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“The beautiful thing about the place is that
there’s nothing to do when you go back to
your room, but read and talk and sit to-
gether on your totally serene patio,” said
Jan Percival, a San Diegan who first visited
the Ranch with her mother, Camilla Per-
cival, in 1983.
“From then on, we went every year on her
birthday,” Jan said. “It became a huge high-
light of our lives and our relationship – a
full week together with no distractions. It
was an amazing gift – a retreat that could
never happen in the real world.”
When Camilla Percival’s eyesight fad-
ed, she stopped visiting the Ranch; Jan’s
most recent visit was with her 14-year-old
daughter, Shaney Lipscomb.
“She did her thing and I did mine. We were
together at meals and in the evenings,” Jan
said. “We never heard a phone, a TV. We
could really focus on the moment, the
beauty, who we were with. It was just like
with my mom.”
Charlotte Sorenson, 74, first visited the
Ranch with her mother 28 years ago. Now
she visits with her daughter, Kristin Soren-
son, who’s 51.
Their first visit together was five years ago
– when each thought she was riding to the
rescue of the other.
“Kristen had just taken a stressful new job,”
said Mom. “She had two young kids, was
living in Manhattan, commuting to work
two hours each way. She had no balance in
her life; she desperately needed this.”
Kristen’s view: “The reason I felt justified
in coming was my mother was recovering
from cancer. It was a very poignant time
for her. This would be therapeutic. She
needed it.”
Mother, who lives in Boulder, Colo., and
her New York daughter met at the Ranch,
Walking the landscaped grounds is a favorite each to take care of the other. They did just
pastime at the ranch. that – and by osmosis, took care of them-
selves. They’ve been doing it every year
since.
“I don’t want to come back with anyone else,”
said Kristin. “She’s my closest friend. We
are so simpatico. We just enjoy it so much.”
Guests typically start their days with a hike.
Like classes, treks are offered for a range of
fitness levels.
72 Wine Dine & Travel Summer 2014

