Vive la France!

Why do so many travelers that I know have such negative things to say about the  French--particularly the Parisians? I don't really enjoy arguing with my friends, but when they begin trouncing on people who I enjoy--I feel compelled to state my opinion. 

So even though Bastille Day is still a month and a half away (July 14), I say "Vive la France" and will share one of many stories that I have about the graciousness and kindness of many of the French who I have met. 

This journal entry was written during our September 2009 hike in France on the GR653 from Dourgne to Saint Oloron de St. Marie.  

Saint-Cricq, FR. We are in a gite etape, La Croisee De St. Cricq, which is very comfortable, not gloomy, like the last. A gite etape means shared accommodations. In this case there are five beds in our room, but we have the room to ourselves. We're on a ridgetop on the outskirts of town. 

Our hostess, Chris, welcomes us to their gite.  

"The hosts here, Chris and Marco, are very friendly. She greeted us  before we were halfway up the walk, and brought us lemonade to cool us after our long day's hike. He welcomed me with kisses and "enchante!" Her English is minimal, but he seems fluent.

"Dinner tonight was over the top! Our hosts just could not hold back and they brought out delicacy after delicacy--almost all of it had been prepared at home and much of it was homegrown. We had olives and crackers; wild pig pate and baguettes; a salad of lettuce, tomatoes, hard boiled eggs; chicken in creamy, duck-fatted sauce with mushrooms, cheese and grapes; cookies and vanilla chocolate mousse. Accompanying the meal was homemade red wine (walnuts had been used in the flavoring), and the piece de resistance was a bit of house-produced Armacaq. We learned that both Armacaq and cognac are made from five varieties of grapes, but the percentage of each is different.

"Our hosts were also amazing. Using Marco's pretty good English and our smattering of French, we managed to have a very entertaining evening. Marco's infectious joi de vie kept us all laughing. He could hardly contain his excitement at sharing dinner with us Californians. We consumed too much as it was, and if we hadn't resisted, Marco would have plied us with even more wine and we would have all ended up drunk.

"But, it was not just the delicious food that was shared. Intense, hyper Marco would suddenly jump up from the kitchen bench where we were seated to put on a different kind of music. We had Mozart one moment, then African! Then he'd hop up to get another bottle of wine. Chris just laughed at his effusiveness or impetuosity; he really was a little kid at heart and an irresistible one.

"We shared our stories and learned that they had moved from Paris, to Toulouse, and then to St. Cricq. The house here has involved a great deal of renovation. As Marco put it, "Christa did not like the rain dripping in the kitchen," so "I've been working on the roof."  They've installed electricity and more recently brought in every conceivable kitchen tool possible. 

Next day arrival in Auch (in the midi-Pyrenees)  

Obviously they love their food and their life and with hosts such as this, how can anyone suggest the French people are not friendly to Americans! 

If you pay attention to the conventions: greet shopkeepers and others with "Bonjour, Madame" (or "Monsieur") when you enter a shop, and avoid becoming the "Ugly American" (loud, boisterous, or demanding) most people will treat you kindly in return. Vive la France!

Hike to falls, wildflowers, or plein air experiences

Yes, you can get your exercise and enjoy beautiful landscapes all in one outing! Here are three excellent ways:

SOLANO COUNTY: Bay Area Ridge Trail offers guided hikes to one of the most picturesque places in Solano County, Green Valley Falls. Dates are Saturday, May 25, 2013 and Saturday, June 08, 2013. Both are 9:00 A.M. to 12:00 - noon). Green Valley Falls flows all year long; the surroundings are beautiful and inviting even on a hot day. The hike is fairly short, but there are some steep and difficult spots.

Green Valley Falls, Solano County

Reservations are required and hikes fill fast. Fee charged. Limit 30 people.  Reservations on a first-come first-served basis. You must bring a photo ID, be older than 12 years old, and be accompanied by a parent or guardian if you are under 18.

SONOMA COUNTY: Jack London State Historic Park offers a variety of docent led programs and walks. Two walks, of “Grave Site and Wolf House,”  and “Beauty Ranch” last approximately 1 – ½ hours and are free beyond the entrance fees.  ($10 entry fee at the park for vehicles, $5 for those who walk or cycle in.) No registration is required. 

Another hike, on Saturday, May 25
is the final guided spring wildflower walk. “Park naturalists Deborah Large and John Lynch lead the walk to see Brodiaea, Crimson Columbine, native honeysuckle, several varieties of Clarkia, Ithuriel’s Spear, Ookow, Yarrow and possibly several native and nonnative orchids, which will be starting to bloom.”

