When I was about 6, a 4-year-old cousin of mine died of leukemia. I don’t remember much from back, but the vision of little Mark in his coffin — his favorite Matchbox car in his hand — at the visitation…
Hiking
National Geographic Explorer wants to know about your favorite trail
by tom • January 26, 2008 • 4 Comments
Mary Anne Potts from National Geographic Explorer sent this along yesterday: Hi Tom, I was just admiring your blog and it occurred to me that you might be able to help us out. We are working on a “Best Hikes”…
Media (books, DVDs, etc)
Hiking books I have known
by tom • January 23, 2008 • 8 Comments
These are hiking books I own: The Santa Cruz Mountains Trail Book by Tom Taber This books dates to the mid-70s with gazillion updates. It mentions pretty much every dirt path from A to Z from San Francisco to Santa…
Backpacking
Calipidder went snow camping
by tom • January 22, 2008 • 3 Comments
All I can say is, that looks cold out there. By evening the temperature dropped steeply and we sat around in our kitchen sharing stories, food, and hot drinks. At about 9 pm, when my thermometer read about 15 degrees,…
Black Diamond Mines Regional Preserve
Latest hike: Black Diamond Mines Regional Preserve
by tom • January 22, 2008 • 5 Comments
One of my rules is: always visit the graveyard. There used to be as many as seven coal mines in these hills near Antioch in northeastern Contra Costa County. The towns that sprouted up around these mines are long gone…
Tom's travels
Hiking today
by tom • January 21, 2008 • 3 Comments
I’m heading up to Black Diamond Mines, a place I keep meaning to check out but keep letting the long drive scare me off. Enough of that. If you’re up for a combined post-Ground Hog Day and pre-Super Bowl hike…
Hiking
Coming up: 2nd Annual Groundhog Day Invitational
by tom • January 19, 2008 • 10 Comments
The first was last year at Las Trampas Regional Wilderness. Given that the earthy rodent’s day in the sun (or shadow) is fast approaching, it’s time to think about where this one will be. I already have a hiking date…
Hiking
See 4WheelBob’s slide show
by tom • January 19, 2008 • 2 Comments
Bob dropped me a note last week with news of two slide shows about his White Mountain triumph that he has coming up next month: Tuesday, Feb. 12, 7 PM, REI Fremont Tuesday, Feb. 26, 7 PM, REI Marina (near…
Hiking
Annual hike at El Toro in Morgan Hill
by tom • January 19, 2008 • 1 Comment
Alert reader Arlene asked if I knew anything about the El Toro hike in Morgan Hill. Being the go-to guy on all trail-related matters in these parts, I had no idea what she was talking about. But I did some…