October 28, 2018
 
Hansel and Gretel Trails
            Once in a while, while wending my way along a trail through dark woods, I feel the vibes of a different time and place.
            Gnarled tree branches overhead, crushed leaves strewn along a narrow, winding path. The ominous thickness of an overcast sky. Or being so deep in a mountain’s lower forest that sunbeams don’t reach.
            “This is a Hansel and Gretel trail!” I say out loud.
            Before I hiked on Marin County’s iconic Mount Tam the first time, the name reverberated with both enticement and intimidation for me.
            A Mount Tam trail on a weekday afternoon can be devoid of other people, both a benefit and a bane. (Great for trailhead parking and quiet, not great if you need help.)
            By now my son and I have logged countless miles walking Mount Tam trails, many of which trigger the “Hansel and Gretel” feeling.
            Lucky for me, my son is the Hansel to my Gretel. Rather than battling an evil witch in a gingerbread cottage, we usually walk with a hiking partner ally against the dark forces of the forest.
            This week’s Hike Notes introduce Huckleberry Trail, a short but steep connector trail between fire roads in the Blithedale Summit Preserve in Marin County. This trail not only gave me one of my Hansel and Gretel flashes, but also offers a good climbing workout.
            Please feel free to share. If you’re not able to take one of these Northern California hikes, hopefully you can enjoy the photos!
            The list of hikes is getting long! Please check the Quick View Hike List or scroll down the main Hikes page to see the current list of hike notes.
New this week:
Hike Notes 34: Huckleberry Trail

Happy Feet
            Broken wrist, broken ankle, several bad hamstring injuries, torn meniscus, carpal tunnel syndrome, lower back injury, torn rotator cuff, arthritis in wrists, thumbs, elbows, knees, toes, fingers, hips. I’ve hit a few stumbling blocks over the years.
            One thing I’ve learned: If you want to keep moving, keep moving.
            Working around injuries always worked out better than totally stopping.
            Photo: Our family of four at the start of a long hike in Yosemite, which ended up being steep, snowy and slippery. Our hiking pal who took the photo was calling “nerd alert” on our lineup of hiking boots. Nerdy we may be, but making supportive shoes a priority has paid off over the years.
            Despite injuries, aches and pains, I still hike, swim, take dance, yoga, Pilates, and cardio/strength building fitness classes, and have had fun trying things like indoor rock climbing and kayaking. (Karate and scuba diving faded long ago.)
            Our feet support our entire body weight, and are key for good posture. Happy feet help us stay active and out in the world, which in turn boost our physical and mental well being.
            You don’t have to spend a lot of money to support your feet. Find shoes that are reasonably supportive. Check for a good fit. The slip-in arch/foot supports available at many stores can significantly improve a bargain pair of sneakers or shoes. We seem to burn through hiking shoes, so I watch for sales on good quality hiking boots.
            Keep moving. If your legs hurt, move your arms. If you can’t do weight bearing exercises, try swimming. No money or time for an outside fitness facility? Take a walk. Find matching-weight, graspable household items to use as arm weights (books, water bottles). If my 88 year old friend who has been through several back surgeries and uses a walker can still do water aerobics or walk a few blocks with her walker, the rest of us can find something. Our friends facing tougher physical challenges may need outside help to keep their bodies moving. Blood circulation and muscle maintenance is good for body and soul.
New this week:
            Due to a short hiatus from the office to visit family, the next new Hike Notes will appear next week. Readers looking for a hike can browse back through the 33 Hikes posted on hikingautism.com so far. Every hike is listed on the Hikes page, and also by general location on the Quick View Hike List.
            A hikingautism.com visitor who teaches classes for beginning hikers recently shared a handy link on efficient packing for longer excursion backpackers. The link has been added to the Links page. Thanks for the share, DS.
            Please feel free to share. If you’re not able to take one of these Northern California hikes, hopefully you can enjoy the photos!

Mind-Reading Through Pictures
            My son on the autism spectrum can recite hours of movie dialogue, but ask him what he did at school today… blank.
            “How do you feel?” “Happy!” he says in auto-response mode, even if he’s miserable.
            His inability to speak is countered by his uncanny ability to sort through thousands of archived photos in less than a blink of an eye.
            Scrolling through the photos he leaves on the computer screen each night is a priceless window into his thoughts.
            He sometimes indulges in days-long walks down a photographic memory lane. “Oh, my,” I sigh, viewing his selected images of people, places and times long gone.
            This photo of me and my son has appeared as the last image in his photo searches every night for several weeks now. I don’t know why.
            A few months into our grief at the loss of our beloved “autism whisperer,” the picture was taken by our new autism helper, who persistently kept our feet moving on new trails throughout that difficult time.
            Now well over five years past, I remember being shocked when this image popped up in that day’s hiking photos. I’d been convinced that I’d never really smile again.
            Our cold rainy hike that day was above Pedro Point, just north of Devil’s Slide. Construction and a new tunnel opening soon thereafter meant that the trailhead was no longer easily accessible.
            For years, I wanted to go back, but wasn’t sure how to access the trail.
            Knowing my son was looking at this photo every night for weeks, I was determined to take him back.
            On a recent, stunning blue sky day, we found our way. The trails had been reworked. The adventure of getting here with my two sons was a highlight of my year.
            I showed my autistic son photos of our new hike adventure above Pedro Point. Then I showed him this old rainy day photo of him and me.
            No sign that he related the new hike to the old photo. No words about the old picture. Nothing expressed about our glorious hike with his big brother.
            That night and every day since, he still ends his photo views with this picture.
            I don’t know why. He may never be able to tell me.
            But Pedro Point Headlands is definitely on my favorites list.
            This week’s Hike Notes introduce Pedro Point South Ridge Trail, a sometimes steep trail in the Pedro Point Headlands with breathtaking views. This new-yet-old favorite also features a lower trail to be introduced in a future post.
            Please feel free to share. If you’re not able to take one of these Northern California hikes, hopefully you can enjoy the photos!
            The list of hikes is getting long! Please check the Quick View Hike List or scroll down the main Hikes page to see the current list of hike notes.
New this week:
Hike Notes 33: Pedro Point South Ridge Trail

Together We Climb
            Trying to help a family member with developmental challenges can feel like climbing a mountain with no peak in sight.
            But climb we do.
            Life can be daunting. Climbing the steep parts together with others can make all the difference.
            We climb, we stop to rest. We pat each other on the shoulder, and we climb again.
            Picking up one foot and stepping to the next level is a conscious act of will that comes easier with good climbing partners.
            This week’s Hike Notes are about Hawk Hill, a place at the top of Conzelman Road in the Marin Headlands where hawks and other raptors rise high. This 360 degree view peak high above the Golden Gate Bridge is rich with World War II history, including a once-active Nike defense system.
            Please feel free to share. If you’re not able to take one of these Northern California hikes, hopefully you can enjoy the photos!
            The list of hikes is getting long! Please check the Quick View Hike List or scroll down the main Hikes page to see the current list of hike notes.
New this week:
Hike Notes 32: Hawk Hill