Changing Colors
            Born and raised in the foothills of the Adirondacks in New York State, childhood autumns meant glorious yellow, orange and red leaves. Photos of fall foliage make me homesick.
            Not that Northern California has no autumn colors, but it’s more subtle. My thirst for autumn color has to be satisfied by quieter yellows and browns with an occasional dash of orange or red.
            Windblown piles of brown and yellow leaves bring a wave of that magic autumn feeling. Though the leaves don’t change so distinctly here in San Francisco with its more temperate climate, autumn light falling at a slant helps trigger that fall feeling.
            We can embrace the bittersweet heart-tugging of seasons changing, even when the signs are less colorful.
            This week’s Hike Notes are from the archives, Dragonfly Creek to Fort Scott - Presidio, a walk featuring lots of rustic stone walkways and stair corners to catch fallen leaves that stir the heart any time of year.
            The long list of Hikes can be found on the Quick View Hike List and on the main Hikes page. All past Insights posts can also be viewed in the Insights/Hike Update News archives.
            Check the Home page for the broader background story. If you’re not able to take one of these Northern California hikes, hopefully you can enjoy the photo galleries at the bottom of each hike page! Click Insights/Hike Update News for inspiring reflections. Please feel free to share.
This week’s Hike Notes from the Archives:
(Original Hike Notes 107): Dragonfly Creek to Fort Scott - Presidio

Quiet Treasures
            The specialness of a person, place or thing sometimes sneaks up quietly. Rich treasures do not all blast with a loud speaker and flashing sparklers.
            - A quiet person who doesn’t jump to the front of the crowd, but emerges from the background over time with a sharp intellect, generosity of heart, or quirky sense of humor.
            - A well chosen gift that exudes meaning and thought rather than monetary value.
            - A hiking trail that isn’t a “big name” trail with crowded trailheads, but reveals treasures at every turn: wild irises in various colors, sharp turns along steep ravine edges, wooden footbridges, waterfalls, and patches of redwoods.
            Just such a trail is introduced in this week’s Hike Notes, Tucker Trail. Tucker Trail and Tucker Cutoff Trail in the Marin Watershed are filled with special pleasures of their own, while also connecting to the wonderful Bill Williams Trail and Eldridge Grade (see Bill Williams – Tucker Trail Waterfall Hike and Eldridge Grade – Windy Ridge Hike Notes.) These lesser traveled trails offer some of the best treats the Marin Watershed has to offer.
            The long list of Hikes can be found on the Quick View Hike List and on the main Hikes page. All past Insights posts can also be viewed in the Insights/Hike Update News archives.
            Check the Home page for the broader background story. If you’re not able to take one of these Northern California hikes, hopefully you can enjoy the photo galleries at the bottom of each hike page! Click Insights/Hike Update News for inspiring reflections. Please feel free to share.
New this week:
Hike Notes 117: Tucker Trail

