Alta Peak Trail

"Alta Peak Trail: 4,000 ft elevation gain, 15 miles... Can I do it? Not sure, but I am gonna try..."

This was the most difficult hike I have done so far. Almost 8 hours of hiking, 7 mosquito bites, sunburned calves (not the animals, in this case) and my legs are killing me. But... the views, the feeling of being so high up (11,500 ft) and a fun ending to the hike were worth it.

The trail starts out pretty flat, fooling you that it's no big deal. In your mind, however, the thought lingers that somewhere and somehow we have to gain those 4K ft elevation. The fist 5 miles are not bad, gradual elevation and shade.

The last 2 miles are the killer. The trail is completely exposed to the sun, and while the temperatures are not so bad (mid 60s), the incline is significant. Interestingly, mosquitoes do not cease to bite you even at the high elevation. With a splitting headache, it took me 4.5 hours to get to the top. Altitude sickness is not a joke.

At the top, the views really open up, and you literally feel like you are on top of the world.

The way down was much easier, but the sun was really strong and with my sunburn (even after applying sunscreen) I just had to wear a jacket.

As I was approaching the end of the trail, all of a sudden a huge bear (yes, BEAR!) ran in front of the couple walking right before me. We yelled (and I sang...) and the bear was nowhere to be seen, I only got a blurry picture of him. But seriously, what a great ending!!! I have seen bears in the past from the car, but never while hiking.

The rest is in the video below:

Paso Robles and Lavender Festival

Lavender... I love lavender... But really, who are we kidding here, the main reason to visit Paso Robles is not for their Lavender festival, although this was a nice excuse!

This is my second time visiting Paso in the past 2 years. I love how down to earth this place is compared to Napa. Specializing mostly on red wines, Paso Robles has dozens of wineries, some featuring unique experiences such as wine tasting paired with spices and cave tours.

But first, the Lavender fest... Well, it was small and very hot - at 11 AM the temperatures were hitting 90s, so we were not too eager to stay outside for too long. I was a bit disappointed about limited numbers of booths with lavender infused creams/lotions and anything that you can slather on the skin, and only a few places had some sort of food.

Within half an hour we headed to our fist winery located only 10 min walking distance from the festival.

Herman Story Wines is a small winery with big personality because of their staff. We were greeted and served promptly and enjoyed the friendly atmosphere. Their wines were really good too varying from lighter whites to full-bodied reds. After a few purchases, we were ready for lunch.

Red Scooter Deli did not disappoint. Casual, yet rich in selection, the deli had a nice variety of sandwiches and salads, including a few vegan choices. My Natural sandwich had fresh rye bread and what seemed to be freshly cut vegetables - a perfect addition to our next winery, one that I visited last time in Paso and loved so much.

LXV winery was rated the 7th Best Tasting Experience in America, and I can understand why. Their combination of wine tasting with spices is unique and together with its hippie atmosphere and welcoming service is definitely worth the $25. Some of the spice mixes contained up to 27 different spices combined by the owners in a secret recipe. We did not even try to guess...

Our final stop was Paso Underground that combined 4 wineries in one. Each tasting is $10, but I only tried one winery, which was just ok. Whether it's the cold ambiance of the place or maybe the "I don't care whether you do the tasting or not" attitude, I did not like it as much as other places.

We then stopped at Angela's bakery to get some dessert and headed to some sort of clothing store, don't really remember the name of it. One of us bought an amazing cowboy hat, while we browsed.

Another great day in Paso! Next time I would love to come here when it's not so darn hot!

Point Reyes National Seashore: Tomales Point Trail - Day 2

I am an early riser, unlike many other people. By 6 AM, I am ready to go (with an appropriate-sized cup of coffee, of course). My day started with a cup at The Coffee Roastery.

Read Christy W.'s review of The San Anselmo Coffee Roastery on Yelp

The weather was a bit different than the day before - more cloudy and chilly.

Wearing the appropriate attire this time (long pants and a hoodie), I was well equipped for this hike to Tomales Point. I was hoping that the fog/clouds would dissipate by the time I arrived at the trailhead, but no such luck. At the same time, it created this mellow and yet thoughtful mood throughout the hike that seemed appropriate for this weather.

With only 1,200 ft elevation gain, this 9 mile trail offers a variety of landscape in combination with wildlife (no mountain lion was seen, so don't get excited).

After the hike, I grabbed a smoothie at the same coffee shop and headed back home. With little traffic, I got home around 6.30 PM. 22 miles total sounds like a great weekend to me :)

Point Reyes National Seashore: Mt. Wittenberg & Sculptured Beach - Day 1

This is the first weekend away from home in a while. A few months ago, I was all set to hike Point Reyes again, but it did not really work out. Attempt #2...

The first day the plan was to hike Mt. Wittenberg and Sculptured Beach trails. Organized by one of the Meetup groups, the hike was supposed to be relatively strenuous, but not enough to scare anyone away - 39 people showed up! With different levels of fitness, the group spread out a bit, but was consistently maintained as a whole by skilled organizers. The landscape changed from forest...

...to tall grass (with hundreds of ticks, probably!)...

...to open mountainside trails...

Photo credit: HJ

...and, finally, the beach.

With a few breaks along the way, all made it to the destination. The views did not disappoint. Somewhat isolated, the beach was peaceful and yet alive, filled with the sound of birds...

...brief appearances of weird crawling creatures (a shrimp?)...

...and the consistency of beautiful waves.

After a quick lunch and a whole bunch of pictures, we headed back. Most of the trail is shaded and relatively cool. The exposed spots are mostly near the ocean, hence wind coming from it cools you down pretty well. Along the way, I was able to capture amazing sights of mushrooms...

