tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-80609182987533371182024-02-21T06:07:12.028-08:00HILL BABIESHIKING THE SAN FRANCISCO BAY AREA (AND BEYOND) WITH A KIDAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00825805298441185986noreply@blogger.comBlogger108125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8060918298753337118.post-30924463620251662612015-10-07T14:34:00.002-07:002015-10-07T14:39:33.404-07:00SPECIAL FOR SHASTA LAKE, CALIFORNIA<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="color: red; font-size: x-large;"><b>Hill Babies Special: Shasta Lake, California</b></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhth3W62te6XonzPLUrT0wDh_qatlzQfY5WyLgh5npi9ddQ9GMtH751uuii4TAEkGGNpRRnUpnaBHXfSYNRvNwJwZHANv2BmpL8TKUsLwn-EwuzLlBuoWyu4cfPxGLW1UFzO7HOHDL-bWI/s1600/P1040196.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhth3W62te6XonzPLUrT0wDh_qatlzQfY5WyLgh5npi9ddQ9GMtH751uuii4TAEkGGNpRRnUpnaBHXfSYNRvNwJwZHANv2BmpL8TKUsLwn-EwuzLlBuoWyu4cfPxGLW1UFzO7HOHDL-bWI/s400/P1040196.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Shasta Lake, McCloud Arm. Photo by Roger Taylor</td></tr>
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Perhaps you've noticed Shasta Lake on a drive up the I-5 freeway, about three-fourths of the way to the Oregon border. There's a bridge that crosses over it, and the man-made lake spreads out like wings or fingers on either side of the bridge, the water a deep dark blue. Once there were four tributaries here--the Sacramento, Pit, and McCloud Rivers, plus Squaw Creek--but the dam turned this area into a reservoir for California's agriculture.<br />
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These days the water is low and a red earthen belt shows between the tree line and the water's surface. The missing water is the elephant in the room--where is it? Evaporated? Drunk? Spilled on lawns and golf courses? Until I came up here for a long weekend, I didn't think much about Shasta Lake. If the drought didn't mean much before, except warnings through social media, then here is where you can really see the level for some of California's diminishing water supply.<br />
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According to some of the locals I spoke with, the water level shouldn't deter you from coming here. It's true--with low water levels, you can get on a boat and see rarely-exposed Southern Pacific railroad tunnels and mining towns, like Kennett which appears when the water level falls 150 feet below the dam. You can sift for crystals and fossils. You can fish. You can hike, swim, and go inside a mountain. There's gold in the creeks. There's a Chinese mining camp, and evidence of the indigenous people, the Wintu. There are fossils of prehistoric insects, coral, leaves, and critters. There are beaches and waterfalls.The locals who chatted me up seemed certain that eventually the water level will rise again.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHI08GbVrfkFnZB6EQR__0nVkSIeXEAZ4WnFj5xQR45TeMi873LMkdYf8Qwc-FUD_KnmGpb4iACvQ3NjCq1rZuaAVVeJFxB9QlBPPU-NilmIKNYTSr-ihuD8OSn-yRCD2bS8pHgzJ2QHE/s1600/68124193204a86f.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="322" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHI08GbVrfkFnZB6EQR__0nVkSIeXEAZ4WnFj5xQR45TeMi873LMkdYf8Qwc-FUD_KnmGpb4iACvQ3NjCq1rZuaAVVeJFxB9QlBPPU-NilmIKNYTSr-ihuD8OSn-yRCD2bS8pHgzJ2QHE/s640/68124193204a86f.png" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Shasta Lake. Source: silverthornresort.com</td></tr>
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<span style="color: red;"><b>SHASTA LAKE HISTORY</b></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_3wYjCgx0VgGkwAPZHV_021PsbVyyhUNGarNmunKICA15D2DJKkjNTsepKFo_URmHUmpDix8S2LdxXDcK8USiul-25N146L3UC5082xZRRT2rMCsOGuwmLEJsTGONl6qor_qt3B8A3HM/s1600/Wood_Bay.gif" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="144" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_3wYjCgx0VgGkwAPZHV_021PsbVyyhUNGarNmunKICA15D2DJKkjNTsepKFo_URmHUmpDix8S2LdxXDcK8USiul-25N146L3UC5082xZRRT2rMCsOGuwmLEJsTGONl6qor_qt3B8A3HM/s200/Wood_Bay.gif" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Source: palaeos.com</td></tr>
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The unique geology of the hills around Shasta Lake come from a Devonian Age coral reef, 360 to 400 million years ago. The reef was slowly conveyor belted along on a tectonic plate that smashed into the heavier North American plate, pushing up mountains of limestone. Once the water receded, deep fissures between the mountains became pathways for three great rivers. <span style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Source: www.winnememwintu.us</td></tr>
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Fast forward to the time of humans, when the <b>Winnemem Wintu</b>, the Middle Water People, lived here. Their homelands centered around Mount Shasta and the McCloud River, but their tribes went as far south as the San Francisco Bay.</div>
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"We were born from the water, we are of the water, and we fight to protect it," says the official <a href="http://www.winnememwintu.us/who-we-are/" target="_blank">Winnemem Wintu website</a>. (Though recognized by the US government in the 1850s, their tribal status was unrecognized in the 1980s, which denies the Wintu many rights.)</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Water claims the town of Kennett </td></tr>
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In the 19th Century, miners from around the world flocked to this area, excavating veins of gold, silver, and copper, and built towns along the tributaries. One town, Baird, cultivated salmon sustainability with its federally funded Baird Fish Hatchery, where
they collected millions of salmon eggs to keep the river stocked.</div>
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<b>Shasta Dam</b> was built between 1938 to 1945. Engineers claimed it would take a decade to fill the valleys, but in one year the water submerged sixteen mining towns, and ninety percent of Wintu land and sacred sites (<a href="http://www.winnememwintu.us/journey-to-justice/" target="_blank">see here</a>). </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Shasta Dam aerial panorama. Source: Peter Essick, Nationalgeographic.com</td></tr>
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<b><span style="color: red;">FAUNA</span></b></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Osprey nest. Photo by Roger Taylor</td></tr>
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We saw <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">osprey</b> flying, and their huge
nests on the tops of electric transmission towers, and plenty of <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">turkey vultures. </b>At night, sitting on the deck of the <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Bridge Bay Cookhouse</b>, come <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">brown
bats </b>appeared at dusk. If you toss a tiny pebble in the air, they dive for it,
their already erratic bug-catching flight patterns a zigzag of butterfly-like
movements. <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Squirrels</b> chittered
around the trees, delighting our kids. </div>
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Though we didn’t see the following, this area is home to <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">black bears, black tail deer, bobcats or
mountain lions, jackrabbits, red-tail fox, skunks, bald eagles, golden eagles,
blue heron, quail<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"> </i></b>and a whole lot
more. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirZamkvLINQOEjp8ET1eBrYgAKPlVbZpj6FtWhknIUzTnqrg-6U2VCPa7KAkJTZ4FzJJjvAI10r6acyw3ENxervlMIWgGmLcRasZ9KAR1ER-scA2KXg-2iZOjhgelMxvTPd3OFJperT-U/s1600/Shasta-Lake-Fishing-0002-4566.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirZamkvLINQOEjp8ET1eBrYgAKPlVbZpj6FtWhknIUzTnqrg-6U2VCPa7KAkJTZ4FzJJjvAI10r6acyw3ENxervlMIWgGmLcRasZ9KAR1ER-scA2KXg-2iZOjhgelMxvTPd3OFJperT-U/s200/Shasta-Lake-Fishing-0002-4566.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
From all accounts, there are a lot of fish in Shasta Lake, and this is a fisherman's paradise. One local told me he could catch thirty to forty trout in a few hours--all different kinds too: rainbow, brown, you name it. He described three types of bass: large mouth, small, and spotted. Crappie. He talked about a mythical twenty foot long sturgeon (but apparently the record states the longest is 7 feet, from 1977). </div>
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<b><span style="color: red;"> FLORA</span></b></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ponderosa. Source: wikimedia</td></tr>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Ponderosa pine</b>
seems to be the dominant tree, and it has noticeable bark: fragrant, fissured,
and thick horny plates like a turtle’s shell. “Three dimensional,” said Mike,
the silver-bearded bus driver at Shasta Caverns. <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Black Oak </b>is also prevalent<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">. </i><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
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Mike continued describing plants as he drove the shuttle towards the caverns. He said about <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">poison oak leaves</b>: “See three, leave it be,” and “If it’s shiny, watch
your hiney.” Some of poison oak’s green, slick, tri-lobed leaves were turning
red, which happens as the plant dries out to conserve water, and the year progresses towards fall. </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Buckeye. Source: <a href="http://www.laspilitas.com/nature-of-california/plants/20--aesculus-californica" target="_blank">laspillitas</a></td></tr>
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Mike pointed out <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">buckeye</b>,
a native tree that has “corncob-like blooms, six to eight inches
long, that look like bottle brushes.” The Wintu people would grind up a part of the plant and sprinkle the grains on the water, which would temporarily
paralyze fish. “In a few
minutes,” Mike said, “the effect wears off the fish and they swim away.”
Apparently Fish and Game has made this form of fishing illegal—it’s too easy.
“It’s like fishing with explosives!”</div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">We passed low trees of <b>mazanita</b>, with its stiff, coin-like
leaves, and more noticeable, the smooth patches of bark that look like dark
maple syrup dripped over the branches. Mike told us about the Wintu’s use of it
as a tea, using leaves and bark. Apparently the concoction closes your pores,
and helps in relieving dermatological issues, even preventing poison oak. And
if you did have a wicked rash, a salve made of <b>Manzanita</b> can clear it in one to two days. “You can find bottles of
it at health food stores,” Mike told us, “called Manzanita Magic.” Sure enough,
later I found it <a href="http://rosemarysgarden.com/127pomm.html" target="_blank">for sale online</a>. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
*</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="color: red;">LODGING</span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Literally staying on the lake in a boat seems like a great option, but not for me, not yet with two year old twins. I hate to admit that I don't want to camp with them either--I've done it and it is so much work, it doesn't feel like a vacation. The best option for my young family of five is a cabin-like setting, with a kitchen. </div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpdctV9rteQE8t8RGHD_c7_DT_GwBCq3dNtbhAGD1kMfuhcUI5eUlkri0L8o6XraUBz45j2nIVlJ6LQCPe4G9HWppgN_e34nZOpoGcmuNSFbiuRmdlyp4sTBSvPoUNeQH5KHYk9zXMzrM/s1600/P1040230.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="149" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpdctV9rteQE8t8RGHD_c7_DT_GwBCq3dNtbhAGD1kMfuhcUI5eUlkri0L8o6XraUBz45j2nIVlJ6LQCPe4G9HWppgN_e34nZOpoGcmuNSFbiuRmdlyp4sTBSvPoUNeQH5KHYk9zXMzrM/s200/P1040230.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bridge Bay. Photo by R. Taylor</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="text-align: left;">
We stayed at <b><a href="http://www.bridgebayhouseboats.com/" target="_blank">Bridge Bay at Shasta Lake</a> </b>in one of their <b>Kitchen Units</b>. It was just right for our weekend: spacious, a big bed, a fold-out futon, a kitchen with all the kitchen tools, an outdoor BBQ area with our own picnic table, and we were situated right above the swimming pool. </div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b><a href="http://www.bridgebayhouseboats.com/" target="_blank">Bridge Bay</a> </b>has four other types of rooms, running the gamut from motel-style to the large <b>Kitchen Super Suite</b>, that accommodates two families and saves you a little more money. </div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
One day when my kids are older, I'd love to stay on the lake in a boat. For now, sturdy walls and a kitchen are what I need, and Bridge Bay's Kitchen Unit was perfect for our needs. For rates and more info, click <a href="http://www.bridgebayhouseboats.com/">http://www.bridgebayhouseboats.com</a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
* </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="color: red;">EATING</span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWLUANBrfU25FlCn-wUboX06Wlr7foVrXj-5mcJq7wVPIYPdoSCh7tdDZupEyxJMAZoTrCC9dbLo1pmrcqI3Ll0lk1MtkC2Zf3THbvqAdzOMl5VMf0EH5fOq7l6955N8LUaN6sfDvT6V0/s1600/20150829_180640.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWLUANBrfU25FlCn-wUboX06Wlr7foVrXj-5mcJq7wVPIYPdoSCh7tdDZupEyxJMAZoTrCC9dbLo1pmrcqI3Ll0lk1MtkC2Zf3THbvqAdzOMl5VMf0EH5fOq7l6955N8LUaN6sfDvT6V0/s320/20150829_180640.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">View from the CookHouse. Photo by Roger Taylor</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Since I stayed at <b>Bridge Bay</b>, it helps that there's a good restaurant on the property, the <b><a href="http://www.bridgebayhouseboats.com/amenities/dining/" target="_blank">CookHouse</a></b>. The kids' plates are substantial, and priced right, like $4 for the Hungry Angler: bacon, egg and a piece of French toast. The $5 kids burger, with fries and fruit, could satiate a grown man. They have inside and outside seating, all perched above the lake with great views. The only drawback is the slow service, but if you sit outside, the kids can be distracted by the view of the lake, the I-5 bridge, freight trains and trucks in full view, and little brown bats flitting into the air at night. (You can also ask for oyster crackers if the waitstaff haven't already brought out hot bread and butter)</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b>Safeway in Redding </b>is a 15 minute drive from Bridge Bay, so that's another eating option. Think of going to Shasta Lake like you were going camping, and your expectations will be exceeded. </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
*</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="color: red;">SHASTA CAVERNS</span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkf0UzAmuzy0qQPtLZR8wbjdXz9Djo3yNvfhSqcR_fa8t2KDIlpPtU4auMxOzAfCZZk6uQKEoKamM6jzJnsOY7c-kAjg0iTVaqNCUAPfo6ZGqva4U5Z0kTQJ2EHbbGy3IIZwYGaWTAzo8/s1600/P1040181.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkf0UzAmuzy0qQPtLZR8wbjdXz9Djo3yNvfhSqcR_fa8t2KDIlpPtU4auMxOzAfCZZk6uQKEoKamM6jzJnsOY7c-kAjg0iTVaqNCUAPfo6ZGqva4U5Z0kTQJ2EHbbGy3IIZwYGaWTAzo8/s320/P1040181.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Inside Shasta Caverns. Source: Roger Taylor</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<b><span style="color: red;"></span></b><br />
<b><span style="color: red;"></span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
These caverns have to be one of the star attractions to the area, but when we visited, the gift shop was kind of like a ghost town, the rush of summer over. If you're driving north on 5 from Bridge Bay at Shasta Lake, exit on <b>O’Brien/Shasta Caverns Road. </b>The narrow road winds downhill, Manzanita growing on the soft shoulders, the hill steep and tree covered. Turkey vultures soared overhead.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
You buy tickets at the gift shop, and they are not cheap—tots under two, and babies are free, otherwise tickets for <b>kids cost $14</b> each, and <b>adults $24</b>. Still, the tour included a <b>ferryboat</b> to the other side of the water, a bus chugging <b>1.5 miles up</b> a mountain road, to <b>800 feet of elevation, </b>the lake like
blue silk between the trees in the distance. And the climax: an hour-long tour
in an underground labyrinth, glittering with crystals and festooned with
stalagmites.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
Our bus puttered up a steep road with no guard rails, the
driver chuckling about anyone afraid of heights not peering out the right-side
windows. Remember the mining towns submerged by the water behind Shasta Dam?
Mike pointed out <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Baird</b> would be in
the water below and behind us. In 1877 one of the Baird Hatchery’s employees
was hiking around the mountain above town when <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">he discovered some caves, later named Shasta Caverns</b>. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
You spend about 45-minutes inside a labyrinth of caves, going through rooms glittering with crystals, ceilings hung with stalactites, and spiky-floored with stalagmites. It's absolutely beautiful.<br />
<br />
<b>However, one of my twins freaked out and had the tantrum of her life inside</b>. We were stuck with the group, and the tour continued on as my kid screamed and cried and bit her dad who was carrying her. So maybe think twice about this tour if you have a toddler. I think a two-and-a-half year old is cognizant enough about self-preservation to get scared by a tunnel, but not knowledgeable enough to know the sunshine is just down the corridor. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSsBJB1zlYbyxitYBOvQyKrAmmEAZPWRXB-gdUNuYUvP9JYcGmRuHS-J3V5h80IhsDQZxr86DstE75GgiRnXJpPk_1UennTyG5eD5yiSKzQqhhJpTh6oFCLWnxTsT0XdRam27rMF5OdSE/s1600/P1040209.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSsBJB1zlYbyxitYBOvQyKrAmmEAZPWRXB-gdUNuYUvP9JYcGmRuHS-J3V5h80IhsDQZxr86DstE75GgiRnXJpPk_1UennTyG5eD5yiSKzQqhhJpTh6oFCLWnxTsT0XdRam27rMF5OdSE/s200/P1040209.JPG" width="150" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sluice at the caverns shop</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
After the tour and back at the starting point, <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Shasta Caverns gift shop</b><span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">, I discovered the store<b> </b></span>was pretty cool with a natural
history focus. I bought my daughter her first
slingshot, wood carved like a stag, and a $5 sack of rocks that she
filled herself from a box of crystals, including rose quartz
the size of a man’s thumb. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
The <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Shasta Caverns Playground</b>
was impressive too—replete with a crooked log cabin, climbing tunnels, and a water
sluice where kids can pan for tiny iridescent crystals—calcite,
peridot, obsidian and amethyst to name a few—to take home. Picnic tables are arranged in an oak-shaded lawn area. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyHY4qCHLbZ43rutd8BR6vDE_PgDbFbGHZv5hA7CNfPYvJ7JtCRKZt_tgYhea34TfXIt7wAFKECbkbbZ7iOJtM8GPe6mJGEwUYvbOmjLJCuVWasARjikHm2w1EGRiaepP9GAF8ED3CrkM/s1600/P1040218.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyHY4qCHLbZ43rutd8BR6vDE_PgDbFbGHZv5hA7CNfPYvJ7JtCRKZt_tgYhea34TfXIt7wAFKECbkbbZ7iOJtM8GPe6mJGEwUYvbOmjLJCuVWasARjikHm2w1EGRiaepP9GAF8ED3CrkM/s200/P1040218.JPG" width="150" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
*<br />
<div>
<span style="color: red;"><b>EASY HIKE: BAILEY COVE</b></span></div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
This hike is basically the 2 mile flat trail along the perimeter of a little peninsula just below Bailey Cove. To get there, you take the same exit off 5 that you would for the Shasta Caverns,<b> </b><b>O’Brien/Shasta Caverns Road. </b>You drive down the single lane road until you see a pull off for Bailey Cove, and park in the parking lot nearest the water, where you'll find the trailhead. </div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
The one drawback to this hike is the narrow trail coupled with low water levels, because if you have any sense of vertigo, the steep drop-off might trigger it. I wanted my twins to stay in their double stroller, and that made walking a hell of a lot less fun. </div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
However, slightly older children, like my five-year-old, loved it. She could've gone around the whole peninsula, but since her parents turned around a quarter mile into the hike, sweaty and tired from navigating a heavy stroller over root clumps and between poison oak, she turned around too. </div>
<br />
*<br />
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: black; font-family: Times; font-size: medium; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: center; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;">
<div style="margin: 0px;">
<span style="color: red;"><b>FINAL THOUGHTS</b></span></div>
</div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
A long weekend was not enough time for exploring Shasta Lake, though two days was a great introduction. I plan to return, and also look forward to when my children are older and more independent so I'll feel confident about overnighting on a houseboat. I recommend this area for people with kids, and if you have two year old twins, getting a room like I did, next to a pool and a restaurant, right on the lake, near to the Caverns and easy hiking, is a good way to go.</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
*</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: red;"><b>SOME LINKS</b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
GENERAL INFORMATION (i.e. water level, water and air temperature, etc): <a href="http://www.shastalake.com/">www.shastalake.com</a><br />
WINNEMUM WINTU: <a href="http://www.winnememwintu.us/who-we-are/" target="_blank">http://www.winnememwintu.us/who-we-are/ </a><br />
LIMESTONE AND CORAL ISLAND PROCESS: <span style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="http://www.rockdetective.org/~rockdetective/pdf/BLOGQ.pdf">http://www.rockdetective.org/~rockdetective/pdf/BLOGQ.pdf</a></span><br />
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<!--StartFragment--><!--EndFragment--><br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
BRIDGE BAY AT SHASTA LAKE: <a href="http://www.bridgebayhouseboats.com/">http://www.bridgebayhouseboats.com</a></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
BRIDGE BAY COOKHOUSE: <a href="http://www.bridgebayhouseboats.com/amenities/dining/">http://www.bridgebayhouseboats.com/amenities/dining/</a><br />
SHASTA GEM AND MINERAL SOCIETY: <a href="http://reddingblogs.com/shastagemandmineralsociety/">http://reddingblogs.com/shastagemandmineralsociety/</a><br />
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00825805298441185986noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8060918298753337118.post-68599312213938572302015-09-21T14:29:00.002-07:002015-10-05T12:02:19.077-07:00Upcoming Group Hike at the Kids Festival in McLaren Park--10/10/15<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
I've taken a long hiatus from Hill Babies with a move to the East Bay, the start of kindergarten for one kid, and twins turning two, but I'm up and running. In the month of October, I have the honor of leading one of two hour-long family hikes that sandwich the start and end of the <a href="https://www.facebook.com/Saturday-in-the-Park-McLaren-546735475383735/timeline/" target="_blank"><b><span style="color: red;">free</span> </b><b style="color: red; font-size: x-large; text-align: center;">Kids Festival: </b><b style="color: red; font-size: x-large; text-align: center;">a day of music, art, nature and science</b></a><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho4wGXTudmAdCwOzMomkv5toKJpWzZW6oJF0Wv2nC7qUA2iOOTiW74kezPWxkI8_o23Pl7n1oLD-hEVqprstwVXgjJovZtN2gXMzKSKe9rIPgsd0Kr16GvOJh9CL-xQP-zTCcf5Q0fDvs/s1600/IMG_4789.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho4wGXTudmAdCwOzMomkv5toKJpWzZW6oJF0Wv2nC7qUA2iOOTiW74kezPWxkI8_o23Pl7n1oLD-hEVqprstwVXgjJovZtN2gXMzKSKe9rIPgsd0Kr16GvOJh9CL-xQP-zTCcf5Q0fDvs/s400/IMG_4789.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="color: red; font-size: large;">October 10, 2015</span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="color: red; font-size: large;">10 a.m. Family Nature Walk </span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="color: red; font-size: large;">(arrive at 9:45)</span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="color: red; font-size: large;">from the Jerry Garcia Amphitheater</span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="color: red; font-size: large;">McLaren Park</span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="text-align: left;">This isn't just a hike, but a fun day in the Saturday in the Park series, with a great lineup for kids:</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="text-align: left;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: magenta; font-size: large;">Stage Schedule</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
10 AM -- Family Nature Walk</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
11 AM -- <a href="http://www.jamjamjam.com/" target="_blank">Charity and the JAMband</a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
12 PM -- <a href="http://www.magicdan.com/" target="_blank">Magic Dan</a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
1 PM -- <a href="http://alphabetrockers.com/" target="_blank">Alphabet Rockers</a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
2 PM -- <a href="http://www.jamjamjam.com/" target="_blank">Charity and the JAMband</a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
3 PM -- Family Nature Walk</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="color: red; font-size: large;">Directions</span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="color: red;">Hike starts outside the bathrooms </span></b><b><span style="color: red;">@ </span></b><b><span style="color: red;">Jerry Garcia Amphitheater</span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="color: red;">40 John F. Shelley Drive</span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="color: red;">Free parking, or better yet, ride a bike or take # 29 Sunset </span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="color: red; font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDRx1r8KurhAhxedhc3MTb8rXww7j82mvsg27vmEOBGV2Yl6oHbRrgkDah4d9ea5_MPWTOf4ZyIrU4gJmXqzsKURy9rLNn4MXaNf_Islqdo55fIxBNIAtTdlm-hS3koUWR2-QrLiW354w/s1600/Screen+Shot+2014-03-12+at+10.37.18+PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="325" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDRx1r8KurhAhxedhc3MTb8rXww7j82mvsg27vmEOBGV2Yl6oHbRrgkDah4d9ea5_MPWTOf4ZyIrU4gJmXqzsKURy9rLNn4MXaNf_Islqdo55fIxBNIAtTdlm-hS3koUWR2-QrLiW354w/s400/Screen+Shot+2014-03-12+at+10.37.18+PM.png" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="color: red; font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="color: red; font-size: large;">The Hike at 10 AM</span></b></div>
This is to be determined based on the strollers. If you bring one, I'll make the walk stroller friendly. If nobody has a stroller, we'll walk on dirt trails. McLaren Park is hilly, and we will be going up and downhill, so wear appropriate shoes.<br />
<br />
There is so much to explore in McLaren Park, an hour doesn't give it justice, but it's perfect for walking with kids. I like pools and ponds, so there's a good chance we will circle <b>McNab Lake or the Upper Reservoir. </b>We will look for coots, ducks, egrets, and turtles. Everyone likes views, so chances are, we might end up at the <b>Blue Water Tower</b>, with it's 270 degree view, or the <b>McLaren Park Observation Tower</b>, both places that are great for finding raptors soaring overhead. Everywhere we will find coyote brush, sticky monkey flower, and Monterey Pines. What I won't do, please note, which is to hang out at any of the playgrounds, as that would zap our time. You're totally welcome to hang out, come and go as you please. We'll stop for 1-2 snack breaks along the trail.<br />
<br />
<b>Please arrive by 9:45</b> so we can begin the walk at 10. An hour will pass quickly, considering most kids will need a short break or two (so please pack water and lots of snacks for your family).<br />
<br />
Hope to see you and yours on October 10th!<br />
<br />
Cheers,<br />
Jessica<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyGjHYBdb9d_K1WgvXDJixrDbE29DPtQLI6ng7GI43wJe4d9itaKdw29Z13A4bqQm-grtzTJLRZgBYZOUr5_Pw5PwoaJ4l19B4VOmEBtIYA0tb84Lw3jynnRV-_8jM2qbD7OzxZT2d3QM/s1600/AAA-6981.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="295" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyGjHYBdb9d_K1WgvXDJixrDbE29DPtQLI6ng7GI43wJe4d9itaKdw29Z13A4bqQm-grtzTJLRZgBYZOUr5_Pw5PwoaJ4l19B4VOmEBtIYA0tb84Lw3jynnRV-_8jM2qbD7OzxZT2d3QM/s400/AAA-6981.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Old McLaren Park from the 1920s</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Some Links</b></span><br />
McLaren Park Collaborative: <a href="http://mclarenparksf.org/">http://mclarenparksf.org</a><br />
Saturday in the Park Facebook Page: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/Saturday-in-the-Park-McLaren-546735475383735/timeline/">https://www.facebook.com/Saturday-in-the-Park-McLaren-546735475383735/timeline/</a><br />
Magic Dan's website: <a href="http://www.magicdan.com/">http://www.magicdan.com</a><br />
Alphabet Rockers: <a href="http://alphabetrockers.com/">http://alphabetrockers.com</a><br />
Charity and the JAMBand: <a href="http://www.jamjamjam.com/">http://www.jamjamjam.com</a><br />
McLaren Park on Facebook: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/Saturday-in-the-Park-McLaren-546735475383735/timeline/">https://www.facebook.com/Saturday-in-the-Park-McLaren-546735475383735/timeline/</a><br />
