09/18 - Briones

There was a big group today in spite of a morning which started with showers in Moraga and rain in Berkeley. Shirley left her car at the lot by the Park office on Alhambra Valley Rd and Phred and Elaine shuttled her over to the Alhambra Creek entrance where the rest of us had assembled (13 hikers and Oscar).

There were two groups of hikers. The "Short" group took Orchard Tr to Pine Tr and up Toyon Canyon. The "Long" Group went up the single track trail on the east side of Alhambra Creek to Spengler Tr, up to Old Briones Rd, Crest Tr, Lagoon Tr and finally down Toyon Canyon Tr. We met the other hikers and had lunch before we all headed back down.

Mileage is a bit complicated as there was an additional group formed which hiked back to the cars rather than waiting for the driver shuttle. The short group came far enough UP Toyon Canyon that they did over 3 miles. The main long group did 4.3 and the hardy hikers did 5.2

There was an amazing display of tarweed, fields of yellow. And the clouds were wonderful as the storm front left the area. Another wonderful Wednesday!

https://www.flickr.com/gp/momcat_ksw/W4v854

9/11 - Springhill

After two weeks of pavement, we took advantage of moderate weather to get back on dirt trails. When we reached the Springhill trailhead we were astonished to find the parking area jammed with cars. It seems there was some sort of Search and Rescue dog training event today. The school at the end of the road was gracious enough to let us park at the far end of their lot.

We separated into two groups, but there are only pictures from the group of 6 (Phred, Elaine, Ed, Martha, Geoff and Karen). We made a clockwise loop up to the ridge and then down the Buckeye Ranch Tr. A little under 2.5 miles, but lots of steep up and down made it feel much longer.

Shirley, Polly, Charlotte, Ron and Sylvia (with Oscar) made a loop of about 1.5 miles up the valley and around to the grassy section before the climb toward Sunrise Tr.

https://www.flickr.com/gp/momcat_ksw/1858F1

09/04 - Streets of Berkeley & Garber Park

A dozen of us walked the streets and paths above the Claremont Hotel, starting from Vicente Rd.,  on a muggy Wednesday. The plan was to have lunch at the little green space where the lower end of Willow Walk meets Alvarado Rd. But the tree trimmers were working right there and the noise was dreadful. So we went to Plan B, driving to Temescal and having lunch at the south end of the park. Since we missed the entrance, we parked up on Broadway Terrace and walked down (and back up!). That brought our mileage to just over 2.5 miles; but with all the stairs and up and down our legs could have sworn to much longer than that.

https://www.flickr.com/gp/momcat_ksw/8r77K0