With over thirty years of trail hiking under my (steadily more prodigious) belt, you can imagine that I’ve experienced a number of close encounters of the critter kind. Given the time and daylight, I will often stop to study those that will stay relatively still long enough for a close examination, whether they be newts on a mating mission, ants on a raid, or a Phoebe on a fencepost.

The hills and dales and trails of the California wine country surely do boast a wide variety of native animal species. And while I’ve seen a lot of the more common ones (or let them crawl upon me), there’s one species of fauna that can be exciting to see, even when most times I’d rather not see it. Or wish that you would.

Because the astrological charts have determined that we today enter the sign of Leo, I thought it a good time to take a tip from Nature and share a few personal stories about lions.

The mountain lion that roams the forests, mountains, and deserts of California is not indigenous merely to California, but actually ranges across the U.S. and from southwestern Canada through Mexico all the way into Argentina. Puma concolor is called a variety of names, including puma, panther, jaguar, and even jaguarondi (a short-legged variety), but here in California we often opt to call this big cat a cougar or, simply, mountain lion.

Solitary, nocturnal, and therefore seldom seen, cougars can grow to be pretty big, as much as five feet long or more, tip to tail. The cougar tracks I spied one day on a trail last Spring in the Livermore hills suggested a full-grown adult; the pawprints were at least three inches wide. I had earlier seen another adult lion in those same hills, thankfully from the comfort of my speeding truck. This lion had been hunkering just off the roadside and staring intently downslope at potential prey, tail switching, while my buddy Adam and I rolled by. Even at 35 miles per hour, our view of this great cat had been unmistakable.

About six years ago, on a red-letter July 4th day, I had been vacationing at our rural family property near Clear Lake and preparing for an afternoon picnic with friends on the shores of the Lake about two miles away. My property existed in a fairly populated area, yet while I was walking my cooler out to the truck, I chanced to sight down my easement across the road toward an open creekside hill.

Sure enough, there was a cat. Not a full-grown one, mind you - its coat was still mottled black and tan, and it wasn’t quite twice the size of a housecat. It was therefore surely an adolescent. But that long, low-slung crouch, that arrogant, slinking way of walking, and that black bulb on the tail - a clear giveaway - coupled with the realization that there was nothing more than 75 yards of air between me and that - that lion! - suggested I pack the cooler quickly but keep both eyes fastened. Fortunately the cat vanished, slowly, uphill and into the tall grass, away from my side of civilization. My friends and I, though intrigued by the cat’s presence, chose not to follow it, instead keeping our plans at the Lake where the sighting later of a Bald Eagle on the wing really made our Independence Day.

The best view I ever had of a cougar, though, was early in my experience and late in the school year, on a hike in the local Saratoga hills. Though I hadn’t yet considered hiking as a lifelong pastime, I had experienced a handful of backpacking trips to the high country, and I had quickly become hooked on being outdoors. So here I was, exploring a trail to Goat Rock off Skyline Boulevard with a high school friend, just for the view.

I was a kid of 17, and not a very tall kid. Yet. In retrospect, I am glad I had not been hiking alone! My buddy Phil and I had been walking and talking, not paying much attention to anything but our own banter, when we trudged up a low knoll to suddenly freeze in our tracks. There, not more than 20 feet away over the knoll, was an adult mountain lion!

I’ll never forget the steady gaze with which our eyes locked onto each other, the black-tipped ears, the pure rippling sinew heaving beneath that beautiful pelt, the fraction of an instant in which that memory seared into my brain forever.

Fortunately for Phil and me, we were, together, bigger than the cougar and, fear being more attributable to most fauna than it is to us silly humans, the cougar immediately turned tail and vanished down the far side of the hill. Phil and I, blinking briefly at each other, chose to follow the cat, but by the time we gained the hill, the cat had disappeared into the trees far below.

Even now, when thinking about that moment, my heart still skips a beat. At the time, I truly did not yet know how to react in the face of a lion attack. If I had been alone - small as I was - I might have become kitty food that day.

They say things come in threes. I don’t know if that’s worth believing, or even if predictions based on star patterns can have an impact on our lives. But I do think that, with the frequency of my wanderings, I’ll see another mountain lion again, somewhere out there, someday. And if I do, and you’re with me, then take heart, my friend, for we’re both a lot taller now.

