Tom and I have always been great hiking partners. Even with his long legs, he is willing to go at my pace, and patiently takes up the rear guard position most of the time to ensure he doesn't lose me. We both are fairly tenacious about a trail, with a persistent pace that may be slower now in our later years, but gets us to the destination. With the ease of taking photos with my light weight iPhone, we talked recently on a hike about posting some of the routes and pictures for fun. Okay, maybe for some of our eight grandchildren to look at some day! No pressure, kids, we aren't holding our breath on that.
We had a gorgeous weekend at the coast this January, 2020. It was the first time I have hiked Mt. Tamalpais, and I can't begin to tell why it has taken so many years to get here! I suppose because it was one that the boy scouts undertook, and I usually was home with one of the smaller scouts when Tom went off with the older boys. In any case, stunning views abound on these trails which are beautifully constructed. Well designed and sturdy stairs are sprinkled throughout the hike, and on the Steep Ravine trail there is even a ladder to climb between trail sections.
At the top of the Steep Ravine trail, which follows a creek and is well-shaded with a beautiful variety of trees and vegetation, we followed the Old Mine trail (yes, we found the old mine!) to a lookout over the San Francisco Bay. We sat a while on a bench placed specifically for Veteran's with a lovely plaque wishing rest and peace for all, before following the Dipsea Trail back down toward Stinson Beach. The next day we hiked to the top of the East Peak (the high point of Mt. Tam) following various trails and part of the old Gravity Railroad path. I wish I could transport back in time 100 years to when people were dancing on the peak under the stars, then riding a rail car with only a brakeman back to the base!
