2024 Sea Ranch - Day #8

We spent the morning packing and cleaning up the house. Sharon and I took a two mile hike to Sculpture Point and back. We pulled away from Monette just after 10:30 am.

It has become somewhat of a tradition to wine taste at the Fort Ross Winery on the way home from Sea Ranch. This allows us to skip the worst of the cliff section of Highway 1 between Fort Ross and Jenner. I took the Timber Cove Road up to Seaview Road, rather the Fort Ross Road that we have used in the past; it is an easier drive. Donna, Kevin, Sharon and I had a nice tasting with a food pairing.

We rolled from the winery just after 1 pm. Waze routed us from Jenner on the River Road all way to Highway 101. It then sent us down 101 all the way to 37. It is a path that we have never really taken before. There was a lot of traffic on 37 and 80. We were back in Carmichael about 4:10 pm.

I enjoyed the week. I just wish that I had felt better. Starting last Wednesday, I struggled with a lingering head cold. In spite of this, I played golf three times, did two long hikes, went out to dinner twice and went for a long run. I could have used a little more down time...

2024 Sea Ranch - Day #7

A lazier day...

Donna, Kevin, Sharon and I walked down to the Sea Ranch Lodge for coffee. Getting back to the house, we had a large leisurely breakfast of bacon, eggs and biscuits.

My goal for the day was to go for a run. As I have said repeatedly, with a hundred miles of trails, Sea Ranch is my favorite place in the world to run. Being able to run along the bluffs on the ocean for miles and miles is so cool.

While Donna, Kevin and Sharon went to the pro shop at the golf course and the Surf Market in Gualala, I went for a run. Heading North from Monette, I essentially covered the same ground that we hiked on Sunday. I ran for six miles in an hour and twenty-two minutes. The first three miles were into the teeth of a 20 plus mph wind. Over the first two miles, I was trying to find the right combination of breathe, pace and heart rate.


We spent a chunk of the afternoon just hanging out in the house. Sharon and Donna went for a mile and a half walk that included the Sea Meadow Trail.

In the late afternoon, we started playing Mexican Train. We took a break to fix dinner: barbecued chicken and salad.

After dinner, we continued playing Mexican Train. I ended up winning by a lot! We crashed after 10:30 pm.

2024 Sea Ranch - Day #6

After breakfast, Donna, Kevin, Sharon and I hiked north along the bluffs. We hiked as far north as Vista del Mar where Sharon and I stayed for our 20th Anniversary Dinner Party. Looping back, we stopped and had a leisurely lunch at the picnic tables near the Ohlson Rec Center. On the way back, I split off and explored the Sea Meadow Trail through Rock Meadow.

In total, we covered about 6.4 miles in two and a half hours of moving time. We probably sat for an hour at lunch...


We had a lazy afternoon back at Monette. I did a Peloton strength workout. We watched Clippers versus Mavs NBA basketball round one playoff game. The Mavs roared back from 31 points down, but fell short and lost by the score of 116 to 111. Sharon and Donna worked on a puzzle.

Eventually, we got cleaned up and drove to the Sea Ranch Lodge for dinner.

Kevin ordered a First of Bread + Castlevetrano Olives + Roasted Garlic & Balsamic Vinegar that we all shared. Donna had Carrot Ginger Fennel Soup and Grilled Focaccia.

For Middles, Kevin had Manila Clams [Green Garlic + White Wine + Tarragon]. I had a TSRL Farm Lettuces Salad [Seasoned Carrot & Pistachio + Herbed Yogurt + Lemon Vinaigrette + Feta + Dried Apricots]. Sharon had a Butter Lettuce salad [Sugar Snap Peas + Dill + Pecorino Romano + Tamari Roasted Seeds].

For Last, Sharon, Kevin and I all had the Ike Jime Local Halibut [Artichokes in Barigoule Broth + Spring Vegetables]. Donna had Housemade Wild Nettle Fettuccine [TSRL Oyster Mushrooms + Fiddlehead Ferns + Pesto of Nettles & Pine Nuts + Pecorino].

We finished the night playing Mexican Train. We played five rounds. In a fairly bizarre sequence, I won the last round and ended up winning the evening just barely over Sharon. It was after 11:30 pm by the time we crashed.

2024 Sea Ranch - Day #5

The plan for the day was playing golf at the Sea Ranch Links Golf Course. This marked the sixth time that I played golf in ten days. I have never played this much golf!?!

After playing well and really enjoying the rounds on Tuesday and Thursday, I felt very out of sorts on the driving range. I was struggling on the range even worse than on Thursday.

Teeing off about 10 am, I rode with Sharon, while Kevin and Donna rode together.

Unfortuately, my struggles on the range carried over to my play. I made a mess of the first two holes. I stopped keeping my score by the third hole. I never stop keeping my score...

Although I had a few good shots over the course of the day, I felt like I couldn't do anything right. Sharon noted towards the end of the front nine that my swing was back to being more vertical; chopping wood. With the book Golf is Not a Game of Perfect stressing that you shouldn't think about your swing or work on your swing while you are playing, I was more than a little paralyzed about what to do.

