Redwoods Revisited

May 20, 2010 Leave a comment

Here's the problem with this state:  there are just too darn many places to visit.  Two years is not enough time to do it all.  I am happy to say that along with many of the 'biggies' (Tahoe, Muir Woods & Yosemite), we have also visited many other parks and areas that might be lesser-known.  The second issue I have with there being so much to do in so little time?

One visit is never enough.

While some may feel one visit to a local attraction (say, Muir Woods) is enough, I often feel that I need at least two or three visits to really get a feel for the place and soak in all that it has to offer.  In fact, we may feel required to 'join' some of the organizations, as we feel we will be there quite frequently.  Suffice it to say, I could not say no to our second meet-up at the Redwoods today.  Even more exciting?  I technically got part of the way there without using the GPS (after I was GPS-ed, of course).

I thought it was odd that it had directed me take 680 vs. Crow Canyon to 580, but it is an easier drive in some respects.  I realized that I have been so many places lately, that I wasn't sure that landmarks I saw were actually from our recent visit to the Redwoods (remember, we carpooled and my friend drove) or from a visit to another Oakland site.  After the GPS told me twice that the park was in the middle of someone's front lawn, I pulled over, cleared my mind, really thought about it, quit fretting about being lost and late, and realized I knew where I was.  Once I hit the next main road, I turned left and there was a tiny sign indicating that the park was straight ahead.

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We missed most of our playtime with his buddy, Cy, due to our late arrival, but not with the rest of the group.  We had a long, leisurely walk through trees and enjoyed stopping at the water-go (again of the creek sort).  We reveled in the wildflowers, decided trucks were not meant for water-gos, and found more walking sticks* than Nicholas knew what to do with. After a good 20 minutes, we met up with the rest of the group at Trail's End. The boys ran around, the parents chatted, and we eventually headed back for some playground time. 

IMG_4567 IMG_4566 I've said it before and I'll say it again: this truly is the place to be on a warm day.  It was fairly breezy when we arrived, but the sun was blazing down by the time we left.  There easily had to be a 10-15 degree difference between the shadier woods, and the playground in the middle of the sunny field.  Despite the fact that we had to get going at some point, it was very hard to gather our lunch bags and hats and be on our way.  Each time we leave a park or museum, I wonder if it's the last time we will visit before we depart for good.  Then again, it's only a 20 minute drive and the movers don't come until next Thursday….

Note:  Like many places in Northern CA, you can be fanning yourself in the sun then freezing in the shade.  Don't forget your light jacket, snack, water, sunscreen and hats.  I don't think the walk from the parking lot is more than a mile round-trip, but if your toddler tires easily, an Ergo or stroller wouldn't hurt.

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Tilden Park

May 4, 2010 Leave a comment

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What a gem.  Tucked away in the hills of Berkeley, this park that houses a farm, a nature area, an environmental education center, and acres of gorgeous wilderness will encompass you.  It will be difficult, at best, to remember that a bustling metropolis is but a few miles away.

I have heard about Tilden Park many times over the past two years.  "You've been, haven't you?!" is a common refrain.  I would shamefacedly admit that I hadn't, but offer up "It's on our list!".  I am glad to announce that the list has become shorter by yet one more item.

 
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Dad and I thought this local park trip would be ideal for today.  We went to Nicholas's swim lesson, picked up lunch, and headed to Berkeley. Once we turned off the main road in Orinda, we started climbing higher and higher by way of a rather windy road.  Nicholas was completely unfazed by this, perhaps as he was completely and inexplicably upset by the fact that we could not yet pick up Kelsey from school.  Nothing comforted him until we saw a rather large water-go (a lake, in this case).  This fascinated him right out of his misery, and was back to his bouncy, happy self by the time we reached the park area.  By the "park" area, I actually mean the picnic and playground area that is located near the entrance to the Nature Area and Little Farm.

