Thursday, February 10, 2011

Hiking around Northern California

Pin It Now!

 
I have a new passion! It's hiking!  I joined a hiking group about a month ago through www.meetup.com.  Through that first hike I met John and Miriam who have their own hiking group and they invited me to join them on one of their hikes. I've been hiking with them for the past 3 weeks now and loving it!!!

We hike at different locations in the San Francisco Bay Area.  There are so many hiking trails in Northern California that I never even knew about!  All these photos were taken last Saturday at Monte Bello Midpeninsula Regional Open Space Preserve. We hiked about 10-11 miles. The weather was perfect, it got up to the mid 70s that day!















At one point in the hike we had to cross a stream by stepping across the stones. It was harder than it looked but I made it. I was the holding the camera so no photos of me!









This is the only thing that scares me about hiking around here...

 We had a picnic lunch at the top of this hill.
















I hope you enjoyed seeing a little bit of Northern California! 


[signature.gif]

35 comments:

Rita's Recipes said...

Thanks for taking us along. I discovered hiking in NC and love it. It's amazing how much your trails look like the ones in NC.
Cheers!
Rita @May Days

Pamela Gordon said...

Beautiful pictures of your countryside and all the different trees and plants. I enjoyed it. Thanks for sharing. Blessings, Pamela

Unknown said...

Ah Cindy, that looks like a lot of fun can't wait for it to be nice here so we can get out a walk and do things outdoors .. Glad your having fun

Pattie

Susan said...

Good for you going hiking, Cindy. That is very commendable. Great photos, too, by the way. The one of that tree silhouetted against the sky was awesome.

Thanks so much for sharing. I'd be afraid to cross that stream and drop my camera in the water! Take care. Susan

Victoria said...

Wow, how beautiful those trails look! I enjoy hiking, we have several trails by us and I believe there's one that leads to the beach but I don't know if I'm up for that one!!! Thank you for sharing:)

Anonymous said...

So gorgeous and looks absolutely refreshing! I love the pic with the ladybugs. Xoxoxo

KarenB said...

And such great exercise! We're moving a little further out in the country in Southern California. Our property touches the Cleveland National Forest. I'm going to do some hiking myself. Although, my photos will be a little bit different, I'm guessing.

Lori said...

Nice little stretch of the legs!

Sue K said...

Loved your photos! I am originally from N. Calif. and these pics made me homesick. So much beauty there!! All the green made me envious. All I see out my windows here is WHITE!!
Thanks for the walk down memory lane!
Hugs, Sue K

NanaDiana said...

WOW~ Great photos! They look like pictures from National Geographic! Wonderful - and it looks like you had lots of fun hiking...watch out for Mt. Lions!!!! Diana

Donna said...

Cindy..these are beautiful photos! I second Rita..thanks for taking us along! I posted photos of our hobby farm all ice covered. We took a much smaller hike around our seven acres and the neighboring woods for our 'photo shoot'. :o)

BTW, I wrote a little 'mini-tribute' to you along with a few other people who bless us so much by their linky parties or other ways...on Tuesday. Just wanted everyone to know what a blessing people like you are to we bloggers. :o)

xo
Donna

PS. Northern California is just the perfect place to hike! We have family there and love it. :o)

Tanya said...

I love to hike and a group sounds really fun. I'm going to have to check into that! I envy your weather but we'll be there soon.

Debbiedoos said...

Oh that looked gorgeous! Fun too..I would have loved it.

thefirstlady said...

I used to belong to a hiking group - Sunday Morning Steppers. It was so much fun and I met really nice people. Unfortunately, the group disbanded after the leader had her 1st child. Miss it. Glad to see (and read) your adventures.

nanniepannie said...

Oh what fun...exercise and nature...does it get any better. Your pics are great.

The Goads said...

What a beauty! That looks like a lot of fun.

Anonymous said...

Are you kidding??! Ten to eleven miles?
No wonder you look so wonderful!

Amy Chalmers said...

Cindy that looks so fun and really a good thing to be out and active and you get to be in such gorgeous scenery. I went ice skating today for the first time in 40 years and I really am excited about learning to ice skate! I did pretty darned good too. There was no one on the ice so hubs and I (he skates) had it to ourselves. New physical activites are invigorating! Thanks for sharing.

Brenda Pruitt said...

Good for you, Cindy! Great exercise and fantastic scenery. That pink grass toward the top looks like a natural Muhly grass.
Brenda

Mary said...

Oh, that is so beautiful! I love hiking here in NJ, but it's a little too icy here at the moment. your pictures are wonderful, Cindy. Thanks for taking us along!
Xoxo

The Tablescaper said...

Wow! Such amazing photos. Looking forward to seeing more of your hikes.

- The Tablescaper

Elsie said...

Thanks for the hike Cindy. Heck I'm tired now.LOL. That is some
beautiful country. I would be
digging up wild flowers and sticking in my pocket....would I
get arrested? I just don't know if
I could pass up all those ferns.
Thanks for sharing.

Shirley said...

What beautiful scenery. All I can think of is how wonderful it would to be on horseback there! But then that's me. Either way you get to see the details of the beautiful country side.

DreamgirlLisa said...

I Love that you are doing this...when I first got divorced, I joined an online hiking group in the East Bay. It was so out of my comfort zone, but I wound up loving it and loved seeing all the beauty all around this area! I haven't gone on a hike now in a several years, I am so out of shape, but I have been thinking lately of how much I miss it and how good I felt when I was doing it. Maybe you will inspire to get back on "the trail"!

Sunnysidesue said...

Great photos Cindy! This sure is a lot more fun than running on a treadmill at the gym isn't it?! :)

Kelly said...

Too pretty. I wish I were there now to escape the cold!

Kelly

Jan said...

Thanks so much for sharing. Never know when I'll make it up that way.

Jan

Rochelle said...

Oh how I miss the bay area and it's mild temperatures this time of year....you are so lucky! These are gorgeous pictures too!
Cheers
Rochelle

Joani said...

Beautiful. I'm tired already. Lions scare me too.

Carol Maryott said...

Stunning photographs. Thank you for the fabulous tour !

Lydia said...

Thank you for taking us on the hike with you!

Steph. :) said...

Gorgeous! I love hiking and would totally join you if I were still in NorCal!

Katherine said...

Lovely post, great photos. What a wonderful way to make memories. Hugs!

Janay said...

Thanks for sharing these gorgeous pictures of "my" California! I do miss the Cali landscape as I've lived in NH the past 24 years. If I were to hike right now I'd have to wear snowshoes, and I'm not into snow. My eldest daughter now lives in Chico, CA so I get to go back once in a while.

Janay

cozinhas planejadas said...

Beautiful place!