{"id":2064,"date":"2008-08-11T09:21:53","date_gmt":"2008-08-11T17:21:53","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.tommangan.net\/twoheeldrive\/?p=2064"},"modified":"2008-08-11T19:54:07","modified_gmt":"2008-08-12T03:54:07","slug":"news-flash-monte-bello-open-space-gets-hot-in-the-summertime","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.tommangan.net\/twoheeldrive\/index.php\/2008\/08\/11\/news-flash-monte-bello-open-space-gets-hot-in-the-summertime\/","title":{"rendered":"News flash: Monte Bello Open Space gets hot in the summertime"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Chalk this up to market capitalism: when you hike for pay you do things like:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Go solo because you can&#8217;t afford to be distracted.\n<\/li>\n<li>Walk fast but stop constantly to take scads of meticulously framed pictures in the hope that one might be good enough to commit to paper. <\/li>\n<li>Constantly explore new places and write detailed, informative blog entries about the experience (committing it to pixels pays off in time saved writing the paid piece). <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>When you hike for fun you might:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Hang out and share extravagant tall tales with your favorite hiking homies.\n<\/li>\n<li>Go somewhere you&#8217;ve gone a half-dozen times before.\n<\/li>\n<li>Dash off a few snapshots of hit-or-miss quality so you don&#8217;t slow the group&#8217;s progress.\n<\/li>\n<li>Take as long as you damn well please to get to the point of this week&#8217;s hike write-up.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>OK, so now that I&#8217;ve run off all the gimme-the-facts-now-dammit Googlers, we can get down to uh, not business. I went on another <a href=\"http:\/\/fomfok.webself.com\/\">FOMFOK<\/a> hike at <a href=\"http:\/\/www.openspace.org\/preserves\/pr_monte_bello.asp\">Monte Bello Open Space Preserve<\/a>. We hiked a tad under four hours (with voluminous rest breaks), did the Stevens Creek Nature Trail, lunched at the Backpackers&#8217; Camp, returned. Heard a rattlesnake, consumed wild berries, soaked up gorgeous vistas, got burnt if we forgot sunscreen. <\/p>\n<p>This week&#8217;s hike convinces me there is no bad time to hike Monte Bello. If you can get a good hike in under a blazing August sun, the rest of the year is just peachy. <\/p>\n<p>So let&#8217;s look at some pictures. (<a href=\"http:\/\/www.flickr.com\/photos\/busybeingborn\/sets\/72157606671227451\/\">View the Flickr album<\/a> if you&#8217;d rather skip the commentary).<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.flickr.com\/photos\/busybeingborn\/2753754140\/\" title=\"Mike leads the way by busybeingborn, on Flickr\"><img loading=\"lazy\" src=\"http:\/\/farm4.static.flickr.com\/3250\/2753754140_091899bca0.jpg\" width=\"500\" height=\"375\" alt=\"Mike leads the way\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>Mike leads the way: This right turn goes down to the Stevens Creek Nature Trail, which is shady, lovely, and tracks right through the San Andreas Fault (don&#8217;t worry, there hasn&#8217;t been a major break along the fault here in 100 years, though it did kinda sorta destroy a whole city when it happened).<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.flickr.com\/photos\/busybeingborn\/2753757196\/\" title=\"In the shade by busybeingborn, on Flickr\"><img loading=\"lazy\" src=\"http:\/\/farm4.static.flickr.com\/3191\/2753757196_5843246894.jpg\" width=\"500\" height=\"375\" alt=\"In the shade\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>Along the Stevens Creek Trail. We had a huge group by FOMFOK standards, 15 in all, though I suspect the counts will fall off when word gets around that I&#8217;ve started hiking with them again. (I keep thinking when I post people&#8217;s pictures it&#8217;ll catapult them to global fame and fortune but what actually happens is their creepy boyfriends from 17 years ago find them online and restraining orders ensue. Sorry.)