March 19, 2014 - Salt Creek BLM Trail

 Title: March 19, 2014 - Salt Creek BLM Trail

Trail head: Skyline Road, Three Rivers

Hike Info:

Type:  Hiking

Trail:  Salt Creek BLM Trail

Destination:  Table #3

Distance: 6.99 miles

Start Time:  8:56am

End Time:   2:55pm

Travel Time: 5:58 (1.17 mph)

Moving Time: 3:30 (2.00 mph)

Elevation Rise:  2,068'

Maximum Elevation: 2,733'

 

Start of hike

Description:
One of the fun things hiking with the Mid-Week Meetup group is the different people whom you meet. Such as Lisa and her climbing Colorado 14er's-I am in awe of that; or KO from Three Rivers who I had a good conversation with while she patiently hiked with an old man; or Theresa, Ric's wife, or for that matter Ric whom I had hiked with before but not really talked with. Of course, there is the regulars such as Jerry, John and Cathey, Betty, Rose, Jeffery, Manjeet, Bill, Kate-the list could go on for a ways. But you get the idea. One my major tenants of hiking is that it is as much about the social aspect as the miles and the beauty.

But on to the hike. We met in Fresno for our caravan down to Visalia and Three Rivers. Got to Three Rivers where we picked up several of the south valley group and then car pooled up Skyline Road to the trail head. Parking is a bit tight there so it is fortunate to have a guide like KO to plan for that kind of thing. But we all got there and the cars get  parked legally. The hike commences a few minutes before 9.

The zig-zag up the hill

The Shelf

It is going to be a hot day. But the group is in good cheer and starts out pretty exuberant.  We meander around, doing a little up and a little down. After about a mile, we cross Salt Creek, going to the north side, going clockwise on this loop. The trail then starts rising. I walk with KO and her dog for over a mile. The talk is on the various backpacking trips we will be going on this summer. She is looking at exploring the Kern-Kaweah basin area and is looking for people to explore with her. I am interested, but I think I would be an anchor on a speed boat. With the road rising rapidly, I am needing a bit more breath to talk, or at least a little slower pace. KO goes on and I fall into step with Lee. KO had been accommodating to my pace, but I feel more comfortable at Lee's speed.

Case Mountain

The road zig-zags up the side of a hill, rising about a 1,000' in this are. Good thing this is the morning because the sun shines directly on us. In a wet year, or at least a normal one, this place would be just spectacular. Even now there are a variety of yellows, whites and purples. But the density of the flowers is rather lite. There is a rock shelf which we are climbing above. Salt Creek comes over this shelf. This creek and a tributary only leave a wet stain on this shelf. But you can tell there would be a nice set of falls in at least a couple of places if the water was flowing. Guess this means we will need to come back up here another time.

Flowers and Fry's Point

Lee and I stop in the shade of a tree, unzipping our pants legs. Theresa and Harold comes up the road and joins us. When we leave, I leave our bag of jelly bellies for Sherri to pick up.  The sun is starting to get to me-at least I feel my energy sinking. Lee has it right-this road is becoming a trudge. I am sucking water from my bladder like crazy. Fortunately, we round a curve and the rest of the group is waiting at the top of a knoll, around table #3-see the BLM table map. I wait around for Sherri to come up. But she is further back than what I thought she was. The good thing is I think I was walking better than I thought I was.

Comb Peak

Sherri and gang comes up eventually. But there are no jelly bellies in hand. But Jeffery had picked them up. Best laid schemes of mice and men-bet you never thought the Robert Burns would be writing about jelly bellies, did you? Enjoyable time just to relax. Dana introduces Lisa to me and she is interested in GPS'. I tell her what I know, but Ric is Mr. GPS and is able to tell her a lot more about what he these things. In talking with Lisa, she and her husband are in the process of doing all 58 14er's in Colorado which will require many times going off trail, hence the need for a good GPS.

Hikers

We now start out and I walk with John, at the end of the pack. Speaking of packs, I am wearing my Gregory and it is feeling more and more comfortable. The trail starts its descent. Instead of a road like we have been going up, it is slowly turning into a single track, which is fine with me. It is enjoyable walking through the hillside grasses  up, and mostly, down the rolling ridges. Eventually we cross Salt Creek, more of a wide area of water, with a slow little trickle dropping into a ravine. KO has taken a group above where we are. We can hear the voices, but not see them. They are going above the falls, or there would be. KO talks about how the whole area above these falls were covered by moss, but through increased use, about a third of the moss has been removed. We as hikers and people who enjoy the sights and sounds of the outdoor need to be on alert to our own impact as we travel through an area.

