon Ranch[See , Sieze the Day, below] and one of the first places in the county to be protected — a reminder that these hills are not unspoiled by accident. Freeways and subdivisions planned in the 1960s were blocked by local activism. Instead of sprawl on its slopes, West Marin County has salmon in its streams. As the sun lowered, the ocean became a molten blaze punctuated only by the Farallon Islands near the horizon. The surf whispered from Stinson Beach below us, and we turned toward it. The woods soon gave way to streets of bougainvillea and Monterey cypress around ’60s-era beach houses with BMWs and surfboards out front. We were quickly in the center of Stinson Beach: a green, some shops and cars tooling up and down the Shoreline Highway. We made the beach just in time to see the perfect ball of evening fire quench itself across Bolinas Bay off Duxbury Point. The hills we had marked with our footprints seemed improbable pink confections. “It feels like another country,” said Nina, even though we had been on that beach many times before. We stayed that night at the World at Peace Redwood Haus Inn, www.stinson-beach.com, 415 868-9828, 868-1034, a bed-and-breakfast Inn that harked back to West Marins Spanish/Pioneer/Seafaring/60's flower child days. In the welcoming breakfast/potluck dinner room, we listened to the owners’ tales of life in San Francisco(spanning the Eisenhower Beatnik Years, to the Flower Child 60's), nibbled set out appetizers & tea on the buffet table. Then we went upstairs and slept like logs, the surf sighing through our open window. We woke at dawn to murmuring in the dovecote by the longboards and the smell of frying potatoes and eggs. We eagerly, joined in the Buffet Style BreakFeast, set out for all, took our laden plates to the the Biergarten, surrounded by a Rainforest of Succulents, Fruit trees and Redwoods on a patio of bricks and cobblestones in a Buddhist Zen atmosphere. After Breakfast and the camaraderie of international and domestic guests/new friends and discussion covering interesting topics, from Global Warming, Crises of Leadership in the World Politic, Health and the need for Peace in the World, as well as trail tips & directions to, off the beaten path; Red Rock Beach Sulphur Hot Springs; Pacific Plate Wildcat Beach, Bass Lake & Alamarin Falls. We ascended the staircase to our room, with nostalgic VCR Tapes from the 200+ Video Library & the Wi-Fi Passcode for our laptops. Noontime, Mourning Doves, in the branches of trees, that paralleled our windows, chortled, "Surfs up". We slipped into provided wet suits & boogie boards & set out to challenge the waves of the Pacific breaking on the white sands of Stinson Beach. Afterwards, showered away dried salt and sand, used the Haus Computer Fax & Copier, scanned RH Proprietor Handwritten Maps of the Bo Palomarin Trailhead & Red Rock Beach Goat Trail. Made calls to the Times, most cell phones don't get service on the Coast, luckily for guests, there is a provided Long Distance Land Line at the Redwoods Haus. Saying Goodbye to our New Friends and Family, we shouldered our packs and headed off into the fog along the Dipsea Trail. We ascended through fantastical, gnarled woods into open, misty heath. Quails, rabbits and an elegant buck — in the mist all the same carob color as the trail—granted us room to pass into a dense redwood forest. As we climbed, sunbeams pierced the brume to pick out pools of water in bowls of polished rock and carpets of glistening, emerald ferns. Big trees lay over the narrow ravine, their backs covered in moss. As we rambled higher still, blue sky tinted the fog and, suddenly, we were in warm sun on the golden flanks of Mount Tamalpais. The Sacred Miwok Mount is beloved in the Bay Area, and as we approached the Pantoll Ranger Station, the headquarters of Mount Tamalpais State Park, the trails became crowded. Hikers, bikers, campers, walkers, runners and others swarmed the routes to the mountain’s peak. But a friendly ranger directed us to a trail, Troop 80, that even on a sunny Sunday, was quiet and lovely. Even better, when we emerged at the Mountain Home Inn, we were able to get a table for lunch on the deck right away. We sat overlooking Mill Valley, and beyond it the bustling Bay Area, while Mount Tam’s green mass loomed behind us. . “This beats sitting on a rock with a PowerBar,” observed Nina, sipping a tall glass of iced tea mixed with lemonade. Truth be told, anything tastes good after a few miles on the trail, West Marin is an area, that is home to many artisanal food enterprises, such as Tomales Bay Croat Founded, Tonys Seafood, Vladimir's of Inverness, Rancho Nicasio, Bolinas Coast Cafe, Stinson Parkside & Sandollar. Still, with full bellies we were glad to be heading downhill. Now that we were more than 30 miles from Olema, people we met found our ramble enchanting: many who know these trails well had not considered linking them together, and surprisingly few take multiday walks there. A trail as steep as a ski slope deposited us into the Muir Woods National Monument. A grove of truly gigantic redwoods, Muir Woods, declared a national monument by President Theodore Roosevelt 100 years ago, has long been a popular tourist excursion from San Francisco. The trails at its heart are paved, and visitors are separated from the monstrous trunks by split-rail fences. Children with tall ice cream cones gathered around a friendly, dapper ranger who explained the circumstances behind the latest fallen tree (nobody was around, he told them, so it didn’t make a sound). We soon found ourselves walking past tour buses in the parking lot. But a few more steps and we were alone again, hiking through meadows and scented alders along a river. Evening fog gathered in the last mile, restoring the air’s coastal quality. Then we smelled wood smoke, and came out in front of the Tudor confection of that day’s destination: the Pelican Inn. We walked right into a cheerful scene of dark wood beams, roaring fires, darts, and fish and chips. As guests at the inn, we repaired to the snug private drawing room off the pub with a couple of pints and, sloughing off our boots, propped our feet by the fire to toast the 15 miles we had walked that day. Part of West Marin’s appeal is its diversity of enclaves. Shortly after leaving the Pelican Inn the next morning, we were walking through fields of organic greens at Green Gulch, a Zen retreat and organic farm. Wool-clad Zen students nodded to us as we passed them at work cutting chard. Visitors looking for the deeply contemplative experience of dawn zazen and Japanese tea ceremonies can stay there, but we had just begun our day and were soon climbing out of the valley. On the ridge, we turned and looked back. Below us, Muir Beach sat fast like a pleasant Hobbitown. Beyond it, the Pacific was glowering slightly, and low, ominous streaks of rain splattered the sky. A drizzle set in, and by midday we came to a fog-shrouded eucalyptus copse where two paths diverged. One led down to Sausalito and the ferry home. “Come on, let’s go,” said Nina. So we took the other path, rambling on along the ridge down to the Golden Gate Bridge, into the city and right to our doorstep . FIRST STEPS OF MANY GETTING THERE Marin is an easy drive from San Francisco. Bus service is also available from Golden Gate Transit (415-455-2000; www.goldengate.org) and Marin Transit (415-499-6099; www.marintransit.org); the latter’s West Marin Stagecoach (415-526-3239) serves the small towns of West Marin. Call 511, for up to date, changes in scheduling, of local bus routes. WHATS NEXT in Stinson Beach The Strip, Commercial sector bordering Hwy. #1, beginning with the World at Peace Redwoods Haus, including the Sandollar and Stinson Beach Grill Restaurants, as well as the Stinson Beach Market and Meristem Florists, Many Villages Pacific Rim Indigenous Talismans & Emporia-White Light Sage & Seer, Osheno. Further on, the Cycle Race Pack loses its cohesiveness as it passes the Stinson Beach Fitness Center, Donnies Surfboard/Kayak Rental & the Video Odyssey, [the three have excellent provided seating & vantage points for photo pics]. WHERE TO STAY There are many options, but they all fill up fast, so make reservations. In Olema, the Olema Inn (10000 Sir Francis Drake Boulevard; 415-663-9559; www.theolemainn.com; rooms start at $185) and the Point Reyes Seashore Lodge (10021 Coastal Highway 1; 415-663-9000; www.pointreyesseashorelodge.com; starting at $135) are both central and comfortable. Stinson Beach has many vacation rentals, but few nightly options. One is the World at Peace Redwood Haus Inn, #1 Belvedere and Redwoods Highway #1; 415-868-1034; www.stinson-beach.com; the five rooms start at $55. for a single person on weekdays, $440. for a weekstay in either the Redwood or White Room, includes Texan/German Style King Sized Breakfast, WiFi/Computer/L.D.Phone on Site, VCR/VCR Library, HBO/Cable T.V., Biergarten, B.B.Q. Facilities, Boogie Boards/Wet Suits). Bus Service, is direct by the West Marin StageCoach, bicycle friendly, just tell the driver, "The Redwoods Haus", he will drop you off right in front, Coast Hwy. #1 and #1 Belvedere. In Muir Beach, the Pelican Inn (10 Pacific Way; 415-383-6000; www.pelicaninn.com) has rooms from $190, while at the very different Green Gulch Farm Zen Center (1601 Shoreline Highway; 415-383-3134; www.sfzc.org/ggf) doubles start at $145 with three meals a day. You can always, take part in the functions at the Green Gulch Zen Center, commute, from the coed lodging of the World at Peace Redwoods Haus. Stinson Beach Chamber of Commerce, www.stinson-beach.org, 415 868-1330. Up to date, rental listings, list of B&Bs, hotels and motels in the SW Marin Area-Bolinas, Stinson & Muir Beach. MAPS We found the “Rambler’s Guide to the Trails of Mt. Tamalpais, Muir Woods and the Marin Headlands” (Olmstead & Bros.; 510-658-6534; $8) indispensable, even though most trails are well marked. It is a detailed trail map that not only is printed on waterproof material, but also includes a reassuring guarantee from the publisher, Gerald Olmstead: “If you’re lost out in the woods somewhere, please note that my phone number is on the map. Just call me up.” Farther north, we used the “Point Reyes National Seashore and West Marin Parklands” map from Wilderness Press (800-443-7227; www.wildernesspress.com; $9.95). Wilderness also publishes the helpful “North Bay Trails,” by David Weintraub ($16.95). The Proprietors of the World at