<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.flickr.com\/photos\/busybeingborn\/2752926217\/\" title=\"Biker at the bridge by busybeingborn, on Flickr\"><img loading=\"lazy\" src=\"http:\/\/farm4.static.flickr.com\/3033\/2752926217_9cbb170640.jpg\" width=\"500\" height=\"375\" alt=\"Biker at the bridge\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>We forced many a mountain biker to pick their way through our throng. <\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.flickr.com\/photos\/busybeingborn\/2752928307\/\" title=\"Pausing on the way up by busybeingborn, on Flickr\"><img loading=\"lazy\" src=\"http:\/\/farm4.static.flickr.com\/3016\/2752928307_fca99f8dd4.jpg\" width=\"500\" height=\"375\" alt=\"Pausing on the way up\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>Pausing along a very steep road to the top of Monte Bello Ridge. This is a beast of a climb in August, but all survived. <\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.flickr.com\/photos\/busybeingborn\/2752929721\/\" title=\"Plants and sky by busybeingborn, on Flickr\"><img loading=\"lazy\" src=\"http:\/\/farm4.static.flickr.com\/3166\/2752929721_078db756f2.jpg\" width=\"500\" height=\"375\" alt=\"Plants and sky\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>Somebody said these are wild buckwheat. When you go solo you can take your time and get these pictures in focus. Proving there&#8217;s more to life than photo composition.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.flickr.com\/photos\/busybeingborn\/2753764316\/\" title=\"More slogging up the hill by busybeingborn, on Flickr\"><img loading=\"lazy\" src=\"http:\/\/farm4.static.flickr.com\/3272\/2753764316_0c1f065077.jpg\" width=\"319\" height=\"500\" alt=\"More slogging up the hill\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>Nearing the ridge. <\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.flickr.com\/photos\/busybeingborn\/2753765802\/\" title=\"Made in the shade by busybeingborn, on Flickr\"><img loading=\"lazy\" src=\"http:\/\/farm4.static.flickr.com\/3098\/2753765802_eae91af19d.jpg\" width=\"500\" height=\"375\" alt=\"Made in the shade\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>Made in the shade near the Backpackers&#8217; Camp.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.flickr.com\/photos\/busybeingborn\/2753767234\/\" title=\"Black Mountain rocks by busybeingborn, on Flickr\"><img loading=\"lazy\" src=\"http:\/\/farm4.static.flickr.com\/3030\/2753767234_22f1bcbec6.jpg\" width=\"500\" height=\"383\" alt=\"Black Mountain rocks\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>Some of us when over to Black Mountain and enjoyed the view. <\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.flickr.com\/photos\/busybeingborn\/2752935315\/\" title=\"Mike shares wild elderberries by busybeingborn, on Flickr\"><img loading=\"lazy\" src=\"http:\/\/farm4.static.flickr.com\/3119\/2752935315_3c8a05c0da.jpg\" width=\"500\" height=\"358\" alt=\"Mike shares wild elderberries\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>Back at the campsite, Mike shares wild elderberries. You&#8217;d have to consume about 300 before you noticed you&#8217;d eaten anything, but they were a bit tasty (though a bit tart). <\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.flickr.com\/photos\/busybeingborn\/2752937321\/\" title=\"The whole hiking mob by busybeingborn, on Flickr\"><img loading=\"lazy\" src=\"http:\/\/farm4.static.flickr.com\/3189\/2752937321_64a9b51719.jpg\" width=\"500\" height=\"375\" alt=\"The whole hiking mob\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>The whole mob. <\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.flickr.com\/photos\/busybeingborn\/2753771526\/\" title=\"Fork in the trali by busybeingborn, on Flickr\"><img loading=\"lazy\" src=\"http:\/\/farm4.static.flickr.com\/3210\/2753771526_c73815eed1.jpg\" width=\"500\" height=\"317\" alt=\"Fork in the trali\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>You know what they say: when you get to the fork in the trail, take it. <\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.flickr.com\/photos\/busybeingborn\/2753773120\/\" title=\"Mike grabs wild blackberries by busybeingborn, on Flickr\"><img loading=\"lazy\" src=\"http:\/\/farm4.static.flickr.com\/3147\/2753773120_69dacbfe63.jpg\" width=\"500\" height=\"357\" alt=\"Mike grabs wild blackberries\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>Mike, proving he was a black bear in a previous life, goes for the wild blackberries. <\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.flickr.com\/photos\/busybeingborn\/2753773948\/\" title=\"Not quite ripe by busybeingborn, on Flickr\"><img loading=\"lazy\" src=\"http:\/\/farm4.static.flickr.com\/3129\/2753773948_e62e87b6cd.jpg\" width=\"500\" height=\"294\" alt=\"Not quite