Old Sonoma Road, Napa - July 27, 2010

Walking Distance: 2.6 miles
Walking Time: 1 hr., 20 min. (5:45 - 7:05 p.m.)
Start and End Point: Side of road, Old Sonoma Road, Napa, CA

This evening I finished my walk along Old Sonoma Road, and -- other than one spot that was fairly narrow (and close to car traffic) -- it was very nice.

I walked from the intersection of Old Sonoma Road and Highway 121 to Old Sonoma Road and Buhman. The landscape included some grapevines, residences, and livestock/pastureland.

Wildlife Sightings:
35 Canada geese; 5 little brown jobs (LBJs); 1 starling; 9 cows; 1 horse; 13 blurs in bushes; 15 swallows; 2 lizards; 1 dove; and 2 mockingbirds.

Old Sonoma Rd., Napa - July 10, 2010

Walking Distance:  2.1 mi.
Walking Time: 52 min. (5:53 - 6:45 p.m.)
Start and End Point: dirt/unpaved pull-out area along Old Sonoma Road, Napa area, CA

This evening I returned to finish another segment of Old Sonoma Road, West of (downtown) Napa, CA.  I started near Vine Village (4059 Old Sonoma Rd.) and ended at Buhman Ave. This relatively rural stretch, with low rolling hills, vineyards, and tall eucalyptus trees, with a few pastures thrown in for good measure, was a pleasant area for walking -- but for the areas where there was just a few inches of walking space between tall weeds and the road. It was nice to have some shade and a little breeze though. (Example of "shade tunnel" at right.)

This lack of walking area/shoulder situation is not uncommon in the North Bay section of the Bay Trail. And, based on my walking experiences thus far, this week I will add a "Pedestrian Advisory" page to this site that will list sections with less than six inches of walking space along roads. I also plan to add pages for "Dog Friendly" sections of the Bay Trail, and "Trail Overnights" -- with possible overnight trip suggestions.


But, back to this evening's walk...I did see a few small birds darting about, and lizards were zipping into the tall, dry grass so fast as I walked by, that I was unable to capture any with my camera. I saw many more "blurs in bushes" (18) than I did wholly formed, verifiable lizard sightings (4). It was easier in the Spring (when I believe for mating reasons) they were perched in more obvious locations and would happily (it seemed) pose for pictures. I did notice a very calm herd of cows grazing in partial shade just up the hill from me. They were so quiet and peaceful, I would almost call them stealth cows (shown at right).

On the drive back home, I stopped at the Schellville Grill, in Schellville (a few miles south of Sonoma) for dinner. (They are only open for dinner Thurs., Fri., and Sat. -- and I was happy to catch them on a night they were open. They had been closed when I walked by the restaurant during an earlier, mid-week walk.)

Wildlife Sightings:
27 little brown jobs (LBJs); 4 lizards; 2 doves; 14 cows; and 1 hawk screeching around tall eucalyptus tree; and 1 mattress.

Old Sonoma Rd., Napa, CA - July 6, 2010

Walking Distance: 1.5 miles
Walking Time: 39 min. (8:47 - 9:26 p.m.)
Start and End Point: shopping center parking lot on Old Sonoma Road, Napa, CA

This evening I arrived in the Sonoma area too late for my walk along Fremont Drive, so I used the time to drive upcoming trail segments in Sonoma and Napa. And I finished walking a segment of Old Sonoma Road (in Napa) that I hadn't quite finished more than a month ago.

It was dark, and so I covered the more rural part of this segment first (slight incline that slopes down into a more developed, residential area. I paused mid-way for a piece of flan to go, and I stopped (at the stop sign in fact) when I reached the point where Old Sonoma Road intersected with Freeway Drive. By this time the flan was gone, and I walked back to my car.

Wildlife Sightings:
2 little brown jobs (LBJs); it was too dark to see anything else.

Napa - Old Sonoma Road, May 29, 2010

Walking Distance: 1.7 miles
Walking Time: 47 min. (8:59 - 9:46 a.m.)
Start and Stop Point: Parked near intersection of Congress Valley and Old Sonoma Road, Napa, CA

This morning's short stroll felt more like a walk through the vineyards. Hills were planted with grapes; and small baby grapes were visible from the road (shown). Elsewhere berry bushes were in bloom (pictured at right), and a half dozen sheep munched on hay in the shade.

It was a nice day, which promised to get much warmer; so I was glad to get out early. My SW turn-around point was Vine Village (non-profit) on Old Sonoma Road. And I walked (NE) a little over the crest of a hill, before turning back. With the warm weather predicted this weekend, I was enjoying what was likely the last of the little patches of green grasses on the side of the road. Soon the hills (except for the irrigated areas) will be golden brown.

Wildlife Sightings:
1 red-winged blackbird; 6 sheep; 1 yellow and black butterfly; 1 great blue heron and 1 great (white) egret) flying around in the tall trees on Vine Village property; 5 black birds (orioles?); 3 little brown jobs (LBJs); 2 relatively small brown lizards; 2 unidentified flying bugs; 1 (recently dead) skunk.