Vultures Sunning

Story
Today I still feel like I have a cold so and Penny was going to ride 2 horses so we walked to the end of the street and back, about a 3+ mile walk.  What a cool walk within about 15 minutes of our walk Penny stated that we had seen at least 10 different types of birds.  After over three weeks of cold, windy, rainy days all the birds were out enjoying the sunshine.  But as everyone knows that loves to take nice photos you have the best opportunity when you don't have your camera and that was today.  The good news is after our walk I had to run some errands so I drove down the same street and what do you know the Turkey Vultures were still sunning their wings, American Kestrels were busy dashing around and the Common Starling's were looking radiant.

Photos
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HBR - 5.0mi

Story
It was a very cold winter day in Gilroy but how cold could it really be since Gilroy is in California the sunshire state.  Well when I started at 9:00am it was 39 degrees and when I finished at 11:30am it was yes 39 degrees, breezy and sprinkling.  I think it was to cold for the birds to be out but I did get a few good shots of an American Kestrel, a distance shot of a Red Tailed Hawk, a bunch of deer and some cool, no pun intended, landscape shots.  The landscape pictures were with Penny's xmas present a Panasonic DMC-ZS19 pocket camera that packs in 14 Megapixels, pretty cool. 

My hike was at Harvey Bear Ranch from the Roop Road parking lot.  I walked out around Mummy mountain and then up and over Mummy mountain and then back down the northside.  Besides being a little bit cold was as nice hike. 

A few friends have been asking about my camera sling strap that is attached to my pack so I have included a few photos of my pack with the camera attached.

Trails
Mendoza Trail, Mummy Mountain Trial, Coyote Ridge Trail

GPX
Harvey Bear Ranch - 5.0mi at EveryTrail

Photos
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HBR - 4.0mi

Story
It was a cold rainy Christmas day but I managed to get in a short hike at Harvery Bear Ranch.  Since we just had several weeks of rain I decided to try the Roop Road entrance hoping the higher trails would not be so muddy.  For the most part the trails we better but still had plenty of slipping and sliding.

I ventured out and around Mummy mountain and cut over the top although I later figured out was not the main Mummy Mountain trail.  There was plenty of wildlife and I got my best shots of they year of a Golden Eagle along with some deer, Wild Turkey, Northern Flicker and a first time siting of a Spotted Towhee.  Overall a good day.

Trails
Mendoza Trail, Mummy Mountain Trial, Coyote Ridge Trail

GPX
Harvey Bear Ranch - 4.0mi at EveryTrail

 

 

Photos

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HBR - 9.3mi

Story:
Harvey Bear Ranch: It was a beautiful Thanksgiving day in the park.  Although the lower trails were busy the hike was very quiet, not many people or animals.  My friend Mark and I enjoyed an easy 9+ mile hike but did not see much wildlife until later in the hike.  We did happen about a Yellow Billed Magpie and an American Kestrel that were perfectly dressed as a pilgram and indian for their Thanksgiving feast.

Trails:
Harvey Bear Trail, Coyote Ridge Trail, Blue Oak Trail, Gaviota Trail, Rancho San Ysidro Trail, Willow Springs Trail

GPX:

Harvey Bear Ranch - 9.3 mi at EveryTrail

EveryTrail - Find the best Hiking near San Jose, California

 

 

Photos:



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HBR - 6.0mi

Story:
Was a stormy evening and was able to get a quick hike at Harvey Bear Ranch.  I did the ususual Happy Spot hike counter clockwise.  Most of the critters were in their homes for the storms but did see a couple of Goldene Eagles, sorry no good pictures, Gold Finches, American Kestrels and some wild pigs.

Trails:
Harvey Bear Trail, Coyote Ridge Trail, Willow Springs Trail

GPX Tracks:
Harvey Bear Ranch - 6.0 mi at EveryTrail

EveryTrail - Find the best Hiking in California

 

 

Photos:



Google+ Photos

 

 

HBR - 9.1mi

Story:
Harvey Bear Ranch
Was a beautiful cool day and very quiet.  Good thing I had the time to hike 9 miles since I did not see any wild life until the second half of my hike.

