Day 12: Monday - October 18th

I awoke this AM not to the now familiar rumbling of the N Judah rolling by, but to - nothing. Yes, up here in the Oakland hills, nestled amongst the Redwoods and Madrone, there was naught to be heard.

At some point we all arose and went our separate ways: Jon and Nola for a school field trip, Jessica to her home office and I to the Redwoods.

Click on the photos below for a larger image.

  Click for larger image

Just a short walk up the hill on winding and lightly traveled roadways is Redwood Regional Park of the East Bay Regional Park District.

On Redwood Road, just a few miles over the ridge from downtown Oakland, is a hidden redwood forest whose peaceful groves give little evidence of its bustling past. In the mid-1800s, what is now Redwood Regional Park was the scene of extensive logging to supply building materials for the San Francisco Bay Area.

The logging era has long since passed, and a stately forest of 150-foot coast redwoods (Sequoia sempervirens) has replaced those cut down.

Source: East Bay Regional Park District

  Click for larger image

I walked up Longwalk to Ascot then to Skyline Blvd where I accessed the trail.

Link to Redwood Regional Park Map

In addition to a great forest of Sequoia sempervirens, commonly known as coast redwood, the park's 1,829 acres also contain other evergreens, chaparral, and grasslands. Wildlife within the park includes rare species such as the golden eagle and Alameda striped racer snake. Deer, raccoons, rabbits, and squirrels are often seen.

Redwood Creek, which runs through the park, also has a place in history. The world-famous rainbow trout were first identified as a distinct species from specimens caught in San Leandro Creek, of which Redwood Creek is a tributary.

Source: East Bay Regional Park District

  Click for larger image

The hike started out cool and foggy.

  Click for larger image

"Big" and "tall" are relative terms. When compared to the ancient forest which once grew here, these are but babies.

  Click for larger image

My friend, the Sword Fern (Polystichum munitum). A large relative of the Christmas Fern (Polystichum acrostichoides). Both species are common throughout most of their range.

  Click for larger image

I took the short spur trail to the summit of Redwood Peak, elevation 1619'.

  Click for larger image

Jon had mentioned the graffitti covered boulders at the summit of Redwood Peak.

  Click for larger image

I will never quite understand why some people feel compelled to let others know "I was here!"

  Click for larger image

A survey marker placed in 1946.

  Click for larger image

The fog made for some atmospheric scenery.

  Click for larger image

The trail were very well marked and judging from their condition both heavily used and well maintained.

  Click for larger image

I am pretty sure this it the California wood fern ( Dryopteris arguta). It has been a while since I have seen it and I had no field guide with me for verification.

  Click for larger image

Here we see the sori which contain the spores. The sori are covered by the whitish indusium for protection. When the spores are viable the indusium shrink exposing the sporangia which actually contain the spores. The sporangia are like tiny catapults and when the temperature and humidity are just right they cast their spores to the wind.

Fern Life Cycle at WikiPedia

 

After about 2 hours and 3 + miles of quiet hiking I returned to the house. The Keen hiking shoes and new orthotics had given me no relief and my feet were screaming to be set free. Bummer.

At about 2PM Jon returned we headed down the hill to the Ferry Terminal so I could catch the 2:20 boat back to San Fran.
We said our good-byes and I wandered around a bit until the ferry arrived.

  Click for larger image

I missed these on my walkabout yesterday. They are embedded in the pavers at the Oakland waterfront. Next time I will have to get a map and walk the walk.

  Click for larger image

The USS Potomac, Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s Presidential Yacht and Floating White House is docked at the pier adjacent to the Oakland Ferry Terminal.

  Click for larger image

A little bit sunnier than yesterday!

  Click for larger image

When the ferry docked at about 3:00 I walked up to the Embarcadero Station to catch the N back out to Ed's.

When I saw this sign I could not help but wonder this: If the elevators are out of service enough to require the posting of these signs, why don't they just fix the elevators!? WHY? Because they are MUNI, THAT's why!
It must be hell for handicapped people here, never knowing which elevator or escalator is going to be out of service.

I got back to Ed's about 3:30, filled him in on my weekend and asked for some dinner suggestions for the Lower Haight. It was in that 'hood I was to meet Jon Donohoe, publisher, editor and writer for the Magazine Specious Species.

Ed had several suggestions, one of which was the Asqew Grill which is at Haight and Clayton and not to far from Molotov's bar where I was to meet Joe.

I caught the N and got off at Cole and Carl where the N goes underground. I then walked the 4 blocks down to Haight Street taking a few snaps on the way to Asqew.

  Click for larger image

Can't remember the exact cross street for this mural and I did not write it down.

  Click for larger image

Heads will roll!!

  Click for larger image

The dragon muralist.

  Click for larger image

I never cease to be amazed at the way people adorn themselves

  Click for larger image

The grill meister at Asqew. After looking over the menu I decided on the Cilantro Lime chicken skewer with roma tomatoes and onion.

  Click for larger image

A close up shot of my waitress.

  Click for larger image

My din-din. It was tasty, but I had a hard time getting any of the cilantro flavor. The side salad was excellent.

  Click for larger image

Here is where Joe and I met at 7:30ish. I arrived early and got the last seat at the bar. I looked over the drink board and saw the 2 buck PBR and Hamms and suddenly felt right at home. I ordered PBR #1 and settled into my bar stool until Joe arrived. We shot the breeze for a while and he passed off 3 copies of Specious Species #4 to me.

Earlier in the year when Joe was getting the issue lined up he asked me to write an article about Mountain Top Removal (MTR). Number 4 was going to be a "Green" issue and MTR is a pretty hot topic.

Mountain Top Removal coal mining

Mountain Top Removal decapitates biologically diverse, forested mountains and then dumps the blasting rubble into living streams.

I told Joe I did not feel qualified to write the MRT article, but I knew someone who could. Enter Julian Martin - West Virginia native and lifelong social and environmental activist.
I introduced Joe and Julian via email and Julian agreed to write the piece for SS #4.

Joe really put a lot of time, effort and talent into Specious Species #4. And, with this issues, Joe upgraded the binding from saddle stapled to perfect bound and it weighs in at 175 pages of tasty reading. Get yours now!

Cover of Specious Species # 4 Contents page of Specious Species # 4

After a coupla beers Joe was off for a bite to eat and I walked up to Fillmore and then down to Duboce where I again boarded the N Judah. I was back at Ed's around 9:00. We shot the breeze for a bit and I was in the sack by 10.
And so ends my 12th day in San Fran.

 

Day 12: Back to TOP