Archive for the 'Special Places' Category
After eating all those calories in Bucks Cafe, it is time to walk them off.
We arrive at the Old Stage Picnic Area and Trail Head car park on Edgewood Road just after 9 and already it is full. We managed to grab one of the two remaining spaces. As soon as I open the door I hear a woodpecker tapping away but I cannot see it, no matter how hard I try.
Edgewood is managed by San Mateo Parks Department and is a jewel hidden away above Redwood City. It is only 467 acres with five trails, the longest of which is nearly 2 miles long, so it is not a huge park. On one side it is bordered by houses and on another by Highway 280. But it is a great place to for a hike, especially in the Spring when the wildflowers are blooming.
We head off clockwise on the Sylvan Trail, which is a 2.5 mile exercise loop and is only for walkers and joggers. Horses are allowed on some trails but no bikes or dogs are allowed in the park at all. The start of the Sylvan Trail goes alongside houses but they are well hidden by trees. You see the occasional roof, a corner of a deck or you hear the sound of childrens’ voices but they are the only indications that we are that close to them. The predominant sound here is birdsong. Those little critters are busy building nests and raising their young at this time of the year.
The Sylvan Loop is quite narrow and very popular with joggers but there is room for all. Most of this trail is well wooded, mostly oak, but occasionally in the lower part an open vista with await you around a corner. The higher you climb on the zig zag path the better the view becomes. As you approach the Serpentine Loop, the San Francisco Bay, Foster City and the San Mateo Bridge can be seen. Oakland can also be seen.
We start round Serpentine Loop Trail anticlockwise and then anticlockwise round the Ridgeview Loop before joining up with the Sylvan Loop Trail again. Today we see no wildlife but in the past we have been lucky to encounter deer. No two visits here are the same and the place never ceases to amaze me. On one hike several years ago we spotted an orange mushroom about 10 feet off the trail and we speculated what species it might be. I checked with my binoculars to see if I could see more detail and was embarrassed to discover it was a plastic marker of some sort!
There are very few places to sit and admire the view but the very best bench with a marvelous view is on the Sylvan Trail. It has a dedication on it which reads:
IN LOVING MEMORY
OF
GEORGE V. DILLENBURG
1903-1988
DONATED BY HIS DAUGHTER
I guess George loved coming to the park and this was his favorite spot. From here on a clear day, and today is remarkably clear, you can see the AT&T tower in Redwood City, the office building monstrosity in downtown Palo Alto, Moffet Field and San Jose’s skyline.
We did see a few wildflowers but I understand the full show will not be for another couple of weeks. If you plan to visit the end of the month and early April are the best times.
After our hike up the mountain in Pinnacles last week I suffered with aching muscles in my legs for most of the week. This has been a very easy hike so hopefully I will be lucky.
March 20 2008 | Special Places | No Comments »
Last night the clocks ’sprang’ forward so we had an hour less in bed. We were up though soon after 5 and set off at 6. It was still dark and we were expecting less traffic on the road. After all it is Sunday and how many people are as daft as we are? Well, we were surprised at how many cars there were around. Maybe they put their clocks backward and not forward!
We took 101 south towards Gilroy, where we stopped for breakfast at the Black Bear Diner. No blog entry for it this time because we did one just six months ago. We were the only customers though.
It was getting light as we resumed our journey. Approaching Salinas we encountered fog. Now this was not expected. All the forecasts said it was going to be a nice sunny day but we have learnt that we should take nothing for granted and are always prepared for whatever weather is thrown at us.
South of Salinas there was no more fog. The sun was shining brightly on our left hand side as we drove through the fertile Salinas Valley. We passed neat rows of newly planted crops on both sides. Some plants were beginning to show above the soil and we had fun trying to work out what they were. Salinas Valley is called the Salad Bowl of California. They grow a lot of lettuce, celery, tomatoes, asparagus, etc., here. The valley is flat with the Sierra de Salinas range off to the right and the Gabilon Range to our left.
We are headed to the western sided of the Pinnacles National Monument. To get to the eastern side you have to drive through Hollister. No road connects the two sides though there are a couple of trails. Pinnacles is a very unusual place. It is the remains of a volcano. Well, it is only part of a volcano. The other part is 195 miles to the south due to the shifting of tectonic plates.
There are several interesting trails here. Today we will take take the Juniper Canyon trail from the Chaparral car park to where it joins the the High Peaks trail. There are 13 condors flying free over Pinnacles. They have been released here since 2003 and we hope to catch sight of them.
