#comptche

[vincemontague]

Wild wood fire at Flynn Creek Pottery! Thank you @nickschwartzceramics and all my wood fired friends. . . . . . #anagama #flynncreekpottery #woodfiredceramics #woodfiredart #ceramiccommunity #artistcommunity #comptche https://www.instagram.com/p/BsEIUPvAPUJ/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=17imbj7zj8xg8

[disneygalgayle]

Did you know that today is #NationalDayOfListening? Vincent Van Gogh once said “ It is not the language of painters but the language of nature which one should listen to, the feeling for the things themselves, for reality is more important than the feeling for pictures.” Sometimes in these chaotic times, it’s more important than ever to take the time to teach children about how to listen to the quiet sounds that nature can bring One of the most important gifts you can give a child is to teach them how to just back and take in nature. To look at the birds, listen to their singing, go hiking, and walking along the beach, playing games and yes, even sometimes being alone with the great outdoors. When you're outside, and everything is highland, it's like nature has its own sound - it’s the sound of the continuity of life, that life that has been here long before us and the life that will be here long after we are gone. Where is your favorite place to listen to nature ? #nature #naturelover #mendocino #mendocinocounty #norcalmoms #travel . . . . . #norcalmomstravel #family #multigenerationaltravel #redwoods #igersnature #comptche #hiking #walking #listening #naturesounds #knowyourworld #unitedjourney #tripadvisor #tripadvisorambassador (at Comptche, California) https://www.instagram.com/p/Bqh5nTzAW39/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=prn7c6lkmoys

[jackiebarry]

[selidor]

I Brake for Sunbeams, by pixelmama

[reynoldsrap4949]

5/8/19 Coastal fog yesterday. Dave and I drove the Comptche Ukiah Rd to Montgomery Woods, an Isolated, old growth redwood forest. 3 mile hike. Only saw two others in the woods. A magical place! Then Past Orr Springs, a clothing optional hot springs, to 101 north of Ukiah. Springtime flowers abloom, green hills in their splendor. Not a drive for the faint of heart. It should be driven at least once every Spring.

[kaiserbladz]

Comptche Ukiah Rd

Mendocino County, California

[joeinct]

Comptche, Photo by Alvin Lieberman, 1971

[dallasmbrownb]

Tiny House Earth Day Sale

We retired our Mendocino Tiny House Plans at the end of last year with the plan of launching new plans in 2019 – but sadly, we are behind schedule.

To celebrate Earth Day and to partially make up for being so late with out new tiny house plans, we’re making the Full Set of Mendocino Series Tiny House Plans available for one week starting today!

For $49 you get all 18 tiny house plans. These plans are easy to understand and follow – like illustrated assembly instructions.

BUY NOW

Each plan includes:

A printable PDF copy of the plans.

The original SketchUp file, so you can customize the design.

A materials checklist in .XLS (Excel) format.

Below are all 18 designs included in this bundle.

Philo 12

The Philo is a classic tiny house on wheels design. It has a simple 10/12 roof, 82 square feet, a sleeping loft, a bathroom, kitchen, and small living space. It’s total length is 12-feet, the expected weight is 5,400 lbs.

Manchester 14

The Manchester is a classic tiny house on wheels design. It has a simple 10/12 roof, two skylights, 96 square feet, a sleeping loft, a bathroom, kitchen, and simple living space. It’s total length is 14-feet, the expected weight is 6,300 lbs.

Anchor Bay 16

The Anchor Bay is a tiny house on wheels that features a large sloped wall/roof with transparent skylights that serve as windows. It has 110 square feet, a sleeping loft, bathroom, kitchen, and open living space. It’s total length is 16-feet, the expected weight is 7,200 lbs.

Albion 16

The Albion is a classic tiny house on wheels design. It has a cross gable 10/12 roof, 110 square feet, a sleeping loft, a bathroom, kitchen, and small living space. It’s total length is 16-feet, the expected weight is 7,200 lbs.