Flag at Half Staff
            Under normal circumstances, this would be an Insights post that introduces new Hike Notes. Circumstances do not feel normal.
            I lived in Japan for several years, and came to respect and understand their custom of not sending out annual holiday cards in a year when a family member died. This week I am paying respects rather than putting out a new hike post.
            A few days ago, an autism support news feed announced that a Bay Area autism mom, known for her fierce advocacy for her severely autistic son and others, had died in a house fire that took both her and her autistic son’s lives. Though I did not personally know Feda Almaliti and her severely autistic son Muhammed, I feel like they were extended family by life circumstance.
            Two family members were able to get out of the burning house. Feda also got out. Realizing her son was still inside, she went back in to get him. Sensory system likely overwhelmed by the heat and smoke and sounds, he could not leave. Feda and Muhammed passed away together, found later with her embracing him.
            Families touched by autism have benefited from Feda Almaliti’s fight to have autism services covered by insurance, as well as from her advocacy on many other fronts.
            As the mom of a severely autistic son likely to have the same reaction as Feda’s beloved son, reading their story was like a kick in the gut. I hadn’t imagined a fire scenario, but I have pictured myself countless times taking a bullet for my son in the not-unlikely scenario that he may have a meltdown in public, with authorities mistaking his behavior for something dangerous. I repeatedly imagine myself jumping in front to protect him when he is not able to follow orders to stand still or be quiet.
            Those of us in the severe autism world already live an isolated, difficult life. To lose such a powerful light is a huge loss. Our flags fly at half staff in honor of fellow troop members Feda and Muhammed.
            I found the following link which tells more about Feda’s life and work.
            https://www.ncsautism.org/blog//on-the-passing-of-feda-almaliti-1977-2020
            This week I hope we will all reach out to those we love. Tell them that we love them. When we feel irritated, perhaps we won’t be so quick to snap. Remember that we can lose our loved ones in an instant.
            Instead of regular Hike Notes this week, I’ll suggest looking at the Quick View Hike List (noted by general area). Perhaps those who know of their story will take a walk somewhere and think of Feda and her son.
            The long list of Hikes can be found on the Quick View Hike List and on the main Hikes page. All past Insights posts can also be viewed in the Insights/Hike Update News archives.
            Check the Home page for the broader background story. If you’re not able to take one of these Northern California hikes, hopefully you can enjoy the photo galleries at the bottom of each hike page! Click Insights/Hike Update News for inspiring reflections. Please feel free to share.

Labyrinth
            The word “labyrinth” usually brings to my mind a mysterious, intriguing set of twists and turns at best, and intertwining passages so complex they lead to frustration and despair at worst. The current state of the world feels like a labyrinthine mixture of health, political, environmental, and social turmoil—overlapping in such a disorganized, maddening way that it feels we’ll never find our way out.
            Several months of this have led to an overwhelming need for mental health services, with a shortage of resources to help many suffering from anger, confusion and hopelessness in this dark stretch.
            Labyrinth images are featured in many ancient cultures, without my negative slant. Maze type labyrinths—with some paths ending in dead ends, others leading to a desired destination—function as entertainment. Meander type labyrinths have a starting point that leads along a set path. It twists and turns, but those who walk it will be guided to a set destination point.
            Aside from offering entertainment and aesthetic beauty in their patterns, labyrinths are sometimes used for spiritual meditation purposes. Walkers might choose a single thought, focusing only on that as they make a mental and physical journey following the labyrinth path.
            Perhaps if we treat the current troubled times in this calming, meditative way—walking our way over a path while focusing on one issue we wish to come to terms with—challenges will feel less out of control and more within our power to process.
            We don’t need a formally laid out labyrinth path to do this. We can pick a thought to focus on, close our eyes to embrace that idea, and keep that focus while walking a distance we’ve set for ourselves, whether it be outdoors or on an imaginary path in our living room.
            Real labyrinth paths can be found in surprising places, though. This week’s Hike Notes are from the archives, Labyrinth at Lands End, a special spot on a cliff above San Francisco’s Mile Rock Beach, with grand views of the Pacific, the Marin Headlands, and the Golden Gate Bridge.
            The long list of Hikes can be found on the Quick View Hike List and on the main Hikes page. All past Insights posts can also be viewed in the Insights/Hike Update News archives.
            Check the Home page for the broader background story. If you’re not able to take one of these Northern California hikes, hopefully you can enjoy the photo galleries at the bottom of each hike page! Click Insights/Hike Update News for inspiring reflections. Please feel free to share.
This week’s Hike Notes from the Archives:
(Original Hike Notes 43): Labyrinth at Lands End

