(Dick was down and out with a bout of bronchitis and missed the March 10th hike, but Theresa came through with the following write-up and several photos).One of the Meanderers said it was below freezing this morning at her house and it was still very chilly when we met at the trailhead, necessitating the layering of all available articles of clothing and moving into a sunny spot to form our "circle of information."
We started the slight uphill climb shortly thereafter and broke into an 
open area after about 15 minutes allowing the sun's rays to hit us. Some of us began to unzip jackets and push up sleeves. but they were still needed.
For the next couple of hours we meandered in and out of the sun through forest and chaparral over gravel trails, wide dirt trails, and narrow rocky trails. We broke for lunch near the trail's edge at the top of the hill on the Blithedale Ridge Fire Road and enjoyed expansive views facing west and north. (Click here for Wendy's list of plants are critters we saw).
Except for a short uphill section, it was downhill after lunch as Wendy promised and we finished the needle's "eye" section of the trail in no time, returning to the original trail and retraced our steps back to the road. We passed more dogs on this trail, all seeming to be very happy, than any other we've hiked. (Our route is shown on the Google Earth photo below; click on it to open a larger image in your Web browser).
open area after about 15 minutes allowing the sun's rays to hit us. Some of us began to unzip jackets and push up sleeves. but they were still needed.
For the next couple of hours we meandered in and out of the sun through forest and chaparral over gravel trails, wide dirt trails, and narrow rocky trails. We broke for lunch near the trail's edge at the top of the hill on the Blithedale Ridge Fire Road and enjoyed expansive views facing west and north. (Click here for Wendy's list of plants are critters we saw).
Except for a short uphill section, it was downhill after lunch as Wendy promised and we finished the needle's "eye" section of the trail in no time, returning to the original trail and retraced our steps back to the road. We passed more dogs on this trail, all seeming to be very happy, than any other we've hiked. (Our route is shown on the Google Earth photo below; click on it to open a larger image in your Web browser).
All together, we hiked about 4.7 miles (depending on where you parked), at an average speed of 1.3 mph and climbed about 800 ft, according to the GPS I'd brought along on the hike.
--Theresa Fisher
(A profile of the elevation changes during the hike appears below; click on it to open a larger image in your Web browser).
(Pictures of this hike taken by Theresa Fisher are now on-line. You can view them in the mini-slideshow window in the "Meandering In Marin On Tuesdays" blog, or by clicking here to go directly to the Picasa Web album of photos from the latest hike).
--Theresa Fisher
(A profile of the elevation changes during the hike appears below; click on it to open a larger image in your Web browser).
(Pictures of this hike taken by Theresa Fisher are now on-line. You can view them in the mini-slideshow window in the "Meandering In Marin On Tuesdays" blog, or by clicking here to go directly to the Picasa Web album of photos from the latest hike).
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