Point Lobos State Natural Reserve, Carmel, California

 Waxing Crescent Moon

I don't typically use the word fabulous, but today, my friends, was fabulous. That's because I drove to the fabulous Point Lobos State Natural Reserve, about 45 fabulous minutes from home, with the hope of seeing a fabulous grey whale or three while doing a fabulous loop hike around the park. Sunny (fabulous). Upper 60's (fabulous). Pretty crowded for a Monday (I ignored that). The folks were well-behaved, though, and I had a fabulous time looking at the fabulous ocean and the fabulous trees and the fabulous rocks. I have already exceeded my fabulous quota for 2022 and it's only March 14 (Pi Day, which is also fabulous). Here is a fabulous photo to start things off.

I decided to grab the first available parking spot, which turned out to be facing the scene in that picture, right by the South Shore Trail. That's where I started my walk. I never spied a whale in my two and a half hour walk, but I also did not care. It was way too beautiful to entertain any thoughts of disappointment. Just for serendipity's sake, I took a photo of a sorta-kinda Pi in the sky, haha.

Use your imagination.

The South Shore Trail led me around to Hidden Beach, a small cove in a slot in the rocks with regular, crashing waves and a bed of coarse, well sorted sand pebbles and tiny shells. I tried and failed to catch a big breaker on my Smartyphone, but what the heck, I'm old and slow and this is the best I could do. I did get one pretty big sploosh around the corner, though.

After Hidden Beach, I walked the Bird Island Trail to look at the cormorants and their friends sunning on the poop-encrusted rocks before I took off on the South Plateau Trail, heading through the woods toward the park entrance.

From the entrance, I took the Carmelo Meadow Trail to Granite Point, then doubled back on that trail around Whaler's Cove to the parking area for the North Shore Trail. Somewhere in there I saw a healthy bed of Miner's Lettuce.

The North Shore Trail, maybe the best hiking trail in the park, was pretty crowded, so I didn't stop very often. I looked for harbor seals and any other big critters, but I didn't see any, unless you count humans. I kept moving, focusing on foot placement and balance on the roots and rocks and granite steps. This was a very enjoyable segment of my hike - you could say it was fabulous - all the way to Sea Lion Point.

The trails that used to let you walk all the way out to Sea Lion Point have been closed for some time, possibly permanently. I used to take groups of high school kids out there on field trips and wonder IS THIS SAFE? It was intoxicating to be out on the edge of the continent with the wind blowing and the sea lions barking and the waves crashing and the distinct possibility that I might be stripped of my teaching credential or worse if a rogue wave from  the fabulous Monterey Bay Marine Sanctuary decided to snatch one or more of my kids and bash them against the unforgiving Carmelo Formation turbidites. Those rocks are VERY hard and VERY rough on teenage skin and septuagenarian skin, too. It's probably just as well I can't go out there any more. I am not ready to disappear quite just yet.

Pretty soon I was back on the South Shore Trail, my Lobos Loop complete. It was a very good place to sit and eat my lunch.

Peace and Love from Fabulous California,

Jim

#2,022 in 2022

Juan Bautista De Anza National Historical Trail - San Juan Bautista segment

 Waxing Gibbous Moon

The local segment of the Juan Bautista De Anza National Historical Trail, known  in my neighborhood as the De Anza Trail, begins a little more than a mile from my camp. The National Park Service refers to it as the Anza Trail and to its origins as the Anza Expedition, which I suspect is stubborn, old historical whitewashing. Nobody calls Ponce De Leon "Leon" or Oscar De La Hoya "Hoya" do they? Maybe I am being picky, but it's the De Anza Trail as far as I'm concerned. And yes, I am aware that I may possibly be the only person who sees it that way, but in a contest to see who is most stubborn, I am placing all bets on me.

Anyway, the trail in question is 4 miles long from the San Juan Bautista trailhead up and over the divide to the Salinas Valley trailhead with  a total elevation gain of 1,480 feet round trip. Over and back is a hardy 8-mile hike, which is, in my humble opinion, a good gauge of most people's conditioning. I did it yesterday afternoon without any serious repercussions, although I needed a big dinner, lots of rehydration, some heat therapy on my knee, and 8 hours of shut-eye to feel that way. 

The scenery up there ranges from pretty nice to way cool, depending on the season and the air quality. Yesterday was pretty cool.

Even though we have not had much rain, this view is still amazingly green. 

