Goodrick Ave., Richmond Pkwy. - May 6, '11

Walking Distance: 6.8 mi. (estimate)
Walking Time: 2 hrs., 57 min. (4 segments from 8:56 a.m. - 12:46 p.m.)
Start and End Points:
1.) Unpaved shoulder, near end of (300) Goodrick Ave., Richmond
2.) Unpaved shoulder, end of Goodrick Ave., Richmond
3.) Wildcat Cree Park parking lot, off Richmond Pkway, Richmond
4.) Canal Blvd. (small remnant of) off Garrard/Richmond Parkway, Richmond

This morning I walked separate segments of the Bay Trail in Richmond: 1.) two short segments in the Goodrick Ave. area, including a "J" shaped, unpaved trail extension of Goodrick that ended at the railroad tracks, near Giant Highway; and 2.) Richmond Parkway -- from Wildcat Creek Park to Hensley Ave to 208 Garrard Blvd.

In the last week the green grass is definitely turning straw colored, although the wildflowers were still going strong on Goodrick Ave. I first walked the unpaved extension of Goodrick Ave., which looked like it had been purchased by the East Bay Regional Parks District. But, a road or trail going out to what looked like a small airfield was gated/closed.

A packed, gravel trail (not shown on map) instead curved east to the railroad trails along Rheem Creek. I turned around when I reached the railroad tracks. While it might have technically been possible to walk north, along the tracks toward Giant Highway and Point Pinole Park, it did not look advisable or legal. No one to ask except for a small snake that was soaking up some sun.

I then walked the paved portion of Goodrick Ave. (gold double lines on Bay Trail map), from the Richmond Rod and Gun Club toward Richmond Parkway, passing a road (Maas Ave.?) that had been barricaded/closed to all forms of traffic. It was a bit confusing; it looked to me like plans in this area were in flux. Looking at another map later, it also appeared that another part of Goodrick Ave. (red line) continued through and past the Richmond Rod and Gun Club at 3000 Goodrick Ave. However, I assumed that this road was on private property, so it did not occur to me to drive or walk into the gun club (where loud target shooting was taking place). So, I may have missed a short fork of trail here.

I then drove south on Richmond Parkway to Wildcat Creek Park, where I parked and walked west, following a short segment (red line) trail into the Park. I look forward to coming back next year, when the connecting trail between Wildcat Creek and the newly expanded Landfill Loop trail (approximately 1 mile further north) in Richmond is completed.

I then walked from Wildcat Creek Park south/right onto Richmond Parkway (sidewalk), passing a wrecking yard with some interesting old cars piled up on top of each other along the way. A relatively short stretch of Hensley Road takes you through a less trafficked industrial area, then back to Richmond Parkway. Be careful to followed Bay Trail signs so you can find the walkway for pedestrians/bicycles, otherwise you'll end up on the concrete trough/roadway with the cars. (I paused and re-parked further down on Garrard at this point, so I could get some water. I then walked north to return to this point, and back again.)

Wildlife Sightings:

4 pigeons; 3 killdeer; 1 small snake; 21 little brown jobs (LBJs); 11 red-winged blackbirds; 9 brown horses (probably the same ones I spotted earlier this month); 2 mockingbirds; 6 rusty screws; 5 snails; 12 sea gulls; 2 Canada geese; 2 crows; 3 starlings; 3 mockingbirds; 1 hubcap; 1 pillbug; 1 dragonfly

Middle Harbor, Oakland - May 5, '11

Walking Distance: 6.4 mi. (estimate)
Walking Time: 2 hrs, 31 min. (4:06 p.m. - 6:37 p.m.)
Start and End Point: Public parking lot, near old site of "Building 122"; Oakland, CA

Today I enjoyed walking around the Oakland harbor, views of the San Francisco skyline, and the large cargo ship operations in the Port of Oakland (at the safe distance).

From the parking lot, I walked toward the water, through a small, lawn-covered area and a walkway  along the water. Geese and their goslings were romping around in this area.

Once I reached the walkway along the Bay, I continued north on this path. I passed a playground area, in Portview Park, and turned around at the trail's end just past the fishing pier area, when I could walk no further (due to a chain link fence). Also, near the playground was a small building advertising a room with a view upstairs, but, unfortunately this building was closed by the time I walked by, and all prospective patrons had to view was a painted silhouette of a man waving from a window. Ahoy, matey, maybe next time.

I then headed south to the other end of the Harbor, and when I reached this old ferry point location, I also walked through the building dedicated to a local figure who helped establish parks in the Oakland area. This end was also the best place to view and take photographs of a large cargo ship, loaded with stacks of metal shipping containers and the huge cranes there to service these ships.

Random observation for the day: At one point a had a ladybug hitchhiker that landed about where my watch would have been on my arm/wrist -- had I been wearing a watch. The ladybug stayed with me for quite a awhile.

Wildlife Sightings:

3 pigeons; 1 ladybug; 7 swallows; 41 Canada geese (includes 19 goslings); 7 terns; 40 sea gulls; 4 doves; 95 ducks (includes 5 ducklings); 31 Western/Clark's grebes; 14 little brown jobs (LBJs); 137 unidentified brownish shorebirds (small and medium sized UBBs); 8 killdeer; 6 cormorants; 9 American Avocets; 1 starling;  5 brown pelicans; 1 blur in the bushes (BIB)

Emeryville, Powell St. - May 4, '11

Walking Distance: 3.8 mi. (estimate)
Walking Time: 1 hr., 22 min. (7:18 - 8:40 p.m.)
Start and End Point: near Roba's Pizza, 2320 Powell St., Emeryville, CA

This evening I fought through commute hour traffic to go walking in Emeryville, in the East Bay. I arrived with just enough daylight to walk a few miles around a relatively urban area starting at Powell Street.