Peace Redwoods Haus (circa 1910), provide up to date info., on: trail accessibility; out of the way places; day/night concerts at restaurants/community centers; hidden beaches/lakes/streams/waterfalls/hot springs in West Marin. Also Provided, hard to find services in West Marin: WiFi/Computers w FAX, Scanner & Copier/Long Distance Free Calling Onsite; VCRS w 200+VCR Library; Breakfast-Dinner Potlucks-BBQ; BBQ [we show you how]Tomales Bay Oysters; Boogie Boards & Wetsuits; 2nd & 3rd story view decks & rooms, w views of Stinson Beach Village/MTTAM/Bolinas/Pacific Views & Decks ORGANIZED TRIPS Wine Country Trekking (888-287-8735; www.winecountrytrekking.com) offers a variety of supported rambles through West Marin that also include things like kayaking excursions and wine tastings. The Sierra Club runs numerous outings through West Marin as well, some with features like meditation, birding, painting and nature study (415-977-5522; www.sierraclub.org/outings). The World at Peace Redwoods Haus, www.stinson-beach.com, 415 868-1034 or 868-9828, supplies up to date info. on Hikes & Foot races hosted by local internationally recognized Enviro Sports, www.envirosports.com, & other recognized local hiking/foot race event organizers. There are spontaneous hikes, volleyball games, cookouts, campfires that occur at the RWH daily and nightly, amongst the guests inspired by the freedom of opportunity, freshness of the sea breeze mixed with the Scent of the surrounding Redwoods Forest & blossoming Rain Forest of the RWH. There are also, birding expeditions, both organized & spontaneous by those interested in the Audobon Canyon Ranch Activities or their own individual forays to the Bo Lagoon, to catch glimpses of the Blue Herons, Pelicans, Egrets & migrating Aquatic Fowl that visit the Lagoon. Not to mention, Tule Elk, Elephant Seal & Whale Watching, maps/directions via the RWH. Wading in Duxbury Reef, Red Rock Hot Springs, Bass Lake, Esteros of Sir Francis Drake Bay…Discover the Paradise of the Coast of Marin, www.stinson-beach.com, 415 868-9828 or 868-1034.. The Places to Explore We offer information on all of the local natural viewing locations of interest where you can see Whales, Seal and Elephant Seal colonies, Egrets, Herons, Pelicans, and the Tule Elk. Visit the Sulphur Hot Springs at Red Rock Beach , 4-5 days a month during negative tide periods of the Full Moon, the Ocean rolls back, giving 2 hrs., to enjoy the 110 degree heated Seawater, in a open pool of rock, by the edge of the Ocean. Walk into the tide pools of Duxbury Reef during minus tide, study close up the indigenous sea life of the Reef: Sea Anemones; Clams; Mussels; Starfish;Crabs;Coral; and the reef fishes in small pools of water. On Visitors Days of the Week, walk down the 300 steps leading to the Point Reyes Lighthouse, on the Point Reyes Peninsula, see the interior and the antique beacon light of French Manufacture, dating back over a 100 yrs. Kayak with Point Reyes Outdoors www.pointreyesoutdoors.com, 415 663-8192 Sea Kayaking Tours & Classes Guided Nature Hikes Mesa Road in Bolinas: Visit the Point Reyes Bird Observatory and take part in banding expeditions of migratory birds as well as study statistics of their numbers and sightings; Hike to Bass Lake on the Panoramic Trail head, from the parking lot at the end of Mesa Road ; See Agate Beach, where all the rocks are green agate. Hike the many trails that abound in the Golden Gate Recreation Area, Mt. Tamalpais and Tomales State Parks , as well as the Point Reyes National Seashore: Matt Davis-Steep Ravine-Dipsea-Lake Lagunitas-Kent & Nicasio Lakes. Gather Mussels in Season, for ethnic & old fashioned soups/stews. Dance at Smiley's Schooner Saloon & dance/dine at Rancho Nicasio, Sat. Nights to live music. Eat at your pick of 3 art bedecked and fine food dining establishments here in Stinson & two in Bolinas. Rent/Ride Horseback at Five Brooks Stable, Horse Rental, Open Year Round in Olema. 415 663-1570, Fax 415 663-8766, www.fivebrooks.com Workout Regimen, Beach Accessories, Kayaks, Surfboards: At the Stinson Beach Health Club, open daily, 7a.m.-9p.m.,415 868-8801, 3605 Shoreline Hwy.#1 , full range gym, offers weight sets, stationary bikes, Pilates studio, w views of Easkoot Creek in a Polynesian Village Natural Setting Ambiance. Stinson Beach Surf and Kayak Co., same location, Rent and Sell Beach Accessories, Full Range of Kayaks & Client friendly surfboards, Donny 415 868-8801, cell 415 257-1831. Los Banos Surf & Adventure Camp- Coach Dave Lich, certified lifeguard, 415 847-2221 or 415 380-8900, www.stinsonbeachsurfcamp.com, Surf School Classes beginning 6/11, all ages welcome. Free shuttle from Mill Valley. "Bringing the beach to the kids of Marin & Fellow Travelers." BoBo Bikes located in Bolinas, 6 Wharf Rd., 415 450-0621, Bike & Surfboard Impresario Sports Czar Terrence, Proprietor. High Tech State of the Art Bikes, Surboards, Skates from the Czar of Sports Gear. Every detail of hardware can be found as well as Terrence's Extensive Knowledge of what sports gear, is right for you. Bring your equipment in for troubleshooting & maximal gain for high performance on the roadway or surf. Visit/Shop: Claudia Chaplines Art Gallery, Annies Bookstore for Hiking/Biking Maps/Postcards, SurfGear/Beach Wear, Live Water Surf Shop. Many Villages, 2264 Hwy. #1, where you can select from a vast emporium of indigenous jewelry, buddhist artifacts, sacred totems, folk art of Bali, Handmade Oracles Mystical Talismans from the Island Jungles of Thailand and the floating Villages of Indochina. Astute World Expert/Time Traveler of White Light, Oshen, 415 868-1419. Experience: The Museum of Miwok Native American Artifacts at Slide Ranch; Nicasios Russian Orthodox Church, dating back to the Russian Colonial Period at Fort Ross; Smileys Schooner Saloon, an English Pub imported in 1850, oldest functioning alcohol establishment in California; Bodega Schoolhouse made famous in Alfred Hithcocks, "The Birds"; Muir Woods Trail, the setting for Hitchcocks "VERTIGO", where Jimmy Stewart followed Kim Novak into Muir Woods,on the Matt Davis Trailhead, beginning at Belvedere in Stinson(Right up from the Redwoods, #1 Belvedere]; Skywalker Ranch, East of Nicasio, creative brainchild of George Lucas; Peak of Sacred Mount Tamalpais-from which the viewer can experience 360 degree panorama views, of the Greater S.F. Bay Area & the City, Mt. Diablo, the Farollone Islands of the Pacific Ocean. These and many more view spots as well as Treasures of Wild West Architecture in West Marin Towns, will be addressed, directions will be given & an itinerary for all points of interest in Marin, Sonoma and the S.F. Greater Bay Area. AWESTMARINTAXI + Public Transportation: For all points in the SF Bay Area, awestmarintaxi@gmail.com, taxi by request, 415 868-1330, cell 415 497-6656, SFO+Oak Airports, Tours of West Marin/Greater Marin, itinerary for travelers and visitors to West Marin/Sonoma County. Use the Transit Planner site, www.511.org From San Francisco , take #70 or #80 Golden Gate Transit, to Marin City Transfer to West Marin Stage Coach, website for schedule is: www.marintransit.org, call for info., M-F, 8 a.m.-5 a.m., 415 526-3239 Important Phone No.s Stinson Beach Lifeguard Tower-415 868-0942 Stinson Beach Visitor Center- 415 388-2596 Driving Directions to Stinson Beach From Highway 101 Exit Highway 1/Stinson Beach (there will be a sign for Muir Woods/ Mt. Tamalpais at this exit) Drive about .5 miles. At the stoplight, turn left. You now have two options, both about the same distance, both on winding steep roads. Shoreline Hwy. 1 takes you along the Pacific Ocean, through Muir Beach, to Stinson Beach. Panoramic Highway take you up and over Mt Tamalpais, w breathtaking panorama views of the City, East Bay, Sonoma County, to within one block of the Redwood Haus in Stinson Beach. To get to Panoramic from Hwy. 101, Drive 3 miles on Shoreline Hwy. #1. At the top of the hill, turn right onto the Panoramic Highway. From Panoramic access, Muir Woods/Mount Tamalpais and Stinson Beach. Or Continue straight on Shoreline Highway #1 about 12 miles to Stinson Beach. When traveling South to North on Hwy.#1, upon entering Stinson Beach, Make a right at the Firehouse, onto Belvedere, a u turn and park alongside fence, at #1 Belvedere and Hwy. #1, the Redwoods Haus, On Street Parking. Olema intersection and Sir Francis Drake Blvd.-16 miles South to Stinson Beach. Point Reyes Station. So. to Stinson Beach-18 miles So. to Stinson Beach. Barbeque in the Bier-garten: Bring your own fish/chicken/duck/lamb/meat cuts/zucchini/corn/beverages and b.b.q. coals for barbeque, we provide potatoes, rice, onions, bread, condiments & b.b.q. coals or mesquite. Oysters for Redwoods barbeque[Redwoods Chef gives instructions on preparation] must be obtained beforehand at: the Tomales Bay Oyster Farm, located on Shoreline Hwy. #1, 4 miles No. of Point Reyes Station; the Hog Island Oyster Co. in Marshall; the Johnsons Oyster Farm on the Point Reyes Peninsula. Gesucht: Deutscher Schreiner oder Zimmermann fuer Renovierungs- und Reparaturarbeiten fuer Redwood Haus fuer flexible Zeit. Keine Arbeitserlaubnis noetig. Kommen Sie zu uns an die traumhafte Pazifikkueste. Sagen Sie dies all Ihren Freunden. Siehe unsere Internetseite: www.stinson-beach.de Kontakt: 415 868-1330 info@stinson-beach.com Please check our websites for our pricing and service, www.stinson-beach.com, in German, www.stinson-beach.de, 415 868-9828 or 868-1034. You will soon be convinced that we indeed have the BEST & most EQUITABLE lodging service in the entire SF Bay Area! Seize the Day Bird Lovers flock to Stinson's Audobon Canyon Ranch The Audobon Canyon Ranch, founded in 1962, one of the largest nesting sites on the West Coast, offers sanctuary & a birds-eye-view of the graceful ballet-of ritual courtship, nest-building, egg-turning, chick-rearing & first flight of the Great Blue Herons, Great & Snowy Egrets in Picher Canyon. Males gather sticks for nest building, then females arrange them just so, in the closest coastal redwoods to a 24-hour food supply in Bolinas Lagoon. Eight miles of redwoods, Douglas Fir & Bay, coastal scrub & chaparral, grassland, pond, stream & marsh trails cover 1K ares. Spring wildflowers display in dense greenery. At the Redwoods Haus, located 2 miles from the Ranch, receive trail maps & a itinerary for the folks & kids, of the many other offerings afforded visitors & birdwatchers of this Pearl of the Coast.
