ABOUT OUR RANCH

Why did you name the ranch Azul y Oro?  Whenever we leave the rancho, our lingering memory is always of the sunlit, golden hills against the azure colored sky.  Since this has been an enduring image throughout history, blue and gold were the colors chosen for the state colors of California.  In Springtime, the golden hills are filled with brilliant poppies and blue lupine, emphasizing, again, the blue and gold.  The state colors, blue and gold, were also chosen by the University of California, which has been attended now by two generations of our family.  It is only fitting that the ranch name reflect our heritage and our present lingering memory of the ranch.

What is there to do at the rancho?  If you're a ranch hand, there's always some work to do and time to relax.  If you're a visitor and if you're satisfied with meandering through wine country by day, enjoying great restaurants or a BBQ and watching the sun go down or listening to the wind through the trees or watching lizards run across the patio or stargazing or reading a book or magazine on the patio or in front of the fire, you'll be just fine at the rancho.  If the hustle and bustle of the city is a must-have in your life or you expect Stuart to talk with you for two days, you're not ranch material.

I know you go to Hearst Castle a lot, but I haven't been, will you go with me?  No.  Unfortunately, our maximum allowable lifetime visits to Hearst Castle have been exceeded, so we'll be happy to give you precise directions and send you on your journey and will look forward to meeting you in town to hear all about it over a good glass of wine.

Any other things I need to know before visiting?  Yes.  We cannot permit any campfires, smoking, matches, etc.  We are in a precarious brush fire zone and do not allow any type of this activity. 

Can I drive my vehicle on the property?  Do you drive your vehicle on your lawn?  Of course not.  We do not permit driving any type of vehicle on any part of the property besides the driveway.  Why?  Driving on the property destroys the grass, which we need for erosion control in winter to prevent mudslides and which the cows need in spring and summer for food.  Also, you could hit a cow.

How are the road conditions?  Generally poor to pathetic.  The two-mile stretch from the mailbox to our gate is dirt, dust, and gravel.  Don't bring one of those fancy, high performance city cars. 

How do I get to the rancho?  The closest airport is San Jose, about a three-hour drive.  After flying into San Jose, head south on the 101.