Point Reyes Weekend

You Mon Tsang June 8th, 2008

Recently we got a dog and we’ve been figuring out the best dog-friendly places to bring him on our trips around Point Reyes and West Marin. This dog needs exercise so long walks are certainly in order.

Given how vast the Point Reyes area is, there are actually few places where you can take dogs. However, these places are gorgeous and you and dogs will have many hours of enjoyment in the area.

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The Great Beach (North Beach and South Beach)

Terrific for long walks. These beaches, esp South, are generally less crowded than the other beaches in the area. Since the beach is on the ocean side, the surf tends to be big here.

Kehoe Beach

A nice 1.2 mile hike to the small-ish beach. If you want a little bit of coastal hiking with some beach walking, this is the one for you.

Limantour Beach

One of my favorite beaches. The surf is slightly less rough than North and South Beaches because it is on the Drake’s Bay side. Can get crowded on weekends. You will need to park at the smaller parking lot which is about 1/3 mile south of the main lot.

Dillon Beach

Long, wide beach with the quiet surf of Tomales Bay. Many feel this place is dog heaven. The beach is privately owned so you’ll pay a fee to park on their lot. The beach can also get very crowded on the weekends, but if you prefer the quieter surf and you are near this part of West Marin, your dog will thank you.

Bolinas (Beach & Town)

A native there tells me that dogs own Bolinas!  No leash!  I couldn’t find any signs that talk about this but on a recent visit on a very busy and warm Saturday, most dogs on the beach and in town were without leashes.

Bolinas Ridge Trial

I don’t experience with dogs here, just mountain biking, so I have no comments now. Will update once I have a chance to bring our dog there.

Stinson Beach (County-Maintained Side Only)

Haven’t brought the dog here either, but love Stinson! Easy surf even though it is on the ocean side. Stinson can get crowded but not sure if the crowds extends to the county-side).

Chicken Ranch Beach

Small beach on Tomales Bay near the town of Inverness. Too small to get any exercise and it can get crowded on a warm weekend day. But if you in town and need to give your dog a quick outing to stretch his or her legs, then by all means….

The National Park Service has a page that talks about their rules: check it out.

Your thoughts and suggestions?

• Dogs
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You Mon Tsang June 8th, 2008

McClures Beach, Point Reyes, originally uploaded by Buck Forester.

• Photos
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You Mon Tsang June 5th, 2008

[Note: Click for latest Western Weekend info]

Western Weekend takes the ranching history of the area and adds a bit of the quirkiness of the residents of the area. Take a look at my previous post on Western Weekend. Head to the parade, which will start at noon on Sunday, June 8th.

The schedule is further below…

Photo by David Wasley

Photo by David Wasley

Photo by David Wasley

Western Weekend Parade, Pt Reyes Station, originally uploaded by CommandZed.

Friday, June 6
9:00 pm
Western Weekend Kick-off Party
at the Old Western Saloon, PRS. Pink Sabbath, Conjoined Twins Reunion Burlesque Review and Tinsletown Rebellion. $5-8, care to come clad in cowboy costume? or wearing your western threads? receive admission discount.

Saturday, June 7
10:00 am
Western Weekend Historic Tour with Dewey Livingston – registration required: 663-1158
3:00 pm – 4:00 pm
Synchrony In Motion ballroom lessons ,Dance Palace dancers incorporate styles of Ballroom and Latin Dance. Swing dance lesson/demonstration at 3 pm. free
4:00 pm – 5:00 pm
Synchrony In Motion performance , Dance Palace
7:00 pm
My Friend, My Horse
a documentary by John Korty. Two dozen riders of all ages share their experience and insight into the relationships possible between animals and humans at Take 2 Cinema, 54 B Street, PRS, 663-1932
7:00 pm – 8:00 pm
Country/Western dance lessons, Dance Palace
8:00 pm – 10:00 pm
Western Weekend Queen’s Dance , Dance Palace Music by Jenny Kerr multi-instrumentalist, a native of Northern California, known for her roots in traditional Americana: country, blues, folk and rock, will begin at 8 pm, following a Western County Dance lesson at 7 pm. The crowning of Western Weekend Queen, Lianne Nunes’ is scheduled for 9 pm. General admission is ($15, teens are $5, seniors and under 12 are free.

