The Sea Ranch Historical Sites

• The Gualala Lumber Mill was located across the bridge, in Mendocino County, below the highway, at the bend in the river. Although not on The Sea Ranch, it played a part in the early history of our area. There was a ferry there before any bridges, Bihler was an investor, the Benders had contractual agreements with the mill, Knipp and Stengel supplied it with beef and mill workers for Del Mar came from it after it burned. There is a good view of the area from Gualala Point County Park (1a). The visitors center (1b) in the park has great exhibits and pictures on logging.
• Gualala Point – Site of World War II bombing range (along Rock Cod) for training Navy pilots.
• Salal Cove where Salal Creek empties into the ocean was a Pomo site called “Seeton”. Salal creek extends across the highway and becomes Pomo Creek. The creek’s trails led to a major Pomo village named “Kubahmoi” on the Gualala River at Rock Pile Creek.
• Robert Rutherford/Joe Tongue Barn Site (northwest corner of Halcyon and Highway 1. Also the location of where Valentine Foresti and the Filosi family lived and farmed. The area was used for dairy farming, grain and orchards.
• Possible site of Joe Tongue’s landing (the end of Fish Rock).
• Robert Rutherford’s homesite (Deer Trail and West Wind) and orchard (6a – around Fawn).
• Podsakoff’s grave (bluff at the end of Sea Stack).
• Del Mar Landing.
• Del Mar Mill, the steam plant and the buildings which surrounded it used in mill operations.
• Mill worker/Russian housing (around Starboard Close and Windswept).
• Approximate route of the mill railroad along Leeward.
• Del Mar Saloon/Russian Schoolhouse site.
• Del Mar Store site.
• Old Barn which is to be renovated. It has been referred to as the mill foreman’s barn and the store warehouse. Located north of the Del Mar tennis courts or, from the highway, it’s behind red gate 20.
• Mill manager’s house/Frick summer home/Ohlson’s first house site north of Olson’s second house, now the Del Mar Center.
• Del Mar schoolhouse.
• Bull Barn remnants across the highway from the schoolhouse.
• Klamath sinking site at the end of Sea Drift.
• Brettnacher/Robinson home and orchard site. Behind the Eucalyptus trees across from Leeward Spur.
• One Eyed Jacks.
• Sheep pens.
• First “settlement” – Hugal, Hageler, Bihler, then Adam Knipp and Christian Stengel lived there. North end of Rams Horn Reach, north of the Eucalyptus crown. There had been a grist mill along the ravine which was also a butchering site for cattle.
• Adam Knipp/Chris Stengel barn and out buildings. Also the Ohlson ranch house. Knipp, Stengel and the Ohlson family are probably the longest term and most successful occupants of The Sea Ranch property.
• Army World War II Radar Base located around Drover’s Close.
• Kenkoku Maru grounding on Black Point Beach.
• Black Point Settlement/Bihler Landing – Sea Ranch lodge property.

Other Sea Ranch Markers

• Loggers Cabin Site
• Hugal's Ravine
• Smugglers Cove
• The Bane Bill
• Del Mar Ravine
• The Sea Ranch Chapel
• Golf Course
• Binker Barns
• Knipp-Stengel Era
• Logging Techniques
• Hedgerow Houses
• The Sea Ranch Design Concept
• Riparian Passage: Salal Creek
• Signature Hedgerows
• The Sea Ranch Airstrip
• Madrone Cluster
• White Fir Wood Cluster

2014 Kings versus Warriors

Wednesday night, I went with Larkin to the Sacramento Kings versus Golden State Warriors NBA basketball game. Trailing most of the game, the Kings made a nice run at the end of the third quarter and led by the score of 76 to 75. They were outscored by 10 points in the fourth quarter and lost by the score of 101 to 92.

Both teams were missing their centers. Andrew Bogut missed his fifth straight game for the Warriors with a left shoulder injury. DeMarcus Cousins, who strained his left hip flexor in Sacramento's final game before the break in New York, also sat out. The Kings are 0-8 without Cousins this season. The Kings traded guard Marcus Thornton to Brooklyn for veterans Jason Terry and Reggie Evans in the morning.

Isaiah Thomas was the leading scorer for the Kings. He had 26 points on 9 for 17 from the field, 2 for 6 from three point range and 6 for 7 from the free throw line.

David Lee was the leading scorer for the Warriors. He had 23 points on 10 for 20 from the field and 3 for 4 from the free throw line. Lee added 11 rebounds.

I was very underwhelmed with the Kings offense. With Cousins missing, there did not seem to be any rhyme or reason to their offense.

NFL tight end Tony Gonzalez, a former star at Cal, sat in a court side seat between Kings owner Vivek Ranadive and team executive Chris Mullin. I was surprised by the size of the crowd. It was a sell-out with lots of Warriors fans in the stands.

Larkin and I wandered up and talked to Hunter and Yuli during half-time.

The Kings have 2 wins and 1 loss in games that I have during the 2013-2014 season.

FDR's Funeral Train by Robert Klara

I finished reading FDR's Funeral Train: A Betrayed Widow, a Soviet Spy, and a Presidency in the Balance by Robert Klara. I stumbled across the book while browsing on Amazon. This is part of my project to read books about all of the presidents.

Franklin Roosevelt (FDR) died in April of 1945 during a trip to Warm Springs, Georgia. The book looks at the 1,000 mile train odyssey to get his body from Warm Springs to Washington D.C. for the funeral and then on to Hyde Park, New York for the burial. The trip covered three days.

Sharon and I watched Hyde Park on the Hudson which looked at the relationship between FDR and his distant cousin Margaret "Daisy" Suckley. She was one of the people in the room with FDR when he died.

The book also provides a look into the first days of the Truman Presidency. After the funeral at the White House, Truman traveled on the train to Hyde Park and back. He and his team were furiously working on a speech that he planned to give to Congress on the day after their return. The book essentially ends with Truman's speech to Congress.

The book reads more like a novel than a history book. I enjoyed it and recommend it. I need to read a lot more about Franklin Roosevelt!

Crestview at Sea Ranch

Starbucks iTunes Pick of the Week - David Nail - Broke My Heart

The complete list of Starbucks iTunes picks of the week is here!



Code Expiration: May 13, 2014

Starbucks iTunes Pick of the Week - LYNE

The complete list of Starbucks iTunes picks of the week is here!