I was an ugly day. I lost a lot of balls.

It got very windy over the course of the day; the wind reached 20 mph. It took us about 4 1/2 hours to play eighteen.

After golf, we headed into Gualala and got steaks for dinner. With Kevin barbecuing the steaks, we had a nice dinner of steaks, baked potato, aspargus and salad.

After dinner, we played Oh Hell. I had never played this card game before. Sharon ended up winning the night.

The four of us finished the day watching Bill Mahr. The interview was Robert Kennedy Jr. This is the first time that I have seen him talk or be interviewed. I was not impressed. Several of us fell asleep in front of the tv during the show. We shut things down and crashed about 11:30 pm.

2024 Sea Ranch - Day #4

It has been a hectic week. A week ago Thursday, Sharon and I played golf. Afterwards, I went into the city to pick up Jack and got home at 1 am. Up early on Friday, Jack, Larkin and I drove to Nevada and played golf. Saturday, the three of us played golf a second day in the Peter/sen Shootout in Nevada. Sunday, we drove home with a quick stop to see Morgan, Daniel and Lee. Monday, I took Jack back to the city with a stop to tour Drew and Carmen's new house. Tuesday, we headed to Sea Ranch with a stop to play golf at Northwood. Wednesday, we hiked with Holly and Van at Sea Ranch. Yesterday, the four of us played golf at Sea Ranch Golf Links. On top of everything, I have been struggling with a cold over the last four days.

We had a lazy morning and a leisurely breakfast. With Holly and Van leaving, they packed up and loaded the car.

We drove to Olhson Rec Center. We planned to walk north along the bluffs. It started to rain lightly. After a short distance, Holly and Van decided to head back to Sacramento.

Sharon and I headed into Gualala to do some shopping. After a nice salmon salad for lunch, we had a lazy couple of hours at the house. After the last week, I needed some downtime. I did a peloton strength workout.

The Gainsleys rolled up at 2:15 pm. They unpacked and got settled into the house.

Eventually, the four of us walked to lodge for a cocktail. It was the same bartender [Trace] that we met two years.

We finished the day with dinner at house. Sharon made linguine with clams. Kevin barbecued some oysters.

The four of us crashed early.

2024 Sea Ranch - Day #3

With a 9:30 tee time at the Sea Ranch Golf links, we were up and moving fairly early. I had made an earlier than usual tee time ahead of the men's league, rather than having us start behind them.

Lately, I have felt good on the driving range, but couldn't get it to carry over to the course. This was just the opposite. I was awful on the range, but was very happy with how I played. Using a couple of mulligans, I had a 50 on the front including several three putts. I was striking the ball well. I hit a seven iron to within 2 1/2 feet of the par three twelfth; I made the putt for a birdie. My concentration started to waver and I was wearing down on the back nine. I ended up with a liberally scored 104.

Holly and Van walked the course, while Sharon and I rode. I really enjoyed the outing.

Back at the house, I soaked in the hot tub and then took a nap. I am still fighting a cold.

Sharon and Holly ended up walking up to the lodge to listen to a jazz band and have a cocktail. They said that the band wasn't very good...

When they got back, we threw together a dinner with leftovers from last night's dinner at the lodge and Holly's enchiladas from the first night. The four of us finished the night playing Codenames. Sharon and I lost the first two games, but roared back to win the second two games. We crashed a little after 10 pm.

2024 Sea Ranch - Day #2

Everyone was moving slow. We had a lazy breakfast. Eventually, we got organized for a hike. We headed north along the bluffs to the Ohlson Rec Center. From there, we crossed the road and headed up into the redwoods along Hugo's Ravine before looping back. In total, we covered 6.2 miles in two hours and forty-eight minutes.


We had lunch back at the house. The plan for the afternoon was pickleb@ll. I was feeling under the weather and ended up taking a nap. Holly and Van went to the Moonraker Rec Center and hit the ball for a while.

We had an early dinner reservation at the Sea Ranch Lodge. Van and I walked from the house to the lodge, while Sharon and Holly drove. It turned out to be a very different experience. Once a month, the restaurant has a family style dinner with large tables for locals! The food was very good.

Back at the house, we crashed early.

2024 Sea Ranch - Day #1

After I had an early morning dermatology appointment, Sharon and I headed towards Sea Ranch. We met Holly and Van at the Northwood Golf Course along the Russia River. This is a nine hole course. We teed off just after 1 pm.


I was pretty happy with how well I played. I ended up with an honestly scored 58. I played with the same ball all afternoon. I made a mess of the par five ninth. After not hitting driver all day on the tight short course, I took it out; I shouldn't have. I was striking the ball pretty well. I really enjoyed the golf course.

From there, Sharon and I headed to Gualala to pick up the key to the rental house. We are staying seven nights at Monette. We stayed at this Sea Ranch rental twice in 2022: February and July.

After getting the cars unloaded and settled in the house, Holly made a nice dinner of enchiladas. The four of us finished the night played Hygge.