Sunday, May 31, 2009

Save Our State Parks for Meandering (New)!

Will The Governator really close most of the California State Parks? Have we done our last hike on Mount Tam? Here's an appeal Dick (and Sue Rosenthal) just received from the California State Parks Foundation:

"Here we go again! Even after we fought off last year's proposal to close 48 state parks, the Governor is again taking aim at the state parks' budget and proposing to shut down our state parks. Only this year the budget cuts are 10 times worse and will cause over 200 state parks to be closed.

This is why we need you to send an emergency contribution of at least $40.00, or as much as you can afford to help our grassroots fight to stop the Governor's plan.

The Governor's proposal will eliminate $70 million from the Department of Parks and Recreation's General Fund for the 2009-10 Fiscal Year (starting July 1st), and will take the rest in the next budget year, FY 2010-11 – that's a total of $143 million!

A hearing is scheduled for this Tuesday, June 2, where the Legislature's Budget Conference Committee will consider this proposal.
Show your support for state parks TODAY with an emergency donation.

We will fight this proposal to make sure that all state parks stay open and funded. And we need you to help us in this monumental effort. Because sometimes membership dues are not enough.

Thank you.
Elizabeth Goldstein
President, CSPF

P.S. Please take a moment to give to CSPF and let your lawmakers know that state parks are important you. We only have a few days until the legislator starts to debate this issue – make your generous gift today."

Hiking From West to East (Bolinas Ridge, May 26)

(Neither Dick Jordan Theresa Fisher were on this hike, but Dick has put together this "recap" based on photos from Stan Walker and Wendy's "What Did We See?" list).

If the Governor makes good on his threat to close most of the Bay Area's State Parks, it could be quite a while before we do this hike from Bolinas Ridge down into Samuel P. Taylor State Park again. But the Meanderers got to relish the moment as they were greeted by clear skies and sunshine at the trailhead and great views back to the west to Inverness Ridge.

The hills were still green here and Wendy's "What We Saw" list (click here to view and print it) shows that wildflowers were still in abundance including tarweed and columbine. Loads of butterflies went flitting by, and many birds were spotted, including Song Sparrows, Wilson's Warblers, and Western Bluebirds.

Reptiles continue to pop up on our hikes. Newts were our wet-weather hiking buddies. Mr. Rattlesnake shook a warning at us on the Rock Spring Loop hike two weeks ago. This time it was a Golpher Snake that made a cameo appearance.

(You can view these and other photos taken by Stan in the "mini-slide show" window in the blog, or by clicking here to go directly to the Picasa Web album of photos from the latest hike. Albums of photos from our other hikes can be accessed by clicking on the links on the right-hand side of the blog).

Saturday, May 30, 2009

Abbott's Lagoon Hike (June 2) Preview

This week we continue our summer hiking strategy of staying near the coast with another trip to Point Reyes National Seashore. Here's Wendy's description for this outing: "On this lovely level walk we should see yellow sand verbena, dune primrose, giant coastal hedge nettle, endangered Point Reyes checkerbloom and more! Last year we saw 2 endangered snowy plovers, a sora, and an osprey carrying a fish! We also saw endangered bumblebee scarab beetles, tiger beetles, and a Point Reyes blue butterfly! To top it off we saw a doe with a new fawn! Lunch on the beach."

(Dick was in Seattle and on his way to Southeast Alaska when we did this hike almost exactly a year ago on June 10, 2008, so there is no write-up for that outing. However, you can click here to read Wendy's "What We Saw" list for that hike).

Directions to the trailhead: Take Sir Francis Drake Boulevard. Turn right at Olema and make an immediate left onto Bear Valley Road. (Stop at the park visitor center at Bear Valley to use the restrooms if you don't want to wait to use the pit toilet at the trailhead).

Continue until you pick up Sir Francis Drake again. Go through Inverness. After you top Inverness Ridge and head down the other side, the road splits: Going left takes you the wrong way and you'll head out to Drake's Beach and the lighthouse. You want to bear to the right (Wendy says "Go straight") onto Pierce Point Road. Pass Tomales Bay State Park. The parking area for Abbott's Lagoon will be on your left.

Carpool from St. Rita at 8:50 am. Restrooms at trailhead.