Cleone 16

The Cleone is a tiny house on wheels with french doors on one side. It has a 10/12 gable roof, two skylights, 110 square feet, a sleeping loft, a bathroom, kitchen, and bay window off the living space. It’s total length is 16-feet, the expected weight is 7,200 lbs.

Calpella 18

The Calpella is a classic tiny house on wheels with a front porch. It has a 10/12 gable roof, four skylights, 110 square feet, a sleeping loft, a bathroom, kitchen, and bay window off the living space. It’s total length is 16-feet but it’s bilt on an 18-foot trailer for the porch. The expected weight is 8,100 lbs.

Navarro 20

The Navarro is a tiny house on wheels with a 3/12 shed roof. This style of roof provides more space in the loft. It has 140 square feet, a sleeping loft, a bathroom, kitchen, large windows and french doors off the living space. It’s total length is 20-feet and the expected weight is 9,000 lbs.

Caspar 20

The Caspar is a classic tiny house on wheels with a half porch. It has 140 square feet, a sleeping loft, front alcove, a bathroom, and kitchen. The main living space is one large room with the mathroom at the far end. It’s total length is 20-feet and the expected weight is 9,000 lbs.

Covelo 20

The Covelo is a tiny house on wheels with a gambrel roof. It has 140 square feet, a front room that’s separate from the kitchen and back room. The bathroom is off the kitchen in the center of the house. The loft is above the kitchen and bath and open to the back room. It’s total length is 20-feet and the expected weight is 9,000 lbs.

Talmage 20

The Talmage is a tiny house on wheels with a 10/12 gable roof and two shed dormers that provide more headroom in the loft. It has 140 square feet, a front room and back room that are open to a cental kitchen. The bathroom is off the kitchen in the center of the house. The loft is above the kitchen and bath and accessed from the back room. Its total length is 20-feet and the expected weight is 9,000 lbs.

Boonville 24

The Boonville is a tiny house on wheels with a 10/12 hip roof and deep front porch. It has 169 square feet, a large open main living space that includes a kitchen. The bathroom is at the far end of the house. The loft is above the kitchen and bath and accessed from the front of the house. Its total length is 24-feet and the expected weight is 10,800 lbs.

Leggett 24

The Leggett is a tiny house on wheels with a 3/12 shed roof and french doors on the side. It has 169 square feet, a separate bedroom on the lower level separated from the main living space by the kitchen and bathroom. An additional sleeping loft is above the kitchen and bath and accessed from the main living room. Its total length is 24-feet and the expected weight is 10,800 lbs.

Comptche 24

The Comptche is a tiny house on wheels with a 3/12 shed roof and two sets of french doors on the side. It has 169 square feet, two separate rooms on each end of the house separated by a kitchen and bathroom. An additional sleeping loft is above the kitchen and bath and accessed from the main living room. Its total length is 24-feet and the expected weight is 10,800 lbs.

Potter Valley 24

The Potter Valley is a tiny house on wheels with a 3/12 shed roof and a clerestory on one side. The front door is on the side on the house under a small porch. It has 169 square feet, one large main room with a kitchen and bathroom on the far end of the house. A sleeping loft is above the kitchen and accessed from the main living room. Its total length is 24-feet and the expected weight is 10,800 lbs.

Laytonville 24

The Laytonville is a tiny house on wheels with two opposing 3/12 shed roofs and a clerestory. The front french doors are on the left side of the house under. It has 169 square feet, a main room with a kitchen and a bedroom on the other end of the house. A bathroom separated the bedroom and main living room. The house has no sleepling loft, but instead a row of clerestory windows that run the full length of the home. Its total length is 24-feet and the expected weight is 10,800 lbs.

Little River 24

The Little River is a classic tiny house on wheels with an inset front door. It has 169 square feet, a main room with a kitchen and a bedroom on the far end of the house. A bathroom is across from the kitchen. Above the kitchen and bath is a loft. Its total length is 24-feet and the expected weight is 10,800 lbs.

