Bryson Hesperia Unguided hunt: I am not often compelled to…read morewrite yelp reviews, but I feel I should this time because this is a unique type of hunt. One I have been searching for 3 years; a trip that gives a true HUNTING experience, with the scales tipped in our favor.. But, I think it is important to clarify a few things. It goes without saying; you have to question all good and bad ratings. I guess sometimes it comes down to what we expect going in... Did we book the type of trip that we meant to? Do I want a hunting trip or a shopping trip? Funny, I looked at the reviews after booking the trip.. I wonder if some people would have better off asking for a fully guided option? I am writing this because I have booked a few trips for my son when he was 14 thru 15 and we didn't get what we wanted.. Sure, we killed pigs, but not HOW we wanted them. We wanted to HUNT them. Despite trying to get fully guided trips set up as a glassing and stalking hunt, It seems every fully guided trip we booked felt like shopping with a rifle. For my Son's 16th birthday, I found Bryson and after talking with Deedy, it sounded like a fit. My son wanted a true hunting experience, not a killing expedition. For what it is worth, he is an accomplished long distance shooter with match wins against adults under his belt. So the goal was not just squeezing the trigger, but learning scent management, tracking and stalking. From my booking and participating in shared lease properties, I am going to attempt to split pig hunting in California into 3 rough categories. Fully Guided and "Guaranteed", BLM or Club leased hunts (without any guidance) and those with trespassing fees on private property. The most popular, seem to be the fully guided and guaranteed pig hunts (I'll lump trophy hunts into these). The hunts are often sold as 2-1/2 days or until you get a pig. The sole focus seems to be to get the "customer" a pig FAST. Covering a lot of ground and often rustling/wrangling the pigs with the truck or smaller off road vehicle until the guide can position the client to jump out and shoot a pig at close range is the strategy. This to me and my son, felt like an amusement park ride, not really hunting as EVERYTHING is done for you.. If this is what your looking for then don't cheap out and buy the unguided or semi-guided hunting package. Ask for a FULLY guided trip. For those true hunters, people who really know what they are doing, know how to find active pigs, then maybe BLM or a club is a better fit. BLM or club leased property is often were you rely on many personal scouting trips and already really know what your doing or just get stupid lucky. This can be a very humbling experience, if you relying on luck. I've had a share lease, with no pigs all year.. Lastly, for those that know how to handle a firearm, want to hunt not have a glorified shopping experience, but want to tip the scales in your favor, private property with known pig populations are a great blend. But at the end of the day, if you are up wind and/or loud, maybe just are having bad luck, you will not see a pig. If the fresh sign are there, so are they. But after all, it is hunting. This is the challenge we asked for and were looking for.. So we booked the unguided (semi-guided) trip with Bryson Hesperia. So after all this, if you had managed to stay with my rambling, Dede took us us out and gave a quick but highly valuable review of how to spot recent pig actively. The next morning, we saw a lot of pigs and shot a very large one. Deedy taught my son how to process the pig taking a lot of time skinning ect. Soon after, we returned for the evening hunting session were had a couple of other opportunities at close range on large sows. We passed, looking for a bigger boar, (we had a 125qt Yeti cooler already full). Even if we didn't shoot or see pigs, all the signs were there, as Dede said they would be. It was up to us to manage our scent, noise and hunting strategy. If we blew it, we would not have seen much-less came home with a LARGE HOG.

Went turkey hunting in April with 4 friends. It was a semi guided hunt, but Deedy had obviously…read morebeen scouting the area prior and put us in good spots. 3 of the 4 of us got birds. Saw pigs roaming on the property as well, but missed the chance to get one. I plan on going back for turkey, pigs, or both.

The best compliment to any business is repeat business. My son and I just wrapped up our second…read morehunt with Sarah and Rocky. Sarah is very easy to work with making the reservation, meeting us at the hunting house and ensuring we are settled and ready for the next day hunting. Rocky was our guide both trips and I can't say enough about how great he is. Very professional, experienced, knowledgeable, and most importantly focused on our safety. Rocky had us on pigs at first light and by 8am we had everything we needed. He took the time to show us how to gut a hog and explained their life cycle, and surprisingly wasn't annoyed with all of my questions. After our hunt, Rocky took us around the land to show us the sites and track other pigs for future hunts. Back at the house, Rocky prepped our pigs for the long drive home. The hunting cabin is very cozy, comfortable, clean, and the beds are comfortable. Schmidt Guides has a client for life!

