It would be almost impossible to find a spot along Gerstle Cove that isn’t breathtakingly beautiful. We explored only the south end of this fairly large cove, so I’m certain there was much more great scenery we didn’t manage to see on this day. For me, part of the beauty was the wild surf. We had arrived at the Sonoma […]
One reason I love exploring around Mississippi Bar is that I never know when I might find something completely unexpected. Like this little spot perched above a dry creek bed, hidden from casual sight by piles of dredger tailings.
Last week I shared some of my images from our hike that started at the side of Highway 1 and ended at Gerstle Cove. There is, of course, an easier way to get to the cove; if you’d rather drive than hike and don’t mind paying the fee, the access road from the highway leads directly to the day use […]
If you’ve been reading my Memory Monday posts for awhile, you may recall seeing more than a few images from our trips to the Sonoma coast dating back to the late 1980s and early 1990s. At times it seemed we were making the 3-hour drive every other weekend or so. But at some point we realized that, thanks to busy […]
In a previous post I wrote about our recent drive up Highway 1 as far as the Point Arena Lighthouse; but there were a few other, less well-known spots between Gualala and our ultimate turnaround point where we made brief stops for a quick look around. I’m sure we could have happily spent a lot more time at each one […]
With the Folsom Lake water levels so low at this time of year, it’s not uncommon to see more old structures appearing along the shore. At Sweetwater Creek the difference between now and my previous visit last spring is pretty dramatic. I was pleased to find evidence of historic water diversion during my hike, but it was also fun comparing […]
If you’d like to get at least some hint of what the American River looked like prior to the building of Folsom Dam, try hiking the shore in the area between Sweetwater Creek and the New Salmon Falls Bridge (built in 1953) during the late fall/early winter season. The area is certainly more picturesque in the springtime; but if you […]
The old Salmon Falls Bridge, on the South Fork of the American River, is visible only during the winter and when Folsom Lake water levels drop.
Most of the signs I see along the trail when hiking are ordinary things, offering information or giving directions. I usually appreciate seeing them because they reassure me I’m headed in the right direction — even if the signs themselves seem a little confused. Other signs leave me scratching my head; surely they have a meaning, even if I can’t […]