Indian Summer of MT TAM+Muir Woods+BoRidgelCoast Trail NYT Hike+WiFi {...}
Published: August 18, 2008, 8:29 pm - Indexed: August 18, 2008, 9:59 pm - Page Size: 31KB
Category: Regional > North America > United States > California > Metro Areas > San Francisco Bay Area > Travel and Tourism > Lodging

]]> Regional > North America > United States > California > Metro Areas > San Francisco Bay Area > Travel and Tourism > Lodging {NORTH AMERICA > RENTALS} - Share Rental in park like Reliez Valley Students Welcome (concord / pleasant hill / martinez) $500 http://articles.world-of-newave.info/regional/north-america/united-states/california/metro-areas/san-francisco-bay-area/business-and-economy/real-estate/rentals/share-rental-in-park-like-reliez-valley-students-2008089736.htm http://articles.world-of-newave.info/regional/north-america/united-states/california/metro-areas/san-francisco-bay-area/business-and-economy/real-estate/rentals/share-rental-in-park-like-reliez-valley-students-2008089736.htm Sat, 09 Aug 2008 07:19:17 GMT Make a lifestyle choice to escape the noise and crowds and experience living among the oaks while still close to urban amenities A quiet place to relax after a stressful day at work or to focus on studies In Lafayette on the border of Pleasant Hill, Close to transportation and shopping, 3.4 miles from 680, DVC, Chapman in Pleasant Hill as well as Highway 24 in Lafayette House is older, relaxed family home with a large front and backyard to share which backs up to a creek and woodlands On a walking path to nearby Briones trailhead Rent includes one large 12x15 bedroom, equipped with cable connection for TV and internet, with use of bathroom shared with one (double sinks), dining, storage and laundry in garage All utilities included except you pay 1/3 PGE Share with myself and my daughter(she usually hangs in her room) Available September 1 but will negotiate later Drive by, if interested Please call Sarah and leave message (925) 899-2030 or Reply to this email Sfbay.Craigslist.Org Share Rental in park like Reliez Valley Students Welcome (concord / pleasant hill / martinez) $500 {new window}   Sfbay.Craigslist.Org - Make a lifestyle choice to escape the noise and crowds and experience living among the oaks while still close to urban amenities A quiet place to relax after a stressful day at work or to focus on studies In Lafayette on the border of Pleasant Hill, Close to transportation and shopping, 3.4 miles from 680, DVC, Chapman in Pleasant Hill as well as Highway 24 in Lafayette House is older, relaxed family home with a large front and backyard to share which backs up to a creek and woodlands On a walking path to nearby Briones trailhead Rent includes one large 12x15 bedroom, equipped with cable connection for TV and internet, with use of bathroom shared with one (double sinks), dining, storage and laundry in garage All utilities included except you pay 1/3 PGE Share with myself and my daughter(she usually hangs in her room) Available September 1 but will negotiate later Drive by, if interested Please call Sarah and leave message (925) 899-2030 or Reply to this email
Share Rental in park like Reliez Valley Students Welcome {...}
Published: August 9, 2008, 7:19 am - Indexed: August 9, 2008, 10:05 am - Page Size: 5KB
Category: Regional > North America > United States > California > Metro Areas > San Francisco Bay Area > Business and Economy > Real Estate > Rentals

]]> Regional > North America > United States > California > Metro Areas > San Francisco Bay Area > Business and Economy > Real Estate > Rentals {NORTH AMERICA > LODGING} - Vacancy 7/8 NYT Redwoods Coastal Trail MT TAM Hike Destination (Bkfst+WiFi+HBO+VCR+Stinson Beach 94970) $75 1bd http://articles.world-of-newave.info/regional/north-america/united-states/california/metro-areas/san-francisco-bay-area/travel-and-tourism/lodging/vacancy-7-8-nyt-redwoods-coastal-trail-mt-tam-hike-2008083485.htm http://articles.world-of-newave.info/regional/north-america/united-states/california/metro-areas/san-francisco-bay-area/travel-and-tourism/lodging/vacancy-7-8-nyt-redwoods-coastal-trail-mt-tam-hike-2008083485.htm Fri, 08 Aug 2008 06:17:01 GMT NYTimes Travel Report-7 day Hike-Redwood Coast Trail to MT TAM+Muir Coastal Trail-MT TAM-Muir Woods-BoRidge-Clean Air 7 day NYTimes Hike. See, www.stinson-beach.com for pics, of rooms, take advantage of Specials, $55. for a single, Sun. -Thurs., $250. + 10% Tax, for a single, 5 Days in either the Redwood or White Rooms, at the World at Peace Redwoods Haus-Beach, Bed & Breakfast Inn in Stinson Beach 94970. Complimentary King Sized Breakfast, Condiments+Bread+Salad+Potatoes+Rice+Pasta for Potluck B.B.Q's, Queen Sized Bed, Cable T.V./HBO/VHS/200+Video Library, WiFi/Computer/Phones/Piano Onsite, Public Transportation by way of the Marin Stagecoach, A West Marin Taxi, 415 868-1330, or go green, hike the redwood trails, both So. & No. to Destination, Redwoods Haus. Now read on, the writers account of Trailblazing on the Redwoods Coast Trails, as well as a brief description of The Great Blue Heron/Egret & Snowy Egret Sanctuary, the Audubon Canyon Ranch, Way out West in West Marin.. The New York Times Wednesday, February 6, 2008 Travel Section Explorer/Marin county, Calif. A Wild Ramble, Near the Golden Gate By Gregory Dicum Edited/Abridged/Added to by the SBCCommerce, www.stinson-beach.org, Minister of Info. MARIN COUNTY, just north of San Francisco, cradles wealthy bedroom communities in picturesque bays. But nearly half of the county’s 520 square miles is protected open space — bucolic and wild, its tiny towns separated by forested mountains. The Rambling Trails of Marin County, California It is the kind of landscape, with miles of well-maintained trails, that people travel across the globe to traverse — to Wales, say, or the Cinque Terre. But Marin, particularly its western reaches, offers something for anyone spry enough to walk a mile or two, on any budget. One Friday afternoon last fall, my wife, Nina, and I rode the Golden Gate Transit{www.goldengatetransit.org}to the San Rafael Bus Transit Hub, across the Golden Gate Bridge out of San Francisco with the hordes of commuters. We planned to spend the next three days hiking back to the city. While our route may have been ambitious — covering as many as 20 miles a day — it’s easy to choose shorter routes, or make connections by car or bus if you want to do it in less time. We got off in Olema[by way of the West Marin Stagecoach, www. marin-stagecoach.org, which we transferred to in San Rafael], a crossroads in a long valley formed by the San Andreas fault. We already felt a world away in the eucalyptus-scented darkness before the understated wooden form of the Point Reyes Seashore Lodge, where we had booked a room. In the morning, we headed out into a dazzling fog, climbing east toward the Bolinas Ridge. Ghostly white deer — descendants of fallow deer imported in the last century — looked down on us through dripping stalks of fennel. The air smelled like a cool herbal balm, and our boots grew dark with dew. At the ridge, fog was pouring in from a neighboring valley like heavy cream. Tomales Bay, where the fault reaches the sea, shone in the distance. All about us was mad morning chirping and grass bejeweled in the sun. Heading south along the ridge, we met our first human beings at noon. Bolinas Artist, Peter Lee Brownlee{wayne.browningstreet.net/bio/peterbrownlee" & BoBo Troubador Stu Art Chapman, www.flickr.com/photos/bbraasch/251709196/, were on a northward walk markedly better organized than our own, to a vantage point to paint the Sunset through the trees, a hidden spot on the Ridge, that Peter wished to reduce to canvas. Having rambled & sailed throughout Europe, Western Hemisphere, Asia and Africa, individually, they settled in West Marin, in the Coastal Village of Bolinas, continuing their artistic pursuits, where they popularized their individual art forms, meshing with the local variegate 60's Haight Ashbury Dead Head Counterculture. We chatted for a bit and serenaded by Stu Art, were inspired by his Bo Counter Culture Ballad, " Way out West in West Marin". As we parted, Mr. Brownlee turned and called back in his gruff, New York/South Seas/Bo/Long John Silver Merchant Marine Accent, “ I am 87 years old, by the way!” “So,” Nina said as we watched them proceed jauntily toward Olema, “46 more years of this for us?” Soon, we joined the Coastal Trail, which follows the shoreline at a distance, atop a ridge. In the late afternoon, it broke onto rolling, golden hills and our first view of the Pacific. Hawks and vultures romped in the updrafts, swooping close to the shaggy-maned hills, while paragliders sought to imitate them from a promontory, atop Mt. Tamalpais, up ahead. We were above the Bolinas Lagoon Preserve, part of the Audubon Canyon Ranch[See , Sieze the Day, below] and one of the first places in the county to be protected — a reminder that these hills are not unspoiled by accident. Freeways and subdivisions planned in the 1960s were blocked by local activism. Instead of sprawl on its slopes, West Marin County has salmon in its streams. As the sun lowered, the ocean became a molten blaze punctuated only by the Farallon Islands near the horizon. The surf whispered from Stinson Beach below us, and we turned toward it. The woods soon gave way to streets of bougainvillea and Monterey cypress around ’60s-era beach