Redwood Valley 24

The Redwood Valley is a tiny house on wheels with a gambrel roof. It has 169 square feet, a main room with a kitchen and a full bathroom on the far end of the house that includes a full 5-foot bathtub. Above the kitchen and bath are two lofts. One is accessed from the main living room and the other from a trap door space above the hall in front of the bathroom. Its total length is 24-feet and the expected weight is 10,800 lbs.

Westport 28

The Westport is a tiny house on wheels with a 10/12 cross gable roof. It has 198 square feet, a main room in the front of the house and large back room accessed through the kitchen of via french doors to the side. The bathroom and kitchen are in the center of the house. Above the kitchen and bath is the sleeping loft accessed via the back room. Its total length is 28-feet and the expected weight is 12,600 lbs.

BUY NOW

from RSSMix.com Mix ID 8247361 https://tinyhousedesign.com/tiny-house-earth-day-sale/ via http://www.rssmix.com/

[ambfurniture]

805675 17 stories comptche rustic brown finish wood and black metal finish spiral stair case shaped shelf . Measures 20' x 20' x 68.75' H. Some assembly required.

[ograzorgrown13]

It was 1984, I was supposed to be on a trip to NYC, but I was in a village above where the Khānabād River & Kunduz River meet, in Kunduz province, with a couple of Laman Bajara truck drivers & an Australian mercenary... the Soviets had the area pretty hemmed up, but the drivers knew a crossing run by northern Pashtun resistance fighters who also traded in high grade Hashish... the trucks were part of a network run by an expat afghani warlord who lived in Goa, India, & I was earning my way staying out of sight in the back ready to shoot any border guards with an old webley revolver & an Egyptian Hakim rifle that was older & more beat up than the truck I was protecting... I met a man the Pashtun laughingly referred to as the ‘old man in the mountain’ (پہاڑ پر آدمی) who I shared Hashish & bread with & who bestowed upon me a sack of seeds from the last year’s harvest of cannabis that I sealed away with other seeds I had gathered & did not open until I arrived in Goa... I had tried different types of cloth around each sack to differentiate them... the drivers had come to refer to me as ‘Khanabadosh’ because of my collection of sacks of seeds I quietly coveted in my secret stash spot under the ammo boxes... I have been inbreeding 26 different genetics up until now since then... this is one of my favorites... I have only given out these seeds here & there over the years, in places like Kona, Comptche Ridge, SpyRock, Alder Point, Myer’s Flat, North San Juan... I’m sure it has made its way into other genetics, that just how the genetics that got smuggled around do their thing, but this inbred line has always brought me such pride & pleasure, also I was told Tajiks & Soviets destroyed the area before the Soviet withdrawal from Afghanistan... I’m sure someone up there, maybe some old man on a mountain like the one I broke bread with, still had a stash of these seeds & still grows it & makes that amazing Hashish... what a gift they have given me, what a gift I have tried to pass on... ❤️🔥💚 https://www.instagram.com/p/CK9m4nTBy59/?igshid=1vuym5lc5dfc9

[vincemontague]

Firing. #ceramics #pottery #woodfiredceramics #anagama #norcalpottery #flynncreekpottery #mendocinocountystyle #community #art #materialart #handbuiltceramics #mendocinocounty #comptche #ryanschnirel (at Flynn Creek Pottery)

[ambertamm]

finding my freedom with figs // happy tears in comptche

[knoxhouseinteriorsmillenium-blog]

Marbella Living Room Furniture: 10 Things I Wish I'd Known Earlier

8 Greatest Tiny Residences In The Globe

1. Boonville 24

The Boonville is a small home on wheels with a 10/12 hip roof and also deep front veranda. It has 169 square feet, a big open main space that includes a cooking area. The shower room goes to the back of the house. The loft space is over the cooking area and bath as well as accessed from the front of your house. Its total size is 24-feet as well as the expected weight is 10,800 lbs.

I made some significant modifications to the Boonville by lengthening the trailer to 24-feet as well as adding a deep front veranda. On the within its still one big space with a bathroom on the much end as well as has the french doors on the side opening both ends of the house.