Trails:
Harvey Bear Trail, Coyote Ridge Trail, Blue Oak Trail, Gaviota Trail, Rancho San Ysidro Trail, Willow Springs Trail

GPX:
Harvey Bear Ranch - 9.1 mi at EveryTrail

EveryTrail - Find the best Hiking near San Jose, California

Photos:
View all photos on Google+

HBR - 6.0mi

Story:
Was a cool cloudy November day after a couple of rainy days.  There has not been a lot of wildlife out the last few weeks but I did get some good photos of a Coopers Hawk, American Kestrel, Yellow-Billed Magpie, Red-Tailed Hawk.

Trails:
Harvey Bear Trail, Coyote Ridge Trail, Willow Springs Trail

GPX Tracks:
Harvey Bear Ranch - 6.0 mi at EveryTrail

EveryTrail - Find the best Hiking near San Jose, California

Photos:

Google+ Photos

Northstar

Story
We had an amazing week of hiking and weather.  We figured out some new hikes, enjoyed hiking from our hotel, took the chair lifts up the mountain and I even lost MWW on one of the hike, not so fun I don't recommend that for anyone.

Photos
View all the photos on Google+

GPX
Northstar 6.4mi at EveryTrail

EveryTrail - Find the best Hiking near Truckee, California

Tomkins Memorial Trail - 6.3mi at EveryTrail

EveryTrail - Find the best Hiking near Lake Tahoe, California

Lake Watson - 11.4mi at EveryTrail

EveryTrail - Find the best Hiking in California

Mount Pluto Northstar - 10.5mi at EveryTrail

EveryTrail - Find the best Hiking near Lake Tahoe, California

HBR - 6.5mi

Story: A beautiful September day for hiking with my friend Mark D, temperature was in the high 70's and breezy.  We had the pleasure of having a juvenile Golden Eagle hanging out with us.

Trails: Willow Springs, Rancho San Ysidro, Gaviota, Blue Oak, Valley Oak, Coyote Ridge, Willow Springs

GPX Tracks: Harvey Bear Ranch - 6.5mi at EveryTrail

EveryTrail - Find the best Hiking near San Jose, California

Photos: To see these pictures and more from these hikes visit my Google+ photo albums
Google+ Photo Albums

HBR - 4.8mi

Story: It was a cooler than normal summer day. Enjoyed hanging out with MWW, buzzards, woodpeckers, hawks, calves.

GPX Tracks:  Harvey Bear Ranch - 4.8 mi at EveryTrail
Tails:

EveryTrail - Find the best Hiking in the Bay Area, California

Elevation Profile: 


Photos: To see these pictures and more from these hikes visit my Google+ photo albums
Google+ Photo Albums

Pacheco Park - 7.9mi

Story:  A couple times a year we like to go hiking at Pacheco State Park, also known as Dinosaur Point. What MWW, Penny, and I thought was going to be a cool foggy day ended being sunny, warm and in the mid 80's.  We left the parking lot around 10:40am for our 8 mile journey and for some reason this hike always feels like a real journey.  The climb from the South Boundary Loop Trail up Spikes Peak Trail just sucks it right out of you.  We did have a good day and saw a family of Tule Elk, these Elk are only found in California with a population of ~4,000.  This is the first time we have seen these Elk and I was bummed I was not able to get a better photo.  The first time we saw them they were only 50 yards away and then by the time I saw them again to get a picture they must have been 300+ yards away.  We also saw dozens of Red Tail Hawks, Buzzards and of course the landscape.


GPX Tracks: Pacheco State Park - 7.9 mi at EveryTrail
Trails:  Pig Pond, Canyon Loop East, South Bondary Loop, Spikes Peak, Pig Pond

EveryTrail - Find the best Hiking in California

Elevation Profile:

Photos: To see these pictures and more from these hikes visit my Google+ photo albums
Google+ Photo Albums

HBR-4.6mi

Story:  A nice afternoon for a quick hike with Penny.  It was a very quiet day but did get a brief glimpse of the Golden Eagles.