Weather forecast: As of Saturday, May 30, the National Weather Service forecast for Tuesday, June 2nd was for "Southeast Alaska summer weather": Mostly cloudy with a 20 percent chance of showers and a high near 52. (Click here for an updated NWS forecast. For real time weather conditions, updated every 10 minutes, at the RCA field just south of Abbott's Lagoon, click here).

More on this hike: "G16 -Beach and Lagoon Trails" from the Martin's book, Hiking Marin, shows the trails in this part of the seashore, as does Tracy Salcedo-Chourre's Exploring Point Reyes National Seashore and Golden Gate National Recreation Area. Both books have a 3.0 mile hike at Abbott's Lagoon, although our route could be different since you can roam off-trail rather far and wide, up and down the beach, and around the upland areas. (Click here to view and print the seashore's North District Hiking Map which shows the location of the roads, trailhead, and trails).

The following Google Earth image shows the area where we'll be hiking. (Click on the image to open a larger version in your Web browser).

Sunday, May 24, 2009

Dick Joins The Left Coast Writers Salon

According to Wikipedia (the source of all important knowledge these days, n'est-ce pas?): "A salon is a gathering of stimulating people of quality under the roof of an inspiring hostess or host, partly to amuse one another and partly to refine their taste and increase their knowledge through conversation and readings, often consciously following Horace's definition of the aims of poetry, "either to please or to educate" ("aut delectare aut prodesse est"). The salons, commonly associated with French literary and philosophical salons of the 17th century and 18th century, were carried on until quite recently in urban settings among like-minded people of a 'set': many 20th-century salons could be instanced." (Click here to read more about those hoity-toity French salons).

After learning about publication in the San Francisco Chronicle of Dick's travel story on Southeast Alaska, author Linda Watanabe McFerrin suggested that he attend the Left Coast Writers Literary Salon which she leads and which meets monthly at the Book Passage bookstore in Corte Madera. (This not a big deal like being invited to join the Royal Academy. You don't have to be sponsored or voted in. Anybody can go to the Book Passage Web site and plunk down the "readies" --- as the British call cash--- and become a member of the group which includes new and experienced writers).

Here's how Book Passage describes these soirees: "The monthly meetings provide an evening of literary connections, support, counsel, provocative readings, writing tips, literary chat, unabashed networking, and great fun. Each meeting also features a presentation by one of several Bay Area literary figures. LCW has its own lively newsletter and website at www.leftcoastwriters.com."

So Dick is now out shopping for the appropriate attire to don when attending these events, but is not sure whether a smoking jacket and ascot would be best, or if he should just show up wearing his REI zip-off pants, MALT baseball cap, and hiking boots.

Taking The High (and Low) Road (Sky Trail May 19)

After getting our brains fried during the weekend heat wave, the prospect of hiking in cool weather along the coast was very inviting. Unlike last week's "Final Exam" hike, however, only eight of us joined Wendy for this outing. (We last hiked this trail on January 20, 2009; before that we followed the same route on July 15, 2008).

When we reached Bear Valley fog was just edging over the top of Inverness Ridge. We had our jackets on when we left the Sky Trail parking lot at the crest of the Limantour Road and a misty vapor hung low over the trees as we climbed up the ridge. But within half an hour the sun was starting to burn through the marine layer and within 45 minutes of starting out we were peeling over layers of outerwear.

The trail remained damp for most of the hike even though it hadn't rained in over a week. The fir trees lining the route were dripping moisture like faucets with worn out washers and in places the track was quite muddy. The wetness produced at least one more mushroom for the season and a lone Turkey Vulture perched high up in a snag left from the 1995 Mount Vision Fire stared spookily through the fog. A Banana Slug crossing the trail looked right at home in this misty environment.

But Salmonberry blooms and fruit foretold the coming of summer and the last three and half hours of the hike were lit by sun sifting through the firs. At about the midpoint of the hike, both mileage and time wise, we plopped down in the meadow where the Woodward Trail comes up from the ocean and meets Sky Trail winding along the crest of Inverness Ridge. After taking a half-hour break, we gathered up our gear and headed up one of the steeper sections of the Sky Trail until the route began to level out just before we came to the junction with the Old Pine Trail.

Now it was all downhill for nearly two miles until we reached Divide Meadow and took a short rest break. (Last time we saw a bobcat here; this time it was just other hikers and tourists).

The final 1.9 miles of the trek was pretty easy, slowly descending the Bear Valley Trail until we arrived at the parking lot less than 45 minutes later, passing a group of horseback riders just before we finished our near 7 mile ramble.

