Point Reyes Hiking Trip

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Camping after hiking to Point Reyes which is on the Pacific Coast an hour by car North of San Francisco.

The team is Jim, Me and Jack with Richard and Evan and Marco and Gabriel. We are taking two cars as we have a lot of gear. Jim had fitted a carrier to the back of the Audi but it was now not required.

After smacking my head on the car door, attaching a pain patch to my shoulder and checking if I had a weeks supply of pain killers, we had a quick photo session and set off.

Reading the Cam Site Rules warned us to not bring any Llamas and beware of Skunks with attitude.

1240. Checked in Bear Valley Visitors Centre then drove to Laguna trail head.

 

1305 Flat trail by a creek lots of Lady Bugs’ Kids were great on the trail especially Gabriel who is 4?

1350 Arrived Camp. Pitched tents in small glade in sheltered spot. It has a Bar B. Q. table and bench plus steel cabinets to store all food in away from the Skunks, Racoons, Rats, Flies and Stink Beetles. (Mary would love it here!)

Went to the beach. It is breathtaking! a 20 mile curving beach, crashing surf, blue sea and only about 10 people on it.

0730 Returned to camp to find we have been attacked by Killer Skunks, the evidence being silver poo on the table and a gnawed drinks bottle. There is a strong wind and it is cooling down rapidly.

Richard fired up his F111 reheat stove with which he has a love hate relationship. It seems to have two setting, white heat or off. It will only answer to Richard who  caresses it, pumps it or swears at it. Never the less we had a fine spaghetti bolognaise supervised by Marco, he being Italian. Followed by cookies and accompanied by a nice white wine. Richard talked about his pain patches “Lindoderm” which I have just started using and how well they work. Kids are playing football with Gabriel shaping up to be a fine wide receiver.

We then watched the stars and satellites and the big dipper slipping behind the hills before we got dressed in our thermals in preparation for the night. The sleeping arrangements were cosy. Three of us in a small tent, Jim slept well but Jack and I stayed awake listening to the wind. There were cries from another tent of “Gettaway from that” Obviously the Killer Skunks were still on the prowl.

Saturday 0700 Jack up and all go to the beach to watch the red mist roll in. Kids built sand castles. Beautiful. Sir Francis drake is supposed to have stayed in this area while he careened and cleaned his boat. Strangely he called the area New England! 

0900 Richard fires up the F111 and cooks scrambled eggs and bacon. Followed by trail coffee which is produced by filling a can with boiling water in which you put coffee granules, you then windmill it at high speed with no lid on hopefully forcing the  grains to the bottom.. Hmmmm.

Had breakfast watching an enormous raven and deer's grazing nearby. Jim plays with his magnesium fire making toy which doesn't!

 

1030 Packed and took the hill trail back to car.

1200 Arrived at car it is sunny and warm. Gabriel coped with the tough climb carrying his own back pack!

1300 Stopped at Olema Farmhouse for lunch. Had baked oysters and black rock cod, superb!  Apparently this area was the epicentre of the 1906 earthquake. It also has a hairdressers called “Peace Love and Cream Cheese” Said

goodbye to other car and headed home.

GREAT TRIP WITH GREAT COMPANY