houses with BMWs and surfboards out front. We were quickly in the center of Stinson Beach: a green, some shops and cars tooling up and down the Shoreline Highway. We made the beach just in time to see the perfect ball of evening fire quench itself across Bolinas Bay off Duxbury Point. The hills we had marked with our footprints seemed improbable pink confections. “It feels like another country,” said Nina, even though we had been on that beach many times before. We stayed that night at the World at Peace Redwood Haus Inn, www.stinson-beach.com, 415 868-9828, 868-1034, a bed-and-breakfast Inn that harked back to West Marins Spanish/Pioneer/Seafaring/60's flower child days. In the welcoming breakfast/potluck dinner room, we listened to the owners’ tales of life in San Francisco(spanning the Eisenhower Beatnik Years, to the Flower Child 60's), nibbled set out appetizers & tea on the buffet table. Then we went upstairs and slept like logs, the surf sighing through our open window. We woke at dawn to murmuring in the dovecote by the longboards and the smell of frying potatoes and eggs. We eagerly, joined in the Buffet Style BreakFeast, set out for all, took our laden plates to the the Biergarten, surrounded by a Rainforest of Succulents, Fruit trees and Redwoods on a patio of bricks and cobblestones in a Buddhist Zen atmosphere. After Breakfast and the camaraderie of international and domestic guests/new friends and discussion covering interesting topics, from Global Warming, Crises of Leadership in the World Politic, Health and the need for Peace in the World, as well as trail tips & directions to, off the beaten path; Red Rock Beach Sulphur Hot Springs; Pacific Plate Wildcat Beach, Bass Lake & Alamarin Falls. We ascended the staircase to our room, with nostalgic VCR Tapes from the 200+ Video Library & the Wi-Fi Passcode for our laptops. Noontime, Mourning Doves, in the branches of trees, that paralleled our windows, chortled, "Surfs up". We slipped into provided wet suits & boogie boards & set out to challenge the waves of the Pacific breaking on the white sands of Stinson Beach. Afterwards, showered away dried salt and sand, used the Haus Computer Fax & Copier, scanned RH Proprietor Handwritten Maps of the Bo Palomarin Trailhead & Red Rock Beach Goat Trail. Made calls to the Times, most cell phones don't get service on the Coast, luckily for guests, there is a provided Long Distance Land Line at the Redwoods Haus. Saying Goodbye to our New Friends and Family, we shouldered our packs and headed off into the fog along the Dipsea Trail. We ascended through fantastical, gnarled woods into open, misty heath. Quails, rabbits and an elegant buck — in the mist all the same carob color as the trail—granted us room to pass into a dense redwood forest. As we climbed, sunbeams pierced the brume to pick out pools of water in bowls of polished rock and carpets of glistening, emerald ferns. Big trees lay over the narrow ravine, their backs covered in moss. As we rambled higher still, blue sky tinted the fog and, suddenly, we were in warm sun on the golden flanks of Mount Tamalpais. The Sacred Miwok Mount is beloved in the Bay Area, and as we approached the Pantoll Ranger Station, the headquarters of Mount Tamalpais State Park, the trails became crowded. Hikers, bikers, campers, walkers, runners and others swarmed the routes to the mountain’s peak. But a friendly ranger directed us to a trail, Troop 80, that even on a sunny Sunday, was quiet and lovely. Even better, when we emerged at the Mountain Home Inn, we were able to get a table for lunch on the deck right away. We sat overlooking Mill Valley, and beyond it the bustling Bay Area, while Mount Tam’s green mass loomed behind us. . “This beats sitting on a rock with a PowerBar,” observed Nina, sipping a tall glass of iced tea mixed with lemonade. Truth be told, anything tastes good after a few miles on the trail, West Marin is an area, that is home to many artisanal food enterprises, such as Tomales Bay Croat Founded, Tonys Seafood, Vladimir's of Inverness, Rancho Nicasio, Bolinas Coast Cafe, Stinson Parkside & Sandollar. Still, with full bellies we were glad to be heading downhill. Now that we were more than 30 miles from Olema, people we met found our ramble enchanting: many who know these trails well had not considered linking them together, and surprisingly few take multiday walks there. A trail as steep as a ski slope deposited us into the Muir Woods National Monument. A grove of truly gigantic redwoods, Muir Woods, declared a national monument by President Theodore Roosevelt 100 years ago, has long been a popular tourist excursion from San Francisco. The trails at its heart are paved, and visitors are separated from the monstrous trunks by split-rail fences. Children with tall ice cream cones gathered around a friendly, dapper ranger who explained the circumstances behind the latest fallen tree (nobody was around, he told them, so it didn’t make a sound). We soon found ourselves walking past tour buses in the parking lot. But a few more steps and we were alone again, hiking through meadows and scented alders along a river. Evening fog gathered in the last mile, restoring the air’s coastal quality. Then we smelled wood smoke, and came out in front of the Tudor confection of that day’s destination: the Pelican Inn. We walked right into a cheerful scene of dark wood beams, roaring fires, darts, and fish and chips. As guests at the inn, we repaired to the snug private drawing room off the pub with a couple of pints and, sloughing off our boots, propped our feet by the fire to toast the 15 miles we had walked that day. Part of West Marin’s appeal is its diversity of enclaves. Shortly after leaving the Pelican Inn the next morning, we were walking through fields of organic greens at Green Gulch, a Zen retreat and organic farm. Wool-clad Zen students nodded to us as we passed them at work cutting chard. Visitors looking for the deeply contemplative experience of dawn zazen and Japanese tea ceremonies can stay there, but we had just begun our day and were soon climbing out of the valley. On the ridge, we turned and looked back. Below us, Muir Beach sat fast like a pleasant Hobbitown. Beyond it, the Pacific was glowering slightly, and low, ominous streaks of rain splattered the sky. A drizzle set in, and by midday we came to a fog-shrouded eucalyptus copse where two paths diverged. One led down to Sausalito and the ferry home. “Come on, let’s go,” said Nina. So we took the other path, rambling on along the ridge down to the Golden Gate Bridge, into the city and right to our doorstep . FIRST STEPS OF MANY GETTING THERE Marin is an easy drive from San Francisco. Bus service is also available from Golden Gate Transit (415-455-2000; www.goldengate.org) and Marin Transit (415-499-6099; www.marintransit.org); the latter’s West Marin Stagecoach (415-526-3239) serves the small towns of West Marin. Call 511, for up to date, changes in scheduling, of local bus routes. WHATS NEXT in Stinson Beach The Strip, Commercial sector bordering Hwy. #1, beginning with the World at Peace Redwoods Haus, including the Sandollar and Stinson Beach Grill Restaurants, as well as the Stinson Beach Market and Meristem Florists, Many Villages Pacific Rim Indigenous Talismans & Emporia-White Light Sage & Seer, Osheno. Further on, the Cycle Race Pack loses its cohesiveness as it passes the Stinson Beach Fitness Center, Donnies Surfboard/Kayak Rental & the Video Odyssey, [the three have excellent provided seating & vantage points for photo pics]. WHERE TO STAY There are many options, but they all fill up fast, so make reservations. In Olema, the Olema Inn (10000 Sir Francis Drake Boulevard; 415-663-9559; www.theolemainn.com; rooms start at $185) and the Point Reyes Seashore Lodge (10021 Coastal Highway 1; 415-663-9000; www.pointreyesseashorelodge.com; starting at $135) are both central and comfortable. Stinson Beach has many vacation rentals, but few nightly options. One is the World at Peace Redwood Haus Inn, #1 Belvedere and Redwoods Highway #1; 415-868-1034; www.stinson-beach.com; the five rooms start at $55. for a single person on weekdays, $440. for a weekstay in either the Redwood or White Room, includes Texan/German Style King Sized Breakfast, WiFi/Computer/L.D.Phone on Site, VCR/VCR Library, HBO/Cable T.V., Biergarten, B.B.Q. Facilities, Boogie Boards/Wet Suits). Bus Service, is direct by the West Marin StageCoach, bicycle friendly, just tell the driver, "The Redwoods Haus", he will drop you off right in front, Coast Hwy. #1 and #1 Belvedere. In Muir Beach, the Pelican Inn (10 Pacific Way; 415-383-6000; www.pelicaninn.com) has rooms from $190, while at the very different Green Gulch Farm Zen Center (1601 Shoreline Highway; 415-383-3134; www.sfzc.org/ggf) doubles start at $145 with three meals a day. You can always, take part in the functions at the Green Gulch Zen Center, commute, from the coed lodging of the World at Peace Redwoods Haus. Stinson Beach Chamber of Commerce, www.stinson-beach.org, 415 868-1330. Up to date, rental listings, list of B&Bs, hotels and motels in the SW Marin Area-Bolinas, Stinson & Muir Beach. MAPS We found the “Rambler’s Guide to the Trails of Mt. Tamalpais, Muir Woods and the Marin Headlands” (Olmstead & Bros.; 510-658-6534; $8) indispensable, even though most trails are well marked. It is a detailed trail map that not only is printed