San Pablo Ave., cont. - Mar. 17, '11

Walking Distance: 3.6 mi.
Walking Time: 55 min. (6:41 - 7:36 p.m.)
Start and End Point: Public parking lot near The Embers Restaurant, Pinole, CA

Before dinner this evening, I walked the red line trail at Pinole Shores Regional Park. After taking a dinner break at The Embers restaurant (in shopping center off San Pablo Ave.), it was time to do a bit more walking -- this time on city surface streets. I headed southwest first, toward Richmond. Today was Saint Patrick's Day, so it seemed appropriate to walk as far southwest as Shamrock Drive, in Tara Hills (southwest of Pinole) before turning around.

Shown as a double yellow line on the Bay Trail Map, this stretch of San Pablo Avenue was a combination of mostly light industrial and commercial businesses and buildings -- with a dash of residential dwellings thrown in for good measure. There wasn't much in the way of green grass or Bay views from San Pablo Ave. But, this would be a good route for bicyclists. For pedestrians, most of San Pablo Avenue in this part of town has a sidewalk (or at least a sidewalk on one side of the street). At one point the sidewalk took me up a hill and a bit away from the road traffic. Then I was walking on roadway again. But, again, this was a double yellow line trail, and I've learned to expect a few pedestrian unfriendly stretches where I see double yellow lines.

Willdife:
2 sea gulls; 8 little brown jobs (LBJs); 1 crow; 1 rusty screw; 1 domestic cat

Pinole, San Pablo Ave. - Mar. 12, '11

Walking Distance: 2.0 miles
Walking Time: 1 hr., 12 min. (3:58 - 5:10 p.m.)
Start and End Point: Pinole public parking lot, Tennent Ave., Pinole, CA

The Bay Trail follows San Pablo Avenue for quite a long way; this is the best route for bicyclists. At the same time, there are bits and pieces of trail further West by the Bay, some better suited for walkers.

This afternoon, I continued my walk West along San Pablo Ave., (shown as double yellow lines on the Bay Trail map) from Tennent Ave. to Sunnyview. And next time, I'll investigate the Pinole Shores Regional Park (red line) trail closer to the Bay.

This stretch of San Pablo Avenue was mostly pedestrian-friendly, with sidewalks or setbacks on one or both sides of the street. I walked through the southern end of historic Pinole, and a bit further the historic homes and buildings began to shift to mixed commercial and light industrial areas.

I turned around at Sunnyview, near the Foster's Freeze, and walked back toward Tennent Ave. I stopped to take pictures of several murals, yard/shop figures/sculptures, and mannequins in the windows of an evening wear store. Murals and creative figures were in abundant supply in this part of Pinole.

And, in fact, I continued walking West on Tennent Ave. when I returned, past where I'd parked my car, so I could photograph a Santa Fe train mural painted under a railroad bridge crossing.

I also spotted some other murals across the street, and an older cat sitting on a doorstep. So, these last few blocks quickly degenerated into an exercise in fun, creative-picture taking rather than mindful, Bay Trail walking.

Wildlife Sightings:

1 sea gull; 1 little brown job (LBJ); 1 crow; 1 domestic cat (on Tennent Ave.)

Hercules, San Pablo Ave. - Mar. 1, '11

Walking Distance: 1.6 miles
Walking Time: 35 min. (2:59 - 3:34 p.m.)
Start and Stop Point: Parking lot, near Linus Pauling and San Pablo Ave., Hercules, CA

This stroll down San Pablo Ave. (shown as double red lines on map) was quite comfortable for pedestrian traffic, due to sidewalks covering the entire stretch. I walked along San Pablo Ave., from Victoria Crescent to the end of Highway 4 (also known as John Muir Parkway), which now terminates at at business park.


I wonder what John Muir would make of the term "office park" or "business park." Perhaps it's better he didn't live long enough to ponder this question. While a successful businessman himself, Muir did value open space. And, there is not much "park" in an office or business park.

