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Napa, Calif. - A Walk Away from Wine but Not Far |
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Written by Judith Harlan
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>A dream of green stretched out at our feet. We stood midway up the hillside, pausing to catch a breath and to soak in the dampness. It was midwinter, and coming as we did from the bare-branched, gray-thorned neighborhoods of the Nevada high desert, we were enthralled by the green. Captivated. Held. In love. We embraced the green. We let our eyes meander here and there through the countless shades of green, from lime to crayon green to forest, to deep, to dark, to bright and back. Green, green green, fed our thirsty eyes, from Cedar, Bayleaf, Buckeye, Toyon and Manzanita trees up close to hillsides so far in the distance that they grew misty. Hiking Napa We were in Napa for a weekend of wineries and, being the walkers that we are, immediately found a hiking trail.
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Wild Turkeys in the park? Read on.
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Tahoe Donner - Cross-Country Skiing Redux |
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Written by Judith Harlan
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 I never thought I’d go cross-country skiing again, but I went this morning. I tried cross-country skiing years ago, not out of desire but because it was a story assignment for a Tahoe weekly paper I worked on. If I recall, I spent most of my time that day in the snow. Not on it. And my take on the whole idea of cross-country skiing? Tougher than downhill skiing. Painful. Not worth it. Not by a long shot.
For a downhill skier, which is how I identified myself at the time, wobbling along on skinny slats without edges was terrifying. There was no way to ‘bend zee knees’ and turn. There were just hair-raising turning attempts that ended with giant flops into snow banks. And frantic grabs at bushes as I flailed by.
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Read more about cross-country skiing at Tahoe Donner
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Soaking in Hot Springs at Soldier Meadows |
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Written by Kellie Lee
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Nevada hiker, outdoors woman and hot springs enthusiast, Kellie Lee shares a weekend of camping under the stars and hot springs soaking.
It was time to take a break, as we drove east out of town on a Friday afternoon I was finally feeling relaxed. My husband and I were heading to Soldier Meadows Hot Springs for a weekend of quiet and to recharge our minds, bodies and spirits. I’ve been hiking out this direction before but never soaked in the hot springs . If you’re familiar with the Black Rock Desert, you will have no problem finding Soldier Meadows. I had heard about it numerous times; in fact, my husband, Erik, has been there several times himself. I could not wait to sit in the warm, invigorating, and natural springs.
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Click here for more on Soldier Meadows hot springs
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ChildHood Memories Recreated |
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Written by Kellie Lee
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 When I was a little kid, one of the family trips I remember most was a trip to Mammoth, CA. My Parents were great skiers and so they liked spending time on the slopes at Mammoth Mountain. As for us kids, who were all too little at the time to ski, we always looked forward to sledding down those white fluffy hills.
The memories of sledding down the mountains in Mammoth have never left my thoughts as one of my better moments as a child. There was so much snow, and a lot of movement all over the town, some people sledding, some snowshoeing; and, of course, you look up and there is a huge mountain with people skiing.
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Read on for our hike to the Old Stamp Mill
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Finding Joy in Dog Valley |
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Written by Judith Harlan
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 On the best of days, winter hikes turn into snowshoe rambles. And simple walks become favorite pages in the scrapbook.
This one did, exceeding our expectations on all levels. My hiking partner and I set out to take the dogs for an easy, midday hike in the Dog Valley in the Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest near Verdi, Nevada, but in California. Dog Valley is open to snowmobiles and off-road vehicles, so we expected to hear the incessant buzzing of engines in the background. Truth be told, we had low expectations. Must have been a personally gloomy day or maybe we just haven't been playing outside enough. Regardless, surprise! No loud snowmobiles anywhere that day. We had the forest to ourselves.
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See another photo and more story on Dog Valley
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Our Hiking Stories