A Special Light
            I love Mt. Tam. Before I had the opportunity to hike there, the name “Mt. Tam” reverberated with an iconic power, reflecting tales of spectacular trails, and terrifying news stories about the Mt. Tam Killer. Its place on my exploration wish list oozed both enticement and intimidation.
            By the time my two sons were big enough to physically handle a Mt. Tam hike, we’d become virtually housebound by my younger son’s extreme neurosensory challenges. Getting to Mt. Tam felt like an impossible dream. 
            The miraculous help of our “autism whisperer” (In Memory and Thanks) got us across the Golden Gate Bridge to nearby Marin trails, but he passed away unexpectedly before we progressed to Mt. Tam. Fate then connected us with an outdoorsman special needs helper who knew many Mt. Tam trails.
            After school outings meant heading across the bridge in mid afternoon. Hikes started with the sun casting long shadows, and often ended when the sun was setting (or hiking by moonlight).
            With my son’s recent shift from the school system to a program that ends later in the day, opportunities to hike Mt. Tam with help are rare. I’m the main trail guide now, and getting the whole crew synchronized for a drive to a Mt. Tam trailhead can be challenging. Dodging weekend crowds also means hiking earlier in the day, when the light is less dramatic.
            The magical late afternoon light that predominates my photo archives of late afternoon Mt. Tam hikes reflects my son’s dramatic growth as his world expands, on a hiking trail or anywhere.
            Flickering shadows in golden light also reflect my boundless gratitude for living in a beautiful place, and having kind spirits who support us as we continue our journey.
            This week’s Hike Notes, Eldridge Grade - Windy Ridge, lead readers on trails that feature the best Mt. Tam has to offer, especially when late day shadows are at play.
            The long list of Hikes can be found on the Quick View Hike List and on the main Hikes page. All past Insights posts can also be viewed in the Insights/Hike Update News archives.
            Check the Home page for the broader background story. If you’re not able to take one of these Northern California hikes, hopefully you can enjoy the photo galleries at the bottom of each hike page! Click Insights/Hike Update News for inspiring reflections. Please feel free to share.
New this week:
Hike Notes 116: Eldridge Grade - Windy Ridge

Like Nothing Else
            My older son and I greet each other every morning with cynical smiles, saying, “Well, at least things can’t get any worse!” And we are proven wrong.
            Six months at home due to the pandemic has been hard on everyone. This is an ever-evolving challenge for many on multiple fronts: Finances, relationships, mental health. And for many, even the basics are in jeopardy: Food, clothing and shelter.
            In California, the fire season hit early and hard. After weeks of burning, the hazardous air quality kept people from a primary sanity-saver, time outdoors in nature. Then we were hit with a heat wave. Even cool, foggy San Francisco reached a 100 degree record.
            Just as things started to cool a bit, fires exploded further afar. Places like Colorado, and then Oregon and Washington were dealing with deadly infernos.
            One morning in early September, it felt like the sun never rose in San Francisco. Multiple layers of smoke from fires near and far blocked the sun. All we could see was an orange-brown sky, even at midday.
            Our noon was like nighttime on Mars. Oddly, the air was still moderately breathable that day. The next day the sun burned brighter through the smoke, but the harmful particles sunk lower. Code purple hazardous air quality has continued for days.
            The cumulative pummeling of these days is like nothing else.
            And yet we hope. We do not give up. We don’t stop checking in on our neighbors and friends. We get groceries, fully masked for pandemic and smoke, for those who can’t get their own. And we think about a day when we can again enjoy the simple freedom of taking a walk as a pandemic sanity-saver.
            This Golden Gate Bridge photo was shot late afternoon on the “San Francisco on Mars” day when the sun finally burned through a bit. It was even darker at noon. This Insights post would normally introduce a hike from the archives on a related theme, but the dire days this week offered no companion hike. 
            Instead, here is a link to the Quick View Hike List, which includes all the Hike Notes so far (115 and counting!), listed by region. We can enjoy looking at places for future visits when nature’s fury has settled enough to let us back outdoors.
            The long list of Hikes can be found on the Quick View Hike List and on the main Hikes page. All past Insights posts can also be viewed in the Insights/Hike Update News archives.
            Check the Home page for the broader background story. If you’re not able to take one of these Northern California hikes, hopefully you can enjoy the photo galleries at the bottom of each hike page! Click Insights/Hike Update News for inspiring reflections. Please feel free to share.
This week’s Hike Notes link to skim through for future outings when the smoke has cleared:
Quick View Hike List