Three of us lounged around the Bear Valley picnic tables munching on a chocolate bar while the rest returned to the trailhead to retrieve our cars for the ride home. The National Weather Service had only forecast a high temperature of 61 degrees, but it had turned out to be a fine day and just a bit warmer, perfect weather for hiking our just loafing out in the park.

(Theresa Fisher was not on this hike so we don't have the usual post-hike Google Earth map outlining our route or the hike profile. Dick calculates the distance at 6.6 miles based on the park maps; the Martins' book, Hiking Marin, gives the elevation change as 750' up and 1,300' down a "Hike Rating" of "10" --- the highest and meaning "interesting 90-100" of the time and a "Difficulty Rating" of "5" which is deemed "Moderate").

Sky Trail To Bear Valley Hike Photos Are On-Line1

Pictures taken by Dick Jordan during the Sky Trail to Bear Valley hike (May 19th) 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. (Albums of photos from our hikes can be accessed by clicking on the links on the right-hand side of the blog).

Saturday, May 23, 2009

Bolinas Ridge Hike (May 26) Preview

THIS IS A SHUTTLE HIKE SO CALL OR E-MAIL WENDY IF YOU'RE COMING: Home phone: 415 457-3949; E-mail: bdreskin@comcast.net)

Hike Description and trailhead directions: This hike is mostly downhill or level! Meet at Samuel P. Taylor State Park at 9:30 am. ($6.00 day use fee/parking if you leave your car there unless you have a State Park Pass). We’ll carpool to the Bolinas Ridge trailhead and hike back down. We could hear meadowlarks singing, and see Lorquin’s admirals and western tiger swallowtails. Bleeding hearts may be in bloom!

Restrooms at Samuel P. Taylor, none at trailhead. Carpool from St. Rita at 9:10 am.

Weather forecast: As of Saturday evening, May 23rd, the National Weather Service forecast for this area on Tuesday, May 26 was for patchy fog before 11am, otherwise mostly sunny with a high near 71. (Click here for an updated forecast).

More on this hike: Dick doesn't find a record of us doing this particular hike during the past year and a half and he hasn't hiked the trail before himself. "H8 - Taylor State Park to Bolinas Ridge" in the Martin's book, Hiking Marin, is a 10.2 mile loop hike which starts and ends in the state park. We're doing this hike one-way, possibly from the trailhead on the south side of the road where Sir Francis Drake Boulevard reaches a crest between the McIsaac Ranch at Tocoloma (intersection of SFD and Platform Bridge Road) and Olema, so our total distance hiked should be more like 5 miles.

The Google Earth image below shows the area where will be hiking viewed from just east of Olema toward Samuel P. Taylor State Park. Sir Francis Drake Boulevard is the yellow line snaking through the picture. You can see the trail beginning right off to the road on the right. (Click on the image to open a larger view in your Web browser).


Photo contributors and hike reporters needed: Neither Theresa Fisher (off on a 10-day trip to Utah and Northern Arizona) nor Dick (on a "Wine Country Economic Stimulus" outing) will be on this hike. So take our your camera, shoot lots of photos, and e-mail them to Dick along with your report on the hike. He'll edit your story and post your photos before the next hike.

Friday, May 22, 2009

Meandering Elsewhere in Marin: The Cold War Revived in the GGNRA

On April 21st we hiked up to Hill 88 above Rodeo Lagoon in the GGNRA. The Integrated Fire Control SF-88 Nike Missile installation in the Marin Headlands was located here. It part of one of several Nike installations ringing the San Francisco Bay Area.

Today, hawks and Turkey Vultures rather than Nike ground-to-air guided missiles soar over this part of the Golden Gate National Recreation Area. But you can learn about those Cold War era missiles at a spot just beyond the Marin Headlands Visitor Center.

Nike site SF-88 is open for visiting from Wednesday to Friday of every week as well as the first Saturday of every month. Visiting hours are from 12:30 to 3:30 p.m. During the week, site manager John leads periodic tours of the RADAR vans, the fueling area and the missile magazine. An open house with volunteers and Nike Veterans interpreting each of the areas on the base is offered the first Saturday of every month. (The next open house will be Saturday, June 6th; there will be no open house in July; click here for more information).

