Benicia Marina -> West; Dec. 12, '10

Walking Distance: 2.7 miles (estimate)
Walking Time: 1 hr. 52 min. (3:00 - 4:52 p.m.)
Start and End Point: Public Parking lot area (4 hour limit), near Benicia Marina, Benicia, CA

Although overcast, the weather today was relatively mild. This made for a pleasant stroll through the historic areas of Benicia by the water, including the restored train depot (with a small See's Candies shop inside), a large Christmas tree, and a fishing pier out on the 1st Street Green area. From there, I walked up 1st Street, past antique shops, restaurants, and other businesses.

I took a very short detour to see the Benicia Capitol building, and then tried to follow the dog-leg trail. Eventually it got dark enough that I had to stop. Next time, I'll figure my way out of what appeared to be a dead-end street somewhere near I Street.

Wildlife:
39 little brown jobs (LBJs); 54 sea gulls; 1 great egret; 15  blackbirds (plain and red-winged blackbirds close to water's edge); 2 Western or Clark's grebes; 20 ducks.

Benicia Marina to Jefferson - Oct. 27, '10

Walking Distance: 2.4 miles (estimate)
Walking Time: 56 min. (5:04 - 6:00 p.m.)
Start and End Point: Public parking lot (4-hour limit) near Marina

After walking out two, small/short Public Access spurs,  I walked North on 5th Street, past the City of Benicia Wastewater Treatment Plant, took a right on East Military, then jogged left-ish onto Jefferson. It started to rain, and so I turned around at the intersection of Jefferson and Park.

Houses were decorated for Halloween (which was 3-4 days away). I liked the fake sea gull with the skeleton, the various haunted houses and and lawn tombstones.

Wildlife:
2 mockingbirds
2 doves
2 little brown jobs (LBJs)
1 hubcap
1 ball
1 domestic cat
2 sea gulls in the distance, flying over the Bay
2 crows
1 dark bird with white wingtips and long tail (Mynah?)
(Heard a few hummingbirds closeby, but didn't actually spot any)