Healdsburg redux

Patti heard about my walk in Healdsburg when we had our training walk yesterday in Larkspur. It sounded so nice to her, she and I decided that would be where we would go today.

I started the day at the office meeting in Greenbrae where the excitement is building about the Alain Pinel Cheering Tent for October 2 nd 9:30-12:30 on the Mill Valley / Sausalito Bike path. I explained how important it is to show support of the 1300 people who will be walking to end Cancer. Since the tent will be just steps away from our Shoreline Office at 100 Shoreline Hwy, Mill Valley, I hope we will see all of APR there to cheer us on.

But today was for training with 2 weeks to go.

Off to Healdsburg.

This idyllic town is quite something. I could easily and happily relocate here. I don't think a move is in the cards, but as we headed away from the square I took pictures of some homes along the way. Many have cottages set back from them and I thought how wonderful it would be to have a place for family or friends to come and stay.

Eventually the scenery changed from urban to country and then to rural as we walked along S. Fitch Mountain Road.

This direction didn't have as many vineyards, but one home did have its own with some grapes left on the vine.

Now that is nice....

I love older homes. this one had a cellar and you can see the entry on the right side. Like the kind you are supposed to hide in during a tornado.

The shoulder disappeared as we began climbing.

The homes began to take the look on of summer retreats. The road follows the rivers bends.

Some of the homes have nice river views. I wondered how high the water rises in the winter.

I would like a summer retreat. Heck I'd take a winter retreat!

The road kept on....

This one would do...

This little fawn agrees.

We took a turn to go to the Villa Chanticleer which seems to be a wonderful meeting location, or better a wedding venue!

Finally after a lot of climbing, we were able to head down hill....

But at no more than 15 MPH on the curve

Now we were walking on North Fitch Mountain Road with its views of the Alexander Valley

Patti and I had gotten pretty hot so when we were at Villa Chanticleer we dipped our bandannas in the cool water and tied them on our heads... I think they call this look...doo rag?

I don't know if it was the doo rags or the wine tasting that we did at Toad Hollow that made it all so funny, but we were in rare moods.

But I have to say in every way possible this was a great day. Maybe for me the best part of it all happened when we were visiting Toad Hollow. There were two men pouring wine there. One saw our shirts and asked us about them. When we told him that we were walking in the Breast Cancer 3 day he brought out the other man to talk with us. His wife had Cancer and died from it a few years back. He had walked one day of the walk with his daughter in 2008. He said it moved him a lot and mentioned the young 11 year old boy who stood on the street with a sign saying, "Thank you for walking for my Mom."

Yes, this is why we are walking. We are walking for that little boy's Mom and for this kind man's wife. Then a nice young couple came in and began tasting wine. They said they were from DC. I struck up a conversation with them, and they too asked about the shirt. Then the girl mentioned her Mother has Breast Cancer. I asked how she was doing and she said, "Oh ok. She was doing great but it came back and now it is in her bones."

We are walking for her Mom.

I told her we would be walking in DC maybe next year and we should walk together. She said she would like that, and maybe her Mom could walk too. Yes.... we are walking for everyone whose lives have been shaken by Cancer.

I told her we should make a BIG team, call it Team: Are We There Yet? SF/DC

I hope she will look us up because I really really would like to do that.

Another couple of people said they would like walk. We encouraged them. This struggle is not over until there is a day where there is no more Cancer. Until then we will walk.

A side note: Toad Hollow will be donating 10% of all proceeds in October to Susan G Komen for the purchase of anything PINK. Rose, hats, shirts etc....

A side side note: The girl's husband (or special guy I never asked) just accepted a job at the National Institute of Health. I told him that I had a client last year who did the same thing. "I and sure you haven't met him but you will remember his name when you do, his name is Electron." "Oh," he said "I do know him. I interviewed with him and I will be working with him" So tell me.... do you think I was supposed to walk into that tasting room?

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