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It actually took quite a bit of driving to get there.  I was sure everything was closer than it appeared on the map, and the reality was quite different.  We drove around so many curves in the road, that I was convinced we had missed a sign somewhere.  Just as we were going to turn around, we finally happened on park area, and breathed a sigh of relief.  We parked near picnic benches, and began decided lunch was first on the agenda.

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The picnic was extremely fast.  Barely a moment to set down our sandwich rolls, and pop open the tab on my seltzer.  Nicholas tore into his sandwich, gulped down his falafel, and practically galloped to the playground.  There was a large sand pit, and Nicholas was not disappointed as we had indeed remembered the sand toys, to include the orange bulldozer.  He played happily, shared his toys, and packed up willingly when we mentioned the farm.

 
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The Little Farm is part of the Nature Area (no, we didn't have a hope of fully exploring) and is set into a hillside surrounded by a bit of a forest.   Nicholas enjoyed greeting each set of animals (roosters, pigs, goats, cows and sheep), and fed them with dropped scraps of lettuce and celery from previous visitors. The heat of the sun pounding down on the farm was relieved by a short hike around the edge of the sheep pens in the shade of the cooling trees. Comparatively speaking, it was a short visit, but we left feeling content that our time was well-spent.

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I know it is not likely, but if we have the time, we would return in a heartbeat.  There are children's activities galore, a newly renovated hiking path that is not to be missed, and the sense that one is days, not miles from the hustle and bustle of city life. The parks in Northern California never cease to amaze us.

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Liar, Liar*!

April 23, 2010 Leave a comment

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Well, he didn't really say that, but the implication was there.  I told Peter there was a park with Redwoods only 30 or so minutes from our house, and he didn't believe me.  Nope, he tried to convince me that the only park with those gorgeous, tall, stately (and oh, so, shady) trees was Muir Woods.  Recently my friend Linda mentioned a more local Redwood park, and I realized this was the place I had heard about so long ago…but had been told didn't exist.

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Now don't get me wrong.  We LOVE Muir Woods.  We can all fit inside the hollow tree for family photos, and one feels millions of miles away from…everything.  They have trails for every type of hiker, the trees, of course, recycling bins, compost bins, the snacks sold are wholesome, and with one exception, I just feel one with nature being there.  Corny, but true. The Redwoods are just awe-inspiring.

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What is not awe-inspiring?  The drive.  One has to go along a twisty, windy road for what seems like days, after it has taken almost an hour just to get to that road.  It is eerily reminiscent of the way leading in and out of Colonia Tovar **(a little German village nestled in the mountain top just outside of Caracas).  We prayed non-stop the entire time we hugged the side of the road as the one lane (for two cars) wound around the side of the mountain, going up and back down. This type of driving (and, more to the point, road) did not bode well for those with weak constitutions.

It's not hard then, to recall the ride home after we visited Colonia Tovar with Auntie Shannon.  Caitlin was about two and had been very excited about the day.  Colonia Tovar is famous for its strawberries, and we were so excited to taste them.  Caitlin ate loved them, and  ate berry after berry.  We were in strawberry heaven until the long, twisty ride home. We stopped counting after 6 emergency stops (with little to no parking area) and Cait hasn't eaten a strawberry since.

So guess what happens when you have children (yes, Kelsey, too, on occasion) with you who are still prone to motion-sickness (and like to exacerbate it by reading novels in the car while on the uber curvy road to Muir Woods)?

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Lots and lots of low grumbles, small moans, and then finally, just as you have passed the last scenic overlook with room to park the car for an emergency stop…the actual request to pull over and, well, you can figure it out.  We haven't made it to Muir Woods once without someone getting sick, and can't even consider taking the shuttle there (from a random parking area) for that reason.  When my friend Linda (yes, the lady who can get anywhere in Northern CA without a GPS) suggested we have a nature outing at the nearby Redwood Park, we signed on that dotted line immediately.

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Now, if only I had just Googled this place last summer, we would have been in heaven on those terribly hot and sticky days.  Instead, we rushed over there today, hurrying to try and fit it in and everything else on our pre-move to do list.  Gorgeous.  Utterly gorgeous.

