Novato Skatepark, Bel Marin Keys - April 16, 2014

Walking Distance: 4.5 miles (estimate)
Walking Time: 2 hrs., 12 min. (4:49 - 7:01 p.m.)
Start and End Point: Novato Skatepark parking lot, Novato, CA

Today's walk was a mix of sidewalks, packed dirt trails, smaller "goat trails" and road shoulders.

From the Novato Skatepark parking lot (1200 Hamilton Parkway), I walked southeast on Hamilton Parkway on the sidewalk, and made a left onto a trail that paralleled Aberdeen Road, that forked to the right and left. After exploring the right fork and returning, and then the left fork, I found the connection to a trail that would lead to the Bay Trail that would lead north-ish toward Bel Marin Keys.

Walking through the old Hamilton Air Force Base, you'd hardly know there was a base there back in the 1970s, until you start seeing no trespassing signs, and old bunkers and cement walls poking through the grass amongst grass covered hummocks and a smattering of trees and brush.

Soon enough I was passing marshes and enjoying a new section of Bay Trail. I followed trails that headed northwest to Bel Marin and took a left toward toward Bel Marin Keys and Pacheco Pond.

This led to a narrow, unimproved path that popped out on the other side onto Bel Marin Keys Blvd. From there I headed left (westish) and passed by Pacheco Pond on my left side. It was late in the day, and I enjoyed watching a swam glide by in the distance and the evening colors being picked up by the reeds, water and trees.

I continued (west) on the side of the road up Bel Marin Keys Blvd., until I reached a commercial, light industrial area where sidewalks began to appear. As I got closer to Highway 101, the road began to turn west and south.

Closer to the highway, I went down a flight of cement stairs and followed a railroad right-of-way path for a bit before reaching a large shopping center (Hamilton Marketplace, 5800 Nave Drive, Novato, CA.

After traversing the shopping center and Safeway parking lots, I took a left onto Hamilton Parkway, passed the Marriott Courtyard Novato hotel, crossed the railroad tracks, and made my way back to the Skatepark.

Restrooms are not glamorous, but they are an essential amenity for long, urban hikes. The freshly graffiti-ed portable restroom at the Skatepark was just what I imagined it would be. But, better having one here than nothing.

Wildlife Sightings:
11 ducks; 22 red-winged blackbirds; 5 lizards; 9 little brown jobs (LBJs) + 2 rosy finches; 1 California Thrasher (pretty, medium-larger sized drab olive - golden green songbird); 1 black-necked stilt going after 2 grebes (too close to nesting area?); 2 grebes; 3 starlings; 1 turkey vulture; 38 swallows (both types); 7 Canada geese; 1 white swan in Pacheco Pond; 2 crows; 2 blue jays (scrub jays)

Hamilton Parkway, Park, Novato - March 19, 2014

Walking Distance: 1.1 miles (estimate)
Walking Time: 1 hr., 4 min. (4:51 - 5:55 p.m.)
Start and End Point: small parking lot off Hamilton Pkwy., Novato, CA

The Old Hamilton Air Force Base closed many years ago. The large hangars that once sheltered planes now house businesses in this mixed use community. Today's walk took us up and over a hill with a view of this area, now part of Novato.

We started at a small parking lot off Hamilton Parkway, at the foot of hill. We walked up the trail which curved back and forth up the hill. It felt like Spring. We did have to make one stop—for a rope swing tied to a large tree. (We stopped to swing on the way back and swinging was delightful. I hope it's still there.)

We continued to walk uphill to a vista area. This vantage point afforded some nice views of the marsh/wetlands areas that have been partially restored.

I walked downhill (past a cat hiding in green grass and old fennel stems), to the point where I'd left off last weekend, then walked back up the hill. I then re-joined my friend Elise and we walked back up over the top, then downhill back to the car.

Thank you Elise!

Wildlife Sightings:
2 turkey vultures
3 lizards
5 ducks
5 butterflies (inclu. large orange and black one)
lots of bees buzzings around large bush/tree with "teeth" flowers
1 domestic cat (white and dark gray)

Old Hamilton AFB, Novato - March 16, 2014

Walking Distance: 1.8 mi. (estimate)
Walking Time: 1 hr., 26 min. (1:55 - 3:21 p.m.)
Start and End Point: Parking lot, behind Hangar 7, Novato, CA

The portion of the Bay Trail in Novato located in the old Hamilton Air Force Base has the advantage of interesting buildings, history—and good parking.

We stopped to look at a tiny plane attached to the Hamilton Field History Museum. The museum wasn't open, but we learned quite a bit just from reading the signage for the outdoor displays.