Wednesday, May 20, 2009

Ooops! Marin Pinot Event is June 13th, Not June 6th

Too much wine for Dick at breakfast! The e-mail you got about upcoming events in Marin erroneously stated that the Marin Pinot Noir Tasting event will be on Saturday, June 6th. It's actually the next weekend, June 13th. (The correct date is now shown on the blog).

Other Ways, Places To Meander in Marin

Looking for ways other than hiking with Wendy weekdays to amuse yourself here in Marin? Here are some upcoming options:

From Tuesday, May 19th through Sunday, June 21st, you can see where all of that plastic stuff we make ends up --- in the ocean or on our beaches. Known Quality, amazing photographs of all of this debris by Judith Selby Lang and Richard Lang (shown hanging their work in the photo at right taken by Dick Jordan) will be on display in in the lobby of the Bay Model Visitor Center, 2100 Bridgeway (actual location is off Marinship Way, between Bridgeway and the Waterfront). Memorial Day Weekend (May 23 - 25) Saturday, Sunday & Monday 10am - 5pm; then Summer Hours (Starting May 26) Tuesday – Friday, 9am - 4pm; Saturday - Sunday, 10am - 5pm. Closed Mondays. Admission and parking are free.

On Sunday, May 26th (Memorial Day Weekend), the Mill Valley Historical Society can take you on its 2-hour, 1.6 mile 2009 Walk into History: Horse & Buggy Days - Millwood to Miller. Tours leave every 15 minutes from 9:30 am-3:00 pm from the Mill Valley Outdoor Art Club, 1 West Blithedale Avenue. $7 members, $10 Non-Members (Children under 12 FREE).
(Christina Oldenburg's husband, Chuck, is helping put on this event).

On Saturday, May 30th, you can hobnob with movie moguls, see a "sneak preview" of an upcoming film made in Marin, and help save the county's farmland all in one fell swoop.

When local West Marin residents and identical twin brothers, Logan and Noah Miller’s homeless father died alone in a jail cell, they vowed that their film, Touching Home, would be made as a dedication to him. The book Either You’re in or You’re in the Way is the amazing story of how—without a dime to their names or a single meaningful contact in Hollywood—they managed, in less than a year, to write, produce, act, and direct a feature film starring four-time Academy Award-nominated actor Ed Harris and a cast and crew with 11 Academy Awards and 26 nominations. The movie is filmed extensively in beautiful West Marin with farms and ranches protected by the Marin Agricultural Land Trust forming a backdrop to this compelling story.

For $10 ($5 if you're under 21), you can meet these two young filmmakers at a book-signing party (6:30 pm, Saturday, May 30th) at Toby's Feed Barn in downtown Point Reyes Station and see clips of their film (set for release on September 20th). Ticket price includes a free beer or soft drink. Oysters, hot dogs, Lagunitas Brewing Company beer, and Straus Family Creamery ice cream will be for sale, with a portion of the proceeds going to MALT. Tickets are available on-line from the Marin Agricultural Land Trust or at Point Reyes Books, 11315 Highway One, Point Reyes Station. For more information, call 415-663-1542.

Drink wine, support local vintners and farm families, at the 5th Annual Marin Pinot Noir Wine Tasting at the historic Escalle Winery in Larkspur on Saturday, June 13 (3-7 pm; $50, includes wine tasting, a wine glass, and valet parking; proceeds benefit the Marin Agricultural Land Trust). The limited production Marin County pinot noirs that will be served come from several producers including Dutton-Goldfield Winery, Pey-Marin Vineyards, Sean Thackrey (not to be missed and worth the price of admission alone according to Dick Jordan), and Stubbs Vineyard. A tasting of locally-produced foods will be offered, too. Don’t delay, Pinot addicts, this event sells out quickly! Pre-registration is required; click here to sign-up on-line.

Tuesday, May 19, 2009

Amazing (Grace) Soup du Jour

Dick served up a chilled Creamy Cucumber Soup at last week's "Final Exam" luncheon following the Rock Spring loop hike. (Click here to view and print the recipe). The recipe called for onions, but Dick used leeks instead. He added lemon zest and chopped chives to the creme fraiche, and made chive croutons for garnish.

Silvia penned the following song (to be sung to the tune of "Amazing Grace") to accompany the soup course at Meandering post-hike feasts:

"Amazing Soup
That Dick Hath Made
To Feed a Wretch like Me.
I Once Was Starved,
I Had No Food,
Now Full And So Happy."