on waterproof material, but also includes a reassuring guarantee from the publisher, Gerald Olmstead: “If you’re lost out in the woods somewhere, please note that my phone number is on the map. Just call me up.” Farther north, we used the “Point Reyes National Seashore and West Marin Parklands” map from Wilderness Press (800-443-7227; www.wildernesspress.com; $9.95). Wilderness also publishes the helpful “North Bay Trails,” by David Weintraub ($16.95). The Proprietors of the World at Peace Redwoods Haus (circa 1910), provide up to date info., on: trail accessibility; out of the way places; day/night concerts at restaurants/community centers; hidden beaches/lakes/streams/waterfalls/hot springs in West Marin. Also Provided, hard to find services in West Marin: WiFi/Computers w FAX, Scanner & Copier/Long Distance Free Calling Onsite; VCRS w 200+VCR Library; Breakfast-Dinner Potlucks-BBQ; BBQ [we show you how]Tomales Bay Oysters; Boogie Boards & Wetsuits; 2nd & 3rd story view decks & rooms, w views of Stinson Beach Village/MTTAM/Bolinas/Pacific Views & Decks ORGANIZED TRIPS Wine Country Trekking (888-287-8735; www.winecountrytrekking.com) offers a variety of supported rambles through West Marin that also include things like kayaking excursions and wine tastings. The Sierra Club runs numerous outings through West Marin as well, some with features like meditation, birding, painting and nature study (415-977-5522; www.sierraclub.org/outings). The World at Peace Redwoods Haus, www.stinson-beach.com, 415 868-1034 or 868-9828, supplies up to date info. on Hikes & Foot races hosted by local internationally recognized Enviro Sports, www.envirosports.com, & other recognized local hiking/foot race event organizers. There are spontaneous hikes, volleyball games, cookouts, campfires that occur at the RWH daily and nightly, amongst the guests inspired by the freedom of opportunity, freshness of the sea breeze mixed with the Scent of the surrounding Redwoods Forest & blossoming Rain Forest of the RWH. There are also, birding expeditions, both organized & spontaneous by those interested in the Audobon Canyon Ranch Activities or their own individual forays to the Bo Lagoon, to catch glimpses of the Blue Herons, Pelicans, Egrets & migrating Aquatic Fowl that visit the Lagoon. Not to mention, Tule Elk, Elephant Seal & Whale Watching, maps/directions via the RWH. Wading in Duxbury Reef, Red Rock Hot Springs, Bass Lake, Esteros of Sir Francis Drake Bay…Discover the Paradise of the Coast of Marin, www.stinson-beach.com, 415 868-9828 or 868-1034.. The Places to Explore We offer information on all of the local natural viewing locations of interest where you can see Whales, Seal and Elephant Seal colonies, Egrets, Herons, Pelicans, and the Tule Elk. Visit the Sulphur Hot Springs at Red Rock Beach , 4-5 days a month during negative tide periods of the Full Moon, the Ocean rolls back, giving 2 hrs., to enjoy the 110 degree heated Seawater, in a open pool of rock, by the edge of the Ocean. Walk into the tide pools of Duxbury Reef during minus tide, study close up the indigenous sea life of the Reef: Sea Anemones; Clams; Mussels; Starfish;Crabs;Coral; and the reef fishes in small pools of water. On Visitors Days of the Week, walk down the 300 steps leading to the Point Reyes Lighthouse, on the Point Reyes Peninsula, see the interior and the antique beacon light of French Manufacture, dating back over a 100 yrs. Kayak with Point Reyes Outdoors www.pointreyesoutdoors.com, 415 663-8192 Sea Kayaking Tours & Classes Guided Nature Hikes Mesa Road in Bolinas: Visit the Point Reyes Bird Observatory and take part in banding expeditions of migratory birds as well as study statistics of their numbers and sightings; Hike to Bass Lake on the Panoramic Trail head, from the parking lot at the end of Mesa Road ; See Agate Beach, where all the rocks are green agate. Hike the many trails that abound in the Golden Gate Recreation Area, Mt. Tamalpais and Tomales State Parks , as well as the Point Reyes National Seashore: Matt Davis-Steep Ravine-Dipsea-Lake Lagunitas-Kent & Nicasio Lakes. Gather Mussels in Season, for ethnic & old fashioned soups/stews. Dance at Smiley's Schooner Saloon & dance/dine at Rancho Nicasio, Sat. Nights to live music. Eat at your pick of 3 art bedecked and fine food dining establishments here in Stinson & two in Bolinas. Rent/Ride Horseback at Five Brooks Stable, Horse Rental, Open Year Round in Olema. 415 663-1570, Fax 415 663-8766, www.fivebrooks.com Workout Regimen, Beach Accessories, Kayaks, Surfboards: At the Stinson Beach Health Club, open daily, 7a.m.-9p.m.,415 868-8801, 3605 Shoreline Hwy.#1 , full range gym, offers weight sets, stationary bikes, Pilates studio, w views of Easkoot Creek in a Polynesian Village Natural Setting Ambiance. Stinson Beach Surf and Kayak Co., same location, Rent and Sell Beach Accessories, Full Range of Kayaks & Client friendly surfboards, Donny 415 868-8801, cell 415 257-1831. Los Banos Surf & Adventure Camp- Coach Dave Lich, certified lifeguard, 415 847-2221 or 415 380-8900, www.stinsonbeachsurfcamp.com, Surf School Classes beginning 6/11, all ages welcome. Free shuttle from Mill Valley. "Bringing the beach to the kids of Marin & Fellow Travelers." BoBo Bikes located in Bolinas, 6 Wharf Rd., 415 450-0621, Bike & Surfboard Impresario Sports Czar Terrence, Proprietor. High Tech State of the Art Bikes, Surboards, Skates from the Czar of Sports Gear. Every detail of hardware can be found as well as Terrence's Extensive Knowledge of what sports gear, is right for you. Bring your equipment in for troubleshooting & maximal gain for high performance on the roadway or surf. Visit/Shop: Claudia Chaplines Art Gallery, Annies Bookstore for Hiking/Biking Maps/Postcards, SurfGear/Beach Wear, Live Water Surf Shop. Many Villages, 2264 Hwy. #1, where you can select from a vast emporium of indigenous jewelry, buddhist artifacts, sacred totems, folk art of Bali, Handmade Oracles Mystical Talismans from the Island Jungles of Thailand and the floating Villages of Indochina. Astute World Expert/Time Traveler of White Light, Oshen, 415 868-1419. Experience: The Museum of Miwok Native American Artifacts at Slide Ranch; Nicasios Russian Orthodox Church, dating back to the Russian Colonial Period at Fort Ross; Smileys Schooner Saloon, an English Pub imported in 1850, oldest functioning alcohol establishment in California; Bodega Schoolhouse made famous in Alfred Hithcocks, "The Birds"; Muir Woods Trail, the setting for Hitchcocks "VERTIGO", where Jimmy Stewart followed Kim Novak into Muir Woods,on the Matt Davis Trailhead, beginning at Belvedere in Stinson(Right up from the Redwoods, #1 Belvedere]; Skywalker Ranch, East of Nicasio, creative brainchild of George Lucas; Peak of Sacred Mount Tamalpais-from which the viewer can experience 360 degree panorama views, of the Greater S.F. Bay Area & the City, Mt. Diablo, the Farollone Islands of the Pacific Ocean. These and many more view spots as well as Treasures of Wild West Architecture in West Marin Towns, will be addressed, directions will be given & an itinerary for all points of interest in Marin, Sonoma and the S.F. Greater Bay Area. Public Transportation: For all points in the SF Bay Area, Use the Transit Planner site, www.511.org From San Francisco , take #70 or #80 Golden Gate Transit, to Marin City Transfer to West Marin Stage Coach, website for schedule is: www.marintransit.org, call for info., M-F, 8 a.m.-5 a.m., 415 526-3239 Important Phone No.s Stinson Beach Lifeguard Tower-415 868-0942 Stinson Beach Visitor Center- 415 388-2596 Driving Directions to Stinson Beach From Highway 101 Exit Highway 1/Stinson Beach (there will be a sign for Muir Woods/ Mt. Tamalpais at this exit) Drive about .5 miles. At the stoplight, turn left. You now have two options, both about the same distance, both on winding steep roads. Shoreline Hwy. 1 takes you along the Pacific Ocean, through Muir Beach, to Stinson Beach. Panoramic Highway take you up and over Mt Tamalpais, w breathtaking panorama views of the City, East Bay, Sonoma County, to within one block of the Redwood Haus in Stinson Beach. To get to Panoramic from Hwy. 101, Drive 3 miles on Shoreline Hwy. #1. At the top of the hill, turn right onto the Panoramic Highway. From Panoramic access, Muir Woods/Mount Tamalpais and Stinson Beach. Or Continue straight on Shoreline Highway #1 about 12 miles to Stinson Beach. When traveling South to North on Hwy.#1, upon entering Stinson Beach, Make a right at the Firehouse, onto Belvedere, a u turn and park alongside fence, at #1 Belvedere and Hwy. #1, the Redwoods Haus, On Street Parking. Olema intersection and Sir Francis Drake Blvd.