Exploring Santa Rosa Plateau Ecological Preserve...

Yesterday, my good friend, James, treated me to a new place to hike in. The late May day couldn't have been more perfect. Abundant sun. Cooling breezes. Vistas to every horizon. The sounds of happy birds and the wind rustling the dried, tall grasses and old oaks. We didn't cross the path of too many people on the trails but those we did were friendly and some enjoyed chatting up a bit. A great place to let your mind clear or enjoy time outside with friends and family. They even have horse and bike trails and areas to let Fido stretch his legs, too, though they keep those trails separate from the walking trails. A very well orchestrated preserve. Kudos to Riverside County for setting aside this little jewel of a place.

This 9000 acre preserve sits surrounded by citrus ranches and vineyards and suburban sprawl, but you wouldn't know once you are engaged on one of 36 miles of trails. It's a bit of a drive from me (about an hour and a half) but totally worth it. I am pretty sure I will frequent the hills of these ancient oaks, especially once it's too hot to trek out in my desert. Our trek of about 6-7 miles ended with a tailgate picnic of fresh fruit, olives, brie, and cool water. This is what Sunday afternoons are for....

Here is the link to this wonderful enclave of history and nature:

Santa Rosa Plateau Ecological Preserve


At the trailhead, trekkers are greeted by this sign. I'd imagine early mornings or evenings/nights would be your best bet to encounter this elegant creature. At the Old Adobe, they had photos from a motion scensor camera that captured curious inhabitants. Mule deer, coyotes, a mountain lion, and an ocelot (I think...)! I was happy to see such healthy creatures peacefully sharing this space.
My friend, James, has walked the Camino in Spain a couple of times.
He says it feels and looks exactly like this on many parts of that walk.




With my lens smashed up against the window, a view into the Old Adobe - established in the late 1800's. A working ranch, typical of many that used to be part of the fabric of the Southern California landscape - before gated communities, industry, and strip malls took over....

One of many grand old oaks. They are HUGE. Trekkers must stay on the trails...otherwise, I would have been right on this one.  At the Old Adobe, a 400 year old oak shades the homestead. Magnificent.

Just over this ridge is the view from the next photo....
           Remnants of spring...................









The view from a bench on the boardwalk.  This is a Vernal Pool. Well, it can be. Now the result of a severe drought. When this pool is full, it is rich in waterfowl life.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Seeking Shelter (aka Querencia 2)

Image
I am having trouble picking up my camera lately. The spark of creativity is buried underneath a pallor of human unkindnesses. Can't watch the news or read the internet or walk through the staffroom without feeling personally assaulted in some way. The world outside is coming alive with wonderful spring light and peeps of color. The air is warm and alive with happy chirps and the whir of wings as life gets busy making more life. But I stare at it from inside. Unable to move. Tears spill over without warning. There's a sharpness to my speech. Breathing is shallow as it burns in my chest. I feel like a thousand elephants sit on top of me. The only solace is my walking buddy, Toby, who insists on his daily walk - which we do. Most of the time. And I always feel, a little, better. I turn off the tv. I limit the internet to communicating with friends and family on "good things",  researching fun lessons, or playing a mindless game (or 2) of (dare I say it), CandyCrush. Bu...
Read more

Promise yourself...

Image
What to you think about as you meander around the great outdoors? Do you meander in the great outdoors? If not, you absolutely should. Dr. Shay's orders. It's good for what ails you and reinforces all that doesn't.  I stumbled upon this poem somewhere on the 'net.  Something to turn over in your mind as you wander instead of the usual things that can strip us of peace and joy..... My favorite light at the end of the day - just before sunset..... 2012 ©Diana Shay Diehl / JTNP Promise Yourself... To be so strong that nothing can disturb your peace of mind. To talk health, happiness, and prosperity to every person you meet. To make all your friends feel that there is something in them To look at the sunny side of everything and make your optimism come true. To think only the best, to work only for the best, and to expect only the best. To be just as enthusiastic about the success of others as you are about your own. To forget the mistakes of the past and pr...
Read more

16 March 2012

Image
Feeling a little melancholy of late. Maybe I'm just tired - lacking B vitamins. Maybe I'm just missing time with my daughter and middle son. Or, it's not enough time in nature or with people who are kind, genuine, gentle... Too much 'stuff' to do on my plate and not enough of the stuff that makes my soul sing...  I spent all of today, sitting, listening to stuff I heard the last time I sat and listened. I don't sit well. I always feel like I'm on the outside of the fishbowl looking in at the place I spend the majority of my days - particularly when there are staff gatherings. Ah well, such is life. Sometimes we are swimming with the school....sometimes we are flip-flopping helplessly on the shore - hoping to be noticed and rescued.  Today, I think I needed to be rescued. "Mama said there'd be days like this There'd be days like this my mama said......." (First sung by the Shirelles, no? Or was it Sam Cooke?) I'm also kind of missi...
Read more