The loft space in this home is open at the front with simply enough space to go up. It's closed-off at the back to allow those oversleeping the loft to stay isolated from the activity in the rear of your house. The rear of your home also has a high ceiling making it feel larger and also much more open. Find out more about the Boonville 24

2. Leggett 24

The Leggett is a small house on wheels with a 3/12 shed roof covering as well as french doors on the side. It has 169 square feet, a different bedroom on the lower level divided from the primary space by the bathroom and kitchen. An additional resting loft is above the cooking area and bath and accessed from the major living space. Its total length is 24-feet as well as the expected weight is 10,800 lbs.

Truth bedroom downstairs makes the Leggett a suitable candidate for a family members. The loft could supply area for a child or two. Discover more about the Leggett 24

3. Comptche 24

The Comptche is a tiny house on wheels with a 3/12 shed roof and also 2 sets of french doors on the side. It has 169 square feet, two separate spaces on each end of your home separated by a kitchen and also restroom. An extra resting loft is above the kitchen area and bath as well as accessed from the main living area. Its total length is 24-feet and the expected weight is 10,800 lbs.

The Comptche is one more design that could be perfect for a little household. The double french doors, different areas, as well as loft space supply a lot of versatile usage room. Discover more regarding the Comptche 24

4. Potter Valley 24

The Potter Valley is a small house on wheels with a 3/12 shed roof covering as well as a clerestory on one side. The front door is on the side on the residence under a tiny porch. It has 169 square feet, one huge primary space with a kitchen and also washroom on the far end of the residence. A sleeping loft is over the kitchen area as well as accessed from the major living-room. Its complete length is 24-feet as well as the expected weight is 10,800 lbs.

This style is probably much better matched for a couple. It's actually one large space with a restroom at one end and also a loft space over the kitchen as well as bath. The half clerestory would add a great deal of light and also visibility. Find out more regarding the Potter Valley 24

5. Laytonville 24

The Laytonville is a small home on wheels with two opposing 3/12 dropped roofs and also a clerestory. The front french doors get on the left side of your home under. It has 169 square feet, a major space with a kitchen and a room on the other end of your house. A washroom divided the bedroom as well as main living-room. Your home has no sleepling loft space, yet rather a row of clerestory windows that run the complete size of the home. Its overall size is 24-feet as well as the anticipated weight is 10,800 lbs.

I frequently listen to people claim they do not desire a loft space in their tiny house. So I made the most of that idea in this design and also put a clerestory across the complete length of the residence. While the clerestory lets in a great deal of light it does not actually allow much room for a loft space-- yet it does give a fantastic possibility to make your house appearance longer than it is by attracting the eye from one end to the other without blockages. Your house still has a bed room on one end, but it's open to the remainder of the house. Discover more regarding the Laytonville 24

6. Little River 24

The Little River is a timeless little house on wheels with an inset front door. It has 169 square feet, a primary area with a cooking area and also a bed room on the far end of your house. A washroom is across from the kitchen area. Above the kitchen area and bath is a loft. Its complete length is 24-feet and the expected weight is 10,800 lbs.

The Little River could also work well for individuals that do not want a loft space-- although it has one for visitors or kids. This would also be a fairly basic house to construct. It has a straightforward saddleback roof, a inset front door to keep you out of the rain while you screw up with your secrets, and also a mild extension over the trailer tongue to include a little bit a lot more space on the within for a queen sized bed. Discover more regarding the Little River 24

7. Redwood Valley 24

The Redwood Valley is a little residence on wheels with a gambrel roofing. It has 169 square feet, a main room with a cooking area and also a full restroom on the far end of your home that includes a complete 5-foot tub. Over the kitchen as well as bath are two lofts. One is accessed from the main living-room and also the other from a catch door area over the hall in front of the restroom. Its total length is 24-feet and the expected weight is 10,800 lbs.