At Soledad we take Route 146 for 11 miles. We drive through the center of Soldad but there were very few people around. Ahead of us now are the mountains and the sun is just hight enough to make driving difficult. Salad crops have given way to grapes and we pass several wineries.
Well folks, it is a beautiful sunny day though the temperature outside is only 45 degrees. I just know it is going to get a whole lot warmer before long., after all it is only 8.30 in the morning.
The road narrows with many twists and turns for the next 9 miles. Route 146 ends and we cross a cattle grid and enter the park. Soon the distinctive, red jagged peaks of Pinnacles hove into view.
The Ranger Station was closed so we filled in the form, part our $5 in the envelope and posted it. There were only three other cars in the car park.
We set off on the Juniper Canyon trail and it was cold, there was frost on the fence posts. Tom did not have a sweat shirt but we will soon get warm when we start to climb. The trail rises gradually and we follow the course of a small stream, crossing and recrossing it several times. The higher we climb, the steeper the trail becomes and the views get better. At one point we look down onto the car park and it looks a long way away.
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March 11 2008 | Special Places | No Comments »
We set out just before 6 while it was still dark. There is just something about being on the road while most people are still fast asleep. To watch the scenery unfold slowly as the sun rises is awesome. First you see the tops of the hills appear as the sky lightens. Then the trees stand out as silhouettes. Finally everything is visible and then the sun appears in all its majesty. It is going to be a beautiful day.
We are headed for a beautiful part of the California coast - Big Sur. When I knew I was coming to California for the first time just over ten years ago, the item on the top of my itinerary was to drive south on Highway 1 from Carmel to Los Angeles. Our first stop today is in Carmel for breakfast - see previous entry.
There is no denying that Carmel is a pretty town. Some of the buildings are unique. Take the Tuck Box on Dolores Street. It looks like something out of a fairy tale. Back in the 60’s, when Tom was stationed at nearby Fort Ord, he would come here for breakfast sometimes. It is still there and they serve not only breakfast but lunch and afternoon tea (very English). Next time we are in Carmel, we will come here for breakfast.
Driving through downtown Carmel at 8 a.m. in the morning is a real pleasure. Admittedly none of the shops are open but you do get to appreciate the layout of the place and how well maintained it is. Later on today it will be swarming with tourists and it will be difficult to find anywhere to park.
We decide to pay a visit to Carmel Beach. I have never been to this part before. Just head on down Ocean Street and there is a small car park at the end. It is a very nice beach, sandy and clean. There were a lot of dogs with their owners, joggers and couples walking hand in hand. This is a very romantic place to be.
Soon we are heading back to Highway 1 and on our journey to Big Sur. Now Big Sur is not one
single destination but a 50 mile stretch of the best views imaginable of the Californian Coast. There are several State Parks dotted along the coast - Point Lobos just south of Carmel, Garrapata a bit further along, then Andrew Molera, Pfeiffer Big Sur and finally Julia Pfeiffer Burns. There are a lot of places to park along the way but they are just dirt pull outs and a couple of vista points. These get really crowded later in the day. If you see cars parked at the side of the road then you can safely assume this is a good spot to pull over and maybe even find a trail down to the sea. For a guide to locations to stop at check out this website - ‘A Guide to California’s Big Sur‘.
The road is a two lane highway which hugs the curves and climbs and ascends like a ride in a theme park. Today the views are spectacular with no fog at all. Just south of Carmel there is a signpost which warns that there are hills and curves for the next 63 miles.
I kept my eyes peeled for whales, watching out for spouts of water far out to sea which look like puffs of smoke. At this time of the year the males are returning to Alaska after spending the winter in the Sea of Cortez down in Baja California. They are closer to shore than on the southerly migration. In a few weeks the females and their calves will be passing and they will be even closer to the shore.
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March 04 2008 | Special Places | 3 Comments »
After descending Mount Tamalpais, we took the Bolinas/Fairfax Road to the north. Now this is one of the best scenic back roads that you will ever find in California. It is magnificent. It is open from 9am to sunset and has wonderful views down to the ocean and the Bolinas Lagoon.
In front of us were a whole host of cyclists. We were going downhill and they were traveling fast. The road is very narrow with double yellow lines and as it was dangerous to overtake them, we traveled at their speed. It was no hardship as there was so much beauty to enjoy and, apart from being hungry, we were not in a hurry.