This hike is from 10 A.M. to 1:30 P.M. Participants should meet in the Upper Parking Lot of Jack London State Historic Park (2400 London Ranch Road in Glen Ellen). Bring binoculars, cameras, water & light snack and wear sturdy shoes. Admission is $10 per person. Click here to pay in advance. (The additional parking fee of $10 per car must be paid at the kiosk upon entering).

You can also hike on your own in Jack London State Historic Park. The park has over 20 miles of trails that traverse through mixed forest, redwood groves, oak woodlands, and grassy meadows. The elevation varies from 600 to 2,300 feet.  

Spring is in the air and with it often comes artistic inspiration. You are encouraged to bring “a journal, pencils, pens, and/or water colors, camera and binoculars, drinking water, sunhat, sun screen, insect repellent, closed-toe shoes, and a brown bag lunch or pot luck item.” The pace, route, and multiple stops will allow time to sketch scenes that catch your eye, or write some thoughts or poetry in your notebook.

Directions: Meet in front of the Nature Center at Lake Solano Park & Campground, located at 8685 Pleasants Valley Road, just off Highway 128 near the town of Winters. The Nature Center is at the west entrance of the park. Map here. 

Parking is $5 per vehicle, payable at the east entrance of the Park.  The walk is free.

Visit to Davis -- offers nostalgia and new delights

Our Bay Area Travel Writers group recently met at the Mondavi Institute for Food and Wine on the UC Davis campus. It had been years since I had spent any time in Davis, CA (other than to stop for excellent beer and German sausages* at Sudwerk Brewery, which is just off I-80).


My memories of this college town are pleasant--mostly from going a couple of times to the UC Davis "Picnic Day" that is held in April. It's indeed a fun event for the whole family. UC Davis is known for its excellent programs in animal husbandry, agriculture, and veterinary medicine, and the annual Picnic Day reflects that heritage with farm animal exhibits as well as with entertaining dog races (and this year at least, a cockroach race.). There is, of course, much more happening on campus, click here to see upcoming events. 

So, I eagerly anticipated my return visit to Davis--and I was not disappointed. Davis retains its small town vibe, but also is on the forefront of Farm to Fork Movement.Our day's activities were hosted by the Yolo County Visitors Bureau and we began with a brief business meeting in the new Robert Mondavi Institute for Food and Wine on the  UC campus.

We had a taste testing of extra virgin olive oils. We tried to detect off-flavors--including rancidity. From Dan Flynn, Executive Director of the Olive Center, we learned that 69% of the imported olive oils researchers tested did not meet international accepted standards for extra virgin olive oil. This compares to 10% of U.S. olive oils failing the test.  

Flynn said that extra virgin olive oil is generally more expensive to buy than other grades of olive oil because it is more expensive to produce.  U.S. olive oil producers face huge challenges when competing with foreign exporters who can flood the market with cheap oils that may also be subsidized and subject to very low tariffs. 

The U.S. is the world's third-largest consumer of olive oil.  Flynn hopes that the  test results will "lead to improved methods for evaluating extra virgin olive oil," and also to greater assurance that what is labeled as "extra virgin" is indeed that tasty product.  

Our next stops in the Mondavi Institute were to look into the labs where viticulture, beer, human milk, and tomato "pilot" plants are currently being studied. As a side note, we learned that producing beer, and cleaning the tanks, requires a tremendous amount of water. Much of that water is currently used for irrigation, but studies to reduce usage are also underway. 


At lunchtime we wandered through the weekly Saturday Farmers Market in the downtown plaza. There were many tasty choices--either prepared foods such as "naanwiches," tamales, or corndogs, or fresh fruit, veggies, and breads to sample. Perfect weather allowed for eating al fresco.   



After our lunch, we strolled next door where we were given a tour of the intriguing U.S. Bicycling Hall of Fame. Their unique collection of bicycles included many from the 19th century as well as jerseys and bikes from award winning bicyclists of the 20th. Virtual tour, click here.

Our visit concluded, we made our way back to campus and enjoyed one last treat--the Bakuhatsu Taiko Dan were practicing in the Mondavi parking lot. Check their website to see the schedules for practices and performances.    