Crisp and Clear
            I spent several years living in Japan during my twenties. Learning Japanese is not just a matter of phonetics and grammar, it also involves deciphering pictogram-like character combinations.
            The character for “autumn” is a combination of two characters, “grain” and “fire.” The character for “clear weather” is a combination of two characters, “sun” and “blue.” These two compound characters together make akibare (ah-kee-bah-ray), which essentially means, “autumn clear skies.”
            Having experienced several autumns in Kyoto, Japan, akibare evokes for me a crisp blue sky radiating vibrantly above the rich orange and red maple leaves accessorizing ancient temple grounds. People pointing to the sky saying akibare invariably wear a glowing smile of appreciation. Japan’s zingy blue October and November skies resonate with a magical power.
            San Francisco seasons don’t always follow the expected pattern. Our summers are often chilly and damp, our late autumn days may be bright and crisp or enshrouded in thick fog, and winter might surprise us with warm sunny days.
            Bay Area hikers don’t know from one minute to the next if they’ll be boxed in by fog, or exhilarated by clear blue skies.
            I love a moody, foggy hike, but I also love days when our local skies reverberate with the same magical blue of an akibare day in Japan. In our present days of smoky haze, literally and figuratively, I dream of the clarity of stark azure skies.
            This week’s Hike Notes introduce readers to El Polin Spring – Presidio Walk, a newly updated trail area that introduces an old historic part of San Francisco’s Presidio to visitors.
            The long list of Hikes can be found on the Quick View Hike List and on the main Hikes page. All past Insights posts can also be viewed in the Insights/Hike Update News archives.
            Check the Home page for the broader background story. If you’re not able to take one of these Northern California hikes, hopefully you can enjoy the photo galleries at the bottom of each hike page! Click Insights/Hike Update News for inspiring reflections. Please feel free to share.
New this week:
Hike Notes 115: El Polin Spring – Presidio Walk

Shifting Winds
            Special needs parents like us—working to pay the bills plus caring for a family member requiring almost constant care—means working the equivalent of two full time jobs. The pandemic shutdown means our severely autistic son has been home 24/7 for going on six months now. Caregivers of loved ones with any type of exceptional challenge face similar stresses, without a moment to let our guard down.
            Our plan for a temporary reprieve? A two night stay at a remote lighthouse up the coast, a quiet place with no cell phone or internet connection, planned many months ahead. A weekend away is a rare treat for our family, filled with challenges but also a much-needed change of pace. Nature is our sanity saver.
            As we prepared for our long awaited road trip, California wildfires broke out. Not just scattered wildfires, but fires covering the whole state in toxic smoke, with part of our travel route along an evacuation zone. Not safe, and not fair to take up fire crew road space, we canceled.
            Crushing disappointment? Of course. A rare break in our grueling routine is like a watering hole in the desert. But like everyone else, we have to adjust to shifting winds. The harsher winds at the moment are those fueling the fires burning away homes, businesses and even lives. Or the wind and rain pummeling hurricane territory. Or the ongoing pandemic. We are fortunate to have a safe place to hunker down and look forward to future stress-busting opportunities.
            Something unexpected can waylay our best laid plans even in the best of times, much less our current era of the pandemic, political and social turmoil, and natural calamities. The ability to adapt to unexpected change is a hard-earned but vital survival tool.
            May we all find moments of tranquility regardless of our surroundings, even if it’s right in our own homes with the windows closed to keep out the smoke.
            This week’s Hike Notes are from the archives, Mussel Rock and Paragliders, a hidden gem featuring stunning ocean views, where graceful gliders sometimes dot the sky.
            The long list of Hikes can be found on the Quick View Hike List and on the main Hikes page. All past Insights posts can also be viewed in the Insights/Hike Update News archives.
            Check the Home page for the broader background story. If you’re not able to take one of these Northern California hikes, hopefully you can enjoy the photo galleries at the bottom of each hike page! Click Insights/Hike Update News for inspiring reflections. Please feel free to share.
This week’s Hike Notes from the Archives:
(Original Hike Notes 16): Mussel Rock and Paragliders

