October 23, 2005
Ahmanson Ranch after the fires
I took a quick visit to Ahmanson Ranch, two weeks after the wildfires. Here are some photos of the destruction. These were taken with my Nokia 6820 phone. Check out my previous posts to see what this area looked like before.
October 02, 2005
California Wildfires
This past week, brush fires broke out in Topanga and Burbank. We live near the Topanga fire, which stretched from Thousand Oaks to Chatsworth. It made its way pretty far south, but did not cross the 101 Freeway.
On the first few days, the sky was darkened by the smoke cloud and you could see the fires at night, like yellow shimmering ribbons on the hills. When it was in full swing, ash was falling like snow from the sky.
Here's a satellite photo:
I got this from Nasa's Earth Observatory.
The fire did go through Ahmanson Ranch in Calabasas, where we've gone hiking before. The park is now closed until they're sure the fires are out.
On the first few days, the sky was darkened by the smoke cloud and you could see the fires at night, like yellow shimmering ribbons on the hills. When it was in full swing, ash was falling like snow from the sky.
Here's a satellite photo:
I got this from Nasa's Earth Observatory.
The fire did go through Ahmanson Ranch in Calabasas, where we've gone hiking before. The park is now closed until they're sure the fires are out.
September 04, 2005
Biking on the Ventura Coastal Bike Path
 The weather was great, so we went back again to the Santa Monica Beach Trail. This time we started at the north end where we hadn't been before. This trail and others are at www.labikepaths.com. |
 We started pretty far up the trail and hit the end pretty quickly (near the southern tip of Malibu). So we turned around and went down to Venice Beach and back again. There are a lot of people in Santa Monica and Venice, so it can get pretty crowded on the path. |
 The next day we drove up Pacific Coast Highway to the Ventura Coastal Bike Path. It starts at San Buenaventura State Beach and ends at Hobson RV Park. Total distance is about 25 miles. You can find this and more on the Ventura County Get There by Bike page.The trail offers spectacular views of the ocean and beach, and is mostly easy riding with a few ups and downs. Most of the trail is away from roads, but up north it joins with PCH so you're on the side of the road. |
 Along the way we stopped to watch some parasailers, which was really cool. We also made a pit stop at Faria Park for drinks and snacks. There's a little shop there that has sandwiches, candy, soda, etc. |
August 28, 2005
Biking LA Metro Orange Line
The City of LA has been working on the new Metro Orange Line for some time now. It's a 14 mile bus route with its own road that spans the entire San Fernando Valley from Warner Center to North Hollywood. The Busway isn't officially opened yet. The official first day is Oct 29, 2005.In addition to the separate road (called "The Busway"), there's also a bike path that runs in parallel. You do have to cross intersections, but the stretches between are great riding.
The path is mostly flat, so it's easy for just about any biker. You can take detours at Balboa Park and the Sepulveda Dam if you want to explore.
This time we took the path to Van Nuys, then dropped down to Ventura Blvd for brunch at Jinky's, our favorite restaraunt.
On the way back, we had a bit of bad luck when Fran pulled off the trail and rolled over a batch of thorns. There were litterally dozens of them, and both tires went flat in a matter of minutes. Fortunately we had a mobile phone and got a lift from our brother-in-law Andrew, who just happens to be working on the Busway construction.
Also, since this is the Valley, we highly recommend sun block if it's summer time. Temperatures can be in 90's or 100's and there's little cover.
May 22, 2005
Hawaii Volcano National Park - May 2005
Sunday we headed out on the Hana Highway to reach the main reason we were on the Big Island. Volcano! Along the way we found Ken's House of Pancakes. There we enjoyed a favorite local dish called a “loco moco”. It’s a bowl with rice, meat, eggs and gravy. It may sound funny, but it was really delicious.
Once in Volcano National Park, we took Chain of Craters Rd to where it ends, cut off by lava flows in 2003. Then it was a 6 mile hike to the lava flows. We packed plenty of water and a sandwich dinner, heading out just before sunset. The best time to see the lava is in the evening, so by heading out around 5-6pm, you get to see nature’s fury in all its amazing glory. It was the most amazing thing I’ve ever seen. 2000 degree molten rock flowing just a few feet in front of you is amazing, not to mention a bit scary. We sat on a cliff overlooking the coast where the flow was rolling out into the ocean, spewing chunks of lava and steam into the air. It was amazing. Have I said amazing too much? Nope.
Kilauea Crater. This was all lava in 1959.
We hiked across it.
Starting out on Kilauea.
Mauna Loa eruption in the distance.
That's acid smoke coming from the lava hitting the ocean.
