Homestead to Blue Ridge Loop

I decided to explore a bit further north from where I live. The Homestead to Blue Ridge Loop trail was picturesque with a view of Lake Berryessa and within an hour away.

The drive on the winding road was a bit exhausting, but soon enough I was at the trail head where there were only a few cars parked. I started the hike and was a bit hesitant to continue after seeing the tunnels with heavy graffiti and not a soul nearby. I decided to continue and see what's on the other side, you know, that light at the end of the tunnel...

I quickly saw a board with some directions. The trail has seen serious fire damage last year during the wildfire season and was no longer a loop. There were two arms to the trail, so I decided to pick the one that was leading uphill. 

The trail was very well marked. UC Davis took great care in starting the restoration process allowing plants to regrow. Indeed, the area was severely burnt out, but nature recovers, and green grass was appearing in patches.

This burnt tree was surrounded by fresh sprouts and patches of green grass - resilience of nature

Even wildflowers started to appear!

The trail was completely exposed to the sun, but the warmth was really pleasant. I found a few people slowly ascending and finally after about a mile and a half I reached the top of the hill allowing views of the lake. It was worth the hike even though the trail was partially closed.

I decided to continue hiking a bit further. The view on the other side of the mountain got better as the sun shifted to reveal grass covered hills.

On my way down, I crossed paths with many other people now awake to start their day. I really do enjoy hiking early in the morning when the trails are still somewhat desolate and peaceful.

Great hike overall. I would not necessarily do it in hot weather, but in the spring or the fall it is worth the trip!

Lake Marie via Skyline Trail in Napa, CA

I arrived at Skyline Wilderness Park (can't say where the "wilderness" part came from as the park is next to downtown Napa), paid the $6 entrance fee ($3 for bikes, or $60 annual pass for an individual/$90 for a "family" - not sure how the "family" is defined) and parked in the nearest parking lot, which turned out to be right next to the trailhead to Lake Marie via Skyline Trail.

The trail seemed to be the longest in the park and covered a good perimeter, so I knew I would get a good feel of the park by going on this hike.

It was a windy day, so windy that I was a bit concerned about the branches falling. As the trail gained some elevation, I finally started to warm up. My heavier jacket that usually comes off at some point during the hike was meant to stay on today. Since it was a weekday, very few people were on the trail. In fact, I have only encountered 2 or 3 people and closer to the conclusion of the hike when it was finally warming up around 11 AM.

The views of Napa were pretty spectacular right after the first hill.

As I continued deeper into the park, I got to enjoy a close interaction with a family of deer. Mom was a bit hesitant about my presence, but the younger deer kept on chewing on the grass as if I was just another tree.

I moved on allowing them to enjoy their breakfast without me staring at them non-stop. The trail continued deeper into the wooded areas where I started to see areas of early wildflowers.

As I continued the hike, I found more of these spurts of wildflower growth. Despite the cold and windy weather spring was coming.

I finally reached the lake. I have to say I expected a bit more from it, but the lake seemed to be overgrown with algae near the shores and rather unspectacular. I guess I really should get my expectations re-evaluated...

The second part of the loop was a bit simpler to hike - wider roads and more exposure to sun (hence, warmer!). I enjoyed this park and will definitely be back, but it will not be my first choice. One of the main reasons is potential crowds. With city parks, unless it's the weekday, these trails are filled with people. I enjoy having people around, but not close by.

Big Rock Ridge Trail near San Rafael, CA

Just like that, after a week-long relocation journey, I am in the Bay area. Never would I have thought that I would end up here. In fact, if I were to be asked if I would ever move to the Bay area, I would have said, "Absolutely no! It's too expensive and overrated." I have to say I still think that way, but somehow fate or whatever you believe in brought me here. I am now a resident of Napa, CA.

My first hike was Big Rock Ridge Trail located near San Rafael, about an hour away from where I live now. The hike was scheduled with a Meetup group for 8 AM, but I was planning to pick up an area rug for my new, cold apartment nearby, so I left at 6.30 AM and successfully got my rug by 7.45. Unfortunately, I would not have made it to the hike gathering spot by 8 AM, and I did not want for everyone to wait for me, so I sent the organizer a message saying that I would catch up. Honestly, I did not think I would, but hey, who knows!

