Ted's Hiking World Bear Valley Loop
Point Reyes National Seashore

July 24, 2022

Wanting to find somewhere to hike at a tolerable temperature during this unprecedented heat wave, I have come over to the north coast, where the weatherman has promised it will get up only to 67 degrees today.  I have brought my bicycle along to handle a portion of the Bear Valley Trail, leaving more options at the other end.

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Getting started

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Pacific Pea *
Montbretia

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Woolly Angelica, I believe *
Broadleaf Forget-Me-Not

Just past the three-mile mark, a metal bike rack signifies the end of my ride.  Three walking-only trails take off from here; today I'll opt for the leftmost one, because that will be something new.

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Onto the Glen Trail

Because I am away from my normal mountain haunts, a lot of flower types are unfamiliar; and as always, making a proper identification can be difficult.  Filling in the information-gaps is a never-ending job for me.

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Blackberry *
Geranium

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California Hedgenettle *
Seaside Fiddleneck

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The mundane uphill trudge continues

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Cow Parsnip *
Blackberry

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Long-stem Clover *
Poison Oak

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The path is leveling out now; the top must be near

Presently, the scene opens up at the ridge-top summit, 760 feet above the ocean.

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This is reminiscent of Moses's alleged parting of the Red Sea — in the movie, of course

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Smooth Cat's Ear *
Amanita mushroom

At a trail junction, I turn west onto the Coast Trail, hopeful that it will lead me to the coast.

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I'm supposed to be seeing an ocean, but no

The fog has not lifted off the water yet; and for all I know, it won't happen at all.  Summer is not the best time to visit here.

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Bird's Foot Trefoil *
Summer Vetch

Whoa!  I see something below.

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Is the fog starting to clear?

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Tiburon Buckwheat (rare) *
Cow Parsnip

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A nifty trail segment

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Yes, it is clearing up nicely.  Hooray!

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Southward view

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The green Coyote Brush flowers tend to go unnoticed

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Looking northward

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Yarrow *
The most colorful leaf on the trail?

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Near Arch Rock

Inexplicably, this inveterate arch-hunter doesn't even consider checking out a possible viewpoint.  Go figure.

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Cormorant hangout

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Coastal Gumplant *
Seaside Daisy

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A brief stroll near the water

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This is new

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Starting inland, back on the Bear Valley Trail

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Crossing Cool Creek

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Eggs-and-Bacon *
Sowthistle

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Out of wasp territory, I trust

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Pacific Morning Glory *
Perennial Pea

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Prompted, no doubt, by the accidental death at nearby Arch Rock two years ago

Maybe that's why I didn't venture down there today; I'll do it sometime, though.

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Nearing the finish

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Eight more bikes have arrived


§: Well, that was a treat; for it got me out of the unprecedented Sierra heat wave.  I might venture over this way again quite soon; it's only a two-hour drive.

The park information on bike-trail difficulty is not particularly useful.  It rates this portion of the Bear Valley Trail as "moderate"; yet it it is a virtual cakewalk, with only 200+ gentle feet of ascent over three miles.  A nearby trail that climbs five times as much in the same distance also is listed as "moderate", but I might not even be able to do that one on my bike; we'll see.

I guess that a trail must be paved and perfectly flat to qualify as "easy".  That is what I call the "Triple-A Syndrome", because AAA does the same thing in its trade journal, Via.  Seemingly determined to coddle the wheelchair-set at all costs, a trail that features a hill of any kind is "moderate"; and any necessity of actually stepping over a few rocks earns a rating of "difficult".

Scenery *
Difficulty *
Personality *
Flowers *

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(clockwise route)

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