Historic Winters
8 October 2024
LOCATION: City Park, 399 Main St, Winters, CA
START TIME: 8:00 AM to 12:00 PM
DISTANCE: 5/10K
TRAIL RATING: 1A
SPECIAL PROGRAMS: TH/CH, USA
DESCRIPTION:
DESCRIPTION:
Winters is a small farming town that harkens back to a simpler time. Despite it’s small size Winters is home to unique shops, restaurants, galleries, and a one-of-a-kind coffee shop. The museum tells of “Remembering Monticello”, “The Lost Japanese Community”, and more. The town retains it’s small town character and avoids the traffic congestion and suburban clutter of faster-growing Northern California counterparts. The walk starts at the gazebo in Rotary Park.
On the 5K portion, you may want to take an off-walk side trip across the Vaca Valley Railroad Bridge at the end of Russell St. The first train was sent to Winters by the Vaca Valley Railroad on August 26, 1875. The arrival of rail service  to Winters stimulated town growth greatly. The first rail and wagon bridge, as well as the second, was washed away by the storms in 1877. The third bridge served until 1906 when the present steel structure was built. With the cessation of rail service, the tracks were removed in the 1970s. Southern Pacific made a gift of the bridge to the town for use as a bike path. It was renovated and opened for walking and biking in 2006 - the 100th anniversary of the truss bridge. There are two red lines across the bridge in the location of the old rails as remembrance of the bridge's history. Going across the bridge is not part of the walk, but you will pass by it and go across just for fun.
FEE:
Credit, Non-Credit, and Guest is $4. First time walkers and children under 12 are free but must sign the start card/liability release. No refunds. The event is open to everyone.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:
The walks are on city streets and are OK for wheelchairs and strollers. Free ample parking near the park; restrooms are available at the park, at the park on Fourth St., and along the route. Water available at the Start. Leashed dogs with clean-up are ok.
Directions
1. From Sacramento: West on Hwy 80, take Hwy 505 in Vacaville to Winters exit. L on Hwy 128, L on 4th St, R on Main St to Gazabo in City Park.
2. From San Francisco: East on Hwy 80, take Hwy 505 in Vacaville to Winters exit. L on Hwy 128, L on 4th St, R on Main St to Gazebo in City Park.
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Annual CVA Convention - COMPLETED
26-28 April, 2024
LOCATION:
Hampton Inn, 6248 Redwood Dr, Rohnert Park, CA 94928
DESCRIPTION:
You are invited to the 2024 annual California Volkssport Association (CVA) covention in Rohnert Park, sponsored by the Sonoma County Stopmers and Vaca Valley Volks.
Key Events:
Meet and Greet: Fri, Apr 26, 5-6 pm, Hampton Inn breakfast area
Delegate Registration: Apr 27, 12:30-1:00, Community Center, 5401 Snyder Ln, Rohnert Park, CA 94928
CVA Annual Meeting: Apr 27, 1-4 pm, Garden Room, Community Center, Rohnert Park
Group Dinner w/No-host bar ($ TBD): Apr 27th, 6 pm (pre-registration only) Mary's Pizza Shack, 101 Golf Course Dr, Rohnert Park,CA
TIMES: Convention check in: Hampton Inn. Start/Finish Hampton Inn Breakfast Area (pick up badges, meal tickets and walk directions)
Fri, Apr 26 - Noon-4pm
Sat, Apr 27 - 9am - Noon
Sun, Apr 28 - 9am-Noon
WALKS:
Santa Rosa, Santa Rosa is the largest city in Sonoma County.
Charles Schulz Museum and Snoopy Ice Arena are located here. Many art displays around town & on the Prince Greenway. Home & gardens of Luther Burbank. Courthouse Square is whole again! The courthouse was torn down due to earthquake damage. The square was split into 2 parts with a street between, but now a plaza with art. Railroad Square with landmark railway buildings from the early 1900's. Now the SMART train has a stop there on its way from Larkspur to Windsor & eventually to Healdsburg & Cloverdale. Burbank Gardens open daily. Tours are available for his home. Did you know California's Arbor Day March 7 is in honor of Luther Burbanks's birthday? You'll see some beautiful old homes & some buildings that withstood the 1906 earthquake. Even though it is considered the San Francisco Earthquake, Santa Rosa was directly on top of it according to Cal Tech seismologist Dr. Lucy Jones. Prince Greenway ( Rails to Trails) & City Hall are on the walk route, too.
Cotati, Cotati's hexagonal town plan, one of only 2 in the US was designed in the 1890's. We will be walking on a portion of the Laguna de Santa Rosa-Cotati Trail, some paved, some gravel/dirt trail. The Laguna de Santa Rosa is a 22 mile wetlands complex that drains a 254 sq mile watershed. City Hall is in an old school with the Cotati Museum next door open Saturdays 1-4pm. Downtown Cotati had the Inn of the Beginning, an old hippie era cabaret, with visiting musicians, Arlo Guthrie, Janis Joplin, Jerry Garcia & Joan Baez drawing overflow crowds! The old signage may still be there. There are many restaurants in the area. The Cotati Veteran's Memorial Building is on the route, as well.
Rohnert Park, Rohnert Park is a relatively young city. Sonoma State University started in 1960 as Sonoma State College. Our walk will take you there, including the Green Music Center (Step to the Beat) & the Vietnam Veteran's Grove as well as other points of interest. The City Hall has received the Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design certification. There are many walking trails which we hope you'll enjoy!