I spent a considerable amount of time researching California pig hunting outfitters before deciding…read moreto book with Schmidt Guide Service, and I'm glad I did. For the price, nearly everything is included except food, making it an excellent value. Our group of four booked approximately six months in advance. I highly recommend reviewing their website beforehand, as it answers most common questions and provides a clear understanding of what to expect. About a week before our hunt, Sarah reached out to confirm our arrival and finalize details. Hunters can check into the lodge by noon the day before their scheduled hunt. Due to scheduling constraints within our group, the guides arranged for us to head out the same day we arrived at 2 PM. Upon arrival, Sarah was there waiting for us, handled check-in efficiently, completed paperwork, and provided our lodge key. The hunting lodge itself is a nostalgic home built in 1936 on roughly half an acre. You can feel the history the moment you walk in, reinforced by decades of photos displayed throughout the house. The lodge includes everything needed for a comfortable stay: a full kitchen stocked with cookware, plates, silverware, and essentials; a dining room; living room; four bedrooms; and 1 1/2 bathrooms. The bedrooms comfortably accommodate up to eight hunters. Outside, there's a fire pit, horseshoe pit, and seating area to unwind after a day in the field. Off to the side of the property sits an old-school saloon, butcher area, and walk-in meat locker, all adding to the unique experience. Now for the best part: our guides, Luke and his son Josh. From the start, both were friendly, professional, and welcoming. The ranch we hunted was about 25 minutes from the lodge. I was paired with Luke in his UTV, and his experience was immediately obvious. Having guided with Schmidt for 32 years, his skill and knowledge are impressive. His ability to spot hogs without binoculars or spotting equipment was unbelievable. We encountered our first group of hogs around 4 PM, and two members of our party successfully harvested by 4:20 PM. Luke quickly field dressed the hogs, and we were back hunting in no time. Later that day, Luke located another group, allowing our third hunter to harvest before the end of day one. The following morning, Luke and Josh were ready to go by 5 AM sharp. Not long into the hunt, Luke spotted a sizable boar, and our fourth hunter successfully harvested him just after 8 AM. After returning to the lodge, Luke and Josh immediately got to work skinning and preparing the hogs for processing. Their efficiency and expertise were impressive. By 11 AM, everything was packed on ice and our group was ready to head home. Our experience with Schmidt Guide Service was outstanding from start to finish. Luke and Josh are tremendous assets to the operation and truly made the trip memorable for our group. If you're considering a guided pig hunt in California, I would absolutely book with them again.

I've been attending this event since 1996, and I wouldn't miss it for the world! I started out…read morecamping but as I've gotten older, there is nothing like having a RV at Wildflower.

Happy 30th Birthday Avia Wildflower Triathlon!…read more It was my 3rd time returning to Wildflower and I was really looking forward to the challenge. I anticipated that this years event was going to be a little more over the top than previous years since they were celebrating their 30th year anniversary. Sure enough, the festivities and the race did not disappoint. The multiple races that take place over the weekend always run so smooth. Whether you're doing the Mountain Bike course, Long Course or the Olympic, it all runs so seamless and without error. Since it was a big anniversary, it seemed that lots of triathletes came to the area to compete and celebrate this milestone with TRI-California. The park was packed with people and the transition area was pretty full of bikes--more than I've ever seen. Plus, Long Course sold out a month or two before the event. Like previous years, I took part in the Olympic Distance Triathlon and this year and it was still the tough course it had always been. Just because I wanted to make it that much more difficult, I did it with the FLU! You got that right...a fever, headache, body aches, cough - it wasn't pretty. I still completed the race but I didn't get a PR, that's for sure. Loved the race, loved the course, loved the finishers medal, finishers towel...loved everything about the weekend (except that I got sick). I don't recommend ever, ever, ever, ever, EVER doing Wildflower when not feeling 100%. But, I got my finishers medal and I get bragging rights that I conquered the hills of Wildflower even with the flu holding me down. I'm looking forward to seeing you in 2013!

This is one of the best trails we have ever been on. It has forests, caves, streams, mountains, and…read moregeological wonders. The caves are so much fun. I loved how we were on our own to take our time, explore on our own, and take in the magnificence of these caves. I am claustrophobic and was a little nervous about the tight areas but it wasn't a problem at all. Headlamps or flashlights are a must because it does get dark in some sections. It is amazing! Don't miss it. We were told by the park that the Lower Caves are not as tight as Upper Caves and you don't have to squeeze or crawl (there's a couple of places that you crouch but not crawl). At the end of the caves go up to the reservoir. Follow the signs back to your parking area. Have fun. Take your time. Take in the spectacular views.