Yolo County's largest city, Davis, CA, is definitely worth an extended visit. Besides all of the attractions described above, there is much art to enjoy. Go to the Second Friday Art About (free) in the downtown to visit art galleries and hear some music. You'll find plenty of places to get a bit of food and wine. Or next time you are in town, you can take the Davis Transmedia Art Walk. Many of the public art works throughout town have RFID chips installed (the first in the country). You use the scanner on your cell phone and follow the chips as you walk though the downtown and the UC campus to learn more about the installations, artists, and to provide feedback. Sample, map, and more, click here.  

*Sudwerk's menu has changed substantially. They now offer a wider selection of food--everything from hamburgers to Cajun Jambalaya to Santa Fe Chicken sandwiches. Perhaps this attracts diners wanting more choices, but it has lost its unique appeal.

Our family is aflutter--we are captivated by fluffy objects!

Chestnut-backed Chickadee by Tom Coroneos

Ever since I first heard the chirping in our bird house a week ago Saturday, we have been caught up in the chickadee drama. I've read online that the new chicks stay in the nest for 18-21 days, but since we don't know exactly when they hatched, we have no way of knowing when they will fledge. I am fairly certain that these are Chestnut-backed Chickadees.

Last week was unseasonably warm--about 20 degrees above average for this time of year. The 70+ degrees made it possible to sit on our deck and watch the chickadee activity. We both carried our bowls of cereal and hot beverages out for breakfast every day, and ate some lunches and dinners outdoors, too.

Jays are a threat to many smaller birds

As I mentioned in my previous post, a scrub jay flew straight to the birdhouse last week; Ralph chased it away, and put up a screen that would slow (but not stop) predatory birds. Even so, jays are extremely smart, and they are quite aware that young birds are nearby. Last Friday, while I was sitting with my binoculars trained on the adult chickadees bringing juicy insects and green larva/worms to their offspring, I saw a a pair of Stellar Jays flying from tree to tree nearby.

Then, I heard the call of a raven. The entire resident bird population went quiet.  I imagine that ravens are the biggest threat of all to the smaller birds around here, and for several minutes there wasn't a peep from any of them. Finally the adult chickadees resumed their constant collecting of food, but they did a lot more fluttering of wings, and flying branch to branch, before they headed home to deliver lunch.

This morning's viewing brought big rewards--we were able to see the young. At least we could see one jump to the entrance to his home while awaiting mom or dad to return with a meal. We have the feeling that the meals are coming a little less often--the parents need a break and baby needs to make his flight from the nest. I think the big event--the first flights--will take place within the next 24 hours.

Perhaps the most surprising thing to me about this whole period of observation is that Ralph and I have spent so much time sitting still watching this activity. We hardly ever sit anywhere near this long. It has been fun to have this opportunity to observe nature without the distractions of everyday life! I am reminded that the backpacking and hiking that we do are rewarding in similar ways.

For Chestnut-backed Chickadee info from Cornell Lab of Ornithology, click here.

We get a surprising amount of wildlife in Oakland--here are a few examples. 

This fawn visited us a couple of years back. 

Spiderlings disperse quickly! 

This sweet House Finch eats whatever he can get!

Our growing family!

We have new neighbors and I am finding it quite worrisome keeping track of them. Last week, I saw Mama deer and her two spotted fawns browsing in the yard two doors down; yesterday I had to slow for another doe and fawn while driving up the hill to our house. We don't get a lot of traffic on our streets and cars can't go very fast, mostly because the road is curvy, but even so I was tempted to honk and signal to everyone I passed that they should slow down as they made their way downhill. It is wonderful being a parent again, but also somewhat stressful.

Even closer to home is our new family of chickadees. Mama and Papa have taken up residence in a birdhouse that we set out two years ago. This is a tidy little house, painted lime green, with a white picket fence around it and window boxes filled with red geraniums. Ralph feels that no self-respecting bird would use such a frou-frou box for a home, but clearly the birds are happy there. Last weekend I discovered that they had taken up residence, we have since spent every spare moment watching their activity.

There are young chickadees in the nest box--how many we don't know because we don't want to disturb them--but we certainly hear them clamor for attention when the parents bring them tidbits to eat (caterpillars seem favored) and just after the parents leave for more food.

Yesterday, we realized the full impact of being a parent to this growing family. As Ralph was watching, a scrub jay flew from an oak tree straight to the opening of the birdhouse and peered in. Ralph jumped to his feet, spilling his coffee in the process, to shoo off the invading monster. It must have been as frightening to the birds as a pterodactyl peering in our front door would have been to us.

My roses are less worrisome!

