Hiding in Plain Sight

Hiding in Plain Sight
            On rare occasions in life, we stumble onto a sparkling treasure, right under our nose. Something somehow hidden from view.
            It could be an object, like the delightful orchid bloom that surprised me from behind a birthday card I’d left on display for months. It might be a person, like the quiet store clerk who shared a heartwarming life story when she saw I share her daughter’s name.
            It may even be an undiscovered strength or ability.
            With our severely autistic son, a mumble we’ve heard for years may suddenly reveal itself as him saying the name of a favorite person. It might be a flash of insight for us parents, transforming a perceived obstacle into a stepping stone for progress.
            Or it could be a place. A beautiful location we’ve driven past a hundred times, not realizing what was just behind some trees or a turn in the road.
            One of our son’s autism helpers is an outdoorsman who we claim knows every hiking trail in a hundred mile radius.
            One day he said he was taking us for a hike right near our house that he’d just discovered. His description of “close by,” “easy walking,” and “stunning views” had me feeling dubious. How could a place like that have eluded us up to now?
            Within a few minutes’ drive, we were at Mussel Rock Park hiking down to a dramatic little beach. We saw paragliders, pelicans, glorious views both north and south, a tunnel through a rock, and sure enough, the splash of waves glistening on rocks covered completely with dark mussels, all within a relatively short walk.
            This week’s Hike Notes are about Mussel Rock and Paragliders, a sparkling treasure just south of San Francisco at the border of Daly City and Pacifica.
            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 16: Mussel Rock and Paragliders