Pulgas Ridge and Hiking Year in Review

Some stats, notes and observations: 

• Duration: 2 hours (including a few stops for water, snacks, etc.)
• Distance: 3.6 miles (per All Trails) loop
• Elevation Gain: 695 feet
• Weather: 54° F at 11am
• Starting Location – Pulgas Ridge Parking Lot (167 Edmonds Rd, Redwood City, CA 94062)
• Hike (URL): https://www.alltrails.com/trail/us/california/dusky-footed-woodrat-and-cordilleras-trails
• Pulgas Ridge information: https://www.openspace.org/preserves/pulgas-ridge
• Notes and Observations:  It looks like this year will end almost where it began, with another memorable Pulgas Ridge hike. Pulgas Ridge is located about 28 miles south of San Francisco, just a few minutes east of Highway 280, 6 miles of dog-friendly (including some off leash) trails on 366 acres.  This is an easy one (Cordilleras, to Dusky Woodrat, to Hassler, to Blue Oak), although it had been raining the past few days, mud abounded, especially at the lower elevations, and the combination of rivulets and occasional pools of standing water, while no challenge for my labradoodle, added some drama to this pre-Christmas hike.  It was quiet.  Surprisingly (perhaps), few hikers had decided to take advantage of this break in the weather.  It was overcast, but once in a while, the sun would shine, capturing the essence of ELO’s classic, Mr. Blue Sky.  Soon enough, the clouds would return, an apt, if not perfect, metaphor for 2021; the Delta variant, the hope of the spring, with the broader availability of COVID vaccines, the re-opening of California on June 15th, the closing (via the reintroduction of the indoor mask mandate) a month later, boosters, vaccine availability for kids ages 5+, offices reopening (or planning to do so), the Omicron variant, offices not reopening, etc. If your head is spinning, you’re not alone.  Sure, some sun is better than none, but still it has been a challenging year.  As I have said to some, I have a good feeling, about 2023. That said, necessity is the mother of all invention, and one of the positive byproducts of this pandemic (I hope there are no others during our lifetime) has been a renewed appreciation for hiking (and the joys of being outdoors).  In June, I organized a local hiking group and since then we have hiked Montara Mountain, Purisima Creek Open Space Preserve (OSP), the Marin Coastal Trail, Rancho San Antonio County Park and OSP, Huddart County Park, and Point Reyes.  Mission Peak, previously planned for last weekend, will be rescheduled for January. Other memorable adventures include Mount Diablo, Windy Hill OSP, Sweeney Ridge, Fitzgerald Marine Preserve and Pillar Point (overlooking the iconic Mavericks), and outside of the San Francisco Bay Area, Joshua Tree National Park and various hikes in San Diego County and San Luis Obispo.  A busy year it has been. For some, the past year has, or the past few years have, helped put things into perspective.  Some have crafted and/or refined personal mission statements.  Some have invested more into their careers, while others have rebalanced their efforts, among various priorities. This is inevitable (and salutary).  If anything, the past year has shown that the little things, like a hike among family or friends, positivity, blue sky, can be the most meaningful and enjoyable. Looking forward to more hiking adventures in 2022 and, as always, comments welcomed.