Hill Babies: The Labyrinth: <a href="http://hillbabiessf.blogspot.com/2011/01/labyrinth-of-mclaren-park.html">http://hillbabiessf.blogspot.com/2011/01/labyrinth-of-mclaren-park.html</a><br />
Hill Babies: A Day on the Southern Trails of McLaren Park: <a href="http://hillbabiessf.blogspot.com/2012/09/a-day-on-southern-trails-of-mclaren-park.html">http://hillbabiessf.blogspot.com/2012/09/a-day-on-southern-trails-of-mclaren-park.html</a><br />
<br />
<br /></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00825805298441185986noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8060918298753337118.post-75417227022116254742014-11-12T13:43:00.000-08:002014-11-12T13:48:17.700-08:00Next Group Walk: Heron's Head & India Basin in San Francisco--November 22nd, 2014<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKxAcX4mcLbSQAR7svyRRihI64m5fwTDsmzNcsTmHI0EvbBC7zLKBKj2oOcAD-OA8FVirXDVfiENfwFRMuAcn9LwfRQw2oHH9CgEi9r9NRt4XtyuUjVwPGyGjwPMP4JWkUPEoHwHVqpGY/s1600/IMG_7302.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKxAcX4mcLbSQAR7svyRRihI64m5fwTDsmzNcsTmHI0EvbBC7zLKBKj2oOcAD-OA8FVirXDVfiENfwFRMuAcn9LwfRQw2oHH9CgEi9r9NRt4XtyuUjVwPGyGjwPMP4JWkUPEoHwHVqpGY/s200/IMG_7302.JPG" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px; text-align: center;">Heron's Head</td></tr>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: red; font-size: large;">November 22nd, 2014</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="color: red; font-size: large;">Heron's Head & India Basin</span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: red; font-size: large;"><b>San Francisco</b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: red;">9:45 am to whenever!</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: red; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<br />
Once destined to be a <b>shipping terminal </b>but now a <b>protected salt marsh</b>, <b><span style="font-size: large;">Heron's Head</span></b> is an intriguing place to explore.<br />
<br />
As you walk down the long, narrow man-made peninsula of Heron's Head, you're confronted with remarkable contrasts. There's industry on one side--for what its worth, along with hundreds of seagulls, massive ships and crusty, rusty warehouses--while on your other side lies a glassy, bird-filled salt marsh. And at the tip of the heron's head you face east, where Oakland lies across the choppy bay and Mount Diablo rises, purple and jagged, on the horizon. You got birds, you got seals, you got boats. Its quiet and noisy, and cool and strange in that way where industrialization contends with nature.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: red; font-size: large;"><b>Meeting Time and Place:</b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: red; font-size: large;">9:45am</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: red; font-size: large;">Heron's Head entrance/parking lot </span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: red; font-size: large;">Cargo Way and Jennings Street, San Francisco</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
Our route is <b>completely</b> <b>flat</b>, and maybe <b>1.5 to 2 miles long</b> if you include India Basin. It is <b>stroller friendly,</b> though there are some packed dirt trails. Please <b>no dogs</b>, because Heron's Head is a bird sanctuary.<br />
<br />
I hope to have a <b>picnic at India Basin Playground</b>. I recommend bringing a picnic blanket, food, and water. The whole things should be <b>2 to 3 hours</b>. There are port-o-potties at Heron's Head, and nothing but swings, structures, and a view at the playground.<br />
<br /></div>
Come because it's fun, free, and your kids will love running around in the sun, checking out new things.<br />
<br />
Cheers,<br />
Jessica and Marshall<br />
(parents of three little ones)<br />
<br />
If you have questions, email Jess at jericahahn@hotmail.com<br />
<br />
<br />
<b>MORE INFO ABOUT HERON'S HEAD:</b><br />
<b><br /></b><b><a href="http://www.lejyouth.org/ecocenter/eco.html" target="_blank">The EcoCenter and Literacy for Environmental Justice Website</a></b><br />
<br />
<b><a href="http://www.sf-port.org/index.aspx?page=210" target="_blank">Port of San Francisco's Web Page about Heron's Head Park</a>, </b>with a link to a bird field guide specifically for Heron's Head Park<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.baynatives.com/" target="_blank"><b>Bay Natives</b></a>, native plant nursery at Cargo Way and Jennings Street<br />
<br />
<b><a href="http://bluegreenway.org/" target="_blank">Blue Greenway</a></b>, a bicycle and pedestrian-friendly corridor that will connect Heron's Head and other waterfront parks in the city<br />
<br /></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00825805298441185986noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8060918298753337118.post-6968194285668231692014-10-15T22:09:00.000-07:002014-10-16T10:02:17.086-07:00Upcoming Group Hike on BAYVIEW HILL! October 26th, 2014<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Ever wondered about that wild looking hill beside Candlestick Park as you drive into or out of San Francisco on the 101? You know the one. Maybe not by name--<b>Bayview Hill Park</b>--but you've seen the eucalyptus groves, the big craggy rocks, at least peripherally as you travel north or south.<br />
<br />
Bayview Hill is a <b>forty-seven acre</b> <b>park</b> and <b>natural resource area</b>. Not only is the place rife with birds, especially raptors, the last stands of the native <b>Islais cherry</b>, a food source for the Ohlone people, grow here, and there's been sightings of the<b> endangered Mission Blue butterfly</b>. Manmade things of note include WPA walls built in the 1930s, and an Art Deco radio building from 1934.<br />
<br />
<b>How can one not be curious of such an AWESOME sounding place? </b><br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1N14gu283-nwyddJ_ozmimZnKQ0K9_KsNhmGvYALlrOeuN3PWPTAvkxMtvDj20F7D2dLjomlP2CGaXxnomOYvvsMqyUlQXOmwcQpEk20DQOTbpS1Ye7HU0C7yqv6t0Z7j4BkbP7zqX2I/s1600/Bayvwhp$bay-view-hill-1929$bayviewhill_itm$bayview-hill-1999.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1N14gu283-nwyddJ_ozmimZnKQ0K9_KsNhmGvYALlrOeuN3PWPTAvkxMtvDj20F7D2dLjomlP2CGaXxnomOYvvsMqyUlQXOmwcQpEk20DQOTbpS1Ye7HU0C7yqv6t0Z7j4BkbP7zqX2I/s1600/Bayvwhp$bay-view-hill-1929$bayviewhill_itm$bayview-hill-1999.jpg" height="320" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bayview in greener days. Photographer: Chris Carlsson</td></tr>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: red; font-size: large;"><b>SUNDAY, OCTOBER 26th, 2014</b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>10 a.m. to 1 p.m.<br />1.5 mile<br />paved, mostly flat route</i><i> </i></div>
<br />
<span style="color: red;"><b>THE HIKE</b><b> </b></span><br />
<b><br /></b>
Bayview Hill is perhaps surprisingly <b>a great place to walk with kids and strollers</b>: an old road that's closed to cars leads from <b>Key Avenue </b>to the top of the hill, where another road circles the apex. Total mileage is 1.5, more or less.<br />
<br />
The initial road is steep, but two-and-a-half year olds, or three year olds, manage it fine. This is <b>great place to bring your strollers. </b>If in doubt, bring it.<br />
<br />
The <b>views</b> on a clear day show you <b>every geographical feature in the area</b>, and beyond: McLaren Park, the San Francisco Bay, San Bruno Mountain, Mount Diablo, and San Francisco, looking north.<br />
<br />
With a <b>picnic lunch</b> up top, and rests whenever you need it, you go at your pace--there's nothing organized about this beyond a chance to walk with other families at a certain time, with aspirations for a group picnic somewhere.<br />
<br />
<b>Pregnant people and babies </b>welcome! Calling this a "hike" is kind of a misnomer. It's a stroll, a ramble, a jaunt, a slow walk. Three year olds rule the day.<br />
<b><br /></b>
<b>Plan about three hours</b>, but come and go as you please.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="color: red;">THE DETAILS</span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li><b>Meet between 9:45 and 10:00 AM </b>at the <b>gated eastern end</b> of<b> Key Avenue (cross street is Jennings</b>). The closest house to our meeting place is 938 Key Avenue( 94124). Parking is a challenge in this residential cul-de-sac, so you might take the first space you can a block away.</li>
</ul>
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li>We start walking at <b>10:15</b>. If I get a text message--my cell is (415) 577-7934--that you're running late, I can stall til 10:20 or so. :-) If you're very late don't worry, just head uphill on foot. There's no way to get lost on one road.</li>
</ul>
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li><b>Picnic</b> somewhere on the <b>southern</b> or <b>western</b> side of the hilltop. Bring your food and water. </li>
</ul>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaJ7J7WR8FwrBuJ28Sb0qYbCO0573s1j8Vl5Gsq70IFKAGFwnmZk6VKi-sW9SqQ4GHdkHlSBSHjD-dJv1WmuesPd9SyNc9I55YJgjULHher1iqz7Ko8PhM3o6mSWynv5jbBlaopGEaw9A/s1600/Bayvwhp$bayview-hill-c--1929.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaJ7J7WR8FwrBuJ28Sb0qYbCO0573s1j8Vl5Gsq70IFKAGFwnmZk6VKi-sW9SqQ4GHdkHlSBSHjD-dJv1WmuesPd9SyNc9I55YJgjULHher1iqz7Ko8PhM3o6mSWynv5jbBlaopGEaw9A/s1600/Bayvwhp$bayview-hill-c--1929.jpg" height="261" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bayview in the 20s. From Found SF.org.</td></tr>
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<div>
<br /></div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="color: red;"> DIRECTIONS TO THE MEETING SPOT</span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="color: red;">KEY AVE & JENNINGS</span></b></div>
<br />
<b>Public Transportation:</b><br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>T 3rd light rail stops a couple blocks away</li>
</ul>
<div>
<b>Southbound 101:</b></div>
<div>
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li>Exit 3rd Street</li>
<li>Follow signs for 3rd Street/Bayshore Blvd N</li>
<li>Stay right at the fork and follow signs for 3rd St/Bayshore Blvd S</li>
<li>Left on Bayshore Blvd</li>
<li>Continue on 3rd St</li>
<li>Right at Key Ave</li>
</ul>
<div>
<b>Northbound 101:</b></div>
</div>
<div>
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li>Exit 429B/3rd Street</li>
<li>Right on Key Ave</li>
</ul>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="color: red;">WEBSITES ABOUT BAYVIEW HILL</span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="color: red;"><br /></span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
SF Park and Rec:</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://sfrecpark.org/destination/bay-view-park/">http://sfrecpark.org/destination/bay-view-park/</a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
SF Natural Areas:</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://sfnaturalareas.org/sites/5">http://sfnaturalareas.org/sites/5</a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Found SF:</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://foundsf.org/index.php?title=Bayview_Hill">http://foundsf.org/index.php?title=Bayview_Hill</a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>Bay Nature</i> Magazine:</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://baynature.org/park/bayview-hill/">http://baynature.org/park/bayview-hill/</a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<b>Hope you can join the fun</b>, and feel welcome to bring others, or spread the word. The more, the merrier!<br />
<br />
Cheers,<br />
Jessica and Marshall<br />
(parents of a 5 y.o. and twin 16 month olds)</div>
</div>
</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00825805298441185986noreply@blogger.com2Bayview Park, San Francisco, CA 94124, USA37.7157173 -122.3931127999999837.7094368 -122.40319779999999 37.721997800000004 -122.38302779999998tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8060918298753337118.post-49493517825632740662014-09-17T20:00:00.000-07:002014-09-17T20:00:37.994-07:00Photo Recap of the Junipero Serra Park Hike from May, 2014<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="text-align: left;">It was late spring when a group of us--many new faces, too--showed up at </span><b style="text-align: left;">Junipero Serra Park</b><span style="text-align: left;">, an easy to miss natural area</span><b style="text-align: left;"> west of 280</b><span style="text-align: left;"> and </span><b style="text-align: left;">south of Serramonte Mall</b><span style="text-align: left;">, ten minutes from San Francisco. </span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="text-align: left;"><br /></span></div>
We walked about a mile and half in the <b>108-acre park</b>, circling and rising high into the park on <b>Quail Loop Trail</b>, mostly walking under coast live oaks. Our picnic was at the <b>Upper Meadow Playground</b>, then we meandered downhill, resting at the base of the park where <b>El Zanjon Creek</b> flows.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihoQSvCVjx3JxpmDTIsxjB0JyWiCwdkFRZ-U9xcBBv15DAj6Y3_nZFG0s0FHmVoVA968uIxcUtLR0xCpCvej8bgpMKBUrh4kMlV6ueHFnEuxtqF6k72mstRzlHqB-6dFAe8Rctciey6-o/s1600/P1070062.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihoQSvCVjx3JxpmDTIsxjB0JyWiCwdkFRZ-U9xcBBv15DAj6Y3_nZFG0s0FHmVoVA968uIxcUtLR0xCpCvej8bgpMKBUrh4kMlV6ueHFnEuxtqF6k72mstRzlHqB-6dFAe8Rctciey6-o/s1600/P1070062.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Strollers on the trails -- did just fine, despite the dirt trail and me taking folks the long way</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiwF5sR2ULTXr4PurR7l2yNuQTJWO6X5yW36bF7PJORDn27TvObPNl84sCRnkIY-nKPYiVPyb7Ye2RnUH_TsVi82oyM3tyLrg9zQypiNFNXfMPTB0Gl3ewhE0M2PcJIqHzqjYFEm8psmA/s1600/P1070063.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiwF5sR2ULTXr4PurR7l2yNuQTJWO6X5yW36bF7PJORDn27TvObPNl84sCRnkIY-nKPYiVPyb7Ye2RnUH_TsVi82oyM3tyLrg9zQypiNFNXfMPTB0Gl3ewhE0M2PcJIqHzqjYFEm8psmA/s1600/P1070063.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">There's a phenomenal playground near the peak of Junipero Serra Park, including a 50 foot long slide</td></tr>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBQFo9a_44z_IoMf_CJDU7Cm08hDwUT8ZVj_Li_lEFQhs3SoTrRVONmjALZ_Rht_NhnXX5MlMaFb4J0Ys4H11wmbGC5J4tg2i8cO0l413339iKq9LAuPvpA50WNfq-JhMcevfAeLbQr5w/s1600/P1070068.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBQFo9a_44z_IoMf_CJDU7Cm08hDwUT8ZVj_Li_lEFQhs3SoTrRVONmjALZ_Rht_NhnXX5MlMaFb4J0Ys4H11wmbGC5J4tg2i8cO0l413339iKq9LAuPvpA50WNfq-JhMcevfAeLbQr5w/s1600/P1070068.JPG" height="150" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"> Opportunity to sit on Dad's lap</td></tr>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2V5YLaotFRD9twzjAf06wCrBJt5X3FBRaUNJ3mIHhsnlXd11nuqSZQ-tw6MDzaCHmVKiTvhFfZHKZHiUXr9eP0oGGYTKxkPZmYbSB9tFYBV0Kn3XyvAQlllaneXxm7wvKFRcgCJBpEyQ/s1600/P1070067.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2V5YLaotFRD9twzjAf06wCrBJt5X3FBRaUNJ3mIHhsnlXd11nuqSZQ-tw6MDzaCHmVKiTvhFfZHKZHiUXr9eP0oGGYTKxkPZmYbSB9tFYBV0Kn3XyvAQlllaneXxm7wvKFRcgCJBpEyQ/s1600/P1070067.JPG" height="150" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Family togetherness</td></tr>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIGs5_yCT9LXBYozzmjsiCQXjkeTZ7-CMuckGX9v5hc5sDOQs1wurMLa2MVk2Rx2jczT9z3Bd9ynnxlqyFgTh8QcsOZBmAY3ts1a7phyFdJuCB8Rw3GM0xIFKNd8YnIKU9_ITFwXHYBhQ/s1600/P1070070.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIGs5_yCT9LXBYozzmjsiCQXjkeTZ7-CMuckGX9v5hc5sDOQs1wurMLa2MVk2Rx2jczT9z3Bd9ynnxlqyFgTh8QcsOZBmAY3ts1a7phyFdJuCB8Rw3GM0xIFKNd8YnIKU9_ITFwXHYBhQ/s1600/P1070070.JPG" height="150" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Picnic</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpi9Ue71ZDnb9JXwFSYiTNliv2q2DStFc6SAe7uWEXuBq67Y-PbSFCjPYNWPamqNew8vrCYoCC7VWf8Q3pLa8Xq1EBHcPgkLHsw6bpem5Q8ZWRGHmdK5h3-NPYG_1K9WlOzV__tHCMNV0/s1600/P1070090.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpi9Ue71ZDnb9JXwFSYiTNliv2q2DStFc6SAe7uWEXuBq67Y-PbSFCjPYNWPamqNew8vrCYoCC7VWf8Q3pLa8Xq1EBHcPgkLHsw6bpem5Q8ZWRGHmdK5h3-NPYG_1K9WlOzV__tHCMNV0/s1600/P1070090.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sun kissed baby</td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinE0RQ-kguaZKzi-jDZ-OPiQ7DVQF4Jb_Mrv3gCQhqq2L5l2KqERopaBj-m7HQVoisBJ4KRC7isTo_I5HJ_TeS1iDRFAO7fzm8HxNcJ2Rg2pphG9Wh4YYX_LCrg-YW1Y257jSNvO7osis/s1600/P1070117.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinE0RQ-kguaZKzi-jDZ-OPiQ7DVQF4Jb_Mrv3gCQhqq2L5l2KqERopaBj-m7HQVoisBJ4KRC7isTo_I5HJ_TeS1iDRFAO7fzm8HxNcJ2Rg2pphG9Wh4YYX_LCrg-YW1Y257jSNvO7osis/s1600/P1070117.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZCCU_hPStyZ2w6RlX1EeVwwy0WnsbUfyhBjxNc3B8D9zzUw-Q4agDmEf5qCrGDf05hBqy6nhI29hEhznNomte-JTNs34_MXS1BAEcpBbo7ZXspYLXA4M5OT9M4HdrjgXfRwxVje8ILmo/s1600/P1070077.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZCCU_hPStyZ2w6RlX1EeVwwy0WnsbUfyhBjxNc3B8D9zzUw-Q4agDmEf5qCrGDf05hBqy6nhI29hEhznNomte-JTNs34_MXS1BAEcpBbo7ZXspYLXA4M5OT9M4HdrjgXfRwxVje8ILmo/s1600/P1070077.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEie_YDqB5btQLcM23EhF266qkHriJk2eFSxNSxoVsmO7SUqg-s4b6g1ujls7UTXOR0rRZQAF_4-_h37KAtyZJoRxl7rewlRF8WNwPQL055ewxLI5RFjtxvFF-Av_ixq1Q389T3bODjayZI/s1600/P1070095.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEie_YDqB5btQLcM23EhF266qkHriJk2eFSxNSxoVsmO7SUqg-s4b6g1ujls7UTXOR0rRZQAF_4-_h37KAtyZJoRxl7rewlRF8WNwPQL055ewxLI5RFjtxvFF-Av_ixq1Q389T3bODjayZI/s1600/P1070095.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kids in the golden grass</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhltpCJUoA0VnfGKI18m4eAnkiKjId-2MoS4GGjxDIbkX5vd_ITLJHPWze2-R33OSCkf0l5iohcPSRQJ2-M6r2b_QNTci1MN0KG6wNg6ZPvlTPHO96v5Vr3LBQ2K0jh_DlQa5StLFcvMSg/s1600/P1070116.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhltpCJUoA0VnfGKI18m4eAnkiKjId-2MoS4GGjxDIbkX5vd_ITLJHPWze2-R33OSCkf0l5iohcPSRQJ2-M6r2b_QNTci1MN0KG6wNg6ZPvlTPHO96v5Vr3LBQ2K0jh_DlQa5StLFcvMSg/s1600/P1070116.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOGIaWwVGUvV5ppgT4mKMzQTA1E999kT8aRvyE5_CUhghWstudjKQPqW-jEuTwXfV2voTn-Q7LgXny85YCGa5dh00hOX3kJ2NunapHpK2r7fEdCOJmkUx7OAu-ksTK6hV46eZK1X33848/s1600/P1070114.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOGIaWwVGUvV5ppgT4mKMzQTA1E999kT8aRvyE5_CUhghWstudjKQPqW-jEuTwXfV2voTn-Q7LgXny85YCGa5dh00hOX3kJ2NunapHpK2r7fEdCOJmkUx7OAu-ksTK6hV46eZK1X33848/s1600/P1070114.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The looks of knowing you've had fun after a day in the oak woods and California grasslands</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span style="color: red; font-size: large;"><b>Directions </b></span><br />
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<b>Southbound on 280</b>: Exit Crystal Springs Road, staying in the right lane. Right on Crystal Springs Road, continue half mile or so to parking lot on left side.<br />
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<b>Northbound on 280</b>: Exit San Bruno Ave, go under freeway, turn left to go on 280 southbound. Follow directions, above -- whew!<br />
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<b>Address</b>: 1801 Crystal Springs road, San Bruno, CA 94066</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00825805298441185986noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8060918298753337118.post-47969502598966551192014-09-16T22:32:00.000-07:002014-09-16T22:32:19.140-07:00Photo Recap of the Father's Day Group Hike at Fort Funston <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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The group of us--some regulars to these Hill Babies group hikes, others new--met up on the cliffs above Fort Funston in San Francisco, June 15, 2014. </div>
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We took the <b>Step Ladder Trail </b>to <b>Ocean Beach</b>, passing under hang gliders and faint clouds, and picnicked on the sand. Some left after playing and eating, but a group of us continued on to complete the <b>Low Tide Loop</b>. </div>
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The water licked at our heels, the tide coming in, kids screeching with happiness, giddy at the constant motion of water and wind. Dogs leapt through the surf, chasing birds and balls. Babies laughed, kids clambered up sand slopes, and parents just enjoyed being outside on one great day with no real agenda but wandering around. </div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9Mdy0hEqZvPxnowFCkw0zY8JlczSuzHXPQeqyIb2f0ckt9QsiVLvXTmL1rSkFY_gVPWB9xoteop3VWtv04aFgIEg4tdP09w5IpmLkH0tQQ3ZDidsKmc7q44yI8kEHFX8anqKr006L0pA/s1600/P1070358.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9Mdy0hEqZvPxnowFCkw0zY8JlczSuzHXPQeqyIb2f0ckt9QsiVLvXTmL1rSkFY_gVPWB9xoteop3VWtv04aFgIEg4tdP09w5IpmLkH0tQQ3ZDidsKmc7q44yI8kEHFX8anqKr006L0pA/s1600/P1070358.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A great place for a hike</td></tr>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitRufP3Fon1IRzUe9p6DmT6fzIkZXuPU0e8SPyQB7NTsgB9g8NHXV0TVNEGahVVWOLUcn-dl6VrDO-zP8SfLsoHYJRT3qsF-xTVWgcf85gFnI6ValGPsYqUlodEnREa3hDNCiBAHt5P8g/s1600/P1070369.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitRufP3Fon1IRzUe9p6DmT6fzIkZXuPU0e8SPyQB7NTsgB9g8NHXV0TVNEGahVVWOLUcn-dl6VrDO-zP8SfLsoHYJRT3qsF-xTVWgcf85gFnI6ValGPsYqUlodEnREa3hDNCiBAHt5P8g/s1600/P1070369.jpg" height="400" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kids on the scree slope</td></tr>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYJtLa3lMqrH4ktvimdVHMlzpEzZGoNRsSlPLNaMNZFsFCw6Np3wURALNCK_9TjBVZZt7HgRRqJCE8nhjAY0FMNVsmtGYFlpe87S9vWLHmD309cQpK6pY36MsgkmdxfVFXq1sSu1lxalc/s1600/P1070330.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYJtLa3lMqrH4ktvimdVHMlzpEzZGoNRsSlPLNaMNZFsFCw6Np3wURALNCK_9TjBVZZt7HgRRqJCE8nhjAY0FMNVsmtGYFlpe87S9vWLHmD309cQpK6pY36MsgkmdxfVFXq1sSu1lxalc/s1600/P1070330.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bare footin it</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFd12mHIngWIWHLI7csdB8K-bKzZEe25tor4U8L5loP2OrS_y63wHHNRmWH5DHf7Op_eYO4BWy7tzdGYbKwcypbezIZQIBsLoOKZ05suAoCsucMhJc24rOrC2MME2paSk0t15xd7R4lUs/s1600/P1070344.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFd12mHIngWIWHLI7csdB8K-bKzZEe25tor4U8L5loP2OrS_y63wHHNRmWH5DHf7Op_eYO4BWy7tzdGYbKwcypbezIZQIBsLoOKZ05suAoCsucMhJc24rOrC2MME2paSk0t15xd7R4lUs/s1600/P1070344.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sea foam on Ocean Beach</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDiniEXTn3C-LCx9TN82y3R3kDLRYSSUaNo9RZ3IwWs6Bn5f2Z3JsGomomx5C3TzO3E-sdf9V0dymDRNs4QwtSqWOe1dx5MCmZRv3BkEuPRkuz35FlnRtbYnDsU6CCaHgcPLHMOMQvWxQ/s1600/P1070346.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDiniEXTn3C-LCx9TN82y3R3kDLRYSSUaNo9RZ3IwWs6Bn5f2Z3JsGomomx5C3TzO3E-sdf9V0dymDRNs4QwtSqWOe1dx5MCmZRv3BkEuPRkuz35FlnRtbYnDsU6CCaHgcPLHMOMQvWxQ/s1600/P1070346.JPG" height="150" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Two dads</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpIS5xJrJRzrVe-himCeDwKGJlQ1H20TDOIgzs8BxJ83mw-2ov7Z68VCj302jGw4gBcYOmzQQT59DLnAXzgitBbyk-7LYDJjDZp09kLby_lUFMcLAYwODdnvuA3FkM2C2QpTMlC0oqAW4/s1600/P1070347.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpIS5xJrJRzrVe-himCeDwKGJlQ1H20TDOIgzs8BxJ83mw-2ov7Z68VCj302jGw4gBcYOmzQQT59DLnAXzgitBbyk-7LYDJjDZp09kLby_lUFMcLAYwODdnvuA3FkM2C2QpTMlC0oqAW4/s1600/P1070347.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Two more dads</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjql76pbXi8sUoeQRyvBiZ-Mu0U_j0XVsdcelXYiIFZVnvQlxJ7MzIpzV-r9Tqcof_YpKCTNS-FJPTLdXK3T45L43QtdcPowWhXdQ4SVZwjIkLSLNn_BxlpZ_4eG8_lXO6CD3sZRgJMbak/s1600/P1070353.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjql76pbXi8sUoeQRyvBiZ-Mu0U_j0XVsdcelXYiIFZVnvQlxJ7MzIpzV-r9Tqcof_YpKCTNS-FJPTLdXK3T45L43QtdcPowWhXdQ4SVZwjIkLSLNn_BxlpZ_4eG8_lXO6CD3sZRgJMbak/s1600/P1070353.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;">Waving arms, walking big </span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhd6MAJomHuDD6kkKM5yEvPeTMEI55isoVUNXSXZu3rNBKvcbvbdHO-3MneD4gDdKPMslvwXKK_I0eiytLcZRuiiBa9rUOHgWWbXIo4TqVyXn_AMShO897M48jCUjQZXkHzQh60cfsj65E/s1600/P1070376.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhd6MAJomHuDD6kkKM5yEvPeTMEI55isoVUNXSXZu3rNBKvcbvbdHO-3MneD4gDdKPMslvwXKK_I0eiytLcZRuiiBa9rUOHgWWbXIo4TqVyXn_AMShO897M48jCUjQZXkHzQh60cfsj65E/s1600/P1070376.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The excitement of escaping the oncoming tide</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmEYq200iDBQ219SCTYUB2e-XL9AZnclI2ZfsUmE4DcF_3rQctx1mUnXjAMcqIS3Y2MfKN1MrJIFEMl-W8rtP77CvCyYRthQm4zKy-N-nNAsizRWemg27QYAJPZPNbmB0O0_87ZMPTrmc/s1600/P1070380.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmEYq200iDBQ219SCTYUB2e-XL9AZnclI2ZfsUmE4DcF_3rQctx1mUnXjAMcqIS3Y2MfKN1MrJIFEMl-W8rtP77CvCyYRthQm4zKy-N-nNAsizRWemg27QYAJPZPNbmB0O0_87ZMPTrmc/s1600/P1070380.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The noble dog</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvlF_MCm_HA7Y0P9PT6irhFFQkaZW4tD_ipzGplzT_sxkys-ejN79Qw_hjI10nd-jUktvvZOUa1pisWRGIImlI081Fb0o4lklqV23S8U2IYYxrPN8YkkOdq4OpTfcxb8t4uwXL9pZcU3s/s1600/P1070384.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvlF_MCm_HA7Y0P9PT6irhFFQkaZW4tD_ipzGplzT_sxkys-ejN79Qw_hjI10nd-jUktvvZOUa1pisWRGIImlI081Fb0o4lklqV23S8U2IYYxrPN8YkkOdq4OpTfcxb8t4uwXL9pZcU3s/s1600/P1070384.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Nature slide</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4Oz77s1uxgJoY3iM3TcK7cqAWydD_uwdSdYAZMNpAL1b-QRG6_KGpSEGI1Ks2OQPlNVuG2Ikgm2UcUKQpv3-e8t_obeiJJV2-LHYc7YKiVVCdCJhgoo3J70mTqw5Py3MT-T03Za4TNWc/s1600/P1070406.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4Oz77s1uxgJoY3iM3TcK7cqAWydD_uwdSdYAZMNpAL1b-QRG6_KGpSEGI1Ks2OQPlNVuG2Ikgm2UcUKQpv3-e8t_obeiJJV2-LHYc7YKiVVCdCJhgoo3J70mTqw5Py3MT-T03Za4TNWc/s1600/P1070406.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Good people, all </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00825805298441185986noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8060918298753337118.post-92042475516651895852014-09-15T13:07:00.003-07:002014-09-15T13:11:56.577-07:00September 27, 2014 Hike: McLaren Park and Charity and the Jam Band!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHskE92uJt1IPnmdUu-Tpy1wXFP4HQYrapnk3jJiRc_N4ijRLREsyJZtuthtYMEAUL88J7s2auSZLjjXMGYrn5cELiUcNBprT2m96yy1RKoHT9NSHPkvyiil6Ahx60CbsgA-2e-pjuoyg/s1600/IMG_4789.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHskE92uJt1IPnmdUu-Tpy1wXFP4HQYrapnk3jJiRc_N4ijRLREsyJZtuthtYMEAUL88J7s2auSZLjjXMGYrn5cELiUcNBprT2m96yy1RKoHT9NSHPkvyiil6Ahx60CbsgA-2e-pjuoyg/s1600/IMG_4789.JPG" height="239" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jerry Garcia Amphitheater</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
This hike begins at the <b>Louis Sutter Roundhouse playground in McLaren Park</b>, and ends at the <b>Jerry Garcia Amphitheater. </b><br />
<br />
We are soooo lucky that there's a FREE concert, and <b>Charity and the Jam Band</b> are playing! It's a high energy band that plays "people's music" that kids LOVE--see their website <a href="http://www.jamjamjam.com/" target="_blank">here</a>.<br />
<br />
What more could you ask for? <b>Sunshine, a walk with your loved ones, new friends, and live music! </b>See you on the 27th!<br />
<br />
Cheers,<br />
Jessica and Marshall<br />
(parents of Genevieve, Zoe, and Calliope)<br />
<br />
<b><span style="color: red; font-size: large;">The Details</span></b><br />
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li>Saturday, <b><span style="color: red;">September 27</span></b>, 2014</li>
</ul>
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li><b><span style="color: red;">Meet between 10:30-11 am</span></b> at the<b> Louis Sutter Playground </b>alongside McNab Lake (<b>near University and Woolsey Streets</b> in the <b>Portola</b> neighborhood). There are bathrooms and drinking water, and two parking lots. </li>
</ul>
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li><b><span style="color: red;">Hike begins at 11:30</span></b>. We'll begin by circling <b>McNab Lake</b>, keeping an observant eye out for coots, ducks, turtles, and little fish. Maybe we'll see an egret or heron. </li>
<ul>
<li>Then we will go <b>uphill</b> on a <b>single-track dirt trail</b>, suitable for all ages of walkers, or single-size off-road strollers. </li>
<li>At the top of the hill, we can eat a leisurely lunch and enjoy the view. <b>Bring picnic food and water.</b></li>
<li>Time permitting, we'll cross Mansell Avenue to the <b>McLaren Park Observation Tower </b><i>OR</i> we <b>explore the single-track trails </b>above the Jerry Garcia Amphitheater, looking for hawks and scrub jays as we walk past the coyote brush and under the Monterey pines. </li>
</ul>
</ul>
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li><b><span style="color: red;">Arrive at the Charity and the JamBand Show by 1:00</span></b>. The show, located at the <b>Jerry Garcia Amphitheater</b>, is free and fun. You'll find bathrooms, water, and kiosks with snacks for sale. </li>
</ul>
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li><b><span style="color: red;">Leave when you want</span>.</b> The group part of the hike basically ends at the Jerry Garcia Amphitheater, as some folks will want to stay and boogie down, and some may want to wander on. </li>
</ul>
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9xiyawcGtnhBSLkv23TePWBp2d3Dy88T0hyphenhyphenBzgEtRnuXUwsiI0knHzFuXr2jMx0vh5Di6_53MhOxi9hRLrPgWg1X3GQw6La0vVbC4tkbk3TcbC0Ctf5Ri8xUjgtF0O2u2fuGLrapA1e4/s1600/IMG_3272.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9xiyawcGtnhBSLkv23TePWBp2d3Dy88T0hyphenhyphenBzgEtRnuXUwsiI0knHzFuXr2jMx0vh5Di6_53MhOxi9hRLrPgWg1X3GQw6La0vVbC4tkbk3TcbC0Ctf5Ri8xUjgtF0O2u2fuGLrapA1e4/s1600/IMG_3272.JPG" height="149" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">McLaren Park</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<li><span style="color: red;"><b>Regarding dogs, if you have one</b></span> -- Please consider the group's comfort level and the fact that some children are nervous around dogs, especially high energy and medium-large sized ones. Absolutely friendly dogs are welcome, but please predict your dog's behavior around a group of hyper kids before you grab that leash. Thanks! </li>
</ul>
<div>
<b><span style="color: red; font-size: large;">Directions</span></b></div>
<div>
<b>Via car to the Louis Sutter Playground</b>: From Portola Avenue in southeastern San Francisco, head west on Woolsey Street. The street ends at University. You can park here, or zig zag to the left into the McLaren Park driveway that leads to a small parking lot. A second parking lot is located around the corner, off of Yale Street (cross street is Wayland)<br />
<br />
<b>Via car to the Jerry Garcia Amphitheater: </b>This amphitheater is located off of John F. Shelly Drive in McLaren Park. There is a free parking lot, but you can park along John F. Shelley Drive too.<br />