~winehiker

[Editor’s note: Since I wrote this post, I interviewed the proprietors of Clif Bar Family Winery, Kit Crawford and Gary Erickson. See my follow-up post of April, 2008 titled Chewing the fat with Gary Erickson and Kit Crawford of Clif Bar Family Winery, which includes reviews of four Clif Bar wines.]

When I’m out on a hike, I tend to reach for a Clif Bar when I sense the need for a little energy. These snacks are packed with carbohydrates, protein, and fiber to increase blood sugar levels and boost energy, but unlike other brands of snack bars in the active lifestyle market, Clif Bars seem to me to blend just the right amount of taste, texture, and moistness. At least they don’t cause me to drink large volumes of water just to get them down my throat.

I even have my favorite Clif Bars, which are the Carrot Cake and Blueberry Crisp; I buy them by the case when I’m shopping at REI or Trader Joe’s.

This morning I learned that the folks who make Clif Bars, Gary Erickson & Kit Crawford, practice sustainable and organic farming methods that transcend through all aspects of life on the Farm. They run all of their vehicles on biodiesel and grow 100% organic fruits and vegetables, and they’re really into the slow food movement.

I didn’t know those things! But it makes me glad I buy Clif Bars. And now I have a reason to buy Clif Bar wines.

Yep, Gary and Kit have joined forces with winemaker and triathlete Sarah Gott to produce a selection of handcrafted Napa Valley and North Coast wines, under the guidance of sustainable methodology. So far, Clif Bar Family Wines has produced just four bottlings:

The Climber, 2004 North Coast Red Wine
Kit’s killer cab, 2003 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon
Gary’s Improv, 2003 Napa Valley Meritage
Syrah, 2004 Napa Valley

Here are notes from the website’s store about The Climber:

The lots for this wine were sourced throughout the North Coast. We searched for wines of exceptional varietal flavor and intensity and found hidden treasures in Mendocino County, Russian River Valley and Napa Valley. The Climber is ruby red in color with bright aromas of strawberry, raspberry jam, nutmeg and hints of cedar. The wine is soft and balanced on the palate with a delicate raspberry candy finish.

Blend:
59% Zinfandel
20% Syrah
9% Cabernet Sauvignon
6% Merlot
6% Petite Sirah

Bottle prices range from $15 to $35; the wines can be purchased at the Clif Bar Family Wines website.

Thanks to Gadling for the news. 

~winehiker

There’s almost nothing I like better than a good hike and wine tasting with friends. Except for when I’m doing both above 8000 feet.

Tomorrow morning four of us will be tooling up Highway 88 into the Sierra Nevada mountains for two days of camping and hiking bliss in an area south of Lake Tahoe that the locals affectionately call The California Alps. In July, under sun-kissed, wind-washed skies, and with little groundsnow remaining, we’ll amble through high-mountain wildflowers to a summit of the tallest peak in the Mokelumne Wilderness (Round Top, at 10,381 feet), then return to camp where I’ll place a Dutch oven on the coals that’ll have us eating marinated skirt steak stuffed with basil, red bell, onion, and gorgonzola. Oh yes!

That stuffed skirt steak will go well with a Bordeaux-style wine from Ridge Winery. And that lovely wine will go really well with all that fresh ozone-charged air. And all of it will go really well with four happy hikers. I can’t wait to see their faces when, after a bit of huffing and puffing, they reach the top of ol’ Round Top and take in that 200-mile view.

~winehiker

From this morning’s Bay Area Living section of InsideBayArea.com comes an article from Mary Babbitt, host of NBC-TV’s syndicated Sunday evening show, In Wine Country. Mary’s column today discusses outdoor alternatives to the decadence that is often associated with wine country travel. In essence, when you visit the wine country, you don’t have to escape a regular diet and exercise routine. In fact, your desire for a healthy lifestyle can mesh quite well with your wine country plans. After all, there’s a lot of beautiful country surrounding all that wonderful wine.

Writes Mary:

We recently joined California Wine Hikes for a hike along the Zinfandel Trail at Picchetti Winery in the Santa Cruz Mountains. The hike is one of several offered by the company, which is led by local naturalist and wine lover, Russ Beebe. The hikes vary in difficulty but they have a common theme of camaraderie and exercise. Our hike was an easy four-miler that wound us through sunny chaparral and cool woodlands. The hike ended with a delicious picnic lunch and fabulous Picchetti zinfandel, which, as Russ says, helps wash down the trail dust.

