Liking It By The Lake (March 17 "Final Exam")

Although Dick missed this hike, he offers this "interpretation" of the outing based information from Theresa Fisher and her hike pictures (which can be seen on the blog, or by clicking here to access the on-line photo album).

We had our most dramatic "wildlife encounter" of 2008 just before hitting the trail when we did this hike at the end of last year's Winter College of Marin term: As we stood in the Lake Lagunitas parking lot doing our usual pre-hike discussion of the past week's activities, an Osprey flew by carrying a fish in its talons. While that would not normally have been a very unique bird-watching event, what happened next was totally unexpected: A Bald Eagle suddently appeared and harassed the Osprey until it released its grip on the fish. The Eagle snatched the plummeting piscatorian snack out of mid-air and flew off with the Osprey in hot, vainless pursuit. (Although the I-J reported in December that a Bald Eagle was seen at Bon Tempe, it apparently did not make an encore appearance for this year's "Final Exam" hike).

While the country's national symbol didn't do a "fly by" this time, Theresa reports that three different species of woodpeckers (including a Northern Flicker and Acorn Woodpecker) were espied in a single tree near the end of the hike, and a very colorful male Bluebird was seen as well. Even though their "prime time" is drawing to a close, several of our "fungal friends" (including the "slime mold" being closely inspected by Lee in this photo) were found along the trail. Theresa says that Kathy won the "Mushroom Spotter of The Week" award by locating the vast majority of mushrooms that were seen. (Click here for Wendy's list of flora and fauna seen on this hike).

Unlike our hike last December from Alpine Lake to Bon Tempe which involved a lot of up and down over ridges which descend from Mt. Tam to the the lakes, this walk is almost level. (The Martins' book Hiking Marin, says there is a '50 elevation change. Interestingly enough, the following elevation profile Theresa created with her GPS shows the trail leveling out of an initial climb of about 350' over a distance of about 1.5 miles; click on the profile to open a larger image in your Web browser).

The recent damp weather meant that Wendy was still able to round up Rough-Skinned and California Newts for another "photo op" before the green hillside of Spring change to their Summer brown "clothes" and these litter critters no longer will come out to say "Howdy" when we hike in the Mt. Tam watershed.

A week before the hike, the National Weather Service was predicting a high temperature of 70 in Fairfax for our last of the Winter series of treks. Wednesday's fine weather and Theresa's photos of dew drops on the flowers, clouds in the sky, and jackets and rainhats on the "Meanders", show that the NWS was a "day late and a dollar short" with its forecast. While the day was cooler than originally predicted, it warmed up as morning moved into afternoon, and rain didn't wash out the post-hike "Final Exam" luncheon in the Lagunitas picnic area.

Although the hike begins just below the Lagunitas Lake Dam, the route we follow skirts the shoreline of Bon Tempe and never actually reaches Lagunitas Lake itself. This outing is really more of a stroll than a hike, due not only to the fairly minimal changes in elevation along the trail, but because its length (4.1 miles per the Martins' book, 3.8 miles per Theresa's GPS) is a little less than that of our typical treks. (Click on the Google Earth photo to open a larger version in your Web browser).

Despite the fact that Dick was unable to provide soup and wine for the "Final Exam" feast, the photos show that it was another ample and tasty repast. Silvia is now on "Doggy Duty" again and wasn't able to go along on the hike, but came for lunch with her new puppy "Hettie". Jean wasn't able to make the walk either, but joined the group for the meal. (Wendy kindly brought Dick some of the dessert treats which he pronounced quite yummy).