<br />
<b>Public Transportation: </b><br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>The <b>54 Felton</b> will take you near Louis Sutter Playground along University. </li>
<li>The <b>29 Sunset</b> drives through McLaren Park on Mansell, a short distance above both the Louis Sutter Playground and the Jerry Garcia Amphitheater. </li>
<li>The <b>52 Excelsior </b>stops a couple blocks from the west border of the park, at Persia and Russia. </li>
</ul>
</div>
<div>
<b><span style="color: red; font-size: large;"></span></b><br />
<b><span style="color: red; font-size: large;"></span></b></div>
</div>
<iframe frameborder="0" height="350" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="https://maps.google.com/maps/ms?source=s_q&geocode=&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=San+Francisco,+California&t=h&oe=UTF8&msa=0&msid=214312280985787738029.00047da091ebc3d4231a4&ll=37.72238,-122.414405&spn=0,0&output=embed" width="425"></iframe><br />
<small>View <a href="https://maps.google.com/maps/ms?source=embed&geocode=&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=San+Francisco,+California&t=h&oe=UTF8&msa=0&msid=214312280985787738029.00047da091ebc3d4231a4&ll=37.72238,-122.414405&spn=0,0" style="color: blue; text-align: left;">Louis Sutter Playground Roundhouse</a> in a larger map</small></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00825805298441185986noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8060918298753337118.post-10166981647637596052014-06-11T23:05:00.001-07:002014-06-13T14:55:07.214-07:00Father's Day Hike and Picnic on the Beach Below Fort Funston --- June 15, 2014<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVSDRyRPBNkyh2_i2h2cTfnJGppd9XSzDUn28XL7aM_XIga7OoBkSHkeAWQxKzS67iHB7ULU_agINA205jfuTbcXgE3SIWp5mvBJAITWkxAXIh8PKUDgyEz8l5uln1oAy_x2HPO6RDZwQ/s1600/IMG_5822.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVSDRyRPBNkyh2_i2h2cTfnJGppd9XSzDUn28XL7aM_XIga7OoBkSHkeAWQxKzS67iHB7ULU_agINA205jfuTbcXgE3SIWp5mvBJAITWkxAXIh8PKUDgyEz8l5uln1oAy_x2HPO6RDZwQ/s1600/IMG_5822.JPG" /></a><b><span style="font-size: large;">With only days to spare, one can't expect a big turn-out, but Sunday sure will be a good day for a walk from Fort Funston to the beach below</span></b>.<br />
<br />
This hike is open to all, but especially meant for folks with kids. It's Father's Day, which is great, but also TOTALLY welcome are grandparents, uncles, aunts, friends, single parents, same-sex parents, anybody!<br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="color: red; font-size: large;"><b>The Details</b></span><br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvpL4aG_MiQPIpmfY9U9MvvGeVC03hwgvG9yxZFSe3bU__czmPn8viV9vBHmWnaHM8dqVZYo_rrGz5IANA84pWnA7w9Bt9ImI58YgjAA0QU89LJ1f_YRefHZxKxqGxgg-4clQQrFpuXZc/s1600/IMG_5819.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvpL4aG_MiQPIpmfY9U9MvvGeVC03hwgvG9yxZFSe3bU__czmPn8viV9vBHmWnaHM8dqVZYo_rrGz5IANA84pWnA7w9Bt9ImI58YgjAA0QU89LJ1f_YRefHZxKxqGxgg-4clQQrFpuXZc/s1600/IMG_5819.JPG" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The stairs going down to beach</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li>June 15, 2014</li>
<li>Meet at <b>10:30ish</b> in the main parking lot, near the <b>beach lookout beside the hang-glider area, located in the westernmost end of the parking lot</b>. We will walk at<b> 11</b>. </li>
<li>The whole hike will probably be<b> two hours long</b>, but come and go as you please! :-)</li>
<li>This is <b>not stroller friendly</b>, sorry! The steps and the beach make bringing a stroller impossible. <b>You will need to carry babies and your bags.</b> Both my husband and I will be carrying a baby, and a bag. If we all go slow, it's fun! Keep in mind that <b>it <i>is</i> manageable for a 3 or 4 year old</b>. </li>
<li>Fort Funston is <b>off-leash dog territory</b>. I've never had a problem there, and don't anticipate a problem. Then again, I <b>keep my kid close</b> and <b>don't encourage petting unknown dogs </b>on walks anyways. </li>
<li><b>Regarding your dog, if you got one</b>---please think of the group. Some dogs get kind of intense, and that's not fun for little kids and other parents to be around. Fort Funston is full of dogs, and nobody is boss of you, but if you bring your dog, I hope he/she is <i>absolutely</i> friendly. If you have a dog that usually starts barking, yipping, straining at the leash, etc, please reconsider taking it on a group hike. Thanks! </li>
</ul>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<span style="color: red; font-size: large;"><b>The Hike</b></span></div>
<div>
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li>We will do part of the <b>Low Tide Loop Hike</b><b>. </b>We will probably start in a southern direction, down the Step Ladder Trail leading down to the beach. It's utterly beautiful--amazing views and landscape. <b>You can, if you want, just choose to walk down the steps and play at the beach, then retrace your route back to your car. Or you can carry on, doing the whole loop, which is 2.5 miles.</b> (Please note that there is a chance that my family might just do the Step Ladder Trail and hang out at the beach, not the entire Low Tide Loop).</li>
<li>There is a port-o-potty and drinking water at the parking lot. </li>
</ul>
<div>
<br />
<b>We hope to see you on the hike, and look forward to it! </b><br />
<b>--Jessica and Marshall, parents of Zoe, Calliope, and Genevieve</b><br />
<b><br /></b>
<b><br /></b>
<b><span style="color: red; font-size: large;">Directions</span></b><br />
<span style="background-color: white; text-align: -webkit-auto;">• Going southbound on CA 35 in San Francisco, pass John Muir Drive, take the first right (signed Fort Funston). </span><span style="background-color: white; text-align: -webkit-auto;">Stay right and go on to the parking lot.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; text-align: -webkit-auto;">• Going northbound on CA 35, make a U-turn at John Muir Drive. Proceed southbound and take the first right (signed Fort Funston). Stay right and go on to the parking lot.</span><br />
<b><br /></b></div>
<div>
<a href="http://hillbabiessf.blogspot.com/2010/07/fort-funston-hike-around-battery-davis.html" target="_blank"><b>Please see an earlier Hill Babies post about Fort Funston: </b>http://hillbabiessf.blogspot.com/2010/07/fort-funston-hike-around-battery-davis.html</a></div>
</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
</div>
<iframe frameborder="0" height="350" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="https://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=Fort+Funston+National+Park,+San+Francisco,+CA&aq=0&oq=fort+funs&sll=39.013406,-122.333665&sspn=5.001956,10.931396&t=h&ie=UTF8&hq=Fort+Funston+National+Park,+San+Francisco,+CA&ll=37.7145,-122.501647&spn=0.006295,0.006796&output=embed" width="425"></iframe><br />
<small>View <a href="https://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=embed&hl=en&geocode=&q=Fort+Funston+National+Park,+San+Francisco,+CA&aq=0&oq=fort+funs&sll=39.013406,-122.333665&sspn=5.001956,10.931396&t=h&ie=UTF8&hq=Fort+Funston+National+Park,+San+Francisco,+CA&ll=37.7145,-122.501647&spn=0.006295,0.006796" style="color: blue; text-align: left;">Fort Funston</a> in a larger map</small></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00825805298441185986noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8060918298753337118.post-70698889966035294662014-05-20T11:12:00.001-07:002014-05-20T11:12:15.026-07:00Upcoming Group Hike for May 2014: Junipero Serra Park<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcwXABarKaFEI3-QPkohV31XkR7RiIvyjMwLiwasA9_YP9JQiEaTTMzW-3p9n85DypY1mENYUSxKJmze047RNOTjsv1o4Nymko3W4cotLNAL77_xZTEUUVROPlL-YBVpiPPazO7HzktPc/s1600/P1050893.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcwXABarKaFEI3-QPkohV31XkR7RiIvyjMwLiwasA9_YP9JQiEaTTMzW-3p9n85DypY1mENYUSxKJmze047RNOTjsv1o4Nymko3W4cotLNAL77_xZTEUUVROPlL-YBVpiPPazO7HzktPc/s1600/P1050893.JPG" height="150" width="200" /></a>Have you heard of <b>Junipero Serra Park</b>? If you drive south of San Francisco on 280, chances are you have passed this <b>modest looking forest-covered hill to the east</b>, never knowing that a <b>108-acre</b> park is there, where <b>El Zanjon Creek</b> runs and coast live oaks grow in profusion. Join us here for a kid-friendly group hike here on <b>Saturday May 31st,</b> for about two hours (11 am to 1 pm).<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVClrcKhRJZLpuU7KIMCDmoQHGGVO_YdltjM5NK-bdI42STPgh8S1hCQ-6AJ2z7D8kMxhCB8br5uXBDR1f56RiyRyxkJh273LpxK7QovDALQ5JqIpm7tVNFEpAkt-oO9hhtfnqn7AD37g/s1600/P1050907.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVClrcKhRJZLpuU7KIMCDmoQHGGVO_YdltjM5NK-bdI42STPgh8S1hCQ-6AJ2z7D8kMxhCB8br5uXBDR1f56RiyRyxkJh273LpxK7QovDALQ5JqIpm7tVNFEpAkt-oO9hhtfnqn7AD37g/s1600/P1050907.JPG" height="150" width="200" /></a></div>
<span style="color: red;"><b>The Hike Details</b></span><br />
We'll take an <b>unhurried 1.3 mile-long walk, </b>starting on the zig-zagging southern end of the <b>Quail Loop Trail. </b>There's lots of <b>shade</b> here, by the way. The <b>trail</b> is dirt and narrowish. I've used a <b>jogging stroller</b> for my twins here, and will probably bring it again, though I remember it being tough in parts.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiX8bThGAyKUsVnquEhs_Wp1lYAqw_3EGzPd-IU8H6A74WzVhILrq38q9ZcmNkwAjOHh9tmKRqh4guw-bltxouv7LbmzCOZH30eZgoFWEKw9tEdnjVGZmx-khRwLZYiyKlocPpcjKBImyM/s1600/P1050878.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiX8bThGAyKUsVnquEhs_Wp1lYAqw_3EGzPd-IU8H6A74WzVhILrq38q9ZcmNkwAjOHh9tmKRqh4guw-bltxouv7LbmzCOZH30eZgoFWEKw9tEdnjVGZmx-khRwLZYiyKlocPpcjKBImyM/s1600/P1050878.JPG" height="150" width="200" /></a>We'll have snacks and rest for a while at the <b>Upper Meadow Playground</b> near the summit of the park. There is <b>some elevation change (219 feet)</b>, but we'll take it <b>slow</b>. There is also an enormous 54-foot long slide at the playground at the top, and <b>great views </b>looking north and east. If your kid loves airplanes, she will go gaga for all the planes taking off from SFO.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg19MCgde6n5iGvv_glJxMbDV1C8lTTm9dXbHbr6UxZZZV6rQYnDIwAjaUbr55nXfQCLTDNBaMaiMuVqTP-mGExMotNVHWVQV7sjh082gELbn7oFAMqT4JuJV83zv5G1Etr5VWAcqDTzyI/s1600/P1050876.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><br /></a>
We'll continue on our <b>loop</b>, going downhill now to where things level out, more or less. Back at the parking lot we can <b>return to the DeAnza Playground area where we began</b>, and hang out for a <b>leisurely picnic lunch</b>.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWxyK_Xhzo2k-y8vzU3wqM-J_nNkNmlg_vw3b91auTvuhAs2OM7VHZbDf4bJl82AV9Vwnt5pBdKRSQ0fk72D0aH58__fJsIT2k_Ea54GrTMuYAhRGHrScK_gjx5RW2ycvw3UETPcBnFao/s1600/P1050899.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><br /></a>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWxyK_Xhzo2k-y8vzU3wqM-J_nNkNmlg_vw3b91auTvuhAs2OM7VHZbDf4bJl82AV9Vwnt5pBdKRSQ0fk72D0aH58__fJsIT2k_Ea54GrTMuYAhRGHrScK_gjx5RW2ycvw3UETPcBnFao/s1600/P1050899.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><br /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWxyK_Xhzo2k-y8vzU3wqM-J_nNkNmlg_vw3b91auTvuhAs2OM7VHZbDf4bJl82AV9Vwnt5pBdKRSQ0fk72D0aH58__fJsIT2k_Ea54GrTMuYAhRGHrScK_gjx5RW2ycvw3UETPcBnFao/s1600/P1050899.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><br /></a><b><span style="color: red;">Last Thing</span></b><br />
Bring your own<b> food and water</b>. Since this is a San Mateo County Park, it costs <b>$6 per car</b>. Sorry, <b>no dogs allowed</b> here. <b>Official park info</b> is here: <a href="http://parks.smcgov.org/junipero-serra-park" style="text-align: center;">http://parks.smcgov.org/junipero-serra-park</a> If you need more information, email me at jericahahn@hotmail.com. Hope to see you and your kid(s)! Grandparents, aunties, and uncles welcome too!<br />
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Cheers, Jess<br />
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<span style="color: red; font-size: x-large;"><b>The Important Details</b></span></div>
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<b style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;">Saturday May 31st, 2014</span></b></div>
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<b style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;">Arrive 10:30ish. Walk begins at 11. </span></b></div>
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<span style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Meet </b>on the<b> right/south end of the parking lot, </b></span></span></div>
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<span style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;">at the <b>DeAnza Playground. </b></span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhExBw9JHFGbd7c6jHCp7w2TwKAGf33jdp8rJNDiP_pc6e6LpUhl3E9BNg6GFADkRs7GPzNfZNcVDUAxmE-qaCLHV71cNtHxWDQ31M-tz_eox4eu7w7bXtmXQV5ip_WpZh1xfRsLGEwpRw/s1600/Junipero-Serra-Park-Map+copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhExBw9JHFGbd7c6jHCp7w2TwKAGf33jdp8rJNDiP_pc6e6LpUhl3E9BNg6GFADkRs7GPzNfZNcVDUAxmE-qaCLHV71cNtHxWDQ31M-tz_eox4eu7w7bXtmXQV5ip_WpZh1xfRsLGEwpRw/s1600/Junipero-Serra-Park-Map+copy.jpg" height="491" width="640" /></a></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">Directions</span></b><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWxyK_Xhzo2k-y8vzU3wqM-J_nNkNmlg_vw3b91auTvuhAs2OM7VHZbDf4bJl82AV9Vwnt5pBdKRSQ0fk72D0aH58__fJsIT2k_Ea54GrTMuYAhRGHrScK_gjx5RW2ycvw3UETPcBnFao/s1600/P1050899.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWxyK_Xhzo2k-y8vzU3wqM-J_nNkNmlg_vw3b91auTvuhAs2OM7VHZbDf4bJl82AV9Vwnt5pBdKRSQ0fk72D0aH58__fJsIT2k_Ea54GrTMuYAhRGHrScK_gjx5RW2ycvw3UETPcBnFao/s1600/P1050899.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Little kids LOVE Junipero Serra Park!</td></tr>
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<b>Southbound on 280: </b>Exit Crystal Springs Road, keeping in the right lane. Turn right on Crystal Springs Road, going on about half a mile to the parking lot on the left side of the road.<br />
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<b>Northbound on 280: </b>Exit San Bruno Ave, going under the freeway, turn left to go back on 280 southbound. Exit Crystal Springs Road, keeping in the right lane. Turn right on Crystal Springs Road, going on about half a mile to the parking lot on the left side of the road.<br />
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<b>Address</b><br />
1801 Crystal Springs Road<br />
San Bruno, CA 94066<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZcsmhTWSVoY2T0-QnQ3eAjA6Lx0TleYEU7eXLc-Heb9M52cQBUg_-19uHurEQps6z5SCOlicw5tcBsp1ezzW4p_RnSDuUtb86uCA0sE8uVKIXwRRcLHsqdrikw5qVElTb2rMcdtYjbHU/s1600/P1050883.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZcsmhTWSVoY2T0-QnQ3eAjA6Lx0TleYEU7eXLc-Heb9M52cQBUg_-19uHurEQps6z5SCOlicw5tcBsp1ezzW4p_RnSDuUtb86uCA0sE8uVKIXwRRcLHsqdrikw5qVElTb2rMcdtYjbHU/s1600/P1050883.jpg" height="400" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">And babies LOVE Junipero Serra Park too!</td></tr>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00825805298441185986noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8060918298753337118.post-33461761989639439132014-01-22T13:36:00.001-08:002014-01-22T13:36:35.732-08:00Upcoming Hike for February 2014: Redwood Regional Park in the Oakland Hills<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrG5MwmrAKpd5GRwRUxQPpLQHrDAN7qc9nH_pw3jPFK9BI7S8mSvCrkNycVEwgaSpU-AtntCbuYEsHg7kQZI6iJ3pIu1GjopnmAl64ygsf8A_sh7yovzeyHpLHzEvZrDHee0-49uIiRpI/s1600/82182a567d66be0c78d8e270bc5d3c46.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrG5MwmrAKpd5GRwRUxQPpLQHrDAN7qc9nH_pw3jPFK9BI7S8mSvCrkNycVEwgaSpU-AtntCbuYEsHg7kQZI6iJ3pIu1GjopnmAl64ygsf8A_sh7yovzeyHpLHzEvZrDHee0-49uIiRpI/s1600/82182a567d66be0c78d8e270bc5d3c46.jpg" height="200" width="135" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Redwood Regional Park<br />Credit: Our Oakland</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large; line-height: 21px;">Join my husband and I, and friends John and Rebecca, and all of our little kids for a group hike at <b>Redwood Regional Park in the Oakland hills</b>. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: large; line-height: 21px;">We will walk on a <b>stroller-friendly trail</b>, a mile in and a mile out, along Redwood Creek where towering redwoods, fragrant bay laurels, and beautiful madrones grow. </span></span></span><br />
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<li><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: large; line-height: 21px;"><b>Sunday February 16th</b></span></span></li>
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<li><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: large; line-height: 21px;"><b>Arrive at 10:45. We'd like to start walking at 11. </b></span></span></li>
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<li><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><span style="line-height: 21px;"><b>Meet at Canyon Meadow staging area. You'll find bathrooms, water, and a parking area here: </b></span><a class="" href="http://www.ebparks.org/Assets/_Nav_Categories/Parks/Maps/Redwood+map.pdf" style="background-color: white; cursor: pointer; line-height: 21px; text-align: -webkit-auto;" target="_blank">http://www.ebparks.org/Assets/_Nav_Categories/Parks/Maps/Redwood+map.pdf</a></span></li>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><b>THE TRAIL</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">We start at <b>Canyon Meadow</b>, close to the park office, fire station, and a historical fishway interpretive site, a historical landmark. You'll find Canyon Meadow just<span style="background-color: white;"> through Redwood Gate, off of Redwood Road. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">We will walk the <b>Stream Trail </b>where the air is clean and moist. Stream Trail is only<b> 0.9 miles long</b>, and its <b>asphalt surface easily accommodates strollers</b>. We'll visit a meadow with a play structure (bars and slides) for the kids to explore. If we're lucky we might see deer, or a rabbit, or hear a Great Horned Owl. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Note that there is a $5 parking fee, and if you bring your very friendly dog, that'll be another $2. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><b>Redwood Regional Park</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">There are </span><span style="background-color: white; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="line-height: 21px;">1,800 acres in this important watershed park, and it's just a short distance from the bustle of Oakland. Back in the mid-1800s, loggers cut down the biggest redwoods to supply the demand for building materials, for homes and ships, during Gold Rush times. Though the redwoods you'll see on our hike are second and third generation, they are nothing to sniff about, reaching over a hundred feet tall. </span></span></span><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Hill Babies--What's this hike about?</span></b><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">No hidden agendas, just some old-fashioned fun. Though we go at a four-year-old's pace, big kids are encouraged to come and go as fast as they like. Sometimes it's all about just getting out of the house and meeting up with some people who want to be outside with kids, and in Mother Nature's playground. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><b style="background-color: white;">Directions from San Francisco</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><iframe frameborder="0" height="250" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="https://maps.google.com/maps?saddr=san+francisco&daddr=Unknown+road&hl=en&sll=37.798214,-122.281939&sspn=0.18366,0.308647&geocode=FVJmQAIdKAe0-CkhAGkAbZqFgDH_rXbwZxNQSg%3BFUjjQAIdHiq4-A&mra=ls&t=m&ie=UTF8&ll=37.804359,-122.233543&spn=0.067816,0.274658&z=12&output=embed" width="800"></iframe><br /></span></div>
<small><a href="https://maps.google.com/maps?saddr=san+francisco&daddr=Unknown+road&hl=en&sll=37.798214,-122.281939&sspn=0.18366,0.308647&geocode=FVJmQAIdKAe0-CkhAGkAbZqFgDH_rXbwZxNQSg%3BFUjjQAIdHiq4-A&mra=ls&t=m&ie=UTF8&ll=37.804359,-122.233543&spn=0.067816,0.274658&z=12&source=embed" style="color: blue; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: small;">View Larger Map</span></a></small><br />
<a class="" href="https://maps.google.com/maps?saddr=san+francisco&daddr=Unknown+road&hl=en&sll=37.798214%2c-122.281939&sspn=0.18366%2c0.308647&geocode=FVJmQAIdKAe0-CkhAGkAbZqFgDH_rXbwZxNQSg%3bFUjjQAIdHiq4-A&mra=ls&t=m&z=12" style="background-color: white; cursor: pointer; line-height: 21px; text-align: -webkit-auto;" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">https://maps.google.com/maps?saddr=san+francisco&daddr=Unknown+road&hl=en&sll=37.798214,-122.281939&sspn=0.18366,0.308647&geocode=FVJmQAIdKAe0-CkhAGkAbZqFgDH_rXbwZxNQSg%3BFUjjQAIdHiq4-A&mra=ls&t=m&z=12</span></a><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Directions </span></b><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Going eastbound on I-580 in Oakland, take the 35th Avenue Exit. Turn left, going east on 35th Avenue, which becomes Redwood Road. Go about four and a half miles, crossing Skyline Boulevard, and look for park entrance signs. The main entrance, Redwood Gate, is on Redwood Road, about two miles east of Skyline Boulevard. </span><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Good Links</span></b><br />
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<li><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Redwood Regional Park Official Website: <a href="http://www.ebparks.org/parks/redwood#features">http://www.ebparks.org/parks/redwood#features</a></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Check out the colorful Interpretive Brochures about plants and animals: <a href="http://www.ebparks.org/activities/naturalists/Interpretation_Brochures___Panels">http://www.ebparks.org/activities/naturalists/Interpretation_Brochures___Panels</a></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Trail Map: <a class="" href="http://www.ebparks.org/Assets/_Nav_Categories/Parks/Maps/Redwood+map.pdf" style="background-color: white; cursor: pointer; line-height: 21px; text-align: -webkit-auto;" target="_blank">http://www.ebparks.org/Assets/_Nav_Categories/Parks/Maps/Redwood+map.pdf</a></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Some good photos <a href="https://www.google.com/maps/preview/uv?hl=en&pb=!1s0x808f8862d1951541:0xcec649dca80bdc12!2m5!2m2!1i80!2i80!3m1!2i100!3m1!7e1!4shttp://www.panoramio.com/photo/17637591!5sredwood+regional+park+trail+map+-+Google+Search&sa=X&ei=kmHZUqXsJ4GIogSmx4CQDA&ved=0CLABEKIqMA4" target="_blank">here</a></span></li>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00825805298441185986noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8060918298753337118.post-86510764087323928632014-01-20T20:19:00.004-08:002014-01-20T20:21:18.322-08:00Rancho Corral de Tierra<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0LOkjpamaihpIGG9eIkEdAfBzi7RQgFwpeC0eTQpsFwtbdfCMUSzXJuPrQY_ji7mn8mfM_XYCl7rHW3gF6n4GNpwsVAMhUy-pxLwMY8NOVHR1MwCUBWZtFs7cP_GwD5yjjeEoOhteyuk/s1600/P1050771.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0LOkjpamaihpIGG9eIkEdAfBzi7RQgFwpeC0eTQpsFwtbdfCMUSzXJuPrQY_ji7mn8mfM_XYCl7rHW3gF6n4GNpwsVAMhUy-pxLwMY8NOVHR1MwCUBWZtFs7cP_GwD5yjjeEoOhteyuk/s1600/P1050771.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Old Pedro Mountain Road</td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeOcPZSG1rkm9OFV9D37p9eCl_zq4tnccgYF2UuKAPXd_YWHoV7stXdRTiFuYTN9TFg-1EczHR66xnNEE9cj6w1jD7nQ1ymfAbDf1ykn4ii_tNrvNfeBVR7UmzCOReAKRLPlCim86EW7k/s1600/P1050807.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><br /></a><b>Rancho Corral de Tierra</b> is less than half an hour south of San Francisco by car, situated close to the Pacific Ocean, off of Highway 1, and straddles the mountains behind the communities of Montara, Moss Beach, and El Granada. There's <b>4,000 acres</b> here, criss-crossed by creeks flowing through the <b>chaparral</b> and <b>coastal scrub</b> habitats. In certain spots the view of the western horizon is so expansive, one can see the curve of the earth along the blue Pacific Ocean.<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeOcPZSG1rkm9OFV9D37p9eCl_zq4tnccgYF2UuKAPXd_YWHoV7stXdRTiFuYTN9TFg-1EczHR66xnNEE9cj6w1jD7nQ1ymfAbDf1ykn4ii_tNrvNfeBVR7UmzCOReAKRLPlCim86EW7k/s1600/P1050807.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeOcPZSG1rkm9OFV9D37p9eCl_zq4tnccgYF2UuKAPXd_YWHoV7stXdRTiFuYTN9TFg-1EczHR66xnNEE9cj6w1jD7nQ1ymfAbDf1ykn4ii_tNrvNfeBVR7UmzCOReAKRLPlCim86EW7k/s1600/P1050807.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKEiMXPi3qsk3UKycDD285a7tvSNJ-KYH8UqOAaIqg0KYU7jhDnqbMp_ZspCild8d4RYWKxyiazfEF0gGXiqdpGa0A6riBLeOTR1FVAbOLWuJ79ThlDlEsBfE2fmQ4o2RkHbB3EUyHtw8/s1600/P1050778.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKEiMXPi3qsk3UKycDD285a7tvSNJ-KYH8UqOAaIqg0KYU7jhDnqbMp_ZspCild8d4RYWKxyiazfEF0gGXiqdpGa0A6riBLeOTR1FVAbOLWuJ79ThlDlEsBfE2fmQ4o2RkHbB3EUyHtw8/s1600/P1050778.jpg" height="200" width="150" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Who says strollers are for kids?</td></tr>
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I came here for my first time in January of 2014, brought by a friend and former co-worker, Mike Cadigan.We worked as special education teachers and led the school's hiking club, and recently re-connected at the <a href="http://hillbabiessf.blogspot.com/2013/11/upcoming-hike-bayview-hill-in-san.html" target="_blank">Hill Babies group hike in December of 2013 on Bayview Hill</a> in San Francisco. Mike has always been the one to ask about hikes on the peninsula. He still leads hikes with ICO, and I think the Sierra Club too. So when we asked if I'd been to Rancho Corral de Tierra, and learned that I hadn't, he suggested a Hill Babies hike here. Though he doesn't have little kids, he brought his seventeen year old pooch, replete with a doggie stroller.<br />
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<b>THE HIKE BEGINS</b><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwf9Q3AEXxg6Ok_kPw-K1Nq6GncWo1h6AVE3LsMUJdE_FHihYBh7HxjdIfdZkzNGRiILa9D8-wfNbxZzvfPaLjILAlqp_2PYsoOgYVzprAveg1rEjaUAkykzrU7T8GvqwVlZkaVlgXJIs/s1600/P1050745.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwf9Q3AEXxg6Ok_kPw-K1Nq6GncWo1h6AVE3LsMUJdE_FHihYBh7HxjdIfdZkzNGRiILa9D8-wfNbxZzvfPaLjILAlqp_2PYsoOgYVzprAveg1rEjaUAkykzrU7T8GvqwVlZkaVlgXJIs/s1600/P1050745.jpg" height="200" width="150" /></a>The hike began in the parking lot of <a href="http://www.cabrillo.k12.ca.us/faralloneview/" target="_blank"><b>Farallone View Elementary School</b></a> in Montara. Though it was the weekend, the school's playground was open to use, and local kids and parents were having fun. We walked to the end of <b>Le Conte Avenue</b>, passing alpacas standing in a field to our right, and the kids grabbed brooms of pampas grass and shook them high (yes, <a href="http://www.dfg.ca.gov/habcon/plant/dontplantme/cortaderia.html" target="_blank">pampas grass</a> is a terrible, invasive species, and I know better than to let kids strew the seeds everywhere, but they're kids and it's fun).<br />
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There were two trails at the end of Le Conte Avenue, and we took the one branching to the right.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLpjOUvUt0SffhjcqTJyUUQdtW3O_19lyjpbtTywY2AMZKw4eSjux6TcgqoIM3QFdow2L46CeKBV9-88uW59kqvxEg0BKFiwl2q0wzcJRc_SIzGhF7vfvuQyUFXTAHoYlVKul6OEqebqE/s1600/P1050744.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLpjOUvUt0SffhjcqTJyUUQdtW3O_19lyjpbtTywY2AMZKw4eSjux6TcgqoIM3QFdow2L46CeKBV9-88uW59kqvxEg0BKFiwl2q0wzcJRc_SIzGhF7vfvuQyUFXTAHoYlVKul6OEqebqE/s1600/P1050744.JPG" height="150" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The little bridge</td></tr>
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We headed northeast on a trail through the dense foliage, ending at intersection of <b>Tamarind and Edison Streets</b>. The trail continued where Tamarind Street ended, over a footbridge and into the woods.<br />
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The bulk of our hike was on an old road turned into a trail, still called <b>Pedro Mountain Road</b>. According to <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pedro_Mountain_Road" target="_blank">this article on Wikipedia</a>, Pedro Mountain Road was first mentioned in 1769 when it was described as "a very bad road"---those these days it's just perfect for strollers and anyone wanting to walk with a little elbow room around fellow hikers.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1vU_ac2RCK9nfWmpbc3ZLzOH_gj5884oTjK3tBDulWnWUIaRbZkF_R8cNNbFlJZd7rL0q2QJiE47Q48AJiClh-pzo16HdmOfaeGF5BbXiCtQODp3rExxvrDx6zGmowArQm1U0SedOfp4/s1600/P1050765.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1vU_ac2RCK9nfWmpbc3ZLzOH_gj5884oTjK3tBDulWnWUIaRbZkF_R8cNNbFlJZd7rL0q2QJiE47Q48AJiClh-pzo16HdmOfaeGF5BbXiCtQODp3rExxvrDx6zGmowArQm1U0SedOfp4/s1600/P1050765.jpg" height="200" width="150" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pedro Mntn. Road</td></tr>
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We followed <b>Pedro Mountain Road</b> down, down, down, traversing chaparral and coastal scrub habitats. The sun shone brightly. We were far from the forest now. We walked over a mile it seemed, gradually downhill. In the back of my mind I was thinking, "Oh boy, this is gonna be a long uphill trek at the end of the day," but I was curious to see where the road would lead, and what the day would be like. Kids ran around, playing and laughing, and babies giggled.<br />
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We reached a horse farm that delighted the kids who could watch the geldings and mares stand in the sunshine and swish their tails. I was impressed that the kids didn't mind at all the stench of horse crap as a group of them, my eldest daughter included, stood on the edge of a very large manure bin and admired the horses.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKSXtxXcku2vhRccGufA69X0Q4xqfzU9lzRhoX9_MtykTAIOOBwYnDddaf0awNqBzEVmLct6VIuMt9-xY9OiF8otMehnEb5vAUtD4sAzQ7ZWOg-rcl-RseJmrrujLU1UZ9QYUtIPol16g/s1600/P1050805.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKSXtxXcku2vhRccGufA69X0Q4xqfzU9lzRhoX9_MtykTAIOOBwYnDddaf0awNqBzEVmLct6VIuMt9-xY9OiF8otMehnEb5vAUtD4sAzQ7ZWOg-rcl-RseJmrrujLU1UZ9QYUtIPol16g/s1600/P1050805.JPG" height="150" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The "Troll Bridge"</td></tr>