The Redwood Valley is truly ideal for a small household that does not mind resting in loft spaces-- and that want a real bathtub and also washer/dryer. With the shower room in the rear of the home you might actually design the rest of the residence however you such as. I reveal it below with the kitchen area in the center of the home and the living-room up front-- yet it's just a large space so you might do something that met your requirements better. Find out more regarding the Redwood Valley 24

8. Westport 28

The Westport is a small residence on wheels with a 10/12 cross saddleback roof. It has 198 square feet, a major space in the front of your home and huge back room accessed with the kitchen of using french doors to the side. The washroom as well as kitchen area are in the facility of your home. Over the kitchen area as well as bathroom is the sleeping loft space accessed via the back area. Its total size is 28-feet and also the expected weight is 12,600 lbs.

When I drew the Westport I visualized it as the perfect retirement little house for those who don't mind sleeping in a loft. It has a larger front as well as back area that are shown here as different eating and also living-room. The cooking area and bathroom are in the facility of the home over the triple axles.

Presently this is the largest small residence on wheels I've attracted-- at 28-feet. At this size you're possibly best off building it on a triple axle trailer. It would likewise be difficult to tow, simply because of length. However it has a great deal of attributes individuals like-- the cross saddleback roof, bay windows, and side french doors. Learn a lot more about the Westport 28

[mirrorfurniturelivingwithlayla]

A Look Into The Future: What Will The Art Deco Glass Furniture Industry Look Like In 10 Years?

8 Greatest Small Homes In The World

1. Boonville 24

The Boonville is a small home on wheels with a 10/12 hip roof covering as well as deep front deck. It has 169 square feet, a large open main home that consists of a cooking area. The restroom goes to the much end of your house. The loft is above the kitchen and also bath as well as accessed from the front of your home. Its complete size is 24-feet and also the expected weight is 10,800 lbs.

I made some significant changes to the Boonville by extending the trailer to 24-feet and also adding a deep front deck. On the within its still one big space with a shower room on the back as well as has the french doors on the side opening both ends of the residence.

The loft in this home is open at the front with just adequate room to climb up. It's closed-off at the back to permit those oversleeping the loft to stay separated from the task in the rear of your home. The rear of the residence likewise has a high ceiling making it really feel bigger and also much more open. Discover more concerning the Boonville 24

2. Leggett 24

The Leggett is a small home on wheels with a 3/12 shed roof and also french doors on the side. It has 169 square feet, a different bedroom on the lower degree separated from the major living space by the bathroom and kitchen. An added resting loft is above the kitchen area and also bath and also accessed from the main living room. Its overall length is 24-feet and also the expected weight is 10,800 lbs.

Truth room downstairs makes the Leggett an ideal prospect for a household. The loft might provide space for a kid or more. Find out more regarding the Leggett 24

3. Comptche 24

The Comptche is a tiny residence on wheels with a 3/12 shed roof covering as well as 2 sets of french doors on the side. It has 169 square feet, two different rooms on each end of your house separated by a cooking area as well as restroom. An added resting loft is above the cooking area as well as bath and also accessed from the major living space. Its overall length is 24-feet as well as the expected weight is 10,800 lbs.

The Comptche is one more layout that could be best for a tiny household. The dual french doors, separate spaces, and also loft offer a great deal of versatile usage space. Find out more about the Comptche 24

4. Potter Valley 24

The Potter Valley is a little residence on wheels with a 3/12 shed roofing system and a clerestory on one side. The front door gets on the side on the house under a tiny veranda. It has 169 square feet, one big major space with a bathroom and kitchen on the back of the house. A resting loft is above the cooking area and accessed from the primary living-room. Its complete size is 24-feet and also the anticipated weight is 10,800 pounds.

This style is probably better suited for a pair. It's truly one large space with a shower room at one end as well as a loft over the cooking area as well as bathroom. The fifty percent clerestory would certainly include a whole lot of light and visibility. Find out more concerning the Potter Valley 24

5. Laytonville 24

The Laytonville is a tiny residence on wheels with two opposing 3/12 dropped roofs and a clerestory. The front french doors are on the left side of your home under. It has 169 square feet, a major room with a cooking area and also a bed room on the other end of your house. A restroom divided the bedroom and also major living-room. The house has no sleepling loft space, however rather a row of clerestory windows that run the complete length of the house. Its total size is 24-feet and also the anticipated weight is 10,800 lbs.