-16 miles South to Stinson Beach. Point Reyes Station. So. to Stinson Beach-18 miles So. to Stinson Beach. Barbeque in the Bier-garten: Bring your own fish/chicken/duck/lamb/meat cuts/zucchini/corn/beverages and b.b.q. coals for barbeque, we provide potatoes, rice, onions, bread, condiments & b.b.q. coals or mesquite. Oysters for Redwoods barbeque[Redwoods Chef gives instructions on preparation] must be obtained beforehand at: the Tomales Bay Oyster Farm, located on Shoreline Hwy. #1, 4 miles No. of Point Reyes Station; the Hog Island Oyster Co. in Marshall; the Johnsons Oyster Farm on the Point Reyes Peninsula. Gesucht: Deutscher Schreiner oder Zimmermann fuer Renovierungs- und Reparaturarbeiten fuer Redwood Haus fuer flexible Zeit. Keine Arbeitserlaubnis noetig. Kommen Sie zu uns an die traumhafte Pazifikkueste. Sagen Sie dies all Ihren Freunden. Siehe unsere Internetseite: www.stinson-beach.de Kontakt: 415 868-1330 info@stinson-beach.com Please check our websites for our pricing and service, www.stinson-beach.com, in German, www.stinson-beach.de, 415 868-9828 or 868-1034. You will soon be convinced that we indeed have the BEST & most EQUITABLE lodging service in the entire SF Bay Area! Seize the Day Bird Lovers flock to Stinson's Audobon Canyon Ranch The Audobon Canyon Ranch, founded in 1962, one of the largest nesting sites on the West Coast, offers sanctuary & a birds-eye-view of the graceful ballet-of ritual courtship, nest-building, egg-turning, chick-rearing & first flight of the Great Blue Herons, Great & Snowy Egrets in Picher Canyon. Males gather sticks for nest building, then females arrange them just so, in the closest coastal redwoods to a 24-hour food supply in Bolinas Lagoon. Eight miles of redwoods, Douglas Fir & Bay, coastal scrub & chaparral, grassland, pond, stream & marsh trails cover 1K ares. Spring wildflowers display in dense greenery. At the Redwoods Haus, located 2 miles from the Ranch, receive trail maps & a itinerary for the folks & kids, of the many other offerings afforded visitors & birdwatchers of this Pearl of the Coast. Sfbay.Craigslist.Org Vacancy 7/8 NYT Redwoods Coastal Trail MT TAM Hike Destination (Bkfst+WiFi+HBO+VCR+Stinson Beach 94970) $75 1bd {new window}   Sfbay.Craigslist.Org - NYTimes Travel Report-7 day Hike-Redwood Coast Trail to MT TAM+Muir Coastal Trail-MT TAM-Muir Woods-BoRidge-Clean Air 7 day NYTimes Hike. See, www.stinson-beach.com for pics, of rooms, take advantage of Specials, $55. for a single, Sun. -Thurs., $250. + 10% Tax, for a single, 5 Days in either the Redwood or White Rooms, at the World at Peace Redwoods Haus-Beach, Bed & Breakfast Inn in Stinson Beach 94970. Complimentary King Sized Breakfast, Condiments+Bread+Salad+Potatoes+Rice+Pasta for Potluck B.B.Q's, Queen Sized Bed, Cable T.V./HBO/VHS/200+Video Library, WiFi/Computer/Phones/Piano Onsite, Public Transportation by way of the Marin Stagecoach, A West Marin Taxi, 415 868-1330, or go green, hike the redwood trails, both So. & No. to Destination, Redwoods Haus. Now read on, the writers account of Trailblazing on the Redwoods Coast Trails, as well as a brief description of The Great Blue Heron/Egret & Snowy Egret Sanctuary, the Audubon Canyon Ranch, Way out West in West Marin.. The New York Times Wednesday, February 6, 2008 Travel Section Explorer/Marin county, Calif. A Wild Ramble, Near the Golden Gate By Gregory Dicum Edited/Abridged/Added to by the SBCCommerce, www.stinson-beach.org, Minister of Info. MARIN COUNTY, just north of San Francisco, cradles wealthy bedroom communities in picturesque bays. But nearly half of the county’s 520 square miles is protected open space — bucolic and wild, its tiny towns separated by forested mountains. The Rambling Trails of Marin County, California It is the kind of landscape, with miles of well-maintained trails, that people travel across the globe to traverse — to Wales, say, or the Cinque Terre. But Marin, particularly its western reaches, offers something for anyone spry enough to walk a mile or two, on any budget. One Friday afternoon last fall, my wife, Nina, and I rode the Golden Gate Transit{www.goldengatetransit.org}to the San Rafael Bus Transit Hub, across the Golden Gate Bridge out of San Francisco with the hordes of commuters. We planned to spend the next three days hiking back to the city. While our route may have been ambitious — covering as many as 20 miles a day — it’s easy to choose shorter routes, or make connections by car or bus if you want to do it in less time. We got off in Olema[by way of the West Marin Stagecoach, www. marin-stagecoach.org, which we transferred to in San Rafael], a crossroads in a long valley formed by the San Andreas fault. We already felt a world away in the eucalyptus-scented darkness before the understated wooden form of the Point Reyes Seashore Lodge, where we had booked a room. In the morning, we headed out into a dazzling fog, climbing east toward the Bolinas Ridge. Ghostly white deer — descendants of fallow deer imported in the last century — looked down on us through dripping stalks of fennel. The air smelled like a cool herbal balm, and our boots grew dark with dew. At the ridge, fog was pouring in from a neighboring valley like heavy cream. Tomales Bay, where the fault reaches the sea, shone in the distance. All about us was mad morning chirping and grass bejeweled in the sun. Heading south along the ridge, we met our first human beings at noon. Bolinas Artist, Peter Lee Brownlee{wayne.browningstreet.net/bio/peterbrownlee" & BoBo Troubador Stu Art Chapman, www.flickr.com/photos/bbraasch/251709196/, were on a northward walk markedly better organized than our own, to a vantage point to paint the Sunset through the trees, a hidden spot on the Ridge, that Peter wished to reduce to canvas. Having rambled & sailed throughout Europe, Western Hemisphere, Asia and Africa, individually, they settled in West Marin, in the Coastal Village of Bolinas, continuing their artistic pursuits, where they popularized their individual art forms, meshing with the local variegate 60's Haight Ashbury Dead Head Counterculture. We chatted for a bit and serenaded by Stu Art, were inspired by his Bo Counter Culture Ballad, " Way out West in West Marin". As we parted, Mr. Brownlee turned and called back in his gruff, New York/South Seas/Bo/Long John Silver Merchant Marine Accent, “ I am 87 years old, by the way!” “So,” Nina said as we watched them proceed jauntily toward Olema, “46 more years of this for us?” Soon, we joined the Coastal Trail, which follows the shoreline at a distance, atop a ridge. In the late afternoon, it broke onto rolling, golden hills and our first view of the Pacific. Hawks and vultures romped in the updrafts, swooping close to the shaggy-maned hills, while paragliders sought to imitate them from a promontory, atop Mt. Tamalpais, up ahead. We were above the Bolinas Lagoon Preserve, part of the Audubon Canyon Ranch[See , Sieze the Day, below] and one of the first places in the county to be protected — a reminder that these hills are not unspoiled by accident. Freeways and subdivisions planned in the 1960s were blocked by local activism. Instead of sprawl on its slopes, West Marin County has salmon in its streams. As the sun lowered, the ocean became a molten blaze punctuated only by the Farallon Islands near the horizon. The surf whispered from Stinson Beach below us, and we turned toward it. The woods soon gave way to streets of bougainvillea and Monterey cypress around ’60s-era beach houses with BMWs and surfboards out front. We were quickly in the center of Stinson Beach: a green, some shops and cars tooling up and down the Shoreline Highway. We made the beach just in time to see the perfect ball of evening fire quench itself across Bolinas Bay off Duxbury Point. The hills we had marked with our footprints seemed improbable pink confections. “It feels like another country,” said Nina, even though we had been on that beach many times before. We stayed that night at the World at Peace Redwood Haus Inn, www.stinson-beach.com, 415 868-9828, 868-1034, a bed-and-breakfast Inn that harked back to West Marins Spanish/Pioneer/Seafaring/60's flower child days. In the welcoming breakfast/potluck dinner room, we listened to the owners’ tales of life in San Francisco(spanning the Eisenhower Beatnik Years, to the Flower Child 60's), nibbled set out appetizers & tea on the buffet table. Then we went upstairs and slept like logs, the surf sighing through our open window. We woke at dawn to murmuring in the dovecote by the longboards and the smell of frying potatoes and eggs. We eagerly, joined in the Buffet Style BreakFeast, set out for all, took our laden plates to the the Biergarten, surrounded by a Rainforest of Succulents, Fruit trees and Redwoods on a patio of bricks and cobblestones in a Buddhist Zen atmosphere. After Breakfast and the camaraderie of international and domestic guests/new friends and discussion covering interesting topics, from Global Warming, Crises of Leadership in the World Politic, Health and the need for Peace in the World, as well as trail tips & directions to, off the beaten path; Red Rock Beach Sulphur Hot Springs; Pacific Plate Wildcat Beach, Bass Lake & Alamarin Falls. We ascended the staircase to our room, with nostalgic VCR Tapes from the 200+ Video Library & the Wi-Fi Passcode for our laptops. Noontime, Mourning Doves, in the branches of trees, that paralleled our windows, chortled, "Surfs up". We slipped into provided wet suits & boogie boards & set out to challenge the waves of the Pacific breaking on the white sands of Stinson Beach. Afterwards, showered away dried salt and sand, used the Haus Computer Fax & Copier, scanned RH Proprietor Handwritten Maps of the Bo Palomarin Trailhead & Red Rock Beach Goat Trail. Made calls to the Times, most cell phones don't get service on the Coast, luckily for guests, there is a provided Long Distance Land Line at the Redwoods Haus. Saying Goodbye to our New Friends and Family, we shouldered our packs and headed off into the fog along the Dipsea Trail. We ascended through fantastical, gnarled woods into open, misty