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We followed Pedro Mountain Road over a bridge that we called <b>the Troll Bridge</b>, a good twenty feet over a deep ditch. I believe, though I'm unsure, that this is where Martini Creek must flow during wetter winters than this one. Though there weren't any sounds of running water, the slope to the creek bed was lush and thick with plant life. Overhead the eucalyptus rustled in the breeze.<br />
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Across the Troll Bridge, the trail forked at <b>North Peak Access Road</b>. We went left, and a dozen yards up, connected to the right back onto <b>Pedro Mountain Road.</b> I could see a port-o-pottie in the distance, so conveniently placed.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgb1He4u4V_V_r0hFagMOWVuJHbres1V-S1B0fl4ldala-utVf4P0EU9IiocDuYeNJhgYytrK7AJRJamvGwsLkJ1FaXtcrmwQCDyTM4amN741U4_khFolk2XJClgkkz2tJH6lArpQ8-44g/s1600/Unknown.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgb1He4u4V_V_r0hFagMOWVuJHbres1V-S1B0fl4ldala-utVf4P0EU9IiocDuYeNJhgYytrK7AJRJamvGwsLkJ1FaXtcrmwQCDyTM4amN741U4_khFolk2XJClgkkz2tJH6lArpQ8-44g/s1600/Unknown.jpeg" height="200" width="126" /></a>At this point, over an hour into the walk, still under the hot sun, the kids were dropping like flies. I mean it. For them, this had become the Bantu Death March. Down dropped a family, right into the road. "The kids... Hungry... Tired," they said as they unwrapped sandwiches and popped container lids. Overhead a hawk circled.<br />
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"Mike," I said, nudging my old co-worker who was pushing along his happy-go-lucky dog. "Maybe we should stop now for lunch?"<br />
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"Just beyond that port-o-pottie is an amazing place," he said, pointing at the road curving out of sight beyond the chaparral. "It's just a quarter mile up. You can make it."<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtI-kRqXJiByUuiMYL4oA3n2uPzVh03K-qu8qfz_iUXHfGyDiJj3tXruxq9nZwrfgOpZUeKmcfdkJjvAiILijNhOrt1IqDVSX7WOqwLAdMpEziKjFSSQjEvPKRtqhI2Q8ECB8axXF5aP8/s1600/P1050780.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtI-kRqXJiByUuiMYL4oA3n2uPzVh03K-qu8qfz_iUXHfGyDiJj3tXruxq9nZwrfgOpZUeKmcfdkJjvAiILijNhOrt1IqDVSX7WOqwLAdMpEziKjFSSQjEvPKRtqhI2Q8ECB8axXF5aP8/s1600/P1050780.JPG" height="150" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The picnic spot</td></tr>
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And I did, and so did several other families. Once we rounded the bend in the road you could see a grassy field and picnic tables, a few Monterey cypress scenically poised, and beyond, the big oceanic blue contending with the paler wash of late afternoon light in a blue California winter sky. It was lovely.<br />
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We ate, and then we played. We brought along a parachute for the kids to dance and jump underneath, brining back memories of doing the same in my childhood.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLXqZeCISVXN_1A8PyZCgGSd2rabTv-vC5SVWye6a9w3GH0ykue_UMLUlk7cwG6MVKT1jOmbGBNSfEsMMvntvGlSWOox6bYZme1ceFqy8E2rNpsIEly2QlcT3fiwelWdLEXtDVdikwltQ/s1600/P1050747.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLXqZeCISVXN_1A8PyZCgGSd2rabTv-vC5SVWye6a9w3GH0ykue_UMLUlk7cwG6MVKT1jOmbGBNSfEsMMvntvGlSWOox6bYZme1ceFqy8E2rNpsIEly2QlcT3fiwelWdLEXtDVdikwltQ/s1600/P1050747.jpg" height="200" width="150" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Good hike!</td></tr>
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We retraced our route, this time going uphill on Pedro Mountain Road, though the walk seemed shorter. At some particularly whiny point, the tiniest babies were taken out of their strollers and carried on their parents' backs, while the three and four year old set piled into the strollers for a first class ride back up Pedro Mountain Road. Little prince and princesses!<br />
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Back at Farallone View Elementary School, the kids wanted to play at the playground, and we adults were happy to oblige. We left a few hairs before sunset. The kids were finally pooped, while us adults actually felt like we got quite a hike. I'd like to return here again, and explore Pedro Mountain Road more, going uphill, as far as it can go, though I might have to hire a babysitter for the kids.<br />
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<b>PHOTO ALBUM</b></div>
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<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>THE HIKE BEGINS HERE AT FARALLONE VIEW ELEMENTARY SCHOOL:</b></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00825805298441185986noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8060918298753337118.post-75082744049690746972013-12-30T21:32:00.003-08:002013-12-30T21:32:52.329-08:00Upcoming Hike: Rancho Corral de Tierra<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="color: #343434; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">First Hike of 2014! RANCHO CORRAL DE TIERRA<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #343434; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Celebrate the new year with a
mellow walk at Rancho Corral de Tierra in beautiful Montara, less than a half
hour south of San Francisco.</span></div>
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<br />
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li><span style="color: #343434; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; text-indent: -0.25in;"><b> </b></span><span style="color: #343434; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; text-indent: -0.25in;"><b>Saturday January 4<sup>th</sup></b></span></li>
<li><b><span style="color: #343434; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; text-indent: -0.25in;"> </span><span style="color: #343434; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; text-indent: -0.25in;">Arrive at 10:45. We would like to begin the walk at 11:00.</span></b></li>
<li><b><span style="color: #343434; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; text-indent: -0.25in;"> </span><span style="color: #343434; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; text-indent: -0.25in;">Meet at the parking lot of Farallone
View School, 1100 Le Conte Ave,
Montara, CA 94037. Cross street: 3<sup>rd</sup> Street.</span></b></li>
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<b><span style="color: #343434; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">THE TRAIL<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="color: #343434; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">We start at a public school in
Montara (Farallone View Elementary), adjacent to an easy, beautiful trail -- some of it is
an old paved road -- paralleling the Coast Highway from a half-mile
distance. This land, called Rancho Corral de Tierra, is now part of Golden Gate National Recreation Area. Check out this link: <a href="http://www.nps.gov/goga/rcdt.htm"><span style="color: #1359c0;">http://www.nps.gov/goga/rcdt.htm</span></a>.
Look at the second map on that page for a close-up. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #343434; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Our route is mostly flat. Strollers
should be able to manage. We’ll see horses and an alpaca farm, and plenty of
coyote brush and maybe some wildflowers. An hour out is an area with picnic
tables where we can have lunch. Also, dog friendly, but must be on-leash. Before or after, if needed, there’s a good
independent coffee shop nearby too. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="color: #343434; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">HILL BABIES---WHAT’S THIS HIKE ABOUT?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="color: #343434; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Kid-friendly and without hidden
agendas or costs, we go at a 4-year-old’s pace. Two hours, more or less. Come
and go as you please. Socialize with the wider group or just commune with your
kids and Mother Nature. These hikes have been organized simply to meet other
people who love the outdoors and who are connected to kids in some way. Bring
food and water, and dress in layers.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #343434; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">This hike will be co-led by Michael
Cadigan, one of Jess’s former teacher-colleagues who has also been involved
with organized hiking groups, like ICO (Inner City Outings) and Sierra Club,
for years. <o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="color: #343434; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #343434; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">--Jessica :-)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><iframe frameborder="0" height="350" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="https://maps.google.com/maps?client=safari&ie=UTF8&q=Farallone+View+Elementary+School&fb=1&gl=us&hq=Farallone+View+School,++1100+Le+Conte+Ave.++Montara,+CA+94037&cid=14895596600878583823&t=m&iwloc=A&ll=37.543518,-122.507967&spn=0.006295,0.006295&output=embed" width="425"></iframe><br /></span>
<small><a href="https://maps.google.com/maps?client=safari&ie=UTF8&q=Farallone+View+Elementary+School&fb=1&gl=us&hq=Farallone+View+School,++1100+Le+Conte+Ave.++Montara,+CA+94037&cid=14895596600878583823&t=m&iwloc=A&ll=37.543518,-122.507967&spn=0.006295,0.006295&source=embed" style="color: blue; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: small;">View Larger Map</span></a></small></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00825805298441185986noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8060918298753337118.post-73006563713012750612013-11-11T20:31:00.001-08:002013-11-11T20:31:48.590-08:00Upcoming Hike! Bayview Hill in San Francisco--11/16/2013<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Back by popular demand---the hike on a hill with yo' baby or kid!! This is a good one: stroller friendly, views from Mount Diablo to San Bruno to Mount Tamalpais, and probably a place you've never been to before in San Francisco.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: red; font-size: x-large;">Bayview Hill</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: red; font-size: large;">November 16th, 2013</span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtq29ltZpSvZR6ns4JQ2PIiH2rZ0qYrQgp6UX7N9nwpCP0cA1mx2xZTu4040rkbY3F2x5sJb50BALd9IA6_uRkiW1-q88DLAmz08WXVImGROIffskLui8exj0Nk6MbMiur5oEP3LlDok8/s1600/IMG_3229.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtq29ltZpSvZR6ns4JQ2PIiH2rZ0qYrQgp6UX7N9nwpCP0cA1mx2xZTu4040rkbY3F2x5sJb50BALd9IA6_uRkiW1-q88DLAmz08WXVImGROIffskLui8exj0Nk6MbMiur5oEP3LlDok8/s1600/IMG_3229.JPG" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">On top of Bayview Hill</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li>Meet at the east end of Key Avenue (cross street: Jennings)</li>
<li>9 am to 12 noon. Try to arrive by 8:45 to factor in the limited parking on Key Avenue. </li>
</ul>
<b>Bayview Hill in San Francisco is a great place to walk</b>, especially with a fun group of kids and adults. There is a short distance (less than a <b>quarter mile</b>) <b>uphill</b>, on a wide, paved, pedestrian-only road. Once we reach the top of the hill, there is a <b>flat, circular road</b>---long abandoned, gravelly, and slowly being broken by plants--of no more than <b>half a mile</b>.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPN1DUSKGmkckLodYbEaWq9EqZ1ZLEA7cCwjxrNLEPg7Z1xX8SzgEfU53WRv2yicAQkO4NuEjc0_0s2v8xqmR565YkzXrtv0gvTEDv1Qki_YFVIJOHMQya6G8nYJam5fMac-RSR_S34wE/s1600/IMG_1837.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPN1DUSKGmkckLodYbEaWq9EqZ1ZLEA7cCwjxrNLEPg7Z1xX8SzgEfU53WRv2yicAQkO4NuEjc0_0s2v8xqmR565YkzXrtv0gvTEDv1Qki_YFVIJOHMQya6G8nYJam5fMac-RSR_S34wE/s1600/IMG_1837.JPG" /></a>Bayview Hill, a 44-acre park, has an interesting history, and is a significant designated natural resource area in our city. The last stand of Islais cherry, a food source for the Ohlone indigenous people, still grows here, as do rare lupine plants that attract very special butterflies, like the Mission Blue. You can often see raptors--hawks and kestrels--flying overhead, or in the trees. There are also wall and staircase remnants of the WPA (Works Progress Administration) from the 1930s, and an Art Deco radio tower building from 1934.<br />
<br />
<b>Pack a lunch, water, and dress in layers</b>. We'll still walk if it's light rain (but the forecast looks fine).<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4agh-BFR_uzymflAOlMVugbbLsZV-X0TXPMiwR3p54tReJugC055MA4xLnq33sRPAIRyFs0qKwLz96e4gqpgqWneFI_zPfEvgX_x6O4EHVM82XR8sMSv8Wm4R1OMurg1waxMRrd7wn8E/s1600/IMG_3240.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4agh-BFR_uzymflAOlMVugbbLsZV-X0TXPMiwR3p54tReJugC055MA4xLnq33sRPAIRyFs0qKwLz96e4gqpgqWneFI_zPfEvgX_x6O4EHVM82XR8sMSv8Wm4R1OMurg1waxMRrd7wn8E/s200/IMG_3240.JPG" width="200" /></a>If you're in doubt about bringing your baby, rest assured: our eldest came here when she was 13 days old, and our newest--six-month-old twins--are coming up here for their first time.<br />
<br />
For more information about Bayview: <a href="http://hillbabiessf.blogspot.com/2009/10/nearly-secret-hike-bayview-hill-of-san.html">http://hillbabiessf.blogspot.com/2009/10/nearly-secret-hike-bayview-hill-of-san.html</a><br />
<br />
Download a brochure with map here: <a href="http://sf-recpark.org/ftp/uploadedfiles/wcm_recpark/Volunteer/Brochures/BayviewHill.pdf">http://sf-recpark.org/ftp/uploadedfiles/wcm_recpark/Volunteer/Brochures/BayviewHill.pdf</a><br />
<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-size: large;">Directions to the Meeting Location</span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-size: large;">Key Avenue & Jennings</span></b></div>
Public Transit:<br />
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li>T-3rd Light Rail</li>
<li>CalTrain, Bayshore Station</li>
</ul>
Heading south on 101:<br />
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li>Exit towards Cow Palace/3rd Street</li>
<li>Follow signs for 3rd Street/US 101 N/Bayshore Blvd N</li>
<li>Stay right at the fork, follow signs for 3rd Street/Bayshore Blvd S</li>
<li>Left on Bayshore Blvd</li>
<li>Continue on 3rd Street</li>
<li>Right at Key Ave</li>
</ul>
Heading north on 101:<br />
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li>Exit 429B/3rd Street</li>
<li>Right at Key Avenue</li>
</ul>
</div>
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<small><a href="https://maps.google.com/maps?ie=UTF8&ll=37.718445,-122.39513&spn=0.010795,0.022724&t=h&z=16&source=embed" style="color: blue; text-align: left;">View Larger Map</a></small></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00825805298441185986noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8060918298753337118.post-78382797266261748182013-10-03T12:12:00.004-07:002013-10-03T14:29:20.271-07:00Let's Play in McLaren Park<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-6aB7Edpr8iA-1nZN992fUyV_TEC1BOhj5WTRHJSHUPAD3yGBrId8-BzGZX9mVqhJyvv7NnIH4_Ighgrm4Kn9AZzUmDsOmzGiaiEiAeXU77YKLefNc0ojxx1ueUsc0OJilnKQ4uQeRj4/s1600/McLaren_Map_letter_2013_thumb.png.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-6aB7Edpr8iA-1nZN992fUyV_TEC1BOhj5WTRHJSHUPAD3yGBrId8-BzGZX9mVqhJyvv7NnIH4_Ighgrm4Kn9AZzUmDsOmzGiaiEiAeXU77YKLefNc0ojxx1ueUsc0OJilnKQ4uQeRj4/s1600/McLaren_Map_letter_2013_thumb.png.jpeg" /></a><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: large; text-align: -webkit-auto;"><span style="color: red;">On Saturday October 12th there are two great things happening in McLaren Park</span>: <b>the opening of a new playground at Peru and Burrows Street</b>, and a<b> reggae concert </b>at the Jerry Garcia Amphitheater. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: large; text-align: -webkit-auto;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: large; text-align: -webkit-auto;">Both are <b><span style="color: red;">free</span></b>, and you should come! </span><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsj3lArC2Q92Vy9jMj8wdcfMAAnCSe2qbMwSpEHlo1gdr-iDhdBLSA_RyfGBq097Ldg3uJ3noA7iskvL-LkeJE7Azkd8sICKkO_AepWHk1hxdKvHPvo9hNiH-n84XsF0QzumAzZ97AB0M/s1600/4868589_orig.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="210" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsj3lArC2Q92Vy9jMj8wdcfMAAnCSe2qbMwSpEHlo1gdr-iDhdBLSA_RyfGBq097Ldg3uJ3noA7iskvL-LkeJE7Azkd8sICKkO_AepWHk1hxdKvHPvo9hNiH-n84XsF0QzumAzZ97AB0M/s320/4868589_orig.jpg" width="320" /></a><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">My friend, Chuck Farrugia, and his wife, Trilce, have been the galvanizing forces to create this particular playground. I know they credit a lot of other people in the making of this playground, and that's to be expected, but I think of it as a real triumph for neighborhood activism which they spurred on. Check out </span><span style="color: black;"><a href="http://helpmlpark.weebly.com/">http://helpmlpark.weebly.com</a>.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; text-align: -webkit-auto;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">As for the concert, it's one of many in a series of concerts this year at the Jerry Garcia Amphitheater. Just last month Charity and the Jamband played for a crowd of screaming toddlers. Check out </span><a href="http://savemclarenpark.org/">http://savemclarenpark.org</a>.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiARS7WUr4WYcBJfMGmWDooXfTVW1LOBHENCQq390UbMVTtIHNY51zto1FMGyoJ5Bx1OubNK4RBRULZ_sYWIguRKwBGzHDwPiGWrK1KMnGgUQ8dRaWy4k1rtRBxvKjTCxWU9xwGB6SfjEQ/s1600/sipm_poster_v7_full-550x850.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiARS7WUr4WYcBJfMGmWDooXfTVW1LOBHENCQq390UbMVTtIHNY51zto1FMGyoJ5Bx1OubNK4RBRULZ_sYWIguRKwBGzHDwPiGWrK1KMnGgUQ8dRaWy4k1rtRBxvKjTCxWU9xwGB6SfjEQ/s320/sipm_poster_v7_full-550x850.jpg" width="207" /></a><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: red; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: large; text-align: -webkit-auto;"><b>12:30--Playground Ribbon Cutting Ceremony at Peru and Burrows Street, McLaren Park</b></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: red; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: large; text-align: -webkit-auto;"><b><br /></b></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: red; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: large; text-align: -webkit-auto;"><b>2 pm--Reggae show at Jerry Garcia Amphitheater, McLaren Park</b></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-6aB7Edpr8iA-1nZN992fUyV_TEC1BOhj5WTRHJSHUPAD3yGBrId8-BzGZX9mVqhJyvv7NnIH4_Ighgrm4Kn9AZzUmDsOmzGiaiEiAeXU77YKLefNc0ojxx1ueUsc0OJilnKQ4uQeRj4/s1600/McLaren_Map_letter_2013_thumb.png.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><br /></a><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">There are trails leading between the two destinations, so park your car by Peru and Burrows, or take the # 44 bus. Check out the playground. Bring your picnic lunch. Later, wander in the direction of the reggae music, or just pick your own trail and explore the park. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">This is not a guided hike, by the way--I'm still adjusting to getting outside and about with two young twins and a four-year-old. This is just an open invitation to all who are connected in some way to Hill Babies, or who like to hike and play and be with children.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">Cheers, </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">Jessica </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: red; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; text-align: -webkit-auto;"><span style="background-color: transparent; text-align: left;"><b>PLAYGROUND OPENING AT PERU AND BURROWS IN MCLAREN PARK</b></span></span></div>
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<iframe frameborder="0" height="350" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="https://maps.google.com/maps?client=safari&oe=UTF-8&q=peru+and+burrows+street,+san+francisco&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=Burrows+St+%26+Peru+Ave,+San+Francisco,+California&gl=us&t=h&z=14&ll=37.723971,-122.422849&output=embed" width="425"></iframe><br /></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00825805298441185986noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8060918298753337118.post-28695833471633636202013-09-03T04:51:00.001-07:002013-09-03T04:51:27.420-07:00The Redwood Grove at Henry Cowell State Park<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaInwH3hagOsXIvKs3wUI6Pv80oIBqb9p1tQlYfIJYvd8165EiN1UwKYiafibs4MSPEVWTxAFIGhXRXFznBSckM5e1s3U1yQLJocoN4kBgl_lt16TROUa3FQH3bAEraNRbE2e6FuKRcRw/s1600/PANO_20130902_123655.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaInwH3hagOsXIvKs3wUI6Pv80oIBqb9p1tQlYfIJYvd8165EiN1UwKYiafibs4MSPEVWTxAFIGhXRXFznBSckM5e1s3U1yQLJocoN4kBgl_lt16TROUa3FQH3bAEraNRbE2e6FuKRcRw/s400/PANO_20130902_123655.jpg" width="136" /></a>Six people fit inside the base of the gigantic coast redwood tree, and with a ranger's flashlight we peered into the deep, high center of the trunk where a fire had hollowed out the inside and blackened the walls. You could fit a queen-sized bed and a couple of night tables in here. Or an explorer and his group of men. Or better, a large bear and her cubs.<br />
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"Let's pretend we're bears," I whispered to my four-year-old as the other day-trippers trickled out and back into the forest.<br />
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"You're the momma, and I'm the baby," she said, growling and laughing.<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiI6USGt-tm8p3GchUXl9fuJoZ_FEUrmuepcuc4PeRvRsb_e77t9Wp1DKKRNZhuXDL9cNzs2BER_pP_rxds32rsAyZlRlTm1gWZt94MwCx41KDWPC3SQqmgqYWRKj183ytUVfDtAVhKF_k/s1600/P1040987.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiI6USGt-tm8p3GchUXl9fuJoZ_FEUrmuepcuc4PeRvRsb_e77t9Wp1DKKRNZhuXDL9cNzs2BER_pP_rxds32rsAyZlRlTm1gWZt94MwCx41KDWPC3SQqmgqYWRKj183ytUVfDtAVhKF_k/s200/P1040987.jpg" width="150" /></a><br />
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We were in the <b>Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park</b> in Santa Cruz County this Labor Day, during a long weekend in the mountains. My husband and I wanted to go on a walk in the shade with the kids, and we wanted to use the double stroller since it was muggy and hot.<br />
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The <b>Redwood Grove Loop Hike</b>, a 0.8 mile trail in Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park, was exactly what we wanted for a short amble under towering redwoods. There are quite a few trees that you can actually go into, or through, hollowed and carved as they are from fires that once blazed through here. One of the tallest trees is more than 270 feet high (the Statue of Liberty is 305 feet tall). You'll see fairy rings of young trees growing around parent trees--my kid was thrilled to see anything associated with the word "fairy."<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSduiOspkQqjZYTbUTuecOtkFRgifTNvc2BPGeP0PY622sugUIA2K00JrLLqmArUsVBFsB9QC9DIqobOd-AI6F5zbkk3v3BBzNFYd_bjRTUraU2bMcCFR2i1eUp6izISL7BZzMi5wWQ4Q/s1600/P1040990.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSduiOspkQqjZYTbUTuecOtkFRgifTNvc2BPGeP0PY622sugUIA2K00JrLLqmArUsVBFsB9QC9DIqobOd-AI6F5zbkk3v3BBzNFYd_bjRTUraU2bMcCFR2i1eUp6izISL7BZzMi5wWQ4Q/s320/P1040990.jpg" width="240" /></a>At the start is an awesome Visitor Center, free and fun for kids with stamp pads of animal prints, pelts to touch, taxidermy on display, a perpetually running movie, and a 3-D topographical map of the area. Borrow one of their brochures about things to see on the <b>Redwood Grove Loop Hike</b> before starting your walk. It points out the Doug firs, tan oaks, and bays enriching the forest; the big burls protruding from the redwood trunks; the sorrel carpeting the forest floor; an albino redwood and much more.<br />
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Right next door is <a href="http://www.roaringcamp.com/" style="font-weight: bold;" target="_blank">Roaring Camp Railroads</a>, an awesome steam train that traverses redwood forest and chugs down to Santa Cruz's beach boardwalk. Last time we were at Henry Cowell, we rode the train too (it's super pricey but was worth the thrill for the kid and myself, both train aficionados). The sound of the train's whistle reverberates through the redwood forest.<br />
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<b>Directions</b><br />
Felton is about an hour and a half south of San Francisco. I recommend taking 280 down to CA-85 South to Highway 9, which is a little slower than CA-17 but more scenic. (We also were renting a cabin in Ben Lomond, which is right on 9) By taking 9 you can easily drive to outdoorsy places like the headquarters at <a href="http://www.bigbasin.org/" target="_blank">Big Basin Redwoods State Park</a>, <a href="http://www.cityofsantacruz.com/index.aspx?page=426" target="_blank">Loch Lomond Recreation Area</a>, and <a href="http://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=538" target="_blank">Castle Rock State Park</a>.<br />
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<b>What Else? </b><b>Where to Eat in Felton</b><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIVgQQ9imVx2ije6MG9kbjEpudnc36jnZWZomYQxmX7_7nDZV4nu-lj4wNsr2b2sku1CJ5oL5imMO0be0FsESnm6xNle5I-dqyTgoeMEmcRzV8woNK7Hr_4wNjGIPI22i8DHFlr0vaq7E/s1600/120s.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIVgQQ9imVx2ije6MG9kbjEpudnc36jnZWZomYQxmX7_7nDZV4nu-lj4wNsr2b2sku1CJ5oL5imMO0be0FsESnm6xNle5I-dqyTgoeMEmcRzV8woNK7Hr_4wNjGIPI22i8DHFlr0vaq7E/s1600/120s.jpg" /></a>A lady inside the visitor center recommended the <a href="http://www.feltoncowboy.com/" target="_blank">Cowboy Bar and Grill in Felton</a> when I asked about places to eat outside. We ended up eating inside, and nobody gave a flying fig that we took forever to eat <i>and </i>bottle feed our babies. The waitress brought coloring pages, crayons, and plastic cowboy and Indian figurines for our big kid. We totally chowed down on a great big salad with pulled pork, a bowl of pozole soup, slabs of honey-drenched cornbread, iced tea, and pint-sized margaritas. This place, I recommend.<br />
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<b>What Else? Where to Stay Nearby</b><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgur1hRAzcjbmSSeKU5aKbAHurC9gJ2soM8sKed3cPYsK2rE8cF5vmyhPC_1yQFQwZUWfx1gajPXOP_ToYET4l2mc4y_iLuroVMkv4v_m_7moVdpq8sdQ9o-Tg82BML-or2lv2xf5kYA54/s1600/P1040954.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgur1hRAzcjbmSSeKU5aKbAHurC9gJ2soM8sKed3cPYsK2rE8cF5vmyhPC_1yQFQwZUWfx1gajPXOP_ToYET4l2mc4y_iLuroVMkv4v_m_7moVdpq8sdQ9o-Tg82BML-or2lv2xf5kYA54/s200/P1040954.JPG" width="200" /></a>If you know of a good place to stay that won't break the bank, tell me. We booked two nights at <a href="http://www.jayestimberlane.com/Jayes_Timberlane_Resort/Home.html" target="_blank">Jaye's Timberlane</a> in Ben Lomond, right up Highway 9, because it had little cottages, but it was a dump for over $100 a night. I leaned on a wall and it sounded like it was about to crack. If you fiddled with the shower head the whole thing'd pop off and laser-jet you in the head with water. The fridge wasn't cold. Our kid sat on the Adirondack outside and a rung popped off. But still, our kid <i>loved</i> the place, <i>loved </i>the fact that there was a pool, and didn't want to leave, ever.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Redwood Grove Nature Trail</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3nbILjYBwbZj8YFh2TjPVWfzY3vX-iOJoatx50nZ7tXj01yDnEXMxX6KsYPb3U3dD6PfZDuiXwhhlYj7cOLcSsoiPcjUmqLaoLwgHjSRSgX94ZaL0yY43GTPn74_YTolsFkv67ZL7ucQ/s1600/P1040989.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3nbILjYBwbZj8YFh2TjPVWfzY3vX-iOJoatx50nZ7tXj01yDnEXMxX6KsYPb3U3dD6PfZDuiXwhhlYj7cOLcSsoiPcjUmqLaoLwgHjSRSgX94ZaL0yY43GTPn74_YTolsFkv67ZL7ucQ/s320/P1040989.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;">Two men. Two babies. </span></td></tr>
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<b>Map to Henry Cowell Park and Roaring Camp Railroad</b></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00825805298441185986noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8060918298753337118.post-75387761062230981522013-08-31T22:15:00.002-07:002013-08-31T22:29:01.818-07:00The Little Pond on the Ridge <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgzEnC5Lgq6IFIzyEe07o27fBCSILfgl-cvL6UtCIHmPaNNCrVeJnwlIIUbTjB9aWQLhwo2dpMi3FLhtyvFIT3H87nHfRz3Dkw4ON5c73TrDLJhgUUlAn1sgnkcBd6JKT3l4qBIm4Me2M/s1600/P1040880.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgzEnC5Lgq6IFIzyEe07o27fBCSILfgl-cvL6UtCIHmPaNNCrVeJnwlIIUbTjB9aWQLhwo2dpMi3FLhtyvFIT3H87nHfRz3Dkw4ON5c73TrDLJhgUUlAn1sgnkcBd6JKT3l4qBIm4Me2M/s320/P1040880.jpg" width="240" /></a> My quest with twin newborns is to find trails wide
and flat enough to accommodate a double stroller. I want to feel like I'm far from the city, but I don't want to drive over an hour. An easy level trail isn’t bad either, considering I'm still sort of recovering from giving birth. Finally, since my mom accompanies me on occasion, and hiking isn't her thing anymore (once upon a time we trekked the Himalayas, but that was a long time ago), I'd walk with my kids no more than a mile while she read a mystery novel at the trailhead. </div>
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<br /></div>
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<b>Alpine Pond</b> met all criteria. It has a wide, flat trail. It's less than an hour south of San Francisco. </div>
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<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
And so it was that on a fine mid-week afternoon where fog hung over the city most of the day but sunshine blazed on the peninsula, that we--my mom, my kids, and I--set out. </div>
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<br /></div>
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We drove south on 280, west on 92, and then south on Skyline Boulevard, also known as Highway 35. The road wound through forests, including redwoods,
and as we traversed swathes of coast chaparral we got jaw-dropping views of the Pacific and the peninsula.</div>