Newts

John's group comes to another place where there should be falls and they head off other to it-this is at table #6. I wait around and Sherri comes back from looking at the other falls. There is a small creek nearby and she spots a ball of newts in the creek. It should be noted that this newt ball, is really a lascivious event of males swarming over a female-haven't they ever heard of Match.com? Interesting seeing them like this.

Now it is off time to tackle going down a ridge which will cause us to descend until we reach the road we originally come in on. This is going down 1,000', pretty steeply in places. There is a bike track which goes straight down the ridge. Most of our group uses this route. But I notice another patch which forms a sine wave on its side going down the hill. I take that. With the added distance, I can stretch out my legs and not feel like I am pounding my knees and feet with the straighter and shorter way. To the others I think I must look like a fool on a mission. But I get to enjoy the sides of the ridge rather than concentrate on looking only at the trail.

Fry's Point

My Boy Scout training kicks in to provide assistance down some of the more interesting drops. Makes me feel good about myself, more than anything else. But we all make it down and gain the road. Somehow the road seems a lot longer going back than when we started. We get back to the cars a few minutes before 2, hot and sweaty at least I am. Lunch was then pizza in Three Rivers, where many of us are talking about going on a backpacking trip. Then it is on to Fresno, getting home around 6.

A horse, of course, and Shepherd Peak

March 14, 2014 - San Joaquin River (Pa'san Ridge Loop)

Title: March 14, 2014 - San Joaquin River (Pa'San Ridge Loop)

Trail head:  Ya Gub Weh Tuh Trailhead

Hike Info:

Type:  Hiking

Trail: San Joaquin River (Pa'San Ridge Loop)

Distance:  7.60 miles

Start Time:  8:03am

End Time:   12:32pm

Travel Time: 4:28 (1.70  mph)

Moving Time: 3:19 (2.28  mph)

Elevation Rise:  1,739'

Maximum Elevation: 1,842'

Description:

The morning started on a sour note. Two of our bikes were taken from the garage. Needless to say, we are not happy about the event and are a bit in a acheronic state. But we are having some people over for breakfast who we will be hiking with. So we need to get the  breakfast of pancakes and bacon together. Three of these people we invited last Monday after the Pinchusion Peak hike. We enjoyed them and just wanted to have them over. We found out that a couple of other people from Wednesday's hike would be doing today's walk, so we invited them as well. Seven was about as much as we could handle the first thing out. Our breakfast was simple: pancakes, bacon, fruit and orange drink-Brian brought the orange drink  and Kate the maple syrup and whole oranges. A good morning meal.

We meet the other people at the Temperance Park and Ride at 7am and rode up to the Ya Gub Weh Tuh Trailhead. We get started a little after 8-sort of nice to be able to start hiking within an hour of meeting people. This hike starts on the south side of the San Joaquin River on BLM land. We drop 350' down to the San Joaquin River. While only a mile or so, we get a taste of the trail. Wild flowers have started to come out. So the hillside has a scattering of yellows, whites, blues and purple flowers. But mixed in is some poison oak with its shiny, oily leaves, just starting to turn red in a few leaves.

Meetup Hikers

After going through two cattle gates-being careful to close and chain them-we come to a bridge crossing the San Joaquin River Gorge.  By this time, Sherri is lagging behind because she is trying to deal with the stolen bikes. But once off the phone, we start walking earnest. We come to the start of the loop where our group has decided to take the clockwise version of the trail-more shade on the return trip. So we get up to the junction and make a left turn.


 


Immediately we start climbing. It is not a bad climb--like some of the breathlessly steep high Sierra passes Sherri and I have done--we can breath on this one. But it is still a good climb. I am carrying my new pack with about 28-30 pounds in it, as a training exercise. While not feeling terribly heavy, I can tell that my breathing is more labored than it would have been without the pack. But that is why I am wearing it today-training. Much better now than later.

Fields of Wild Flowers

Sherri and I catch up with Bill pretty soon-he has been taking some of his wonderfully artistic pictures. I guess you cannot speed the artist. But this makes us feel good that at least we now have company. The hills have that Spring-time green which our foothills should have. But you can tell there is not the moistness in the ground which a normal year has. Eventually my long-sleeve shirt comes off; then the pant legs, so I am walking in hiking shorts.