We parked in a large parking lot, behind Hangar 7, not too far from the old (air) control tower. The lot was also conveniently located to an entrance to the Bay Trail. After watching a fire truck performing a drill using the tower, we hit the trail.

We walked up a short ramp and started walking on what looked to be a newly groomed dirt/gravel trail. (There was a trail further down by the water, on the other side of a low wall, and we took that on the way back.)

We walked south, passing a Coast Guard yard, with boats at the ready. Eventually the trail curved to right.

We followed the Bay Trail until we reached a ballpark (Palmisano Park) where I'd started on previous walk last month (February 2014), and turned around here.

We came back on the packed dirt trail on the Bay side of wall. We kept going until we reached a "#1 marker" on wall; and turned around just past where 2 trails merged. Then we walked back to car in parking lot.

We enjoyed seeing a group of several large, graceful white swans, as well as a few lizards basking in the sun.

Thank you John for the great walk.

Wildlife Sightings:
2 Brewer's? Blackbirds
18 red-winged blackbirds (RWBs)
1 bumblebee
1 orange and black butterfly
16 Canada geese
10 swans
3 lizards
4 crows/ravens
1 great egret
1 ladybug

Mill Valley - Sept. 18, '12

Walking Distance: 3 mi. (estimate)
Walking Time: 1 hr., 23 min. (11:42 a.m. - 1:05 p.m.)
Start and End Point: Parking lot, near 600 Redwood Highway, Mill Valley, CA

Today's walk in southeast Mill Valley (Marin County), followed Seminary Drive (named after a seminary in the area) down one side of a small peninsula, northeast of Sausalito and west of Tiburon, that extended into the Bay east of Highway 101/Redwood Highway.

Shown on the Bay Trail map (right) as a solid red line, and then as a double yellow line (unimproved trail), the walk was on a mix of asphalt path and sidewalks initially, and then packed dirt path/shoulder along paved roads.

From the parking lot, I walked with a friend toward the marsh area almost hidden behind a commercial strip (gas station, car wash, McDonalds). We found the path behind McDonald's (where I'd left off previously) and made our way north to Seminary Drive. Heading right/east on Seminary Drive, we walked along sidewalks and some unpaved road shoulders, continuing to follow Seminary Drive, past some apartment buildings, and along a broad curve -- southwest and then northeast -- toward Strawberry Point (the tip of the peninsula).

Along the walk we had views looking back toward Sausalito and also of Mount Tamalpais (west-northwest of this area). This mountain, also known as Mt. Tam, is approximately 2,570 feet tall, and is visible from most of the Bay Trail in Marin County (and many other counties).

From Seminary Drive, we made a slight right (south) onto Great Circle Drive (a detour from the Bay Trail) and, after a short block, took another right (west) and walked down a short entrance road into Brickyard Park, a small waterfront park with trees, a small playground area, and a few picnic tables and benches. It was a little breezy, but we stopped and sat for awhile to look out over the water, before heading back along Seminary Drive.

Thank you to Sandy for joining me on this walk.

Wildlife Sightings:
13 snowy egrets, 1 great egret; 3 brown pelicans; 10 crows; 3 sea gulls; 8 Canada geese; 2 little unidentified brownish shorebirds (UBBs); 1 cormorant; 3 little brown jobs (LBJs); 2 blue jays; 3 doves

Mill Valley - Sept. 9, '12

Walking Distance: 2.8 mi. (estimate)
Walking Time: 2 hrs., 4 min. (4:46 - 6:50 p.m.)
Start and End Point: Parking lot, near Redwood Highway and Seminary Drive, Mill Valley, CA

Today's stretch, north of Sausalito, in Marin County, was accessible by car from busy Highway 101, north of Sausalito. I took the Seminary Drive exit off 101, and parked (on the southeast side of 101) near a pedestrian/bicycle overpass. At the foot of this overpass, on each side of the freeway, were Stop and Ride areas, with small parking lots.

Today's Bay Trail segment, shown as solid red, and short stretches of double yellow, lines on the Bay Trail map, was mostly paved (asphalt, with a few stretches of packed dirt), and included some stairs and hills (worth it given views of Mt. Tamalpais). I walked mostly on the Bay Trail, taking a few detours along areas with Public Shore signs.

After investigating the paved (asphalt) and packed dirt trail (behind the nearby car wash and McDonald's restaurant near Seminary Drive) -- I made my way to the overpass, heading northwest.

After crossing over the freeway, and a frontage road crosswalk, I was in a more tranquil area of light commercial and residential developments intermixed with scenic trails. I walked through, and around, the Shelter Point Business Park, via a Public Shore area.

