I decided to write my next Mercury News column on Rancho San Antonio County Park and Open Space Preserve, so I stopped by the park yesterday to refresh my memory of the trails out that way. Hadn’t been there since…
Tag Archive for Hiking
California parks department’s defense of closing 48 parks
by tom • February 4, 2008 • 8 Comments
A PDF from California Department of Parks and Recreation outlines why the parks in question were targeted and points out a few telling details, such as: Elimination of public access at the 48 parks will result in a revenue loss…
California state parks budget crisis — in brief
by tom • February 3, 2008 • 3 Comments
This article from Capitol Weekly lays out the original proposal. Among the key facts: Budget cuts would save $13.3 million — about a dollar for every family in California. Closures would shut out an estimated 6.5 million of 79 million…
Saving California’s state parks — don’t leave it up to the politicians
by tom • February 3, 2008 • 0 Comments
Rick from Hike Half Dome sent along a note about a message making the rounds advising some general rabble-rousing and attention-grabbing and getting up in the grill of our political leadership. While I’m certainly not opposed to making politicians’ lives…
Rain check on Groundhog Day Invitational
by tom • February 2, 2008 • 3 Comments
Well, the annual meet-up is going to have to wait for a drier weekend — I spent five hours in the rain at Big Basin today (pix & commentary to come) and have decided that’s enough wet, sloppy trekking for…
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”…
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…
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…
California state parks: more thoughts on keeping them open
by tom • January 16, 2008 • 4 Comments
Excellent suggestions have been pouring in (here’s the link to all comments on yesterday’s post), which has the salubrious effect of sparing me the trouble of having to think up good ideas of my own. So, thanks folks. A post…