Buon Apetito!

Chef Riccardo of Cafe Fiasco

Monday, May 18, 2009

Rocks, Snakes, Flowers and Butterflies - Rock Spring (May 12)

A picture perfect day for hiking, for taking pictures, and for lunching al fresco at the end of the hike, that's what we had on our Rock Spring Loop hike on May 12th. But getting up the mountain was a chore for some of us, stuck behind trucks, hikers headed to the Outdoor Club, and other assorted lolly-gaggers.

Dick came screaming into the parking lot at 2 minutes past ten, unnoticed by everyone else who were busy grabbing their packs. By the time he came out of the "loo" a few minutes later, the group had vamoosed down the trail. But on which trail? Last year we started the hike with a stroll to across Ridgecrest to look for Jewel flowers. Hmm....doesn't look like they went thata-way, so which-a-way did they go? Luckily for him, Wendy had stopped just a short distance downhill to the north and Dick spotted her and high-tailed it down the trail to catch up.

As we started up the Benstein trail, Harvester ants crossed in front us, toting bales of seeds, and probably snickering at the itty-bitty day packs were were lugging on our backs. Farther on, Acorn Woodpeckers attracted our attention with their raucous calls, and butterflies took a nectar break on the Ookows lining the trail.

About 45 minutes into the hike, Dennis met up with us as we descended the Rock Springs-Lagunitas Fire Road. Within a half hour we'd left the forest behind and were crossing Potrero Meadows on the way Laurel Dell. When we reached the rocky, brushy area where you can see off to the north over Fairfax, we looked down into the rocks along the side of the trail and got a big, big surprise --- a Northern Pacific Rattlesnake staring back up at us. Fortunately, Mr. Snake was content to sit on his coiled up bottom-side and not bite. (Click here for Wendy's list of all of the birds, bugs and other biota we spotted).

We left Laurel Dell a little after midday and began to make our way up the Cataract Trail finding its shady periphery covered with Iris growing not singly, but in clumps, here and there. An Artist's Conch clung to a Bay tree, hoping for a little longer lifespan after the last spell of rain a few days earlier. Farther upstream a winter storm had knocked out a bridge across the creek, forcing us to imitate Rockhopper Penguins to keep our feet dry. (Dennis brought his little "Flip" movie camera and took this video of a baby waterfall in the creek).

By 1:15 pm we had finished the hike and were met by Silvia and her service dog, Hettie, who assuaged our thirsty tongues with big glasses of homemade lemonade. Then we began hauling our contributions to the "Final Exam" feast up to the picnic tables above the parking lot.

After sating our appetites from a cornucopia of culinary offerings, and polishing off most of Wendy's decadent chocolate dessert, it was "Mystery Box Time!" Nate won the "doorprize" drawing and a "Meandering in Marin" photo-collage mug. In return for leading us (astray only once in a great while) over hill and dale, Wendy received a photo collage T-shirt. (Dick is working with Wendy on an on-line "Meandering Merchandising Mart" where Meanders can buy their own T-shirts, mugs, note cards, and other neat stuff).

After lunch, Dick and Theresa stayed behind and joined Wendy and Silvia on a half-hour hunt for Jewel flowers and other flora on the serpentine outcropping south of Ridgecrest. Their search was successful, and in the process, they were rewarded with sweeping panoramas down Mount Tam and over the Marin Headlands to San Francisco, sitting like a mirage in a light hazy fog.

Later, Dick drove over to a nearly deserted East Peak and circumnavigated it, enjoying the long view out to the northwest all the way to Black Mountain. (Alas, his second camera battery gave out, so no photos were taken here).

(Here's a Google Earth image of the the area where we hiked; click on it to make it larger. According to the Martins' book, Hiking Marin, we probably traveled around 5 miles-plus).


(The vertical profile for the hike shows we did a lot of up and down; the Martin's book says the elevation change over the course of the hike is 1,200').

Rock Spring Hike (May 12) Photos Now On-Line!

Pictures taken by Theresa Fisher and Dick Jordan during the Rock Spring Loop hike (May 12th) 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. (Albums of photos from our hikes can be accessed by clicking on the links on the right-hand side of the blog).