That's Loma Prieta off in the distance, the highest point on the horizon.

I didn't see much wildlife on this hike besides ground squirrels and scrub jays, but one turkey vulture entertained me for a minute, soaring on the afternoon breeze above San Juan Canyon. Much of the San Juan side is exposed to the Sun, but there are a few shaded pieces of the trail. From the top of the divide, Monterey Bay is visible in the distance.

I heart tree tunnels.

Those of you with active imaginations might see a sad-eyed ogre inside this old tree.

 

Monterey Bay is that darker shade of blue below the sky on the horizon.

I think the Salinas side of the trail, about a mile and a half long, has the most interesting features. The Vergeles Fault splits the valley in two and the old oak forests and the creek bed are full of light and shadow. There is a very pleasant bench to eat a sandwich on at the 4-mile mark by the trailhead gate.

Turn around point.

Other than Pinnacles National Park, the De Anza Trail is probably the best hiking experience in San Benito County. I am grateful for all the work that local folks have done to keep it open to the public. 

Peace, Love, and Keep It Wild,

Jim

Joseph D. Grant Park - Canada de Pala Trail - Santa Clara County, California

 Waxing Crescent Moon

Today was sunny with a cool breeze up in Grant Park on the Canyon de Pala Trail north of the Twin Gates Trailhead. The hike started out with a steepish half-mile climb past giant transmission lines before easing up into roller coaster ups and downs. In truth, the trail was a little boring - just a dirt road through rolling, grassy fields with occasional live (and dead) oak trees. The views of Loma Prieta, Mt. Umunhum, Mt. Hamilton, and the San Jose multiplex were the main features that kept me engaged - that and what I thought were mountain lion footprints. In the end, I decided they probably were not cat tracks, but I can't be sure. 

I wondered if this tree was being affected by the nearby power lines. 

I tossed around the idea of staying on the trail all the way to Antler Point, which is one of the Nifty Nineties, but the breeze turned into a chilly wind when I stopped for lunch and I lost my appetite for a long hike. I think that outing will be best undertaken with a campsite reservation in the park so I can stay overnight after finishing it. Otherwise, I would have to drive home through rush hour traffic, which would, in the words of Cud'n Mindy, "undo my yoga."  I settled for a shorter hike and a pleasant commute afterwards. 

Hopefully, you can see the Waxing Crescent Moon hanging up there
above and to the left of Mt. Hamilton and the Lick Observatory.

The trees that make these hills their home are few and far between, but they add some much needed green stateliness to the scenery. It is obvious that they have been battered by the winds, but they persist nonetheless. They provide shelter and food for the bugs and animals and beautiful shadowy silhouettes for anyone who may notice.

I saw only three other people on this hike - a couple of gentlemen on mountain bikes (that's them in the next picture climbing a steep hill ahead of me) and a beautiful redhaired young lady I passed on the way back down to Hondo as she was starting the steep uphill. I didn't take her picture because I didn't want to make her feel uncomfortable. She smiled and said hello and that was good enough for me. I love being old. It's so simple. Just give and get respect.

These guys climbed this hill a lot faster than I did.

There were a couple of benches along the way. I never appreciated benches when I was younger and full of vim. (Spoiler alert: if you had to click on the link to see what vim means, you are probably old, too). Now that most of my vim cells have died or lost their way in the fog of this long journey to the Great Mystery, I smile when I spy a good bench with a view. Ain't no real good reason to be hurrying up to find out who knows what. Sit a spell, Palomino, see what you can see through the Fog of Peace.

 

That's Loma Prieta way off in the distance. It's famous in some circles for being the epicenter of that biggo earthquake in 1989 during the World Series game between the Giants and the A's. How cool would it be if you were sitting on this bench when that happened? The Rayleigh waves probably would  have lifted you up and tumped you right over. Now that would definitely undo your yoga.

Peace, Love, and a Good Solid Bench,

Jim

#2,022 in 2022

Monterey - Pacific Grove, California - Monterey Bay Recreation Trail

 Waxing Crescent Moon

Today makes two days in a row that I have driven to Monterey to soak up the sunshine and fill my soul with ocean power. Today I added a three hour walk along the Monterey Bay Recreation Trail from the Naval Postgraduate School, past Fisherman's Wharf, along Cannery Row, past the Monterey Bay Aquarium, past Hopkins Marine Station, to Lovers Point and back. The word fantastic comes to mind, but that really doesn't do it justice. I'm just going to shut up, post some pictures, and purr like a fat, happy cat.