I typically hear individuals say they don't want a loft space in their little house. So I took advantage of that idea in this layout as well as placed a clerestory throughout the complete length of the home. While the clerestory lets in a lot of light it does not really enable much room for a loft-- however it does supply a wonderful chance to make your house appearance longer than it is by drawing the eye from one end to the other without blockages. Your home still has a bedroom on one end, however it's open to the remainder of the home. Find out more regarding the Laytonville 24

6. Little River 24

The Little River is a timeless small house on wheels with an inset front door. It has 169 square feet, a primary space with a cooking area as well as a bedroom on the back of the home. A shower room is across from the kitchen area. Above the kitchen area and bathroom is a loft space. Its overall length is 24-feet and also the anticipated weight is 10,800 pounds.

The Little River may additionally work well for people that do not desire a loft-- although it has one for guests or youngsters. This would certainly also be a relatively simple residence to build. It has an easy gable roof, a inset front door to maintain you out of the rain while you fumble with your secrets, as well as a minor extension over the trailer tongue to include a little bit more space on the inside for a queen sized bed. Discover much more about the Little River 24

7. Redwood Valley 24

The Redwood Valley is a small residence on wheels with a gambrel roofing system. It has 169 square feet, a main room with a cooking area and also a full restroom on the much end http://edition.cnn.com/search/?text=mirrored furniture sale of your house that includes a full 5-foot bathtub. Above the kitchen area and also bathroom are two loft spaces. One is accessed from the major living space as well as the various other from a catch door space over the hall in front of the washroom. Its complete size is 24-feet and the expected weight is 10,800 pounds.

The Redwood Valley is actually ideal for a little household that doesn't mind oversleeping loft spaces-- and who want a genuine tub as well as washer/dryer. With the washroom in the rear of your house you can actually format the remainder of the residence however you like. I reveal it right here with the kitchen area in the center of the residence and the living room up front-- however it's just a big room so you might do something that satisfied your demands better. Learn much more concerning the Redwood Valley 24

8. Westport 28

The Westport is a tiny house on wheels with a 10/12 cross saddleback roof. It has 198 square feet, a main room in the front of the home and also big back space accessed with the kitchen of through french doors to the side. The restroom as well as kitchen are in the center of your house. Above the kitchen area and also bathroom is the sleeping loft space accessed using the back area. Its overall length is 28-feet and the expected weight is 12,600 pounds.

When I drew the Westport I pictured it as the excellent retired life tiny residence for those who do not mind oversleeping a loft space. It has a larger front and back room that are revealed below as separate dining as well as living areas. The cooking area and also washroom remain in the facility of the home over the triple axles.

Presently this is the largest tiny residence on wheels I've attracted-- at 28-feet. At this dimension you're probably best off developing it on a triple axle trailer. It would certainly likewise be challenging to tow, just as a result of size. However it has a great deal of functions folks such as-- the cross saddleback roof, bay windows, and side french doors. Discover a lot more regarding the Westport 28

[theeviloreo]

Beautiful fog on the way home from Ft Bragg today. Had to stop in the middle of the road for this shot. · #mendocino #roadtrip #california #fog #travel #californialove #nature #mendocinocounty #roadtripping #foggy #mendocinocoast #photography #wanderlust #travelphotography #love (at Comptche, California) https://www.instagram.com/p/B4-PwlupNqi/?igshid=1woktki1xsdiw

[sierrawestla]

Mendocino’s Magnificent World by Donna Barnett

The threatened northern spotted owl is perched on a 2,000 year-old Redwood tree, 370 feet above an enchanted forest floor of moss, ferns and three-leaf clovers. Her brown eyes are surrounded by chestnut feathers with small white spots. The elegant raptor observes a magnificent world of old-growth trees where wood-peckers, salamanders, flying squirrels (dinner), and threatened species like the Marbled murrelet live. A deer enters the grove of my dream.