Reflection on the San Joaquin

We catch up with Dana and Lisa a little while later. Of course, you can claim the only reason why we caught up with them is that they needed to receive an important phone call-but we will take what ever reason. They soon resume their quicker pace and leave us behind in the dust. As we continue our climb to the top of the gorge, it is relaxing seeing the wildflowers. You get a rudimentary understanding of what Jesus was taking about when he said:  Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?  “And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin^.  Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. How soon I will forget that lesson, even in retirement.

San Joaquin River Gorge

Eventually we catch up to the group, at the top of the gorge. They have settled down to enjoy the vista along with some food. Why does the eye candy we get at the top of places make the food we eat seem so much more enjoyable? One of the things I have been lugging around this trail is a bear canister. The canister is filled with cookies we made earlier in the week. I do not think anybody complained of the lack of freshness. Maybe it is the enjoyment factor of the views.

After a nice break, we start our downward trek. Seems a lot easier or is it we take more pictures? Sherri settles in with Rose and I walk with Bill. Conversations flow a lot better when you are not gasping for breath. We soon come across an AmeriCorps (National Civilian Community Corps) trail crew. Trail crews are what makes it possible for hikers like me to walk all over the mountains. I thank them for their work. 

Cow-a-bunga

Shortly afterwards, we come across some of the makers of the patties we have been avoiding along this trail. Yep, there are bovines eyeballing us as intruders into their territories. But they leave us along, but we insist on getting their picture. Seems like they tolerate us, but wish we would go away.

Kerkoff Powerhouse

We come back in sight of the Kerkoff Powerhouse and know it is not much farther. Down we go to the bridge and start back up the trail. Seems like it is harder going back up this mile stretch to the car. Also a bit more sweat is clouding my glasses. But we come back to the parking lot. The trail is clear and we enjoy a few more minutes of camaraderie before we take off back to Fresno. All in all, a good day on a trail neither Sherri or I had been on before. Glad we came.

San Joaquin River Gorge

March 12, 2014 - Ladybug trail

Title: March 12, 2014 - Ladybug trail

Trail head: South Fork Campground in Sequoia NP

Hike Info:

Type:  Hiking

Trail:  Ladybug Trail

Destination:  Ladybug Camp

Distance:   3.66 miles*

Start Time:  11:39

End Time:   1:18

Travel Time: 1:39 (2.22 mph)

Moving Time: 1:30 (2.44 mph)

Elevation Rise:  903'

Maximum Elevation: 4,378'

Description:
The motto for this hike comes from John: Never let the truth stand in the way of a good story.

We met our Meetup group at 7am at Kohl's and then it is off to Three Rivers and beyond to hike the Ladybug Trail. Getting to Three Rivers is not bad, maybe about 75 minutes. But to get to the trail-head is an adventure in itself-my kind of road. It goes from a reasonable narrow paved road to a reasonable semi-paved road through the Sierra foothills. Then the pavement disappears into a dirt road rutted with runoff cracks. But very drivable without four-wheel drive; it does take us awhile to get there and get on the trail.

South Fork of the Kaweah

The main thing about the South Fork campground is it has an outhouse, tables and firepits. We eventually make use of two out of the three. The Ladybug Trail starts at the far end of the campground and heads out on the south side of the South Fork of the Kaweah River. But within a couple hundred feet, our trail crosses the river--if we went straight we would be heading to Clough Cave, I think. One web site said the trail to Clough was on a westward heading.

About to tackle Boot Hill

The trail starts climbing for a ways, but still pretty gradual. We cross dried Pigeon Creek-not much to write about here, except that it puts us to the base of Bone Hill. Why is is called that? I don't know.  But it does get us going into climb mode. This is where the trail gets a bit dicey. First, there is some rocks which you have to maneuver around-they could be a bit traumatic if you do not watch yourself. But then as we climb, the drop-off on the south side of the trail gets steeper and steeper. Someplace in here, we get the first view of Homer's Nose. Why is it called that? Ask John. With no end to this, a couple of our group decide to go back-which you got to respect their decision as they know their bodies and minds the best. I accompany them back to the car--maybe a little more than a half of a mile. Then I turn around and start back up the trail.

At the top of Boot Hill

Did I tell you that I was carrying a 33 pound backpack on this trip? Just starting to get used to wearing one of those things. But I can tell that I have additional weight on my back as I hit Bone Hill again. I stop to pant a couple of time, but keep up a pretty decent pace above 2.0mph. Hiking alone is not something which I get to do very often. I enjoy hiking both with friends, family and Sherri. But there are times which it is just plain enjoyable to have the solitude of hearing only your own feet planting into the dirt.

