A Hike up Brushy Peak

February 26, 2017 7:37 pm

I went for a hike at Brushy Peak Regional Preserve today.  Water is still just coming out of the hills and turning trails into mud, but it was only a few places that were really bad.  I made it about 3.5 miles before I couldn't keep my feet dry anymore.  Luckily, I only had another half mile to go so I didn't end up with massive blisters.  But my shoes were covered with mud.

The path runs through cattle grazing land up in the hills above Livermore.  I started taking pictures of the cows.  They became quite interested in me and started forming a circle around me.  I was getting a little concerned, but they shooed away when I got up to leave.

Several times I came across a few cows just hanging out on the path daring you to approach them.

I started on the West Loop Trail and then transferred to the Brushy Peak Trail where I found a copse of trees growing around the stream as it tumbled down the hill.  So I took a rest and then pulled out my tripod to take some more "smooth" water pictures.

Once I packed up and got moving again I reached the highest part of the path (it doesn't actually go to the peak as far as I could tell).  Some nice views of Livermore from up in the hills, especially while everything is still green.

Then it was down again and through the mud to get back to the parking lot.  I hiked a little over 4 miles and it took me about 4 hours.  I wasn't intending to hike that far or be out that long, but there weren't a lot of options for trails and hiking a trail and then just turning around is lame.  My legs are going to be sore tomorrow though.  Surprisingly I don't seem to have a sunburn.

Up Mt. Diablo

February 18, 2017 10:25 am

Last weekend we had a break in the rain and decided to get out of the house.  So we loaded up in the van and drove up Mt. Diablo (we've never been up before).  And then hiked around the top.

From the observation deck, which appears to be almost brand new.  The view is pretty spectacular, especially when everything is green.

I let Heather use my binoculars and she thought it was pretty great to look at anything and everything through them--even if it was only 3 feet away.

Out hiking the summit-loop trail:

Corinne thought climbing rocks and walking the paths was pretty awesome, but that wasn't going to be feasible once we got on the actual trail around the summit.  She wasn't enthused about the backpack at first, but once we got moving she was fairly pleased.

It was nice to get out and about, even if it took almost an hour to get up the mountain.  There was a line at the entrance gate that was moving incredibly slowly.  And then while we were waiting an ambulance and fire truck came up and passed us.  I'm sure taking the firetruck up the mountain with all the switchbacks and narrow lanes must have been fun.  I'm not sure what the correct protocol would have been if you had met the firetruck while coming down as the firetruck was coming up on the wrong side while passing all of the cars stopped waiting for the gate.  There wasn't room to go anywhere except in reverse.

The firetruck came down shortly thereafter, but we never saw the ambulance again.  So it must have gone down the northern entrance.