Home Turf

Home Turf
            Hikingautism.com is posting early this week due to a short escape from the Bat Cave to visit family back east.
            I grew up surrounded by corn fields, dairy cows, and rapidly changing skies. The apple trees by our house were countered by pine, birch and maple trees elsewhere. Our dark creeks ran icy cold during long, snowy winters as well as through hot, humid summers.
            A cedar tree I used to climb. The secret easy passage through a barbed wire fence leading to back fields. The stretch of creek with the shallowest crossing spot.
            Childhood reflections shimmer with the supernatural power of memory.
            I have spent almost twice as many years in our San Francisco bungalow as I did in my childhood home. A jolting thought.
            My children grew up near the beach in San Francisco. Their memories are marked by pelicans flying overhead and sand in their shoes.
            This week’s Hike Notes are about a “backyard walk” in my current life, Ocean Beach – North End.
            A beach is just a beach, you may think. Especially one that looks broad and nondescript at a glance. But every beach has its own character. Ocean Beach in San Francisco offers sea life close-ups if you look down, and broad vistas if you look up.
            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 22: Ocean Beach – North End