That is what I hear until after I cross Squaw Creek when I meet up with Eric on the return trip. He did not think I had been that far behind. Just respond with a smile and exchange pleasantries. Shortly after that the solitude is broken with others returning from Ladybug Camp and the end of where we are hiking today. I still have about half of a mile more when I meet John and Jerry on their return trip. We talk for a few minutes, with them giving me instructions on where to find the only ladybugs up there.

Finally, Ladybugs

About ten minutes more and I come across Ladybug Camp with a nice campfire area and what looks like a couple areas to pitch a tent. But I was told to look for the Whiskey Log Camp sign-that is where they found the ladybugs. About two hundred feet later I see the sign. Where the trail zigs back up the hill, another trail heads to the river. I take the later and find the little knob with the ladybugs on it. A bit disappointing. Maybe it is the drought, or the heat or we are a bit early or late. I do not know. Still seeing the bugs is neat, even if the number is small. I do hunt around a bit more, but do not find any more bugs. I am pretty certain the group has scoured the area and would have said where else to find them.

By the way, this trail, which is not a trail, goes to the river. It is part of an abandoned trail called the Stakecamp Dome Trail. It used to head off to the Stakecamp Dome Ridge, and then continue on to the Garfield/Hockett Trail. But NPS says that the trail is in poor condition and usage is not recommended-sounds like a challenge! Or as John McKinney says in A Walk Along Land's End , We sly hikers know that just because a trail vanishes from the map doesn't mean it vanishes from the face of the earth.

Kaweah River

South Fork of the Kaweah

I turn around and start back. Imagine, it is a lot easier on the lungs hiking downhill than on the way in, uphill. My pace shows. I do need to remember that this walk is for enjoyment, not a race. While there is no roses to stop and smell, there are things to see, sounds to demanding to be listened to and senses to experience.One of the things is just enjoying the Kaweah River as it cascades down. By hurrying I missed the South Fork Kaweah River Falls-it was close to the campsite I saw earlier. For a description, see Ann Marie Brown's book, California Waterfalls.

Squaw Creek

But one thing which I did not miss was Squaw Creek. I glossed over it in my prior description, but I did stop and ponder it then and on the return trip I enjoyed the delicate nature of this creek.  It is a thin stream of water. According to the NPS description, if you go up the creek a ways, it actually disappears, or should I say it appears to provide refreshment to the eyes and soul.

Now it is time to tackle the descent of Bone Hill and  then back to the car. Once again, it is called to mind that the mountains are not made to hurry in. They helped remind me by reaching up and grabbing a toe. Did not fall, but it was the mountains subtle reminder to enjoy the walk.

As I round the curve, I see John and Jerry waiting for me on the bridge, looking very nonchalant. Thanks guys. We walk the remaining trail and find everyone enjoying some good conversations. We go into the campground for some tables and celebrate Donna's birthday-in my pack was a bear canister full of cookies for her. Then it is off to Three Rivers and the Riverview restaurant where I gobbled down a bacon, bacon cheese burger. The drive back to Fresno seemed a lot longer than going to Three Rivers. Must be tired from a good hike.

Token Ladybug

Looking down from where we came

More Squaw Creek

^{*The distance, elevation and time recorded above is the time it took Gary to go from the South Fork Campground to Ladybug Falls. Note: the mph is for Gary, not the group. But Gary returned back to the Campground after going five-eigths of a mile. The time below is for the entire trip Gary did.}

Distance:  4.92 miles

Start Time:   10:15

End Time:     13:18

Travel Time: 3:02 (1.62 mph)

Moving Time: 2:22 (2.08 mph)

Elevation Rise: 1,385'

Maximum Elevation: 4,378'

March 10, 2014 - Pincushion Peak

Title: March 10, 2014 - Pincushion Peak

Trail head: South Finegold Parking Lot at Millerton State Park

Hike Info:

Type:  Hiking

Trail: San Joaquin River Trail and Pincushion Peak

Destination: Pincushion Peak

Distance:  3.25 miles

Start Time: 7:48

End Time:  10:51

Travel Time: 3:03 (1.07 mph)

Moving Time: 1:42 (1.91 mph)

Elevation Rise: 1,188'

Maximum Elevation: 1,601'

Start of Trail

Description:
Another meetup hike with Jerry J-we seem to be going on a few of these these days. We meet at Starbucks in Fresno around 7 and are on the road-There are seven of us-Jerry J, Kate, Brian, Liz, Sherri, John and myself. It is a bi of an overcast day and with the time change, we are treated to a nice sun rice where the clouds turn purple before golden.

