A jackrabbit, snake, lots of geckos, a horse and a parrot. My Friday morning run through Helen Putnam was as beautiful as always. Only 3 miles or so, but lots of verticals, and an interesting assortment of wildlife!
It was a perfect way to start the weekend, and a great warm-up for our long hike at Mt. Tam on Saturday.
With Mum visiting for a few days from Kansas City, I wanted to show her some of my favorite places to run and hike. Helen Putnam Regional Park is one of those places. On a beautiful Saturday morning, we parked the Jeep and headed out with our cameras.
Looking through the trees at the trails beyond, Mum thought this trail looked like an old path for the wagons venturing into the west during the California Gold Rush.
This was such a funky tree. Its branches dipped all the way down to the ground, and its knotty trunk had a whole family of geckos. Such an interesting site.
This is a great shot of the trails at HP. I love running here, or walking with the kids, or just going up and taking in the views. It is such an amazing treasure here in Petaluma. One of the many reasons I love living in beautiful California.
Family travel always involves exploring the environment around us. Northern California is a perfect destination for discovering new and wonderful places. On a recent visit to see Meg, we put on our walking shoes and, with cameras in hand, hiked and drove through the wonderful countryside in Sonoma County.
Our first hike focused on Helen Putnam Park, located just west of Petaluma. The park includes 216 acres of grasslands and forests. In late April, the wildflowers were in bloom throughout the park. The well-worn walking paths and old wagon roads could easily have been formed during the years of the California 1849 gold rush, when pioneers flocked into Petaluma from the Northeast.
We watched this woman happily make her way over the hill and around the bend in the path.
Home to geckos and birds, this gnarled old tree seemed timeless.
This old barn can be seen from the entry way to Helen Putnam Park.
The trails of Helen Putnam Park are among my favorite places to explore. This beautiful space is on the west side of Petaluma, about 15 minutes across town from our house. There are over 200 acres of hills, trees, meadows and trails.
While Mum was visiting last weekend, we took a walk along Panorama Trail, which then meets up with the Savannah Trail. I love these shots. The trees are beautiful, with grass and wildflowers aplenty.
Shifting the Balance 