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<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgj8OCrMmiubhxAKqDxGKnCR1nhjVxbW_IVyvdlDWkpGKdpLxrMmOrkiD_Fj7sE4RljENhoUC-csnvYWQ2u73D2nbHVCnibjxSk1SBZjF0112K2G66pcAmRx-eo0_SqnAVcLf7B_3mUJ2k/s1600/P1040891.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgj8OCrMmiubhxAKqDxGKnCR1nhjVxbW_IVyvdlDWkpGKdpLxrMmOrkiD_Fj7sE4RljENhoUC-csnvYWQ2u73D2nbHVCnibjxSk1SBZjF0112K2G66pcAmRx-eo0_SqnAVcLf7B_3mUJ2k/s200/P1040891.JPG" width="200" /></a>I’d visited Alpine Pond many years ago with a group of teenagers when I
was a teacher and one of the leaders for our school’s hiking club. We had hiked Skyline Open Space Preserve, an area that seems epitomized by golden hills, oak trees, and views, but today with babies, a four
year old, and my 72-year-old mom, we’d just roll around Alpine Pond. </div>
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<br /></div>
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</div>
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We were the only folks there, so it was particularly quiet, even meditative. It was a great way to spend time outside with kids, have a little picnic, and not tax the elders.</div>
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<br /></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiB-BnAgKEJFBoyoCiXEFHLulZ9Slca0FtniXn_GyjPVNXS5N0iJ8KMyglzOpnEe-Wn_Kku5q90mBM5XjskG7UEt725VqlJM3O5g4bNrJVWJw26qe_0TrlyHnhZKj-eAJBnwOh3BUB3W0o/s1600/P1040881.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiB-BnAgKEJFBoyoCiXEFHLulZ9Slca0FtniXn_GyjPVNXS5N0iJ8KMyglzOpnEe-Wn_Kku5q90mBM5XjskG7UEt725VqlJM3O5g4bNrJVWJw26qe_0TrlyHnhZKj-eAJBnwOh3BUB3W0o/s200/P1040881.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">The trail around Alpine Pond</span></td></tr>
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<o:p><b><span style="font-size: large;">The Trail</span></b></o:p></div>
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We parked in a lot where a friendly
motorcyclist affirmed, “Oh yes, Alpine Pond is the way to go for a stroller.” He gave us a park brochure
and told us we could find evidence of Ohlone culture, mortars chiseled into a boulder,
located off a trail (he wasn't sure which) near the pond. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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A long ramp, perfect for strollers or wheelchairs, led from the parking lot to the main trail, starting under Alpine Road. </div>
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<br /></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEic-3UBg5bBg_mrTm0wuzgilOkhNYjyhdkMbhyKLRmQNkybXlMi6j8YASWHR1GddTNCjvf1nCng40yB6iKEXxpwzzna-warXh3AGRfGEpuExTbZqChySAV_tpWlLHhdcXynTxvPG-B7Zec/s1600/P1040866.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEic-3UBg5bBg_mrTm0wuzgilOkhNYjyhdkMbhyKLRmQNkybXlMi6j8YASWHR1GddTNCjvf1nCng40yB6iKEXxpwzzna-warXh3AGRfGEpuExTbZqChySAV_tpWlLHhdcXynTxvPG-B7Zec/s200/P1040866.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The tunnel under the road</td></tr>
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We walked through a tunnel with corrugated walls, the breeze making the air distinctively cool. My big kid found a stick, enjoying the tat-tat-tat-tat sound of wood on metal. </div>
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<br /></div>
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The trail was less than a quarter mile to Alpine Pond, and it passed one informational sign listing the different critters one could find her, and passed under a large, gnarled, and moss hung oak.</div>
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<br /></div>
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At the pond's edge is the <b>David C. Daniels Nature Center</b>, some picnic tables and benches, and a water fountain. There's an observation platform on pontoons, a little weeble-wobbly as you walk on it, but it gets you past the reeds and up close with the water. </div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwMD249ElXYumT2Q3R1RlmPJ93LDpd8Aub6x0ADwD_AedmgyE-9lVqIwO6JUD7gNNvcoTUH8yLeHB_oqfPJ0_LxIj00YDiloTe0q3TMnB3J3f3OcDg-ERjjH-ne-jYS3sZ4jWo4LmlN7w/s1600/P1040873.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwMD249ElXYumT2Q3R1RlmPJ93LDpd8Aub6x0ADwD_AedmgyE-9lVqIwO6JUD7gNNvcoTUH8yLeHB_oqfPJ0_LxIj00YDiloTe0q3TMnB3J3f3OcDg-ERjjH-ne-jYS3sZ4jWo4LmlN7w/s200/P1040873.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Floating observation deck</td></tr>
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<br /></div>
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The <b>David C. Daniels Nature Center </b>looked intriguing from the outside with its bulletin boards and placards, but it's only open on the weekends, noon to 5 pm from April to mid-October, and 11 to 4 from mid-October through the last day in November. It's free too. Though we didn't go inside since it was closed, a sign proclaimed attractions such as a "touch table,"an aquatic lab, a "skull and skins" display, and a pet gopher snake. </div>
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<br /></div>
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The trail around Alpine Pond is wide and flat (0.5 miles), just what I wanted. The sun beat down, my babies sweated, and my big kid whined a bit, but it was a good walk. Iridescent dragonflies zipped around us. A duck cruised into center lake. Cattails waved. All around other trails branched off, inviting and interesting, one of them leading to those Ohlone "bedrock mortars" carved into a boulder, but they meant for other days and bigger adventures. </div>
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<br /></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3dvEhw9knVeyABDmtfqqjeB0D6oD6qCbrCbd46gEnDbl2CgJz6C1_3VtEF3Vzr6lZnSX2hWRwQnNHv3GgEzaFqRhuThu2jk_jbtua09UF-6uGxJZaEfqDU4eBs9uR1yGLmcrv_KO0fmU/s1600/P1040872.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3dvEhw9knVeyABDmtfqqjeB0D6oD6qCbrCbd46gEnDbl2CgJz6C1_3VtEF3Vzr6lZnSX2hWRwQnNHv3GgEzaFqRhuThu2jk_jbtua09UF-6uGxJZaEfqDU4eBs9uR1yGLmcrv_KO0fmU/s200/P1040872.jpg" width="150" /></a><b><span style="font-size: large;">Dusk and Dawn </span></b></div>
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Coming in the middle of the day when it's 80-plus degrees isn't the optimal time to see wildlife, but that's when we were there. If possible, check out the pond in the evening or the morning and maybe you'll spy raccoons, deer, or rabbits. Coots, ducks, and herons might be swimming. This is also mountain lion territory, but one would have to be really lucky to get a glimpse of one of those big cats. </div>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">History</span></b></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi42pzM9C8lZmjRrhq3x2AU4N7dTas-xGxsfP5o1dM8yKOUWG0zSG5Q-IMX178ITqOtRofg5ARxvk4vB3SgZbABmtblgbX92TMlM3J2PmWiTD-TtINym7lH4O0Zt8TAXrELiVuWET_agXU/s1600/P1040874.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi42pzM9C8lZmjRrhq3x2AU4N7dTas-xGxsfP5o1dM8yKOUWG0zSG5Q-IMX178ITqOtRofg5ARxvk4vB3SgZbABmtblgbX92TMlM3J2PmWiTD-TtINym7lH4O0Zt8TAXrELiVuWET_agXU/s200/P1040874.JPG" width="200" /></a>Alpine Pond was a spring that was dammed in the Fifties for livestock. It's now 25 feet deep in the middle, and has become a water source for wild animals instead of cows and whatnot. Long before the ranchers of the 1800s, the Ohlone lived, hunted, and traveled through here. The bedrock mortars that you can find near Alpine Pond were used to pulverize acorns into a flour that'd be turned into an edible mush.<br />
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">Directions</span></b></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_lYgujfayUCGhEjHY9HLvdSkXmAlTZjjvfKw7Nw1eLUqH4q0wHcWC8xwgs16dlU-8rxDTtfvrA_ikKV6SkQoEN48uNxCZ-FgBIDraIwbrOBLE1vKUct4j0ZSl37OHYXJXXPEwq5oGK20/s1600/P1040867.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_lYgujfayUCGhEjHY9HLvdSkXmAlTZjjvfKw7Nw1eLUqH4q0wHcWC8xwgs16dlU-8rxDTtfvrA_ikKV6SkQoEN48uNxCZ-FgBIDraIwbrOBLE1vKUct4j0ZSl37OHYXJXXPEwq5oGK20/s320/P1040867.jpg" width="240" /></a>From San Francisco head south on 280. For the prettiest drive, go west on 92 to Highway 35, then south on Highway 35. About 13 miles down Highway 35 you'll pass Skylonda, a sweet little rest spot with food, gas, and water. Sally on 9 more miles to the intersection of 35 and Old Page Mill Road. Turn right onto Alpine Road. You'll immediately see a parking lot for the Skyline Ridge Open Space Preserve, where you'll park. Grab a map, use the port-o-pottie, and head for the ramp.</div>
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<b>David C. Daniels Nature Center</b></div>
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Old Page Mill Trail</div>
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La Honda, CA 94020</div>
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(650) 691-1200</div>
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<a href="http://openspace.org/" target="_blank">openspace.org </a></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbRcTlI1_QhpXuWPTTpa4enc6cfvIWgmBz5UTWUNVXydy755hT1fZVe1SyNWneTpgXxvX1IPxA2I3a3iJzXaSTPoAdFAtgPzcnZPbtElpbcc36miJaFnS71FjrPdlnnnlvB6qN-4JcqxY/s1600/P1040906.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbRcTlI1_QhpXuWPTTpa4enc6cfvIWgmBz5UTWUNVXydy755hT1fZVe1SyNWneTpgXxvX1IPxA2I3a3iJzXaSTPoAdFAtgPzcnZPbtElpbcc36miJaFnS71FjrPdlnnnlvB6qN-4JcqxY/s320/P1040906.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Big kid and grandmom</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzkTVRAQxn_2VuzgESsD1k4mTmzyseN34A8g09FUKudCV4imHDvTwHGa_0dwi4lrYMgjk5wZf1ybN6iMM0-CRk4oJR7rrVLQLGlxz67ebKYDs_IDMkDDjChNKjN5Wyg2OSptNumsaVNoY/s1600/P1040913.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzkTVRAQxn_2VuzgESsD1k4mTmzyseN34A8g09FUKudCV4imHDvTwHGa_0dwi4lrYMgjk5wZf1ybN6iMM0-CRk4oJR7rrVLQLGlxz67ebKYDs_IDMkDDjChNKjN5Wyg2OSptNumsaVNoY/s320/P1040913.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Three kids on a picnic table</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhCsxqNOkXvoVW0FNJL9HNWh7OhfdvgDIJCRYSl3d3jF0EmODHlHJPl74UI2ErgZAt1WeSgm9gJvPijtlPzK5mVvKHl1BagiT85If9TU2PrWGwotubsuSkktQtdlThapsiXM79fKbzJns/s1600/P1040927.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhCsxqNOkXvoVW0FNJL9HNWh7OhfdvgDIJCRYSl3d3jF0EmODHlHJPl74UI2ErgZAt1WeSgm9gJvPijtlPzK5mVvKHl1BagiT85If9TU2PrWGwotubsuSkktQtdlThapsiXM79fKbzJns/s320/P1040927.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kids in the shade around Alpine pond</td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Map to Alpine Pond</b></span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00825805298441185986noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8060918298753337118.post-65953134321782874602013-08-25T11:40:00.002-07:002013-08-25T11:40:41.030-07:00Book Review! Best Hikes With Kids: San Francisco Bay Area <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUQC3K3jBQHpdtP4HOdYFcVN3PAfPcsyIHDFJpKxKcaEhcNoShXYoswhnvg9KZ-QtnwnNUnYf-PhTNcDBnmxmXkyDoLDQr-q4tLjciCOOUDeRD0ZSFVfUOjPNGnR998yhFO3ZhtbN2I0s/s1600/51fv+QCuBGL._SY346_PJlook-inside-v2,TopRight,1,0_SH20_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUQC3K3jBQHpdtP4HOdYFcVN3PAfPcsyIHDFJpKxKcaEhcNoShXYoswhnvg9KZ-QtnwnNUnYf-PhTNcDBnmxmXkyDoLDQr-q4tLjciCOOUDeRD0ZSFVfUOjPNGnR998yhFO3ZhtbN2I0s/s320/51fv+QCuBGL._SY346_PJlook-inside-v2,TopRight,1,0_SH20_.jpg" width="212" /></a><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">Best Hikes with Kids: San Francisco Bay
Area<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">By Laure Latham<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">Copyright: 2011<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">Publisher: <a href="http://www.mountaineersbooks.org/" target="_blank">TheMountaineers Books</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">General subject
matter: hiking, California, family recreation<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">Laure’s blog: </span><a href="http://frogmom.com/">http://frogmom.com</a><br />
<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">I have a fairly
good book collection about local hikes and outdoor places, and one of the superior ones is
Laure Latham’s <b>Best Hikes with Kids San
Francisco Bay Area. </b>Someone once recommended this book long before I
acquired it, and at the time I shook my head, thinking the hikes would be too easy. Little did I know. Easy doesn't mean boring, and when you have children, easy to moderate hikes that are full of interesting things to see and do are what turns recalcitrant children into inquisitive, happy beings. Once I acquired Laure's book, I loved it! The reasons are numerous: it has an intelligent introduction, comprehensive chapters, great organization, family focus, and breadth of trails, many which are new to me. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgH8_KncCrtby-DaDJuwDqk_YHQV7vmrkzoqn-kWXf8o8ZX-o4tWMbW7HQx5GxFIIjSqYnLGrJnMI-Jr-0SOmXvYxOg_MpZFK8ANCPo9EtDUateh_0dv3HxwyKU3HfG_BDzr0p8xwaGZMU/s1600/Unknown-1.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgH8_KncCrtby-DaDJuwDqk_YHQV7vmrkzoqn-kWXf8o8ZX-o4tWMbW7HQx5GxFIIjSqYnLGrJnMI-Jr-0SOmXvYxOg_MpZFK8ANCPo9EtDUateh_0dv3HxwyKU3HfG_BDzr0p8xwaGZMU/s400/Unknown-1.jpeg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">(credit: randsco.com)</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">KID FACTOR<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9k46771eSpSCbyC5BEXP54caEsPxfj6xD7rQDotjWDNlFtN74eG7YNJTPa6lCbF6KNOUTuvGJ8A9JvRlhHqxZQuzJcROPURUmzfZBNgu9hZJLcSZquWA2U2uGGSiHkycyMqbpi5uUUlw/s1600/IMG_4460.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9k46771eSpSCbyC5BEXP54caEsPxfj6xD7rQDotjWDNlFtN74eG7YNJTPa6lCbF6KNOUTuvGJ8A9JvRlhHqxZQuzJcROPURUmzfZBNgu9hZJLcSZquWA2U2uGGSiHkycyMqbpi5uUUlw/s320/IMG_4460.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dad, 2-month-old baby, 4-yr-old kid</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">Laure believes
all ages can and should hike. In her introduction she expands on Richard Louv’s
<i>Last Child in the Woods</i> book and his
philosophy to bring children into outdoor spaces by advocating that even babies
should be taken hiking, claiming “they are the best hikers.” Laure shares her positive
experience hiking with a seven week old baby in Yosemite (which triggers fond
memories of taking my thirteen-day-old baby around Bayview Hill in San
Francisco). <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">FUN FACTOR<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">Laure emphasizes
having fun. Some of the tips she has for motivating children include having
them hike with friends, telling stories out loud (she’s got a great list of
recommended books), doing arts and crafts on the trail, building fairy houses,
and bringing lots of snacks. Practical tips, but potentially forgotten or
de-emphasized by tired parents in their rush to get out the door, or finish a
trail. <o:p></o:p></span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWrgoABilnwDN1QFYehONTHnZSz5Tv7UblJh58xeGDv_y-Uic6cKtEwFMjBuWjklNWcMoET-Nl9h_OvLRhwNwM6qFvSu83g5LlG36NBmJDoc6pDPdS1I3RfElfjwXk_sEDUH9j6FfNkkk/s1600/Kids+Hiking--Durango+Area+Tourism2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWrgoABilnwDN1QFYehONTHnZSz5Tv7UblJh58xeGDv_y-Uic6cKtEwFMjBuWjklNWcMoET-Nl9h_OvLRhwNwM6qFvSu83g5LlG36NBmJDoc6pDPdS1I3RfElfjwXk_sEDUH9j6FfNkkk/s320/Kids+Hiking--Durango+Area+Tourism2.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Kids on the go! (credit: durangogov.org)</span></td></tr>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">CHAPTERS</span></b></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgenvKiA3YuQkyr9wtN11VzdWSn7L_T3H5vEeK73XxXIO5KGCK6Wf0HZNrTgMbCUekOH6AoezxEDH9OyPkjOjGwAWEAtUU3SIw_gFvBDW8pvcokBSb4IsCslqLZ1HHfOYErNVqZItxFJCc/s1600/220px-BayareaUSGS.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgenvKiA3YuQkyr9wtN11VzdWSn7L_T3H5vEeK73XxXIO5KGCK6Wf0HZNrTgMbCUekOH6AoezxEDH9OyPkjOjGwAWEAtUU3SIw_gFvBDW8pvcokBSb4IsCslqLZ1HHfOYErNVqZItxFJCc/s200/220px-BayareaUSGS.jpg" width="192" /></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">A hundred hikes
are divided between neighboring counties of San Francisco, Alameda, San Mateo,
Contra Costa, Marin, Napa, Sonoma, Santa Clara, Santa Cruz, and Solano. There’s
a map in the beginning of the book to show you where the hikes are, stretching
as far north as Guerneville, as far south as Gilroy, and east from Fairfield. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">Each hike has a
“Before You Go” info box about maps and relevant web resources, and an info box
about the hike’s vital points: length in miles, estimated hiking time,
elevation, season, and level (easy, moderate, difficult). There are awesome
detailed maps and a photo for each hike. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">THE TRAILS LESS TRAVELEED<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWAHRxc6-s9ZC8PcYfzc29SHKxi6e-7RXa3ynbdSUNcVs09PkMYTajAcINXcNHjPN6pAjW3KQgSuYirBxwupxEOdKZrADTb9-UlYelfhN400_k-Hx80iiG0pq8IFoMcsaLws5vHy5OPCA/s1600/IMG_2721.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="149" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWAHRxc6-s9ZC8PcYfzc29SHKxi6e-7RXa3ynbdSUNcVs09PkMYTajAcINXcNHjPN6pAjW3KQgSuYirBxwupxEOdKZrADTb9-UlYelfhN400_k-Hx80iiG0pq8IFoMcsaLws5vHy5OPCA/s200/IMG_2721.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">at Candlestick Point, SF</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">It seems that
Laure likes the trails less traveled, and I must say, I’m quite pleased Laure
gave so much attention (two out of ten hikes) to the southern parts of San
Francisco: McLaren Park and Candlestick Point. It’s amazing to me how many San
Franciscans haven’t been to McLaren or Candlestick, even outdoorsy natives. (Conversely,
it’s always a thrill when people say they have gone to these spots). Laure
touches on interesting <b>historical points</b>
about these parks, like Candlestick’s creation in the wartime of the 1940s, their
<b>natural features</b>, like Yosemite
Creek which flows through McLaren, and <b>somewhat
secret destinations</b>, like the stone labyrinth on top of Visitacion Knob in
McLaren Park. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigRgO3qedt5YR7CTdrcvSNho3zIENp3VVpsFHeRfPkK-vryj_mk5GJl7JE9NVpLpLogz52rXyC4OItcnun4UBWCOuky7e15_YaVnJuhR5sfcyglSeSnNXcsqQnXjoTG7zvNTnFgoALMbg/s1600/Unknown.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigRgO3qedt5YR7CTdrcvSNho3zIENp3VVpsFHeRfPkK-vryj_mk5GJl7JE9NVpLpLogz52rXyC4OItcnun4UBWCOuky7e15_YaVnJuhR5sfcyglSeSnNXcsqQnXjoTG7zvNTnFgoALMbg/s200/Unknown.jpeg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Tarantula (frogmom.com)</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">Because of
Laure’s penchant for less beaten paths, I trust her to lead me someplace great.
For instance, she has a fascinating write-up about <b>Mount Diablo’s tarantulas</b>, which you can encounter in the fall on a
2-mile hike in <b>Mitchell Canyon </b>in <b>Contra Costa County</b>.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
</div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">I love water and
walking, but with newborn twins and a double stroller, I’m a little stymied for
ideas of where to go to swim and stroll. I appreciate Laure’s write up about a
2.2-mile trail with a paved path at <b>Spring
Lake Regional Park</b> in <b>Sonoma County</b>.
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPN5Yx4x6sex6z0l2tqkQGk63EDemlzw2vgduvtZPJeGVNsryWUCpWCYtZWrqOTbuRYvb3NVQ3BEeGfUsBRec-_HUMIN-O0zObFzxSCilwoCe-o3d3nfyIOqivSE0o2S8OnjmPkcNrqoM/s1600/sm+Smittle+100311.17.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPN5Yx4x6sex6z0l2tqkQGk63EDemlzw2vgduvtZPJeGVNsryWUCpWCYtZWrqOTbuRYvb3NVQ3BEeGfUsBRec-_HUMIN-O0zObFzxSCilwoCe-o3d3nfyIOqivSE0o2S8OnjmPkcNrqoM/s200/sm+Smittle+100311.17.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Smittle (credit: westernwildflower.com)</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">Laure describes
a flooded town underneath <b>Lake Berryessa</b>
in <b>Napa County</b>, and a 1.5-mile loop there
at <b>Smittle Creek</b>, including how to
identify an osprey nest, and where to get a Junior Ranger activity book for
your kid. I appreciate that she recommends the best season to check out a particular trail, and in this case it's in the spring because of the vibrant flowers growing among the green grass. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">Monarch
butterflies fascinate both my four-year-old and myself, and we’ve always wanted
to see flocks of them. But when, and where? Laure tells where to find monarchs
in <b>Santa Cruz County</b>. She recommends an easy 1-mile loop at <b>Natural Bridges
State Beach</b> during certain migration months (and one is coming up!). On this
hike you’ll also see amazing rock formations (Laure gets into describing the
geology too) and get a chance to explore tidepools.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEik1tLCJkoe0OfTMQ83IyIGetuWgFE2C3wBzEXYcQqAHbtkh1u2L-8W-1cTXVyJnMYlP1aIVHY6fi576UZ-veATE4695Ld99d8XVomWLcKGmiPg2niukEq5zLCdWn6d9J2NTfNTn-OGggw/s1600/monarch-butterfly_630_600x450.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEik1tLCJkoe0OfTMQ83IyIGetuWgFE2C3wBzEXYcQqAHbtkh1u2L-8W-1cTXVyJnMYlP1aIVHY6fi576UZ-veATE4695Ld99d8XVomWLcKGmiPg2niukEq5zLCdWn6d9J2NTfNTn-OGggw/s400/monarch-butterfly_630_600x450.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">FROGMOM’S WRITING PROCESS<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWlnDJMV82bKATDcCckD7J7zdbZKpzyRqvWUrN7_4kYqJXMNN38PPaplrMKraaomzkqXBoK-A6T6TDPKoqpJhXiWAZDbmELRGhlExDMGcTrahO0ji7zUjSHgIll9DLl3QrkDseUjtPEak/s1600/Laure_after_Alcatraz.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWlnDJMV82bKATDcCckD7J7zdbZKpzyRqvWUrN7_4kYqJXMNN38PPaplrMKraaomzkqXBoK-A6T6TDPKoqpJhXiWAZDbmELRGhlExDMGcTrahO0ji7zUjSHgIll9DLl3QrkDseUjtPEak/s200/Laure_after_Alcatraz.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Yes, this is Laure Latham! :-)</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">One day in early
2010 an editor from The Mountaineers Books contacted Laure because of her blog,
Frogmom, which is about kids, creativity, and the outdoors. The editor asked
her to write this book, proving that writing about what you love, even through
a blog, could give you some awesome cerebral adventures. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">Laure created
three rules to guide her research and writing:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">"First,
I wanted my book to be fair to each county and represent the diversity of the
Bay Area wherever you lived – not just for San Francisco families. That way,
you could take the book with you on a day trip to Sonoma or a day trip to Santa
Cruz and still find stuff to do. That meant popular Marin hikes would not be
included but people would be able to discover the green side of Napa or Solano.<o:p></o:p></span></i><br />
<i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">"Second, I wanted to include
sightseeing and nature facts sidebars because I love to combine trails and
travel. Seemed like seasonal events would be cool additions too. <o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">"Third and last, I wanted
each hike to have specific kid appeal – animal farm, cool nature fact, animal
migrations, historic buildings, famous children’s books locations, shipwrecks,
native American way of life, etc."<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfMayKBKGy890IVfKlG6OyODoCCR_Vp-znAAUSBX1-nnMib0-EFTpIxY7d0DuDHv1cOPZbL3twMeqVXObS4E8TOa1YgRXG465Yf_WI9BeyZflj2KJRSfklBomOEcPApeTV90iNaTM26Jo/s1600/IMG_0011.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfMayKBKGy890IVfKlG6OyODoCCR_Vp-znAAUSBX1-nnMib0-EFTpIxY7d0DuDHv1cOPZbL3twMeqVXObS4E8TOa1YgRXG465Yf_WI9BeyZflj2KJRSfklBomOEcPApeTV90iNaTM26Jo/s320/IMG_0011.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Laure and her book! (credit: frogmom.com)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">Nine months
later Laure basically gave birth to a manuscript (lol) after having walked 400
miles and 110 hikes. She submitted it to The Mountaineers Books, and it rolled
out onto bookstore shelves nearly a year later. You can read Laure’s story
here:
<a href="http://frogmom.com/2011/09/best-hikes-with-kids-san-francisco-bay-area-my-book-is-out/">http://frogmom.com/2011/09/best-hikes-with-kids-san-francisco-bay-area-my-book-is-out/</a><o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
And better yet, because the written word on printed page shall never die or go out of style, <b>Best Hikes with Kids: San Francisco Bay Area</b> is available and fully able to be stashed in the glove compartment of your minivan, in your baby's diaper bag, or in the undercarriage basket of your stroller. </div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00825805298441185986noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8060918298753337118.post-39351217617262249442013-08-18T22:57:00.001-07:002013-08-30T20:49:32.019-07:00Big Break Regional Shoreline--the Delta up close<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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We escaped the cold summer fog of San Francisco to the delta
of the San Joaquin and Sacramento rivers, where days are longer and less
cloudy, and Mount Diablo rises in the near background, golden brown and taller
than anything else. We headed for the water, and when we were an hour away from San Francisco, we found ourselves at <b>Big Break Regional Shoreline.</b><br />
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<br />
Once upon a time, about a century ago, asparagus grew here. In 1928 the levee between Dutch Slough and the San Joaquin River broke and the asparagus farm flooded. Thus, Big Break was born.<br />
<br />
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<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9V2hAxbcGNwL2fRrnxolVVhSpL3heaDu6T9calQV5oa1chMjYg9CF3sgOw3LqtCD5y2p_c5EzqT74A1bIuxhj6INhoSc-75djrex9K5SUyOvOujYopWKtgIDV9aTtAmI_GNls1YQY3Jw/s1600/4142925258_f0b965def9_m.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9V2hAxbcGNwL2fRrnxolVVhSpL3heaDu6T9calQV5oa1chMjYg9CF3sgOw3LqtCD5y2p_c5EzqT74A1bIuxhj6INhoSc-75djrex9K5SUyOvOujYopWKtgIDV9aTtAmI_GNls1YQY3Jw/s1600/4142925258_f0b965def9_m.jpg" style="cursor: move;" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Common yellowthroat (Jerry Ting on flickr)</span></td></tr>
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<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/WbrjRKB586s?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe><br />
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The salty water from the Pacific mixes here with the fresh water coming off from the Sierras, a combination that is particularly tasty for plants and animals. As well, Big Break is a resting place for migratory birds.<br />
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">The Baby and Kid
Factor<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5nKN42kL_-2L-eFYYkbF-Q0Xex9uqxuk2gNCobIFV5J3LygLoL5-hnv2DolWtu1JA78TPGDL9HyesqGzynsjnTCijw1l9Tc7Q3QMWBM4gIdfrcowBKKwu4mh7h-2vhbLN9i_d2hWSCOI/s1600/Big_Break_Short_Loop_mapFLAT.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="275" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5nKN42kL_-2L-eFYYkbF-Q0Xex9uqxuk2gNCobIFV5J3LygLoL5-hnv2DolWtu1JA78TPGDL9HyesqGzynsjnTCijw1l9Tc7Q3QMWBM4gIdfrcowBKKwu4mh7h-2vhbLN9i_d2hWSCOI/s320/Big_Break_Short_Loop_mapFLAT.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
Big Break
was a great place to bring two newborns in a stroller
and one four year old who walked alongside. <br />
<br />
The <b>"Delta Discovery Experience"</b> is a half-mile trail (the red trail in the map to the right). With a visitor center, bathrooms, barbecues, grassy areas, a small amphitheater, shaded sandpit, and drinking water nearby, this area is a great place to sit back with a baby, picnic, and relax.</div>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">Observation Pier <o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsQw7seNjRKfeA48VJdZxcEEBszNxAiPst8DHfyKPc0q5lTvJwssV5o3-Ce0UU9XVuZmE8aEdrVi5hpgVWBHgnH-WN40gsPO59z4oHZ1RypqCEEK63RUGktiuSb1Y41_57M1E82nRuzoI/s1600/IMG_20130810_134330.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsQw7seNjRKfeA48VJdZxcEEBszNxAiPst8DHfyKPc0q5lTvJwssV5o3-Ce0UU9XVuZmE8aEdrVi5hpgVWBHgnH-WN40gsPO59z4oHZ1RypqCEEK63RUGktiuSb1Y41_57M1E82nRuzoI/s320/IMG_20130810_134330.jpg" width="320" /></a>We rested on an observation pier that jutted 100 feet into the marsh, our faces in
the breeze as we looked over the railing at all the hundreds of baby fish
swimming in the shallow water. Birds sang in the cottonwoods growing along the shoreline. Tule weeds waved. Rusty farm equipment jutted like enormous sculptures from the bushes. High, thin clouds moved overhead. The babies slept in their stroller, and the big four-year-old didn't want to leave. <b>Being here </b><b>was the best part of our experience at Big Break. </b><br />
<b><br /></b>
<br />
If you're lucky you might see a river otter here, as one visitor told us. On our visit we saw lots of birds and tiny fish. If you had a canoe or kayak, you could launch from here. You could fish from here with a license (though I don't recommend eating the bass and catfish you can catch here, but then again what do I know?). If you just want to cool down your little piggies, there's some steps leading down to the cool green water (though the water's not meant for swimming, sadly). <o:p></o:p><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhItwj8h86zRMXi-gkLISSKmWWyoAVnexpztTxRyWovGaZwnnV8ko58HVx1cpqY5UrQKQq-BOQ4rS_5pAxij6tJUNwJYqKshvWZKMn_jGgJAgZ1DPkOxXr5nJnPPNOVxhlchUVnPxX1BFs/s1600/White-Catfish.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="112" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhItwj8h86zRMXi-gkLISSKmWWyoAVnexpztTxRyWovGaZwnnV8ko58HVx1cpqY5UrQKQq-BOQ4rS_5pAxij6tJUNwJYqKshvWZKMn_jGgJAgZ1DPkOxXr5nJnPPNOVxhlchUVnPxX1BFs/s320/White-Catfish.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">White Catfish</td></tr>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">Delta Map<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWp3XlnB3g0yvx5P0kwDBpHZYGHGm6Vrg-qkn2KsPEv71iSKSBAppsPoDvd1nE9J66He0awhNxOH8FrKYrxOrTAn51r02snPgzhyX5EiVNxWJF0yaEE26nEcbZUF9NowsRniG6a3jdF5Y/s1600/IMG_20130810_135232.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWp3XlnB3g0yvx5P0kwDBpHZYGHGm6Vrg-qkn2KsPEv71iSKSBAppsPoDvd1nE9J66He0awhNxOH8FrKYrxOrTAn51r02snPgzhyX5EiVNxWJF0yaEE26nEcbZUF9NowsRniG6a3jdF5Y/s200/IMG_20130810_135232.jpg" width="150" /></a></div>
One of the coolest man-made features of this park, and
located right by the observation pier, was a huge three-dimensional map of the
Delta region (I’m talking 1,200 square foot—that’s the size of my house!). It
showed all the twisting waterways, the serpentine rivers, the cities and towns.
