Hiking Adventures in the San Francisco Peninsula and Beyond
What can you tell from a picture? Redwoods (lots of them!), gorgeous and rich canopy, soft and forgiving forest floor, morning, partly sunny, likely not winter, lightly trafficked trail, non-technical terrain, somewhere in Northern California (or possibly even further north), etc. Other aspects are less apparent, if not apparent at all. Is this spring, summer, or fall? Did it … Continue reading Among the Big Trees
Some stats, notes and observations: Duration: 4.5 hours (including a few stops for water, snacks, etc.)Distance: 12 miles (11.2 per All Trails)Elevation Gain: 3,146 feetWeather: 63° F at 8am, 36 AQI; 72° F at 1pm (i.e., perfect Fall weather)Starting Location: Rancho San Antonio Open Space Preserve (https://www.openspace.org/sites/default/files/map_RSA.pdf) parking lots (pick one) Route (URL): https://www.alltrails.com/trail/us/california/black-mountain-via-pge-quarry-and-black-mountain-trailRoute Details: Out-and-back: Coyote, to Stephen … Continue reading Rancho San Antonio Open Space Preserve
Coronado Beach, San Diego It is another drought year in California. Our hills are golden brown. Parched. Fall seems to be arriving early, with colors either turning or appearing to do so. Fire-red poison oak, usually that hue in September and October, dots the hillsides. The contrast between our flowing rivers and the Pacific Ocean, on one hand, and the … Continue reading The Golden State
It is a tough time to be a travel writer. As a baker needs flour, so does a travel writer need fresh sights, smells, sounds, experiences, inspiration. Of course, writing about past adventures is an option. For example, I could tell you about a brilliant day last autumn, cool morning, warm afternoon, mild evening, starting … Continue reading Spanish Steps
My first visit to Pisa was in 1988, part of a 2-week bus tour, starting (and ending) in Rome, with overnight stops in Florence, Stresa (on the gorgeous Lake Maggiore), Venice, Assisi, and Sorrento. I was with my grandparents, then in their late 50s. Whether either of them accompanied me on the climb to the … Continue reading Pisa
37,000 feet above the Atlantic, half asleep, nursing a recalcitrant head cold, Venice, the first stop on our 10-day Italian vacation, could not have been farther away. Nonetheless, I persevered, willing my way through the ten hour flight, layover in Frankfurt, short flight to Venice, longer transfer via the Alilaguna water bus to San Zaccaria, … Continue reading Venice
In many places, where to go for a morning run is not self-evident. In others, it could not be more clear. In New York City, it’s Central Park, on a gorgeous, fresh, August morning after a torrential downpour. In Washington, D.C., it’s the Mall, climbing and then rounding Capitol Hill before sunrise, with the Washington … Continue reading Lucca
For the most part, Trastevere, meaning beyond the Tiber, is a solidly residential neighborhood. Standing on my balcony, above the leafy Via Portuense, with Rome whizzing below, I pondered my limited options for a morning run, perhaps the best way to experience a new city. Run northwest, toward the iconic Piazza di Santa Maria, and … Continue reading Rome
It has been almost 40 years since I first traversed Golden Gate Park, en route to an apartment in the Richmond District, more than 6000 miles from home. For some reason, I recall the corner of 25th Avenue and Geary Boulevard, streetlights that probably should have been brighter, the Doggie Diner on the northeast corner. … Continue reading San Francisco
I am drawn to faraway places. Bergen, five thousand miles from home, qualifies. While Bergen is known as the gateway to the fjords, there are simpler, and far more accessible, pleasures much closer to City Center. Wake up early. Go for a morning run through the Fish Market, past the row of Hansa houses on … Continue reading Bergen
The Peninsula Hiking Club 