We
hike along a creek with lovely cascades and ferns. This is usually an
interesting mushroom hike – in past years we've seen Toothed Jelly
Fungus, Rosy Gomphidius, Cowboy's Handkerchief, and The Prince! The
start is uphill with some stairs (but we’ll find lots to look at on the
way), the end is level - and in between it’s up and down! We end up at
the Bon Tempe Dam. (Click here for a recap of our January 2010 hike).
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We
return to the MMWD watershed for our final hike of the Fall 2009 "2"
session. Here's what we'll be doing: "We make a partial circle around
the lake, looking for ring-neck ducks, mergansers, grebes and other
birds, and then make a loop past Pilot Knob, returning on Southern Marin
Line. We usually see newts and some interesting mushrooms on this hike.
Bring your contribution to our gourmet feast, plus a plate, utensils,
and a cup." (Click here for a recap of our December 2009 "Final Exam" hike at this location).
Spotting a flock of wild turkeys in the rural areas surrounding San Francisco Bay is so common that Dick Jordan is almost certain to see them in a field just ten minutes’ drive to the west of his home. But he never expected to find one at the condominium complex in El Cerrito where he had gone for Thanksgiving dinner.
For
our next hike we'll head north to the Novato area and do some bird
watching on a portion of the Marin County Open Space lands. (Click here for a recap of our 2009 hike).
Directions to trailhead: Take
Sir Francis Drake Boulevard into Fairfax. Jog left and make an
immediate right in front of the movie theater. The first left puts you
on Bolinas Avenue. Follow this until you see the sign on your left for
Lake Bon Tempe and Lake Lagunitas. Follow the road to the toll booth by
Sky Oaks Ranger Station. (Click here for the MMWD map and directions). 
This week we'll head toward West Marin and stop at Samuel P. Taylor State Park. We'll hike up towards, but not all the way to the summit, of Mount
Barnabe. Here's Wendy's description of the hike: "This may be only
mountain named for a mule! We’re not going all the way to the lookout on
the top, so we’ll keep within our 1000’ elevation gain limit. (Mount
Barnabe is 1446’; click here for photos taken from the fire lookout).
The way up is longer and more gradual (about 5% grade), but you’ll want
your hiking poles for the shorter fire road down. We’ll stop by the
Samuel and Sarah Taylor’s grave site."
This week we head south in the County and back into the federal
parklands. Here's Wendy's description of the hike: "Instead of racing
up the Dipsea, we’ll stop to admire ancient redwoods, beautiful views,
and hopefully some mushrooms." (Click here to read the recap of our 2/10/09 hike on these trails).
This week we once again hike in Mount Tamalpais State Park.
Tamalpais State Park
was constructed by the Civilian Conservation Corps in the 1930s. The
natural-stone amphitheater seats 3,750 people and features the Mountain Play each spring, produced every year since 1913). (Click here for a recap of our February 9, 2010 hike).
Per Wendy, "this loop [around Tennessee Valley] features panoramic views of the Bay. We often see Condominium spiders, several species of hawks, and sometimes find a bobcat out hunting. 
This week we return to Point Reyes National Seashore
for our first outing of October. This is not a loop hike, but there are
marvelous views! (Click here for a brief recap of our July 13, 2010 hike).
We return to Point Reyes National Seashore this coming week. Wendy says that "on this hike we'll look for the tule elk, once at the brink of extinction and now making a heartening comeback. This Point is also special for its views." 
Per Wendy, "this hike takes us through redwood forest, over Fern Creek,
into chaparral, and finally to lunch at Bootjack. The return is fairly
level and shady." (Click here for a recap of our October 2008 hike --- Dick Jordan was in British Columbia when we did this hike in 2010, but click here for the photo album for that hike.).
This week we return to Point Reyes National Seashore for the first hike of the Fall season. We explore four habitats: coastal scrub, beach, marsh, and a riparian (streamside) habitat with alders and willows. Lunch at the beach. We may see some of the tule elk that have been transferred from Tomales Point.
Here's Wendy's description of our first hike of Fall: "Today we’ll hike down to Muir Woods
and learn how it became a National Monument. Lunch at Camp
Eastwood where you’ll hear the fascinating life story of intrepid
botanist Alice Eastwood." (Click here for a recap of our September 2008 hike).