First time visited Pinnacles National Park. We didn't have too much time to spend, but we chose to…read morevisit the East side of the park to do the Bear Gulch Cave Trail. This was really the only trail we wanted to do during our visit, and it is 100% worth it. A lot of the trails in the area interconnect, so it's easier to add on if you're doing another hike in the area. We parked in the lot by the Moses Spring Trail and started that trail until it branched off to the Bear Gulch Cave Trail. The hiking portion itself was easy - incline wasn't that bad and the entire hike itself was only about 2 miles. Once you enter the caves, though, is where the fun (and the bit of difficulty) comes in. It's not a strenuous hike, but it does require squeezing and maneuvering through tight spaces, walking through water, and moving through the dark. If you're claustrophobic, this is probably not going to be the hike for you. All that aside, though, it was such a fun hike, and I found myself enjoying it much more than I anticipated. It was super cool to explore the caves, and once you're in the tighter areas, the hike is clearly labeled with spray painted white arrows. It is pitch black in some areas, so definitely bring a flashlight. You could probably squeak by with your cell phone light, but a small flashlight was ideal. Some areas of the water were also ankle deep, so wear appropriate footwear. After the caves, you'll pop out at Bear Gulch Reservoir. And let me tell you - pictures do not do it justice. It is so incredibly beautiful and peaceful. We spent much more time than we had planned just sitting on a rock and taking it all in. Highly recommend this hike when visiting the east side of Pinnacles National Park.

We had a really good time popping into this little bowling alley when we stayed at the Hacienda…read more First, we went in to wait for our room to be cleaned, since we changed rooms at the Hacienda. Later. we came back for the taco Tuesday special dinner. People working there were really nice and warm and friendly and informative They told us we could get a taco Tuesday special plate which was 2 Chicken street tacos and rice and beans. We shared this at a table inside the lanes. We enjoyed earlier in the day watching some firefighters bowl,using one of the lanes. We speculated about bowling, and sized up bowling balls and shoes for future reference. It's a friendly place for people gather and is really the only dining option if you're staying at the Hacienda Inn

When in the middle of nowhere... Liggett Lanes is nice to see :)…read more1. Bowling 2. WiFi 3. Pizza 4. Patio All good things.

Great kids park w toys and grassy areas great to bring food and eat on the tables while the kids…read moreplay, really wish they had public restrooms.

Beautiful park here with established trees, big expanse if lawn, and nice looking play structures…read morefor kids. If I had a little more time, I'd let the doggies walk or run here.

One of the most beautiful beaches I've ever been to! Located on highway 1 very close to the Kirk…read morecreek campground on the south end of Big Sur! When I tell you the walk down to this beach is breathtaking... my god! It's a ton of stairs so be mindful of what you want to carry because you start on a path from the parking lot and then it turns into stairs.. a lot of stairs! To park in the beach parking lot it's $10! This beach is simply beautiful! My yellow Labrador loved it! They also have this cut out area called jade cove! On the far north side they have a small cave! So cool! Please pick up your trash and be a good human!

Very pretty beach. Plenty of parking spaces. Free. Also free public restrooms. We did not find any…read moreSand Dollars but enjoyed the short easy hike down the stairs to the sand from the parking lot. Found some gorgeous dark green rocks-looks like jade but was probably granite. Worth the stop.

I have a special connection with King City. It's weird, and I can't really explain it, but I love…read morethis little city even though it annoys me even though it doesn't even though it really and truly does. The 101 runs right through town, but if you know like I do, you can get from one freeway offramp/onramp to another within town by traveling the back roads, which are sometimes main streets. And then there are the darling little subdivisions a little bit of a ways away--but not too far!--from the freeway and most of the businesses. Most of these were built in the 1980s, and even though some of them look dated even for the time period, there's this voice in my head that's cheerleading the people for whom these little neighborhoods are their little slice of the American Dream--and I hate the American Dream! OK, I don't know whether I actually hate the American Dream, but I do hate the way it doesn't work now, but that's for a different screed. Within one of these first subdivisions (as you head north from the freeway) is San Antonio Park. It has playing fields, a playground, a basketball court, a skate park(!), and some lovely trees and green areas. The neighborhood that surrounds it is tiny, so I guess people from all over King City come to use it, because I've seen its ample parking lot packed before. My main use for it is as a place to catch a twenty-minute car nap if I'm feeling tired on my drive up or down the 101. I take all the normal precautions because sleeping in public, even in a car, always has its risks, but I cannot say that I have ever felt truly unsafe or even worried in King City, and that's saying a lot, because I've spent a lot of time in this place and am generally worried about everything, especially before I understand it. As I said, it's very close to the freeway, so even if you're not picking up food in King City, it's a nice, quiet, green, shaded place to eat your bag lunch or dinner on your 101 trip. Check it out!