A rancher planted 30,000 daffodil bulbs along the Pope Valley Road last year and they are in full bloom now.

The stretch begins a couple of miles north of the Pope Valley garage, on the left side of the road. Go see. (The paved road is out of the picture, at the left)

Laurie Claudon has joined the Advisory Council of Save Rural Angwin, joining 13 other civic leaders in the task of preserving the rural nature of the Howell Mountain community and the green agricultural land in the heart of Angwin.

The SRA Advisory Council membership includes Dr. Meade Baldwin, Carl Benson, Jon-Mark Chappelet, Hugh Davies, Guy Kay, Robin Lail, Dick Maher, Mary Novak, Robert Redford, Dario Sattui, John Shafer, Mel Varrelman, and Warren and Barbara Winiarski.

Laurie Claudon came to Napa Valley with her husband, Tom Clark, in 1974 following their Peace Corp assignment in Colombia. After staying home with her two young children, Laurie taught English and administered the counseling department at the Napa Adult High School. She then earned her MA in counseling psychology and launched a psychotherapy practice in St. Helena. Laurie was also the director and facilitator for the Grace Family Vineyards Student Enrichment Program; working with over 300 high school students and their families. In 2000 Laurie retired from her counseling practice to become the general manager of her family's wine business, Clark-Claudon Vineyards. Today, she continues to manage the business while also enjoying her four Napa Valley grandchildren. Laurie and Tom have lived in Angwin since 1980.

The immediate challenge facing the community is a plan by Pacific Union College to build 380 new housing units in Angwin, a project which would increase the number of households in Angwin by 43%. SRA is vigorously opposing the plan because of its urbanizing impact and because many of the units would be on land which has been farmed for 100 years.

SRA is being supported in its goals by the Napa County Farm Bureau and the Sierra Club, as well as more than 1,000 individual supporters.

A lot of Angwinites have hiked the abandoned Oat Hill Mine Road from Aetna Springs to Calistoga. Up and over - a neat 10-mile adventure. At the crest of the range, we could sit and rest on the scattered foundation stones of a family home known as the Holms Place. Then enjoy the leisurely downhill hike five miles into Calistoga.

But we could not imagine what the Holms Place really looked like, until last week the Napa Valley Register printed an old photograph from the Napa County Historical Society.

As for the Oat Hill Road, that is a story in itself. It was constructed in 1893 to carry heavy wagons loaded with quicksilver (mercury) from the Oat Hill Mine down to Calistoga. Later, it was extended to Aetna Springs to carry stage coaches to Pope Valley and Middletown.

The old road is a delightful trail now, with some strange volcanic formations on the Aetna Springs side. Although it climbs up and over the same range as Angwin rests on, we have nothing like them here. The adventure requires someone to chauffeur the hikers as far as the road permits up the Aetna Springs Road side, and picking them up at the Calistoga end about 3 hours later. The trail comes out at the intersection of Highway 29 just north of town and the Silverado Trail. Improving the trail is a priority project of the new Napa County Regional Park and Open Space District. Volunteers of all ages in the organization, Outdoor California, have been cutting brush and repairing eroded sections. There are new kiosks at each end, describing the trail.

Fifty years ago, this was a trip a nine-year-old boy or girl could make, with the family Dalmatian running ahead to flush quail. But with so many eroded sections yet unrepaired, it is for teen-agers and older. The winding downhill Calistoga stretch provides beautiful views of the Napa Valley. A trip every Angwin family should make.

Thanks to the Napa County Regional Park and Open Space District for the three pictures above.

The St. Helena Historical Society and the Napa County Historical Society invite you to experience Pope Valley in its historic glory on

Henry Haus opened his blacksmith and wagon shop in 1897, caring for the needs of the Valley until 1950. The building was constructed in 1890 and looks the same as when he closed the doors. Hundreds of antique tools, a forge, wagon and brands are on display in this rustic shop. Stepping inside the blacksmith shop is a step back in time; a time before our modern conveniences such as electricity, automobiles and televisions. Modern blacksmiths will be on hand to demonstrate the tools of the trade.

The Pope Valley Store is a portal to the past and a treasure trove of antiques. Pope Valley native Brad Kirkpatrick will guide the tour.

Pope Valley is beautiful this time of year with colorful wildflowers in bloom. You can end your day at the historic Pope Valley Winery, just up the road from the Blacksmith Shop.

Admission is free, but donations are greatly appreciated. To RSVP for the tour only (no RSVP needed for Blacksmith Shop), email shstory@shpl.org and leave your name & number attending.