We hiked over 6 miles of this.
A reminder of how recent this occured and how unpredictable it can be.
Many other hikers were out to see the lava.
After sunset, the lava became more visible.
It's amazing how close you can get.
This was taken after dark with my camera set for long exposure.
Lava by moonlight.
Another hiker remaked "It's like staring into the mouth of Hell."
Once in Volcano National Park, we took Chain of Craters Rd to where it ends, cut off by lava flows in 2003. Then it was a 6 mile hike to the lava flows. We packed plenty of water and a sandwich dinner, heading out just before sunset. The best time to see the lava is in the evening, so by heading out around 5-6pm, you get to see nature’s fury in all its amazing glory. It was the most amazing thing I’ve ever seen. 2000 degree molten rock flowing just a few feet in front of you is amazing, not to mention a bit scary. We sat on a cliff overlooking the coast where the flow was rolling out into the ocean, spewing chunks of lava and steam into the air. It was amazing. Have I said amazing too much? Nope.
Kilauea Crater. This was all lava in 1959.
We hiked across it.
Starting out on Kilauea.
Mauna Loa eruption in the distance.
That's acid smoke coming from the lava hitting the ocean.
We hiked over 6 miles of this.
A reminder of how recent this occured and how unpredictable it can be.
Many other hikers were out to see the lava.
After sunset, the lava became more visible.
It's amazing how close you can get.
This was taken after dark with my camera set for long exposure.
Lava by moonlight.
Another hiker remaked "It's like staring into the mouth of Hell."
May 12, 2005
New Zealand - May 2005
Throughout our trip, we stopped at the numerous visitors centers for advice on what to see and help making reservations. This is a brilliant way to make sure you make the most of your time.
One thing we were interested was the Tongariro Crossing in Tongariro National Park. It’s a hike that takes you between three volcanoes, with incredible views along the way. But at every visitor center, we were told “Oh, it’s too late in the season. The weather is really bad now. Too dangerous, etc. etc.”
However, partly because this is a once in a lifetime experience, and partly because we had been through probably the worst weather imaginable on a hike down from Mount Whitney (and partly because we are kind of stubborn when we get “no” for an answer), we continued to drive on anyway.
We arrived that night at the Tongariro Nat'l Park Backpackers lodge. The guy at the front desk said that two other parties had booked a ride to the trailhead for the Crossing, and were planning to go as long as the weather wasn’t too horrible. So we added our names on the list, had dinner at the tavern next door, and went to bed hoping for a good day.
The next morning it was a bit cloudy and foggy, but no rain or wind. We decided to go for it. The bus from the lodge dropped us and the other two groups off at one end of the trail, and will pick us up at the other end later in the day. This is a one-way trip!
The route takes you between Mt Tongariro and Mt Ngauruhoe, a total of 17km (about 10.5 miles). The highest point is 1886m (6187.7ft) at Red Crater. But unfortunately we didn’t see Red Crater or much of anything else. The fog was so dense, you could barely see 20 feet ahead. And as we went up the wind gusts grew so strong, you had to struggle just to stand up. It was like a hurricane up there!
We're going up into THAT?
Watch your step!
Eventually the fog did burn off as the sun started to shine through. But that was after we passed the two volcanoes. We did see some cool lakes and a view of the surrounding area. My camera battery ran out suddenly and someone commented it was the fumes from the volcanic activity that affected the battery.
There's supposed to be a crater here...
The fog cleared just in time to take this snapshot.
After passing through the volcanic zone, we paused at Ketetahi Hut for a rest, then started on the long winding path descending to the car park where our bus would be waiting for us in a couple hours.
Relaxing at Ketetahi Hut.
This side of Tongariro is much nicer.
By the way, in New Zealand, what we call “Hiking” is called “Tramping.”
One thing we were interested was the Tongariro Crossing in Tongariro National Park. It’s a hike that takes you between three volcanoes, with incredible views along the way. But at every visitor center, we were told “Oh, it’s too late in the season. The weather is really bad now. Too dangerous, etc. etc.”
However, partly because this is a once in a lifetime experience, and partly because we had been through probably the worst weather imaginable on a hike down from Mount Whitney (and partly because we are kind of stubborn when we get “no” for an answer), we continued to drive on anyway.
We arrived that night at the Tongariro Nat'l Park Backpackers lodge. The guy at the front desk said that two other parties had booked a ride to the trailhead for the Crossing, and were planning to go as long as the weather wasn’t too horrible. So we added our names on the list, had dinner at the tavern next door, and went to bed hoping for a good day.