Code Expiration: May 13, 2014

2014 Sea Ranch Day 4

We had a very lazy morning. Sharon, Phil and Marlene spent some time in the hot tub, while I read my book. Eventually, we had a great breakfast of french toast and fruit on the deck.

Check-out time was 11:00 am. Packing up the truck, we were on the road about 10:50 am. We set the GPS for a winery north of Healdsburg, but just randomly decided to stop at the Thomas George Estates as we were traveling along the Westside Road. It turned out to be a very nice choice. We had a tasting and then dug through the ice chests to pull together a picnic lunch.

From there, we headed straight to Carmichael. It was a relaxing weekend. I am sure that we will rent the Crestview house again sometime in the future. It was a special treat for me to ride, while Phil did all of the driving!

2014 Sea Ranch Day 3

Sharon and I walked south from the house to start the morning. The roundtrip was about 2.4 miles. We walked pass the Walk-on Beach that we explored on Friday night.

The plan for the day was to play eighteen holes of golf at The Sea Ranch Golf Links. After hitting on the range, we started off the first tee about 10:25 am. It was an interesting round. I shot a very liberally scored winter rules 102: a 53 on the front nine and a 49 on the back nine. Although I felt very inconsistent, I ended up bogeying seven holes and getting a par on one of the par threes. Sharon shot a 106: 53 on the front nine and 53 on the back nine.

I felt like I couldn't string two shots together. I was struggled with the soggy conditions on a couple of the holes. The middle of several fairways were a swamp after 13 inches of rain the previous weekend.

I putted reasonably well. I had 40 putts; I three putted five greens, while I one putted the ninth. I hit the ball within about 5 1/2 feet of the pin on the par three 17th hole. I missed the birdie putt, while Phil sunk his 10 feet birdie putt.

We are playing pretty slow and let a number of groups play through. It was about 4:15 pm before we finished. The round took almost 5 hours and 45 minutes.

After golf, we headed into Gualala to pick up some steaks for dinner. We enjoyed the view and the sunset from the hot tub before cooking a late dinner.

We finished the night watching Charlie Wilson's War. Philip Seymour Hoffman was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor in the film. I enjoyed the film, but agree with Phil that it was a fairly superficial representation of the events.

2014 Sea Ranch Day 2

Up fairly early, while everyone else was getting organized, I decided to take a run to the north. I ran from Crestview to one of my favorite spots on the Sea Ranch Coast. I was surprised by the fact that they have added a number of historical markers along the trail. I will be posting these in the coming weeks. I reached a point where the trail forks and headed up the stream through the golf course. I have not covered this part of the trail since Sharon and I were here in June of 1995. I ended up covering about 4.2 miles in about 47 minutes. I will post a map in the next week.

Back at the house, we got organized and headed out for a hike along the bluffs. We headed north along the same route that I had run. Heading up the creek, we wandered through the clubhouse at the golf course and then continued on to a point where we had a vista of the Gualala River beach. We backtracked along the same route to get back to the house. In total, we covered 5.7 miles in a little over two hours.

We got back to the house about 12:15 pm and headed into Gualala for a late lunch. We ended up eating at the Cove Azul Bar & Grill. Afterwards, the girls shopped for furs at Jack's Pharmacy and Uggs just up the street.

We finished the afternoon with a drink at Bones Roadhouse. At this point, it started to rain pretty heavily.

When we got back to the house, we spent some time in the hot tub in the rain.

We had a late dinner (800 pm) at the Sea Ranch Lodge. Both Sharon and I had short ribs. The four of us enjoyed a bottle of Mary Edwards with dinner.

When we got back to the house, we started to watch Bridemaids. Everyone faded. I was the last person standing; I made it until about 11:45 pm. I still need to see the end of the movie.

2014 Sea Ranch Day 1

The plan for the holiday weekend is to spend a few days at Sea Ranch with Phil and Marlene. This will be the third out of the last four years [2013, 2011] that we have spent a winter weekend at Sea Ranch. After some indecision about which vehicle to take, we ended up loading everything into Phil's truck. With golf bags, ice chests and luggage for the four of us, it was quite a load.

Leaving the house a little after 10 am, we made a stop at the Bouchaine Vineyard for lunch. From there, we made stops in Bodega Bay for some smoked salmon and Jenner for gas. We rolled into The Sea Ranch about 3:15 pm, just over five hours with three stops. We are staying at the Crestview house that we rented in 2011.

After getting settled into the house, we took a long hike to the south. We went to the Walk on Beach and back. It still irks me that there is a long bypass around the bluffs just north of the Walk on Beach.

We used the hot tub and then played a couple of games of pool. When we were here three years ago with Jack, we never used the game room with the pool table.

Sharon made a lasagna last weekend. By the time we got the lasagna cooked, it was a late dinner.

We finished the night watching a little of the Winter Olympics before crashing.

Virtually Biking Across America - Day 82

On Day 82, I rode 31.6 miles across northeastern Kansas. Starting at the Marysville Pony Express Station, I rode east on Highway 36 to Seneca. I ended the ride at the Pony Express Museum at the corner of North 4th and Main Streets in Seneca.

Although I am going to have to go back and figure it out at some point, I believe that this is the second longest ride I have done. I would like to try and do a 50 mile virtual ride in the next month, although I am not sure that iFit will let me build a ride that long.

The trip log for Virtually Biking Across America is here.

ESPN 30 for 30 Shorts: The Deal

Grantland and ESPN Films have released the seventeenth film in their 30 for 30 documentary short series.

30 for 30 Shorts: The Deal

The latest film, from Nick and Colin Barnicle, tells the story of the reigning AL MVP and the two epic rivals fighting for his services

You can find The Deal on the ESPN web site at http://espn.go.com/video/clip?id=10433729.

More about the film at: http://espn.go.com/30for30/film?page=thedeal.

Blue Jasmine

On Saturday night after we got back from the Napa Valley Wine Train, Sharon and I watched Blue Jasmine as an HD rental on the AppleTV. We are trying to knock out as many of the Oscar nominated films as possible before the Academy Awards show in early March.

Cate Blanchett has been nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actress in a Leading Role for her portrayal of Jasmine and Sally Hawkins, who plays Jasmine's sister, Ginger, is up for an Academy Award for Best Actress in a Supporting Role. We have now seen three of the five nominees for Best Actress [Blanchett plus Amy Adams in American Hustle and Sandra Bullock in Gravity].

