New Landfill Loop trail - Apr. 30, 2011

Walking Distance: 2.82 mi.
Walking Time: 1 hr., 47 min. (10:28 a.m. - 12:15 p.m.)
Start and End Point: WCCC Landfill parking area; Richmond, CA

I attended the opening ceremony for the new West Contra Costa County (WCCC) Landfill Loop trail in Richmond this morning. The dotted line (on Bay Trail map shown) forming the upper part of this loop is now a completed trail, that will be open during business hours of this sanitary landfill: 7 a.m. - 5 p.m. Monday through Friday, and 9:00 a.m. - 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.  (The Wildcat Creek connecting trail, shown as a dotted line running south to Wildcat Creek Regional Park will be opening later.)

It was a beautiful day and a great opportunity to walk with other trail supporters. After the ribbon cutting ceremony, I joined a small birding/Audubon group, and learned a few things about birds (not difficult given my level of knowledge).

The new stretch of trail opened up an area to the right/north of Garbage Mountain (created by former landfill operations over many years) -- with views of San Pablo Bay to the north, and gave walkers and bicyclists a look at Mt. Tamalpais across the Bay as well.

The only part of trail I missed this morning was the upper trail, for pedestrians/hikers, which peeled away (uphill) from the main trail, and then rejoined the main trail later as the trail was curving around to the south toward the Wildcat Marsh area. I'm sure there were nice views from this elevated trail as well.

Lots of brightly colored wildflowers were in bloom, and the grasses were turning from green to gold.

Thank you to all those who worked for the last several years to make this new trail possible, including TRAC (Bruce Beyaert and committee); Republic Services; the City of Richmond; the Bay Trail group; the East Bay Bicycle Coalition; and many other groups and individuals.

Wildlife Sightings:
7 Canada geese; 1 great egret and 1 snowy egret; 2 osprey; 9 little brown jobs (LBJs); 5 finches; 18 red-winged blackbirds; 2 swallows; 42 sea gulls; 2 plovers (semi-palmated); 1 hawk; 3 Western/Clarks grebes; 1 white pelican; 2 crows/ravens; 17 butterflies; 1 unidentified flying bug; 1 lacewing; 11 terns; 9 ducks; 1 spotted sandpiper, 1 least sandpipers (little guys); 28 unidentified brownish shorebirds (variety of UBBs); 1 willet; 1 large cloud of eye-level and above gnats; 2 coots; 1 dragonfly

Pt. Richmond - Apr. 23, '11

Walking Distance: 1.8 mi.
Walking Time: 32 min. (4:25 - 4:57 p.m.)
Start and End Point: Public (2-hour) parking spot, on Dornan Dr., near intersection with W. Cutting Blvd., Point Richmond, CA

Today I began walking north on South Garrard Blvd. (under 580, and a few blocks beyond - double red lines trail on map). I also finished walking the short stretch of West Cutting Blvd. (between Dornan Drive/Garrard Blvd. and Canal Blvd. - also shown as double red line trail on map) that I'd missed on an earlier walk. Both of these areas had sidewalks and reasonable setbacks for bicycles, or a dedicated bike path. A train crossing yielded an opportunity to watch graffiti-decorated train cars rumble by.

Sometimes it's not the physical distance traveled, but what you see instead. Today was one of those days. Darkening skies and light rain cut my evening walk time short around 5 p.m. I had wanted an excuse to wander off the trail by a few short blocks to visit downtown Point Richmond. So, I was perfectly content to wander west and drop into the Refined by Fire Art Gallery (103 West Richmond Ave.), in downtown Point Richmond, where I saw the only "wildlife" of the day -- a friendly dog named Mattie, who belonged to gallery owner, Steven J. Nuss.

It was here in front of the gallery, that I also met a gentleman who mentioned he had made a trip around San Francisco Bay (in one day) awhile back, taking (only) various modes of public transportation. 
I hope he'll contact me, so I can list his name on this site. His trip is another great example of how accessible the Bay Area is to anyone willing to venture out of their own city or comfort zone.

Next up: the "dicier" area of Richmond that I've heard about. And then I'm looking forward to attending the April 30, '11, opening of the new landfill loop trail in Richmond up toward Point Pinole. After this, I'll resume my clock-wise walk around the Bay, by returning to the Berkeley Marina area, where I left off further south.

Wildlife Sightings:
0 birds, bugs or small mammals; Mattie the dog.