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The Mendocino County is known for
its spectacular coast, seaside villages, picturesque
vistas, parks, and award winning wines. As you
meander toward the Mendocino Coast, you'll travel
through sprawling wine country vineyards, wide-open
meadows and into towering majestic redwood forests.
This is a very Special Ride in 2008 combining our fabulous Redwood
Coast Ride with the Mendocino Music Festival on 4
evenings, and a premier wine tour on Thursday - all
this while staying at the lovely Hill House Inn in
Mendocino - a luxurious hotel and restaurant with
the warmth and charm of a small bed and breakfast.
The convenient hill top setting overlooks historic
Mendocino Village and Northern California's
stunningly beautiful Pacific coastline. Mendocino
Headlands State Park and Big River Beach surrounds
the tiny town located on a peninsula jutting out
into the ocean. Garden Rooms at the Hill House Inn
offer polished brass beds with cozy comforters and
elegant furnishings with modern bathrooms. The Hill
House Inn is located in just outside town, within
walking distance to the many restaurants, galleries
and shops that the village has to offer. Upgrades
to ocean view rooms are available.
 IRCA01
Rate
includes lodging, all meals, wine with dinner, VIP wine tasting tour
on Wednesday evening, beach rides, full day rides
including the redwoods
7 days/ 6 nights $ 2,795
Single: + $475
Date:
July 14 to 20, 2008
Meeting: Mendocino
Airport:
San Francisco
Horses:
Arab, Russian Orloff, Quarter
Your horse will be
carefully matched to your riding ability, assuring your utmost enjoyment. The horses
include numerous individuals who have been ridden to wins and high placing in major
endurance races, dressage, and other competitive events.
Tack:
Western,
English and Australian
Pace: All paces according to riding level
Level:
Intermediate
Transfer: Rental car from San Francisco
to Mendocino
(not included)
Note: Ride
share can be facilitated
Riding helmets are highly
recommended. We have helmets of all sizes to borrow free of charge.
Riding:
Trail rides on
beaches Monday and Wednesday.
Full day rides with lunch on Tuesday, Friday,
Saturday.
Itinerary
Day One: A three and a half hour drive from
San Francisco takes you through famous Sonoma and
Mendocino Counties wine country to Pacific Coast
Highway One. Come to the ranch and enjoy
a get-acquainted ride on the beach after an
orientation and riding demonstration. After your
ride, check into the lovely Hill House Inn in
Mendocino, followed by a lovely three course dinner
with wine at the Hill House Inn’s restaurant. After
dinner, your evening is free to relax and stroll
around the lovely village of Mendocino.
Day Two: After breakfast at the Hill House
Inn, head to Jackson State Forest, California’s
largest state forest, a 54,000 acre gem of redwood
and Douglas fir canopy. This days ride includes
ample opportunities to trot and canter along old
stagecoach roads and along Indian Springs Trail,
ford ing the headwaters of the Noyo River. These
old trails whisper of history and of a time
forgotten. After the ride the group will head to
the Noyo Harbor for a post-ride dinner at Chapter &
Moon restaurant. Perched on the pier overlooking
the river, we will have the opportunity to watch as
fishing boats bring in their catch of the day, while
opportunistic sea lions await their arrival. After
dinner, our first night of the Mendocino Music
Festival awaits.
Day Three: A leisurely breakfast leaves you
energized and ready for today’s ride, a dream come
true for many guests. Meet your horses and your
guides for a ride on Ten Mile Beach. After warming
up the horses with a visit to Seal Rock, the group
strikes north to open, deserted beaches where we can
trot and canter for miles and miles. Once reaching
the Ten Mile Estuary, the group will take a short
break before looping around and turning back towards
the ranch, with opportunities again to trot and
canter for miles along the ocean’s edge where seals
and cormorants cavort offshore. After your ride,
enjoy a few short hours respite, before convening
again for an early supper at the Bay View Café, the
local’s favorite restaurant for outstanding views
overlooking the Mendocino Bay. After dinner, enjoy
a private wine tasting with the owner of the Wine
Shop in Mendocino, just across from the Music
Festival Tent. Taste interesting wines and explore
rare varietals with Dan and his staff, before
heading to the festival tent for another evening of
remarkable music.
