Wednesday, 13 September 2017

Tuesday, September 12th, 2017

East Port, California

3 Days 2 Go

Anuttama and I had an early start catching trails through urban areas beginning with the Iron Horse Trail, Lafayette Moraga Trail, Huckleberry Trail and East Bay Trail.  This entailed some flat terrain but also considerable up and down foot experience.

When we went up, Anuttama remarked, “We’re using different leg muscles now!”  I concurred and just after saying that two deer bucks were seen at the top.  Our sudden appearance shocked the two.  One was bearing a huge set of crowning antlers.  We mutually fretted over the fact that this one, with the horns, was more or less locked in the narrow trail, fenced on both sides, and we happened to be in his path.  Fortunately, he pierced through the barrier in a very frantic way, otherwise we were seconds away from being gored had he charged our way.

At one point on the trail, we came upon a ravine.  The north side was dry with desert-like vegetation.  The south side was lush with ferns and many greens.  Intersecting that, within a tiny space, these two opposite eco-systems exist.  Some redwood trees were also on our trail dwarfing us like anything.  Humility is good.

Funny that also near the end of this glorious U.S. trek, the two of us actually got lost on the Huckleberry and East Bay Trails.  Their directions snaked about and switch-backed as the elevation rose.  We felt more and more like we were leaving civilization.  We were not in a panic, just a bit tired.

A well-deserved dip in the hot tub concluded everyone’s cherished experience, for all four of us.

May the Source be with you!

18 miles



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