Monday, August 24, 2009

Dick Heads to Europe for A Month

No posts to the Meandering blog recently and for another few weeks as Dick Jordan prepares to head to Europe and crisscross The Continent for a month.

Your choice:  Enjoy a respite from Dick's blog posts and watch "Survivor"  or your favorite "soap operas" on TV; check out Dick's Europe trip blog (http://rjcjeurope2009.blogspot.com/) whenever you're bored, or ask Dick to add you to the mailing list for his trip blog updates.

In the meantime, keep on Meandering in Marin!

Dallas Morning News Publishes Dick's Alaska Story

The Dallas Morning News, one of America's premier daily newspapers with an outstanding Sunday Travel section, published Dick's story "Glacial pace: Go with the floe and see what southeast Alaska has to offer" on August 16, 2009.

The story (not yet available on the newspaper's Web site) and three of Dick's photos took up an entire page of the paper's Travel section.

This is Dick's second story on glacier touring in Southeast Alaska.  His first story on this part of America appeared on Mother's Day in the San Francisco Chronicle.

Saturday, August 22, 2009

Silvia Returns for Angel Island Hike

Silvia Lange has been hiking with Wendy for dog's years. But she's been playing Doggie Mama for the last three months and not been joining us for our weekly hikes, making only a cameo appearance with her Lab, Hettie, at our Spring "Final Exam" luncheon.

But this coming week, Silvia, who in her "spare time" is an Angel Island docent, returns to Meandering on Tuesday to help Wendy lead our outing on San Francisco Bay's biggest island.

Angel Island Hike (August 25) Preview

The Governator hasn't "terminated" Angel Island State Park (as yet), so we still have an opportunity to hike there in case the park is eventually closed. Here's Wendy's description of the outing: "We'll check out the outside of the new Immigration Station, but not do the tour, and then go to the top of Mt. Livermore, and take the 3:30 p.m. ferry back." Bring cash or check for the ferry ($13.50 round trip; no credit cards) and cash for the park entrance fee ($3.00). (Bring $17 in cash or check for Wendy, too!).

Directions to the trailhead: We'll take the 10 a.m. ferry from Tiburon to the island.

Allow time to park and don't miss the boat! (Although it's only 10-minute trip, the next ferry doesn't run until 11:00 a.m.). The ferry dock is at 21 Main Street. Parking gets more expensive the closer you get to the ferry. There is sometimes on-street free parking if you make a left on Mar West, the corner the library is on. Allow ten minutes to walk from there to the ferry.

Restrooms at ferry in Tiburon and on Angel Island. Carpool from Greenbrae Park and Ride at 9:15 a.m.

Weather forecast: As of Saturday, August 22nd, the National Weather Service forecast for Angel Island on Tuesday, August 25th was for patchy fog before 11 a.m. otherwise mostly sunny with a high near 65. (Click here for an updated forecast).

More information on this hike: The Martin's book, Hiking Marin, sets out two hikes on the island: "A12 North Ridge Trail to Mt. Livermore" and "A13 Angel Island Perimeter Trail."

Click here to go to the Angel Island State Park page on the California State Park's Web site. Click here for on-line information provided by the Angel Island Association.

You'll find a map of the island on page 4 of the state park brochure.

Here's a Google Earth bird's eye view of the island:

Why We Lose Our Bearings on the Trail (But Not with Wendy)

If you feel like you're just going round and round in circles when you're hiking on sunless days and moonless nights, don't feel like you've got a defective brain. You're actually quite normal. See this piece from the New York Times to learn more. Fortunately, during our meanders with Wendy we only go in circles on loop hikes.

Monday, August 10, 2009

Problem Accessing The August Hike Lists Has Been Fixed

Apparently something has changed in the file sharing procedures on Scribd.com where documents such as the hike lists are stored. In the past, Dick has been able to make these documents "private", but still share them with the Meanderers by putting a link to the document on the blog. For some reason, that process isn't working (at least at the moment) for the August Monday and Tuesday hike lists.

Dick has now made the lists "public" so you should be able to access them. Click here for the Tuesday list; click here for the Monday list.

Meet The Press (At the Trailhead Tomorrow)

Now that Dick Jordan is a member of the press, best to keep your lips zipped. You never know where what you say might show up in print!

Sunday, August 9, 2009

August Tuesday Hike List

Have trouble viewing and print the list of Tuesday hikes in August? Click here.

August Meandering Hike Lists Now On-Line!

For a complete list of all upcoming Tuesday Meandering during the month of August, click here. Monday Meanders are listed separately; click here to view and print that list. (Wendy should have e-mailed this information to you near the end of July).

On the right side of the blog you'll find all of the Tuesday August hikes listed in date order (first to last). But unlike in the past, you won't be able to click on each hike to get the details. Instead, either print and keep the list of all hikes, or look for Dick's "preview" during the week before the hike.

Registration for the Fall College of Marin "Meandering" hiking series (sign up separately for Part 1 and Part 2) open on Monday, August 3rd. (We'll have the list of those hikes posted in the near future).

Samuel P. Taylor Area Scouting Hike (August 11) Preview

After spending most of the summer hiking out near Point Reyes, we move inland this week and hike near Samuel P. Taylor State Park. This is a "scouting" hike, so there is no fee (but also no guarantee that we won't get lost!), but also a SHUTTLE HIKE, so call or e-mail Wendy to let her know if you do plan to come.