Written and Directed by Woody Allen, the film has been compared to A Streetcar Named Desire. [Note to self: need to watch A Streetcar Named Desire] It tells the story of a rich Manhattan socialite (played by Cate Blanchett) falling into poverty and homelessness. The film also stars Alec Baldwin as Blanchett's husband. I always enjoy watching Alec.

Cate Blanchett's performance is very good. I wouldn't be surprised to see her win the Oscar for Best Actress. I was less impressed with Hawkins' performance.

Starbucks iTunes Pick of the Week - Machinarium

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Code Expiration: May 6, 2014

Starbucks iTunes Pick of the Week - Incoboto Mini

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Code Expiration: May 6, 2014

2014 Jesuit JV Baseball Try-outs

Jack went to the first day of the try-outs for the Jesuit JV baseball team. He said that there were 27 boys. There are at least two boys still playing basketball and wrestling (Alex and Christian). While the varsity coach said that each team would be 17 to 18 boys at a minimum, the JV team only carried 16 boys last season.

Try-outs started a week later than last year. As a result, I don't expect that the final cuts will be made until Monday, February 25 after the double header scrimmage at Bella Vista. Last year, the final cuts were made on February 18.

[footnote: Rod said that the coach told the boys last night that the JV roster would be 16 boys. I confirmed this with Jack…]

Dallas Buyers Club

On Friday night, Sharon and I watched Dallas Buyers Club as an HD rental on the AppleTV. We are trying to knock out as many of the Oscar nominated films as possible before the Academy Awards show at the end of February. The film has six Oscar nominations, including Best Picture, Best Original Screenplay, Best Actor for Matthew McConaughey and Supporting Actor for Jared Leto.

The film based on the true story of AIDS patient Ron Woodroof. He started a buyers club to supply AIDS patients with drugs that weren't approved for use by the FDA in the United States.

The performances by McConaughey and Leto are very good. I suspect that they both may win Oscars for their performances. While it is a very well done film, I personally enjoyed Gravity more…

Napa Valley Wine Train

Janie, Sharon and I spent the afternoon on the Napa Valley Wine Train. Janie took Sharon and I for our birthdays. After a couple of months of no rain, it poured all day.

The train left Napa about 11:30 am. We had the second seating for lunch. The three of us spent the trip north in the lounge car with hor d'oeuvres and a glass of wine. North of St Helena, the train started back towards Napa and we switched to the dining car. Although scheduled to be back at 2:30 pm, it was after 3:00 pm by the time the train got back to the station.

On the way back to Sacramento, we stopped at the Bouchaine Winery.

On the Napa Valley Wine Train

Post by Mark Heringer.

California Historical Landmark #17

On Thursday afternoon, December 26, I visited ten California Historical Markers in Sonoma, including: Mission San Francisco Solano [#3]; General M. G. Vallejo Home [#4]; Bear Flag Monument [#7]; Blue Wing Inn [#17]; Presidio of Sonoma [#316]; Swiss Hotel [#496]; Salvador Vallejo Adobe [#501]; Union Hotel and Union Hall [#627]; Nash Adobe [#667], and; San Francisco Solano Mission Vineyard [#739].

Blue Wing Inn
California State Historical Landmark #17
See this location on Yahoo Maps in Flickr
See this location on Google Maps
This landmark is located in the Sonoma State Historic Park, 133 East Spain Street, Sonoma, California. There are 26 other California State Historical Landmarks in Sonoma County. The GPS coordinates for this location are N 38° 17.607 W 122° 27.335.

You can log your visit to this landmark at waymark.com.

Erected by General M. G. Vallejo about 1840 to accommodate emigrants and other travelers, the Inn was purchased in gold rush days by Cooper and Spriggs, two retired sea-faring men, and operated as hotel and store. It was among first hostelries in Northern California. Notable guests, according to local tradition, included John C. Frémont, U. S. Grant, Governor Pío Pico, Kit Carson, Fighting Joe Hooker, William T. Sherman, Phil Sheridan, and members of the Bear Flag Party.

Virtually Biking Across America - Day 81

On Day 81, I rode 16.3 miles across northeastern Kansas. Starting from the Hollenberg Ranch Pony Express Station, I headed west on Road 23. Turning south on Highway 148 [All American Road], I rode four miles to the Pony Express Highway [Highway 36]. I followed the Pony Express Highway east to Marysville. Heading right on South 8th Street, I finish the ride at the Marysville Pony Express Station.

The trip log for Virtually Biking Across America is here.

2014 Kings versus Raptors

I went with Snipes to the Sacramento Kings versus Toronto Raptors NBA basketball game. The Kings led by 20 points going into the final quarter. Toronto got going offensively and cut the lead to five points with under a minute to play. The Kings held on to win by the score of 109 to 101.

DeMarcus Cousins was the leading scorer for the Kings. He had 25 points on 8 for 19 from the field and 9 for 14 from the free throw line. Cousins also had 10 rebounds, 4 assists and 2 blocked shots. Rudy Gay added 24 points on 7 for 17 from the field and 10 for 11 from the free throw line. Isaiah Thomas contributed 23 points on 4 for 12 from the field and 15 for 16 from the free throw line. The Kings shot 51 free throws compared to 24 for the Raptors!

The Raptors were lead by Kyle Lowry. He had 21 points on 7 for 16 from the field and 5 for 6 from the free throw line. In one of the oddest plays I have ever seen, Lowry fouled out of the game when he made a three point shot late in the game, but somehow fouled Ben McLemore in the process. I would like to see footage of the play.

The new NBA commissioner, Adam Silver, attended the game. The game was announced as a sell-out and it looked pretty close to being full.

In what both Snipes and I thought was a bizarre move, the Kings had Jimmer Fredette on the floor for a big part of the fourth quarter. When he was in the game, I focused on watching him rather than following the ball. I continue to believe that he does not have the speed and athleticism to be an NBA player. Kurt summed my feelings nicely by saying "I didn't pay money to see Jimmer Fredette finish a game!"

The Kings have 2 wins and 0 losses in games that I have during the 2013-2014 season.

Mock ESPN Films 30 for 30: Richard Sherman - Nonstop Coverage

Command Authority by Tom Clancy

I finished reading Command Authority by Tom Clancy in January. This is continuation of Clancy's Jack Ryan novels. It is the fifteenth book set in the same universe and essentially a sequel to Threat Vector that I read last year.