Now we have declared war--Ralph draped a piece of wire screen in front of the birdhouse. The birds are not disturbed by it--in fact they sometimes land there--but the bigger birds can not zoom straight in. There are other threats, of course, but all we can do is keep watching the activity. Not knowing exactly when the chicks hatched, we don't know when they will fledge (usually 16 days from when they hatched), but we are hoping that all goes well with the process--and we keep reminding ourselves that whatever happens is nature's choice not ours.

There are lots of chickadee photos here.

Why and Where to find Henry W. Coe State Park

Ralph heads up The Narrows

Why, when I mentioned recently to friends that Ralph and I were going backpacking at Henry W. Coe State Park, did I draw a blank? Why were they, as well as we, so unfamiliar with California's largest state park! Even the volunteer who checked us in last week, for our first visit, referred to the park as "a real hidden jewel." How can a 86,000-acre park, less than two hours from the Bay Area/one hour from San Jose, escape the notice of so many? Lee Dittmann, who worked in the park for nine years, puts it this way on his website, "How can any park known by so few, so close to San Jose, named for someone you've never heard of--be so good! 

It's not that we had never heard about Henry W. Coe State Park--it was in the news quite a bit last year in connection with the ridiculous state park fiasco (the threat of closure because of a lack of state funding--the news that private supporters were going to support the park for a while--the discovery that there were millions of dollars in hidden State funds that could have been used--the outrage when the state said there was no protocol for refunding the money that the supporters had raised!) (I'm simplifying a complex issue here--the parks still are underfunded).  

However, I still didn't know exactly where the park was and I didn't know of any compelling reason to visit. Then, sort of like when you buy a new car and then realize that there are tons of them on the highway, it began to register that some people I knew were talking about Henry Coe. 

There was Marcia Powers, an incredibly experienced backpacker friend, who told me that her first backpacking trip (years ago) was to Henry W. Coe. That trip, which she took with husband Ken, had a  change in the weather while they were out--unexpected snow.  

Then, my friend, Amy Racina, told me about one of her most exciting trips there--the one where she surprised a mountain lion that was just over a rise in the campsite next to hers (she moved camp!) 
Then, I read Ewa Bialkowski posting on Facebook about her hikes in Henry Coe and that she was doing some volunteering in the park. It all added up--it was time for Ralph and me to go. 

Since Amy had been telling me for several years that Henry Coe was her favorite park, I decided to pick her brain for the details. We sat down together and she drew up a suggested route for Ralph and I to take for a three-day backpacking trip (see details below.)  

Ralph and I had a great time and will definitely return. Here are my trail notes: wildflowers* in profusion, velvety green grass in the shady spots, plenty of water in the Narrows and other stream crossings, but not too deep to ford, ticks extremely heavy on one (but only one) section of Cross Canyon Trail.  

Temperatures were great--60-80 degrees during the day, but surprising cold at night. The first night we had frost on the tent and a 1/2 inch layer of ice in the water containers. The second night the temperature dropped to 26 degrees! Not the 40-50s predicted.

People count: Day 1, a group of 10 at the Narrows; Day 2, 1 fisherman; Day 3, 10 other backpackers on the trail. Rattlesnake count: 1. Many flickers, red-winged blackbirds, crows, and juncos. 

Henry W. Coe State Park, California Trail and Camping Map: You can pick up this excellent map at Henry Coe's Visitor Center, which is the entrance east of Morgan Hill, or order one beforehand. Distances below are approximate. 

Our itinerary: 

• Day 1: Corral Trail to Springs Trail to Poverty Flat Road to Creekside Trail to China Hole to the Narrows to Los Cruzeros for camping night #1. (6.7 miles & moderate grades)
• Day 2: Los Cruzeros to Mahoney Meadows Road (going SE) to Coit Road (passing Kelly Lake with  camping spots) to Willow Ridge Road to Coit Dam Road to Coit Dam (camping spots). Retrace uphill on Coit Dam Road to Willow Ridge and backtrack briefly to Cross Canyon Trail. North on Kelly Cabin Trail for camping night #2 alongside the creek in Kelly Cabin Canyon. (10 miles & moderate to strenuous)
• Day 3: Continue north on Kelly Cabin Trail to Cross Canyon Trail (second segment) to Mahoney Meadows Road (now going NW). China Hole Trail to China Hole (near but not through the Narrows again). China Hole Trail past Manzanita Point and its numerous campsites to Manzanita Point Road. Take the road until you hit Springs Trail and then Corral Trail that will take you up to the Visitor Center where you started. (11 miles & moderate to strenuous) 

Some iris still remained

Henry Coe is a perfect destination for Bay Area backpackers because of its beauty, moderate to strenuous hiking trails, and because it's close to us, but feels remote. Avoid the summer when triple digits are happening--not only will it be hot, but the seasonal water supplies may be long gone.  