...spiders...

...and plants.

I tried to capture the whole beauty and diversity of the hike in the video.

The hike was finished around 5.30 PM, and after dinner in a small eatery in Fairfax, I checked in my AirBnb and checked out (=fell asleep). That, of course, was after I checked on Kitty...

Big Basin Redwoods State Park near Santa Cruz, CA

Photo credit: HJ

Since moving to CA, I have wanted to visit Big Basin Redwoods SP. This time has come! About 3 hours from Fresno, it is the oldest state park in CA. It is really incredible to think that these redwoods have been here for a few thousands of years, they outlived previous generations and will outlive us.

Parking is quite limited, but at 9 AM is still good. The Berry Creek Falls Trail is rated as "strenuous", and my legs can tell you why. Because of the recent storm damage, the trail was closed in some parts, but detour was available. Most of the hiking is done in almost full shade, which is amazing during hot days (yes, it was one of those...). Depending on where you start the loop, you will ascend or descend close to 2,400 ft - a great exercise routine, especially considering that the length of the hike ended up being about 12.5 miles.

Photo credit: HJ

There were a few highlights, such as the main waterfall and a few smaller ones, all unique to this landscape. Everything around is really green; water here is not scarce like in the nearby Yosemite and Kings Canyon NPs. There were a few incredible spots with dozens of monarch butterflies just flying around, not sure why they were so excited about that spot.

Photo credit: HJ

I didn't do as much filming as usually, so this below is a 3 min clip of some highlights.

San Luis Obispo, CA + Bob Jones Trail + Hwy 1 Bike Riding

Since I bought a bicycle, I have wanted to ride along route 1 enjoying the view of the ocean. Today was the day this came to reality. I planned to first visit San Luis Obispo (SLO) to grab a cup of coffee and visit a farmer's market, check out the Bob Jones trail, a well-reviewed bicycle trail a few minutes away from SLO and finish the day with a ride along Hwy 1.

The drive to SLO took about 2.5 hrs. The skies were gray and gloomy as I approached my destination. It was getting a bit discouraging that I might have to ride in the rain, but it was certainly better than blazing heat. I stopped at Scout Coffee Company for a cup of cappuccino and pastry and was amazed by how fresh everything is there.

Read Christy W.'s review of Scout Coffee Company on Yelp

I then headed to the farmer's market that was supposed to be open on Sundays next to one of the hotels, but for whatever reason there was no sign of a farmer's market. Disappointed, I had a couple more bites of that heavenly croissant I purchased at the coffee shop and went to check out the Bob Jones Trail.

The trail did not disappoint. After a minor set back trying to adjust the brakes on the front wheel of the bike, I was riding along the trail together with few hikers and cyclers. The trail was very peaceful filled with wildlife and different species of birds in the midst of changing scenery. The trail ended at the beach where I turned around and cycled back.

My next stop was a point along Hwy 1 that I chose about an hour away from SLO. I pulled into the parking lot overseeing the ocean, got my bike out (this time experienced with how to adjust the brakes) and started my ride. While it was not the most peaceful ride given that it is right on the highway, the views were amazing. On the way back, I saw a coyote dragging the body of a dead deer from the side of the highway. As I passed by, he got a bit spooked, but stared right at me. I wondered if he would chase me, but then realized that he already had his meal ;)

5 miles on Bob Jones trail + 13 miles on Hwy 1 = exhaustion and peace. I loved SLO and will certainly come back.

Mission Peak Trail in Fremont, CA

Today I had a BBQ planned with a MeetUp, but felt that driving 2.5 hrs just to eat, drink and be merry was not good enough, so I decided to hike before the BBQ.

Mission Peak trail was mentioned to me a few times as one of the more popular hikes in the Bay area. I don't usually like to hike with dozens of people, but this time there was an excuse to try it out. There are two main trails leading to Mission Peak, one starts from Ohlone college and is 7.5 miles round trip, and the other one begins near Stanford Ave, is 5 miles, but has only 40 parking stalls. It is highly recommended to park at Ohlone college, and I can see why - there is plenty of parking and is $4 or free (depends on the time of the year). The parking garage was right across from the trailhead, very simple and convenient. This trail also has more shade, and believe me, you need that!

I started the hike early, at 8 AM I was already at the trailhead. It was supposed to be 90F today, so I really wanted to skip the heat. By the time I started, some people were already coming back. If I lived closer, I would have done the same.

Today I decided to wear shorts instead of my usual hiking pants because I saw that the trail is wide and sandy with no vegetation on the trail itself. I was right, I would not want to wear anything more than I did - it was hot! The climb is gradual, but consistent. In the beginning, I saw some bulls and cows really close by accompanied by dozens of flies. I can't even imaging how they can live covered in insects like that all the time! Cool experience that cattle is just grazing wherever they want to, some though were confined in smaller spaces. I was glad I am an aspiring vegetarian...

The nicer parts of the trail start about 2 miles in. You get a full view of the Bay and surrounding areas. It was clear and a big smoggy today, but visibility was not an issue. Once you are past the first 2 miles, it gets nice and cooler with somewhat of a stronger wind that brings some relief. The last part of the climb is intense, but the reward is so visible that you really can't stop.

At the top, many people are lined up to take a picture with a pole and the US flag, but I decided I didn't want to wait and just enjoyed the view before starting to descend. The way down is very enjoyable, especially as you watch other people starting at 10-11 AM and dying from heat at the very beginning of the trail. Do your research, people!