The next morning it was a bit cloudy and foggy, but no rain or wind. We decided to go for it. The bus from the lodge dropped us and the other two groups off at one end of the trail, and will pick us up at the other end later in the day. This is a one-way trip!
The route takes you between Mt Tongariro and Mt Ngauruhoe, a total of 17km (about 10.5 miles). The highest point is 1886m (6187.7ft) at Red Crater. But unfortunately we didn’t see Red Crater or much of anything else. The fog was so dense, you could barely see 20 feet ahead. And as we went up the wind gusts grew so strong, you had to struggle just to stand up. It was like a hurricane up there!
We're going up into THAT?
Watch your step!
Eventually the fog did burn off as the sun started to shine through. But that was after we passed the two volcanoes. We did see some cool lakes and a view of the surrounding area. My camera battery ran out suddenly and someone commented it was the fumes from the volcanic activity that affected the battery.
There's supposed to be a crater here...
The fog cleared just in time to take this snapshot.
After passing through the volcanic zone, we paused at Ketetahi Hut for a rest, then started on the long winding path descending to the car park where our bus would be waiting for us in a couple hours.
Relaxing at Ketetahi Hut.
This side of Tongariro is much nicer.
By the way, in New Zealand, what we call “Hiking” is called “Tramping.”
April 24, 2005
Biking in Ahmanson Ranch - April 2005
Last year I hiked around Ahmanson Ranch in Calabasas. It's a new area set aside by the State of California. The trails were fresh and so was the wildlife.
I recalled that after a few hills it leveled off into wide flat fire roads that would be great for biking. In fact I saw a family doing just that. So this year we planned to do the same.
What I didn't count on was the amount of growth and change that took place as a result of the heavy rains we had this year.
The grass had gone from dry patches to overgrown bushes. The ground had split into large sinkholes in several parts of the trail. Some parts were under water (even now, a couple months after the rainy seasons has subsided).
The dry grassy hills-- before the rains turned them into lush green hills.
And the uphill sections were cratered with horse footprints, making biking a very bumpy experience. We went in one direction until there was just too much water to cross, then we turned around and took another fork. With the overgrowth and rough ground, it was pretty challenging.
But we didn't give up and kept pushing onward, hoping to find a flat area we could actually enjoy riding on. Ultimately we did decide to leave, but instead of turning back, we took another offshoot that lead to surface roads (Vanowen and Valley Circle) and took Valley Circle back towards Calabasas. The entire trip lasted 3 grueling hours, so we relaxed and had a nice leisurely brunch at Marmalade Cafe.
We did pass some other bikers, which was reassuring that we weren't trying something too crazy. But I would have preferred to explore this area on foot. It was and still is a great place for hiking.
 Deer at Ahmanson. |  A horse & rider. |
I recalled that after a few hills it leveled off into wide flat fire roads that would be great for biking. In fact I saw a family doing just that. So this year we planned to do the same.
What I didn't count on was the amount of growth and change that took place as a result of the heavy rains we had this year.
The grass had gone from dry patches to overgrown bushes. The ground had split into large sinkholes in several parts of the trail. Some parts were under water (even now, a couple months after the rainy seasons has subsided).
The dry grassy hills-- before the rains turned them into lush green hills.
And the uphill sections were cratered with horse footprints, making biking a very bumpy experience. We went in one direction until there was just too much water to cross, then we turned around and took another fork. With the overgrowth and rough ground, it was pretty challenging.
But we didn't give up and kept pushing onward, hoping to find a flat area we could actually enjoy riding on. Ultimately we did decide to leave, but instead of turning back, we took another offshoot that lead to surface roads (Vanowen and Valley Circle) and took Valley Circle back towards Calabasas. The entire trip lasted 3 grueling hours, so we relaxed and had a nice leisurely brunch at Marmalade Cafe.
We did pass some other bikers, which was reassuring that we weren't trying something too crazy. But I would have preferred to explore this area on foot. It was and still is a great place for hiking.
April 18, 2005
Bicycling Playa Del Rey to Santa Monica - April 2005
Sunday the weather was perfect for a bike ride, so we piled our bikes into the back of a truck and drove down to Playa Del Rey, which is between Marina Del Rey and LAX. We joined the many other bikers, rollerbladers and skateboarders on the trail which follows the beach up as far north as Malibu. Some people were even chatting on their mobile phones-- how LA!
On the way we went by Venice Beach where you can always spot some interesting people. The original "Muscle Beach" is on the path as well.
We rewarded our efforts with a great brunch at Jinky's Cafe. See the Buzz Coffee blog for more details. This is their Santa Monica location- the original is in Sherman Oaks. A new one is coming soon in the West Hollywood area.
