Arnold Drive, Dog house, Sonoma - July 7, 2010

Walking Distance: .65 mi. (estimate)
Walking Time: 20 min. (6:30 - 6:50 p.m.)
Start and End Point: unpaved shoulder/pull-out area, along Highway 116 East (Stage Gulch Rd.), Sonoma, CA

I had walked this stretch of Arnold Drive (from 116 East to the intersection of Arnold Drive and Fremont Drive) before. I succeeded, with the exception of about 1/3 mile (x2) of Arnold Drive where three houses had barking dogs -- and in two cases the dogs either ran out into the road, or started to head my way.  While I can't say I was looking forward to this, I forced myself to complete this segment this evening. Fortunately, the three dogs in the final yard or two, across the road, did not run out into traffic, but they looked like they might. Keep this in mind if you are passing through this area either in foot or on a bicycle. (My advice, stay on the East side of Arnold Drive - the furthest away from these few houses with loose dogs.)

Not many pictures in this entry; I was too busy keeping my eye on the dogs.

Wildlife Sightings:
13 little brown jobs (LBJs)
1 hawk
3 farm dogs barking at me

Arnold Drive, South to Hwy 121 - June 16, 2010

Walking Distance: 2.2 miles (estimate)
Walking Time: 54 min. (6:32 - 7:26 p.m.)
Start and End Point: Side of road, E. Bonness Road, Sonoma, CA


This evening marked a return to walking on more rural highways, with fast-moving traffic, and moderate shoulders on the side of the road. Like many of these roads in the Bay Trail system (depicted on the Bay Trail maps by double yellow lines), this is not a route for families, children, or dogs.


This stretch of Arnold Drive (between Stage Gulch Road (Highway116)
and Bonneau Road (Highway 121) had an overabundance of aggressive farm dogs who were able to run out into the road, so I would not recommend this segment for pedestrians of any kind. And if you're on a bicycle, with luck you can outrun these dogs. Unfortunately, these dogs (all on the West side of the road) caused me to have to cut this segment short; so I will have to make up this last stretch sometime later. Note: this is the first time I have encountered any problem with dogs in more than 200 miles of walking. Fingers crossed it will be the last.

I was able to walk south on Arnold Drive from East Bonness Rd., and reached the intersection of Arnold with Bonneau Road, before turning around and walking back to my car. Further down E. Bonness Rd., in the distance, was a very tall tree, being used as a flag pole, for a very large American flag. It was impressive for its size.

Wildlife Sightings:
14 blackbirds; 2 swallows; 6 barking farm dogs (in 3 different places); 2 red-winged blackbirds; 4 horses; 12 cows; 2 lizards; 1 bluejay; 2 rusty screws; 1 little brown job (LBJ).