Sonoma Vineyard Walk Adventure :: April 19 - 21, 2013 Meeting Time and Place We will meet you on the first day of the trip at 12:30 PM at the San Francisco Airport (airport code SFO) at the Airport Information Booth on the Arrivals/Baggage Claim level of Terminal 1. You should arrive no later than 11:30 if you check luggage or noon if you don’t. Please make sure you are actually in Terminal 1 as there are multiple terminals in the airport. There are three SFO Terminal 1 info booths. We are meeting at the Information Booth at the baggage claim level next to carousel 7, facing the orange short term parking lot B across the street outside. Look for the Zephyr guide with a Zephyr t-shirt or sign. You should eat lunch before we meet and be dressed for hiking or have your hiking clothing available in a separate bag, since we will not be checking into our hotel until after our hike. Finishing Time and Place After a morning hike on Sunday, we will check out of our hotel and shuttle to SFO, with a stop for lunch along the way. We will arrive at the airport at approximately 3:00 PM, allowing you to fly out by 4:30 PM (or a bit earlier if you aren’t checking luggage). Delay In Travel Plans If you have a significant delay in your travel plans, please call your guide Desiree Kameka at 786-546-6311 to tell us what happened and when you expect to arrive. Unfortunately, if you miss the appointed meeting time, you will need to make your own way to Geyserville and our first hotel – and from SFO it either is complicated or expensive. The easiest but most expensive option is to take a taxi directly from the airport. The less expensive but more complicated option is to first take a shuttle to Sonoma County and then take a taxi to our hotel. There are many shuttles to Sonoma County and your best recourse is probably to go directly to the van area, one floor above the baggage claim area. Check out the many companies available, ask which ones will go to Sonoma and where, and find out when the next shuttle will leave. As a backup, the following company offers service to the Sonoma County Airport in Santa Rosa (about 25 minutes from our hotel in Geyserville): Airport Express Inc: $34 one-way, departures nearly every hour, 800-327-2024. Hotel & Meals Our hotel, the quaint Geyserville Inn (877-857-4343) is in the very small town of Geyserville, in upper Sonoma County and smack in the middle of the wine country. The inn boasts over 70 wineries within a 15- mile radius! We will be in one of the culinary capitals of the nation and fittingly, you should expect your meals to be bountiful and excellent. Breakfasts on Saturday and Sunday morning are included, as are dinners on Friday and Saturday. We leave lunches “on your own” so you can have the freedom to make your own meal choices for at least part of the trip. When you complete your Information Form please note any special dietary restrictions – be specific, please. For example, if you are a vegetarian, it is helpful to know if you eat fish and dairy, for instance. We can easily accommodate almost all special diets if we know ahead of time. Page 1 of 5 SONOMA VINEYARD WALK ADVENTURE PRE-DEPARTURE INFORMATION Copyright Zephyr Adventures Sonoma Vineyard Walk Adventure :: April 19 - 21, 2013 Extending Your Stay If you wish to extend your stay in California, you have many options. You can easily stay in San Francisco either before or after the tour. If you choose to stay in San Francisco after the tour and have a hotel in the Union Square area, we will drop you off at your hotel at tour’s end. (If you are in San Francisco prior to the tour, you will need to get a shuttle or take BART public transit to the airport for the Day One meeting.) If you choose to stay only in San Francisco, you won’t need or want a rental car as the city is very walkable and has a multitude of public transportation options. You might also choose to spend extra time in wine country. In this case, you will need a rental car. There is an Enterprise rental car in Sonoma (18981 Sonoma Highway, 707- 938-0200) and we can drop you off there after the tour. With a rental car you can get to many other nearby attractions including Lake Tahoe (three hours) or Yosemite (four hours). Weather We plan our adventures around the best historical weather averages and use that information to choose the most ideal times to visit a particular location. However, the weather is one element out of our control and you should be prepared for all types of weather: we will participate in our hikes