Background and History
Vince was a country boy. He grew up on the 300-acre family farm, El Centro Orchards, near Occidental in western Sonoma County, California. His writing is closely tied to his childhood experiences on the farm. The family raised some sheep, but the main focus was on cherry and apple orchards, which were planted about 1915 by Vince's maternal grandparents, who founded the farm. He helped with the harvest, with propping and pruning the fruit trees, and with the many other jobs related to successful farming. It wasn't surprising that he chose to be a veterinarian as the farm was alive with horses, chickens, and family pets, as well as sheep. Vince pulled lambs, tended to injured sheep, and castrated lambs as a youngster. He loved the Occidental area and its history.
Vince attended the one-room Jonive School outside of Occidental until the end of 7th grade, then Analy High School in Sebastopol, and graduated from UC Davis (UCD) School of Veterinary Medicine in 1971. He worked as a small animal general practice veterinarian in Santa Rosa and and Sebastopol before returning to UCD in 1980 to study veterinary neurology. He worked in Sacramento and Berkeley before joining Animal Care Center in Rohnert Park in 1988. While at Animal Care Center, Vince founded the neurology team, was the Center's Medical Director and was on the Center's Board of Directors. He also published articles and authored book chapters about veterinary neurology. Vince was very proud of the former Animal Care Center Foundation which was dedicated to supporting local families and pets during times of final farewells.
As an ultrarunner, Vince’s inspiration was Olympic marathon runner Frank Shorter. He saw him run in the mid-70s in Montreal and that started Vince’s love of running. But marathons weren’t enough for Vince; his races were 50 or 100 miles. He ran for endurance, and 26-mile marathons were his weekend training runs. He ran the Western States 100-Mile Endurance Run seven times; the Angeles Crest 100-Mile Endurance Run eight times; and the San Juan Trail 50-Mile Endurance Run every year for 15 years. That’s only a few of the races he ran, completing a host of other 100 and 50- mile endurance races, marathons, and ride and ties—where two runners alternate between running and riding a horse for up to 40 miles. "I just like that place of being alone outside, of taking a journey on foot," Vince said.
His interests were many. He tried his hand at open-water swimming, was an assistant ballroom dance teacher, and even collected antique tractors, mostly Caterpillars, hoping to restore them one day.
Today, El Centro is home to vineyards of Syrah, Pinot Noir, and Chardonnay. Radio-Coteau produces Cherry Camp Syrah, and Occidental Road Cellars (a family operation), produces fine wines from the site as well.
Vince died in 2007, with many poems and stories yet to write. He wrote and recorded his poetry until the end of his life, and his family is making his work available on this website.
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Then we laugh
And go side-by-side
Blue sky as far as the horizon
Horizon as far as the sky
And roundness lets us go on forever
Together
Vince Pedroia ~ from "Brethren," 2006