The plot revolves around the resurgence of the Cold War between United States and Russia. Key plot elements include the KGB, the Soviet Mafia and the politics of the Eastern European Countries. Command Authority has an interesting twist. It flashes back to a young Jack Ryan in a time after Patriot Games, but before Red Rabbit.

The book paints a picture of the internal political and economic structure of Russia that includes a blend of organized crime and the secret police. I am curious if any of this is based on reality. I brought a book on Vladimir Putin in the last year that I need to move up in my stack of books to read.

Although slower paced than the last three Jack Ryan books, I thought that this was a better book. I think that it is the best of the four written in the last four years. Of the previous three books, I graded Threat Vector [2102] a weak "B", Locked On [2011] a "C" and Dead or Alive [2010] a "B-." I would grade this book as a strong "B."

The last four books have been written in conduction with another author. It is hard to know how much of the story is really Clancy's. From my perspective, this book felt more like some of the older Jack Ryan books. With Clancy's death in October of 2013, it will be interesting to see what the estate does with the series. As I have said before, it is a little hard for me to be objective; I have so much history invested in the characters over the last thirty years. I am sure that I would read a continuation of the series written by anyone…

Starbucks iTunes Pick of the Week - Dum Dum Girls - Are You Okay?

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Code Expiration: April 29, 2014

Starbucks iTunes Pick of the Week - Algebra Blessett - Right Next To You

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Code Expiration: April 29, 2014

Red Wagon Hires Nicki Cortese As VP Film And Television

Proud of my lady @nickicortese '#Divergent' Producer Red Wagon Entertainment Adds VP Nicki Cortese http://t.co/EIfxPnFoqT”
— andrewheringer (@andrewheringer) February 3, 2014

Captain Phillips

On Friday night, Sharon and I watched Captain Phillips on the AppleTV. We are trying to knock out as many of the Oscar nominated films as possible before the Academy Awards show at the end of February. The film received six Academy Award nominations, including Best Picture and Best Supporting Actor for Barkhad Abdi.

The movie was inspired by the 2009 Maersk Alabama hijacking, an incident during which merchant mariner Captain Richard Phillips was taken hostage by pirates in the Indian Ocean. It is based on the 2010 book A Captain's Duty: Somali Pirates, Navy SEALs, and Dangerous Days at Sea by Richard Phillips.

I enjoyed the movie and recommend it. Reading about the actual event, it appears that both Captain Phillip's book and the movie take some liberties with what actually happened.

Super Bowl XLVIII

After running Jack out to Elk Grove for a Super Bowl party, Sharon, Liz and I watched the game at home. The Seahawks dominated the Broncos in a 43 to 8 rout.

2014 Jesuit Father-Son Mass

For the second year in a row [2013], Jack and I went to the pre-Super Bowl Father-Son Mass at Jesuit High School.

We sat with Rod and Coop. After the Mass, we talked briefly with them before hustling off to work-out with Matt Walbeck.

Crab Feeds

While Jack worked at the Carmichael Rotary crab feed with the returning sophomore and senior Jesuit baseball players, Sharon went to the St. Francis High School Crab feed with a group of high school classmates.

2014 Jesuit Baseball Parent Orientation

For the second year in a row [2013], I went to the Jesuit Baseball parent orientation on Saturday morning. There were a number of parents there that I got to know from last year's freshman team, including the parents of Jared, Kyle, Nick, Trevor and John Louis. The DeAndas were also there. Jack played with their son AD on the Gunners and Outlaws, but he didn't make the freshman team last year. There was also one parent from a player [Kyle S] who also didn't make the freshman team that Jack played with on the Walbeck Summer team.

There was also a celebrity sighting; Dusty Baker attended the meeting. His son is a freshman at Jesuit this year. Baker's son played tournament baseball with Hard90. Jack has played against him a couple of times over the years.

The coach said that there were 33 boys going out for the freshman team, 30 for the JV team and 27 for the varsity team. There were 50 boys signed up for the freshman team last year when Jack tried out. There are 21 uniforms and the minimum number of players is usually 17 to 18. Oddly, Rod had a conversation with the JV coach where he said that his roster would comprise 16 players.

The coach noted that there wouldn't be any players moving up from JV to Varsity. He said that although the JV team was deep with pitching that the Varsity team also had a very deep pitching staff of juniors and seniors.

The coach also had a couple of other observations. He said that in all of his years only 5 or 6 boys who didn't make the freshman team ended up playing varsity. He then turned around and said the JV team is actually easier to make that the freshman team. Finally, he noted that California is one of the two most competitive states for baseball.

The last part of the meeting focused on a proposed change in the fall ball schedule. This year, fall ball started at the beginning of September and ended at the end of October. The coach said that he is considering delaying the start of fall ball until somewhere between the middle of September to the middle of October. Fall ball would become winter ball. Part of the motivation for this change is to give the kids arms a longer break. Although there was a lot of discussion and push back from some of the parents, it sounded to me like the coach was going to try this revised schedule this coming fall.

The meeting lasted just about two hours.

Kansas! - Virtually Biking Across American - Day 80

On Day 80, I rode 29.2 miles into northeastern Kansas! Starting in the Rock Creek Station Historical Park, I rode a short distance north on Road 575. I then turned east on Pwf/711th Road. At Highway 103 [581st Ave], I rode south for eight miles. Turning east on to Highway 8 [705th Road] and south on Highway 148 [All American Road], I headed on east on 23rd Road just north to Hanover and finished the ride near the Hollenberg Ranch Pony Express Station.

The trip log for Virtually Biking Across America is here.

ESPN 30 for 30 Shorts: Judging Jewell

Grantland and ESPN Films have released the sixteenth film in their 30 for 30 documentary short series.

30 for 30 Shorts: Judging Jewell

The latest film, from award-winning filmmaker Adam Hootnick, tells the story of a nation's rush to judgment in the aftermath of the 1996 Centennial Olympic Park bombing.

You can find Judging Jewell on the ESPN web site at http://espn.go.com/video/clip?id=10365079.

More about the film at: http://espn.go.com/30for30/film?page=judgingjewell.

Frosh/Soph Parent Counselor Information Night

Tuesday night, I went to the Jesuit High School Frosh/Soph Parent Counselor Information Night. In addition to a general session with Jack's counselor, I went to two break-out sessions: scheduling and placement for sophomores and Naviance.