On the way we went by Venice Beach where you can always spot some interesting people. The original "Muscle Beach" is on the path as well.
We rewarded our efforts with a great brunch at Jinky's Cafe. See the Buzz Coffee blog for more details. This is their Santa Monica location- the original is in Sherman Oaks. A new one is coming soon in the West Hollywood area.
April 16, 2005
Runyon Canyon - April 2005
An old favorite of ours, Runyon Canyon offers some really steep climbs (or descent) and great views of the Hollywood Sign, downtown LA, Century City and Griffith Park Observatory.
The trails converge at the top on Mullholland Drive and the bottom in West Hollywood. There are always lots of people and pets. This is not a hike to "get away from it all."
Downtown LA off in the distance.
A view of the trail winding around the hillside.
It's HOLLYWOOD!
The trails converge at the top on Mullholland Drive and the bottom in West Hollywood. There are always lots of people and pets. This is not a hike to "get away from it all."
Downtown LA off in the distance.
A view of the trail winding around the hillside.
It's HOLLYWOOD!
April 09, 2005
San Diego Area - April 2005
The SoCal weather finally returned its usual Sunny disposition, allowing us to return to the great outdoors.
We drove down to San Diego and stayed at a hotel in Solana Beach. From there we, drove to and hiked around Torrey Pines State Reserve. This is a great place with lots of trails and beautiful views of the ocean and the cliffs that border it. (Tip: Park on the street to save the cost of the parking lot)
Trail to the beach.
Us on a lookout.
The coastline.
Flowers.
While in the San Diego area, we stopped at a local REI. There are two to choose from- Encinitas and Kearny Mesa.
That evening we enjoyed a great dinner at Roppongi, a restaurant in La Jolla. After a stroll down Prospect St. we got a hot cup of coffee at The Living Room, a coffee house with a cozy yet lively atmosphere.
Sunday we drove to Anza Borrego State Park. People go there just to see the wildflowers. With all the rain this season, they were were in rare form. But this late in the year, the colors had begun to fade. A good website to watch for updates on the best times to see the wild flowers is Desert USA. We'll definitely have to come back again.
Color patches.
Catus flowers.
Sunlit cactuses.
Flowers.
Two flowers close up.
Hills in the distance.
On the way to Anza, we happened to pass by Julian Pies and couldn't resist stopping. Inside smells soooo good. The pies looked great. We had some "Apple Memories" -- cookies made from extra pie crust. Yum!
We drove down to San Diego and stayed at a hotel in Solana Beach. From there we, drove to and hiked around Torrey Pines State Reserve. This is a great place with lots of trails and beautiful views of the ocean and the cliffs that border it. (Tip: Park on the street to save the cost of the parking lot)
Trail to the beach.
Us on a lookout.
The coastline.
Flowers.
While in the San Diego area, we stopped at a local REI. There are two to choose from- Encinitas and Kearny Mesa.
That evening we enjoyed a great dinner at Roppongi, a restaurant in La Jolla. After a stroll down Prospect St. we got a hot cup of coffee at The Living Room, a coffee house with a cozy yet lively atmosphere.
Sunday we drove to Anza Borrego State Park. People go there just to see the wildflowers. With all the rain this season, they were were in rare form. But this late in the year, the colors had begun to fade. A good website to watch for updates on the best times to see the wild flowers is Desert USA. We'll definitely have to come back again.
Color patches.
Catus flowers.
Sunlit cactuses.
Flowers.
Two flowers close up.
Hills in the distance.
On the way to Anza, we happened to pass by Julian Pies and couldn't resist stopping. Inside smells soooo good. The pies looked great. We had some "Apple Memories" -- cookies made from extra pie crust. Yum!
March 19, 2005
Foiled Again
This weekend we were planning to visit Anza-Borrego State Park. This desert park is well known for its hills and fields covered in multi-colored wild flowers. The best time of year to visit is Feb-Mar.
However, once again, the weather interfered with our plans when it started raining Friday mid-day and is expected to continue through the weekend.
However, once again, the weather interfered with our plans when it started raining Friday mid-day and is expected to continue through the weekend.
February 19, 2005
Still Raining
IT'S STILL RAINING!! This is getting old now. Okay, back to typical LA weather! Please!!?
February 12, 2005
Rain, Rain Go Away
It's been raining quite a bit here in LA, making it not that easy to go hiking. The good side of this is that when the weather finally does clear up, there'll be a lot of green and flowers to see instead of the usual dried up tumbleweeds.
Stay tuned...
Stay tuned...
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