11/09 - Albany Waterfront Tr

 

I'm so glad I planned a walk today. It was a brilliant "after the storm" sort of day; not too warm, tho, especially when the wind picked up near the end. We parked south of the beach we see on Albany Bulb hikes and walked toward Berkeley. In one area we saw many interesting plants. It looked as tho someone had planted all sorts of things which just might make it in that spot; Elaine and Delia kept muttering "Native Here" referring to the nursery.  Mileage was between 3 and 4 miles as some made a loop thru the restoration area near the Berkeley Marina.

https://www.flickr.com/gp/momcat_ksw/7Urb06B8SA

10/26 - Pine Canyon

 

Five of us wandered out from the Castle Rock rec area thru Pine Canyon on a lovely fall day...crisp to start, never more than pleasantly warm. We got to the Mt Diablo gate a little after 10 so saw no need to turn around there. That was a good thing as all the "color" on the walk was on the other side of the gate. Almost 3.5 miles

https://www.flickr.com/gp/momcat_ksw/RYS1YomhU0

10/19 - from Valle Vista

 

reflection in the creek

Five of us walked from the Valle Vista Staging area on Kings Canyon Tr. We walked for an hour and turned around as it was getting quite warm (hot) unless you were in the shade. The water is quite low in the reservoir and everything is showing the signs of drought. Three miles.

https://www.flickr.com/gp/momcat_ksw/wn402Nq784

10/12 - Dotson Marsh at Pt Pinole

 

Another week with just four of us walking. It was a gray day, cool and good for walking. 3.5 miles.

https://www.flickr.com/gp/momcat_ksw/SzKi76MauQ

10/05 - Mitchell Canyon

 

A beautiful day to be out and moving. There were just four of us walking in the wonderful quiet of Mitchell Canyon today. No tarantulas but plenty of birds (flickers, jays, a humming bird); no clematis seed heads, but color on some of the grapes, lots of red PO, and we found the vinegar weed :-) 3.8 miles

https://www.flickr.com/gp/momcat_ksw/uHn16307G1

09/28 - Marin Art and Garden Center

 

We were lucky to have a private visit to the Mt. Tamalpais Florilegium exhibition of paintings and drawings at the Marin Art and Garden Center. Lee was our guide to the exhibition of art work of the flora of Mt. Tamalpais created by members of the Northern California Society of Botanical Artists (NCalSBA).

After plenty of time to view the nearly 90 paintings and drawings (and wishing we had both more free money and more empty wall space) we had time to wander thru the garden.  Nine of us stayed for lunch and further socializing.

It was well worth the trip to Marin.

https://www.flickr.com/gp/momcat_ksw/sY152q59K1

9/21 - Sorry

 I 'm so out of practice that I've totally forgotten to update the bolg.

Here goes, working backward, since I started hiking again.

9/21 - South Shore, Briones Reservoir

Six of us walked the Bear Creek trail from the trailhead near Happy Valley Rd to the dam. It was a gray day which had started with sprinkles, but lovely for walking. It was definitely fall like (first full day of autumn is tomorrow) with reds of poison oak and rusty gold of bay along with multiple shades of brown from grasses and other leaves. The quarter to third of an inch of rain this week was enough to rinse away much of the dust, but not to relieve the dryness. 3.5 mi

https://www.flickr.com/gp/momcat_ksw/1a4380ZCQw

9/14 - Huckleberry

There were just five of us today, but we had a very enjoyable visit to Huckleberry Preserve. Things are dry and dusty, but there were still several "water features" making music. It was cool enough for vests and long sleeves to start as the fog was still present; quite a change from last week's 100+ degree temperatures. Delia brought watermelon as a post-hike treat!!! Not quite 2 miles.

https://www.flickr.com/gp/momcat_ksw/913d823W88

9/7 No hike. Temperatures over 100

8/31 - North Berkeley

John and Delia Taylor led the group of 6 around their north Berkeley neighborhood to look at the rhyolite outcrops - some prominent, some integrated into fences, and around homes, also gardens, houses, grand oak trees and views. It was a perfect day for walking in Berkeley, pleasantly warm instead of the beginnings of the heat wave on the east side of the hills.

Much of John's information is based, at least in part, on the book Berkeley Rocks, Building with Nature. Pictures by Jonathan Chester and text by Dave Weinstein. Berkeley: 10 Speed Press, 2007.

Our route started at the Taylor's house on Catalina, took us by the Church on the corner of Colusa where Delia and John have volunteered creating mostly native plantings, north on Colusa to Vincente to its end at Cerrito Creek canyon, back down to 1000 Oak Blvd to Stone Face Park, then below the park on Yosemite Rd to Contra Costa Ave, to the intersection with Solano, down Solano to a "secret" passage thru to Station Pl which ends right at the Taylor's house. A bit over 2.3 miles.

We also enjoyed the Taylor's garden where there were plenty of natives to enjoy; the Madia elegans are spectacular!

https://www.flickr.com/gp/momcat_ksw/314w4CP3AD

8-24 - Sibley

For the first time in two months I walked with the group. I had a misadventure with a collapsing stool which sidelined me for nearly 6 weeks and then there was a heat wave. It was great to be back on the trail with the group even tho everything is terribly dry.

We started from the main Skyline entrance and followed the fire road up the hill, bearing left at the split for the EBMUD water tank. Once out to the Volcanic Tr we wandered west and then took the trail up hill and east along the ridge rejoining the official trails at the overlook for the big labyrinth. Then we rejoined the Roundtop Loop Tr to return on the shaded south side. 9 of us; under 2.5 miles.

https://www.flickr.com/gp/momcat_ksw/9yN9K509fC