(no subject)

Yesterday's junket was unsatisfying. While the drive was lovely, the destination was overrun by some sort of "rock and run" event. "Gladiator Rock'n Run is teaming up with Talk About Curing Autism (TACA) for the wildest, muddiest, most challenging & intense mud run ever! True to the grand scale of this event, we will be in need of a HUGE number of volunteers..." I wouldn't have minded the music, but there was no way to access the trails that were not being used for the run. I wouldn't have minded that, but the "ranger" at the booth where we paid for access to the park said there would be access to the trails. I did spend time watching and photographing the western tiger swallowtail on the California buckeyes. (I probably saw the echo blue butterfly as well, but it flitted far too quickly for me to catch with the telephoto.) A California quail perched in lovely silhouette, unfazed by the amplified rock. Still, i couldn't get in a good stroll, as i was confined to a few creek bridges and the lawn of the old Grant home.

The drive home had a miserable stretch through shopping mall and strip mall traffic, and i realized why i stick to the parks that i can get to without having to drive through suburban sprawl.

There are two routes to Grant Park though, and i now have a preferred route. Grant Park is a stopping place along the way to Mt Hamilton, the highest peak in the area. If i could prepare myself on a Friday night, i could wake early and be in the vicinity near dawn. It's a matter of planning the trip so i have a plan on Saturday morning.

At least now i have a refreshed memory of the route in my mind: i think we drove to Mt Hamilton six years ago?

On my junket list to the eastern side of the county is Sunol Regional Wilderness and Henry Coe. Maybe i can have a plan of junkets on the third Saturday and fifth Saturday, waking earlier.