Getting Grounded
Long, long ago, in a time before time, the place where we now live was a deep sea. Beneath the waters, however, the earth stirred. A coast range was lifted up. Rains fell upon the bare slopes. Rivers and streams … Read more
Exploration
Notes from Underground
It is often the smallest things that get overlooked, and life in the soil is probably the most neglected habitat of all. Tilling the soil or weeding the garden puts us in touch with a few members of the soil … Read more
Old Oaks Fleck Franklin Ridge Above Martinez
John Muir National Historic Site in Martinez. Trail: 7.8 mi, 1,505 ft elevation gain, out-and-back
Book Review: 60 Hikes Within 60 Miles
60 Hikes Within 60 Miles, by Jane Huber, Menasha Ridge Press, 2004, 260 pages, $15.95 (www.menasharidge.com). Jane Huber offers a welcome guide to hikes within a 60-mile radius of the Bay Area’s bustling hub. Huber’s engaging writing neatly melds … Read more
Book Review: Point Reyes: The Complete Guide to the National Seashore & Surrounding Area
Point Reyes: The Complete Guide to the National Seashore & Surrounding Area, by Jessica Lage, Wilderness Press, 2004, 250 pages, $15.95 (www.wildernesspress.com). Although visitors to the Point Reyes National Seashore can enjoy the landscape without any particular knowledge of the … Read more
Book Review: Sierra Birds: A Hiker’s Guide
Sierra Birds: A Hiker’s Guide, by John Muir Laws, California Academy of Sciences/ Heyday Books, 2004, 64 pages, $9.95 (www.heydaybooks.com). Jack Laws, Bay Nature’s own “Naturalist’s Notebook” illustrator and a research and education associate with the California Academy of Sciences, … Read more
Book Review: The Best in Tent Camping, Northern California
The Best in Tent Camping: A Guide for Car Campers Who Hate RVs, Concrete Slabs, and Loud Portable Stereos: Northern California, by Hans and Jane Huber and Bill Mai, Menasha Ridge Press, 2004, 192 pages, $14.95 (www.menasharidge.com). Whether you’re an … Read more
Book Review: Tom Stienstra’s Bay Area Recreation
Tom Stienstra’s Bay Area Recreation, by Tom Stienstra, Foghorn Outdoors, 2004, 498 pages, $19.95 (www.foghorn.com). In introducing his newest guide-book, Tom Stienstra writes, “Like many people, at one time I believed there was no place left to go in … Read more
Book Review: Top Trails: San Francisco Bay Area
Top Trails: San Francisco Bay Area, by David Weintraub, Wilderness Press, 2004, 294 pages, $13.95 (www.wildernesspress.com). Bay Area day hikers, take note — and take a look at one of the first releases of Wilderness Press’s newest series of trail … Read more
Redwood Outings
Redwood Regional Park, Alameda County – French Trail: From the Canyon Meadow Staging Area, set a course north along the Stream Trail toward the Skyline Gate. Verdant grassy meadows and shadowy redwood groves trade off as you make your way … Read more
