Tiburon - Paradise Drive - Feb. 10, 2010

Walking Distance: .8 mile
Walking Time: 12 minutes (5:32 - 5:54 p.m.)
Start and End Point(s): Parking spots along shoulder, Paradise Drive, Tiburon, CA

I continued to walk along Paradise
Drive headed toward Corte
Madera (undeveloped section of
trail, shown as double yellow lines on map).

Earlier, I passed the street(s) leading to Paradise Cay and Tiburon Yacht Club, but -- as it looked to be private property and was not included on the Bay Trail map -- I did not walk down into this development to walk along the water. However, I may (when I reach Westward Drive) walk up the Ring Mountain trail (shown as an "other trail" (purple line) on this map) when I get there tomorrow or the next day.

As it was getting dark, I tried to cover this somewhat dangerous narrow stretch of curving road as quickly as I could. I thought, once again, that the people who live along Paradise Drive, must enjoy some very nice Bay views. In fact, a few car ports (see image) along this road have a better view than any house I've seen. Lucky cars.

I had a close encounter with some landscaping at road's edge -- not so bad in February, when this palm (shown) added to the vortex of bright green plant life. Soon enough that grass will be golden brown again.

Wildlife Sightings:
1 crow, 1 Robin, and 1 little brown job (LBJ)

Paradise Dr., Mateo Dr. - Feb. 10, 2010

Walking Distance: 1.8 miles
Walking Time: 55 minutes (4:30 - 5:25 p.m.)
Start and End Point(s): shoulder parking, along Paradise Drive, Tiburon, CA

While walking this stretch of
Paradise Drive (shown as unimproved trail
section -- double, parallel yellow lines on map),
I took a small break to walk up Mateo Drive
(a short cul-de-sac up on the hill, off Paradise
Drive - not shown on this map). There was a
nice view of the Bay from the top of Mateo.


Tiburon is a great place to see deer. I saw three of them carefully walking across the street from where I was this evening; they were "hiding" in some bushes. I told them not to worry, and asked to take their picture, and they seemed to comply (and they may have thought I was a little nuts).

Once again, be careful while walking along Paradise Drive. I was walking this stretch as it was starting to get dark and commuters were rushing to get home. In spots it is necessary to walk very close to said cars.

Wildlife Sightings:
2 little brown jobs (LBJs)
3 deer

Tiburon - Tiburon Blvd. - Feb. 8, 2010

Walking Distance: 1.4 miles
Walking Time: 1 hour, 7 minutes (5:15 - 6:22 p.m.)
Start and End Point(s): 2-hour spot on Main St., and spot on Tiburon Blvd., Tiburon, CA

This evening I covered from the Railroad Ferry Museum (Shoreline Park) to the intersection of Tiburon Blvd. and Mar West -- with a stop for tamales, guacamole, and a mango drink at Guaymas (Mexican) restaurant, near the Tiburon Ferry stop/dock.
No photos to show here due to the fact that it was too dark.

Wildlife Sightings:
3 sea gulls

Tiburon - Paradise Drive, Uplands trail - Feb. 8, 2010

Walking Distance: 4.6 miles
Walking Time: 1 hour, 49 minutes (3:05 - 4:54 p.m.)
Start and End Point: shoulder spot, (near 3300) Paradise Drive, Tiburon, CA

From the car, I walked (southeast) past the Bay Conference Center, and the entrance to Romberg Tiburon Center, to the Tiburon Uplands Nature Preserve loop trail (pictured as small purplish loop on Bay Trail map). This is a bit of an uphill hike through the trees, but the views at the top are well worth it.

On the way back down the trail, it started raining, so I made the rest of the walk on Paradise Drive (to Paradise Beach Park) under an umbrella, and trying not to get the camera wet. Ah well, it's hard not to appreciate the green grass and flowers that this rain brings.

 Wildlife Sightings:
1.) Paradise Drive: 1 crow, 4 turkey vultures and 1 ball
2.) Tiburon Uplands Nature Preserve trail:

1 banana slug, lots of different fungi,
wildflowers, plus a few dogs walking their owners

Paradise Dr., (cont.), Tiburon - Feb. 3, 2010

Walking Distance: 4.5 miles
Walking Time: 2 hrs., 21 min. (3:00 - 5:30 p.m. - less 9 min. driving)
Start and End Point(s): Three different spots along Paradise Drive, Tiburon, CA

Great scenery, but watch your step around those blind corners, and steep drop-offs where there is no shoulder on the road.

I started my walk today near the Roadroad and Ferry Depot Museum, and stopped at the Lyford Stone Tower (an historic monument). A view

from inside the tower is pictured at right.  Further up/north along Paradise Drive, there were beautiful views of Keil Cove and the rest of the Bay in between and behind trees, houses and flowers.

Other than the occasional car and bicycles, it was very peaceful and quiet....just the occasional sound of some run-off water (from recent rains), and the faint sound of waves lapping against the shore below. Very nice.

Wildlife Sightings:
72 sea gulls; 2 cormorants; 3 brown pelicans; 2 little brown jobs (LBJs); and 3 crows