I arrived at the trail head and parked on the side of the road. The parking was minimal, but that early in the morning on Sunday there were only a few people, most of them from my group. I started the hike and knew the views would be spectacular. California golden hills were as green as they could get after a few weeks of on and off rain. 

The elevation gain was gradual, but certainly got my cardio going, especially after a long period of several months with almost no exercise. I stopped to take a few pictures, but continued at a higher than my normal pace in hopes to catch up with the group.

In about a mile, I finally saw the group and joined them. I was glad they were hiking at a slower than my pace so that I could catch my breath.

The wildflowers were just emerging on the hills. Only a few here and there poppies and some other white and blue flowers were spotted on south hills. In a few weeks this place would be in full bloom!

Soon enough we reached the top where I could see San Francisco in the fog (one of the pictures above). The way back was much easier (downhill!), and by the time we reached the trail head, there was no parking at all available. I was glad to have had arrived early!

It's one of the best seasons in California - March, April - when everything is stunningly green. I hope to explore more of the area to capture photos of this beauty.

Gaviota Hot Springs and Trespass Trail in Goleta, CA

 I was heading to the Bay area to look for a new rental and decided to stop by Goleta on the way there to hike Gaviota Hot Springs and Trespass Trail. I didn't expect much from the trail. Listed at 6.6 miles as "Hard", I was a bit skeptical about how really "Hard" it was. 

I arrived around 11 AM to the trailhead, paid my $2 to park and started the hike. The day was absolutely beautiful, and the temperatures in mid to high 60's. Based on reviews on Alltrails promising best views on the way up if I went in the counterclockwise direction, I followed the directions of those who were more knowledgeable about the trail. 

The elevation gain was pretty consistent averaging 500 ft per mile. Not an easy hike, for sure. The views were pretty spectacular from the very beginning starting from just hills and evolving into a combination of hills and oceanview sights as far as the eye could see.

Turkey vultures and birds of prey were everywhere just gliding in the sky. I found this very peaceful.

It was getting pretty hot, and most of the hike was completely exposed to the sun. I would definitely recommend doing this hike in cooler temperatures, but the skies have to be clear to fully absorb the nature around. While I tried to take several panoramic pictures, I still don't think they truly represent the beauty I saw on the hike.

I was getting close to the top of the hill and could see the ocean 180 degrees.

I was really tired as I approached the top. I sat on a rock and enjoyed the peaceful ocean for a while.

I started the descent shortly after feeling that my sunscreen was not protecting me anymore. The way down was certainly easier not just because it's not as cardio-intense, but also because the road was wide and open. The views were certainly not as spectacular as on the way up, so I was glad to have followed directions of more experienced with this trail hikers.

I think this was one of the best trails I have hiked. It was moderate in length, intense in elevation gain and amazing with views.

I would definitely come back!

How I Budget and Finance My Trips - Credit Card Points Info

When I first immigrated to the United States, the first thing I did was open a credit card in my name. Since I had no credit history, I had to apply for a Citi card with a $400 security deposit that was refundable after a year of consistent payments. I did it. It took a while for my credit score to go up to reasonable levels, but patience paid off.

I started getting offers from other credit card companies. The offers got better the better my credit score got. I soon was eligible for most credit cards, and finally I could pick and choose which points or reward program to participate in.

Growing up in Belarus, I have not seen much credit being used there. Mostly purchases were paid in cash, and when I was in college, the debit cards finally appeared. This allowed me to learn never to rely on credit, so when I moved to the US, I paid off all my credit cards on time and in full. If I knew I would not be able to pay the credit card in full, I would not buy the item or service until I could.

Now onto credit cards I use most frequently that allow me to use rewards to pay for some of my adventures. I heavily rely on credit cards that pay out rewards in cash. I know that cards that have miles as their rewards mechanism work really well, but for me personally, I just like to have that cash. 

I have several credit cards with which I purchase different categories of things. 

One of my favorite credit cards that I use is Chase Freedom that offers 1.5% cash back on every purchase. I use it for everything, but groceries, gas and online purchases. My car and health insurance go on this card.

