WOW! The Mendocino Coast - our front yard - just made #3 of the New York Times' top 52 places (in the WORLD) to visit in 2014! " … the moody bluffs of the Mendocino Coast have long been a spectacular place from which to observe marine life: passing humpback whales, sun-happy sea lions, foamy waves strewn with kelp …" - NY Times Top 52 Places to Visit in the World in 2014 Unbeaten Path is very pleased to see that these local, precious and conserved lands are getting some newsworthy time. At the Unbeaten Path we have the wonderful opportunity to act as stewards of this incredible and unique area. We are able to take guests to places they normally would not know how to access and share with them our knowledge and respect of the flora, fauna, marine life, geology and history of this secluded, unique and beautiful coast. One of our guests recently had this to say: It was beautiful & something you leave knowing a great deal more about" - Janice, P. - Los Angeles So simply said - I was very grateful to receive this feedback and this is why I love doing tours - because you can share your knowledge and our guests can help preserve it and share it as well. Our tour guests go home with more than just memories - they go home with a sense of something new to think about and discuss with their friends and loved ones. I am a HUGE BELIEVER in creating dialog and experiencing new things. Just as drops of water can create a sea, so, too, can exploring this unique coastal environment create a greater awareness of our need for conservation, our planet's delicate ecology and the simple appreciation of living. Take the time to go out and explore nature and to learn something new. We invite you to be a part of this wonderful process! Here are some pictures from the Stornetta and Point Arena lands that I have taken over the course of our tours… and be sure to check out our other slide shows on our hiking tours page! There is soooo much more to this incredible portfolio of nature!
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Recently, I had a guest call from the Breakers Inn hotel in Gualala. He was interested in exploring and doing something unique in the area. He even purchased a local Fish & Game permit so he could collect mussels and eat some local fare! We decided to hit Bowling Ball Beach. He had never seen it and wanted something memorable. My husband Phil and I joined him on a great 2 hour tour! We enjoyed great conversation and a wonderful evening! As we finished the tour we watched the sun begin to set in the West and then we brought him to a location where he could collect mussels to cook. I love an adventurous spirit like that. It is so contagious in such a good way! Here is his photo (a terrific perspective of bowling ball beach) and his review... Thank you, Kwan. Please come again! Your Hawaiian spirit was truly a pleasure .... Mahalo! If you are truly looking to step 'out of the 'box' on your time away, give yourself and soul ... some time aside to spend with Margaret and discover her 'unbeaten path' to the hidden jewels of the area ... this can truly be an unforgettable experience. - Kwan, Bay Area resident & Hawaiian transplant He also included the view from his hotel room - WOW! A beautiful view of the Gualala river in the foreground with the Pacific Ocean in the background (and, of course, our ever friendly local seagull hanging out on the deck at right). He also shared some pics of the mussels he harvested and shared with some locals at St. Ores restaurant. Now that's my idea of traveling the coast!
This past year has been SPECTACULAR in so many ways! When I think about all the events that have taken place in my life - whether good or bad - they have always put me on the right path and in the end I am always and forever grateful for all the things I have done or experienced. Events in our lives makes us stronger - they improve us. When I am at my lowest I know there is goodness on the other side of it all and when I am at my best I thank the heavens and remind myself that to receive is to give. There is a poem by Robert Frost that many of us may know called THE ROAD NOT TAKEN. I remember when I was 20, my sister, Jeanne, and I sat on the beach and memorized this poem together. When life kicks you or embraces you - remember this poem and be grateful for who you are!!! Happy New Year 2014 and remember to check out our latest greatest tour offerings
Unbeaten Path recently hosted a wonderful corporate group picnic tour for Anchor Distilling/Anchor Steam Brewing Company, thanks to our collaboration with The Sea Ranch Lodge! Our tour to Bowling Ball Beach was a great fit for this group of 23 people in total and it met everyone's hiking difficulty level. It was a wonderful 2 hour tour with many rare geological wonders to behold and it was just enough exercise to re-energize the group for their late afternoon sales meetings once back at the Lodge for the remainder of their retreat. It was truly a pleasure to be with this group. Please enjoy our photos and consider the Unbeaten Path for your corporate event! We offer group discounts, picnic options and more! Call us in advance to book your hiking tour! We are so very thankful for our guests and their participation. We love hearing your feedback - it's helpful and rewarding. Keep us posted on how your experience with Unbeaten Path was. I will be starting a Testimonials page soon - until then; Thank you to Harris G. from New Jersey for his latest feedback on our architectural tour. Their's was a mixed group of people with varying ability level. This tour was a perfect match and we appreciate Harris's acknowledgement and support. Check out our architectural or meandering walk tours! "We were looking for a relatively easy hike for our group so that everyone would be comfortable independent of their fitness level. Margaret found the perfect walk along the shoreline for us. The views were fantastic, and her knowledge of the area made it even more enjoyable. I highly recommend her for any group unfamiliar with the Sonoma coast." - Harris G., New Jersey What better way to celebrate our return to the United States than with a trip to BOWLING BALL BEACH! A nice time on an incredible shoreline! For more info on how you can do the same, check out our Bowling Ball Beach tour! Our first blog series of our recent tour of Salzburg, Austria! Salzburg and how it came to be...