Indeed, winehiking with Mary and her film crew was a delight. It sounds like the crew enjoyed a fun day, too, which is naturally what a wine and hiking experience here in the California wine country is all about. It’s good clean joyous fun, a healthy decadence that’s there to be experienced in so many California locales. And I can take you there.

I’ve written about my experience with Mary and the In Wine Country crew - including how the TV shoot came about - in these previous posts:

The “Five S’s” of wine tasting
It feels like Spring for this Winehiker
You’ll know it’s true when you see it on TV
In winehiking country: the NBC-TV interview

I’m looking forward to this coming Fall, when NBC airs the segment that Mary describes above. We’ll all get to see how that day at Picchetti Winery turned out, and when I learn more, I’ll be sure to let you know when it’s going to be live on your TV. You’ll also be able to view it here on Winehiker Witiculture.

~winehiker

There she stands
Once again before us
Her velvet slopes
Glowing golden in the twilight.

Rapt allure
Once again before us
It’s in our hearts
To revel at her summit.

City lights
Once again beneath us
We’ve conquered her
And it is we who glow golden.

Rapture stirs
Once again inside us
We choose to go
Where we know we can go, always.

We don’t move the mountain
But once again
The mountain surely moves us.

~winehiker

Last Saturday found me and my tour guests communing with ancient redwoods at Armstrong Redwoods State Reserve, just outside of the tiny Sonoma County hamlet of Guerneville along the fabled Russian River. I love my redwoods, and this is the time of year I tend to find myself walking among them, admiring their stately, jaw-dropping, cathedral-like presence.

For that matter, I would walk through redwoods any time of year but for the fact that there are so many other fine trails in the wine country to let my boots roam across. It’s just that when Old Sol turns up the summer heat, the cool and shady redwood forests of the California coast tend to be a bastion of refuge for me when other parts of California are quietly beginning to bake themselves brown.

Imagine how it might have been 140 years ago, though, when this forest had been reduced to being called Stumptown. If it hadn’t been for the efforts of the Armstrong family (for whom the Reserve is named) plus later citizens groups and the Park Service, there might not have been any old-growth redwoods for me and my guests to marvel at today. We therefore have countless people to thank for the continued presence of this living gift, people who are long gone but whose silent presence we feel strongly as we stand among these gargantuan, 2000-year-old monarchs.

Picnicking among the redwoods at Armstrong Reserve is a special thing, too. There’s a certain hush imparted by this forest floor, thickly carpeted with the leaf-fall of yesteryear; its absorption of sound seems to subdue conversation.

Photo courtesy of Sage Gunderson. 

And yet the spirit of our group is present, and we dine happily beneath our cool canopy before returning upstream along the banks of the Russian to taste the spirit of locally-grown grapes. Our destination is Gary Farrell Vineyards, which is perched high on a knoll, the broad windows of its tasting room affording us a grand view of the Valley below.

The wines we taste at Gary Farrell are supremely delicious, and there is not one that we don’t like among their lineup. We’ve walked in dreaming of chards and zins and pinots, and we are not disappointed. The staff at Gary Farrell is not disappointed, either, as we leave them laden heavily with fine liquid booty.

We’re happy that we came to the Russian River Valley today.

~winehiker

The morning was bright and beautiful as I drove into the Cupertino hills. I’d planned to arrive at my destination an hour before the NBC crew, having wanted to scout the Zinfandel Trail adjacent to Picchetti Winery for camera-worthy items such as flowering and seeding plants, edible herbs, photogenic critters and the mid-Spring but drought-affected presence of flowing streams.

Before we convened for our film shoot along the trail, I especially wanted to see if this Spring’s plant growth would obscure our view of Picchetti’s old vine zinfandel vineyard, way off the trail and up the hill. But after a few minutes’ walking, I spied its vineyard greenery, albeit sparse, from my position about 120 yards or so downslope.