I am speechless. I have no words. I am blissed out by the magic of my favorite place on Earth.

Peace and Love from the Spacific,

Jim

#2,022 in 2022

Moss Landing State Beach, CA - Before the Storm

 Waxing Crescent Moon

Wednesday seemed like a pretty good day to walk on the beach, with rain in the forecast for the rest of the week and my dental hygienist appointment scheduled for Thursday, so off I went to Moss Landing. I made the mistake of not checking the tide chart first so I arrived just after high tide - that's good for surfers and fishermen, but less good for long walks on firm, flat sand. Fun was had anyway, naturally. 

I love chugging through the deep sand over the dunes to be greeted by a big breaking wave.

There is no such thing as a bad beach day, just perfect ones and nice ones. Even though I winced a little as I sort of slipped and sank in the sand and scurried and hurried from the approaching breakers, the shore provided its usual engaging entertainment, minus most of the bird activity. I don't know where sea birds hang out while they wait for the tide to recede, but it must be pretty crowded there, wherever it is. I saw very little flotsam or jetsam, but there was some interesting driftwood as well as some brainy-looking kelp debris.

Isn't it good, Norwegian wood?

Wally Gator

Pretty sure this is part of a kelp plant, but I could be wrong.

The waves were awesome north of the the jetty and the air was full of magic, especially near the entrance to the harbor. In the harbor itself, a few seals took advantage of the calm water to basically goof around. These seals have a lot in common with retired teachers.

Sploosh

The jetty doing what the jetty does - protecting the harbor.

Cruising into the harbor

Sky drama. The old natural gas power plant is being converted to a giant battery power storage facility.

These seals are all out of dangs and phoos to give.

This very pleasant day mellowed me out in preparation for Thursday's trip to Salinas and my first encounter with Dora the Smug-Funny Sado-Masochistic Dental Hygienist. There must be something seriously wrong with me because I actually liked her style. The previous hygienist I saw at this office was really nice and kind and I liked her, too - she complimented me on what great at-home dental care I had been practicing and gave me a few pointers to look out for potential problem areas down the road. It was a very relaxing experience and her efficiency made the time go by quickly. 

Dora was a little different. Dora made me highly aware that I was reclining on my back with my mouth agape as an assortment of pointy sharp dental tools in her dainty/strong little fingers jabbed and scraped at my gum line for an hour and a half. Her chairside manner was that of a miniature longshoreman sandblasting barnacles off a frigate, leaving my senses on involuntary high alert. My entire core was clenched and my eyes were darting back and forth like I was racing downcourt on a fast break with LeBron James breathing down my neck. It was sort of perversely exciting. 

During a break in the action, I mentioned that the other nice lady said I was doing well with preserving and caring for my teeth. I told her how just plain tickled I was to have lived this long (I'm in my seventy-first year, thank you very much) and still be in possession of all but one of my thirty-two choppers. 

Her reply was both amusing and terrifying - something to the effect of: "Yes, your teeth are in pretty good shape, but when I see a case like this, I can't help myself, I want more." 

Then she resumed her barnacle excavation campaign with renewed vigor. It was all I could do not to kick my feet at the end of the dental chair like a man desperately swimming backwards on the crest of a crashing wave. Also, I was actually paying money for this experience. 

When it was over, Dora suggested I rinse my mouth with warm salt water and take some extra strength Tylenol when I got home. It took a second for that to register as I struggled to stand, gain my equilibrium, and run my tongue over my now sparkly, silky smooth teeth. 

After a minute, I said, "Why?" 

She thought I said, "Wine?" 

So she said, "Sure, but don't buy that cheap stuff, it will rot your teeth and kill your brain cells. A glass of good wine might help you relax, though, haha."

Then I said, "Huh? I said why, not wine. I don't drink alcohol, especially not after prolonged barnacle surgery." 

She laughed and said, "Oh. Well, the salt water and Tylenol might help. You're probably going to feel some soreness. I got pretty aggressive in there." 

Then she laughed some more, "We'll see you again in three months." 

I wandered out to see the receptionist. She was a nice older lady, like the lunch cafeteria lady in school. I asked her if she had a time slot available for me in late December, or maybe this time next year even...

Peace, Love, and Vanquished Barnacles,

Jim

#2,022 in 2022