BEAR VALLEY IN POINT REYES

THIS WEEKEND I VISITED POINT REYES NATIONAL SEASHORE TO HIKE A MISTY TRAIL CALLED BEAR VALLEY. IT HAD A CREEK AND SOME WATERFALLS ALL ALONG THE TRAIL.THERE WERE SOME HORSEBACK PARK RANGERS THERE. I SAW ONLY ABOUT 50 PEOPLE THAT DAY. IT WAS QUITE A LONG AND COOL HIKE FOR 8 MILES. MANY FOLKS HAD LARGE BACKPACKS ON AND WERE CAMPING OVERNIGHT. THEY SAID THE CAMPS HAD DRINKING WATER. I MET AN OLDER MAN WHO HAD PARKINSON'S DISEASE AND HE HIKED SLOWLY WITH TWO POLES. HE SAID HIS MEMORY WAS BAD. HE CARRIED A CELL PHONE AND HIS WIFE WAS HIKING A MORE DIFFICULT TRAIL. WE SHARED SOME STORIES AND HIS WIFE WANTED TO HIKE ALL 150 MILES OF TRAIL IN THE PARK. SHE WENT SOMEWHERE ELSE. I TOOK IT EASY AND SAT A WHILE WHILE WE WATCHED FOR WILDLIFE. DURING THE MIDDLE OF THE DAY IT WAS HOT IN THE SUN, THOUGH MOST OF THIS TRAIL IS SHADED.

IN PAST YEARS MY FAMILY HAS BROUGHT OUR BIKES TO THIS TRAIL AND IT IS A GOOD WORKOUT. BY FOOT IT TAKES ABOUT 3 TO 4 HOURS. I HAD FOUND MUCH ANGELICA PLANTS THAT WERE USED BY MANY COASTAL TRIBES TO CURE SNAKEBITES, PURIFY BLOOD, AND IT WAS KEPT IN THE POMO MEDICINE POUCH FOR GENERAL MEDICINE.

THE FOLKS AT THE END OF THE TRAIL SAW A CUTE MOLE EATING GRASSES OUT OF HIS HOLE. I SPREAD THE NEWS OF MY EXCURSIONS AND MANY FOLKS WERE INTERESTED. THE OCEAN COAST WAS VERY COLD AND WINDY THAT DAY. THE PARKS HAD ADDED SAND TO COVER A SITE AND IT WAS TRYING TO WALK THERE THAT DAY.

IN THE PAST, WE HAVE SEEN A BABY ELK HERE. THERE SOME CHILDREN, TEENS, YOUNG ADULTS, AND ALL AGE GROUPS HERE. WE ONLY SAW SOME BIRDS. AND ONE FELLA THOUGHT HE SAW AN EAGLE. I NOTICED MUCH POISON OAK BUT NO SOAPROOT. ALSO THIS AREA IN THE COAST MIWOK HAS ABUNDANT VALLEY OAK ACORNS, AS IN SONOMA COUNTY WE HAVE NONE. THEY ALSO HAD MANY PEPPERNUTS.

THE TRAIL IS ALWAYS COOL IN THE SUMMER. IN HISTORIC TIMES I'M SURE THEY HAD BLACK AND BROWN BEAR HERE.

WE HAD CAMPED AT A COASTAL CAMP WITH OUR SON BY BIKING THERE. AND MY HUSBAND I STAYED OVERNIGHT AT A YOUTH HOSTILE AS WELL.