Satisfied, I retraced my steps toward the winery. Walking through Picchetti’s picnic area, I chanced to find a rather pristine peacock feather, a secondary inadvertently shed by one of Picchetti’s many stunning - and very vocal - resident peacocks. The feather was 13″ long and very striking in its elongated semiovoid shape and pure rust color. As I paused to insert it into my hatband, I looked up to see a panel van with Mary Babbitt and her crew assembling nearby. I donned my newly-feathered old Aussie hat and, walking toward them, shouted a hearty “Hello, NBC crew!”

The day had arrived for my In Wine Country TV interview.

It was good to meet Mary, and I felt her energy immediately - the very same vitality I’d noted when watching her Sunday evening show. While I chatted with Mary and her crew, a few friends showed up to join us, and the camera guys, Mark and Jeff, outfitted me with a wireless microphone. After a little SPF 45 greasepaint, we were ready to hit the trail.

Or so I thought! As we ambled toward the trailhead, it became suddenly clear to me that I would be doing an up-close-and-personal on-camera interview right away. Now folks, I talk about my wine and hiking business all the time, and I’m quite comfortable with doing that, but I gotta tell ya: when there’s a big camera inches from your face, everything you know about yourself can suddenly transmogrify into mountainous blathering idiocy. And while I can’t say that I was extraordinarily nervous, I must admit that my sphincter was a little puckered. Just a little.

Well, all in a day’s work. Mary had prepared some questions, I answered them in my own fashion. We laughed, we cried, we laughed some more, and then, finally! - we hit the trail, where I belong.

It was interesting, this particular hike. You’re going to see it on TV someday, and you’re going to think that it’s all quite seamless, this future hiking and wine-tasting segment. But that will be due solely to the expertise of the production team. Indeed, I found it amazing just how different a winehike can be when there’s a camera crew involved. True, there were a lot of stops and starts as the crew would set up for their next shots. There were times when I would spy something noteworthy along the trail and we’d stop to set up a shot. Then we’d start again, only to stop for a new angle. Birds flitting, streams gurgling, feet walking. I’d be in mid-sentence, extolling the virtues of mugwort and bay leaves and hillside sage when I’d be interrupted for a new camera angle or a repeat of what I’d just said. Maybe you can imagine how hard that can be - uttering pure winehiking perspicacity, only to face the daunting task of remembering what you’ve just said. Simply put, it took over three hours to shoot film covering a mile and a quarter of trail.

But the crew, and Mary Babbitt? True professionals, very human, and at the top of their game.

I had expected as much. I accepted the rhythm, as did all of us - crew and friends alike - and we still managed to enjoy the experience of hiking, food, and wine on a sunny Spring day in this fine wine country preserve.

I can’t wait to see it on TV. When the episode airs in the November/December timeframe, it will comprise a three-to-four-minute segment of Mary’s weekly half-hour show. Goodness knows, I’ll be thankful for good film editors. Gosh, can you imagine the expertise required to reduce over three hours of tape to 3 minutes of broadcast? Believe me, that’s one of the reasons I watch In Wine Country, and why they’ve won the prestigious awards they have. They’re that good.

I’ll be sure to alert you to the episode when I learn the actual Autumn air date from Mary Orlin, the show’s executive producer. Meanwhile, you should know that whether you catch the broadcast or not, you will find my In Wine Country segment in the form of an iTunes file right here on Winehiker Witiculture.*

See how it all got started.

~winehiker

*If you wish to be alerted when this show airs and when the iTunes file is available, your best bet is to subscribe to this blog. Fortunately, that’s extremely easy to do! Here’s how.

It’s becoming increasingly true: we as a global society are thinking about our collective impact on the earth. Our impact on the trail systems of the U.S. is no less important. But aren’t you glad we have a trail system?

And so the American Hiking Society, which is based in Silver Spring, Maryland, advises each of us to get outside on Saturday, June 2nd, and observe the environmental benefits that our hiking trails offer us.

Here’s their press release:

Going green with National Trails Day
Nationwide event promotes the environmental benefits of trails

Silver Spring, MD – American Hiking Society encourages everyone to go green by getting outside on June 2 for National Trails Day®, the largest annual single-day trails and outdoor celebration in the country.

More and more Americans are paying attention to environmental issues – hybrid vehicles are common sights on roads everywhere, eco-friendly products and services are gaining in popularity, and phrases like “carbon footprint” and “global warming” are heard at dinner tables and in schools across the country – but not everyone is aware of how great trails are for the environment.  Take part in one of the many National Trails Day events and learn about how trails contribute to a healthier planet, including these top 5 environmental benefits of trails:

1.   Trails protect habitat for plants and wildlife. By protecting the surrounding land, trails keep plant and animal habitats safe and intact.  Trails and greenways can also provide important connectors between large open spaces.
 
