John Muir Historic Site, Martinez - Jan. 8, '11

Walking Distance: 1.6 miles
Walking Time: 1 hr., 15 min. (1:55 - 2:35 p.m.; and 2:58 - 3:33 p.m.)
Start and End Point: Parking lot, John Muir Historic Site, Alhambra Ave., Martinez, CA

It was a gray and wintery day, but I was excited to visit John Muir's old house. After all, here's a man who took his own 1,000 mile walk (from Indiana down to the Gulf Coast), and was famous for tramping about up in the mountains.

However, in Martinez, Muir and his family raised fruit trees. Remnants of the old orchards are still there. Red berries and new green shoots of grass provided some bits of color to an otherwise gray day.

It is also possible to see the inside of the Muir house on this site. I was especially interested in seeing John Muir's study/office upstairs, an area he called his "Scribble Den."




After visiting this site, I walked down a block or two on Alhambra to the Highway 4 onramp (pedestrians take care), then turned around to walk the remainder of Alhambra Ave. Along the way, I passed the Muir Lodge. I didn't have a chance to stop in to ask them how long they'd been there. But, they are located right on the Bay Trail.

Wildlife Sightings:
2 little brown jobs (LBJs); 1 domestic black cat; 2 turkey vultures; 1 sea gull; 1 crow

Downtown Martinez - Jan. 5, '11

Walking Distance:  .85 miles
Walking Time:  38 min. (5:12 - 5:50 p.m.)
Start and End Point:  City parking lot, off Ferry Street, near train tracks; Martinez, CA

Before walking, I stopped at the Hot Dog Depot on Ferry Street in Martinez, where I bought some water, a cup of Butter Pecan ice cream. I also bought a bag of acorn flour (handmade by the woman at Hot Dog Depot), a rare find, and not something I would ever find at a hot dog place.

I walked West on Marina Vista hoping to find the continuation of the Bay Trail. followed Buckley St., but failed to find Carquinez Scenic Drive, in part due to darkness. I ended up walking South on Berrellesa St. as far as Masonic, back up on Alhambra Ave., and through Main Street, in downtown Martinez. Most of the shops were closed, but it was still fun to see this fairly quiet, historic town.


Wildlife Sightings:
None. It was dark, and an urban setting.

Note: The map image above right was taken from Google Maps.

Martinez Regional Shoreline Park, cont. - Jan. 5, '11

Walking Distance:  1.82 miles
Walking Time:  58 min. (4:07 - 5:05 p.m.)
Start and End Point:  Public parking lot (closest to the park entrance near Ferry St.), Martinez Regional Shoreline Park, Martinez, CA

Two days ago, I walked most of the trails in Martinez Regional Shoreline Park. However, it got dark before I could finish. Today, I returned to walk the Pickleweed Trail, and the Western end of the Park. I walked from the parking lot, toward the Carquinez Strait, and over the arched, wooden bridge.

I followed the trail closest to the water, past the burnt ruins of a schooner near the shore, until I reached a point where a sign indicated that the trail had been closed for safety reasons. Just past this point, I saw what looked to be an area of collapsed bank and trail -- part of which had caved into the water.


I then followed a curving trail that headed back toward the train tracks. This is a good spot for train watchers. For a time, I followed a paved trail/road past a park building, and crossed through the Granger's Wharf area, before returning to my car.

Wildlife Sightings:
43 ducks; 1 little little brown job (LBJ) by water's edge/rocks; 15 sea gulls; 2 tiny unidentified brownish shorebirds; and 1 snowy egret.

Martinez Regional Shoreline Park - Jan. 3, 2011

Walking Distance: 2.5 mi. (estimate)
Walking Time: 1 hr., 13 min. (4:06 - 5:19 p.m.)
Start and End Point: Public parking lot, Martinez Regional Shoreline Park

I drove into the historic downtown portion of Martinez and passed an old depot, and train, near the entrance to the Martinez Regional Shoreline Park, where I went walking today.

I was looking for a place to park to walk the tail (Martinez) end of the Benicia-Martinez bridge and Marina Vista (double red lines on bottom of map image shown); but I could not find a legal place to park on the side of the road, or near the refinery operations that sit on the south side of this bridge. So, I kept driving down Marina Vista -- to Martinez Regional Shoreline Park and Martinez Marina.

In the Park, I walked as far east as far as I could go (to a wire fence, marking what I believe was the boundary with the Shell oil refinery). Then I made my way from this fire road trail north to the water's edge and toward the Martinez Marina, then out to the end of the fishing pier, and around the big pond/small lake.

It was nice to be in the Park at sunset where there were good views of the bridge to the east. Look carefully and you can see older ("mothballed") ships just beyond this bridge.

There was one trail (shown in black and white, right) that I wasn't able to walk, due to the Park closing after sunset. I'll have to finish up this last (Western-most) trail next time. Next time, I'll also study up on Google maps and other maps to find a place to park near Marina Vista/Vista Point area. If that's not possible, I'll park somewhere near the train station, or in a metered parking space, and walk back toward the bridge.

Wildlife:
52 little brown jobs (LBJs); 15 Canada geese; 48 sea gulls; 14 ducks; 13 coots; 3 cormorants; 3 large white geese and 2 other -- white-fronted -- geese with the white geese.

Benicia-Martinez Bridge, Dec. 31, 2010

Walking Distance: 3.3 miles (estimate)
Walking Time: 1 hr., 10 min. (3:47 - 4:57 p.m.)
Start and End Point: Jefferson St. -- near Park Road, Benicia, CA

The last day of 2010 was somewhat overcast and cold. But, it wasn't too windy and it wasn't raining (yet). It was a fine day to walk across the Benicia-Martinez Bridge.

After lunch in historic downtown Benicia, I headed east toward the Benicia-Martinez Bridge -- which runs roughly north-south across the Carquinez Strait. I started from the Benicia side; from Jefferson (yellow lines on map), I walked up Park Road.

Near the intersection of Park Road and Oak Road, I turned right onto the paved, 2-way bicycle and pedestrian path toward the bridge. A few pieces of thistledown from large, dried thistles floated across the path.

On a clear day, there are probably nice views from this bridge (of Benicia and the Carquinez Bridge to the West). I turned around after I'd crossed into Martinez and Contra Costa County, and walked back over the bridge.

There were not too many other people (2 pedestrians and 4 bicycles) crossing the bridge today (New Year's Eve).

I enjoyed watching a small group of swallows flying around at dusk. Where there are bridges and  lots of overpasses, near the Bay, there are usually swallows.

Wildlife:

22 little brown jobs (LBJs); 1 hawk; 21 swallows; 4 sea gulls; and 1 great egret