Sky Trail to Bear Valley Hike (May 19) Preview

Our Summer 2009 Meanders will often take us out to the Point Reyes National Seashore where the weather is often cooler than on Mt. Tam or at other locations in Eastern Marin. We'll begin with a hike from the crest of the Limantour Road down the Sky Trail, past Sky Camp, and then descend on the Old Pine Trail to Divide Meadow before looping our way back to the national seashore visitor center at Bear Valley.

When we last did this hike on January 20th, Sharon "Heron" Barnett was filling in for Wendy as hike leader and it was "Bye-Bye, 'W', Hello Obama!" as our new U.S. President was sworn in as we drove out to the park. The weather was pleasant for both our hike and "Final Exam" luncheon.

Last summer we hiked the trail in mid-July. (Click here for a recap of that outing). Wendy notes that during that hike we saw Wilson’s warblers and heard Swainson’s thrushes, and got six species of butterflies! (Click here for Wendy's list of all of the flora and fauna spotted).

Directions to the trailhead: We’ll meet at Bear Valley at 9:20 am and carpool to the Sky Trail trailhead on Limantour Road. We’ll need some people who are not in a rush to leave their cars at Bear Valley and to drive people back to the Sky Trail trailhead at the end of the hike.

Take Sir Francis Drake Boulevard west to Olema. Turn right onto Highway 1, then make an immediate left onto Bear Valley Road. There are restrooms at Bear Valley and when we pass Sky Camp before lunch. Carpool leaves St. Rita's Church in Fairfax at 8:50 am.

Weather forecast: As of Monday May 18, the National Weather Service forecast for Tuesday, May 19 along Inverness Ridge was partly sunny with a high near 60, south wind 7 to 11 mph becoming west northwest. (Click here for an updated forecast).

More on this hike: Hike "G3 - Sky Trailhead to Bear Valley" in the Martins' book, Hiking Marin, is 7.3 miles long, but includes a side trip up to Mt. Wittenberg which we'll skip. Our trek will be closer to 6.6 miles (1.3 miles from Limantour Road parking lot trailhead to Sky Camp, 0.5 miles from Sky Camp to the junction with the Meadow Trail, 1.3 miles from the Meadow Trail to the Old Pine Trail, 1.9 miles down the Old Pine Trail to Divide Meadow, 1.6 miles back to the Bear Valley parking lot from Divide Meadow). (Click here to view and print the national seashore's South District Hiking Map which shows these trails). There are some uphill sections (including one at the start of the hike), but much of the trail is level or downhill and despite its length, this hike is not that strenuous.

(The Google Earth photo below shows the area where we'll be hiking; click on it to open a larger image in your Web browser).

Thursday, May 14, 2009

GGNRA Superintedent, Brian O'Neill, Dies at 67

Brian O'Neill, Superintendent of the Golden Gate National Recreation Area since 1986, died at the age of 67 Wednesday afternoon of complications from heart surgery. O'Neill was lauded as a great contributor to the success of the GGNRA by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi as well as author and activist Amy Meyer, a long-time friend of Dick Jordan, and whom, along with former Sierra Club President Ed Wayburn (now 102) and the late San Francisco Congressman, Phil Burton, "nudged" the federal government until it created the GGNRA. (Click here to read the full story of O'Neill's passing by San Francisco Chronicle staff writers Peter Fimrite and Carl Nolte).

Ironically, Mr. O'Neill was not the first GGNRA Superintendent to die from heart problems. Bill Whalen, GGNRA Superintendent from 1972-1977, and later Director of the National Park Service, died from a heart attack in September 2006. Whalen was 66. (Click here for Whalen's obituary in the San Francisco Chronicle).

Dick met both men. The next time you're out in the Marin Headlands, walking along the shore of Crissy Field in the Presidio, or hiking along the Bolinas Ridge trail, take a moment to stop, gaze at the thousands of acres of federal parkland we enjoy, and remember how much we Meanderers in Marin have benefited from the work of these two park superintendents.

Monday, May 11, 2009

Walking The Ways of WWII in Sausalito

In March of 1942, earthmovers began to push over 800,000 tons of soil up, down and around the swampy Sausalito waterfront to create a huge shipyard known as "Marinship". At its height of operation during WWII, the yard had 20,000 employees working three shifts around the clock. By September of 1945, when the last vessel slid down the ways just days after the Japanese surrender in Tokyo, 93 Liberty Ships, tankers, and oilers (floating gas stations for ships) had been built and sent off on war duty.

