10/19 Arbolado Park

Big group today! Ron and Sylvia were back from their trip, Monique could join us, Karoline felt she could manage the flat terrain and Ulla's niece, visiting from Berlin, was along as well so 16 of us walked from the San Miguel shopping center lot to San Miguel Park where we joined the Ygnacio Canal Trail. We walked the trail as far as Arbolado Park where Jeanne met us. After lunch we discussed issues on the current ballot. Return was via the same route, but Jeanne ferried several drivers back to their cars and only 7 walked both ways. It is 2.9 miles from where we parked to the lunch spot.

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10-12 Las Trampas to Rossmoor

This was a new experience as we had hiked only part of this before (and even then not since October 2013).  The connection to the Rossmoor trails makes a one-way hike possible. But the Veltman Tr descent is very steep and slippery. Shirley said once was enough for her. Wonderful views and some beautiful, isolated country. Good to have done it.  We hiked from the end of Hemme Ave, up Ringtail Cat Tr and Madrone Tr. We took the Clyde Wood Tr along the southwest rim of Rossmoor and descended to Terra Granada entrance 14 where Pat picked up the drivers and delivered them back to Danville. The rest of us followed Polly back to her house. Distances were 4 (drivers) and 4.78 (everyone else) miles.

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10/5 Lafayette Ridge

A dozen of us made three different loops starting from the parking area at the end of Springhill Rd. in Lafayette. We all walked out Buckeye Ranch Tr. Jeanne, Polly and Pat turned off and made a short loop which avoided the steep sections. The rest of us trudged up to Lafayette Ridge (376 feet in just over 1/3 mile with some down & back up, too). Ed & John took off for more "up" and made the loop over to the Briones Ridge and Sunrise Trails, then returning down Buckeye Ranch Tr. The rest of us walked the undulating (sometimes steeply so) Lafayette Ridge Tr to Springhill Tr and back to the start. We had lunch at the large picnic table near the entrance gate as we waited for John and Ed. Mileage varied from 1.3 to 2.3 to at least 4.3. But the grade made that middle distance seem at least twice as far!

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