ripe\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>The berries start out green and get shiny red before they blacken at full ripeness. <\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.flickr.com\/photos\/busybeingborn\/2752942873\/\" title=\"Snake charmers by busybeingborn, on Flickr\"><img loading=\"lazy\" src=\"http:\/\/farm4.static.flickr.com\/3095\/2752942873_f86f0486a3.jpg\" width=\"500\" height=\"354\" alt=\"Snake charmers\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>Rattlesnake observance. One was hiding near the reeds, rattling up a storm as long as people milled about nearby. The guys assured me they were beyond rattlesnake striking range. <\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.flickr.com\/photos\/busybeingborn\/2753776502\/\" title=\"Dragon head by busybeingborn, on Flickr\"><img loading=\"lazy\" src=\"http:\/\/farm4.static.flickr.com\/3263\/2753776502_b34db279fe.jpg\" width=\"500\" height=\"350\" alt=\"Dragon head\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>This old bit of dead tree always invites a snapshot. <\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.flickr.com\/photos\/busybeingborn\/2753779128\/\" title=\"One last turn in the trail by busybeingborn, on Flickr\"><img loading=\"lazy\" src=\"http:\/\/farm4.static.flickr.com\/3267\/2753779128_420268dbe3.jpg\" width=\"500\" height=\"375\" alt=\"One last turn in the trail\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>One last turn in the trail before we head back to the parking lot. <\/p>\n<p>More Monte Bello links for your clicking pleasure:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/picasaweb.google.com\/grey3050\/FOMFOKMontebelloOpenSpacePreserve\">Ron AKA Grey&#8217;s pictures.<br \/>\n<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/picasaweb.google.com\/thwarte\/MonteBelloAug08\">The other Ron&#8217;s GPS data and snake rattle pix.<\/li>\n<p><\/a><\/p>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/www.tommangan.net\/twoheeldrive\/index.php\/monte-bello-open-space-preserve\/\">My Monte Bello park profile.<br \/>\n<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/www.tommangan.net\/twoheeldrive\/index.php\/category\/trails\/dayhikes\/santa-clara-parks\/montebello-ridge-trail\/\">My previous Monte Bello hikes.<br \/>\n<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/www.openspace.org\/preserves\/pr_monte_bello.asp\">Midpeninsula Open Space District<\/a> page.<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/www.bahiker.com\/southbayhikes\/monte.html\">Bay Area Hiker page<\/a>.\n<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/www.trailspotting.com\/2008\/06\/monte-bello-open-space-preserve.html\">Trailspotting hike<\/a> following our same route. <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Chalk this up to market capitalism: when you hike for pay you do things like: Go solo because you can&#8217;t afford to be distracted. Walk fast but stop constantly to take scads of meticulously framed pictures in the hope that&hellip;<\/p>\n<p class=\"more-link-p\"><a class=\"more-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.tommangan.net\/twoheeldrive\/index.php\/2008\/08\/11\/news-flash-monte-bello-open-space-gets-hot-in-the-summertime\/\">Read the whole thing<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0},"categories":[11],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.tommangan.net\/twoheeldrive\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2064"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.tommangan.net\/twoheeldrive\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.tommangan.net\/twoheeldrive\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.tommangan.net\/twoheeldrive\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.tommangan.net\/twoheeldrive\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2064"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.tommangan.net\/twoheeldrive\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2064\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.tommangan.net\/twoheeldrive\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2064"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.tommangan.net\/twoheeldrive\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2064"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.tommangan.net\/twoheeldrive\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2064"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}