Although I picked up one or two nuggets of information, the session with Jack's counselor [Seishas] was not particularly helpful; he used the same powerpoint deck that he used last year. The Naviance session was very good. It is a comprehensive college planning solution that track results for Jesuit students from the last ten years, including GPA and test scores versus acceptance rates by individual college. The scheduling session for sophomores was also worthwhile. The school is changing to a block schedule next year.

Outlaws 16U versus SA Pirates

While we were at the memorial service on Sunday, Jack played with the Outlaws in the Northern California Travel Ball Frost Bowl Baseball Tournament. Jack was scheduled to play on Saturday, but had to do field work with his high school baseball team.

The Outlaws played the SA Pirates in the first game of the elimination bracket. This is a team from San Anselmo. I don't believe that Jack has ever played against this team. Glancing at the roster, none of the names seemed familiar. The roster for the Outlaws included a bushel of players that Jack has played with over the years, including Niko, Trevor, Breyton, Josh, Cooper, Aaron and Jared.

Jack batted fifth. At the plate, Jack was 1 for 2 with a stolen base and a run scored. In his first at-bat, Jack chopped the first pitch down the third base line. Hustling down the line, he was safe at first. Jack stole second and then was driven in by Cooper. Jack grounded the first pitch to the shortstop and was thrown out at first in his second plate appearance. In the top of the seventh, Leland and Aaron walked. Trevor struck out. Jared then struck out and Aaron was picked off first to end the inning and the game. Jack was on deck. The Outlaws batted twelve players.

In the field, Jack played centerfield for seven innings. He didn't have an assist or a put-out.

In a pitching duel, the Outlaws lost the game by the score of 3 to 1 and were eliminated from the tournament. Texting with Rod afterwards, he bemoaned the fact that the Outlaws only had 7 or 8 hits in three games over the weekend.

Although I know that I have said it on a number of occasions, I suspect that this will be the last time that Jack plays as an "Outlaw."

Starbucks iTunes Pick of the Week - Doug Paisley - Song My Love Can Sing

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Code Expiration: April 22, 2014

Starbucks iTunes Pick of the Week - Taasky

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Code Expiration: April 22, 2014

Celebration of Life

Dropping Jack in Woodland early Sunday morning to play baseball with the Outlaws, Sharon, Wallen, Drew and I drove to Petaluma for a Celebration of Life. The service was for the daughter of a friend; this is a friend whom I have known since we played rugby together at UC Davis more 35 years ago. The family is part of the group that has vacationed together at Lakes Almanor and Shasta.

The celebration included music, a buffet lunch and shared memories. Drew played John Lennon's Imagine as part of the program. Additionally, they played Milo Greene's 1957 and Cutty Love while people were getting their food.

After the memorial service, the families hosted a private event at the Lagunitas Brewery Company in Petaluma.

While I fully expect to attend this type of event for one of my contemporaries, it is very difficult for me to go to an event for one of our kids.

Anna Bachman

1/16/88 – 1/12/2014

Anna, 25, was a child of the universe – a loving, generous and thoughtful sister, daughter, niece, cousin, friend and coworker who will be missed by all who knew her. Throughout her short life, Anna was unique in her continual efforts to be a better person – to be more understanding, more patient, more helpful to all individuals in her life. She loved her life and had many achievements for someone so young.

Anna graduated from Rancho Cotati High School in 2006. She excelled in scholastics and participated in many school clubs and activities. Anna loved her time on the Rancho Cotati swim team where she organized fund raisers and team activities. She was willing to swim a lap or two in order to be a part of the team. She never rose to the varsity level but because of her dedication to the team, she was elected captain by her teammates.

While at UC Berkeley, Anna was a dedicated student who developed a passion for urban planning and the politics of developing countries. This took her abroad to study in Mexico, where she lived with the Zapatistas. Anna loved her time living in a Berkeley Student Co-op, Casa Zimbabwe, where she is best remembered for her fun-loving, welcoming nature and the beautiful murals she made to decorate the house. UC Berkeley was a perfect fit for Anna as she embraced the liberal ideals as well as the independent thinking and action supported by most of her professors.

Anna was always willing to lend a supportive hand. Alongside her dad – Rick and sister - Gail, Anna volunteered her time to work with an international veterinary group, Compassion Without Borders. She made a number of trips to impoverished areas of Mexico to aid in medical and surgical camps.

After graduation from Berkeley, Anna worked for two years with Habitat for Humanity. Anna’s manager, Doug Stimpson, wrote “Anna had three qualities that made her a star: a hunger for new challenges, a sharp intellect and a desire to treat everyone she encountered with kindness and respect”. Through this work, she became inspired to learn more about Urban Planning in order to promote housing opportunities for lower income families.

Anna was attending a graduate program at University of Illinois, Chicago to achieve a Master’s Degree in Urban Planning and Policy. Through this program, she was able to identify her career path which would involve improvements in community development through policy change. According to Dr. Janet Smith, Anna’s major professor at UIC, “Anna’s commitment to affordable housing stems from a conviction grounded in social justice and the dignity of all human beings. She did not just believe that we needed more of it, but that it was foundational to a strong community and economy and our humanity.”

Anna is survived by her sisters and brother-in-law, Gail, Alexis and Nick, her father Rick and his family, Patty, Abby and Andrew, her mother Marsha and step dad, Andy, her treasured kitty, Ramon, in addition to other loving aunts, uncles and cousins.

If you would like to make a donation in Anna’s name, please consider Habitat for Humanity. Her family will also be setting up a scholarship program for individuals pursuing graduate degrees in urban planning. Contributions can be made to WestAmerica Bank in the name of Anna Bachman Memorial Fund.

There will be a memorial for Anna at the Sonoma Mountain Village Event Center at 1100 Valley House Drive in Rohnert Park on Sunday January 26th at 11:00 am. If you knew Anna or were impacted by her in any way, please come to celebrate her life with us.

2014 Jesuit Booster Crab Feed

Sharon and I went to the Jesuit Boosters Crab Feed with Tom, Becky, Phil, Marlene, Rod, Julie, Janie and Wallen. Wallen is in town for Anna's service on Sunday.

Sharon is on the Booster Club board as secretary. She was able to get all of us at a round table in the back of the room. It was a very nice group.