Calistoga, Calistoga "Hot Springs, Cool Wines, Warm Welcome" www.visitcalistoga.com. The trail is on residential streets, bike trails and paved roads. The walk includes country roads through vineyards and downtown Calistoga with its many shops and restaurants. Calistoga is famous for its spas and mud baths, as well as wineries. Labyrinth on Lincoln Ave near the beginning of both routes. City Hall on both routes at 1232 Washington St. Dogs are not allowed in the Calistoga Roastery. There is a variety of good restaurants-maybe even one or 2 in Zagat's Survey. Activities include Concerts in the Park,Thursday evenings, June-August. Napa County Fair and Fireworks July 4, Lighted Tractor Parade in December, Farmers Market on Saturdays all year, next to the Sharpsteen Museum-near the end of the walk!
Sonoma, Sonoma, birthplace of California's wine industry, is just 45 minutes north of the Golden Gate Bridge. Sonoma is the home of the last and most northerly of the 21 Spanish missions built by the Franciscan padres. Sonoma's 8 acre plaza is a National Historic Landmark. General Vallejo's home, the Barracks, Sebastiani Winery, cheese factories, the Sonoma Valley Visitors Center in an old Carnegie Library, and many other Wine Country businesses and historical points of interest are along the route. Sonoma-Simply Unforgettable. Sonoma Bike Path(Rails to Trails) is on route. Sonoma City Hall is in The Plaza. Dogs are not allowed in the Plaza, other parks or cemeteries. Music venues around the Plaza, and Labyrinths on Spain St.
DISTANCE: 5/10K
TRAIL RATING: 1A (except Cotati 5K is a 1B)
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:
Lodging:
Hampton Inn, 6248 Redwood Dr, Rohnert Park, CA 94928. Discounted room rates have been contracted: $169 for a double queen - up to 4 people for same price.; $169 for a king room (Hilton rewards apply). Call (707)-586-8700 (do not press "one" - wait on hold) and use code "SCS" for your booking. Book reservation no later than March 29th.
UPDATE: The original block of rooms at the Hampton Inn has been filled. They have given us another smaller block of rooms at a slightly higher rate-$179 King, $189 Double Queen. They have added 2 studio King rooms that have a couch bed for $229. Note that the Booking Code has changed to "SS2", Sonoma Stompers BLK2. The hotel number is 707-586-8700. Do not press 1. Wait on hold.
RVs: KOA in Petaluma, 20 Rainsville Rd, Petaluma, CA 94952, PH (707)-763-1492
Sonoma County Fairgrounds RV Park, 1500 Aston Ave.,Santa Rosa, CA 95404, Ph (707)-293-8410.
Rush Ranch Open Space
COMPLETED
LOCATION:Rush Ranch
3521 Grizzly Island Road
Suisun, CA 94584
START TIME: 9:00 AM to 12:00 PM
DISTANCE: 6/11K
TRAIL RATING: 1A
DESCRIPTION:
Rush to Rush Ranch Open Space and join the Vaca Valley Volks for a walk exploring a working ranch in the Potero Hills on April 13th. Rush ranch is a 2,070 acre open space working ranch that is managed by the Solano Land Trust and bordered on one side by the Suisun Marsh, a vital component of the San Francisco Bay-Delta Estuary. It features a visitors center, blacksmith shop, historical ranching equipment, birding and hiking trails.
There are three trails at Rush Ranch, all loops. The Marsh trail starts out passing a small hill topped by an overlook that provides a great 360-degree views of the surrounding area. The trail explores an area that is partly managed wetland and partly the salt marsh along Suisun Slough. The trail follows a man-made levee that separates the freshwater and salt marshes. The walk passes two tidal gates, which are adjusted a few times a year to manage the salinity in the managed portion of the marsh. At about halfway around the loop you came to Goat Island, a small natural island in the marsh, slightly higher than the levee.
The South Pasture Trail, like its name implies, is a walk through pastureland and starts out passing through a “bone yard” of old farm equipment. This area was used by the Patwin tribe, which had a village nearby called Suisun. The walk passes by a grinding rock, more than 10 feet across, used by the Patwin people to grind nuts and grain. Near the south end of the loop there is a bench with a wonderful view of Mt Diablo.  This loop uses a rickety elevated walkway bridge to cross Spring Branch Creek, which is nearly invisible in the driest months of the year.
The third loop, Suisun Hill Trail, starts across the street from the ranch entrance on Grizzly Island Road, and climbs up into the Potrero Hills. Just under two miles long, the walk climbs about 200 feet to the summit of the southern most of the Potero Hills for a 360-degree view taking in Grizzly Island marshes, a group of wind turbines, rolling hills and other vistas. On clear days, the view includes Mount Diablo and the Vacaville hills.
Our 11k walk includes all three loops, while the 6k is the Marsh loop and the South Pasture loop down to the grinding rock. 
During the school year the barn and visitor center area are busy with kids on field trips, learning about acorn grinding, native plants, and the culture of the Patwin Indians. Before European settlement in California, Patwin Native Americans summered on this property for thousands of years. The Suisunes, a sub tribe of the Patwins, likely hunted tule elk, grizzly bears and waterfowl, fished in the Suisun slough, and gathered plants for food and medicine. It is estimated that there were about 2,300 Patwins living in the area of Solano County in 1800. After the walk, stop by the visitors center and view the old farm equipment.
AWARD:
You may participate free if no credit is desired. No refunds. The event is open to everyone.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:
DOGS ARE NOT ALLOWED ON RUSH RANCH OR THE TRAILS. Water available at the Start Point, but it is a good idea to carry your own water. No Wheelchairs Stroller would be very difficult due to the uneven dirt trails and steep climb on the Hill Trial.
Directions
FROM I-80: from Sacramento exit at Abernathy Rd. I-80 From Bay Area take Hiwy 12 exit. Proceed on Hiwy 12 toward Rio Vista for approximately 3 miles. Turn right onto Grizzly Island Road and continue for approximately two miles to the ranch
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