We came to a junction and the cyclists were congregated there. Now we could overtake but we didn’t know which way to go as there was no signpost. As we were heading for Bolinas, which is on the coast, we turned left. It was the right choice.
Eventually we hit Highway 1 and we crossed it and headed to Bolinas. Now Bolinas is a very special place. You will see no signs to it at all along Highway 1 because the locals remove them as soon as they are put up. This is not a place which the world has forgotten but more a place the locals want the world to forget. It is a truly unique, gentle place with a lot of color.
One of the first buildings you see, as you get close to the town, has a huge peace sign in front, which gives you an idea of what to expect. There are no parking lots around and you just park at the side of the road and walk. Lots of interesting buildings and shops but the local residents are the icing on the cake. There are a lot of places in the Bay Area where hippies of a certain age have made their homes but Bolinas must be the prime location. It is not unusual to see a group of locals gathered together chatting, playing instruments, singing or even dancing.
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February 23 2008 | Special Places | No Comments »
After our abortive visit last Saturday, we made our second attempt today.
Once again we stopped at Peet’s on Geary but this time I remembered to take my bag with me and we didn’t get a parking ticket.
The weather today is not so good as last Saturday. No wonderful views of the city or the ocean but lots of fog. The higher we got the less we saw but we did rise above the fog and the sun was brilliant. We had several scary moment s along the way. The sun was blinding in places and Tom found it difficult to see where we were going. The edge of the road was just inches away and beyond that a steep drop, so it was a white knuckle ride.
Once again not many people around that that’s not surpriseing as it is jut 8 am. We head to East Ridge and park next to the Visitor Center. There is a parking fee of $6 which you place in an envelope and post in the green pipe, leaving the stub on your dash.
On a clear day the views are spectacular up here. Today it is surreal. We are way above the fog and we look down on a sea of fog. No buildings are poking through. In fact the only points of reference we have is Mt Diablo to the east and a few hill tops scattered to the south.
We climb to the top via the Plank Walk. A 0.3 mile trail to the peak. There is a fire look out at the top. The trail starts off as wooden planks and rises steadily but soon it become more and more of a rock climb.
As I approached the top I could hear voices. I rounded the top and saw a group of about a dozen young men all chattering in a foreign tongue. I noticed a smell but could not work out what it was but then spotted a bread roll with half a dozen sticks of smoldering incense stuck into it. I’d found the source of the aroma.
I sat below them on a rock in the sunshine writing my journal and waited for Tom to join me. He had stopped further down to take some photographs. As I sat there soaking in the sunlight and writing, I occasionally gazed towards the city. I noticed the top of the Sutro Tower sticking up above the fog.
More young men joined the group above and my curosity got the better of me. I climbed a little higher to see what they were doing and was met by a curious sight. Most of them were merrily chatting together but several were further down holding small silver bowls in one hand and a silver spoon in the other. The bowls contained a white liquid and they were scattering it over nearby rocks and bushes. Obviously a celebration of some kind, but what? Eventually I caught the eye of one young man and asked. He was pleased to explain to me and Tom (who had now joined me) that they wre from Mongolia and were celebrating their New Year, which this year was one day after the Chinese New Year. The liquid was milk and they were communing with the spirits. We were fascinated.
Of course this is a very spiritual area. The Native Americans who were here way before the Spainards arrived, regarded this as a holy place.
We waited, Tom at his camera and me sitting on a rock, for some time. The fog was slowly lifting. As we watched, one of the towers of the Golden Gate Bridge appeared. Tom was waiting for the Bank of America tower or the top of the Trans American pyramid to appear. We waited in vain though and just after 10 decided that it was time to find somewhere for breakfast.
February 18 2008 | Special Places | No Comments »
Today was forecast to be a beautiful sunny day so we set off at 6 to go to Mount Tamalpais (or Mount Tam as it is affectionately called). As we had eaten late last night (we met up with friends Dirk and Maria with their sons Jason 5 and Jacob 11 months for a meal at Dish Dash in Sunnyvale). we were not particularly hungry so we stopped at Peet’s on Geary Street. Tom had a coffee and muffin and I had a cocoa. No paper to read because there were none available in the stands outside.
As we came out of the door just after 7 am, it was to see a meter attendant in a small electric car place a ticket on the car. We were parked at an expired meter but we thought the charges didn’t apply until later. It said on the citation that the violation was under Section TC37C Street Cleaning, though we saw no signs up giving that information and we were not the only cars there. This was not a good start to the day but it gets worse.