The shipyard is long gone, but artifacts of its tenure along these shores remain, along with several shipyard buildings (including the one housing the San Francisco Bay Model) that have been converted to peace-time uses. There are two ways that you can relive the history of those times: Watch a recently filmed documentary entitled "Marinship Memories" which focuses on the lives of several of the yard's workers living in Marin City (click here for the Marin I-J Mother's Day story about the film which soon will be "playing" on the County of Marin Web site "Channel G"), or go on an hour and half walking tour of the old shipyard locales led by Bay Model docent Carol Schoenfeld (pictured here with fellow docent, Dick Jordan). The tour begins at the Bay Model Visitor Center, 10:30 am - Noon, the second Saturday of each month; next tour will be on June 13th).

NEW ! Summer Hike Descriptions Now On The Blog!

Tuesday Summer "Meandering" will begin on May 19th, a week after our Spring "Final Exam" hike and pot-luck luncheon at Rock Spring. Click here to view and print a list of all Tuesday hikes through July. (Click here for a list of Monday Summer hikes). No hikes on Tuesday, June 9 or Tuesday, July 14.

A link to this list can also be found on the right hand side of the "Meandering in Marin on Tuesdays" blog. If you want to view and print the hike description and directions to the trailhead for a specific hike, click on the link for that hike on the right-hand side of the blog. As usual, the blog will e-mail you a reminder during the week before each upcoming hike.

Except for shuttle hikes (call Wendy ahead of time to let you know you are coming), there is no registration and no advance payment. Just show up at the trailhead or carpooling spot on time, and pay Wendy $17/hike (cash or check).

Sunday, May 10, 2009

Move Over Wendy, Here Comes the iPhone!

OMG -- a field guide on an iPhone! Way cool! According to the Sunday, May 10th New York Times, scientists and computer software architects are working on ways to load field guides to flora and fauna onto the iPhone. (As previously reported in the Meandering in Marin on Tuesdays blog, you can already play birdcalls on your iPhone).

So one of these days, we'll be able to meander around Marin without Wendy and be able to correctly ID every plant, tree, mushroom, bird, and critter. But life on the trail just wouldn't be the same without her, would it? So don't be lickin' your corporate chops AT&T and Apple, no way are we gonna replace Wendy with this gizmo, 'cause she's irreplaceable.

Saturday, May 9, 2009

Extra! Extra! Read All About It!

Last year Dick and his wife spent 15 days touring Southeast Alaska. On Sunday, May 10th (Mother's Day) the San Francisco Chronicle published an article Dick wrote on glacier touring entitled "Nature's Icy Sculptures Dazzle Alaska Panhandle" along with five of Dick's photos. If you are a Chronicle subscriber, you'll find the piece at the bottom of the front page of the Travel Section (it continues inside). The paper re-wrote the headline and lead paragraphs that Dick authored, and cut the "If you go" sidebar (presumably because of space limitations), but the rest of the text is his as are all of the photos.

Friday, May 8, 2009

Fine Art Photos From Where We've Meandered

Point Reyes Station photographer, Marty Knapp, is selling many of his fine art black and white photos of West Marin landscapes at a 40-50% discount. His work often depicts places where we've hiked on Tuesdays (Home Bay along the Estero Trail is shown at left).

You can view all photos on sale (plus those which are available, but not discounted) on his Web site. His photo gallery in Point Reyes Station is open Friday through Sunday (and by appointment). At least some of his work (Dick owns two pieces) can be obtained as 2x3” gelatin silver prints in cotton mat and contemporary 5x7“ frame for $38 (plus shipping).

(Each year Marty Knapp shots color photographs of all of the art offered for sale at the Marin Agricultural Land Trust's Ranches & Rolling Hills Art Show; many of his color images of the art were used in the production of Ranches & Rolling Hills: Art of West Marin - A Land in Trust, MALT's coffee-table book that is a retrospective of the first ten years of the art show).

Thursday, May 7, 2009

What A Mess! (Estero Trail Hike, May 5)

Last week during a fine Spring outing on the slopes of Mount Burdell, Wendy remarked that she had decided not to do the Estero Trail (location of our next hike) in Winter anymore because there was too much mud and evidence (i.e., cowpies) of cattle grazing during that time of the year. Apparently her comments irked Mother Nature provoking her into steering one, last, and very wet storm at the North Bay last weekend and turning what may have been a reasonably dry track above Home Bay into a quagmire of ochre-colored clay goop sprinkled with cow plops (which, when wet, slurries into dark green, slimy blobs of crud resembling bloated sea anemones on land).

