Day hike: Ahhh, the smells...

PB020360 Originally uploaded by bondgurl

I wanted to revisit Muir Woods, Mount Tam and Bootjack trail since it was so lovely a couple weeks before. Luckily it had also rained hard the two days previous so the forest was flush with renewal...and TREE FARTS. Unlike animals, trees (and bushes) smell really good when they release their body odors. Hints of orange, cinnamon, cedar, incense, pine, and other olfactory pleasures filled the air. Dayhike Notes:

• Date: November 2, 2008
• Location: CA - Bay Area - Muir Woods National Monument / Mount Tamalpais State Park
• Lat/Long: 37.8926506, -122.572197 (NAD83 / WGS84)
• Trailhead: Muir Woods Main Entrance
• Trails Hiked: Main Trail, Camp Eastwood, Plevin Cut, Sierra, Troop 80, Bootjack, Main
• Mileage: 5.0
• Elevation: +/-1,000; Lo Pt 150'; Hi Pt 1,050'
• Route Type: lollipop loop
• Trail Terrain(s): some paved; well maint double track; single track; roots, wood / rock steps, bridges
• Nature Notes: Riparian, Redwood Forest, Mixed Evergreen, Chaparral; Fresh good smells from recent rain, Perennial Stream (Redwood Creek), Deciduous Bigleaf Maples, Ladybug Swarms.

Visit my photo album for this hike, click here.

click for larger map

California Indian Pink (Silene californica)

PA190304 Originally uploaded by bondgurl

Yay! I figured out what flower this is. It's California Indian Pink (Silene californica). Today, since the rain caused a traffic freak-out and the bridge was absolutely horrible, I decided to exit the madness and stroll around S.F.s REI (my only shopping addiction). To kill time, I spent an hour browsing their book section. At one point I decided to search the wildflower guides to see if I could find it. I found one that looked similar but didn't have the yellow stamins. After I got home, it was U.C. Berkeley's Calphotos to the rescue! I looked up "indian pink" and VIOLA! I love calphotos.berkeley.edu

Rain!!!

Today we've received the first real rainstorm of the season, YAY! It's supposed to rain throughout the weekend which means a nice, stormy Halloween and a wet hike for me on Sunday...I look forward to it. I've noticed that the leaves of all the trees and bushes, urban and forest alike, are covered in a think layer of dust, soot, and grime giving them a dull gray appearance (whether they be green, gold, or brown leaves). Hopefully it will poor down hard enough to make them sparkle again (and my car too...it needs a bath). (Also of note: I placed a module for the Oakland, CA weather report in the left hand sidebar of this page that includes sun/moon rise and set...I'm such a nerd.)