My oldest daughter could stand on the top of Mount Diablo, and then stomp
across the rolling hills and into Antioch like a giant. The map gave a great
perspective on how much moving water courses through this area, and the general
lay of the land. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">Delta Visitor Center <o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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The <b>Delta Visitor Center </b>here is the first of its kind, meaning it focuses on the flora, fauna, and history of the Delta. It has all the basic amenities, plus taxidermy and a floor-to-ceiling mural in the back room of all the Delta critters: birds, rivers otters, muskrats, beavers, garter snakes, and western pond turtles. Keep in mind it's only open on the weekends.<br />
<br />
The Delta Visitor Center runs all sorts of <b>free kids’ programs on the weekends </b>(Saturdays from 11-noon, Sundays from 2-3 pm). When we visited they had upcoming events like “Macro Invertebrate Mayhem,” “Critter Clues: Tracks,” “Our Wonderful Water Cycle,” and “Ravenous Raptors.” Also on the weekend from 9-10 visitors with kids are invited to learn how to do water testing to track the water quality of the Delta—pretty cool stuff! You can call <b>(510) 544-3050</b> for more info.</div>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">Bicycling</span></b><o:p></o:p></div>
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Though I didn’t have the chance to bicycle around, you can
bicycle <b>Big Break Trail<i>, </i></b>3 miles of paved trail running
along the shoreline, going a little inland here and there, and eventually
connecting with the Marsh Creek Regional Trail. I think you can keep on going,
if you’re game, all the way through Oakley and Brentwood to the Delta de Anza
Regional Trail. If the trails are anything like Big Break, they’re flat. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidEvRqPZUrVhAdq-tlMtMgKgZx2_ePQSA7roMEXr77LjUz9cMZdMZcbVAW0kV6Gpe2jbStHJNODmaWePmaEbGXPdL-TmbKs2xGbn_cT7VFQ60jatXBDMa9twCQjoz7S06A40ewqY_J9s0/s1600/3644509481_9ceefde12c.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidEvRqPZUrVhAdq-tlMtMgKgZx2_ePQSA7roMEXr77LjUz9cMZdMZcbVAW0kV6Gpe2jbStHJNODmaWePmaEbGXPdL-TmbKs2xGbn_cT7VFQ60jatXBDMa9twCQjoz7S06A40ewqY_J9s0/s200/3644509481_9ceefde12c.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Credit: kqed.org</span></td></tr>
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<b><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Directions</span><o:p></o:p></span></b><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"></span><br />
<div class="name lname" id="link_A_2" style="background-color: white; display: inline; margin: 0px 0px 0.1em; padding: 3px 0px 0px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span class="pp-place-title" style="color: #1155cc; cursor: pointer; line-height: 1.2em; margin-bottom: 2px; margin-right: 5px; margin-top: 2px;"><b>Big</b> <b>Break</b> <b>Regional</b> <b>Shoreline</b></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: white; text-align: -webkit-auto;"></span></span><br />
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</div>
<span class="pp-headline-item pp-headline-address" style="display: inline; margin-bottom: 1px;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">69 Big Break Rd, Oakley, CA </span></span><br />
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</div>
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span class="pp-headline-item pp-headline-phone" style="display: inline;"><span class="telephone"><nobr>(510) 544-3050</nobr> </span> </span>· <span class="pp-headline-item pp-headline-authority-page" style="display: inline;"><a href="http://maps.google.com/local_url?dq=big+break+regional+shoreline&q=http://www.ebparks.org/parks/big_break&ved=0CA8Q5AQ&sa=X&ei=TL0PUo7dC8mZiAK2w4DgBA&s=ANYYN7kEaEN956c-YFFQdvc4VoSGvfbVrA" style="color: #1155cc; outline: none; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">ebparks.org</a></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>Car</b>: From Highway 4 in Antioch/Oakley, take Highway 160 north,
exiting at IA east. Right on Main Street. Left on Big Break </span>Road. Right turn at
the sign for <b>Big Break Regional Park. </b> <o:p></o:p><br />
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<b>Bus</b>: Take Tri Delta Transit #300 to Vintage Parkway and Big
Break Road, and walk to the park. <a href="http://www.trideltatransit.com/">www.trideltatransit.com</a>
<o:p></o:p></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiG1G9cQk5UpxcJ95stIGOllgzVX_WCNHcz6KVzoPaDnuDuHeUL35G2HaB4m_YDnL81YN0Q7OX_y0K9SeS3WJLK5b1OG-z0XAzGZs10QaJInWiMS85Rb43GuJtNxCXpSGOaqhITgvejflk/s1600/I0GK_RP_Big_Break_Dawn.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiG1G9cQk5UpxcJ95stIGOllgzVX_WCNHcz6KVzoPaDnuDuHeUL35G2HaB4m_YDnL81YN0Q7OX_y0K9SeS3WJLK5b1OG-z0XAzGZs10QaJInWiMS85Rb43GuJtNxCXpSGOaqhITgvejflk/s200/I0GK_RP_Big_Break_Dawn.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">"Big Break at Dawn" (thepress.net)</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">Relevant Links</span></b><br />
<br />
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li>Exploring Big Break Regional Shoreline / QUEST KQED: <a href="http://science.kqed.org/quest/science-hike/big-break-regional-shoreline-exploration/">http://science.kqed.org/quest/science-hike/big-break-regional-shoreline-exploration/</a></li>
<li>East Bay Regional Park District: <a href="http://www.ebparks.org/parks/big_break">http://www.ebparks.org/parks/big_break</a></li>
<li>Pacific Flyway Council--Migratory Bird Management: <a href="http://pacificflyway.gov/">http://pacificflyway.gov</a></li>
</ul>
<br />
<b style="font-size: x-large;">Big Break Map </b>(click to enlarge)</div>
<iframe frameborder="0" height="350" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="https://maps.google.com/maps?client=safari&oe=UTF-8&ie=UTF8&q=big+break+regional+shoreline&fb=1&gl=us&hq=big+break+regional+shoreline&hnear=0x80859a6d00690021:0x4a501367f076adff,San+Francisco,+CA&cid=0,0,6277696021186474408&ll=38.009005,-121.731974&spn=0.006295,0.006295&t=h&output=embed" width="425"></iframe><br />
<br />
<small><a href="https://maps.google.com/maps?client=safari&oe=UTF-8&ie=UTF8&q=big+break+regional+shoreline&fb=1&gl=us&hq=big+break+regional+shoreline&hnear=0x80859a6d00690021:0x4a501367f076adff,San+Francisco,+CA&cid=0,0,6277696021186474408&ll=38.009005,-121.731974&spn=0.006295,0.006295&t=h&source=embed" style="color: blue; text-align: left;">View Larger Map</a></small><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEPqH6-MyMP1NcKZeI-NrhIKfVKjfXheqmRPO2KL2odGuhmL2J2FnDu9Q-CavQaYca_3mKyKzyqp82_h_eFPRngzdD0rTWA34Hie2WEH2V6d5-WOExFIXzZx0uKie-RLpk12TgOyaSWio/s1600/IMG_20130810_133356.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEPqH6-MyMP1NcKZeI-NrhIKfVKjfXheqmRPO2KL2odGuhmL2J2FnDu9Q-CavQaYca_3mKyKzyqp82_h_eFPRngzdD0rTWA34Hie2WEH2V6d5-WOExFIXzZx0uKie-RLpk12TgOyaSWio/s640/IMG_20130810_133356.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00825805298441185986noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8060918298753337118.post-40211826981093672622013-08-01T12:53:00.004-07:002013-08-01T12:53:36.055-07:00Hill Babies Nominated for Top Mom Blog in Northern California<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.circleofmoms.com//top25/Top-25-NorCal-Moms-2013?trk=t25_Top-25-NorCal-Moms-2013" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank" title="Circle of Moms Top 25 NorCal Moms - 2013 - Vote for me!"><img height="200" src="http://images3.circleofmoms.com/images/26601/moms/link_badge.png" title="Circle of Moms Top 25 NorCal Moms - 2013 - Vote for me!" width="200" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">It's nice to think that this blog--begun as a nonchalant side-project as I was getting my MFA in creative writing from SFSU a couple years ago---is gettin' some recognition. Circle of Moms, a parenting website with 6 million in their audience, nominated Hill Babies for "Top 25 NorCal Moms 2013". That's nice. Unexpected. The trick is, you gotta get votes---anyone can vote, once a day until August 13th, every day if someone likes. This is all I'm gonna write about this. Hill Babies is like #29 (last I looked) in a long list of "mom blogs". </span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: red; font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">To vote Hill Babies in the 2013 Top NorCal Mom Blog contest: </span><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><a href="http://www.circleofmoms.com/top25/Top-25-NorCal-Moms-2013?trk=t25_Top-25-NorCal-Moms-2013" style="font-weight: bold;" target="_blank">Click here</a><b> </b>or go to </span></span><span style="color: red; font-size: large;"><b><u><a href="http://www.circleofmoms.com/top25/Top-25-NorCal-Moms-2013">http://www.circleofmoms.com/top25/Top-25-NorCal-Moms-2013</a></u></b></span>. <span style="color: red; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">No registration, baloney, spam, etc. Just a clickity clack click.</span><br />
<span style="color: red; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">If you wanna vote for Hill Babies, that's great. If not, that's great too. See you on some trail one of these days. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">xo Jess</span><span style="color: red; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00825805298441185986noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8060918298753337118.post-71357258735654592332013-07-27T14:13:00.001-07:002013-07-27T14:13:35.655-07:00Book Review! Fed Up With Frenzy: Slow Parenting in a Fast-Moving World<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .25in;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsC71eOyewMw4WDl2dVgmGBKLrgwcRn8WV58r4rrxzeiqh-rE5QjK3N_L9k7V7xOE627o2q_w5MHLy0WqmyYQXEPh3N8N7kg2iUbp_ua-EsJSP_JfbnNNRrkucjOWAoa3pKA4tzDMvX_k/s1600/Unknown-1.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsC71eOyewMw4WDl2dVgmGBKLrgwcRn8WV58r4rrxzeiqh-rE5QjK3N_L9k7V7xOE627o2q_w5MHLy0WqmyYQXEPh3N8N7kg2iUbp_ua-EsJSP_JfbnNNRrkucjOWAoa3pKA4tzDMvX_k/s400/Unknown-1.jpeg" width="245" /></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"><b><span style="font-size: large;"><i>Fed
Up With Frenzy: </i></span></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"><b><span style="font-size: large;"><i>Slow Parenting in a Fast Moving World</i></span></b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"><b><span style="font-size: large;">by
Susan Sachs Lipman</span></b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"><b>Copyright</b>:
2012<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"><b>Publisher</b>:
Sourcebooks<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"><b>General
Subject Matter</b>: Parenting<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"><b>Susan’s
blog</b>: <a href="http://www.slowfamilyonline.com/">www.slowfamilyonline.com</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">One
evening during a monthly meeting at my daughter’s nursery school, author and
blogger Susan Sachs Lipman visited to talk about “slow parenting.” I had little
expectations. I was pregnant and tired, and honestly I just wanted to go home.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .25in;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilYduJ-onNMOLZyE1WFc6HqOw3IE69ddTxh7FkHLEV5S8BjJ6m5KWMHuREsBQng9QKdRzpPNYb4hFoX_cPTdI6J6EUlLdMQG96i57VOz84xQUugpsabC9DVpoWm3nziFJS1pfKAFyYvOQ/s1600/Unknown.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilYduJ-onNMOLZyE1WFc6HqOw3IE69ddTxh7FkHLEV5S8BjJ6m5KWMHuREsBQng9QKdRzpPNYb4hFoX_cPTdI6J6EUlLdMQG96i57VOz84xQUugpsabC9DVpoWm3nziFJS1pfKAFyYvOQ/s200/Unknown.jpeg" style="cursor: move;" width="150" /></a><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">As
Suz (as she calls herself) talked, her laughter and non-judgmental attitude
woke me and piqued my curiosity. She wrote </span><i style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Fed
Up With Frenzy: Slow Parenting in a Fast Moving World</i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">, the product of a
seventeen-year quest for quality time with her daughter</span><i style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">. </i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">I found myself sitting up, raising my hand, participating in the
discussion, and most of all excited for tomorrow when I could spend more time
with my three-year-old daughter.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">In
a few weeks I read Suz’s book, marked pages with stars, underlined sentences,
and found myself incredibly inspired. The ideas in the book could be used with
kids of all ages, and should be required reading for all caregivers, including parents,
babysitters, grandparents, teachers, aunts and uncles.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"><b><span style="font-size: large;">Topics
Covered in </span></b><i><b><span style="font-size: large;">Fed up With Frenzy</span></b><o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">Suz’s
book is organized with an introduction straddling anecdote and research, eleven
chapters, and a 15-page resource list. The chapters are the meat and potatoes with
a score of ideas in each:</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .25in;">
</div>
<ul style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOJku22nA4mf2AqvNB6cJAMos4-Tby2DkIJVrMAhXqZYLNTvGV_rj5MmXNNLf3CfpgH7GH_o7gRnpOK4EbSAk7RnTSMGRT2Oh9DOnTx3Wpwz8BfVFOGaB4K77Vzx85Y4B2x25443v_Nnw/s1600/IMG_20120601_170033.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOJku22nA4mf2AqvNB6cJAMos4-Tby2DkIJVrMAhXqZYLNTvGV_rj5MmXNNLf3CfpgH7GH_o7gRnpOK4EbSAk7RnTSMGRT2Oh9DOnTx3Wpwz8BfVFOGaB4K77Vzx85Y4B2x25443v_Nnw/s200/IMG_20120601_170033.jpg" width="200" /></a>
<li><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Slow
Activities (i.e. </span><i style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Show an Outdoors Movie</i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">,
</span><i style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Make Something That Goes</i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Slow
Games (i.e. </span><i style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Tag games, Icebreaker Games</i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Slow
Crafts (i.e. </span><i style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Classical Scout Craft,
Slumber-Party Crafts</i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Slow
Kitchen (i.e. </span><i style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Tea Time, Preserved Food</i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Slow
Garden (i.e. </span><i style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Welcome Wildlife, Dry
Flowers and Herbs</i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Slow
Nature (i.e. </span><i style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Cloud Race, Pinecone Folk</i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Slow
Seasons (i.e. </span><i style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Celebrate Spring, Welcome
Winter</i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Slow
Celebrations (i.e. </span><i style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Crafts and Rituals for
Special Times</i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Slow
Travel (i.e. </span><i style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Travel Games</i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Everyday
Slow (i.e. </span><i style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Mealtime Blessings</i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Slow
Parenting (i.e. </span><i style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Create Joy</i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">)</span></li>
</ul>
<div>
</div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>My
Favorite Chapters<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">Being
an outdoorsy person, I focused first on reading the chapters about gardening,
nature, seasons, and celebrations. Most of what I read was new to me, and that
which wasn’t was a reminder of great things to do with my kid. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYgEnjwwfWA6Y3Bblr1_jWmWGgOfS-67-wj_d6MbFLrmVeFwJVNEmXC44cJEnpw_54Ew1f3KNUiLXZ_w8B97YjO6U3p7Wz_DaNYWtvWp7A8mnjS9koPJ2yIQFGSXEExHa07PXNfcbhoi0/s1600/IMG_2235.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="149" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYgEnjwwfWA6Y3Bblr1_jWmWGgOfS-67-wj_d6MbFLrmVeFwJVNEmXC44cJEnpw_54Ew1f3KNUiLXZ_w8B97YjO6U3p7Wz_DaNYWtvWp7A8mnjS9koPJ2yIQFGSXEExHa07PXNfcbhoi0/s200/IMG_2235.JPG" width="200" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"><b>The
“Slow Garden” Chapter<o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">One
of the most important lessons in this chapter is that you don’t need much space
to have a garden. Suz raised her daughter in an apartment and gardened on a
shady balcony, so she did a lot of vertical gardening (i.e. peas). She lists
plants well suited for kids (i.e. lamb’s ears with their fuzzy tactility) and
ideas that would charm any age child (i.e. growing a sunflower house). Suz’s ideas
would be pure magic for a child, especially for a kid living in an apartment
with only a pot of dirt to start with. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 3.0pt;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOJku22nA4mf2AqvNB6cJAMos4-Tby2DkIJVrMAhXqZYLNTvGV_rj5MmXNNLf3CfpgH7GH_o7gRnpOK4EbSAk7RnTSMGRT2Oh9DOnTx3Wpwz8BfVFOGaB4K77Vzx85Y4B2x25443v_Nnw/s1600/IMG_20120601_170033.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><br /></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"><b>The
“Slow Nature” Chapter<o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .25in;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjCuutFkziYMpI9plky5sPveK8HL7jENV7Jb3HgjijDB95oA5_pnPhajcJczYhhrlROuKo7twkX7R7Cdh26M7cMIg5XNtkc4AhHCo9pd2FWxiZ8Lz8RS-Eyhur-n0yk0kgsfhEsyAj9No/s1600/images.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjCuutFkziYMpI9plky5sPveK8HL7jENV7Jb3HgjijDB95oA5_pnPhajcJczYhhrlROuKo7twkX7R7Cdh26M7cMIg5XNtkc4AhHCo9pd2FWxiZ8Lz8RS-Eyhur-n0yk0kgsfhEsyAj9No/s200/images.jpeg" width="132" /></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">This chapter is the love child of Joseph Cornell’s <i>Sharing Nature with Children, </i>a classic with outdoor games for kids, and Richard Louv’s <i>Last Child in the Woods</i>, a research-based book about “nature-deficit disorder” in modern kids. Suz’s Girl Scout
Leader experience shines through here<i>. </i>One of her clever ideas is “Nature Bracelets” where you turn a
piece of masking tape inside-out, fasten it around a child’s wrist, and stick
outdoor detritus on it. For older kids, her “Web of Life” activity with a ball
of yarn would teach interconnectedness while being fun and fast-moving. A couple other great ideas are making “leaf prints,” or an easy flower
press or a loom fashioned out of twigs, or keeping a “Moon Diary,” which struck
me as particularly important since I live in the city and am sadly unaware of moon
and stars much of the time.</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUGI27r8SizacKS4ULxiTVAn6tiv0KbRV8oB1CbX-GV73EUjEoz6DQWk-4FjjNhieK2BAGniMutTa27dQfZXngvgNa_HgZdzFzafwr-YZ3fXtdzDucD_JXpR8tzh_cW8qNhBIqQqpqCiw/s1600/Four-Seasons.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUGI27r8SizacKS4ULxiTVAn6tiv0KbRV8oB1CbX-GV73EUjEoz6DQWk-4FjjNhieK2BAGniMutTa27dQfZXngvgNa_HgZdzFzafwr-YZ3fXtdzDucD_JXpR8tzh_cW8qNhBIqQqpqCiw/s200/Four-Seasons.jpeg" width="200" /></a></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"><b>The
“Slow Seasons” Chapter<o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">Suz
reveres the earth and the passage of time. She is aware of equinoxes and
solstices, and encourages the celebration of these occasions. I’m impressed with
her historical references and nod to ancestral traditions, even pagan ones
(i.e. “Do a Solstice Spiral Dance”).</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">One
great idea is to celebrate the summer solstice: “We traditionally mark the
longest day, the summer solstice, at a community wide event on the beach. We
enjoy a bonfire, nature storytelling and campfire songs, and a ritual walk
around the fire, holding stalks of sweet flowers and herbs, and then throwing
them into the fire, both to greet the new season and to let go of things that
no longer serve us.” I can’t imagine a kid who wouldn’t find that to be a
fabulous party, and with its minimal cost and cleanup, what parent wouldn’t be
onboard as well?</span></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheif9JLTYbzPNeu-Lx7oNCzb08fVbxgQUqZkW49uYuQ7LFSJgSE6DKYqLBmC78PcDX-s3-K-KDU1oc98Yst-1c_2JHXYohtcioCekn8AHUarF_HdYDGG_hE8Gsx4zwlkeGiQmmyNmkU3M/s1600/Maypole2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheif9JLTYbzPNeu-Lx7oNCzb08fVbxgQUqZkW49uYuQ7LFSJgSE6DKYqLBmC78PcDX-s3-K-KDU1oc98Yst-1c_2JHXYohtcioCekn8AHUarF_HdYDGG_hE8Gsx4zwlkeGiQmmyNmkU3M/s200/Maypole2.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Credit: 2bp.blogspot.com</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"><b>The
“Slow Celebrations” Chapter<o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">Suz’s
“Slow Celebrations” chapter has great ideas for birthdays, baby showers, and
rites of passage. She believes in acknowledging the rite of passage into
adolescence, which is often forgotten in our society. </span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Some
of the ideas that I liked included making a throne for someone, creating a
“wishing jar,” making a marbled-paper journal, and creating family trees,
particularly for children who are adopted, marking their tree with the names of
everyone they love and who loves them back.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"><b><span style="font-size: large;">Conclusion</span></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Slow
parenting is for anyone, and how much you slow down is up to you. Suz Lipman started with six minutes
a day. How you envision slow parenting is up to you, Suz’s message is, and what
she does is unfold a universe of ideas and possibilities. Among the dozens,
there are bound to be gems that you’ll love. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><br /></span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00825805298441185986noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8060918298753337118.post-57031829813361338752013-07-14T15:32:00.003-07:002013-09-20T15:02:00.142-07:00Wild Things and New Babies<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtVTaJSZ92WuHp-9TxFEtXDA4YnbyqMFlruv-cJSgQa1qBW1nMR3B9SIaCSNyUf6NcXTNsnU4wV-bBFpg9CplMs8om93y_ALh6oJfyePXibWyBkD7CMqPSdQeHn1yRqLpEQ-0cOGhy6N0/s1600/IMG_4255.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="296" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtVTaJSZ92WuHp-9TxFEtXDA4YnbyqMFlruv-cJSgQa1qBW1nMR3B9SIaCSNyUf6NcXTNsnU4wV-bBFpg9CplMs8om93y_ALh6oJfyePXibWyBkD7CMqPSdQeHn1yRqLpEQ-0cOGhy6N0/s400/IMG_4255.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px;">Zoe and Calliope Hahn-Taylor</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">On May 10<sup>th</sup> of this year, 2013, at 11 and 11:01
AM, I gave birth to identical baby girls, Zoe and Calliope, in a hospital on a
hill in San Francisco. They came at 33 weeks gestational age. </span><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">Calliope was 3 pounds, 8 ounces, and Zoe was 4 pounds, 15 ounces.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFMWb9JBddJT9zMWmM_sVdsTXucsTp2Fr5FAHqo7hbhV-cYmaBrZGmFVk7JYkv3iIU_FM2b8650CtSEPNnZ64yA147-Z2_M0Njk5qXmfIXbjFHL1W97R190j7kR3_t5BBjjZ6T5PoqsUg/s1600/wendell_berry-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFMWb9JBddJT9zMWmM_sVdsTXucsTp2Fr5FAHqo7hbhV-cYmaBrZGmFVk7JYkv3iIU_FM2b8650CtSEPNnZ64yA147-Z2_M0Njk5qXmfIXbjFHL1W97R190j7kR3_t5BBjjZ6T5PoqsUg/s200/wendell_berry-1.jpg" width="166" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">(pic credit: rabbitroom.com)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">The operating room looked onto a eucalyptus forest swaying
in the wind, an image which calmed me before the unanticipated c-section. I
think of a Wendell Berry poem called “The Peace of Wild Things.” The poem
begins: “When despair for the world grows in me / and I wake in the night at the
least sound / in fear of what my life and my children’s lives may be... / I go and
lie down where the wood drake / rests…” </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">The sight of trees swaying in the wind,
the hill of Mount Sutro, the blue sky and tendrils of fog, and the absence of
buildings in the distance, gave me something to hang hope onto. Everything
would be fine--the eternal nature of wildlife assured me.</span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizgqQZypNVxM6fCpljKlHP7JATjczVhJjVuSN0gY-CkuFppvYnWIUWVYrBzgCPEZPe5OhIE4c_OkSDlKYKkZaR7JLKugaT6Ye1JDcPRu4oiki0AQ2t_ykiRAhsTzkTRmHLH-BKKIhTVL8/s1600/mount-sutro-forest-and-cloudscape.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="203" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizgqQZypNVxM6fCpljKlHP7JATjczVhJjVuSN0gY-CkuFppvYnWIUWVYrBzgCPEZPe5OhIE4c_OkSDlKYKkZaR7JLKugaT6Ye1JDcPRu4oiki0AQ2t_ykiRAhsTzkTRmHLH-BKKIhTVL8/s400/mount-sutro-forest-and-cloudscape.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sutro Forest (photo credit: sutroforest.com)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">*</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Thirty-eight years ago I was born on a renovated World War
Two tanker, <i>Olive Oyl</i>, to hippie parents. My mom
smoked Benson and Hedges while my dad popped aspirin
and read a midwifery manuals, and here I am. It made for a good story. A lucky and adventurous story, the kind I wished on my own children. </span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxZCON_dxcYr9lGD6aB7qvoil6R-fzigOIKUH7lpyj2gqsInDH5chrsDgObdN9cLCqIDAPOwt2RBSrddWZV3TXldUnw3Bn93y9Iq8xWyuzSxsaA_wuSS9SO2TiICP_JoPxUfebl41_KcQ/s1600/dad+olive+oyl.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="224" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxZCON_dxcYr9lGD6aB7qvoil6R-fzigOIKUH7lpyj2gqsInDH5chrsDgObdN9cLCqIDAPOwt2RBSrddWZV3TXldUnw3Bn93y9Iq8xWyuzSxsaA_wuSS9SO2TiICP_JoPxUfebl41_KcQ/s640/dad+olive+oyl.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">On the Olive Oyl with my parents</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">My mom told me after Genevieve was born--and Genevieve's birth plan had gone all awry with an emergency c-section--that "your birth story doesn't matter; what matters is what comes after." </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<o:p><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"> </span></o:p><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large; text-align: center;">*</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px;"><span style="text-align: left;">Touching Calliope for the first time outside the womb. </span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Nothing could prepare me for the surrealism of the </span><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">Neonatal Intensive Care Unit</span><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">:
tiny babies laced with wires and tubes lying in plastic “isolettes”. Breathing gear
that looked like miniature elephant trunks. Bright orange nasal-gastric feeding
tubes. Pads on bare skin. IVs with needles as big as baby veins stuck into
delicate hands. Gauze with drops of baby blood. Bleeping monitors measuring
heart rate, respiration, and oxygenation. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5wPg-y5IrV2w13Lxa7A3xLDWhNvFcyyB195VsYxQIWmACH6QLsM7vLamTJ89Kbr5mWBVMSFZkGoCd4-SySui8XXiq-yiE-f1JJZPkyQ2tu60855IiNvou92m42htKT402EhBmMZOEcD0/s1600/P1040428.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5wPg-y5IrV2w13Lxa7A3xLDWhNvFcyyB195VsYxQIWmACH6QLsM7vLamTJ89Kbr5mWBVMSFZkGoCd4-SySui8XXiq-yiE-f1JJZPkyQ2tu60855IiNvou92m42htKT402EhBmMZOEcD0/s320/P1040428.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px;">Marshall holding Zoe for the first time.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">“Why are you crying?” the nurse gently asked me after I'd been wheeled into the NICU where my girls lay in separate boxes, but I only looked at her. Wasn’t it obvious?</span><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">I appreciate to the core of my being all the help my
daughters received in the hospital, though I wasn’t able to hold them right
after they were born. I look at the ludicrous hospital bill—approximately
$380,000 per child—and am grateful for insurance, though in order to get that
insurance my husband works a job that ultimately dissatisfies him with the long hours, commute, and time spent sitting in front of a computer.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-pb2vb7xPvSzAfalL4UCQDKOtB9SXmL-32Dr1Z2qp1TxygojsRIHdm3yGKoobe0glyHm0bqAZ5T3NKxH61WsBS9I7YWb3MBjdic41ISt79hAJjY1WFEQw6psf5lRtNoOEht7iA7if2tA/s1600/IMG_4298.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-pb2vb7xPvSzAfalL4UCQDKOtB9SXmL-32Dr1Z2qp1TxygojsRIHdm3yGKoobe0glyHm0bqAZ5T3NKxH61WsBS9I7YWb3MBjdic41ISt79hAJjY1WFEQw6psf5lRtNoOEht7iA7if2tA/s200/IMG_4298.jpg" width="149" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px;">Zoe's first smile.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">The best things in life are being around people I love, and
being outdoors among trees or meadows, on beaches or mountains, any place far
from traffic and sidewalks, cars and stores. In the three weeks the babies were
in the NICU, my days and nights melded into one. Though we didn't have walks in the woods, we found moments of family unity.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">My firstborn daughter, three and a half year
old Genevieve, was understandable upset about the lack of attention in her life while her sisters were in the hospital, but she’d ask me frequently, “Would
you draw me a picture of Mommy, Daddy, Genevieve, and the babies?” After a
pause, she’d add: “And a pond with a duck in it, and a rainbow.” Her sense of
hope and despair was much like mine.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8h1Q0tNnN7Jf7RMaOM3FZBMXC3K6_c3JhnfdW4LZX_BgV3zJNu_bGhgH973BLd1osOm52OLl8XHVR9L_KSn7DECx13W0BAhDmskdFJ5UgGuHy_NdldhCRS0tde9ZWayqqflAze0qakis/s1600/P1040453.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8h1Q0tNnN7Jf7RMaOM3FZBMXC3K6_c3JhnfdW4LZX_BgV3zJNu_bGhgH973BLd1osOm52OLl8XHVR9L_KSn7DECx13W0BAhDmskdFJ5UgGuHy_NdldhCRS0tde9ZWayqqflAze0qakis/s400/P1040453.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px;">A friend doing reiki on Calliope during phototherapy in the NICU.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
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<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKwwpxF418Sfz4_bRZSyLqwhjEguV6VHGaOvF2jIMFSiR_G07u0OGsY3SYVCmFPOvDQya3yZv5y_kTdgy-yIiDe1MptW9_oh4xjCbnSgg_e-4gIKmSTJa8n1TXwlQEuCwjcDSHrHHaQAE/s1600/P1040616.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKwwpxF418Sfz4_bRZSyLqwhjEguV6VHGaOvF2jIMFSiR_G07u0OGsY3SYVCmFPOvDQya3yZv5y_kTdgy-yIiDe1MptW9_oh4xjCbnSgg_e-4gIKmSTJa8n1TXwlQEuCwjcDSHrHHaQAE/s320/P1040616.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px;">Three sisters at home.</td></tr>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">Zoe and Calliope came home after three weeks. They regulated their temperature, ate heartily, and pooped without problems. They chittered, grunted, chirped, and whistled. They were like baby goats, or monkeys, or birds.</span><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">They also seemed embryonic and fragile. I was sick with fear about losing
one or both of them. The lines from the Wendell Berry poem often trickled
through my mind as I held a baby and looked outside my window at the view of
Bayview Hill. I longed to be among nature with my children. I walked with Genevieve on that hill when she was 13 days old, but I couldn’t go anywhere with Calliope and
Zoe because I worried about exposing them--but exposing them to what? The elements? The land? Other people? I thought, "So this is post-partum depression," and I fixated on the images from the NICU and felt lost. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieQsBfksr869-89q8HuNfJvYqjQcL4mEWYbtPlPJpqIjuOh0lKwfvScpBsnXihOeLObdUaUc8jedPBjgufscwlkzQYP5KL7p3H344CfaLoFRA0ys74gxW2_NnYuGZ8wgWYifjSurTMQoc/s1600/Bayvwhp$bay-view-hill-1929$bayviewhill_itm$bayview-hill-1999.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieQsBfksr869-89q8HuNfJvYqjQcL4mEWYbtPlPJpqIjuOh0lKwfvScpBsnXihOeLObdUaUc8jedPBjgufscwlkzQYP5KL7p3H344CfaLoFRA0ys74gxW2_NnYuGZ8wgWYifjSurTMQoc/s400/Bayvwhp$bay-view-hill-1929$bayviewhill_itm$bayview-hill-1999.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bayview Hill, SF (photo credit: foundsf.org)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
*</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">I’m no good at dates and memory anymore, but one day Marshall
and I decided enough was enough—we should go on a walk in nature.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikJMmqBDtcQlstGf3HcwcJBxiYK7bXadPkKhWPPVo4sjoeLGtqSuarhJWGxgPCS8E91H72I0rU3f_OaGT6Q_40s_efcvH3E8EN6z-NpXfsiJWO9KtV6uafYXIsxdzgTMl8b6FKSYNwsoA/s1600/P1040648.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><br /></a></span></div>
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3KqIOE3AMO6pd0I5bAzIhNl6DfBSqdlDOP3D5T_3yQ0hEQTFSUQnwIruJ93oPY4iEZIvwms0cmw87znhxxxascqD25z184_trVRVowpNKk896KNgW574dQ05TZRCqT9FkgyUSCkizXbI/s1600/P1040674.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3KqIOE3AMO6pd0I5bAzIhNl6DfBSqdlDOP3D5T_3yQ0hEQTFSUQnwIruJ93oPY4iEZIvwms0cmw87znhxxxascqD25z184_trVRVowpNKk896KNgW574dQ05TZRCqT9FkgyUSCkizXbI/s320/P1040674.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">At Candlestick </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Zoe and Calliope’s first stroll was up Quarry Road in
Brisbane, a pedestrian-only road where arroyo willows grew in muddy ditches,
and bees orbited blooming blackberry bushes. Then we brought the girls to
lounge on the grass outside of the Conservatory of Flowers in Golden Gate Park,
with marigolds and begonias at our feet. Another day we wandered around Land’s
End where the watery ruins of the Sutro Baths are. We went to Candlestick Point State Recreation Area, to McLaren Park, to the Visitacion Valley Greenway. We moved slowly and gently. It was enough to be outside for even an hour, to just sit somewhere. </span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">At the Conservatory</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Every time we went outside,
especially when we carried the babies against our chests, they slept with their
faces tilted into the sunshine. They didn’t stop breathing, or burn, or cry.
