We took Susie the puppy and headed out Canyon View Trail. Alameda Creek had covered it a couple of days before. What a mess! And the creek was still roaring as we walked by. We turned up Indian Joe Nature Trail and then hit Indian Joe Creek Trail. The "occasional creeks" have cut the trail in several places. We had to rock hop to cross, but it was really pretty with different wildflowers like Coast Larkspur along the trail. And deciduous trees like the Valley Oak, Bigleaf Maple and Western Sycamore were just starting to leaf. The trail across to Hafield Road was 1/4 mile of craziness. The cattle had walked through the mud leaving some 4 inch holes. The trail required lost of mud hopping. Whew!

We took Hayfield Road past High Valley Barn. I can never get enough of the Yellow-billed Magpies -- great big tails and raucous voices. Then we headed up Vista Grande Road. Susie had a great time chasing the ground squirrels. Came back smiling after each foray. John called it "cutting a 'tude." I think he spent too much time in LA! At the first knoll we saw a bunch of raptors. The coolest was the big Golden Eagles. And for me a first time look at a little Prarie Falcon. The view of Maguire Peaks across the huge valley was so great that we sat, ate lunch, soaked up the view and the sunshine. Then we ambled down the trail to another peak. The view was incredible -- Mt. Diablo, Mt Tam, San Francisco, and a glimpse of the Bay. And we saw our first bush purple Lupines mixed with yellow-orange California Poppies. The hills behind were killer green.

We started back by going down EagleView Trail, then down Cerro Este Road to Cerro Este. Great views of the reservoir one way, and of snow-capped peaks the other. Then past the cattle and down to Little Yosemite. Whew! Alameda Creek has really change the place. From a dried-up dribble to a raging torrent across the boulders. Then we dragged ourselves down Camp Ohonle Road back to the car. On the way the sun snuck low enough to create deep shadows. Now I understand why Flag Hill got its name -- it really looked like a giant flag rippling in the breeze. The deep vertical shadows of 5:30 PM made it look completely different. Eight hours of incredible vistas. A true "mind floss." Here's what we saw:

Birds
Turkey Vulture, Red-tailed Hawk, Golden Eagle, American Kestrel, California Quail, Acorn Woodpecker, Northern Flicker, Black Phoebe, Violet-green Swallow ?, (Stellar's Jay), Scrub Jay, Yellow-billed Magpie, American Crow, (Chestnut-backed Chickadee), Plain Titmouse, White-breasted Nuthatch, Ruby-crowned Kinglet, Western Bluebird, American Robin, (Wrentit), Yellow-rumped Warbler, Rufous-sided Towhee, Golden-Crowned Sparrow, Dark-eyed "Oregon" Junco, Lesser Goldfinch.

Mushrooms
Witches' Butter and a bunch of LBM's coming out of the cow dung.

Trees
? Willow, Coast Live Oak, Valley Oak, Western Sycamore, California Laurel, Toyon, California Buckeye, Bigleaf Maple.

Wildflowers
Blue Dicks, Mountain Iris, Striped Coral Root, Miner's Lettuce, Coast Blue Larkspur, California Buttercup, California Poppy, Milk Maids, Woodland Star, ? Lupine, Dove Lupine, Tomcat Clover?, American Vetch, Coast Sanicle, Purple Sanicle, Henderson's Shooting Star, Scarlet Pimpernel, Baby Blue Eyes, California Phacelia, Hound's Tongue, Common Fiddleneck, Forget-Me-Not, Valley Popcorn Flower, Purple Nightshade, Sticky Monkey Flower, Indian Warrior, Springtime Tarweed, Red-stemmed Filaree.

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Last updated 30 Oct, 1995.