Mudstone Ranch, Hollister, California

 Waning Crescent Moon

Mudstone Ranch is part of the Hollister Hills State Vehicular Recreation Area, an 850-acre park south of Hollister on the San Andreas Fault. Mudstone is on the North American Plate, with 13 miles of trails for hiking, bicycling, and horseback riding. It provides a little bit of a sound barrier between the off-road vehicles and the suburban residential area to the north. The trails and old ranch roads are hilly so it's a good place to work your legs and lungs.

 Yesterday I hiked the Road Runner Trail to its crest, then switchbacked down the Glen Loop Trail to a deep creek drainage and up the other side past the transmission lines before turning around and repeating the course in reverse. Just as I began the hike back to the start, a man and his son cruised by me on their e-bikes. They seemed really nice and happy!

The crest of Road Runner is a good place for a snack.

The creek bed was a little muddy with lots of deer tracks, but no water.

After a rainy December, January has been completely dry and mostly sunny. It seems weird to see wild flowers starting to pop up this early, but I guess everything is out of kilter with the ongoing drought and uncertainty of seasonal changes. Plants and animals must go with the flow.

I got back to the parking lot just as the e-bikers were pulling up as fresh as a a couple of daisies. I made a cheery comment about it being a very good use of a Saturday afternoon and the Dad couldn't help but observe that I was limping. Old enough to be HIS Dad, I briefly considered spanking his backside and calling down fire and brimstone upon his $5,000 bike, but instead I just laughed and said, "No knee replacement for this guy!" (Besides, what the heck is brimstone anyway?). I felt happy and strong and only a little sore. I earned that limp.

Peace, Love, and One Step at a Time,

Jim

#2,022 in 2022

January mileage (after tomorrow): 174