THE CASTLE: Festung HohensalzburgI love to walk the hills around the city of the Salzburg to take in the many different perspectives of this castle. Above, I took this picture while walking along Moenchsberg (Monks Mountain) - a beautiful walk that provides panoramic views of the city and Austrian Alps. Construction of the fortress began in 1077 under Archbishop Gebhard von Helfenstein. This original design was just a basic bailey with a wooden wall. In the Holy Roman Empire, the archbishops of Salzburg were already powerful political figures and they expanded the castle to protect their interests. Gebhard's conflict with Emperor Henry IV during the Investiture Controversy influenced the expansion of the castle, with the Archbishop taking the side of Pope Gregory VII and the German anti-king Rudolf of Rheinfelden. The castle was gradually expanded during the following centuries. The ring walls and towers were built in 1462 under Prince-Archbishop Burkhard II von Weißpriach - there is so much more history to this incredible fortress that it deserves very own blog! Salzburg's Mirabell Palace!Another great place to visit while in Salzburg is Schloss Mirabell. With its wonderful gardens and great views of the cities highlights. Some of you may recognize this palace from the movie "Sound of Music" - where they sing the famous song "Do-Re-Mi" around the pegasus statue in the center of this photo! This palace was established by Archbishop Wolf Dietrich in 1606 but was renamed by the Italians to its current name, Mirabell, from the Italian "bella" or beauty. It was rebuilt in the baroque style and finally into the neoclassical style upon later restoration. A beautiful place for a picnic or a stroll for love birds (as seen in my picture below). The Catacombs.... a must see
COMING UP NEXT: An historical tour of Church sites in Austria and Bavaria!
Scratch first, itch later - Zen Proverb Here, along the coast of Northern California one easily sees the importance of these sand formations - whenever you see a sand dune - you know you are in an area that needs the protection of those very dunes. This particular beach takes on heavy winds all the time - in this photo I took, you can easily see how this linear dune protects this highly sensitive bluff. Also, when the beach itself is ravaged by storm surge in the winter months, these very dunes will provide a necessary reservoir of sand for this coastal region. Not only are sand dunes critical to the environment and ecology of the region, they are also spectacular to see - I am always awed by their smooth lines and curvatures along such a wind driven and active coast line.
So, what are sand dunes???? As sand accumulates on a beach area, several forces work together to move deposited sediments inland, where they form dunes. Waves continue to push sand up onto the shore, and winds carry dry sand away from the water. Eventually, piles of this sand become contained and fortified by various grasses, shrubs and other coastal vegetation. These piles of sand are known as coastal sand dunes. Sand dunes also provide a foundation for ecosystems made up of a wide variety of coastal life. Rodents carve out extensive burrows and vegetation and insects of all kinds have adapted to live in a dune's sandy environment. These dunes are just one of the many incredible sights to see when visiting this region... so when you come up to Northern California give Unbeaten Path a call and let us show you something unforgettable! |
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