I fell in love with “virtual” Mendocino County when I hosted a Chasing Clean Air radio segment about saving old-growth Redwood trees in Mendocino’s Noyo River Canyon. In 2011, The Mendocino Land Trust and Save the Redwoods League raised awareness and $7 million to buy the 426-acre old growth forest from loggers in order to preserve the Redwoods and the threatened species that depend on them. Only five percent of the original 120,000 acres of the world’s tallest trees remain in Northern California and Southern Oregon. The Coastal Redwoods—1,000-2,000 years-old—reach up to 379 feet. One to two percent of these old growth trees are in Mendocino.

California was in its fifth year of drought, which meant mega-fires and climate change were accelerating. Invasive beetles and species, increasingly destroyed trees and their inhabitants.

If I didn’t see Mendocino’s old growth forests now, when?

On August 4, 2016, my friend Patricia Jordan and I left the Bay Area for coastal Mendocino. We drove Highway 101 north in her hybrid, veering left onto two-lane Highway 128. Weaving through tree-shade and sun, we passed through the lush Anderson Valley known for sustainable wineries, green trees, blue skies, and some of California’s cleanest air.

We pulled into Lula Cellars to enjoy a picnic, gold-medal 2012 Costa Pinot Noir, and a vineyard tour with owner Jeff Hansen.

I asked about sustainability. “We build up a colony of positive bugs, and bad bugs don’t have a chance,” Jeff said, sharing how his Pinot Noir grapes grew naturally. “We don’t use herbicides or pesticides. Positive predators like barn owls eat bad predators like mice.” Turned out that Mendocino winemakers led the country in organic and sustainable practices, and Mendocino County was America’s first jurisdiction to ban GMOs.

A three and a half hour drive north from San Francisco, the historic town of Mendocino situated on coastal bluffs, overlooks the Pacific.  About 900 residents and countless visitors enjoy hiking, kayaking, bike riding, bird and wildlife watching, farmers markets and the arts—including a July classical music festival. There was one traffic light, and no Starbucks, chain stores or fast food in this New England-styled town, maintaining its unique charm.

Just south of Mendocino, Pat and I checked into the elegant, “Victorian” Little River Inn, family-owned since 1863. A traditional feel permeated ocean-view rooms, a golf course and spa. Its Zagat award-winning Little River Inn Restaurant overlooked gardens and spectacular coastline. I enjoyed Alaskan Halibut pan seared over saffron couscous with toasted coconut, peanuts, raisins and mild curry sauce. Local organic vegetables and wine. Adirondack rocking chairs on the guest room’s veranda offered tranquility and Pacific sunsets. Lulled to sleep by the ocean, I woke refreshed for paddling nearby Big River.

Rick Hemmings of Catch-A-Canoe and Bicycles Too, provided a locally-handmade Redwood canoe—a stable outrigger with an efficient design that he said couldn’t tip over. At 1:30 p.m. we gently paddled with the tide up Big River’s estuary, a navigable eight-miles, passing ducks, egrets, river otter, and double crested cormorants. It was Pat’s first canoe adventure. I focused my camera while Pat steered from behind with a foot pedal. The river curved like a ribbon, inviting curiosity. What lurked beyond?

The river’s beauty was such that we didn’t notice the blue sky turn gray. A breeze picked up.  “I feel cold,” Pat said.

We turned around, hugging the river banks.

“Watch that log near the water’s surface!” I pushed my paddle into shallow waters. Pat navigated. Dock in sight, we sang, “Michael row the boat ashore… ” Some climb Everest. We paddled Big River, earning the smile of accomplishment from a lovely afternoon.