Harvey Bear Ranch - 4.6 mi at EveryTrail
Trails: Harvey Bear Trail > TownsSprings Trail > Willow Springs Trail

EveryTrail - Find the best Hiking near San Jose, California

Photos: To see these pictures and more from these hikes visit my Google+ photo albums

Google+ Photo Album

HBR - 3 Hikes

Story: This weekend was hot but still got in 3 hikes for a total of 15 miles.  Friday evening I did the TownsSprings Trail loop counter-clockwise.  Was able to get some good pictures of a Coyote pup, an American Kestrel and a some of the last California Yellow Poppies.  Saturday evening I did the same hike with MWW, Penny, clockwise but did not take any pictures.  Sunday we did the a Coyote Ridge Trail and on the way down Willow Springs Trail saw 2 Golden Eagles wow, very spectacular, I was bummed that I had my camera shutter speed set to slow so I only got a couple clear pictures.  Overall though it was a great weekend of hiking and photos.


Harvey Bear Ranch - 4.6 mi at EveryTrail
Trails: Harvey Bear Trail > TownsSprings Trail > Willow Springs Trail

EveryTrail - Find the best Hiking in the Bay Area, California

Harvey Bear Ranch - 6.0 mi at EveryTrail
Trails: Harvey Bear Trail > Coyote Ridge Trail > Willow Springs Trail

EveryTrail - Find the best Hiking in the Bay Area, California

To see these pictures and more from these hikes visit my Google+ photo albums

View Google+ Photo Album

Harvey Bear Ranch - 6.0mi

Happy Fourth of July

An unusually cool breezy day for July.  It was only fitting that we had a Golden Eagle fly over, the first time we have seen an eagle in at least a month, I had been wondering if they had moved out of the area after the June heat.

Harvey Bear Ranch Trails: Harvey Bear Trail, Coyote Ridge Trail, Willow Springs Trail

Harvey Bear Ranch - 6.0mi at EveryTrail

EveryTrail - Find the best Hiking in California

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Harvey Bear Ranch 7.3 miles - Roop Road Entrance

Harvey Bear Ranch 7.3 miles - Roop Road Entrance
Another nice day of hiking with MWW at Harvey Bear Ranch.  We started at the Roop Road entrance which is I have only done a couple of times.  The hike was actually about 7.3 miles but I was a little late in starting my GPS.  The weather reached the low 80s with a slight breeze and there were as few clouds that made an amazing day for pictures.  Along the way we saw a few Red Tail Hawks, some Buzzards cruising around, a Buzzard couple sunning on an old tree and a Woodpecker passing the time.  We also say some deer, including a large buck, a few wild Turkeys and a Norther Flicker but they were all a bit bashful.

Harvey Bear Ranch - 7.3mi at EveryTrail

EveryTrail - nd the best Hiking in California

View complete photo album

Harvey Bear Ranch 8.5miles Roop Road Hike
An amazing day for a hike with my Penny.  It was in the mid 70's and and breezy.  We hike up Harvey Bear Trail, to Coyote Ridge Trails, to San Ysidro Trail and then home on Willow Springs Trail.  We also had the a brief glimpse of a Norther Flicker bird.

Harvey Bear Ranch - 8.5mi at EveryTrail

View Complete Photo Album

Harvey Bear Hike

A beautiful afternoon hike at Harvey Bear Ranch with my friend Mark, Willow Springs to Townsprings to Harvey Bear.

Tech Dept.: The Latest on the Airless Tire-and-Wheel Combo

Tech Dept.: The Latest on the Airless Tire-and-Wheel Combo

Lake Watson

During a recent trip to Northstar Tahoe we hiked the Tahoe Ridge Trail to Lake Watson.  The hike was approximately 12 miles and took a little over 4 hours since we stopped and had lunch at the lake.  Overall was an amazing hike and day.  The temperature was perfect and we had plenty of May snow around the lake.

Lake Watson

EveryTrail - Find the best Hiking in California

Lake Watson

EveryTrail - Find the best Hiking in California

flash slide show

Friday Post

Here are some pictures for a

 

 

And here is the line below the pictures

Camera strap

http://www.blackrapid.com/product/camera-strap/snapr20/?gclid=CIiKw4Dr1a8CFQfPKgodHW6qbQ

 

 

Email Post to my blog

Was a great day for hiking.

 

 

Went for 11.8 miles here we go

 

 

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