Here's Wendy's description of the hike: "This hike is a little longer than usual at around 7 miles, but has only 600' elevation gain. As usual for a scouting hike, I don't guarantee to get us back on time, so don't plan your schedule tightly!"

Directions to trailhead: Carpoolers can meet at St. Rita at 9:25 am. Otherwise, meet 0.2 miles west past the Shafter Bridge (and Cronin Fish Viewing Area parking lot which is closed this time of year) in Samuel P. Taylor State Park. There is some parking along the road here. We'll leave some cars and carpool to Buckeye Circle in Woodacre.

For shuttle drivers, here are directions to Buckeye Circle: Go east on Sir Francis Drake Boulevard. Turn right on Railroad Avenue, right on Carson Road, left on Redwood Drive. This ends at Buckeye Circle. Go right to start the loop. There are few parking places. Park anywhere legal that you can find! Fire road is on the right as you head uphill on Buckeye Circle. (See Google Map below).


View Larger Map

No restrooms at trailhead or parking areas. (Closest restroom would well to the west at the main entrance to Samuel P. Taylor State Park).

Weather forecast: As of Sunday, August 9th, the weather forecast for the Forest Knolls area on Tuesday, August 11th was sunny, with a high near 91. South southwest wind between 3 and 6 mph. (Click here for an updated forecast).

More on this hike: On this outing we'll be hiking through the County of Marin's Gary Giacomini Open Space Preserve. After starting up the Summit Drive Fire Road, we'll cross the edge of White's Hill, then head west along the San Geronimo Ridge Fire Road. (Click here for the MCOS District map which shows these trails). Barry Spitz' book, Open Spaces: Lands of the Marin County Open Space District, discusses this area.

The following Google Earth image shows the area we'll be hiking through; click on it to open a larger image in your Web browser:

Friday, August 7, 2009

Fly Me to Jupiter Now!

Around 10 PM, look up into the eastern sky and you'll see the Moon. To its right, you'll find what looks like a very bright star: It's Jupiter. Point a spotting scope (or maybe even binoculars) at it and you'll see four of Jupiter's 63 brightest moons in a line (plane), two on either side. In about a week, the planet will make it's closet approach of the year to Earth. (Dick Jordan got a very clear view of Jupiter on Thursday, less so on Friday evening when skies didn't seem quite as clear).

Wednesday, August 5, 2009

URGENT! Vote for Theresa's Photo in the WGNAmerica Photo Contest Now!

Theresa Fisher of the Tuesday "Meanderers" and a frequent contributor to our on-line album of hike pictures, has submitted 2 photos to the WGNAmerica Photo Contest. Her first photo was submitted last week during week 6 of the contest. This week, week 7, she was excited to see that her picture, a panoramic shot of the sunrise over Monument Valley, was one of the "Top 12 Entries." If hers is the top vote-getting shot, she'll win a camera. Neither the photographer nor the location is identified on 12 photos shown on the WGNAmerica "My America" Web site, but Theresa's photo is the very last one you'll see. So click here to cast your vote in her favor.

Dick Jordan a New Member of the Bay Area Travel Writers Group

Dick Jordan has become a an active member of the Bay Area Travel Writers, a not-for-profit, professional association of writers and photographers with outstanding achievements in travel journalism. These professionals share their unique stories in newspapers, magazines, books, internet publications, and travel industry publications.

In June he joined Left Coast Writers, a prestigious group of well-known as well as new writers of all genres, fiction, non-fiction, poetry, sci-fi, and travel, which holds its monthly "salon" meetings at one of America's premier independent book stores, Book Passage, in Corte Madera.

Dick will be attending the Bay Area Travel Writers Photojournalism conference in San Francisco this Saturday, and (along with photographer, Joel Grey, well-known for his co-starring performance with Liza Minelli in the movie Cabaret) will be participating in the annual Book Passage Travel Writers & Photographers Conference next week.

Saturday, August 1, 2009

Problem Reading Dick Jordan's Bay Model Story?

If you had a problem accessing and reading Dick Jordan's Bay Model story at the Contra Costa Times Web site, try this link: http://www.contracostatimes.com/travel/ci_12940604

NEWS FLASH! Prowl the Presidio with Stan on Monday AND Tuesday

Due to overwhelming interest (25 hikers have "signed up" so far), Stan Walker has offered to lead a hike through the Presidio of San Francisco (followed by lunch out) on both Monday (August 3) and Tuesday (August 4) of this coming week. If you're interested in going, contact him via e-mail (swalkrn@comcast.net) or by phone (415 331-2803) and let him know which day you'll be coming (so he expects you and can make a restaurant reservation for the group,if necessary).

Dick Jordan's Bay Model Travel Story Published

Dick Jordan's "staycation" travel story about the Bay Model in Sausalito was posted to the Contra Costa Times Travel Section Web site on Friday, July 31st, as well as the sites for the San Jose Mercury News and the Oakland Tribune. (The "hard copy" should be in the Sunday Travel section of the CCT and Marin I-J, and probably the San Jose Mercury News and the Oakland Tribune, too).

The paper used two photos: One Dick took of a school group using a game called The Water Challenge. The other (shown at the left) was taken by Ranger Keley Stock of Dick leading a "Trekking the Model" tour (offered to the general public once or twice a month by rangers or docents).