This is the second year in a row [2013] that we have gone. We also went once with Tom and Becky when Eric was at Jesuit.

Walbeck Baseball Academy - Back to back Jacks

Celebrating Sharon's Birthday!

For the fourth year in a row, Sharon, Jack and I went to dinner at Ruth's Chris Steak House to celebrate Sharon's birthday. We got Sharon flowers and a gift certificate for some new irons for her birthday… We are going to get the golf clubs before we go to Sea Ranch in February.

Habitat mourns loss of former AmeriCorps member

Post by Mark Heringer.

California Historical Landmark #7

On Thursday afternoon, December 26, I visited ten California Historical Markers in Sonoma, including: Mission San Francisco Solano [#3]; General M. G. Vallejo Home [#4]; Bear Flag Monument [#7]; Blue Wing Inn [#17]; Presidio of Sonoma [#316]; Swiss Hotel [#496]; Salvador Vallejo Adobe [#501]; Union Hotel and Union Hall [#627]; Nash Adobe [#667], and; San Francisco Solano Mission Vineyard [#739].

Bear Flag Monument
California State Historical Landmark #7
See this location on Yahoo Maps in Flickr
See this location on Google Maps
This landmark is located in the Sonoma Plaza, East Spain and East 1st Streets, Sonoma, California. There are 26 other California State Historical Landmarks in Sonoma County. The GPS coordinates for this location are N 38° 17.603 W 122° 27.399.

You can log your visit to this landmark at waymark.com.

On June 14, 1846, the Bear Flag Party raised the Bear Flag on this spot and declared California free from Mexican rule. Following the raising of the American flag at Monterey July 7, 1846 by Commodore John Drake Sloat, on July 9 the Bear Flag was hauled down and the American flag raised in its place by Lieutenant Joseph W. Revere, U.S.A., who had been sent to Sonoma from San Francisco by Commander John B. Montgomery of the U.S. Sloop-of-War Portsmouth.

Starbucks iTunes Pick of the Week - Polymer

The complete list of Starbucks iTunes picks of the week is here!



Code Expiration: April 15, 2014

Starbucks iTunes Pick of the Week - Young the Giant - Crystallized

The complete list of Starbucks iTunes picks of the week is here!



Code Expiration: April 15, 2014

Virtually Biking Across America - Day 79

On Day 79, I rode 23.9 miles across southeastern Nebraska. Starting in the town of Alexandria at the corner of Mercy and South Streets, I rode south on Highway 53. Turning east on 717th Road, I followed the River Road into the town of Fairbury. Leaving town on Highway 8, I turned east on 711th Road to the Rock Creek Station Historical Park.

The trip log for Virtually Biking Across America is here.

Gravity

Taking Jack to the Century Laguna for a date with Bridget, Sharon and I watched Gravity in Real3D. We are trying to knock out as many of the Oscar nominated films as possible before the Academy Awards show at the end of February. The film was nominated for 10 Academy Awards, including Best Picture, Best Director (Alfonso Cuarón) and Best Actress (Sandra Bullock).

I enjoyed the film a lot. The movie stars George Cooney and Sandra Bullock as astronauts involved in the mid-orbit destruction of a space shuttle and their attempt to return to Earth.

I have two observations. First, this is definitely a film that you need to see on the big screen in the theater. I just don't think that it would have the same impact on a small screen.

Second, the movie made very good effective use of 3D. It is probably the best 3D movie I have ever seen.

American Hustle

After an early dinner at the Zinfandel Grill, Janie, Sharon and I went to see the American Hustle at the Century 14 Theaters on Arden. We are going to try and knock out a few of the Oscar nominated films before the end of February.

Loosely based on the FBI ABSCAM undercover operations of the late 1970's, the film stars Christian Bale, Bradley Cooper, Amy Adams and Jennifer Lawrence. Robert De Niro also appears in a lengthy segment late in the film.

The acting is very good, but I was not that crazy about the plot of the film. Sharon was even harsher. When I asked Sharon for her rating, she initially said 3 of 10. Sharon thought that story was confusing and not very compelling. On further recollection, she upgraded it to a 5 based on the strength of the acting.

Personally, I can't watch Bradley Cooper without thinking about Silver Linings Playbook. Due to the fact that it involves two of my least favorite subjects, I really didn't enjoy that movie…

ESPN Films 30 for 30 Vol II: The Price of Gold

Sharon and I watched The Price of Gold. This is the sixteenth installment of ESPN's 30 for 30 Vol II. An episode guide for Vol II is here.

The Price of Gold looks at Tonya Harding, Nancy Kerrigan, the attack on Kerrigan on January 6, 1994 at the U.S. Figure Skating Championships and the 1994 Winter Games in Lillehammer.

This is really the story of Tonya Harding. The documentary looks at her turbulent childhood, life and and career, including some remarkable footage of her as a child interacting with her mother. Harding participated in the making of the film and her interview is woven from the start to the end.

Kerrigan did not participate in the film. Oddly to me at least, Kerrigan's husband did participate and appears in the film.

In addition to the interviews with Harding and others, the documentary uses a lot of old footage. All of the footage from attack on Kerrigan through the end of the Lillehammer Olympics is particularly compelling.

While not my favorite from Volume II, this is a very good documentary. It does an excellent job of going back and exploring Tonya Harding, the attack on Kerrigan and the aftermath of the attack. It would have been nice to have gotten an interview with Kerrigan. In the footage from the 1990's, Kerrigan seems so oddly detached and distant.

The Price of Gold is currently not available on Amazon or in iTunes.

A trailer for the film is here.

1,521 miles running and 1,092 miles cycling

On our trip to Florida in Summer of 2004, I started to play with the idea of running the American River 50 in April of 2007. I committed myself and started to train.

In 2005, I ran slightly less than 1,630 miles.

In 2006, I ran slightly less than 1,680 miles.

In 2007, I ran 1,721 miles. This included successfully completing the American River 50.

In 2008, I ran more than 1,925 miles!

In 2009, I ran 1,832 miles.

In 2010, I ran 1,700 miles. This included two full weeks off during the trip to Spain in the summer.

In 2011, I ran 1,763 miles. This seems impossible in a year that I took almost nine weeks of vacation!

In 2012, my goal was to start cross-training. I ran and hiked 1,441 miles. This included two full weeks off during the trip to Italy in the summer. Additionally, I cycled 1,133 miles. Most of this cycling was done on a stationary bike. I covered 1,016 miles virtually biking across America.