Finegold Bay

We drive to the Finegold parking lot at Millerton State Park and start our walk from there. The first mile or so follows the San Joaquin River Trail. Grass is green with the standard oaks for this low elevation level hike-we start around 600' and climb up to 1600'. Tiny wildflowers start to appear, along with poison oak-a bit of the serpent in paradise effect. The rise up gets the heart pounding, but at least there is oxygen to breath. So we take it at a nice easy pace and enjoy the climb.

San Joaquin River

Up the hill

One of the good things is I get an excuse to stop and breath every few minutes by taking pictures and enjoying the sights. To the north of us is Finegold Bay. The San Joaquin curls around so you see it as a serpent. When we get to a saddle, about elevation 1200'. we part ways with the San Joaquin River Trail and continue our way up to the peak. The track narrows a bit and we follow a ridge. There are several "trails" in this area, evidently most going to the same place. A small rock scamper and a climb up a knoll gets us to looking at the final ascent of Pincushion. Probably ascent is a bit melodramatic as at this point we are 150' below the top. 

On Top

We get to the top and spend half an hour or more socializing there. Scenery is nice with the River lazily meander around. Which leads to our conversation going to the hikers favorite topic-food. By the way, I have an answer to one of my favorite questions: Do we eat to hike or hike to eat?  My answer is if it is breakfast, we eat to hike; after hike meal-we have hiked to eat.

The Way Down

We head west off of the peak on our return trip-a different way down. It is through some rock outcropping, where we pick our way through, a bit gingerly. Our descent cuts back across the face of Pincushion, giving a little bit of a Sound of Music effect. As we meet up with a dirt service road, we hear the beef bellowing at us as we invade their boundaries.  The rest of way way back to the cars is just a retreating along the same trail we came up on. An enjoyable morning hike-quick, stimulating and pleasant.

March 8, 2014 - Big and Rabbit Meadow

Title: March 8, 2014 - Big and Rabbit Meadow

Trail head: Big Meadow Parking Area

Hike Info:

Type:  Cross-Country Skiing/Snow Shoeing

Trail: Big Meadow Road and Rabbit Meadow Trail

Destination:  None

Distance: 4.06 miles

Start Time:  1:59

End Time:   4:01

Travel Time: 2:02 (2.0  mph)

Moving Time: 1:37 (2.51 mph)

Elevation Rise: 722'

Maximum Elevation: 7,825'

 Description:

We get a late start, so we cancel out on doing Dewey Point in Yosemite, and instead head to Grant Grove area, more specifically, the Big Meadow area in Sequioa National Forest. In looking around, I saw this side trail, off the the Big Meadow Trail/Road. We had not done this before. So Steven and I put on our ski's and hit that trail. Sherri is snowshoeing and will just wander on the Big Meadow Road a ways.

Steven

Even though there was a heavy snow last weekend, the snow is pretty thin in most places. 6 to 12 inches at best. The temperature is in the 50's and melting the snow rapidly. Won't be much snow in a few days if this keeps up.

Along the road, snow mobiles have easily dug down to pavement, so we have several large patches of bare ground to work around. But after traveling a half of a mile, we come to the junction with the Rabbit Meadow Trail. This trail is rated as easy. Not much of a grade as it follows an old dirt logging road. It only does a loop around Rabbit Meadow. 

Rabbit Meadow

The snow is a little soft, but because of lack of depth, we sink only a little into it. One skier has been on on it before us, hardly leaving tracks. We go around to the far end  of Rabbit Meadow. From there, there a small ridge which we climb, off the trail. We hope to see down into Hume Lake, but are disappointed as trees block the view. But kids must have their fun. So we both ski down this little hill a couple of times, then continue on around.

A couple of trees block the trail, but it just gives opportunity to ski off trail for a few minutes. On one of these, I have the only fall of the day. Steven looks a lot more limber than I feel. The whole Rabbit Trail is only 1.25 miles, so we meet the Big Meadow Trail after skiing for 45 minutes or so. As you can tell, this trail is nice, but not exciting. Good early season trail.

