The Trail Companion

My wife Pat and I have kept a Bay Area hiking diary since 1986, logging the parks we have visited and particularly noting the wildflowers in bloom. For the spring 2000 issue of the Trail Companion, we revisited our logs to find the most reliable locations for a good display at a predictable time. We also tried to get a good spread of Peninsula, South and East Bay locations (and we skipped Edgewood and San Bruno Mountain - they are magnificent, but everyone writes about them!). I've only mentioned the most abundant and reliable flowers and locations in the descriptions - you can assume there are many more to be found at each of the parks. By Tim Oren.

Sometimes, during a hike in one of the local parks, I find myself kneeling beside an interesting plant, a colorful flower or unfamiliar tree, scribbling notes and drawing crude sketches in hopes of gathering enough information to identify it when I get home. I'm not successful very often; if I find anything in any of my books that resembles the mystery plant, it turns out to be a species that only grows in salt flats in Nevada. After one of these exercises in frustration, I find myself daydreaming about the ideal Bay Area plant guide. By Richard Allsop.

Although you might not be able to haul these electronic resources into the field, UC Berkeley's CalFlora project, a wildflower photography website and a Bay Area wildflower guide on CD-ROM provide great photos, location tips and botanical information.

Don't be surprised if on your next hike through Bay Area trails, one of these long-snouted, grunting animals approaches you. The wild pig population of the Bay Area is growing rapidly, and is becoming increasingly more aggressive with its surroundings. This pig invasion is leading certain counties to take action on damage control, and to discuss how to share the land with the beasts. By Emily Johnson and Geoffrey Skinner.

Go to your closet or your boxes of camping gear-and count how many items are made of nylon. In my own closet, I can spot two raincoats, rain pants, wind pants, shorts, pack covers, several backpacks, various stuff sacks, three sleeping bags...and that's just for starters. I own a lot of nylon and appreciate its lightness and versatility. I consider myself to be environmentally aware, yet the nylon that is used in most of my outdoor gear is one of the more environmentally damaging textiles to manufacture. By Geoffrey Skinner

We're teaming up with Bay Area Action's Arastradero Preserve Stewardship Project and Any Mountain for great events on the two big trail celebrations of the year.

In this issue, new poems from two California poets and an essay on encounters along the trail at Point Lobos.

A Note from the Literary Editor

Monte Bello - Devavani Chatterjea-Matthes

After a Measured Cup of Warming Brandy - Tim Bellows

Comings and Goings - Christopher Woods

Coming up in The Trail Companion: Long distance hiking close to home and history along the trails

Eagle Trail in Windy Hill Open Space Preserve to be repaired this summer...MROSD plans to rebuild the single-track bypass trail on Alpine Road...City of San Jose eyes Alum Rock expansion.

Castle Rock Trail reroute completed - thank you to all our volunteers!...Acorn Trail reroute at Arastradero Preserve...Thanks for donations and grants...Maps returning to the Peninsula Conservation Center... Committee For Green Foothills to share TC office.

California Trail Days/Earth Day 2000 and National Trails Day events at Arastradero Preserve...Trail maintenance in Portola Redwoods State Park with Community Impact.

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