*Wildflowers: Douglas Iris, Chinese Houses, California Poppies, Lupine (Yellow, white, and purple), mini-Lupine, Bleeding Heart, Miner's Lettuce, Larkspur and various lwf, lpf, lyf (little white flower, etc.) 

Location: Henry W. Coe State Park is part of the Diablo Range and is in Santa Clara and Stanislaus counties, east of Morgan Hill. It is not to be confused with Henry Cowell Redwoods state Park, which is in the Santa Cruz Mountains near FFFelon and Santa Cruz! 

More Park info: Pine Ridge Association

Ca State park website, click here. 

Karen Najarian on Great Sierra Backpacking Destinations, part 2

Yosemite's Half Dome by Susan Alcorn 

In the first part of this two-part series, we meet Karen Najarian, owner, manager, and head guide for Sierra Spirit. Najarian enjoys sharing her interests in hiking and backpacking in the Sierra, and her company has been guiding people into the wilderness for five years. Before she decided to branch out, Najarian ran the REI Adventures Yosemite Program for ten years.

In part two of this interview, you'll learn more about Karen Najarian's unique background that makes her well suited to leading her treks.  

Alcorn: It's clear that you are thoroughly engaged with the outdoor world. How did you become interested in the outdoors?

Najarian:  I grew up in a house right next to a big vacant field with a stream and frogs and rocks. My brother and sister and I spent a lot of time out there building forts and playing in the dirt. We bemoaned the day when it was turned into a park. Later I became a Girl Scout and while camping I found I was most at home without a roof. In high school we had to give a demonstration speech in English class. I showed how to make cornbread muffins. One of my classmates brought in his backpack and gave a talk about backpacking around Yosemite. Someone asked, “Where do you camp?” “Pretty much anywhere,” came his reply. 

It sounded like the kind of freedom I yearned for and I knew in that moment that that was what I was meant to do. It took a few years before my first trip and then a lot of bumbling (blew up a stove, lost a filter over a waterfall, etc.) with my husband until I got it dialed and finally felt called to teach it to others.

Alcorn: You are also a professional photographer; are you able to combine that with your hiking?  

Najarian:  Absolutely. The great thing about spending lots of time in the Sierra is that it provides endless opportunities for gorgeous landscapes at any time of the day. I put a bunch of my pictures on the computer screens at Alameda Hospital and ended up having a sale there partially benefitting the hospital auxiliary.

Alcorn: Your early career was in science, as a Clinical Laboratory Scientist; what led you to change careers and become a hiking trip guide and leader?

Najarian:   I’d always been interested in science and majored in Bacteriology at UC Berkeley. Afterward, I became a Clinical Laboratory Scientist. Hospital laboratory work is stimulating and rewarding (I’m an excellent blood banker). While working at John Muir Hospital and raising my kids I also taught backpacking to Girl Scouts and Girl Scout adults. I loved seeing life-changing confidence arise in the girls. 

It occurred to me that what I was teaching was a valuable commodity and decided to look into guiding as a business. I teamed up with another guiding company and later started my own. I continued the lab work off and on until two years ago when I quit my job at Alameda Hospital to run the guiding business full-time.  

Sunset/John Muir Trail. S. Alcorn

Guiding is a marriage of the joy I find being in the wilderness, turning people on to the wilderness, my passion for the flora, fauna, history and geology of the Sierra, and empowering people. But more than that; I discovered that I’m equal right and left brain. Through teaching and guiding I’ve found my creativity and bring it to the unique outdoor program I’ve created where we connect with ourselves as much as we do the rocks and trees and bears of the Sierra.

More info: 

Najarian will be giving another "Great Sierra Backpacking Destinations" slide show this month at the Walnut Creek Sports Basement. 

April 23, 2013. 7:00 P.M. Sports Basement, 1881 Ygnacio Valley Road, Walnut Creek, CA 94598. Sports Basement will be offering everyone in attendance a 10% discount on all purchases for the nights of these events.

If you miss that program, you can still find out more about Sierra Spirit. Website click here.  Call 925-699-6953 or email Najarian at sierramaclure@sbcglobal.net. You can also "friend" Karen Najarian and “like” Sierra Spirit LLC on Facebook. Find her portfolio of photos here.

Be sure to read part 1 of "Karen Najarian on Great Sierra Backpacking Destinations." 

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