| A drab, rundown piece of property sat
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| | estate is hidden, too, just north of the
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| seven years on the market. Since my
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| | ranch. There are many vintners in the
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| visit in 2003 it gained an amenity a
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| | area if you want to go off on a wine
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| year, instituted by the Gaines family,
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| | tasting trip, but at dinner meals you can
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| owners since 1987. It's a progressive
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| | taste as much as you want at the
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| hide-away and I doubt they'll be running
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| | ranch.How to get there.There are two
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| out of room to continue further
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| | entrances to the ranch, the north and the
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| additions. Highland Ranch is tucked away
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| | south. I drove in from the south, taking
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| next to Hendy Woods State Park featuring
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| | Highway 101 out of San Francisco, across
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| a hundred miles of trails in an old
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| | the Golden Gate Bridge, through
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| growth redwood forest. It sits a mile
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| | Sausalito, Petaluma, and Rohnert Park.
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| and half as the crow flies above Philo,
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| | At junction 128 West where a grand
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| California at an elevation of 1000 feet
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| | redwood lumber mill sits, turn left.
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| obscured further by surrounding apple
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| | Follow that road approximately one mile
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| orchards, vineyards, and nearby olive
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| | and turn right. This is the actual
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| orchards in Anderson Valley, Mendocino
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| | Highway 128 and Philo is twenty-five more
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| County. Californians call this the North
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| | miles. Watch for the town of Booneville
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| Shore.This ranch stands alone for being
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| | and you'll know you are headed in the
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| the oldest working guest ranch in the
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| | right direction.It is a narrow and
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| hills there. It's not an architectural
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| | winding road, doted on by sentinels of
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| masterpiece, but its countenance takes a
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| | eucalyptus, redwood, conifer and oak
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| person back to the 'good old days'. You
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| | forming a canopy. You're engulfed as you
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| see, I'm from Wyoming and I've seen
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| | maneuver the twists and turns. It's a
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| plenty of ranches and even worked on
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| | leisurely, constitutional drive that will
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| some, so I was really taken back. The
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| | stroke you with shade and slap you awake
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| fully restored yellow, hundred-year-old
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| | if you get too lulled, with glimpses of
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| ranch is welcoming and cozy. You might
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| | sun.Philo is a small grower's community
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| think about taking a peek. The
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| | and in the middle of town at 8500 Highway
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| down-home, friendly atmosphere and home
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| | 128 you can turn left to the private
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| cooked gourmet meals brings returning
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| | entrance of the ranch. The landmark is
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| guests year after year.According to
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| | the Union 76 gas station. You'll need
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| George Gaines when he purchased the
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| | the gate code to go this way, so call
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| property the roof sagged and weeds grew
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| | ahead for it. You'll reach a "Y",
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| through the porch, walls and windows. He
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| | where the road turns to dirt. Stay to the
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| commented that he wasn't too concerned
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| | left here.If you get to the locked iron
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| over costs at the time, because, after
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| | gate without a code, you might be glad
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| all, the water was free when it rained.
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| | you did. Driving over a skinny, one-lane
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| I found George quite amusing considering
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| | bridge with rapids below racked my
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| he is a Princeton alumnus and retired
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| | nerves. If this happens, turn around,
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| lawyer.Walls in the main house are
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| | and take the north entrance. If you
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| adorned with the life and times of the
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| | continue on here, once you are through
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| Gaines family antics and a collection of
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| | the gate you'll crest a hill where the
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| George's well-worn hats. Historical
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| | road turns right and drops to view the
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| pictures dot the walls, including a photo
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| | main yellow ranch house, stables, and
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| of his days as the Captain of Princeton's
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| | cabins.The north entrance has the
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| rowing team taken in the 1950s.There were
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| | "Highland Ranch" sign by it. It is about
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| a lot of favored parts of my trip; the
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| | twelve miles north of the gas station,
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| solitude and scenery alone, made my heart
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| | and again you will have to hang a left.
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| throb, much less the offering of a
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| | It is a winding,uphill climb through the
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| "welcome home" atmosphere. It was my
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| | woods on another dirt road. You might
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| first taste of that particular part of
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| | feel lost, as I did, but if you turned at
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| the California coastal mountains and I
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| | the sign, you're on the right
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| drank it all in on horseback. I retract
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| | trail.Locals make regular trips to relax
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| that, I drank more in on wine, too.I
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| | with a meal served home-style and casual
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| received a "grape" education. The
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| | in the expansive dining area, three times
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| climate is indeed cool in October. I
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| | a day. The kitchen is equipped with a
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| learned the well-drained soil conditions
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| | commercial stove and oven, an island
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| and coolness offer growers an
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| | cutting table, sinks and handy pots
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| envrironment similar to Champagne,
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| | hanging overhead giving an "old World"
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| France. (By all means, take long-johns.).
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| | feel. The dining room has three long
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| Here grapes mature slowly balancing acid
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| | tables with a mix of period chairs
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| and sugar.It seemed everyone stayed
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| | encircling each one. An interesting
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| somewhat to themselves to relax or just
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| | collection of plates dots every wall and
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| take care of business. According to
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| | cornice. The view through the windows in
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| reports a fifth generation Roederer
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| | the dining room showcase the flower
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| searched since the late 70s for
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| | garden, hummingbird feeders, and fruit
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| enviromental conditions similar to his
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| | weighing down grapevines and fig trees in
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| French property and he found it in
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| | October.
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| Mendocino County. His nearly 600 acre
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|
