There’s A Moon In The Sky (Called The Moon)

There’s nothing quite like an evening walk along the Yolo Causeway levee road, watching a full moon rise above the Sacramento skyline. You can see and hear the traffic on I-80 nearby, yet it seems distant and beautiful out here.

In my new apartment I’m actually very close to the interstate and it makes me think of travel. I can go west for 75 miles and be in San Francisco or 2,826 miles east and end up in Teaneck, New Jersey.

Grateful

It’s the day after Thanksgiving and I’m enjoying a day of traveling and hiking with my dad. We often refer to these outings as “Excellent Adventures.” We went for a nice ramble along Stony Creek near Black Butte Reservoir in Northern California. The weather was perfect. In the picture I’m standing in front of one of the majestic valley oaks (Quercus lobata) that grace this region.

As always around this time of year, I’m grateful for many things.

Fixing A Hole

Little did I suspect that on my afternoon walk with Dad that I would be pressed into gardening service. We stopped by my old home on Temple Drive in Davis to do some heavy lifting. We put several large bags of soil and mulch into the backyard vegetable garden and it looked really good when we were done.

I didn’t mind. I like to be helpful.

Healthy Living

I like to spend a day hiking with my dad. We took a beautiful Sunday hike in Marin County through a classic Coast Range mixed forest. Oaks, madrones, and quite a few redwoods. I am lucky to live near all this beauty. In addition, getting outdoor exercise is good for your health.

Top Secret

There’s a particular campground we always use when exploring the Modoc Plateau region. It’s shaded by pine trees with spacious campsites and a nice little trail. Hardly anyone goes there, even on a holiday weekend. I don’t want the word to get out, so I’m not going to tell you where it is…

Just kidding… it’s called Howard’s Gulch near the town of Canby, California.

Distant Lands

Dad and I seem to like to seek the out-of-the-way corners of the West. Case in point: the Warner Mountains in far northeastern California. We took a long day hike on the Summit Trail in the South Warner Wilderness. There weren’t very many people on the trail even though it was Labor Day weekend. The top of the ridge was very windy and I lost my hat a few times, but that really helped clear the air. (It was a tad smoky due to a wildfire to the west, another common Labor Day occurrence in these parts.) According to Dad, parts of this area look like the Australian outback (even though he’s never been there).

I’m curious about the “No Shooting” sign at the trailhead. Do they mean movies or guns? Just wondering…

Cueva de Calaveras

Up to Lava Beds National Monument in northeastern California…

Dad and I gingerly explored the opening of Skull Cave. It literally was cool. You could feel the whoosh of cold air flowing up from the depths. Having a lack of equipment and a wealth of common sense, we only walked up to the edge of the darkness.