1-27 Carquinez/Crockett Hills

A bright blowy day between rains! Ten of us followed the advise of Phred and Elaine and headed to Carquinez Strait to see the Dirca in bloom. Not only did we see the Dirca, there were also Ribes and Osoberry and LOTS of mushrooms! And the mud was nowhere near as bad as it could have been. It was such a nice day that we added a bit of Crockett Hills RP to our walk. Mileage ranged from 3 to a bit over 3.25 miles

https://www.flickr.com/gp/momcat_ksw/2dE19U

1/20 UC Botanic Garden

Seventeen of us were glad to have a rain-free Wednesday for our first get together of 2016. Since it was too muddy for our normal hike down Strawberry Canyon, we strolled around the Garden and then Lee McCaffree was our private docent for the exhibit of art work from the Alcatraz Florilegium project.

https://www.flickr.com/gp/momcat_ksw/3jPW7j

Wet

The first two Wednesdays in January have been either raining or threatening and regular walks have been cancelled. But, hurrah for El Niño, we do need the moisture!

Soup Day 12/30/15

Polly led 15  Wednesday Walkers on an exploration of stairs and pathways on the west side of Rossmoor. It was a misty, drizzly day and not at all warm. A perfect day for SOUP! Back at Jeanne's we enjoyed hors d'oeuvres, soup and cookies accompanied by good conversation. It was a very nice way to end the year.

12/02 Briones RP

A gray day with a brisk wind for the 11 of us hiking in Briones RP. We took the Old Briones Rd to the Valley Trail, then up to Crest Trail and that to to Crescent Ridge Trail finally Seaborg Trail back to the parking area. Lunch was on the edge of a steep hill above the archery range. We were back early in spite of walking 5.2 miles!

Pictures at:
https://www.flickr.com/gp/momcat_ksw/9M52x7

11/18 Fernandez Ranch

A big group hiking today...17 of us! The 3.5 mile walk was just about perfect. There is new grass showing and baby ferns. Buckeye seeds were glowing among the miscellaneous seedlings. There were still leaves with color on oaks and big leaf maples. It was warm in the sun if you were out of the wind. Just a lovely November Wednesday in northern California!

When I first hiked here in Jan. 2012, there was a large spread of bones on a hillside a bit past the Viewpoint bench. Each subsequent visit has shown fewer bones, until now you really have to know where to look. I included a few images from that earlier visit when even Google Earth's photos showed the pile.

https://www.flickr.com/gp/momcat_ksw/kAZ742

11-04 Marina Bay and Rosie the Riveter

15 of us enjoyed the cool, bright, breezy day walking from Shimada Friendship Park at the end if Marina Bay Parkway to the Rosie the Riveter memorial at Marina Park, then on around the yacht harbor and  to the Rosie the Riveter WWII Home Front National Historic Park next door to the old Ford Motor Plant (now Craneway Pavilion). We had lunch at Assemble restaurant rather than picnicking. After lunch many of the group visited the Columbia Hard Wear outlet before joining the rest at the Rosie Museum. Distance varied, but about 2.4 miles each way.

https://www.flickr.com/gp/momcat_ksw/321s39