In 2013, I ran 1,521 miles and cycled 1,092 miles. My goal for 2013 was to best both the running and the cycling totals. I accomplished the running goal. Additionally, I was going to try and lift at least 48 times (4 times a month) at Arden Hills. I failed in this goal.

I am not going to establish mileage goals for 2014. My aerobic work-outs are hard wired. I am going to restart a sit-up, push-up and light routine that I have done in the past. My goal is do this 100 times in 2014.

Celebrating My Birthday

After I picked Jack up at the Jesuit baseball weight lifting session, Sharon, Jack and I went to dinner at Matteo's Pizza and Bistro to celebrate my birthday. We finished the night with cupcakes and presents (including a pair of binoculars) at home.

Future Stars

Jack, Sharon and I spent an hour at Future Stars with Scott Hamilton. Future Stars is a college counseling center designed to guide families through the college admissions process. This is our second session [9/9/2013].

We reviewed his grades from the first semester, talked about the tests that he needs to take later this year in AP Biology and the class schedule for next year. We also spent some time talking about seminars and camps for this summer, NCAA recruiting and colleges in Great Britain.

Starbucks iTunes Pick of the Week - Broken Bells - After the Disco

The complete list of Starbucks iTunes picks of the week is here!



Code Expiration: April 8, 2014

Starbucks iTunes Pick of the Week - Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings - Stranger to My Happiness

The complete list of Starbucks iTunes picks of the week is here!



Code Expiration: April 8, 2014

ESPN 30 for 30: Soccer Stories Episode Guide

ESPN Films, creators of the critically-acclaimed 30 for 30 film series, will premiere a new series in April surrounding the 2014 FIFA World Cup on ESPN. 30 for 30: Soccer Stories will include a mix of standalone feature-length and 30-minute-long documentary films from an award winning group of filmmakers telling compelling narratives from around the international soccer landscape. In addition, a collection of 10 vignettes about Brazil’s rich culture will be featured throughout ESPN’s FIFA World Cup programming.

Two feature-length films:

1. Hillsborough, Directed by Daniel Gordon - April 15, 2014 at 8:00 pm ET

25 years ago, on April 15, 1989, the worst disaster in British football history occurred in an overcrowded stadium in Sheffield, England, 150 miles north of London. 3,000 fans flocked through the turnstiles to head to the area reserved for standing, despite a capacity of less than half of that. The result was a “human crush” that killed 96 people and injured 766. Prior to the disaster at Hillsborough, British football was known for the grime of its stadiums, hooligan fans and inadequate facilities, but great change came after the Hillsborough disaster. What emerged is now known as the most rich and powerful soccer league in the world, the English Premier League.

2. White, Blue and White, Directed by Camilo Antolini; Produced by Juan José Campanella

Although a large number of Argentinian players have found football success around the world, few have made a name for themselves in England’s top league. One notable exception is Ossie Ardiles. Fresh off Argentina’s victory in the 1978 World Cup, Ardiles and his compatriot, Ricky Villa, joined Tottenham Hotspur later that year, when the notion of overseas players was still new to the English league. Helping lead Spurs to victory in the 1981 FA Cup, the Argentinian stars became cult heroes in England. But on April 2, 1982, everything radically changed as Argentinian troops descended on the British-ruled Falkland Islands, asserting rightful sovereignty. A conflicted Ardiles returned to Buenos Aires two days later, his bright future with Spurs suddenly in question.

Six 30-minute films:

1. The Myth of Garrincha, Directed by Marcos Horacio Azevedo

In Brazil, Pelé is “The King.” But his teammate, Mané Garrincha, is also remembered as the one of the best soccer players of all time. In a country where the sport grants its protagonists such royal deference, Garrincha is the jester– an entertainer who amused crowds and turned soccer into an irresistible spectacle, all while helping Brazil capture two World Cups. This, despite his legs being so bent that early in his career doctors deemed him unfit to play professionally. Match after match, he proved them wrong. But his unpredictable moves were of little assistance after his playing career came to an end. Abandoned by the soccer establishment, Garrincha died a victim of alcoholism in 1983. But his fans did not forget him. His body was brought to a cemetery, in the outskirts of Rio de Janeiro. Garrincha’s relatives had to borrow a grave, which turned out to be too small for his coffin. Thousands of people flooded the tiny burial ground, much more than the place could accommodate. After 49 years of a brilliant career and tumultuous life, the man who turned soccer into a “Beautiful Game” was memorably laid to rest. His legend lives on.

2. Barbosa – The Man Who Made All of Brazil Cry, Directed by Loch Phillipps; Executive Producers: Jonathan Hock & Roger Bennett

In 1949, Goalkeeper Moacir Barbosa and his Brazilian national team are on top of the world, having just won the South American championship by a score of 7-0. Barbosa is one of the heroes, widely considered one of the world’s best goalkeepers. But everything changed during the 1950 World Cup, played for the first time in Brazil. Before the final game against neighbor and rival Uruguay, the Brazilian Football Confederation was so confident of victory it had made 22 gold medals with the names of their players imprinted on them. With 11 minutes left, Uruguay shocked the estimated crowd of 200,000 at Marcana and scored the winning goal – a goal that is still considered to be the greatest sporting tragedy to befall Brazil. The blame was mostly pinned on Barbosa for being out of position on his goal line, tantamount to Bill Buckner letting a baseball roll between his legs. The country went into a deep mourning, fans committed suicide, and Barbosa was nationally blacklisted. Barbosa was considered cursed and he never played in another World Cup. He rotted away, practically penniless and alone. On July 13th, the 2014 World Cup Final will again take place at the Maracana, giving the Brazilian team the chance to write a new ending into Brazilian folklore.