They slept like it was the aboriginal Dreamtime, and sometimes they moved their
mouths as if dreaming of nursing. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhg56eTQe0RyFVRmpLjDSJRqGcX7EzKEPQxS7uDe5PJmqgxM896Gf5PPW-p4G8w2D6cgDZfdX7KPcC7Xz-M4meJ0gV-rw4moD-AnKkLQxVdvqk9iXRQBBuazCFnHE3-cvPAf88xQsd29i0/s1600/babies+in+the+sun.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhg56eTQe0RyFVRmpLjDSJRqGcX7EzKEPQxS7uDe5PJmqgxM896Gf5PPW-p4G8w2D6cgDZfdX7KPcC7Xz-M4meJ0gV-rw4moD-AnKkLQxVdvqk9iXRQBBuazCFnHE3-cvPAf88xQsd29i0/s200/babies+in+the+sun.jpg" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">I’m no fool about life and death, or risking </span><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">our lives. Every moment is just what it is. My father died from drowning when I
was about a year and a half old, and if that taught me anything, it’s to do
what you love, and to try to harm none in the process. To do what makes you happy, whether diving in tropical seas as my father was doing, or hiking on an urban trail with three children, two of them fresh from the hospital. Though taking twins for a
stroll meant a complicated exit from the house, the sunshine and fresh air were cathartic, and the movement of my body made me feel stronger. </span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">At McLaren Park in San Francisco</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Once again, Wendell Berry comes to mind. At the end of the poem I
referred to earlier, “The Peace of Wild Things,” he writes: “For a time / I
rest in the grace of the world, and am free.” And as I walk down some
semi-urban trail with two premature babies breathing softly against my chest, I
know what he means. </span><o:p></o:p></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00825805298441185986noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8060918298753337118.post-63183186290525525462013-07-08T18:12:00.000-07:002013-07-08T18:12:09.803-07:00Summer Spots for Kids: SF Bay Area<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="border: 0px; font-weight: normal; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: small;"><span style="line-height: 18px;">The following is a list about indoor, outdoor, trails, and kid-friendly restaurants in the Bay Area. It is not exhaustive, so feel welcome to add comments about places you recommend. </span><span style="line-height: 18px;"> </span></span></span></h1>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><strong style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Written in collaboration with:</strong></span></div>
<div style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin-bottom: 18px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><strong style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Rachel Teichman ~ Tots and Plans & OOGIAH, </strong><a href="http://www.totsandplans.com/" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">www.totsandplans.com</a> & <a href="http://www.oogiah.com/" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">www.oogiah.com</a></span></div>
<div style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin-bottom: 18px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><strong style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Lillian Berman ~ Kid Friendly SF,</strong> <a href="http://www.kidfriendlysf.com/" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">www.kidfriendlysf.com</a></span></div>
<div style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin-bottom: 18px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><strong style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Jessica Hahn-Taylor ~ Hill Babies SF,</strong> <a href="http://www.hillbabiessf.blogspot.com/" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">www.hillbabiessf.blogspot.com</a></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: small;">Photo Credit: Conservatory of Flowers</span></td></tr>
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<strong style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: -webkit-auto; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">SAN FRANCISCO</span></strong></div>
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<strong style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;"><strong style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">San Francisco </strong><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Indoors</span></span></strong></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><strong style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><a href="http://www.aquariumofthebay.com/" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">Aquarium of the Bay</a>: </strong>Kids can see underwater & visit the new otter exhibit.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><strong style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><a href="http://www.conservatoryofflowers.org/" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">Conservatory of Flowers, GGP</a>:</strong> Wonderful permanent & temporary themed flower displays.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><strong style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><a href="http://www.thecjm.org/" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">Contemporary Jewish Museum</a>: </strong>Children’s author exhibits and crafts projects some days.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><strong style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><a href="http://creativity.org/" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">The Creativity Museum</a>: </strong>Technical arts experiences from music to animation. Carousel too.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><strong style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><a href="http://www.exploratorium.edu/" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">Exploratorium</a>: </strong>A hands-on way to learn about all things science in a great new location.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><strong style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><a href="http://www.houseofair.com/" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">House of Air</a>: </strong>Kids can jump and bounce indoors!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><strong style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><a href="http://www.randallmuseum.org/" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">The Randall Museum</a>:</strong> Animals to see and a little treehouse structure to climb. Classes too.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><strong style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><a href="http://www.recessurbanrecreation.com/" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">Recess Urban Recreation</a>: </strong>Lots of space for free play, & classes including art & languages.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><strong style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><a href="http://sfjapantown.org/directory/" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">Japan Center</a>:</strong> It’s great to visit to Japantown in any weather, but on foggy and rainy days, a visit to Japan Center is a splendid cultural experience!</span></div>
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<strong style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;"><strong style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">San Francisco </strong><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Outdoors</span></span></strong></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><strong style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><a href="http://www.sfbotanicalgarden.org/" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">Botanical Garden at Strybing Arboretum</a>, GGP. </strong>Discover your & your child’s inner botanist.</span></div>
<div style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin-bottom: 18px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><strong style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><a href="http://www.parksconservancy.org/visit/park-sites/crissy-field.html" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">Crissy Field</a>: </strong>Converted from military use to a waterfront park with a marsh, meadow & promenade. Kids can run & fly kites on the beach. Crissy Field Center has programs for kids.</span></div>
<div style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin-bottom: 18px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><strong style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><a href="http://www.japaneseteagardensf.com/" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">Japanese Tea Garden</a>, GGP:</strong> Authentic Japanese garden with bridges to climb and tea to try.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><strong style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><a href="http://www.japaneseteagardensf.com/" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">Park Chalet</a>, GGP: </strong>This eatery & brewery has an outdoor space for their food and/or your own. Outdoor music & events. Make sure to visit the Queen Wilhelmina Tulip Garden too.</span></div>
<div style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin-bottom: 18px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><strong style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><a href="http://www.parksconservancy.org/visit/park-sites/china-beach.html" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">China Beach</a>: </strong>This private feeling beach, tucked away in the Sea Cliff neighborhood is perfect for kids. Pack lightly though, you’ll need to walk down a long staircase.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><strong style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><a href="http://www.southbeachharbor.com/" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">South Beach Harbor</a>:</strong> <a href="http://www.kidfriendlysf.com/2010/07/10/our-little-secret-at-south-beach-shhh/" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">Nice toddler playground along the Embarcadero, grassy area great for dogs, marina view, new building open to public for party rentals and Java House Restaurant.</a></span></div>
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<strong style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;"><strong style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">San Francisco </strong><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Trails</span></span></strong></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><strong style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><a href="http://sfnaturalareas.org/sites/5" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">Bayview Hill</a>: </strong>360-degree views; rare native plants; historic WPA staircases; stroller friendly</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><strong style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><a href="http://www.parksconservancy.org/visit/park-sites/fort-funston.html" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">Fort Funston</a>: </strong>Sunset Trail (0.75 mile; stroller friendly) & Low Tide Loop Trail ( 2+ mile, beach access). A favorite of dog owners. 200 foot high sandy bluffs, view hang-gliders.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><strong style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><a href="http://www.bahiker.com/sfhikes/landsend.html" target="_blank">Lands End</a>: </strong>Impressive views of the Bay and shipwrecks, cypress trees & wildflowers.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><strong style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><a href="http://hillbabiessf.blogspot.com/2012/09/a-day-on-southern-trails-of-mclaren-park.html" target="_blank">McLaren Park</a>:</strong> 2nd largest park in SF; dog friendly; 2.7 mile Philosopher’s Way; Louis Sutter Playground and duck pond; stone spiral at the summit of a hill; rope swing</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><strong style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><a href="http://www.bahiker.com/sfhikes/davidson.html" target="_blank">Mt. Davidson</a></strong>: A short hike to the top of this mountain will give you an impressive view of the whole city. Highest point in SF.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><strong style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><a href="http://hillbabiessf.blogspot.com/2011/02/randall-museum-and-corona-heights-hill.html" target="_blank">Corona Heights:</a> </strong>Hike up this mini mountain near Randall Museum & see a panoramic view of the city.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;"><strong style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">San Francisco Kid Friendly Restaurants</strong></span>:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Shulzies Bread Pudding in Hayes Valley: <a href="http://www.schulziesbreadpudding.com/" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">http://www.<wbr></wbr>schulziesbreadpudding.com/</a></span></div>
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<a href="http://greenchilekitchen.com/" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank"><span style="color: black; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Green Chile Kitchen in NOPA</span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><a href="http://www.delanceystreetfoundation.org/enterrestaurant.php" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">Delancey’s</a> on the Embarcadero near South Beach</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Noodle places in Japantown and Japan Center: Some favorites are <a href="http://www.yelp.com/biz/suzu-noodle-house-san-francisco" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">Suzu</a>, <a href="http://www.mifune.com/" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">Mifune</a>, and <a href="http://www.mifune.com/" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">Benihana</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><a href="http://parkchalet.com/" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">Park Chalet</a> at Ocean Beach & GGP</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><a href="http://boogaloossf.com/" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">Boogaloo’s</a> in the Mission</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><a href="http://emmysspaghettishack.com/" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">Emmy’s Spaghetti Shack</a> in the Mission/Bernal</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><a href="http://pacificcatch.com/" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">Pacific Catch</a> in Inner Sunset, Marina and Marin</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><a href="http://www.dragonwell.com/" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">Dragon Well</a> in the Marina</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><a href="http://www.superdupersf.com/contact.aspx" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">Super Duper</a> in the Castro, Marina, Downtown, Mill Valley</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><a href="http://www.yelp.com/biz/la-paz-restaurant-pupuseria-san-francisco" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">La Paz Restaurant Pupuseria</a> in the Mission</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><a href="http://www.yelp.com/biz/el-toreador-restaurant-san-francisco" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">El Toreador</a> in West Portal</span></div>
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<tr><td><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><img alt="" class="aligncenter" height="234" id="docs-internal-guid-62f405e3-606f-1bf9-c013-4e075c51838e" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/fwzoopNv6RZehBWQDmd0RGOXI5B42WV7TQnCLiofuVKnLpEtOowukIOINpCYsZJy45GpdsA_8iRt37tKKTZIjV9WlkDt9shpCvEna0606eaKFYkKj22ChJUf" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px auto; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" width="400" /></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: small;">Photo credit: Children's Fairyland</span></td></tr>
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<strong style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: -webkit-auto; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">THE EAST BAY</span></strong></div>
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<strong style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;"><strong style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">East Bay </span></span></strong><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Indoors</span></span></strong></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><strong style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><a href="http://www.bactheatre.org/" target="_blank">Bay Area Children’s Theatre, Fairyland and Freight & Salvage, Berkeley</a>: </strong>Children’s theatre based on favorite books. <em style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">The Cat in the Hat </em>will be playing live at Fairyland this summer.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><strong style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><a href="http://www.bladium.com/" target="_blank">The Bladium, Alameda</a>: </strong>Soccer, baseball and basketball classes, camps & nights out.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><strong style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><a href="http://www.chabotspace.org/visit-chabot.htm" target="_blank">Chabot Space & Science Center, Oakland</a>: </strong>Real rockets ships and educational playroom, along with a planetarium/movie theatre.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><strong style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><a href="http://www.habitot.org/" target="_blank">Habitot, Berkeley</a>:</strong> Kids can take part in all kinds of make believe, educational play and art.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><strong style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><a href="http://www.juniorcenter.org/" target="_blank">Junior Center of Art & Science, Oakland</a>: </strong>Exhibits and events teach about science, art & history.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><strong style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><a href="http://wildlife-museum.org/" target="_blank">Lindsay Wildlife Museum, Walnut Creek</a>: </strong>Kids can see animals & learn about rehabilitation.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><strong style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><a href="http://mocha.org/" target="_blank">MoCHA, Oakland</a>: </strong>Themed art projects for kids to try out and get creative and messy.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><strong style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><a href="http://www.oaklandlibrary.org/using-library/locations-hours" target="_blank">Oakland Libraries</a>: </strong>Summer evening events with performances & projects.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><strong style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><a href="http://www.museumca.org/" target="_blank">OMCA, Oakland</a>: </strong>Exhibits, family Friday nights out & Gallery of California Natural Sciences.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><strong style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><a href="http://www.playcafellc.com/" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">Play Cafe, Oakland</a>: </strong>Ball pit, dress-up, kitchen & baby play areas. Lots of food & seating.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><strong style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><a href="http://stickyartlab.com/Sticky_Art_Lab/Sticky_Art_Lab_-_home.html" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">Sticky Art Lab, Berkeley</a>: </strong>Wall full of discarded household items waiting to be transformed.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><strong style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><a href="http://www.studiogrow.com/" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">Studio Grow</a>, Berkeley & Danville: </strong>Crafting, playing, climbing, story, song & parachute time.</span></div>
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<strong style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;"><strong style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></span></strong></span></strong></div>
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<strong style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;"><strong style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">East Bay </span></span></strong><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Outdoors</span></span></strong></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><strong style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><a href="http://www.ci.berkeley.ca.us/adventureplayground/" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">Adventure Playground</a>, Berkeley: </strong>Kids can explore and build with discarded building supplies.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><strong style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><a href="http://www.yelp.com/search?cflt=beaches&find_loc=Alameda%2C+CA" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">Alameda Beaches</a>: </strong>Alameda feels like a vacation spot with its beaches & shops.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><strong style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><a href="http://fairyland.org/" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">Children’s Fairyland</a>, Oakland:</strong> Charming pre-Disneyland theme park with rides, holiday events, the longest running puppet show in the U.S. & summer overnights.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><strong style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><a href="http://www.ebparks.org/parks/cull_canyon" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">Cull Canyon</a>, Castro Valley: </strong>Clean man-made swimming hole with lifeguards & picnic area.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><strong style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><a href="http://www.ebparks.org/parks/cull_canyon" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">The Oakland Zoo</a>: </strong>Perfect zoo for young kids. A variety of animal exhibits and carnival rides.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><strong style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><a href="http://www.pixieland.com/Home.html" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">Pixieland Amusement Park</a>, Concord: </strong>Vintage style amusement park with lots of rides.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><strong style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><a href="http://www.ebparks.org/parks/robertshttp://" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">Roberts Regional Recreation Area</a>, Oakland:</strong> Redwoods, all-access play area, grass & pool.</span></div>
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<strong style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">East Bay Trails</span></span></strong></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><strong style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><a href="http://www.ci.berkeley.ca.us/Marina_Home/" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">Berkeley Marina</a>: </strong>Paved path for biking, running and walking.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><strong style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><a href="http://www.oaklandnet.com/joaquinmillerpark/" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">Joaquin Miller Park</a>, Oakland: </strong>Lots of trails, along with a playground and amphitheatre.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><strong style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><a href="http://www.ebmud.com/recreation/lafayette-reservoir" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">Lafayette Reservoir</a>: </strong>Fishing, boating, biking, skating and walking. Check daily schedule.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><strong style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><a href="http://www.yelp.com/biz/lake-merritt-oakland" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">Lake Merritt</a>, Oakland: </strong>Great paved path for biking, running and walking. Waterbirds.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><strong style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><a href="http://www.ebparks.org/parks/temescal" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">Lake Temescal Recreation Area</a>, Oakland: </strong>Lake, picnic areas & playgrounds.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><strong style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><a href="http://www.ebparks.org/parks/tilden" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">Tilden Park</a>, Berkeley: </strong>2,079 acre park, 39 miles of trails, merry-go-round, Lake Anza, train ride & feeding farm animals.</span></div>
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<tr><td><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><img alt="" class="aligncenter" height="207" id="docs-internal-guid-62f405e3-6070-2623-1605-8aaddd29d07e" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/PCcpYh87OJYLpJG-vg272RlqYG3mp0u3pvNqj5hUQoFXCPwMAtI9aYw-z6mCZ5sn5Gedr6I9QHIPjXPYd-2Pq5BYMZ4m2l7FF50DiIlPzHuhrzsBrbCgw1Az" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px auto; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" width="320" /></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: small;">Photo credit: Marin County Parks</span></td></tr>
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<strong style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">THE NORTH BAY</span></strong></div>
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<strong style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;"><strong style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: -webkit-auto; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">North Bay </span></span></strong><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Indoors</span></span></strong></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><strong style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><a href="http://www.baykidsmuseum.org/" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">Bay Area Discovery Museum</a>, Sausalito: </strong>Hands-on art, science & environmental education museum. Classes, events, outdoor play spaces & performances.<strong style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></strong></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><strong style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><a href="http://www.marinemammalcenter.org/" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">The Marine Mammal Center</a>, Sausalito: </strong>Visit the center that rescues and humanely treats ill, injured, or orphaned marine mammals, and returns healthy ones to the wild. Free admission.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><strong style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><a href="http://www.mttamadventurecamps.com/playlandsausalito.html" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">Playland Sausalito</a>: </strong>Jumpy houses, indoor play area for ages 6 & under.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><strong style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><a href="http://www.play-well.org/pwmarin.shtml" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">Play-Well Marin Activity Center</a>, San Anselmo: </strong>Engineering & physics education through building with LEGO blocks.</span></div>
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<strong style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;"><strong style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">North Bay </span></span></strong><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Outdoors</span></span></strong></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><strong style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><a href="http://www.tiburonpeninsulafoundation.org/blackies-pasture.php" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">Blackie’s Pasture</a>, Tiburon: </strong>Sports fields, walking & biking path. Picnic areas & playground.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><strong style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><a href="http://www.yelp.com/search?find_desc=Fruit+Picking&find_loc=Brentwood%2C+CA" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">Brentwood Fruit Picking</a>: </strong>A variety of farms to pick and buy fruit from seasonally.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><strong style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><a href="http://www.marincounty.org/depts/pk/divisions/parks/mcnears-beach" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">McNears Beach</a>, San Rafael: </strong>Fishing, swimming pool, picnic area & snack bar.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><strong style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><a href="http://olddowntownwindsor.com/" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">Old Downtown Windsor</a>:</strong> Kid friendly, charming old-style downtown in the wine country. Home of the World Famous <a href="http://www.schabc.org/" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">Sonoma County Hot Air Balloon Classic</a> that takes place one weekend each June. A must see at least once in your life!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><strong style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><a href="http://sanrafael.patch.com/listings/terra-linda-community-center-and-pool" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">Terra Linda Pool, San Rafael</a>: </strong>Pool day getaway. Playground & shallow kiddie pool.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><strong style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><a href="http://www.traintown.com/" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">Train Town</a>, Sonoma: </strong>Quarter scale railroad on four mile track, miniature town & petting zoo.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><strong style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><a href="http://www.safariwest.com/" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">Safari West</a>, Santa Rosa: </strong>Take a ride through animals living in the wild, and even camp out too. Book reservations online for visits or lodging.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><strong style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><a href="http://www.schoolhousecanyon.com/Home.html" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">Schoolhouse Canyon Park</a>-Camping at Russian River, Guerneville: </strong>Perfect car camping under redwoods, across the street from the Russian River.</span></div>
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<strong style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">North Bay Trails</span></span></strong></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><strong style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><a href="http://www.angelisland.com/" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">Angel Island</a>: </strong>Island mountain in the bay, historic Immigration Station and Nike missile site; 5 mile perimeter trail; switchback trail to top of Mount Livermore</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><strong style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><a href="http://www.pointreyes.org/bolinas_marin_county.html" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">Bolinas</a> Beach Loop: </strong>1-mile loop through quaint downtown to beach and back; accessible during low tide</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><strong style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><a href="http://www.nps.gov/muwo/index.htm" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">Muir Woods</a>: </strong>Redwood forest (some trees over 600 years old); Redwood Creek watershed; 6 miles of trails, some stroller friendly</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><strong style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><a href="http://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=471" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">Mt. Tamalpais</a>: </strong>2,571’ peak, great views, 50 miles of trails, Bootjack Picnic Area, East Peak Visitor Center, Mountain Theater</span></div>
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<tr><td><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><img alt="" height="206px;" id="docs-internal-guid-62f405e3-6071-d005-5420-23560a18a93a" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/eRIhy1T54ruHDTmSgvkNBJqHd9PlyH9ERDo0PLnGLfenstJYi3aBFSonk-ai6LRA8kpJPfQTunJyDkAauR9zyjP5nYiK8xuGqr0x-gEmdCGuLunYoZNXNXy6" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px auto; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" width="275px;" /></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: small;">Photo Credit: San Mateo County Parks</span></td></tr>