Day Four: Today, your limousine will meet
you at the Hill House Inn to take you on a exclusive
tour of the Anderson Valley Wine country, visiting
four award winning boutique wineries. Experience
the magic of Mendocino County’s undiscovered wine
country. Local wine guides will lead you in style
to the lairs of some of the best—and least known—of
California's North Coast vintners. You can kick back
and sip sparkling wine as you enjoy the Anderson
Valley’s beautiful scenery. A gourmet lunch will be
served al fresco at one of the wineries. You can
taste as many wines as you want during the day
without the hassle or hazard of driving. Your
visits to wineries will afford opportunities for
barrel and reserve tasting, behind-the-scene tours,
discussions with the winemakers, and discounted case
pricing. You will also be able to purchase limited
production wines not available to the general
public. Upon returning to Mendocino after this
magical excursion, dine at the Mendocino Café, local
favorite for ethnic and Thai style food. After
dinner, return to the Music Festival tent for
another enchanting evening of song.
Day Five: After breakfast, it’s back to the
horses! Today's ride will include a "mock endurance
ride" where you learn how to check your horse's
cardiac and respiratory recovery rates, capillary
refill, skin response, muscle tone and gut sounds,
just as its done at a "vet check" on a competitive
trail ride or endurance ride. Ride along ridge tops
with mountain views, and down into the river valley
beyond. Lunch is under a grove of giant redwood
trees. After lunch, those who would like to may
ride an optional additional loop, trotting and
cantering as one might do in an endurance ride. A
hearty dinner awaits you at Fort Bragg’s finest
Italian restaurant, in the heart of downtown. This
restaurant boasts a well thought wine list, with a
global focus.
Day Six: Our last day’s ride begins at the
Orca Pasture, a vast cattle ranch overlooking the
Pacific Ocean. Today you’ll canter up a long
gradual trail to the very peak of the mountain,
where you are literally "on top of the world"....the
views are absolutely spectacular. And that’s just
the beginning…After lunch on the top of the
mountain, basking in the view, we head back to Ten
Mile Beach for an hour long canter in the surf.
After today’s exhilarating ride, dine at the Hill
House Inn once again, before heading to closing
night at the Music Festival where the Opera awaits.
Day Seven: Enjoy one last breakfast at the
Hill House Inn before checking out. Farewell to
Mendocino.
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Gourmet Lunch
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Accommodations:
Lodging at the lovely Hill House Inn of Mendocino, a
luxurious hotel and restaurant with the warmth and
charm of a small bed and breakfast. The convenient
hill top setting overlooks historic Mendocino
Village and Northern California's stunningly
beautiful Pacific coastline. Mendocino Headlands
State Park and Big River Beach surrounds the tiny
town located on a peninsula jutting out into the
ocean. Garden Rooms at the Hill House Inn offer
polished brass beds with cozy comforters and elegant
furnishings with modern bathrooms. The Hill House
Inn is located in just outside town, within walking
distance to the many restaurants, galleries and
shops that the village has to offer. Upgrades to
ocean view rooms are available.
Mendocino Music Festival:
A cultural event which brings world class musicians,
both classical and contemporary, and music lovers
from around the world to a summertime tradition in
the most picturesque town of Mendocino. The
Mendocino Music Festival is a magical blend of fine
music by outstanding performers in one of the most
enchanting sites in Northern California. Evenings
under the heated big tent by the ocean on four
nights include breathtaking concerts featuring the
Festival Orchestra, chamber music ensembles, dance,
blues, world or folk music, culminating in the
magnificent full Opera. Your days will be spent
horseback riding under ancient redwood forests,
along deserted Pacific Ocean beaches, through vast
cattle ranches and across high mountain ridge tops
with views to forever.
 Mendo
Wine Tour: Taking you into the heart of the wine
country, the Mendo Wine Tour begins as your
limousine meets you for a 10 AM departure into the
Anderson Valley Wineries. You will be greeted by a
complimentary glass of sparkling wine from Roederer
Estate. Your luxury SUV limousine will travel
through giant, stately redwoods on the way to the
beautiful Navarro River Valley. Once reaching the
Anderson Valley, you will visit four unique wineries
where you will receive VIP tours and tastings. A
gourmet picnic lunch will await you after your
second winery.
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