It's in Oakland, just off a long, twisty road, but not nearly as long as the road to Muir Woods, and minus the drive to get to the road to Muir Woods.  We parked inside the main gate, and headed toward the playground to wait for the rest of the group…it wasn't that hot out, but cooled off incredibly once under the shade of the trees.

After a bit of playtime, and meeting up with other folks, we continued our walk.  We ambled along the trail, stopping to see banana slugs, water-gos (creeks), fields of wildflowers, picnic tables (they are very big with the 2 year old set), and random empty shelters that have benches and windows.  They create hours of entertainment, believe it or not.

We only had to depart as we finally ran out of food.  Nicholas even consumed the emergency fruit bar, which led us to a cranky state of affairs by the time we were back in the car.  Luckily for Nicholas, Cy was able to share a bit of his extra snacks, and all was well with the world. It was a very happy Earth Day, and, yes, we carpooled.

*Pronounced in the manner of Carol Kane in The Princess Bride.

**There is now an actual web-site for Colonia Tovar!  When we lived there, the best directions we could find were:  Leave Caracas, drive outside the city, turn right at the McDonald's, make a right turn once you get to the middle of the little town in the valley, and then stay on that road until you go up the mountain and back down into the town.  Oh, and it's about a 1.5 hour trip, one way.

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The Perks of the New & Improved Central Park

March 15, 2010 Leave a comment

This is yet another playground located not too terribly far from our house.  Not biking distance (oh, to live on the Iron Horse Trail), but located on the same property as the community center, yards away from the middle school, and across the street from the library.  In a nutshell, a perfect, centrally-located park. All of my kids loved it, especially Nicholas (read: several water features), and spent many hours there until last October.

I stopped taking him there when I realized that much of the playground equipment was falling apart.  No, no worries, I have not morphed into a security/safety nut, the condition of some of the 'bridges' (that connected different parts of the structures) were moss-covered and rotting , and it even concerned me.  Considering my baby-proofing methods (nope, didn't work, they still got in), you know it must be bad if I have decided to let the little guy frolic elsewhere.  No matter, there are only 18,000* other parks and playgrounds in the area, right?  Trust me when I say there is no deficiency in the play area arena anywhere in the East Bay.

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From then on, we simply skipped our post-Kindermusik trips to the park, until I realized that we could no longer go even if we so desired.  According to a poster in the lobby in the community center, and huge fences around the old park, the playground was no more.  Gone were the rotting (and I mean not much wood left, if any) pieces of equipment, the old swing sets and the monkey bars.  What would replace it?  I didn't really look too much, just a glance, but it looked bright and colorful and from driving by, appeared to be going up quite rapidly.

Last week, I heard from several sources that the park was open.  Yippee!  We took it to task yesterday, and all five of us spent a good hour and a half at said playground. Results?  An overwhelming two thumbs up from everyone in the family.

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Nicholas loves the new sand pit, which is located next to just one water feature (not two), meaning just enough when the water feature is on, he will be able to build a sand castle, but there will be less temptation to clog the nice waterfall that leads to a little pond (when actually filled with water).  In fact, we wanted him to test the regular playground equipment, but ran out of time, and had to finally drag him out of the sand pit when it was time to go. 

The other two had an absolute blast.  Finally, a playground that really caters to ALL of the kids.  While I love most of them, the age labels seem a bit off.  They are listed as being for those up to age 12, but in reality, you rarely see kids over 10 playing on them, as the structures simply don't seem 'big' enough.  Not that my kids can't play on their own, but it was so refreshing to see them, primarily Cait,  enjoy a playground as much as the younger kids. 

I didn't even think about it at first, but there are no swings in the new playground.  Guess what?  The kids didn't even notice. I looked and looked, but could find few, if any, failings with this gorgeous, state of the art, brand-new playground that I am sure kids in some areas only dream about.  Central Park, you are back on our list!

*Turns out I lied.  There are only 55 parks and 15 trails.  However, they cover a total of 91,000 acres of land.  Nothing to sneeze at there, folks.

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