For groceries I use my American Express Blue Cash Everyday card that offers 3% cash back. At times, my Wells Fargo card also has some temporary rewards for grocery shopping, but it is not very consistent. I use Wells Fargo Propel for gas as it gives me 3% as well.

I also have a Bank of America card that has different categories you can pick from to get 3% cash back. You can switch it back and forth, but I keep mine on "Online Purchases", so everything that I buy online gets 3% cash back. Speaking of online purchases, I buy most of stuff on Amazon, so I use Amazon credit card that gives you 5% cash back. The only caveat is that the redemption minimum is $50 instead of typical $25.

Finally, I also had a Discover card that alternates their 5% rewards categories every quarter. For example, right now through the end of March the 5% category is Grocery Stores, Walgreens and CVS.

None of these cards have annual fees. I know there are some travel cards like Chase Sapphire that offer good into miles, but I don't fly enough these days to take full advantage of that. I will be considering this card once we are past the pandemic. In the meantime, I use Wells Fargo for my travel and car rental that offers 3% cash back.

Regardless what credit cards you use, I highly recommend paying them off monthly to avoid any interest rate fees. This will allow you to take full advantage of the point system.

I also use sticky notes for those credit cards that change their rewards categories or offers frequently to maximize cash back. Through my Chase Freedom alone I paid for gift cards, travel tickets and general purchases many times. I really should get into the "miles" game, but have not had the time to read through the TPG Beginner's Guide by The Points Guy. 

*By applying for credit cards through some of the links, both you and I may get rewards.

Crystal Cove Perimeter Loop in Crystal Cove State Park

Crystal Cove is an amazing park in Orange County right on the beach. I've been there several times on walks, but not to this part of the park only accessible by the car (or so I thought initially). The Crystal Cover Perimeter Loop trail is the longest path you could take there, so I paid my $15 entry fee for all-day parking and followed my AllTrails app.

The view immediately was insane. The ocean and mountains together are incredibly beautiful.

And these pictures are just from a mile away from the parking lot! As I got further along the trail, the views changed to primarily mountainous landscape, but not less beautiful, that's for sure.

The trail itself was easy to navigate and very wide allowing both social distancing and safety from flying by bicyclists. 

There was a "peak" where everyone seemed to be stopping. Indeed, it was probably the highest point of the hike, so I felt obliged to take a pano.

As I got past 7 miles, the trail went along a residential street where smarter people who wanted to access the park without a fee parked, stepped over the fence and enjoyed the trail just like I did. I added a note to my Google maps in case I want to return to hike the trail again. 

I also enjoyed a variety of view onto million-dollar houses.

The loop again ended with spectacular views and this gem.

Cerro de la Cavalera Loop Trail

After certain life changes recently, I am relocating yet again. Before my move, I wanted to check off a few trails that were on my "Favorites" list on AllTrails for a while, but somehow never completed. 

The first trail was Cerro de la Cavalera Loop trail, a 5.5 mile trail around a local dormant volcano. Who knew we had a volcano only 40 minutes away from where I currently live?!

The weather was absolutely perfect for this hike, cloudy with some sunshine just enough to warm you up before hiding behind the clouds again. 

On a Tuesday morning there were few people on the trail, especially starting from where I parked. The trail was wide and well-defined initially, but closer to the end got a bit confusing. AllTrails came in handy to resolve any questions. I can't imagine not having this app to navigate on trails. I am not even sure how people functioned without GPS and their cellphones 10-15 years ago... Probably got lost. A lot.

The trail started in a relatively populated area with houses seen from it at least on one side for a few miles. Later on, it got more isolated with just sounds from civilization carried over the mountains.

A small lake was a nice addition during the first 2 miles. Many people hiked there as it is also accessible from the local neighborhood.

As I left the lake, the trail quickly began to gain elevation, although there was not much elevation to be gained in general on this trail.

I reached the spot where the dormant volcano was located and refreshed my memory of geology. I guess I didn't really think San Diego would have something like that so close by.

The trail continued and looped around a water storage tower. This is where there are many ways to get lost without the app. I crossed a little creek and transitioned to a totally different landscape - trees and tall bushes versus just bushes and grass.

A few ups and downs, and I was getting close to the end of the trail. I can see how many people said it was hot as hell during the summer months - there is no shade whatsoever! On a 60 degree day it was just perfect!