2.   Trails protect the land from urban sprawl. Trails not only conserve land for plants and animals; they protect it from development.  By protecting land around urban areas, trails help limit sprawl and provide corridors for recreational use and environmental preservation.

3.   Trails improve local air quality. Trees found along trails are important filters and oxygen producers.  They act as carbon sinks by removing greenhouse gasses from the air and can help slow climate change.   Traveling along a trail avoids automobile use and lessens harmful emissions in the air.

4.   Trails improve water quality. Illegal waste disposal, acid rain, and run-off pollute America’s waterways.  Trees along trails filter soil and rainwater before it reaches waterways.  Trees also help prevent erosion.  By protecting surrounding lands, trails also protect the streams, rivers, or lakes around them.
 
5.   Trails instill a conservation ethic. By connecting with nature through trails, hiking helps motivate people to preserve and protect our natural heritage.  Hikers and other recreationists often become dedicated trail volunteers and passionate voices for conservation.

Start living a greener lifestyle by attending a National Trails Day event.  Visit AmericanHiking.org to find an event near you and to learn more about the great benefits of trails.

###
 
About American Hiking Society
Founded in 1976, American Hiking Society is the only national, recreation-based nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting and protecting America’s hiking trails, the surrounding natural areas, and the hiking experience itself.  To learn more about American Hiking Society and its programs, including National Trails Day®, please visit AmericanHiking.org or call (301) 565-6704.
 
National Trails Day® 2007 is made possible by the generous support of our Lead Sponsor – Nature Valley; Partners – Merrell, REI and Thorlo; Friends – Adventure Medical Kits, Cortaid, Eastern Mountain Sports, Royal Robbins; Media Sponsors – Backpacker magazine and American Park Network; and Federal Agency Partners – Bureau of Land Management, Federal Highway Administration, National Park Service, USDA Forest Service, and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

The American Hiking Society is also sponsoring a National Trails Day Photo Contest and offering merchandise to commemorate the event. You can even search for an event in your area. In fact, there are quite a few California events planned.

Now go get your fine self outside! Indeed, don’t wait until June 2nd to slather on that sunscreen.

~winehiker

Post-hike picnicking at Picchetti is a winehiker fave.

I’m taking the day off and putting my boots on. I’m going to don my hat, shoulder my trusty Camelbak, and walk the Zinfandel Trail with none other than Mary Babbitt of NBC-TV’s In Wine Country. I don’t believe I’ve ever shared a day with anyone who’s won an Emmy before.

I didn’t expect to be able to sleep last night. So I climbed Mission Peak instead! And yet this morning I’m still feeling pretty wired. So, I believe I’ll get to the trailhead early, scout around a bit, and get a few of those relaxing little endorphins running around inside my bod.

About mid-morning, Mary and her film crew and I will walk the trail, nosh a picnic lunch together, then taste a few Italian-style wines at Picchetti Ranch. I expect to ask Mary’s executive producer, Mary Orlin, when today’s shoot will air, and how I might post an MP3 here on Winehiker Witiculture. Stay tuned!

~winehiker

For the serious outdoor gearhead, there’s always a place to shop online for that all-important gear fix. When you simply have to have that one thing, a number of websites will cater to you and even send you a daily email with a link to the latest and greatest gear.

Many of us have heard of steepandcheap.com, which offers “one killer gear deal, one item at a time until it’s gone” right on their home page. Similarly, there’s outdoordaily.com, where I got a kick out of today’s deal: a mahogany cocktail case with an adjustable shoulder strap and service for two. The case contains an impressive list of items, including martini glasses, but I didn’t see any Water Wings to help the inebriated picnicker swim home.

Then there’s Moosejaw Lowdown, which offers a new deal everyday at 11:00 EST.

Of course, one can only have so much gear. What do you do with the stuff you no longer want or need? Why, you donate it to outfits such as Gear4Good.org, whose policy of reuse gives useful items new life and keeps them out of the waste stream (i.e., our clogged landfills).

Gear: Good for everyone, good for the planet.

~winehiker