heath. Quails, rabbits and an elegant buck — in the mist all the same carob color as the trail—granted us room to pass into a dense redwood forest. As we climbed, sunbeams pierced the brume to pick out pools of water in bowls of polished rock and carpets of glistening, emerald ferns. Big trees lay over the narrow ravine, their backs covered in moss. As we rambled higher still, blue sky tinted the fog and, suddenly, we were in warm sun on the golden flanks of Mount Tamalpais. The Sacred Miwok Mount is beloved in the Bay Area, and as we approached the Pantoll Ranger Station, the headquarters of Mount Tamalpais State Park, the trails became crowded. Hikers, bikers, campers, walkers, runners and others swarmed the routes to the mountain’s peak. But a friendly ranger directed us to a trail, Troop 80, that even on a sunny Sunday, was quiet and lovely. Even better, when we emerged at the Mountain Home Inn, we were able to get a table for lunch on the deck right away. We sat overlooking Mill Valley, and beyond it the bustling Bay Area, while Mount Tam’s green mass loomed behind us. . “This beats sitting on a rock with a PowerBar,” observed Nina, sipping a tall glass of iced tea mixed with lemonade. Truth be told, anything tastes good after a few miles on the trail, West Marin is an area, that is home to many artisanal food enterprises, such as Tomales Bay Croat Founded, Tonys Seafood, Vladimir's of Inverness, Rancho Nicasio, Bolinas Coast Cafe, Stinson Parkside & Sandollar. Still, with full bellies we were glad to be heading downhill. Now that we were more than 30 miles from Olema, people we met found our ramble enchanting: many who know these trails well had not considered linking them together, and surprisingly few take multiday walks there. A trail as steep as a ski slope deposited us into the Muir Woods National Monument. A grove of truly gigantic redwoods, Muir Woods, declared a national monument by President Theodore Roosevelt 100 years ago, has long been a popular tourist excursion from San Francisco. The trails at its heart are paved, and visitors are separated from the monstrous trunks by split-rail fences. Children with tall ice cream cones gathered around a friendly, dapper ranger who explained the circumstances behind the latest fallen tree (nobody was around, he told them, so it didn’t make a sound). We soon found ourselves walking past tour buses in the parking lot. But a few more steps and we were alone again, hiking through meadows and scented alders along a river. Evening fog gathered in the last mile, restoring the air’s coastal quality. Then we smelled wood smoke, and came out in front of the Tudor confection of that day’s destination: the Pelican Inn. We walked right into a cheerful scene of dark wood beams, roaring fires, darts, and fish and chips. As guests at the inn, we repaired to the snug private drawing room off the pub with a couple of pints and, sloughing off our boots, propped our feet by the fire to toast the 15 miles we had walked that day. Part of West Marin’s appeal is its diversity of enclaves. Shortly after leaving the Pelican Inn the next morning, we were walking through fields of organic greens at Green Gulch, a Zen retreat and organic farm. Wool-clad Zen students nodded to us as we passed them at work cutting chard. Visitors looking for the deeply contemplative experience of dawn zazen and Japanese tea ceremonies can stay there, but we had just begun our day and were soon climbing out of the valley. On the ridge, we turned and looked back. Below us, Muir Beach sat fast like a pleasant Hobbitown. Beyond it, the Pacific was glowering slightly, and low, ominous streaks of rain splattered the sky. A drizzle set in, and by midday we came to a fog-shrouded eucalyptus copse where two paths diverged. One led down to Sausalito and the ferry home. “Come on, let’s go,” said Nina. So we took the other path, rambling on along the ridge down to the Golden Gate Bridge, into the city and right to our doorstep . FIRST STEPS OF MANY GETTING THERE Marin is an easy drive from San Francisco. Bus service is also available from Golden Gate Transit (415-455-2000; www.goldengate.org) and Marin Transit (415-499-6099; www.marintransit.org); the latter’s West Marin Stagecoach (415-526-3239) serves the small towns of West Marin. Call 511, for up to date, changes in scheduling, of local bus routes. WHATS NEXT in Stinson Beach The Strip, Commercial sector bordering Hwy. #1, beginning with the World at Peace Redwoods Haus, including the Sandollar and Stinson Beach Grill Restaurants, as well as the Stinson Beach Market and Meristem Florists, Many Villages Pacific Rim Indigenous Talismans & Emporia-White Light Sage & Seer, Osheno. Further on, the Cycle Race Pack loses its cohesiveness as it passes the Stinson Beach Fitness Center, Donnies Surfboard/Kayak Rental & the Video Odyssey, [the three have excellent provided seating & vantage points for photo pics]. WHERE TO STAY There are many options, but they all fill up fast, so make reservations. In Olema, the Olema Inn (10000 Sir Francis Drake Boulevard; 415-663-9559; www.theolemainn.com; rooms start at $185) and the Point Reyes Seashore Lodge (10021 Coastal Highway 1; 415-663-9000; www.pointreyesseashorelodge.com; starting at $135) are both central and comfortable. Stinson Beach has many vacation rentals, but few nightly options. One is the World at Peace Redwood Haus Inn, #1 Belvedere and Redwoods Highway #1; 415-868-1034; www.stinson-beach.com; the five rooms start at $55. for a single person on weekdays, $440. for a weekstay in either the Redwood or White Room, includes Texan/German Style King Sized Breakfast, WiFi/Computer/L.D.Phone on Site, VCR/VCR Library, HBO/Cable T.V., Biergarten, B.B.Q. Facilities, Boogie Boards/Wet Suits). Bus Service, is direct by the West Marin StageCoach, bicycle friendly, just tell the driver, "The Redwoods Haus", he will drop you off right in front, Coast Hwy. #1 and #1 Belvedere. In Muir Beach, the Pelican Inn (10 Pacific Way; 415-383-6000; www.pelicaninn.com) has rooms from $190, while at the very different Green Gulch Farm Zen Center (1601 Shoreline Highway; 415-383-3134; www.sfzc.org/ggf) doubles start at $145 with three meals a day. You can always, take part in the functions at the Green Gulch Zen Center, commute, from the coed lodging of the World at Peace Redwoods Haus. Stinson Beach Chamber of Commerce, www.stinson-beach.org, 415 868-1330. Up to date, rental listings, list of B&Bs, hotels and motels in the SW Marin Area-Bolinas, Stinson & Muir Beach. MAPS We found the “Rambler’s Guide to the Trails of Mt. Tamalpais, Muir Woods and the Marin Headlands” (Olmstead & Bros.; 510-658-6534; $8) indispensable, even though most trails are well marked. It is a detailed trail map that not only is printed on waterproof material, but also includes a reassuring guarantee from the publisher, Gerald Olmstead: “If you’re lost out in the woods somewhere, please note that my phone number is on the map. Just call me up.” Farther north, we used the “Point Reyes National Seashore and West Marin Parklands” map from Wilderness Press (800-443-7227; www.wildernesspress.com; $9.95). Wilderness also publishes the helpful “North Bay Trails,” by David Weintraub ($16.95). The Proprietors of the World at Peace Redwoods Haus (circa 1910), provide up to date info., on: trail accessibility; out of the way places; day/night concerts at restaurants/community centers; hidden beaches/lakes/streams/waterfalls/hot springs in West Marin. Also Provided, hard to find services in West Marin: WiFi/Computers w FAX, Scanner & Copier/Long Distance Free Calling Onsite; VCRS w 200+VCR Library; Breakfast-Dinner Potlucks-BBQ; BBQ [we show you how]Tomales Bay Oysters; Boogie Boards & Wetsuits; 2nd & 3rd story view decks & rooms, w views of Stinson Beach Village/MTTAM/Bolinas/Pacific Views & Decks ORGANIZED TRIPS Wine Country Trekking (888-287-8735; www.winecountrytrekking.com) offers a variety of supported rambles through West Marin that also include things like kayaking excursions and wine tastings. The Sierra Club runs numerous outings through West Marin as well, some with features like meditation, birding, painting and nature study (415-977-5522; www.sierraclub.org/outings). The World at Peace Redwoods Haus, www.stinson-beach.com, 415 868-1034 or 868-9828, supplies up to date info. on Hikes & Foot races hosted by local internationally recognized Enviro Sports, www.envirosports.com, & other recognized local hiking/foot race event organizers. There are spontaneous hikes, volleyball games, cookouts, campfires that occur at the RWH daily and nightly, amongst the guests inspired by the freedom of opportunity, freshness of the sea breeze mixed with the Scent of the surrounding Redwoods Forest & blossoming Rain Forest of the RWH. There are also, birding expeditions, both organized & spontaneous by those interested in the Audobon Canyon Ranch Activities or their own individual forays to the Bo Lagoon, to catch glimpses of the Blue Herons, Pelicans, Egrets & migrating Aquatic Fowl that visit the Lagoon. Not to mention, Tule Elk, Elephant Seal & Whale Watching, maps/directions via the RWH. Wading in Duxbury Reef, Red Rock Hot Springs, Bass Lake, Esteros of Sir Francis Drake Bay…Discover the Paradise of the Coast of Marin, www.stinson-beach.com, 415 868-9828 or 868-1034.. The Places to Explore We offer information on all of the local natural viewing