From Shelter Point Business Park, I followed the trail to, heading right and along, Hamilton Drive to the intersection with Shelter Bay Avenue. I took a left turn on Shelter Bay (shown as double yellow lines on map), walked to the end, and then through the Sunrise Pointe development to the Public Shore area of walkway along Richardson Bay (red line along shore on map). Note: this area does not look particularly public friendly, but there is public access here.

From this shore area, instead of walking back up to Hamilton Drive, I detoured north, sticking to a trail closer to the shore, and took a series of packed dirt and board stairs uphill to a tree-shaded area, with nice views from a bench at the top and along the way, and then continued downhill toward Bayfront Park, where I'd ended a previous walk. (Bicyclers might find this route/detour with stairs more challenging.)

After a stretch, I came to, and crossed over, an arched wood bridge. A Mill Valley Parks plaque on this 2007 bridge indicated it was made from salvaged redwood -- a reminder of the giant trees that once blanketed the hillsides of nearby areas.

When I reached the Bayfront Park parking area, I turned around, but not before I stopped for a water break and looked around. This park was dedicated in 1984 and had signs and stickers that one might expect to find more often areas like Marin County, or perhaps Berkeley.

There were more messages that extolled a social good or cause ("May Peace Prevail on Earth," or "Adopt" underneath dog stencil art), or a mildly revolutionary scrawled sentiment, rather than gang tags one might find in rougher areas.

On the walk back, I admired berries growing in a large berry patch, and walked through Eucalyptus Knoll development (a detour) before heading down Hamilton Drive, and crossed back over to the southeast side of the freeway overpass.

DeSilva Island

Rather than return immediately to the car, I extended my walk, as there was still enough daylight to investigate the area around DeSilva Island Salt Marsh and community (detour from Bay Trail). There was a short public trail with tree shade that headed uphill through this development (also a few stairs here).

The views of the water below, visible between the trees, were nice. And, better yet, on a clear day like today, I could look south and see the San Francisco skyline beyond the boats in Sausalito, as well as Alcatraz Island, in the distance.

On the walk back to my car I enjoyed seeing egrets fishing in the marsh before sunset.

Wildlife Sightings:
34 crows/ravens; 4 snowy egrets, 2 great egrets; 18 little brown jobs (LBJs); 4 sea gulls; 1 Canada goose; 1 red ball; 8 pigeons

Sausalito Ferry Terminal, South - Sept. 8. '12

Walking Distance: 2.2 mi.
Walking Time: 2 hrs., 47 min. (includes dinner break) (6:35 - 9:22 p.m.)
Start and End: Street parking along Bridgeway, Sausalito, CA

This evening's walk, was part 3 of a 3-part adventure today, that started earlier in the afternoon with a seaplane ride, followed by a nice walk in Mill Valley and Bothin Marsh. On the drive south heading back home, I stopped in Sausalito, and walked this segment in south Sausalito, from Alexander Ave., (and the road that leads toward Fort Baker) to the Sausalito Ferry Terminal.

Earlier this month, I'd skipped this stretch, shown as double yellow lines on the Bay Trail map. The double yellow lines, in this case, meant a nice stretch of cement sidewalks, but also some narrow, rather dangerous curved road on a hillside with mixed traffic (bicycles, cars and people).

As I usually do, I parked my car in the middle of the walk (near Tiffany Beach and Park) and made a loop, ending back at the car. This evening, I parked on Bridgeway (the main road running through Sausalito), and first walked south (the more challenging direction) while there were still some light left.

I followed Bridgeway, as it curved right and went uphill to Richardson, then turned left on 2nd Street (at Golden Gate Market). I made a left on South Street (or where the road curved left and became South Street) and watched carefully for traffic in both directions in spots where curves made it difficult to see traffic. Then, once I was on the straight-away, I made my way to the intersection of Alexander Ave. and East Road, where I'd stopped previously, enjoying views out on the Bay during this walk.

Views included looking across the mouth of Richardson Bay to the Tiburon peninsula, Belvedere, Angel Island, the San Francisco skyline and Alcatraz island in the distance. Overall, a very scenic walk. And all this scenery and watching for cars and bicycles zipping around corners made me hungry. So, I popped in to enjoy the dining scenery at Aurora Ristorante on the walk back through town. Thank you to the staff there for whipping up a gluten-free version of a great pasta dish. After dinner, and on the way back to the car, I made my way out onto a small spur trail/wooden boardwalk over the water -- where lights from houses on a hill were reflected on beautiful glassy water on the Bay.

I concluded my walk with a trip to downtown Sausalito to the Ferry Terminal. However, by that time, it was dark, most shops were closed, or were closing. Ferry runs had ended for the day, and it was very peaceful and quiet.

Wildlife Sightings:
1 rustle in the bushes; too dark to see anything else