Alta Peak

We progress a little ways further until we come to an overlook, allowing us to see Alta Peak and Shell Mountain. We properly admire the view and go to the next rock outcropping. As it is getting a bit late, we start back. After half of a mile, we come across Sherri going back home. It is on,y another half of a mile

 Back to the car, following the Big Meadow Trail.

When we got back, a family was just coming in from snow play. Talked with them for a few minutes. He works for NPS as a backcountry ecologist. I ask about Colby Pass-one of this summer's hikes. He thinks it sounds like a great trip. We part ways and come back to Fresno and dinner out.

March 5, 2014 - Wilder State Park

 Title: March 5, 2014 - Wilder State Park

Trail head: Wilder Ranch SP Parking Lot

Hike Info:

Type:  Hiking

Trail: Old Cove Landing and Ohlone Bluff Trails

Destination: Three Mile Beach

Actual Destination: Strawberry Beach

Distance:  5.22 miles

Start Time:  10:01

End Time:     1:32

Travel Time: 3:30 (1.49 mph)

Moving Time: 2:24 (2.18 mph)

Elevation Rise: 391'

Maximum Elevation: 84'

Description:
Sherri and I stayed overnight at our parents place. Then made it over to Wilder Ranch State Park a little bit before 9. Our meetup group will be coming in in a little while. There is a minor scare when we see a sign saying the Park's trails are closed, but we find some State Park people who told us the bluffs were open. The mountain trails are closed due to mud and erosion.

On the Bluffs

Our group comes along around 9:30 and we are on the trail by 10.  There are fifteen of us going along this trail/dirt road, with Jerry K, John and Cathey leading us. As a trail, these trails are not very interesting, i.e., not much in the way of climbs and fancy footwork. But there are other things which can make a trail fun. Right from the get-go, we look out over a brussel sprout field and spot a coyote. Not a bad way to start a hike. (According to John McKinney, one out of every eight of the nation's brussel sprouts is raised around this park.)

The Old Cove Landing Trail leads from the parking lot to the ocean. How the day started, we should not get rain. But the fog sort of restricts any view, not thick and cold, but just enough atmosphere to say it will not rain. We hear the ocean before we see it; to the south of us is a restricted preserve. But I do not see any wildlife in the area.

Ocean and Land

The Ohlone Bluffs Trail takes over when we hit the ocean. We spend several minutes observing the ocean spray from 35' up. Even at our height, the spray reaches us. How mighty is the power of the ocean! Throwing it's waters in the air, showing its strength against the land. To us humans, though, this struggle between land and sea yields the beauty of the coastline. The bluffs being a bulwark against the hammer of the ocean. But eventually, the hammer finds a weakness and breaks down the cliff. We are only witnesses to this struggle.

Fern Grotto

Over time, the bluffs have yielded to the ocean, but there are expanses of flat, pocked rock where sheets of salt water collect. As each wave recede, we are treated to water falls flowing over edges. 

 
We head down to a beach area-there is several places where the bluffs fall away, leaving a narrow strip of sand. In this particular strip of sand, there is a small cave which goes back into the side of the bluffs. With ferns growing around the opening, it looks lush, particularly compared to the farmed areas on top of the bluffs. This cave is called Fern Grotto.

Ocean Falls

We continue our hike along the top of the bluffs. As has been said, there is a a narrow strip of where the trail, bordered by the ocean on one side, and farm land growing on the other. Some of our group examine the produce-not taking any-and find that there are artichokes, brussel sprouts and onions. A large group of people pass us. One of them tells us the farms encourage their workers to take a stretch break. So they walk the bluffs; take to the beach; and do stretches. I could think of worse breaks than walking this trail.

Farm and Scarecrow

After a ways, John calls a halt and we have lunch overlooking the ocean. We have not made it to Three Mile Beach, but there is a long drive back, so we turn around at 12:30. The trip is pretty much a reverse of our trip out. That is except we cut off about a quarter mile by going across a beach rather than a large detour around a small estuary. There is a little path, with a few interesting places, but we make it down, and back up the other side safely.

Canadian Geese

Egret

When we get back to the car, we go down to the old farm houses, where we hear a volunteer talk about the park, it's history and the culture of the area. Afterwards, the group decides to gather at Jardines de San Juan Baptista. Sherri and I encourage them to go to Marianne's Ice Cream in Santa Cruz, but no takers. So we stop, enjoy a scope a piece-our second indulgence of quality ice cream this week. Then meet the. Group at Jardines. We get back to Fresno a little after 7.

Seagulls in Formation

Rock and Birds