“If you love Redwoods,” a local said, “you’ve got to see Montgomery Woods State Reserve. It’s one of California’s 31 Redwood parks, and remote.” We drove the twisty, 30-mile Comptche-Ukiah road in an hour, moving aside for speedy trucks. Scenic tree-lined mountains were a reprieve from an increasingly bumpy ride due to gravelly conditions the last 15 miles.

We arrived to Montgomery Woods SR, a 2,743-acre grove and fern forest with Sierra and Coast Redwoods. In the 1940s, the grove was acquired by the Save the Redwoods League and donated to state parks. The small parking lot with an outhouse led to informative panels and picnic tables. We crossed a bridge, and climbed a steep 900-foot elevation entrance, leading to the Redwood grove of my dream.

Raw beauty.

Pat and I walked upstream along Montgomery Creek to five never logged redwood groves. Blankets of ferns and three-leaf clovers. Tall trees—to the sky!  Fallen trees with giant splayed roots. We stepped over roots, streams, and thousands of years of natural history. Trails weren’t always discernible. Daylight and a good sense of direction proved important. The three-mile loop took about an hour; the memories, surely a lifetime.

That night, we arrived to the rustic and luxurious Brewery Gulch Inn.  Overlooking Smuggler’s Cove and the Pacific, we’d enjoy nightly light buffets, featuring local, organic produce and carefully chosen wines. Hearty breakfasts, too. The communal dining room with floor to ceiling windows opened to a sloping hill with wooden chairs for scenic viewing. The open space fostered friendships. We met travelers beating the Arizona heat, and Europeans traveling scenic Highway 1. The Craftsman-style inn utilized ancient virgin redwood timbers eco-salvaged from Big River, lending a warm ambience. The night sky offered brilliant stars, and the inn a handy telescope.

The next morning, we headed 10 miles north to Fort Bragg for a whirlwind tour. There was Glass Beach with rugged ocean views but not much glass. The Pudding Creek Express Skunk Train ride through meadows and trees. Mendocino Coastal Botanical Garden with Dahlias in full bloom, and a path to the coastal bluffs. Historic downtown Fort Bragg had art galleries and book stores. Returning on Highway 1, Point Cabrillo Lighthouse—a bird and whale-watching mecca in fall and spring—and Jug Handle State Reserve and Beach, geologically rich and beautiful.

Our last day featured Hendy Woods State Park (handicap accessible), just off Highway 128. Soft leaves covered the flat Discovery and Upper Loop Trails to Big Hendy Grove. In the sanctuary of old growth Redwoods, we sat on a log. Whiffs of earthy wood. A gentle breeze rustled leaves. The Navarro river whispered. Our gaze lifted. Redwood tips touched, as one swayed like a gentle dancer. Birds sang.

The peace of a thousand years.

The gentle giants were Mendocino’s greatest gift, and our souvenir to inspire others to preserve old growth Redwoods, providing habitat to threatened creatures and life-giving oxygen to all. We started back when I felt compelled to turn: Sun rays flooded the Redwoods’ path—illuminating Mendocino’s magnificent world.

When You Go

Save the Redwoods: Learn about protecting Redwood forests www.savetheredwoods.org

Little River Inn: 7901 N. Highway One, Little River, CA (888) INN-LOVE littleriverinn.com

Brewery Gulch Inn: 9401 N. Highway One, Mendocino, CA  (707) 937-4752 brewerygulchinn.com

Visit Mendocino offers helpful information to plan your trip: visitmendocino.com

Lula Cellars: lulacellars.com 2800 Guntley Road, Philo, CA Tasting room open daily 10-6

State Parks of the Mendocino District: Learn about the 17 Mendocino California State Parks http://mendoparks.mcn.org

Catch A Canoe and A Bike Too: catchacanoe.com, (707) 937-0273

Mendocino Coast Botanical Gardens at 18220 N. Highway 1, south of Fort Bragg: gardenbythesea.org (707) 964-4352

Historic Skunk Train: Reservations suggested (707) 964-6371 skunktrain.com

Donna Barnett is a long time Sierra Club member and environmental activist, who writes the blog "Chasing Clean Air."