3. Ceasefire Massacre, Directed by Alex Gibney and Trevor Bunim

New Jersey, June 18, 1994. Giants Stadium is awash with green as Irish soccer fans arrive to watch Ireland’s opening World Cup match against the mighty Italy. The sense of optimism is infectious. The Celtic Tiger is in its infancy, Bill Clinton’s decision to grant a visa to Irish Republican leader Gerry Adams has propelled the peace process forward and Jack Charlton’s team are walking onto the pitch before 75,000 fervent spectators made up of Irish, Italians and Americans of Irish and Italian decent. Amongst the fans is Irish Prime Minister Albert Reynolds who is sitting with members of an American group who’ve been working behind-the-scenes to end the conflict in Northern Ireland. The electrifying mood is shared by the supporters watching the match in the Heights Bar, a tiny pub in the Northern Irish village of Loughin Island, 24 miles south of Belfast. At the half, the Irish are remarkably ahead 1-0. Shortly after the second half begins, two masked gunmen belonging to a Protestant terror group burst into the Heights Bar. Thirty rounds are fired and six innocent men watching a soccer match were killed. Ceasefire Massacre will reveal how the juxtaposition of the jubilation felt inside Giants Stadium against the horrors of what happened in the Heights Bar, encapsulated the mood of the time. After 25-years of conflict, Ireland and her people longed for peace and prosperity but the brutalities of the violence in the North were never far from the surface. The gunning down of innocent men as they watched a soccer match marked both a low-point and a turning-point in the Northern Ireland conflict; one that would ultimately contribute to the paramilitaries on both sides calling ceasefires just weeks later.

4. The Opposition, Directed by Ezra Edelman

In the wake of the 1973 military coup in Chile, American-backed dictator Augusto Pinochet transformed Santiago’s National Stadium into a concentration camp where political opponents were tortured and assassinated. Only months later, that same stadium was scheduled to host a decisive World Cup qualifier between Chile and the Soviet Union. Despite protests, FIFA’s own investigation, and the Soviet’s eventual boycott, the Chilean team still played the game as planned, qualifying for the 1974 World Cup on a goal scored against no one.

5. Mysteries of The Jules Rimet Trophy, Directed by Brett Ratner - Trailer

Inspired by Nike, the Greek goddess of victory, the Jules Rimet Trophy was awarded to the nation that won FIFA’s World Cup and was among the most coveted prizes in all of sports. It is also the sports prize shrouded in the most intrigue – with the whereabouts of the original trophy unknown to this day. This film focuses on the great prize’s first brush with crime – a Nazi plan to steal the Rimet Trophy from Italy during World War II. The story unfolds like a great caper film, where our hero, Ottorino Barassi, a mild-mannered Italian soccer official, attempts to protect a valued treasure.

6. Maradona ’86, Directed by Sam Blair; Executive Produced by John Battsek

In the 1986 World Cup, Maradona redefined what is possible for one man to accomplish on the soccer field. Already a figure of notoriety, but with one failed World Cup behind him, Maradona took possession of the international stage in Mexico, the spotlight rarely drifting from him as he wrote an indelible history with his feet and, of course, with a hand from God. Delivered with passion and intelligence, Maradona ‘86 is a fascinating, evocative and operatic portrait of Maradona, revealing his inner complexity and contradictions while basking in the joy and passion of his performance on the pitch as he wrote his name on soccer history forever.

10 Vignettes:

Coraçao, Directed by Jonathan Hock; Executive Produced by Roger Bennett

Brazil’s soccer tradition does not compete with other countries’ teams: it exists on a different level. But aside from soccer success, and despite Brazil’s recent economic boom, most Americans know little about the country, its geographical richness, gripping culture, and complex recent history in which the nation has transformed from a military dictatorship to a thriving, if young, republic. This short vignette series will travel from the beaches and favelas of Rio, to Salvador – the former hub of the slave trade – on a journey of music, dance, and history, to discover the stories that lie behind Brazil’s legend and explore how Brazilian soccer is truly the expression of the soul of its people.

http://espnmediazone.com/us/press-releases/2014/01/espn-announces-new-film-series-30-30-soccer-stories-surrounding-2014-fifa-world-cup-espn/

The Way

On Thursday after Christmas, Sharon and I watched The Way. Starring Martin Sheen, the plot of the film revolves around the Camino de Santiago (the Way of St. James), a Catholic pilgrimage route to the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela in Galicia, Spain. Tradition has it that the remains of the apostle Saint James are buried in this Cathedral. Over 800 kilometers long, the Way of St. James was one of the most important Christian pilgrimages during medieval times.

Along with Sharon's brother-in-law, this pilgrimage is something that we have talked about doing some day. I have actually bought a couple of books on the subject.

I enjoyed the movie, particularly the scenery. The production company and actors actually walked between 300 and 350 kilometers on The Way of St. James during filming. Sharon thought that the movie was a little slow in spots.

Back from Windsor

After sleeping the night on the Tomasin's couch, I got up early, had a cup of coffee with Tomasin and then rolled back to Carmichael. While I have said for 35 years that I am emotionally the closest to Wallen and intellectually enjoy Nooter's company, I always have a great time traveling and hanging out with Tomasin.

SportsCentury: Sandy Koufax

I watched the ESPN SportCentury documentary on Sandy Koufax. ESPN ranked Koufax 42nd on its list of the 100 greatest athletes of the 20th century. A SportCentury episode guide is here.

Koufax played his entire Major League Baseball career for the Brooklyn/Los Angeles Dodgers from 1955 to 1966. He retired at the peak of his career. In 1972, Koufax became the youngest player ever elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame at age 36 years and 20 days.

Koufax's career peaked with a run of six outstanding seasons from 1961 to 1966. He was named the National League's Most Valuable Player in 1963. Koufax also won the 1963, 1965, and 1966 Cy Young Awards by unanimous votes, making him the first 3-time Cy Young winner in baseball history and the only one to win 3 times when the award was for all of baseball, not just one league. In each of his Cy Young seasons, Koufax won the pitcher's triple crown by leading the NL in wins, strikeouts, and earned run average.

In his last season, Koufax pitched 323 innings with a 27–9 record and a 1.73 ERA. Since then, no left-hander has had more wins, nor a lower ERA, in a season.

With arthritis in his left elbow Koufax ended his career prematurely at age 30.

When I read Jane Leavy's biography of Mickey Mantle, I noted that she had a book about Koufax. I have this in my pile and will be reading it in 2014.

To Healdsburg

After spending the day at the conference center in Cordelia, I headed to Healdsburg late Friday afternoon. I caught up with Tomasin at John and Zeke's. The bar has moved from a location on the Healdsburg Square to new building about one and a half blocks north. I met Tomasin and Wallen at the old location almost exactly a year ago.

Eventually, we headed to Tomasin's house in Windsor. I got a quick chance to see David and Mikey.

Julie, Tomasin and I finished the evening with Mexican food at El Farolito. I crashed on their couch.