San Rafael - 3rd St., cont. - April 14, '13

Walking Distance: 2.2 miles
Walking Time: 59 min. (5:33 - 6:32 p.m.)
Start and End Point: Montecito Plaza Shopping Center, San Rafael, CA

This segment was a continuation of my walk on 3rd Street from earlier this afternoon. I walked east on 3rd Street, which soon turned into Point San Pedro Road. Most of this walk was on sidewalks along Point San Pedro Road, with a few transitional areas (packed dirt/asphalt shoulder). This stretch of road was shown as a broken green line on the 2012 - 2013 Bay Trail Map set.)

I passed San Rafael High School on the left, and a light industrial and yacht/marine services area on the right, with signs promising live bait and bargain slip rates. A residential neighborhood followed as Point San Pedro Road curved to the left.

There was a stiff breeze this afternoon, and I watched as some birds had to work harder to land on telephone wires above me. This may have been good news to sailors out on the Bay. As is often the case, the sporadic gusts would diminish as the sun went down.

In the meantime, I enjoyed walking through a sheltered "tunnel" of trees and flowers along one stretch of sidewalk.

I chose to end this walk before dark as I'd already walked a fair distance earlier today. I eventually turned around at the intersection of Point San Pedro and Summit Ave. -- the road leading to the Marin Yacht Club.

On the way back into town I enjoyed views of boats in the water with Mount Tamalpais in the distance as the sun was starting to sink lower in the sky.

It's always good to see Mount Tam -- visible for almost a third of my walk around the Bay Trail last time.

Wildlife Sightings:

18 little brown jobs; 2 pigeons; 4 sea gulls; 1 turkey vulture; 3 crows (one was attacking the turkey vulture); 3 black-necked stilts (flying low over water); 3 ducks (mallards)

San Rafael - 3rd St. - April 14, 2013

Walking Distance: 3.2 mi.
Walking Time:  3 hrs., 1 min. (2:17 - 5:18 p.m.)
Start and End Point: street parking on B Street, San Rafael, CA

Most of today's walk was on sidewalks and paved surfaces in the downtown area of San Rafael (the largest city in Marin County), with a few short stretches on packed dirt/gravel. From my starting point on B Street, I stopped at Safeway and then walked through their parking lot, where I turned left onto A Street (shown as solid green line on Bay Trail map). On A Street, I enjoyed seeing a garden and architectural details on one of the few remaining older houses.

From A Street, I turned right onto 3rd Street (shown as a broken green line on the 2012-2013 Bay Trail map set). Ambling along 3rd Street, I passed commercial buildings and restaurants, some painted in bright colors.

Continuing on 3rd Street, I passed the transit center and walked under Highway 101 where some of the concrete support pillars had been painted with flowers and butterflies.

I continued on third until I reached Grand Avenue, and made a right turn on Grand. I crossed over the San Rafael Canal, and passed a car dealership on the left. I made a left turn on Francisco Boulevard East (a broken green line on the Bay Trail map) until I reached the end of the Bay Trail, and extended my walk to include a detour on Canal Street.

From Francisco Blvd., I made a left on Harbor Street (shown only as a white line on the map), then a left on Canal Street. I followed Canal a short distance to the end, to a small park near the water -- a branch off the main canal). The little park looked a bit forlorn -- with dry grass, two trees, an old fence, and a partially overgrown cement walkway; but it did provide an overlook to the water.

From here, I turned around, and walked back to Francisco Blvd E.,  where I headed northwest. I stopped at (made a right turn into) Harbor Center, to research a few small restaurants. I stopped at the Kababbq for an afternoon meal.

After eating too much good food, I walked the last, short stretch of trail (broken green line) along the canal (between Yacht Club Ave. and Grand Ave.), before crossing the canal, heading east on 3rd for a bit (to Whole Foods Market), then heading back to my car.

I then drove a short distance to continue walking on 3rd Street, later today. (See next post.)

Wildlife Sightings:
3 crows; 7 sea gulls; 2 ducks (in canal); 1 rusty screw

 

 

Andersen Dr., WildCare - March 10, '13

Walking Distance: 3.1 mi.
Walking Time: 1 hr., 55 min. (3:05 - 5:00 p.m.)
Start and End Point: diagonal parking space (4-hour limit) on Albert Park Lane, San Rafael, CA

This afternoon's walk on Andersen Drive in San Rafael was primarily on sidewalks (shown as a solid, green line on 2012-2013 Bay Trail Map Set). I parked a few blocks off the Bay Trail near the Terwilliger Nature Education Center and WildCare* facility so I could see some additional birds (pelicans, turkey vulture, others) after my stroll down Andersen Drive.

First, I walked (north) through Albert Park, between rows of palm trees with a view of the Mission San Rafael Arcángel. When I reached Andersen Drive I headed right/south on the sidewalk (on Andersen) toward Bellam Boulevard. 

Along the way, I passed through a light industrial area, and a few metal quonset huts sticking up over the fence to my right. Some of these arched steel, prefabricated structures were inscribed with interesting painted, partly faded signage; others had letters which spelled out mysterious words like: "PUMPS."

Trees lining the sidewalk were laden with white blossoms, a sure sign of spring. A bush with bright pink/purple sweet pea flowers spilled through a fence within smelling distance of where I stood. Tiny patches of grafitti sprouted on cement surfaces.

