Two recent hikes: Mount Olympus/North Peak (starting at Mount Diablo), and Purisima Creek Redwoods

Sunday, 1 July 2007 I meant to hike from near the summit of Mount Diablo to Mount Olympus, both in the Diablo Range near Walnut Creek, California. Unfortunately, I missed the North Peak Trail turnoff, and instead hiked up North Peak Road to North Peak. The road is very steep, and at the top are two clusters of Antennas. The view was pretty good, and I realize now that I saw Mount Olympus from there. I also scrambled on top of a small rocky outcrop just north of first antennas, where I found a wonderful gnarled tree, and the largest dragonfly population I've ever seen. At one point, I estimated about 50 dragonfiles no more than 10 meters from me. For some reason, I felt compelled to practice Vrikshasana (tree pose) on top of this rock, which probably wasn't a risk-minimizing choice. It felt great as I imagined my stability extending down through the rock and mountain. For what it is worth, here's a great site for Mount Diablo hikes.

Wednesday, 4 July 2007 I didn't have much time this morning, so I made a quick trip to the Purisima Creek Redwoods preserve. I came up highway 35 ("Skyline Boulevard") from the south, and started from the parking area PCO3A (the south-eastern-most parking area). I only had 45 minutes to walk, but the trees were worth the trip. My goal was to tempt myself to come back for a longer trip in the future, and I succeeded at that. I headed north-ish as I drove away from the parking area, toward highway 92 and Redwood City. I didn't have time to stop and really enjoy the beautiful vistas, but they took my breath away regardless.