A Point Reyes Mushroom

Maybe you are like me, and buy most of your mushrooms at the market.  Or maybe you are really into mushrooms which makes you a mycologist.  I have to admit that because of friends of mine are mycologists I do have a secret place at Point Reyes where I can gather Chanterelle mushrooms once the rainy season begins without risk of poisoning my self, friends and family.  I know very little about mushrooms, except that the mushrooms I pick pop up from a vast underground network, which we can’t see.  I also know that picking mushrooms doesn’t hurt this underground network.  I think it’s time for me – and you perhaps – to learn a lot more about mushrooms.  We have that opportunity with the  “7^th Annual Point Reyes National Seashore Fungus Fair” scheduled for Saturday and Sunday, January 7 & 8, 2012.  The event is jointly sponsored by Bay Area Mycological Society and the Point Reyes National Seashore.  On Saturday, from 10:00 am to 1:00 pm starting at the Point Reyes Bear Valley Visitor Center attendees will be treated to a collecting foray.   Collected mushrooms will be brought to the Red Barn, also at the Park’s Visitor’s Center, for identification. 

On Sunday, January 8, 2012, the collected mushrooms will be displayed at the Visitor Center.  In addition free lectures will be given in the Visitor Center auditorium.  With the beginning of the rainy season, we are also getting into mushroom season.  I know that a few days after a good rain is a good time to look for mushrooms. On the other hand too much rain isn’t a good thing.   If you are going to pick mushrooms within the Point Reyes National Seashore you should be aware that there are specific rules and regulations about collecting mushrooms.  You can check these out on the Seashore’s website.  I’m sure that these rules and regulations will be discussed at the Fungus Fair as well.

George Winston

Let’s suppose you’ve just finished dinner at one of Point Reyes’s fine restaurants.  It is still early and you are thinking about things to do, like listening to a good musical performance.  Unlike the city, everything is close by.  All you have to do is drive a few blocks to the Dance Palace.  No parking problems.  If you are staying at our inn, when the performance is over, it is just a few minutes drive to get back.

We are very fortunate in Point Reyes to have The Dance Palace, a non-profit community center which provides a wide variety of educational, cultural and community services to children, adults and seniors.  The Dance Palace has developed into one of the most active community facilities in the Bay Area.  Because of its stature, the Dance Palace is able to attract well know musicians to Point Reyes.  Here are some upcoming musical performances at the Dance Palace. 

Saturday, December 10, 2011 at 8:00 pm – The group KITKA performs “Wintersongs”.  “Few things evoke the magic of the winter holidays as the transcendent splendor of the human voice raised in song.”  KITKA is a vocal group which sings seasonal music, largely derived from ethnic sources of Eastern Europe.  So their sound is unique and a perfect way to get into the spirit of the holiday season. 

Saturday, January 14, 2012 at 8:00 pm – Piano virtuoso George Winston will perform his own style of melodic instrumental music which has its roots in R&B, jazz, blues and rock.  It is wonderful that the Dance Palace can attract an artist of his stature in our small community. His latest solo piano release is “Love Will Come – the music of Vince; Guaraldi, Vol. 2”.  Saturday, January 28, 2012 at 8:00 pm – Want a little spice in your life?  Brasil Guitar Duo brings the pizzazz of South American music to Point Reyes .  Classical Guitar magazine has this to say about this duo:  “The maturity of musicianship and technical virtuosity…is simply outstanding”. 

So plan now for an enchanting winter evening of fine music in Point Reyes.

Earthday at Point Reyes

No plans for National Park Week? Didn’t even know National Park existed? It does, and it’s fast approaching — it starts Saturday, April 16 and continues through Sunday, April 24. Not coincidentally, Earth Day is scheduled for Friday, April 22nd. As one of the most beautiful places on the planet, Point Reyes National Seashore (PRNS) is a great place to celebrate both occasions.

The PRNS staff is organizing a number of events to help commemorate Earth Day and National Park Week. On Friday, for example, its offering a free lecture entitled “Tracking Climate Change from Antarctica to Point Reyes,” which will, in part, feature Dr. Ben Becker, marine ecologist at Point Reyes National Seashore, talking about how climate change is impacting the ecosystems of Point Reyes, and what the National Park Service is doing to try to mitigate this impact. If you’re interested, the lecture takes place in the Red Barn Classroom at the Bear Valley Visitor Center, at 6:30 p.m on Earth Day, April 22. Directions here.