Hidden Oasis
            When we think of a literal “oasis,” images of a desert watering hole surrounded by palm trees come to mind. The figurative version of an oasis can be anything that gives a sense of refuge and relief. A favorite corner in a quiet coffee shop, the view from a favorite hill, a hidden cove of a beach. An oasis can also be a safe space we create in our own minds.
            We all need an occasional escape to our personal oasis, even during the best of times. If relatively minor stresses deserve brief retreats to our mental refuge spots, what on earth do people do during really challenging times?
            Pummeled by a worldwide pandemic, political and social turmoil, and an ongoing flurry of hurricanes, tornadoes, wildfires, flooding, and drought, one wonders how any of us survive emotionally.
            Everyone has a little oasis somewhere, perhaps without consciously realizing it. A quiet soak in the tub, a short walk in the neighborhood, time sitting with a favorite pet.
            Why not think about it consciously? If we could all find our own mental safe spot more easily, the world’s cumulative stress level might go down a notch.
            My never-fail oasis since childhood has been time in nature, whether a several mile walk through snowy fields and forests, or three minutes by my back window looking at the sunset. May everyone find their easy-access oasis in these difficult times.
            This week’s Hike Notes introduce readers to Mount Davidson, a forty acre park with trails leading to the highest point in San Francisco, offering broad city views, as well as mysterious stone stairs and misty forested paths.
            The long list of Hikes can be found on the Quick View Hike List and on the main Hikes page. All past Insights posts can also be viewed in the Insights/Hike Update News archives.
            Check the Home page for the broader background story. If you’re not able to take one of these Northern California hikes, hopefully you can enjoy the photo galleries at the bottom of each hike page! Click Insights/Hike Update News for inspiring reflections. Please feel free to share.
New this week:
Hike Notes 114: Mount Davidson

Around the Corner
            It is slightly unnerving, in both good and bad ways, to be walking along a trail with a shaded, tree-covered turn up ahead. What is around that next corner? Not likely to be a coyote or mountain lion, but it could be. A widening of the trail into a lovely meadow or field? Could be that, too. Or it might be just more shadowy curves in the path.
            Most of us who live long enough realize that life’s twists and turns are predictably unpredictable. Sometimes we’ll find unexpected good fortune and happiness. Then there are the unpleasant surprises—whether on a personal scale or broader social level—of things we didn’t anticipate and don’t wish to endure. But we do, because we have to.
            When your trail seems to be getting darker and scarier, yet you have no choice but to move forward, remember that a bright spot invariably appears at some point down the line, when we least expect it. We are in this world together, for good and for bad. Tell family and friends you love them. Reach out to help others who may be more anxious than you. Keep putting one foot forward.
            This week’s Hike Notes are from the archives, Glen Canyon Park from Below, a place where the lower trails offer atmospheric twists and turns through shaded tree tunnels.
            The long list of Hikes can be found on the Quick View Hike List and on the main Hikes page. All past Insights posts can also be viewed in the Insights/Hike Update News archives.
            Check the Home page for the broader background story. If you’re not able to take one of these Northern California hikes, hopefully you can enjoy the photo galleries at the bottom of each hike page! Click Insights/Hike Update News for inspiring reflections. Please feel free to share.
This week’s Hike Notes from the Archives:
(Original Hike Notes 61): Glen Canyon Park from Below