Sunday, June 8
10:00 am – 11:00 am
Parade entry sign-in C street at Hwy 1
10:00 am – 4:00 pm
Silent Auction, Dance Palace
Over 200 items will be auctioned off including overnights stays at Pelican Inn, Sorenson’s Resort, Vichy Springs, Terri’s Homestaymeals, tickets to events, fine arts, crafts, expert services, gift certificates, and local wares.
12:00 pm – 1:00 ish
59th Western Weekend Parade on Main Street
1:00 ish – 3:00 pm
Marin Farm Bureau & Organics BBQ At Toby’s, sponsored by Marin County Farm Bureau and Marin Organic
1:00 pm – 3:00 ish
Kevin Russell and Moonlight Rodeo – a well-known Sonoma county picker, singer and songwriter is joined by one of his many bands, a five piece acoustic-electric band that plays western swing, alt-country, blues & rock music. Our thanks to music sponsors: Marin Farm Bureau, WM Chamber of Commerce, WM Lions Foundation, and WM Rotary Club
1:00 ish
West Marin Senior Services 9th Annual Chili-Cornbread/Pie Cook-off at Toby’s
2:00 ish
Raffle Winners Announced, Parade Prizes Awarded at Toby’s
the Halleck Creek Cow Flop Drop at Toby’s
7:00
My Friend, My Horse: a documentary by John Korty. Two dozen riders of all ages share their experience and insight into the relationships possible between animals and humans at Take 2 Cinema, 54 B Street, PRS, 663-1932

Sunday, June 8
Music at the Old Western Saloon:
1:00 – 5:00 pm – Billy Boys
5:00 – 6:30 ish – Tony MeGee
7:00 – Sweet Baby J

Updated Schedule courtesy of Bodega Bay Navigator via Kelly at Olema Cottages

• Kids , Local Scene , Summer
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You Mon Tsang June 5th, 2008

The National Park Service publishes a newsletter about events, closures, natural history, and cultural history at Point Reyes. Here is the issue from 2008-06-03:

The full moon rises June 18 at 10:30 am with the summer solstice soon to follow on June 21st. The moon makes it lowest arc across the sky for this summer ‘Moon of Good Fishing’ for the Tlingit people.

Summer is just around the corner with the return of brown pelicans to the Lighthouse and Drakes Bay; the gopher hunting heron afield at Bear Valley and brush bunnies along roadways.

Scraps of scarlet along roadsides are ‘twinberry’, a native shrub – “the bracts, as the fruit ripens, turn a rosy red and set off the bug-eyed pair of shining black fruits to perfection’ (Roxana Ferris – Flowers of Point Reyes). The pink flowering stage of this plant draws hummingbirds, the fruits are not edible to humans but enjoyed by birds. Plenty of elderberry flowering along roadsides, light yellow clumps of flowers that will become berries by late summer.

Tule elk are calving now; typically the calves may be left resting by themselves while the mother is nearby nourishing herself on fresh grasses and shrubs. Males have their antlers in velvet. In order to remove the velvet, they’ll begin scratching and honing the antlers against brush and power poles in the reserve, preparing for late summer battles.

Marin County Parks and Open Space staff host a tidepooling expedition on Friday, June 6th at Agate Beach County Park from 9:00 am to 12 noon. Meet at the end of Overlook and Elm Road in Bolinas for one of the best daylight low tides of the year.

A permit has been issued for a wedding at Limantour Beach (60+ people) on Saturday June 7 from 2:00 pm to 4:00 pm; Expect some congestion in the parking lot in the afternoon.

New artwork on display at the Bear Valley Visitor Center is by Judith Corning, paintings of various scenes around the park.

Expect road closures this Sunday, June 7 in the town of Point Reyes Station; Highway 1 will be closed from approximately 12 noon through 1:00 pm for a local parade; traffic will be diverted onto side streets.

Thanks to the NPS Park Service.

• NPS
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You Mon Tsang June 4th, 2008

I’ve certainly seen many nature-based educational classes and scout troupes come through Point Reyes; here’s the California College of the Arts having a two-week professional course on Sustainable Design in Point Reyes and SF. From their site:

You learn about biomimicry, sustainable grape growing, and organic farm methods while you kayak on Tomales Bay, visit organic wineries, and cook with locally grown foods.

Looks like fun!

Found on  CCA via Design Info.

• Art , Education
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