On Saturday, April 23, all sorts of activities will be taking place, including trail stewardship and beach cleanup opportunities, a community picnic, and a guided tour of the Earthquake trail. Look here for complete details.

Biking on Mt Tamalpias

For Bay Area cyclists, the Bovine Bakery in downtown Point Reyes Station functions as a giant, scone-powered magnet, drawing hungry peddlers in from San Francisco, Petaluma, and all points in between. But Point Reyes Station isn’t just a great destination for cyclists; it’s also a great starting point. If you like rolling terrain and cows, you can head west on the peninsula to the Point Reyes Lighthouse or Tomales Point. If you like rolling terrain and sheep, you can pedal north to Valley Ford and beyond. Go all the way to Jenner and the coastline turns spectacular. Turn off at Coleman Valley Road and you can take on a climb that has featured prominently in the Tour of California in recent years. Go south and you will eventually hit more spectacular coastline south of Stinson Beach. Veer east at points and you can ascend Mt. Tamalpais. If you like to ride off-road, the possibilities expand even further. Bottom line: It’s a great place for a cycling vacation. Whether you’re here for the weekend, a week, or even longer, you will be able to find spectacular and challenging rides to explore each day.

Yesterday, I decided to ride to Mt. Tam. Pedaled down Highway One to Olema, then took Sir Francis Drake over the hill to the Cross Marin Trail, a 5 mile or so bike path that starts out as pavement then switches to dirt/gravel as it meanders through Samuel P. Taylor Park. The trail parallels Lagunitas Creek, which is running strong these days due to recent rains. At Shafter’s Bridge, the trail ends and I rejoined the cars on Sir Francis Drake Blvd. In Fairfax, I turned onto Bolinas-Fairfax Rd., then went off-road again at the Concrete Pipe Rd. trailhead. Made my way to Lake Lagunitas and started climbing Rock Springs Lagunitas Rd., which was steep. Too steep for me, it turned out – my ride turned into a hike for the next mile or two.

Eventually things flattened out near the top and I started riding again, rejoining the road at the Rock Springs trailhead and continuing to the peak of Mt. Tam, where I then took Railroad Grade down to Mill Valley and started back toward Point Reyes through the towns of Corte Madera, San Anselmo, and Fairfax. Soon I was on the Cross Marin Trail again and thinking about what I could eat when I got back to Point Reyes Station. First choice would have been a burger at the Marin Sun Farms butcher shop – at $12 or so the burgers are pricey but one bite will confirm that your money has been well spent – but they’re only available from noon to four and it was already too late for that.

When I finally rolled into town, some time after 5 PM, the Bovine was closed for the day so no baked goods either. Was the universe trying to tell me something? A few less giant scones throughout the year and I may have been able to make it up Rock Springs Lagunitas a little more efficiently….and thus could have made it back in time for a hamburger. Or at least a giant scone. Kind of a paradox, no?

Co-chaired by former U.S. Poet Laureate Robert Hass and award-winning poet Brenda Hillman, the conference will feature panels, readings, altar-building, an “an intergenerational dance performance at a nearby ocean beach,” and delicious catered dinners. In other words, very West Marin! The theme for the conference is “Reflections on water” — so if you’re planning to attend, what better place to stay than our own Grand View Suite, with its sweeping views of Tomales Bay?

2. TOMALES POINT TRAIL. Open trail through the Tule Elk Range offers spectacular views of Tomales Bay, Bodega Bay, and the Pacific Ocean. It is also a prime wildlife viewing trail. Fog and wind can limit visibility and make this hike more challenging. Trailhead is at the end of Pierce Point Road, about 40 minutes driving time from Bear Valley. (Distance — 9.5 miles; Time — 4 to 5 hours; Level of Difficulty — Moderate)

3. SKY — BEAR VALLEY LOOP. A varied hike that features mixed Douglas fir forest, open grassland, coastal views, and beach access. Climb Mt. Wittenberg Trail (1350’ elevation gain in l.4 miles) and then continue out Sky Trail to Coast Trail. Continue south on Coast Trail to Arch Rock. Enjoy your last coastal view here, before returning via Bear Valley Trail, through beautiful buckeyes and mixed Douglas fir forest and along Coast Creek. (Distance — 10.5 miles; Time — 5 hours; Level of Difficulty — Moderate/Strenuous)