There was still some grass and trees in the hills surrounding this stretch of San Pablo Ave. -- enough to support a large hawk soaring above. (see very blurry picture of hawk shown at right). However, the open land seems like it is being developed at a rapid rate, with new dense housing tracts under construction.

I heard a few rustles and caught sight of tiny darting movements in the undergrowth, or what I call "blurs in the bushes" or BIBs for short. These were likely small lizards basking in the sun that were scurrying for cover as I walked by. This makes sense as almost one year ago,  last Spring, I took many pictures of lizards. Lizard season, in areas where they still exist, is about to begin again soon. This will probably make the hawk happy.

Wildlife Sightings:
3 sea gulls; 4 crows; 5 little brown jobs (LBJs); 1 hawk; 1 ladybug; 1 pillbug; 3 blurs in bushes (BIBs - likely lizards)

Rodeo to Hercules - Feb. 28, 2011

Walking Distance: 3.4 mi. (estimate)
Walking Time: 1 hr. 25 min. (4:41 - 6:06 p.m.)
Start and End Point: Unpaved shoulder, San Pablo Ave., Rodeo, CA

Today's walk was part urban sidewalks, followed by a stretch of open space by the water to watch the sunset.

I first walked East on San Pablo Ave., spotting a roof full of pigeons along the way, to the intersection with Railroad Ave. -- my end point in yesterday's walk.

I then turned around and walked through downtown Rodeo along Parker Ave., enjoying painted signs, a bar, a bait shop, burger restaurants, an old movie theater turned into a church, and an abandoned restaurant with a dutch windmill on top.

I took a right turn on San Pablo Ave., and walked up a gradual slope to the intersection with Victoria Crescent, before turning around to head back to my car, and an East Bay Regional Park area (San Pablo Bay Regional Shoreline - Lone Tree Point) near the Bay.

By the time I arrived at the Point, the sun was starting to go down, and there were just a few people there. In addition to an old crumbling wharf, there was a small cove and beach with a cluster of wading shorebirds. An Amtrak train rumbled by, but other than that, it was very peaceful.

Wildlife Sightings:
12 pigeons; 14 LBJs; 12 sea gulls; 14 smaller UBBs; 1 dove; 6 ducks; 1 hubcap

San Pablo Ave., Rodeo - Feb. 27, '11

Walking Distance: 4.1 miles

Walking Time: 1 hr., 38 min. (12:55 - 2:33 p.m.)

Start and End Point: Side of street, California St., Rodeo, CA

Today I parked in Rodeo, CA; and I walked East on San Pablo Ave. (double yellow line on Bay Trail map) to an East Bay Regional Park entry gate (trailhead for San Pablo Bay Regional Trail shown as red line on map -- and the location where I finished a previous walk). 

If you're into contrasts -- this is a good walk for you.

An oil refinery or processing plant creates a heavy footprint on land and shore. The Conoco Phillips facilities are no exception. There were lots of lots of large, metal objects: tanks, towers, pipes -- in short all the things you'd expect to see. 

There were multiple signs prohibiting standing, stopping, loitering or trespassing of any kind along this industrialized corridor, for security reasons I presume. I felt sorry for the woman bicycle rider across the street frantically trying to fix what might have been a flat tire or bent rim.

I was heartened to see, after walking through and by the refinery, green hills and trees and flowers -- and to hear frogs and red-winged blackbirds. And the hubcap flowers were in bloom in the dirt (example shown) as well as the beautiful yellow mustard flowers (also shown).

I saw several bicycle riders, but no other pedestrians. This walk was somewhat challenging for pedestrians. Toward the East end (closer to Cummings Skyway) there are one or two blind corners on this winding 4-lane road, with some hills, with very little setback from rapidly moving traffic. Also a fairly heavy percentage of trucks of different sizes use this route. Fortunately, it was Sunday, during non-rush hours, so there were fewer vehicles on the road.

Wildlife Sightings:

18 sea gulls; 26 red-winged blackbirds; 1 hawk or falcon; 2 little brown jobs (LBJs); 1 turkey vulture; 2 hubcaps; sounds of frogs (but no sightings).