One morning last month I hiked out in search of a group of historic foundations in the olive orchard across the American River from Folsom Prison. Since then I’ve been trying (without much luck) to find more information about the orchard and the buildings that once stood there. But just as the day was beginning to turn warm and I was ready to head for home, I noticed something else lurking in the dry weeds — namely a series of granite posts on both sides of the paved bike trail. Because of the notching visible on some of them, I’m guessing they were once used as posts for barbed wired fencing.

How many times have I hiked or biked right past these posts without ever noticing them? I also have to admit that on the day I started photographing them, I tried to keep count but quickly got confused — and sidetracked by other unexpected objects popping up, like the old engine that may have been part of irrigation system. Every time I go hiking and keep my eyes open, I come home with only more questions about our local history.