The hike didn't start out too badly even though the weather gods wrung the clouds hanging low over the trailhead like a wet dishrag causing a light drizzle to fall on our heads and the nearby cattle. But the temperature at "game time" was around 60, several degrees higher than forecast by the National Weather Service, so we didn't foresee poor hiking conditions. Swallows nesting on the outhouse at the trailhead reminded us that, after all, this was Spring, not mid-winter.

So we trucked off across fairly open meadows until we reached a long line of Bishop Pines stretching from south to north across the ranch road that we had driven in on. (Dick believes when he last hiked this trail many moons ago the trailhead may have been farther to the west, passing much closer to the Drakes Bay Ranch than it does today. He also recalls the pine forest being severely decimated twenty years ago by bark beetles or some other form of tree blight). The path through the forest was quite wide, and the trees are set far enough apart that wildflowers like Cow Parsnip and shrubbery plants like Huckleberry can grow under the canopy.

In less than an hour we had walked from the trailhead through the forest and arrived at Home Bay where we stopped to look for Pickleweed and Salt Grass in this marshy area. A dike once separated the landward side of the bay from the sea, probably creating a fresh water pond for cattle. But the dike has now been breached and a fairly new foot bridge constructed by the National Park Service spans the narrow channel connecting the "back bay" to the main body of water.

Clouds scudding over the hills dampened our raingear, but not our spirits, even though the weather created an eerie, foggy atmosphere that would have been perfectly fitting if we had come upon the skeletal remains of mariners who had long ago perished in a shipwreck along the shores of Drake's Bay. Once on the other side of the dike, we began climbing to the top of the headland. But here is where Mother Nature's wrath and the past few days of rain would thwart our efforts to complete the hike. The trail was a soggy, gooey mess. Making uphill progress was difficult, at best, even for those using hiking poles to propel themselves along and help maintain balance on the slippery terrain. Dick fell to one knee during the climb, leaving streaks of mud on his poncho and fleece pants. Theresa was ready to call it quits, but soldiered on after borrowing one of Dick's poles.

When we reached a level spot on the hill after a fifteen minute slog, we stopped, looked at each other and said "Been There, Done That, Nothing More to Prove Today!" But reversing course and heading down this slippery slope proved trickier than the uphill hike. Angie made a short unplanned "toboggan slide" on the muddy path, and everyone's feet were continually slipping out from under them, giving the group the appearance of a passel of Gortex-clad sots weaving their inebriated way down a steep hill after imbibing one too many "for the road".

By around 11:30 am we were back on the dike, scrapping our mud-laden boots and rainpants against the grassy growth to remove the muck and present the appearance to any "normal" people we might encounter on the trail that we did indeed believe that Cleanliness Is Next to Godliness. Apropos the muddy hiking conditions, on the way back through the Bishop Pine forest we found a Slippery Jack mushroom. (Two weeks ago on Wolf Ridge's Hill 88 we were "The Wandering Nomads"; today we were the Estero Trail Slippery Jacks and Jills).

We moseyed our way back to the cars over the next 45 minutes, checking out plants and birdwatching. (Click here for Wendy's list of flora and fauna spotted on this hike). The damp weather ruled out lunching near the trailhead, so we drove back over Inverness Ridge to Bear Valley where the sun was shining. There it was warm enough for us to shed layers of clothing while enjoying our midday repast.

Most of us called it a day after lunch, but Dick, Theresa, Nate and Neil joined Wendy for a half hour stroll on the Woodpecker Trail which loops for a half-mile uphill from the Bear Valley Trail, across a grassy meadow, through a damp mixed-wood forest, and back down past the Morgan Horse Ranch above the visitor center. (Click here to view and print a map of the Bear Valley area which shows this trail).

A word to the wise: Those who go home early will miss out on the best wildlife viewing --- in this case, a very close encounter with the exotic (non-native) Fallow Deer which crossed the Woodpecker Trail just uphill from us. (A Jumping Spider we saw later by the horse ranch would beg to differ on the question of whether he, and not the Fallow Deer, was the most significant critter we spotted today).