N. Kelly Road, Napa - Aug. 18, 2010

Walking Distance: 2.0 miles
Walking Time: Time: 34 min. (7:49 - 8:23 p.m.)
Start and End Point: Unpaved shoulder/pull-out area, at the intersection of Highway 12 and N. Kelly Rd., Napa, CA

I took a detour from the more heavily trafficked Highway 29, to walk up North Kelly Road (shown as a white line "Kelly" on map, and which runs parallel to Highway 29 -- shown as the double yellow lines on map). I left Highway 29 at Jameson Canyon (Highway 12) and walked North on N. Kelly until it rejoined Highway 29.

The West side of N. Kelly Road was populated by light industrial and commercial buildings, belonging to Sutter Home and other wine-related businesses; and the East side of the road was more open land, that might have been a mix of pasture and vineyards. I finished this stretch of road after the sun had set, so there weren't many opportunities for pictures; however, it was a pleasant walk.

Wildlife Sightings:
20 blurs in the grass/bushes (there was more movement and more blurs as it got darker, so I'm assuming these were field mice); 8 swallows; 1 mockingbird; and then it became too dark to see much more.

Highway 29 - N. Kelly Rd. - Aug. 18, 2010

Walking Distance: 2.8 miles
Walking Time: 57 min. (4:35 - 5:32 p.m.)
Start and End Point: Ristorante La Strada restaurant parking lot; 6240 Highway 29; American Canyon, CA

This afternoon, I stopped at Ristorante La Strada (shown), on the Bay Trail, on Highway 29. The Highway is shown as double yellow lines on left side of map). After a late lunch, I headed North, walking along Highway 29, until I reached the intersection with Jameson Canyon/Highway 12.

Even though this stretch of Highway 29 had a shoulder that was wider than some, setbacks along highways are not my favorite type of trail; and there were three sections of Highway 29 with guardrails (narrowing the walking area further) from the restaurant to Jameson Canyon (Highway 12).

There was no easy pedestrian crossing at the intersection of Highways 29 and 12, and so instead of continuing to walk along Highway 29, I decided to head East on Jameson Canyon/Highway 12, to North Kelly Road (shown only as a white line on map above Jameson Canyon). Later this evening I would return to walk N. Kelly Road -- a road that parallels and then joins Highway 29 further North.

The only other human I encountered on my walk up the Highway was a man in a car who asked if I needed help or a ride. I appreciated his concern, but assured him I was out walking by choice.

On the animal and bird front, I walked by a cow pasture. I've found that cows are pretty wary of pedestrians. They're not used to seeing humans walking along highways, and they usually have kept an eye on me until I pass by. (See cow pictured at right.) I also was able to see two kites (birds), and was able to photograph one perched on top of a utility pole (see image at right).  My apologies to the crickets I bothered, when I walked too close to the dry grass on the side of the road, causing them to leap by me toward the highway (not the smartest move they could have made).

Wildlife Sightings:
15 cows; 10 little brown jobs (LBJs); 2 crickets; 2 crows; 3 screws; 2 white butterflies; 1 snowy egret flying overhead; 2 kites (engaging each other briefly in mid-air); 2 blurs in the grass/bushes (probably field mice).