We head north over the Golden Gate bridge and turn onto Highway 1 towards Stinson Beach. Marin is waking up as we drive the uphill, twisty road and turn right into the Mount Tamalpais State Park. The road continues uphill with spectacular views down to the city. The sun is in our eyes looking south and the skyline is in silhouette. Looking the other way there were marvelous views of the ocean and the Farallon Islands were the clearest I have ever seen them. Unfortunately there are no suitable places to stop and take photos.
This is an amazingly twisty road. As we round one bend we come across a flock of wild turkeys in the road. There were about eight females and three males. The males were doing their courting display. We stopped, fortunately there were no other cars around, and took photos. Tom’s camera was in the trunk so he used mine because it was quicker and he didn’t want to disturb them by getting out of the car. Just a bit further on we surprised four deer who were about to cross the road. They turned and raced back the way they had come down the hill.
We came to an ideal spot with a view southward where we could pull over so Tom could take some photos. I decided to stay in the car and start writing but when I reached down for my bag it wasn’t there. It suddenly dawned on me that I left my bag, complete with my wallet containing credit cards, driving license, green card, car keys, journals - in fact my whole life was in there. ‘Thomas’ I screamed, ‘I’ve left my bag in Peet’s’. He immediately jumped back into the car, did a Uturn and we hurtled back down the hill at break neck speed to get back to the city. Even though we made good time, after all it was only about 20 miles, the journey seemed endless. Of course I was thinking the worst scenario would greet me when we arrived, that someone had walked off with it and I would have to go through the painful process of canceling all my cards and arrange replacements. At best I was hoping that an honest person had handed it to one of the baristas behind the counter.
Imagine my shock and surprise when I rushed into Peet’s exactly one hour after we had left to find my bag in exactly the same place I had left it. Oh, what a relief.
We had to abandon our plans to climb to the top of Mount Tam and then drive the back roads to Bolinas. The light was past its best for taking photographs and besides the place would be crowded. We decided to have breakfast and visit the De Young Museum. Mount Tam and Bolinas will have to wait for another day.
February 11 2008 | Special Places | No Comments »
The weather forecast was not good, 60% change of rain with temperatures in the low 50’s. We decided though, come hell or high water, we would go up to the city today. For the past few weeks we have been cooped up at home either due to rain or sickness.
At 6:30 AM we set off, just as it was getting light. A quick breakfast stop in San Carlos and it’s one short hop to the city.
Tom loves taking photos of run down industrial areas, so we turned off the freeway at Mariposa. After a circuitous route down dead end streets and over appalling road surfaces, we end up on 3rd and we turn into Amodor. We park in the shadow (well we would well have been in shadow if the sun were shining) of a huge concrete eyesore with a sign outside saying Bodemix Concrete. As it is cold and wet outside, I decided to stay in the car and write my journal while Tom took his photos. He was soon back because it started to rain.
We then had to make a decision whether we would attempt a staircase walk or make our way to the Golden Gate Park and the De Young Museum. I looked up at the sky and I could see blue patches ahead so the staircase walk it would be. We set off down the Embarcadero, past the ballpark and assorted sculptures. I did notice the two ladies made out of scrap metal were gone and a large spider in their place. I wonder where the ladies went. Tom and I both liked that one.
We parked in Sansome Street near the Levi Plaza at a parking meter. As it’s a Sunday, we don’t have to put any money in the meter. First port of call was Levi Plaza where we took photos of the fountain and also of the staircase in front of us and Telegraph Hill with Coit Tower at the top.
The Filbert Staircase must be the most well known stairway in San Francisco but today there
are not many people around. I guess that is due not only to the weather but also to the fact that it is only 9 am on a Sunday morning and Superbowl Sunday to boot so I’m sure most people are still tucked up in their warm beds. The reason this location is so well known is because of the film ‘The Wild Parrots of Telegraph Hill‘. We did see a couple of parrots and heard an awful lot more.
The first part of the staircase is concrete and it rises steeply up the hill. The staircase is wet and there is a sign warning that the steps can be slippery when it rains. There is a lot of vegetation clinging to the hillside and it gave off a pleasant aroma in the damp atmosphere.
The second part of the steps are wooden. On either side are gardens with houses set back. What must it be like to live on such a steep hill with the only access being via a staircase? Where do they keep their cars? How do they move furniture in and out?
