On the Flip Side

On the Flip Side
            My son and I especially love hiking in Marin County, and there are many more trails I yearn to explore. When the pandemic hit, though, weekends became crowded with newly discovered nature lovers tired of being cooped up indoors. The thought of fighting for trailhead parking was discouraging.
            On the other hand, having more people tap into nature as a source of health and happiness is encouraging.
            Recently, I was revving myself up to drive to Mt. Tam with my family to do a special hike there, despite possible trailhead jams.
            Weather and other circumstances changed our plans. Instead of hiking in a redwood forest or along one of the watershed lakes on Mt. Tam, we ended up doing a city walk instead.
            On the one hand, not going to Mt. Tam felt disappointing. On the flip side, we explored a newly designed park with grand views of Alcatraz, San Francisco Bay, and the Ghirardelli tower and sign. We had a fun new experience and didn’t have to drive far.
            Looking at situations from both sides can turn negative situations into something positive. May we all try to see the bright side, whether we hit a minor bump or a major challenge. Keep putting one foot forward!
            This week’s Hike Notes, Francisco Park-City Walk, introduces readers to a park redesigned from a historic reservoir from San Francisco’s Gold Rush days.
            Click Insights/Hike Update News for inspiring reflections. Browse hikes on the main Hikes page or on the Hike Search by Area (was Quick View Hike List) page. Click World Walks to see or share favorite family-friendly walks! Stay in touch with Lisa Louis and HikingAutism via Contact. The Links page lists a loose collection of helpful information links.
            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! Please feel free to share, and follow on Twitter at @HikingAutism
New this week:
Hike Notes 159: Francisco Park-City Walk