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<strong style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: -webkit-auto; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">THE SOUTH BAY</span></strong></div>
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<strong style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;"><strong style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">South Bay </span></span></strong><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Indoors</span></span></strong></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><strong style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><a href="http://www.cisforcraft.com/" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">C is for Craft</a>, Palo Alto: </strong>Drop-in time and classes for old fashioned crafting & LEGO playing.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><strong style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><a href="http://www.curiodyssey.org/" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">CuriOdyssey Museum</a>, San Mateo:</strong> Experimental wildlife center for children & families at Coyote Point.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><strong style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><a href="http://www.curiodyssey.org/" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">Didalidoo</a>, San Bruno: </strong>Indoor playspace for ages 0-4. Lots of space to climb, roll & slide.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><strong style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><a href="http://www.cityofpaloalto.org/gov/depts/csd/jmz/default.asphttp://" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">Palo Alto Junior Museum & Zoo</a>: </strong>Hands-on science exhibits & outdoor zoo with tortoises, raccoons & bobcats. A climbing area too.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><strong style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><a href="http://www.cdm.org/index.asp?f=1" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">Children’s Discovery Museum of San Jose</a>: </strong>Kids will learn about jobs, cultures and books while pretending.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><strong style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><a href="http://www.u-meplace.com/" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">U-Me</a>: </strong>Open play areas for climbing, and classes all day including story time, dance and art.</span></div>
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<strong style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;"><strong style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">South Bay </span></span></strong><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Outdoors</span></span></strong></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><strong style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><a href="http://www.co.sanmateo.ca.us/portal/site/parks/menuitem.f13bead76123ee4482439054d17332a0/?vgnextoid=563bc8909231e110VgnVCM1000001d37230aRCRD&cpsextcurrchannel=1" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">Coyote Point Park, San Mateo</a>: </strong>Picnics, playgrounds, bay swimming, CuriOdyssey Museum, windsurfing and boating.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><strong style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><a href="http://www.menlomavericks.com/SubTabGeneric.jsp?team=zzmss&_stabid_=55083" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">Burgess Pool</a>, Menlo Park:</strong> Sunny swimming, playground, grassy areas.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><strong style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><a href="http://www.gamblegarden.org/" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">Gamble Garden</a>, Palo Alto:</strong> Community horticulture foundation. Free entry to gardens.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><strong style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><a href="http://www.yelp.com/biz/parkside-aquatic-park-and-launch-ramp-san-mateo" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">Parkside Aquatic Park</a>, San Mateo: </strong>Bay beach, boating, playground, picnic tables.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><strong style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><a href="http://www.cityofpacifica.org/" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">City of Pacifica</a>: </strong>Beaches, surfing, parks, <a href="http://www.coastsidefarmersmarkets.org/" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">Coastside Farmer’s Market</a>, play at <a href="http://www.cityofpacifica.org/depts/rec_department/parksbeaches/beach_and_park_info_and_rules/frontierland.asp" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">Frontierland Park </a>and other playgrounds, bowling at <a href="http://www.seabowl.com/" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">Sea Bowl</a> & horseback riding at <a href="http://www.svhorsecamp.com/index.html" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">Sun Valley Equestrian</a>.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><strong style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><a href="http://www.costanoa.com/" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">Costanoa</a>, Pescadero: </strong>Picnicking, spa, lodge, camping, cabins & restaurant.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><strong style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><a href="http://www.gilroygardens.org/" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">Gilroy Gardens</a>: </strong>Horticulture based, beautiful family theme park, great for young children.</span></div>
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<strong style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">South Bay Trails</span></span></strong></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><strong style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><a href="http://www.co.sanmateo.ca.us/portal/site/parks/menuitem.f13bead76123ee4482439054d17332a0/?vgnextoid=c46bc8909231e110VgnVCM1000001d37230aRCRD" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">Crystal Springs Regional Trail</a>, San Mateo: </strong>15 miles of trails, Sawyer Trail is flat and paved, reservoir views, sunny, 600 yr. old Jepson Laurel tree, Pulgas Water Temple</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><strong style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><a href="http://www.parksconservancy.org/visit/park-sites/mori-point.html" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">Mori Point</a>, Pacifica: </strong>32-acre wetland and coastal scrub, ocean views, beach, marsh with red-legged frogs</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><strong style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><a href="http://www.openspace.org/preserves/pr_russian_ridge.asp" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">Russian Ridge Open Space Preserve</a>, off Hwy 35: </strong>3,000+ acres, 10.4 miles trails, excellent wildflowers, ridge location, oak trees, rolling hills, long views, headwaters for two creeks</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><strong style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><a href="http://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=518" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">San Bruno Mountain</a>, Daly City:</strong> 2,378 acre park, 360-degree views, bogs, ravines, long views, unique fauna</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;"><strong style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Kid Friendly South Bay Restaurants</strong></span>:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><a href="http://www.buckswoodside.com/" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">Buck’s</a> in Woodside</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><a href="http://www.falafelsdrivein.com/" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">Falafel’s Drive-In</a>, San Jose</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><a href="http://www.thefishmarket.com/default.aspx" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">Fish Market</a>, San Mateo</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><a href="http://www.jeffreyshamburgers.com/" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">Jeffery’s Hamburgers</a>, Menlo Park</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><a href="http://www.benihana.com/locations/burlingame-ca-bu" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">Benihana’s</a> Burlingame</span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00825805298441185986noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8060918298753337118.post-15379829342760645952013-04-04T15:39:00.002-07:002013-04-04T15:39:52.046-07:00Word from the Lepidopterist<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5T8vue9ra9E1QFAXheEW51GkAEpxcI1pitEJGwIX-O-yTVc1sYd6CdTF705I2xT_Z3QjNYzPfMBkH93oqooxPrgrVIPMWDvXip6gZUL10vjZiQTxJg9ShE5G3mQnmocZUNqRpryeg5YM/s1600/timthumb.php.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5T8vue9ra9E1QFAXheEW51GkAEpxcI1pitEJGwIX-O-yTVc1sYd6CdTF705I2xT_Z3QjNYzPfMBkH93oqooxPrgrVIPMWDvXip6gZUL10vjZiQTxJg9ShE5G3mQnmocZUNqRpryeg5YM/s400/timthumb.php.jpeg" width="308" /></a>I published a short piece on the Starr King Open Space in <i><a href="http://baynature.org/issue/apr-jun-2013/" target="_blank">Bay Nature</a></i> magazine's most recent issue: <a href="http://baynature.org/issue/apr-jun-2013/" style="background-color: transparent;">http://baynature.org/issue/apr-jun-2013/</a></div>
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Starr King Open Space on Potrero Hill in San Francisco was known as "the field" when I was little girl, growing up a block away. I used to walk my dog, Poi Boy, here, and play here after school, sliding down the hills with cardboard under my butt. Many years later I learned Starr King is a great example of San Francisco's serpentine grassland habitat, which fosters rare native plants, many in bloom right about now. (I'm also leading a hike/picnic here on Sunday April 7th, click <a href="http://hillbabiessf.blogspot.com/2013/03/upcoming-group-hike-starr-king-open.html" target="_blank">here</a>).</div>
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Shortly after the issue of <i style="background-color: transparent;"><a href="http://baynature.org/issue/apr-jun-2013/" target="_blank">Bay Nature</a> </i>came out with my little article, editor Dan Rademacher forwarded me an email from Liam O'Brien, a famous lepidopterist (famous to me as I've laminated his lavishly detailed brochure on San Francisco's butterflies and hung it on my wall over a year ago). I was thrilled! Wow, the Butterfly Man?! For a burgeoning amateur naturalist (me), I think Liam is tops. </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwep0TWMy8NmVGb0VBCrqB_f55jaS8rotCWlYNDNWzeaJjBoNmsNfjio5bXaWP7ZXPUUrY9uoMxDRTTPB5g1gg5AHIo_FnfRWgxIEo-AolRG88Esa3IoXWIS4HsoUoSy9f08AlwhzWqQ0/s1600/shapeimage_1.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="113" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwep0TWMy8NmVGb0VBCrqB_f55jaS8rotCWlYNDNWzeaJjBoNmsNfjio5bXaWP7ZXPUUrY9uoMxDRTTPB5g1gg5AHIo_FnfRWgxIEo-AolRG88Esa3IoXWIS4HsoUoSy9f08AlwhzWqQ0/s200/shapeimage_1.png" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Liam O'Brien, SFbutterfly.com</td></tr>
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Liam said I could share his original email about my piece on Starr King, so here it is! </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgy0mqjyH8-5Ey3jjV0zje4rV8qqNykDxkKnF47w_4dR8Kd14Pz_GAyon5_C0c6mrGCpGWIPkX8IN-xxqzLebSeT4CFPdIaE3QAwQc6ErUkPLphfUaSqsyVkfGbMaoauL2S6UhBnaMhQuc/s1600/IMG_3788.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><br /></a><span style="color: #990000; font-size: large;">Hey Guys -<br />Thought you should know because of my current issue of<span style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;"> Bay Nature </span>I set out for a piece of the city I'd never been too. Hard to imagine, but the fantastic Starr King Open Space had missed my radar. Margo Bors gloriously photography that accompanied the write-up made me jump on the 48 Quintara bus line ( how cool you guys even give directions...) Anyway, I got a little lost and had an amazingly encounter with a mammal for the first time in the city - a Striped Skunk<span style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;"> (Mephitis mephitis) </span>was behind a fence. I know that's not a good sign of health ( nocturnal creature in daylight = rabies? Myth?) Anyway, positioned my iPhone 5 between the mesh and was rewarded. What a beautiful pied creature! I Prayed not to be Sprayed. Down the street at Starr King, saw my only second population of Goldfields <span style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">( Lasthenia californica ) </span>in the city. I believe the only other place in San Francisco for this Serpentine obligate is Inspiration Point in the Presidio. Thank you,<span style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;"> Bay Nature!</span><span style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;"> </span>Liam O'Brien<br />San Francisco, CA<br /><a href="http://www.sfbutterfly.com/" style="cursor: pointer;" target="_blank">http://www.sfbutterfly.com</a></span></blockquote>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00825805298441185986noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8060918298753337118.post-20281785576876385192013-03-28T22:11:00.003-07:002013-04-01T10:31:02.169-07:00The Semi-Hidden Frog Habitat of Brisbane<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjisxPL0X1_xaiCWek2zgRcvtf3fSCZw6LjbIJMvmQ6bjFnxu7YZ5IcgDEu_TUSgVoqT6YXi1RmQB63usLJ3RbBQabHTNNYi6LKB1xKf2LZzNjMcYTSgkdjCV9YrWuSghWiFdk6E-lbZyY/s1600/frog+4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><br /><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjisxPL0X1_xaiCWek2zgRcvtf3fSCZw6LjbIJMvmQ6bjFnxu7YZ5IcgDEu_TUSgVoqT6YXi1RmQB63usLJ3RbBQabHTNNYi6LKB1xKf2LZzNjMcYTSgkdjCV9YrWuSghWiFdk6E-lbZyY/s320/frog+4.jpg" width="221" /></a><span style="font-size: large;">We got an invitation to visit a place I'd never heard about--a <b>restored frog habitat in Brisbane</b>, that sweet town just south of San Francisco, nestled in a bayside cleft of San Bruno Mountain. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Our new friend and naturalist extraordinaire, Paul Bouscal from </span><a href="http://www.mountainwatch.org/" style="font-size: x-large;" target="_blank">San Bruno Mountain Watch</a><span style="font-size: large;">, who has accompanied us on a group hike on the mountain, was rip-roaring eager to show us this "frog habitat." </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">So on a blue Sunday afternoon in March, we went to see what all the hullabaloo was about, and boy were we happy we did. </span><br />
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<b><span style="color: red; font-size: x-large;">The Rendezvous Point</span></b><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3BjI42IOUL3jT6AwYT_LVNQLo5rNMLaZ25PLTmcv2S2RyvbdpS88aGpUWpjBMWmZQRPqXWwASWddbKoBAofoFyCe71Q8fdutmCAU_GtlYcU76I637Z2OP2Abovszu9egBLL67JbRyccY/s1600/frog+3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="168" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3BjI42IOUL3jT6AwYT_LVNQLo5rNMLaZ25PLTmcv2S2RyvbdpS88aGpUWpjBMWmZQRPqXWwASWddbKoBAofoFyCe71Q8fdutmCAU_GtlYcU76I637Z2OP2Abovszu9egBLL67JbRyccY/s200/frog+3.jpg" width="200" /></a><span style="font-size: large;">Paul told us to meet him at a parking lot in a suspiciously industrial part of Brisbane. </span><span style="font-size: large;">As we cruised into the parking lot at <b>100 Cypress Lane</b>, our car windows rolled down, we heard an intense amphibious bellowing. Somewhere amongst the enormous warehouses and tell-tale arroyo willows there were hundreds of frogs. </span><span style="font-size: large;">The kids were thrilled! We were thrilled! This certainly was something to get excited about. We parked and saw that a</span><span style="font-size: large;"> creek that is the remnant of a freshwater marsh fed by seeps ran alongside the parking lot. And it was <b>full</b> of frogs!</span><br />
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<b><span style="color: red; font-size: x-large;">The Frogs </span></b><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisNzzl3ubBssW6ZS3S3jsqCow9EHfCByHeLKBr2N2HBP47iABXH57uXardAdHhsAkPWpDE_rrIAI2umcPq9zekCmaSNA8WgQ6tiBpeKD2Nfu_m1aJUQxDAbnKyRudpUiXyIPxljIy_Lsg/s1600/frog+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisNzzl3ubBssW6ZS3S3jsqCow9EHfCByHeLKBr2N2HBP47iABXH57uXardAdHhsAkPWpDE_rrIAI2umcPq9zekCmaSNA8WgQ6tiBpeKD2Nfu_m1aJUQxDAbnKyRudpUiXyIPxljIy_Lsg/s200/frog+1.jpg" width="188" /></a><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.mister-toad.com/PacificTreeFrog.html" target="_blank">Pacific Chorus Frogs</a>, also known as <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pacific_Tree_Frog" target="_blank">Pacific Tree Frogs</a> (<i>Pseudacris regilla</i>) can be found </span><span style="font-size: large;">from Canada to Mexico along the West Coast, and if you live in San Francisco or nearby, you can find a whole bunch of them in Brisbane</span><span style="font-size: large;">. They range from brown to green, and the size we most commonly saw was equivalent to a </span><span style="font-size: large;">phalange of my finger. </span><br />
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<span style="color: red; font-size: x-large;"><b>What Was and Is--Flora and Fauna</b></span><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJgraL9qRBO-9VieTTgK4Ri95tNxm8qYxR9bLG5Oi4puxxQpLQt0h3ioqsqNBWH4v4esi6tgTbtbkXLCkkaTs5o4gbiF0YcZi1i5Dkkhtaarw94UHV1ZR5qKLQFOaZcwlLjJW7MPUiJV4/s1600/hummer.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJgraL9qRBO-9VieTTgK4Ri95tNxm8qYxR9bLG5Oi4puxxQpLQt0h3ioqsqNBWH4v4esi6tgTbtbkXLCkkaTs5o4gbiF0YcZi1i5Dkkhtaarw94UHV1ZR5qKLQFOaZcwlLjJW7MPUiJV4/s200/hummer.jpg" width="160" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3BjI42IOUL3jT6AwYT_LVNQLo5rNMLaZ25PLTmcv2S2RyvbdpS88aGpUWpjBMWmZQRPqXWwASWddbKoBAofoFyCe71Q8fdutmCAU_GtlYcU76I637Z2OP2Abovszu9egBLL67JbRyccY/s1600/frog+3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><br /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcQe35EHGLjC8EwvwmSmN3BDlHhRTMIaKypzhyphenhyphenG6hYX4FTGMLr0B8h4sxpgeT4XpasR6IjgjSx8SqNuWTzKAImyDH0HWnrlZzduIa2X_0ZnmJ18i2lhU11Hd6i6CWRPPN8K-FBj0oDz7E/s1600/IMG_3968.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><br /></a><span style="font-size: large;">This riparian habitat is part of restoration project spearheaded four years ago by a fellow named Jim McKissock, his volunteer group, EarthCare, and assistance from </span><a href="http://www.mountainwatch.org/" style="font-size: x-large;" target="_blank">San Bruno Mountain Watch</a><span style="font-size: large;">. </span><span style="font-size: large;">Just a year ago the water in some areas was </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anaerobic" style="font-size: x-large;" target="_blank">anaerobic</a><span style="font-size: large;"> and full of mosquitos, but now the critters include frogs, tadpoles, and water striders galore. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Volunteers have removed Pampas grass, ivy, acacia, fennel, privets, and pines in order to bring back </span><span style="font-size: large;">rushes, cat tails, <a href="http://www.cabrillo.edu/~crsmith/tule.html" target="_blank">tule</a>, water ferns, and more</span><span style="font-size: large;">. <a href="http://nathistoc.bio.uci.edu/lepidopt/papilio/anise.htm" target="_blank">Anise swallowtail butterflies</a> showed up on the water parsley, and other blooming plants include <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clarkia" target="_blank">clarkia</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ceanothus" target="_blank">ceanothus</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lupinus" target="_blank">lupine</a>, <a href="http://www.nps.gov/prsf/naturescience/sticky-monkey-flower.htm" target="_blank">sticky monkey flower</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Achillea_millefolium" target="_blank">yarrow</a>, evening primrose, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Perideridia" target="_blank">yampa</a>, <a href="http://www.laspilitas.com/nature-of-california/plants/myrica-californica" target="_blank">wax myrtle</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sidalcea_malviflora" target="_blank">checkerbloom</a>, and more. </span><br />
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<span style="color: red; font-size: x-large;"><b>Rails to Trails</b></span><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiA1B7dg-iyquXGD6j9ZLNc2_k6begBFNNVu0a3CRQVeNyiDki2K1Kk6bQYkwazwmHDuXsbV_QMT7n_UX1OZRZBPuh1-m_KojE2MR24dKt2dNCw2KKsQWVoJXFGoxAsYHQITZGf766mo8/s1600/IMG_3967.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="148" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiA1B7dg-iyquXGD6j9ZLNc2_k6begBFNNVu0a3CRQVeNyiDki2K1Kk6bQYkwazwmHDuXsbV_QMT7n_UX1OZRZBPuh1-m_KojE2MR24dKt2dNCw2KKsQWVoJXFGoxAsYHQITZGf766mo8/s200/IMG_3967.JPG" width="200" /></a><span style="font-size: large;">A railroad ran through here over a century ago, built in 1905. The frog habitat is located along part of <a href="http://www.ci.brisbane.ca.us/visiting/parks-and-trails" target="_blank">Crocker Park Rails to Trails</a>, where in the old-time days the train ran inland to fetch the quarried <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Greywacke" target="_blank">greywacke</a> from out of San Bruno Mountain. </span><br />
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<b><span style="color: red; font-size: x-large;">Heading East to the Ice House</span></b><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">We meandered along the trail, the old rail line, heading towards the bay. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEKSsStCiE84Yx3VRIV_jSmxpkiF3WAA5L3ztrIzQkEEGdUC12yxW7uxdJpsZvAM_NFcWH2ROT1J8aGUQIK1agJYBV4lkyp26bjKagUYhUqWgukrj0V5MyWWh2XVKfYqPgm3leDvr1h6o/s1600/IMG_3978.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEKSsStCiE84Yx3VRIV_jSmxpkiF3WAA5L3ztrIzQkEEGdUC12yxW7uxdJpsZvAM_NFcWH2ROT1J8aGUQIK1agJYBV4lkyp26bjKagUYhUqWgukrj0V5MyWWh2XVKfYqPgm3leDvr1h6o/s200/IMG_3978.jpg" width="149" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">We went through an old rail tunnel that ran beneath Bayshore Boulevard (though I've driven that road many times, I had no idea there was a tunnel below). I love tunnels, and this one was particularly cool--short in length, high ceilinged, and full of sunshine on either end. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Back outside we came to huge puddles filled with thousands of squirming tadpoles, which was a delight for the children. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifkSOeHReNQEkuyN6RjcNqeRQvlJ3wE5us4dVkj8dmUxhkSTzKaAAf-rFrTBSZKIzZ5d6NsbXmdZgdBYwIn14qQJ2uTJABP4y1bVbIsItUfAhwLTz3WZJNU37B6-oWDQaHLmvbfjAiKbo/s1600/ice+house.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; display: inline !important; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="175" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifkSOeHReNQEkuyN6RjcNqeRQvlJ3wE5us4dVkj8dmUxhkSTzKaAAf-rFrTBSZKIzZ5d6NsbXmdZgdBYwIn14qQJ2uTJABP4y1bVbIsItUfAhwLTz3WZJNU37B6-oWDQaHLmvbfjAiKbo/s200/ice+house.jpg" width="200" /></a><span style="font-size: large;">We continued on our eastward path, passing an old brick building which Paul said was once an <b>ice house. </b>Back in the day, some rail cars would pick up blocks of glacial ice, originally from Tuolumne, to chill perishable goods moving up and down the rail lines. </span><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOWuSKoA0pRBo-JOSan-o7ycM5izlXQgASPzyVJ0aTGNyg9iBFKcjlBeJDu6FF_EKBYjvtX9hx6AUje9WFJSpIiPxrvejH5VIR7_0IgNten0vYM1mN_pwRnYv7cqKrB6C6OtXffEMhJII/s1600/IMG_3981.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOWuSKoA0pRBo-JOSan-o7ycM5izlXQgASPzyVJ0aTGNyg9iBFKcjlBeJDu6FF_EKBYjvtX9hx6AUje9WFJSpIiPxrvejH5VIR7_0IgNten0vYM1mN_pwRnYv7cqKrB6C6OtXffEMhJII/s200/IMG_3981.jpg" width="149" /></a><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">The big hill to our immediate north is Ice House Hill, but I never knew it until walking with Paul, who talked all about the history, plants, and animals of the area. I silently mused about how I'd like to explore there, some day. I've cruised up and down Bayshore Boulevard many times, often wondering about that hill, intensely curious about the horses I've seen grazing there. </span><br />
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<b><span style="color: red; font-size: x-large;">Mission Blue Nursery</span></b><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYDQLXmVPsuyEMRbxDZlWek-HrFGrobX0AChg5R_aKIp6_wXxeYMzCrBO5BIx0oQRi3ITkPzNJA6fVop3KIpIB5LeuuCdBRQfVW5v7JL9TIgyOs8M85JMoXRKFlD1oBcjFNw80bPcqsiE/s1600/IMG_3993.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /></a><span style="font-size: large;">We walked south alongside the active commuter rail line, the</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">kids thrilling at every passing train (and there was plenty of room between us and the Cal Train), the engineers pulling their whistles when we made the universal gesture of honking a horn as they passed. </span><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg93JX8l1wQmyPL6HOj9ZxXM6XxfegghF5oxkaH_aZbPmwY_qqhPzt6QasedvKAfmvWHZMrqghsZ4AvLkfDkOj_N_rxMOQPjzYLTGVhY_pwtkc-d3cNThewctPS_9aJju6nnRn8NIQYVQM/s1600/IMG_3991.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="238" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg93JX8l1wQmyPL6HOj9ZxXM6XxfegghF5oxkaH_aZbPmwY_qqhPzt6QasedvKAfmvWHZMrqghsZ4AvLkfDkOj_N_rxMOQPjzYLTGVhY_pwtkc-d3cNThewctPS_9aJju6nnRn8NIQYVQM/s320/IMG_3991.JPG" width="320" /></a><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3BjI42IOUL3jT6AwYT_LVNQLo5rNMLaZ25PLTmcv2S2RyvbdpS88aGpUWpjBMWmZQRPqXWwASWddbKoBAofoFyCe71Q8fdutmCAU_GtlYcU76I637Z2OP2Abovszu9egBLL67JbRyccY/s1600/frog+3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><br /></a><span style="font-size: large;">Not more than three minutes walk south from the old ice house was the <a href="http://www.mountainwatch.org/stewardship-nursery-container/" target="_blank">Mission Blue Nursery</a>. There's a road that also leads there, of course, coming from the south end. The nursery was amazing, filled with hundreds of native plants that will go towards restoration projects and be sold to you and me for our gardens and yards. We hung out for a little while, letting the kids poke around, and then returned to the frogs. </span><br />
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<span style="color: red; font-size: large;"><b>PHOTO ALBUM</b></span></div>
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<span style="color: red; font-size: x-large;"><b>Map to the Starting Point of this Hike</b></span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00825805298441185986noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8060918298753337118.post-54409447372678899152013-03-26T21:22:00.001-07:002013-03-26T21:26:18.497-07:004 Simple Nature Toys for Little Kids<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-size: large;">Okay, so these nature toys are so simple, you might roll your eyes as you read on. But to a little kid manipulating bits of nature is just a lesson in fun. The other day we were walking and picking things up on the path, and with the kid's help, dried sticks and seed pods morphed into spears, umbrellas, and bouquets. Check it out! </span></div>
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<b><span style="color: red; font-size: x-large;">THE FENNEL SPEAR</span></b></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjA4C_Iy9x_5IAvXQgQLcj82Cw-GdRV20biUv3_Uprs73xHoUUTnfBwUeK2lWhSnALuWIseqX183ygiPbPpuUrqPbqUUBQB417F72W3xpJ-TAIdmUwvLUSMKqo2cmSLSJyMPKnxGRse0p4/s1600/P1030935.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjA4C_Iy9x_5IAvXQgQLcj82Cw-GdRV20biUv3_Uprs73xHoUUTnfBwUeK2lWhSnALuWIseqX183ygiPbPpuUrqPbqUUBQB417F72W3xpJ-TAIdmUwvLUSMKqo2cmSLSJyMPKnxGRse0p4/s400/P1030935.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<ol style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHiKJsZaoRnO-HUZtz8mahNqpStetnQx2cBWjPOhg5LBb1dRProH8ewpevZNixeJ4k9a-P3UP0419ZkklSnYW7Luu7hrM_tcfx8OyJElH25JhlTTVOLiP4KfCHk3YAYd6DHMi3nRWTeBU/s1600/P1030933.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHiKJsZaoRnO-HUZtz8mahNqpStetnQx2cBWjPOhg5LBb1dRProH8ewpevZNixeJ4k9a-P3UP0419ZkklSnYW7Luu7hrM_tcfx8OyJElH25JhlTTVOLiP4KfCHk3YAYd6DHMi3nRWTeBU/s200/P1030933.JPG" width="200" /></span></a>
<li><span style="font-size: large;">Take a long piece of dried fennel and denude it except for the topmost spray of dried flowers, which acts like an arrow's fletch to make a perfect aerodynamic drag. </span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: large;">Your hand is the balance point as you aim.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: large;">Fire!</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: large;">Send kid to retrieve (except from big clumps of poison oak).</span></li>
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<b><span style="color: red; font-size: x-large;">PAMPAS GRASS SCEPTER</span></b></div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiodSdBjiBoaDKMlPNyKyU1r2tonJl4D3AyZckIygQz3qQKZRxSj9Q4u6Qrl3SJgx5xMerKAWQMB8y9_PK3ZDf06_wa7u-uozeocJHj_SEnvPaeg4BYChYMOckxl-1JktWdZgdvboEvs1c/s1600/P1030936.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiodSdBjiBoaDKMlPNyKyU1r2tonJl4D3AyZckIygQz3qQKZRxSj9Q4u6Qrl3SJgx5xMerKAWQMB8y9_PK3ZDf06_wa7u-uozeocJHj_SEnvPaeg4BYChYMOckxl-1JktWdZgdvboEvs1c/s320/P1030936.jpg" width="240" /></a><span style="font-size: large;">Okay, so Pampas grass is terrible and invasive in California and it'll surely make a bigger mess of things with this game. I've been guilty since childhood (bringing Pampas grass into my bedroom where it'd shed it's flaxen pieces all over proving it wrecks havoc indoors and out.)</span><br />
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<li><span style="font-size: large;">Your kid finds a choice piece of Pampas grass. </span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: large;">The parent cuts it off (it's hard!).</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: large;">Your kid becomes a Queen or a King on their walk. </span></li>
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<b><span style="color: red; font-size: x-large;">PAMPAS GRASS UMBRELLA</span></b></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0KwIt5tLROpq-lHDG0y_JESIgThNQiqOdSC-OW5MITUkIwJs8di8BdSvFpgB7hGaJ3Fu9-HJ84qVxsim0mTwlAuaamZoPGqkTYib9HeJ6dxIsxUbEMby4IBmlGsmSpLWLxCr9sNQZIRc/s1600/P1030948.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0KwIt5tLROpq-lHDG0y_JESIgThNQiqOdSC-OW5MITUkIwJs8di8BdSvFpgB7hGaJ3Fu9-HJ84qVxsim0mTwlAuaamZoPGqkTYib9HeJ6dxIsxUbEMby4IBmlGsmSpLWLxCr9sNQZIRc/s200/P1030948.jpg" width="150" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBJntu95IJcQT7QCE2Usw0OupW6YXs1LhPtKHuxaLGoUjg9i7Fjz8Ob2iHO8HVmQSIbdHM8jk5vhEh-8SlTHUulBTPjNxC8IwtmhLR_PPVu82DDYYr9qqBemRsH2GRzvdoKUnOEL_iP7k/s1600/P1030956.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBJntu95IJcQT7QCE2Usw0OupW6YXs1LhPtKHuxaLGoUjg9i7Fjz8Ob2iHO8HVmQSIbdHM8jk5vhEh-8SlTHUulBTPjNxC8IwtmhLR_PPVu82DDYYr9qqBemRsH2GRzvdoKUnOEL_iP7k/s200/P1030956.jpg" width="150" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">The Pampas Umbrella is quite similar to the "scepter," above, except you need a hat to stick on the end of it. Alternatively a piece of Pampas grass can become an impromptu <b>broomstick </b>or <b>baton.</b></span><br />
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<span style="color: red; font-size: x-large;"><b>FOXTAIL BOUQUET</b></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9LMn1hw4gppubQCDYYkizMiy3PjhfwitBbCra7G6wJyPVTV7PJkElICl0-GBaJBhHSsKiulcQhevPFqdqMm3hseiww_mJ8lT2pI0aoCw4Yrt6tVKAvkUA3H976KgWnJB0_sWejxOftSA/s1600/P1030943.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9LMn1hw4gppubQCDYYkizMiy3PjhfwitBbCra7G6wJyPVTV7PJkElICl0-GBaJBhHSsKiulcQhevPFqdqMm3hseiww_mJ8lT2pI0aoCw4Yrt6tVKAvkUA3H976KgWnJB0_sWejxOftSA/s200/P1030943.jpg" width="150" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitURr1cJHx6N13Ce7O2Va-n4isq6HWRyW7t82FopREa8Vr2Tl_qUMDVXYqxrIxVrlqO9WbaCjfm6tVNM-3jvF7m3aD3EvVyH3X-bWgiruW_NKsG0ml_nTCjlgCiQaBs2HNYLuTUkfy2dU/s1600/P1030947.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitURr1cJHx6N13Ce7O2Va-n4isq6HWRyW7t82FopREa8Vr2Tl_qUMDVXYqxrIxVrlqO9WbaCjfm6tVNM-3jvF7m3aD3EvVyH3X-bWgiruW_NKsG0ml_nTCjlgCiQaBs2HNYLuTUkfy2dU/s200/P1030947.JPG" width="200" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Who doesn't like the smooth, slippery feeling of pinching the bottom of a piece of grass and running your fingers up, making a pretty bouquet? It took a bit of hand-holding to teach my kid how to do it, but once she got it, all I heard for the rest of the walk was "Foxtail bouquet! Foxtail bouquet!"</span></div>
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<li><span style="font-size: large;">Pinch the base of a grass stalk heavily laden with seed heads. </span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: large;">Run your fingers up its length, holding tight. </span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: large;">Ta da! A foxtail bouquet fit for a fairy or a three year old. </span></li>
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<span style="font-size: large;">In parting, take a gander at the photo below. Fennel spears aren't just fun for little kids. </span><br />
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