I became aware of the Cal Park Hill bicycle/pedestrian trail to my right, and merged with it before I reached Bellam Blvd. Somehow this bike path had escaped my notice on my first walk around the Bay. I turned around when the bike path passed the intersection of Bellam Blvd. and Andersen and started to curve south.

After turning around, I walked west, back up Andersen Drive, and made a stop at Safeway for something to eat and drink, then proceeded on (southeast) to WildCare. I arrived before closing time (and the last feeding of the day), and caught glimpses of pelicans in the courtyard/pool area. I also saw a great (white) egret that may have flown in hoping for a fish.
Wildlife Sightings:
1 duck (in creek); 2 sea gulls; 33 pigeons; 9 crows/ravens; 2 hawks/birds of prey (one screeching and chasing another one - possibly a fledgling asking for food from an adult); 1 rusty screw (and several nails)

*WildCare treats approximately 3,000 injured or sick animals per year, and seeks to educate the public on how to best co-exist with fellow wild creatures.

San Rafael, Shoreline Park - Mar. 3, '13

Walking Distance: 3 mi. (estim.)
Walking Time: 1 hr., 39 min. (4:31 - 6:10 p.m.)
Start and End Point: street parking near entrance to Jean and John Starkweather Shoreline Park

While I am walking around the Bay in a clockwise direction, I occasionally skip segments and then go back to walk them later. After hiking the southern end of China Camp State Park last week, today I backtracked (south) to walk a stretch of Shoreline in San Rafael that I missed.

This area was north of the Richmond-San Rafael Bridge (and San Quentin Prison), and south of China Camp and McNears Beach, and included a few miles of scenic shoreline trails (some paved and some packed dirt). Today's stretch is shown as solid, dark green (asphalt) and medium green (packed dirt) lines on the 2012-2013 Bay Trail Map set.

This afternoon's walk at Jean and John Starkweather Shoreline Park was a beautiful one by the Bay, with a winter bonanza of ducks -- more than 200 sighted in less than 2 hours, and great views of the Bay, the Richmond-San Rafael Bridge, and Mount Tamalpais.

The entrance to this trail was located at the NE end of Bellam Blvd., marked by a sign (Jean and John Starkweather Shoreline Park). I followed a paved (asphalt) path toward the Bay and headed north.

Along the way I could see the Richmond - San Rafael Bridge to the southeast, two small islands in the Bay (part of Marin Islands National Wildlife Refuge). These islands are home to egrets and other nesting birds.

I walked north until I reached a small point and turned around. I then walked south, along a packed earth path for some of that time, then a paved path again, passing some light industrial/office buildings. At the south end of this stretch I reached a small beach. I sat down on a large driftwood log to watch birds for a moment. A gate blocked shoreline access further south (toward a shooting range and San Quentin).

On the return walk (north) back to the car, the sun was setting in the west and I enjoyed watching Mount Tamalpais turn into a dark and beautiful silhouette, surrounded by the sunset.

Wildlife Sightings:
209 ducks, including 20 lesser scaups; 24 little brown jobs (LBJs); 2 red-winged blackbirds; 2 UFO grebes; 4 Canada geese; 4 unidentified brownish shorebirds (UBBs); 7 crows/ravens; 5 bumblebees; 5 black-necked stilts; 1 killdeer; 1 coot; 1 cormorant; 3 sea gulls; 2 mockingbirds; 2 doves

China Camp, part 1 - Feb. 27, 2013

Walking Distance: 2.5 mi. (estimate)
Walking Time: 2 hrs., 34 min. (12:58 - 3:32 p.m.)
Start and End Point: Parking lot, China Camp State Park (Marin County), CA

I skipped ahead almost a mile this afternoon, to take a walk at China Camp, a California State Park. Thanks to Mark for joining me today.

From the parking lot, we walked downhill to a beach and a partially restored Chinese shrimp fishing village (China Camp Village) that had been most active in the 1880s. We made our way through exhibits in one building and passed the Quan Brothers snack bar (open on weekends).

After looking at some historical artifacts on display (old furnaces, equipment, examples of shrimp nets), we walked to the south to end of the beach, and stopped to look at an old stand of fruit trees that were full of white blossoms and buzzing bees -- a sign of early spring in February.

We turned around and headed back along the beach, and back uphill to the parking lot, and through a picnic area along the shore/bluffs. From an outlook (China Camp Point) we had a nice view of Rat Rock (in the Bay) and beyond.

From this outlook area we continued walking, on a narrow dirt path, passing several oak trees; and the dirt path became even narrower, until we decided to make our way back to Point San Pedro Road, the main road running through the Park. (Note: Point San Pedro Road turns into North San Pedro Road, as you head north through the park.)

We crossed this road, from the shoreline side to the hillside, close to a Ranger's Station.

Near the Ranger Station was a trailhead leading slightly uphill to the Shoreline Trail. We followed this trail and made a loop, eventually coming back down toward the car.

Next up: hike the trails in the northern part of China Camp State Park, and the rest of the North Point San Pedro Rd., eventually leading out of the park and toward the Marin Civic Center.

Note: China Camp does have some overnight camp sites. Check the website for more details.

Wildlife Sightings:
1 pelican; 2 sea gulls; 6 little brown jobs (LBJs); 5 crows/ravens; 1 cormorant; 2 Canada geese