Wolf Ridge Hike (5/5) Preview

Here's Wendy's description of this annual Spring outing: "Wildflowers and views! 'First of spring' flowers for this hike usually include Cobweb Thistle and Bee Plant, and we sometimes see the amazing Fairy Moth hanging out by Oceanspray."  (Click here for a recap of our 2010 hike.  This is the on-line album of photos taken during our previous hikes in this area.)

Directions to trailhead: From Highway 101 south bound, take the last exit before the Golden Gate Bridge. Turn right, go under the freeway, and get in the left turn lane to go through the one way tunnel with the 5 minute traffic light.

Park at the end of the road. (Rodeo Beach will be on the other side of the road). (Click here for a MapQuest Map for driving directions and times from your location.)

Time: 40 minutes from COM.

Carpoolers can meet at Greenbrae Park & Ride lot at 9:15 a.m. (Click here for a MapQuest map showing the parking lot; click on #1 to get driving time and directions from your location.)

Restrooms at trailhead.

Weather forecast: As of Tuesday, April 28th, the National Weather Service forecast for this year’s hike was patchy fog after 11am. Otherwise, sunny, with a high near 64. (Click here for an updated forecast).

More on this hike: Hike "A5 Coastal - Wolf Ridge - Miwok Trails" in the Martins' book, Hiking Marin, shows our route for this 5 mile-plus hike with a 1,000' elevation gain, as does the "Coastal-Miwok Loop" hike in Tracy Salcedo-Chourre's book, Exploring Point Reyes National Seashore and Golden Gate National Recreation Area. (Hill 88, our probable lunch spot, is 960' above sea level with lovely views on a clear day).

Here's the hike's elevation profile.

 This is the route that we'll follow.

The Google Earth photo below shows the area. (Click on it to open a larger image in your Web browser).




If you have time after the hike ends, stop by The Marine Mammal Center, just above the park road, east of Rodeo Beach. There should be a docent-led tour ($9 adults, $5 for those 65+) at 3:00 p.m. that day, but space is limited, so click here to register on-line to be sure to reserve a spot for yourself. (You can pay on the day of the tour if the tour isn't full.)

"The White Bag" Spy Thriller Spoof Is Out!

Luckily, you don't have to wait for the summer blockbuster movie season to see Dick Jordan as the "Ace of Spies" in the spy thriller spoof , "The White Bag," filmed on location in San Rafael.

Last week Dick finished editing his version of this not-to-be-missed flick that was produced by himself and other students in a class at the Community Media Center of Marin.

Hopefully, Dick's rendition of "The White Bag" will eventually air on MarinTV with other versions produced by his classmates, along with a "Making of 'The White Bag'" mini-documentary.

In the meantime, make yourself a small (the film is only about 3 minutes long) bowl of popcorn and enjoy this parody of Hollywood film noir movies of the 1950's.



(Click here if the YouTube player doesn't display)

Ridge to Bridge

Looking for a slightly more challenging hike than the ones we Meanderers do?

How about going over hill and dale for 26 miles, from the junction of the Bolinas-Fairfax Road and Ridgecrest Avenue on Mount Tam all the way across the Golden Gate Bridge to the Presidio of San Francisco?  (Click here for a map of the route.)

(Michael Fischer Photo)

If that makes your feet ache just thinking about it, not to worry. There's also an option to hike shorter segments.

One of Dick Jordan's fellow "gym rats" (the tall guy in this photo) covered the 18 miles to Tennessee Valley where he stopped for lunch and ended his hike five and half hours after a 6:38 a.m. start. (The guy in the yellow jacket, who also works out at the gym Dick Jordan frequents, continued on to the Presidio.)

You can also ride a bike or a horse instead of putting one foot in front of the other several thousand times.

More good news: You've got a full year to train for the 2016 "Ridge to Bridge" event! (The 19th annual edition took place this past Saturday.)

Green Gulch Hike (4/28) Preview

Here’s Wendy’s description for next week's hike:  “Today we get to see the beautiful organic vegetable garden at the Zen Center’s Green Gulch Farms on our way up to the Coyote Ridge Trail. Lunch overlooking the ocean on our way back down to Muir Beach.”  (Click here for a recap or here for the on-line album of photos from a previous hike on these trails).

Directions to trailhead:  Take the Stinson Beach/Highway 1 exit off Highway 101. Go through Tam Junction, and take Shoreline Highway and follow signs to Muir Beach. (Click here for a MapQuest map that shows the trailhead parking lot. Click on #1 to directions and driving times from your location.)

Time: 55 minutes from COM.

Carpoolers can meet at the Greenbrae Park and Ride lot at 9:00 a.m. (Click here for a MapQuest map showing the parking lot; click on #1 to get driving time and directions from your location.)

Restrooms at trailhead. 

Weather forecast: As of Wednesday, April 22nd,  the forecast for the day of the hike was mostly sunny, with a high near 68.  (Click here for an updated forecast).

More on this hike:  Although our actual route may vary, hike A10 (Coastal – Coyote Ridge – Green Gulch) in the Martins’ book, Hiking Marin, covers this area.  (Click here for more information on Green Gulch Farm).

 Here's the hike profile and the route we'll follow.

This Google Earth image shows the area where we will be hiking.