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February 05 2008 | Special Places | 2 Comments »
Sorry we have not posted very much lately, the reason being we have been having
a lot of rainy weekends.
We thought this would be a good opportunity to set down some of the places we plan to visit sometime this year.
(Make sure you click on these images so you can view a larger version)
One place that is high on our list is Fitzgerald Marine Reserve just north of Half Moon Bay. The best time to visit is at a minus low tide. On checking the tide tables, the next minus low tide early in the morning on a Saturday or a Sunday will not be until May, but an even lower tide will be at the beginning of June.
Whale watching is also on our ‘must do’ list but that will be at the end of March/beginning of April when the mothers and calves pass by close to shore on their way back to Alaska from Baja.
Here are a few other places we will visit when the weather improves:
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January 30 2008 | Special Places | 2 Comments »
After two weekends of stormy weather, we were keen to get out and about again. We decided to head for the Marin Headlands. As usual we left well before daybreak, just stopping at Peet’s on Geary Street in San Francisco to get some coffee.
At 7.30 a.m. we were crossing the Golden Gate Bridge. We take the first exit towards Sausalito, a left turn back under the freeway and then a right onto Conzelmen Road. The last time we were up here was in February to watch the new Queen Mary sail under the bridge. We pass Battery Spencer, which is a great place to look down on the bridge and to take photos. A bit further along the road we pulled over to take some photos. It was cold and windy but we put our coats on a braved the weather. The sun was just coming up over the city and the first rays were hitting the northern tower on the bridge.
The only other people around at this time of the day are other serious photographers and several keen cyclists battling their way up the hill. Finding somewhere to park is easy now but come later in the day and the place will be packed solid with tourists.
The views are spectacular. Looking down I could see not only the bridge but also the silhouette of the San Francisco skyline. I could also see the Bay Bridge, Oakland, Alcatraz and the top of Angel Island, which had a cap of fog. There were no pleasure boats out on the water though we watched a large container ship sail under the bridge on its way to some other part of the world.
Continuing on up the hill we come to two tunnels into the hillside. We stop at the second one. This is Battery Construction 129. It was built in 1942 but never officially named, armed or manned. We walked through the tunnel and gazed down on a magnificent view of the entrance to the Golden Gate - which by the way is the name of the opening into the San Francisco Bay. It was so named by John Fremont in 1848 who was a topographical engineer. The Golden Gate is one mile broad at its narrowest part and five miles long. Our view also stretches as far south as Pacifica and looking straight out we could see the Farallon Islands which are about 20 miles west.
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January 14 2008 | Special Places | No Comments »
Point Reyes Lighthouse is 50 miles north of San Francisco in the Point Reyes National
Seashore. This is a protected area covering approximately 71,000 acres and is a wonderful area to explore. There is only one, very small town in the whole area and that is Inverness. Most of the area is uninhabited but there are quite a few historic dairy farms which are still in operation so there are lots of cows.
Point Reyes itself is a curiosity as it is moving north at a rate of 2 inches a year. The rocks and vegetation are completely different here than on the opposite side of Tomales Bay.
There are a number of interesting places to visit. North of Inverness there are three, small secluded beaches on the Tomales Bay side - Shell Beach, Hearts Desire Beach and Marshall Beach. They are hard to find and not signposted at all from the road. At the northern end of Point Reyes there are free roaming Tule Elk and they are a wonderful sight. Also in the same area is the Historic Pierce Point Ranch with a self guided tour around the complex. Running past the ranch is the lovely Tomales Point Trail.
Today though we are headed for the lighthouse. This involves a drive of 20 miles from the entrance of the National Seashore, passing a few of the dairy farms. At weekends and holidays during the whale watching season, no cars are allowed to drive to the lighthouse and there is a bus shuttle instead. At this time of the year we can drive all the way to the small car park at the end.
As we got out of the car we had a marvelous view of the Farallon Islands. There is a 0.4 mile walk with some breathtaking views to get to the beginning of the lighthouse complex. There is a small visitors center before you get to the top of the steps leading down to the lighthouse.
As we approached the steps, we met a lady who was waiting for her son to return from his trip down to the lighthouse. We had a fascinating conversation with her. What an interesting life she had led. In the ten minutes or so we were talking to her we almost had her life story. The highlight was her telling us that for a few years she had been a hooker in Berkeley. I won’t give any more information in case anybody who reads this knows her!
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November 18 2007 | Special Places | No Comments »
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