locations of interest where you can see Whales, Seal and Elephant Seal colonies, Egrets, Herons, Pelicans, and the Tule Elk. Visit the Sulphur Hot Springs at Red Rock Beach , 4-5 days a month during negative tide periods of the Full Moon, the Ocean rolls back, giving 2 hrs., to enjoy the 110 degree heated Seawater, in a open pool of rock, by the edge of the Ocean. Walk into the tide pools of Duxbury Reef during minus tide, study close up the indigenous sea life of the Reef: Sea Anemones; Clams; Mussels; Starfish;Crabs;Coral; and the reef fishes in small pools of water. On Visitors Days of the Week, walk down the 300 steps leading to the Point Reyes Lighthouse, on the Point Reyes Peninsula, see the interior and the antique beacon light of French Manufacture, dating back over a 100 yrs. Kayak with Point Reyes Outdoors www.pointreyesoutdoors.com, 415 663-8192 Sea Kayaking Tours & Classes Guided Nature Hikes Mesa Road in Bolinas: Visit the Point Reyes Bird Observatory and take part in banding expeditions of migratory birds as well as study statistics of their numbers and sightings; Hike to Bass Lake on the Panoramic Trail head, from the parking lot at the end of Mesa Road ; See Agate Beach, where all the rocks are green agate. Hike the many trails that abound in the Golden Gate Recreation Area, Mt. Tamalpais and Tomales State Parks , as well as the Point Reyes National Seashore: Matt Davis-Steep Ravine-Dipsea-Lake Lagunitas-Kent & Nicasio Lakes. Gather Mussels in Season, for ethnic & old fashioned soups/stews. Dance at Smiley's Schooner Saloon & dance/dine at Rancho Nicasio, Sat. Nights to live music. Eat at your pick of 3 art bedecked and fine food dining establishments here in Stinson & two in Bolinas. Rent/Ride Horseback at Five Brooks Stable, Horse Rental, Open Year Round in Olema. 415 663-1570, Fax 415 663-8766, www.fivebrooks.com Workout Regimen, Beach Accessories, Kayaks, Surfboards: At the Stinson Beach Health Club, open daily, 7a.m.-9p.m.,415 868-8801, 3605 Shoreline Hwy.#1 , full range gym, offers weight sets, stationary bikes, Pilates studio, w views of Easkoot Creek in a Polynesian Village Natural Setting Ambiance. Stinson Beach Surf and Kayak Co., same location, Rent and Sell Beach Accessories, Full Range of Kayaks & Client friendly surfboards, Donny 415 868-8801, cell 415 257-1831. Los Banos Surf & Adventure Camp- Coach Dave Lich, certified lifeguard, 415 847-2221 or 415 380-8900, www.stinsonbeachsurfcamp.com, Surf School Classes beginning 6/11, all ages welcome. Free shuttle from Mill Valley. "Bringing the beach to the kids of Marin & Fellow Travelers." BoBo Bikes located in Bolinas, 6 Wharf Rd., 415 450-0621, Bike & Surfboard Impresario Sports Czar Terrence, Proprietor. High Tech State of the Art Bikes, Surboards, Skates from the Czar of Sports Gear. Every detail of hardware can be found as well as Terrence's Extensive Knowledge of what sports gear, is right for you. Bring your equipment in for troubleshooting & maximal gain for high performance on the roadway or surf. Visit/Shop: Claudia Chaplines Art Gallery, Annies Bookstore for Hiking/Biking Maps/Postcards, SurfGear/Beach Wear, Live Water Surf Shop. Many Villages, 2264 Hwy. #1, where you can select from a vast emporium of indigenous jewelry, buddhist artifacts, sacred totems, folk art of Bali, Handmade Oracles Mystical Talismans from the Island Jungles of Thailand and the floating Villages of Indochina. Astute World Expert/Time Traveler of White Light, Oshen, 415 868-1419. Experience: The Museum of Miwok Native American Artifacts at Slide Ranch; Nicasios Russian Orthodox Church, dating back to the Russian Colonial Period at Fort Ross; Smileys Schooner Saloon, an English Pub imported in 1850, oldest functioning alcohol establishment in California; Bodega Schoolhouse made famous in Alfred Hithcocks, "The Birds"; Muir Woods Trail, the setting for Hitchcocks "VERTIGO", where Jimmy Stewart followed Kim Novak into Muir Woods,on the Matt Davis Trailhead, beginning at Belvedere in Stinson(Right up from the Redwoods, #1 Belvedere]; Skywalker Ranch, East of Nicasio, creative brainchild of George Lucas; Peak of Sacred Mount Tamalpais-from which the viewer can experience 360 degree panorama views, of the Greater S.F. Bay Area & the City, Mt. Diablo, the Farollone Islands of the Pacific Ocean. These and many more view spots as well as Treasures of Wild West Architecture in West Marin Towns, will be addressed, directions will be given & an itinerary for all points of interest in Marin, Sonoma and the S.F. Greater Bay Area. Public Transportation: For all points in the SF Bay Area, Use the Transit Planner site, www.511.org From San Francisco , take #70 or #80 Golden Gate Transit, to Marin City Transfer to West Marin Stage Coach, website for schedule is: www.marintransit.org, call for info., M-F, 8 a.m.-5 a.m., 415 526-3239 Important Phone No.s Stinson Beach Lifeguard Tower-415 868-0942 Stinson Beach Visitor Center- 415 388-2596 Driving Directions to Stinson Beach From Highway 101 Exit Highway 1/Stinson Beach (there will be a sign for Muir Woods/ Mt. Tamalpais at this exit) Drive about .5 miles. At the stoplight, turn left. You now have two options, both about the same distance, both on winding steep roads. Shoreline Hwy. 1 takes you along the Pacific Ocean, through Muir Beach, to Stinson Beach. Panoramic Highway take you up and over Mt Tamalpais, w breathtaking panorama views of the City, East Bay, Sonoma County, to within one block of the Redwood Haus in Stinson Beach. To get to Panoramic from Hwy. 101, Drive 3 miles on Shoreline Hwy. #1. At the top of the hill, turn right onto the Panoramic Highway. From Panoramic access, Muir Woods/Mount Tamalpais and Stinson Beach. Or Continue straight on Shoreline Highway #1 about 12 miles to Stinson Beach. When traveling South to North on Hwy.#1, upon entering Stinson Beach, Make a right at the Firehouse, onto Belvedere, a u turn and park alongside fence, at #1 Belvedere and Hwy. #1, the Redwoods Haus, On Street Parking. Olema intersection and Sir Francis Drake Blvd.-16 miles South to Stinson Beach. Point Reyes Station. So. to Stinson Beach-18 miles So. to Stinson Beach. Barbeque in the Bier-garten: Bring your own fish/chicken/duck/lamb/meat cuts/zucchini/corn/beverages and b.b.q. coals for barbeque, we provide potatoes, rice, onions, bread, condiments & b.b.q. coals or mesquite. Oysters for Redwoods barbeque[Redwoods Chef gives instructions on preparation] must be obtained beforehand at: the Tomales Bay Oyster Farm, located on Shoreline Hwy. #1, 4 miles No. of Point Reyes Station; the Hog Island Oyster Co. in Marshall; the Johnsons Oyster Farm on the Point Reyes Peninsula. Gesucht: Deutscher Schreiner oder Zimmermann fuer Renovierungs- und Reparaturarbeiten fuer Redwood Haus fuer flexible Zeit. Keine Arbeitserlaubnis noetig. Kommen Sie zu uns an die traumhafte Pazifikkueste. Sagen Sie dies all Ihren Freunden. Siehe unsere Internetseite: www.stinson-beach.de Kontakt: 415 868-1330 info@stinson-beach.com Please check our websites for our pricing and service, www.stinson-beach.com, in German, www.stinson-beach.de, 415 868-9828 or 868-1034. You will soon be convinced that we indeed have the BEST & most EQUITABLE lodging service in the entire SF Bay Area! Seize the Day Bird Lovers flock to Stinson's Audobon Canyon Ranch The Audobon Canyon Ranch, founded in 1962, one of the largest nesting sites on the West Coast, offers sanctuary & a birds-eye-view of the graceful ballet-of ritual courtship, nest-building, egg-turning, chick-rearing & first flight of the Great Blue Herons, Great & Snowy Egrets in Picher Canyon. Males gather sticks for nest building, then females arrange them just so, in the closest coastal redwoods to a 24-hour food supply in Bolinas Lagoon. Eight miles of redwoods, Douglas Fir & Bay, coastal scrub & chaparral, grassland, pond, stream & marsh trails cover 1K ares. Spring wildflowers display in dense greenery. At the Redwoods Haus, located 2 miles from the Ranch, receive trail maps & a itinerary for the folks & kids, of the many other offerings afforded visitors & birdwatchers of this Pearl of the Coast.
Vacancy 7/8 NYT Redwoods Coastal Trail MT TAM Hike Destination {...}
Published: August 8, 2008, 6:17 am - Indexed: August 8, 2008, 11:41 am - Page Size: 30KB
Category: Regional > North America > United States > California > Metro Areas > San Francisco Bay Area > Travel and Tourism > Lodging

]]> Regional > North America > United States > California > Metro Areas > San Francisco Bay Area > Travel and Tourism > Lodging {NORTH AMERICA > REAL ESTATE} - 260 Bolinas Road (fairfax) $625000 http://articles.world-of-newave.info/regional/north-america/united-states/california/metro-areas/san-francisco-bay-area/business-and-economy/real-estate/260-bolinas-road-fairfax-625000-20080757230.htm http://articles.world-of-newave.info/regional/north-america/united-states/california/metro-areas/san-francisco-bay-area/business-and-economy/real-estate/260-bolinas-road-fairfax-625000-20080757230.htm Wed, 30 Jul 2008 22:45:03 GMT Come see this tranquil charming 2 bedroom/2 bathroom home near downtown Fairfax. Serene views of the hills and one block away from downtown. This home has new pergo style floors throughout the living/dining room area, many windows including two clear story windows, large kitchen with tile floors, bedroom and beautiful bathroom on main floor. Downstairs is large bedroom