I parked along the (red line on map) area of Powell St., west of the freeway in the Eastshore State Park area. Walking east on Powell, I first turned left and walked the frontage road to Shorebird Park. After taking in a sunset over the Bay, I turned around and took a left onto Powell -- walking east, under the freeway underpass, where I enjoyed numerous metal sculptural figures.

Within a block or two, I encountered a small obstacle -- a no pedestrians allowed sign, on Powell, so I maneuvered my way to Shellmound St., and followed Shellmound south, past some hotels and shopping malls, and a large IKEA store, up a sidewalk on the side of another concrete overpass. After walking over and down the other side, enjoying a brief view of Mt. Tamalpais through a metal fence and some concrete from a concrete rise, I found myself across the street from another shopping mall, and turned around in front of a Rug Depot Outlet (40th and Hubbard Streets).

I walked back the same way, except I walked meandered down the Bay Street shopping street (outdoor mall); and I jogged left on Christie Ave. from Shellmound St. to cut through to Powell St. One final view I was treated to -- a view of the Bay Bridge going into San Francisco, all lit up and beautiful.

Wildlife Sightings:
2 Canada geese

Aquatic Park - May 2, '11

Walking Distance: 4 miles (estimate)
Walking Time: 1 hr., 23 min. (4:17 - 5:40 p.m.)
Start and End Point - the intersection of Addison and Bolivar Dr., Berkeley, CA

Today I completed my last planned walk in the city of Berkeley. This loop trail around Aquatic Park in Berkeley was a "purple line trail" (as shown on Bay Trail map) -- that ran parallel to Bolivar Drive, and joined with a pedestrian/bicycle overcrossing bridge to the Bayside Bay Trail (red line) near University Avenue.

Aquatic Park was apparently built in the 1930s by the Works Progress Administration (WPA) during the last great economic downturn. The Park consists of a large, elongated water feature that is home to a waterski club, a rowing club, and a number of different birds. (No swimming signs were posted, but I did see at least one dog taking a dip.) The park also had a children's playground area,  picnic tables, and BBQ area.

A freeway (Interstate Highway 80) lies west of the Park, and the San Francisco Bay is located to the west of the freeway.

This week continued to be a great week to spot goslings and ducklings. I saw one duck with a brood of 8 ducklings. This seemed to be a big responsibility for a single duck, especially with a few cats spotted nearby, and bicycles, dogs and pedestrians whizzing by the shore.

Wildlife Sightings:
2 cats; 20 ducks; 4 cormorants; 2 Canada geese; 10 sea gulls; 4 crows; 2 snowy egrets; 1 hummingbird; 4 little brown jobs (LBJs); 2 blackbirds; 2 terns; 2 finches; lots of dogs out walking with their owners (including Miss Jackie Brown and Frida -- shown).

Richmond Pkwy. - Apr. 30, '11

Walking Distance: 3 miles
Walking Time: 1 hr., 22 min. (1:34 - 2:56 p.m.)
Start and End Point: WCCC Sanitary Landfill, Richmond, CA

After walking the new Landfill Loop trail that opened earlier this morning, I walked east on Parr Blvd. to Richmond Parkway. (Parr Blvd. is a dotted line running east-west on Bay Trail map shown, and is not part of Bay Trail.) I first walked south on Richmond Parkway to Wildcat Creek Regional Park, and then north as far as Goodrick Ave. (toward Point Pinole).

This stretch of Richmond Parkway had a wide bike/pedestrian path or sidewalk, and this made walking near a road with fairly heavy car traffic quite pleasant. Part of the road (from the WCCC landfill area to Wildcat Creek) even had some tree shade along the way.

As mentioned in the previous post, I hope to be walking the connector trail (dotted line running north-south) between the West County Landfill Loop and Wildcat Creek Regional Park next year, after this 1+ mile trail opens. This would add another mile to what is already a sizable trail base in Richmond. Approximately 30 miles, or 10% of the total number of miles of the San Francisco Bay Trail, are in Richmond.

Unfortunately, I had taken so many pictures of the Landfill Loop trail opening that I ran out of (camera) memory, and so I did not have my camera with me on this walk. As in the past, walking without a camera almost always guarantees that there will be a few great prize-winning shots (in my mind at least) that I will miss -- like today's white-tailed kite (bird) flutter-hovering about a brightly colored grass and flower-filled field and then sitting nearby in a tree, and a gorgeous view of Mt. Tamalpais with lots of colorful flowers in the foreground. Ah well. I have only a few iPhone pictures of this walk, and none of the kite (bird).

Wildlife Sightings:
6 ducks; 2 American avocets; 2 crows; 2 sea gulls; 3 starlings; 4 blurs in the bushes (probably lizards); 6 little brown jobs (LBJs); 1 dead goat (brown and white) w/ horns; 2 lizards (1 dark, 1 gray); 10 red-winged blackbirds; 6 horses; 1 kite (bird); 1 model airplane; 1 dead red fox; 1 syringe; 1 swallow