4. COAST — LAGUNA LOOP. An easy walk through coastal scrub and grassland offers breathtaking ocean views. Begin on Laguna Trail, a slight climb, then descend to Coast Camp on Fir Lane Trail (turn left on Coast Trail for beach access at Coast Camp). Complete the loop by following Coast Trail northwest, a flat, open stretch of trail along coastal bluffs and then through a riparian zone, and back to the Youth Hostel. (Distance — 5 miles; Time — 2 to 3 hours; Level of Difficulty — Easy)

5. MT. WITTENBERG AND SKY CAMP FROM LIMANTOUR ROAD. This route provides an easy access to the highest point on the Point Reyes Peninsula, with a 750-foot elevation gain. Climb Sky Trail, with views of the ocean, and continue through meadows and woods to Horse Trail. Follow Horse Trail to Z Ranch Trail, which brings you to the trail to the summit of Mt. Wittenberg. Views from the summit are limited due to thick regrowth of trees after the Mt. Vision Fire in l995. Continue to the junction of Sky and Meadow Trails, and then back through Sky Camp. Begin with l0 minute drive from Bear Valley Visitor Center, at Sky Trailhead on Limantour Road. (Distance — 4.3 miles; Time — 3 hours; Level of Difficulty — Moderate)

6. BOLINAS RIDGE TRAIL. The best trail with views of Olema Valley, especially on a sunny day or a night with a full moon. Enjoy the expansive feeling of this open space. If you choose to continue beyond the first few miles, you will enter a redwood forest and eventually chaparral. Trail begins after a 5 minute drive from the Bear Valley Visitor Center, above Olema on Sir Francis Drake Highway. (Distance — 2 to 22 miles; Time — 1 to 4 hours; Level of Difficulty — Moderate)

7. ABBOTTS LAGOON. The Abbotts Lagoon Trail, an easy stroll through open grasslands and coastal scrub, features a colorful display of spring wildflowers and excellent bird watching, especially in fall and winter. Continue on to the Great Beach, an additional .5 miles, before returning via the same trail. The trek begins with a 25 minute drive from the Bear Valley Visitor Center. Take Bear Valley Road, left from the visitor center, turn left on Sir Francis Drake Boulevard, and then right at Pierce Point Road. Abbotts Lagoon Trailhead is clearly marked on the left. (Distance — 3 miles; Time — 2 to 3 hours; Level of Difficulty — Easy)

8. MT. WITTENBERG LOOP. The loop features a steep l,300-foot climb to the highest point in the park (l,407-feet), with panoramic views of the seashore and Olema Valley. The loop passes through mixed Douglas fir, oak forest and several open meadows. Climb Mt. Wittenberg Trail all the way to the top, then return to Bear Valley via Z Ranch and Horse Trails, or via Meadow Trail. The Mt. Wittenberg Loop begins 0.2 mi. up the Bear Valley Trail, from the end of Bear Valley parking Lot. (Distance — 5 miles; Time — 2 to 3 hours; Level of difficulty — Strenuous)

9. CHIMNEY ROCK TRAIL. A spectacular hike with views of Drakes Bay and the Pacific Ocean. Great for spring wildflowers. Rocky cliffs drop off steeply to the water and there is no beach access. From December through April, look for migrating gray whales from the point, and elephant seals from a spur trail and lookout point near the parking lot. Fog and winds can make this hike challenging. For tide pooling, at a minus low tide, walk down the paved road to the right past the parking lot, past the Life Boat Station, and continue along the rocky beach. Tide pools are inaccessible from December through April, while elephant seals are in the area. Trail begins at the Chimney Rock Trailhead, near the Lighthouse, a 40 minute drive from the Bear Valley Visitor Center. (Distance — 1.6 miles; Time — 1 hour; Level of Difficulty — Moderate)

10. LIMANTOUR SPIT — BEACH TRAIL. This hike provides spectacular views and lots of birds. Start at Limantour parking area and head down toward the ocean. Just after passing the marsh area, turn right and head north along the trail in the dunes. Look for egrets, herons, willets, and plovers especially in the winter. At the end of the road head across the dunes to the beach, then to left again. Option: To add to the hike, continue northwest l.8 miles to the end of the spit, where you will find colonies of harbor seal. Return via the same trail or along the beach. (Distance 2 – 4 miles; Time – 2 – 3 hours; Level – Moderate)

Located one mile north of Point Reyes Station and five miles from the villages of Inverness and Olema, each guest room at the Black Heron Inn provides breathtaking panoramic views. Sunsets are spectacular!