rain or shine! That said, it doesn’t rain that often in Sonoma County in April and the temperature is perfect for hiking: the average high is 70 degrees. Sonoma County Wine Sonoma County is a huge area directly north of San Francisco, stretching from the Pacific coast inland to the Mayacama Mountains bordering Napa. Sonoma is more than twice as large as Napa, and the wineries (over 250) are more spread out. Sonoma has 12 different American Viticultural Areas (AVAs). Sonoma differs from Napa in climate (in general, much of Sonoma is cooler than Napa, especially in Sonoma’s coastal areas), in the wines that do best (the cooler areas of Sonoma produce some of California’s finest Pinot Noirs, Chardonnays, Zinfandels, and sparkling wines; Napa’s generally warmer climate provides an especially suitable environment for Cabernet Sauvignon, that county’s most renowned wine), and in attitude (Sonoma is more laid back and doesn’t have the glitz and glamour of Napa Valley – the benefit for us is that there are fewer tourists!) Sonoma has many of California’s largest and most famous wineries, such as Gallo Family Wineries, Kendall- Jackson, Korbel, Simi, Sebastiani, Jordan, and Gloria Ferrer. Serious wine lovers could easily spend a week each in both Sonoma and Napa, just visiting some of the top wineries. Page 2 of 5 SONOMA VINEYARD WALK ADVENTURE PRE-DEPARTURE INFORMATION Copyright Zephyr Adventures Sonoma Vineyard Walk Adventure :: April 19 - 21, 2013 It is hard to overestimate the importance of wine to Sonoma County. The grape harvest produces $200 million annually for the county and drives tourism, dining options, and even the social life of many locals. Walking in Wine Country Some think wine makes a great diversion at the end of a hike. Others think hiking is an excellent diversion before getting to the wine. We think this difference of opinion is inconsequential! We have found Vineyard Walks to be one of the best ways to visit a wine area. Surprisingly, we have also found very few wineries offer this option to travelers, so you will be on the cutting edge of wine tourism! Walking through vineyards with a knowledgeable guide is one of the best ways to learn about wine - after all, 90% of wine is made in the fields. We firmly believe this experience is head and shoulders above what you get as a regular tourist, which is usually confined to tasting rooms. You will enjoy your walk better if you have the proper footwear, clothing, and equipment. You should wear comfortable shoes with good traction and closed toes. Running shoes or low-cut hiking shoes are perfect. Your clothing will depend on the weather. Shorts and a t-shirt are fine during sunny, warm days. Bring rain gear if rain is in the forecast. Remember you will likely sweat on your walks so wicking shirts that draw moisture away from your body are excellent. If it is a nice day and you won’t need extra clothes, all you will need is a water bottle in your hand and a camera around your neck. If you think you will be adding or subtracting a clothing layer, bring a small knapsack to carry your gear. We walk and taste at several different wineries, which may include (depending on availability): • Alexander Valley Vineyards (Alexander Valley AVA): Originally the home of Cyrus Alexander, the valley's 19th century namesake, the property maintains much of this early history including the Alexander home and an old schoolhouse salvaged by the winery owners. The property lies on the valley floor and the sloping hill, giving us an excellent choice of walks. The winery produces 17 separate varietals and blends, 3/4 of which are reds. On our walk, we are sometimes accompanied by the winemaker or grape grower, giving us the opportunity to learn about the history, the geography, the wines, and the people of Sonoma County. Depending on the desires of our group, we may have two route options – short and long – to accommodate all ability levels. Sometimes we stay together for the short walk and then have the option of continuing on a longer walk for those who want more of a workout. • Quivira Vineyards & Winery (Dry Creek Valley AVA): Located in the heart of Dry Creek on the flat valley floor, Quivira practices Biodynamic farming and winemaking and specializes in Zinfandel, Sauvignon Blanc and Rhone varietals. Quivira offers an excellent tasting experience. The vineyard walk here is relatively moderate and we can either stay on the flat valley floor or cross West Dry Creek Road to Quivira's hillside vineyards for a more strenuous hike.