Saturday, October 09, 2004
Fall is here and the trails are beckoning
Before the rains begin in earnest is a good time in the year for those who like to run and hike on trails. We, in the San Francisco Bay area, are fortunate to have access to many such trails within a short drive or, for some lucky ones, easy walking distance.
Trails abound in North, South and East bay. My experience is primarily limited to South Bay and Mid-Peninsula. These are some that I like:
Wűnderlich
Huddert Park
Phleger Estate
Coal Mine Creek
Windy Hill
Purisima Creek Redwoods
Black Mountain
Montebello
Russian Ridge
Montara Mountain
Stevens Creek Canyon
Saratoga Gap
Rancho San Antonio
Foothills Park (restricted access, open only to Palo Alto residents)
Quite a few of the preserves are managed by the Mid-Peninsula Regional Open Space District (MROSD). This organization has done an outstanding job in protecting vast areas from developers and making them accessible, without charging entrance fee, to lovers of nature and outdoor activities. Parks that fall under the jurisdiction of county authorities (Santa Clara and San Mateo) require payment of entrance fee for those who drive in.
The preserves have trails that are fairly easy to follow and do not require too much effort, as well as those that are demanding. The views are great; good picnic spots are plentiful. Take advantage of them. Good for one's body---and spirits.
The MROSD web site http://www.openspace.org/ contains details about the preserves
managed by the organization, including maps and docent-led walks.
******************
"The falling leaves fall and pile up;
the rain beats on the rain."
----Gyodai (translated by Harold Henderson)
******************
Election 2004 (November 2nd)
23 days before the election.
A few months back it looked as though John Kerry had a chance of beating President Bush. Then in September, following the Republican Convention, the polls reflected a spurt in the rating for Bush. Kerry's prospects appeared dismal. Now,after the two debates, there is again a glimmer....a faint glimmer of hope. Although the Republicans are trying to put a spin on it, the Duelfer report was bad news for the president. On October 6th his handpicked head of the Iraq Survey Group, Charles Duelfer, released the report of his findings. In a nutshell, there was no evidence that Saddam Hussein possessed
WMD, and there were no active facilities in Iraq to manufacture WMD. The Bush administration's lies came home to roost.
The exposure of the lies and Bush's weakness in the debates reversed the tide against John Kerry. Without a teleprompter the president gets tense and it shows. That brings up the matter of the "mysterious bulge". In the first debate, TV cameras (Fox News) caught Bush from the back when he was standing hunched over the podium. The presence of a square object under his suit jacket was quite noticeable. What was it---some kind of electronic device that was prompting him? The White House is staying mum.
Indications are that John Kerry could win more popular votes than Bush as Al Gore did in 2000. The Electoral college is something else. There, too, the projections are tightening.
The president must be sweating for news of Osama bin Laden's
capture. Would Musharraf be able to deliver before November 2nd?
***************
"Three Witches: Fair is foul and foul is fair, hover through the fog and filthy air.
Macbeth: False face must hide what false heart doth know."
----Wm. Shakespeare
Trails abound in North, South and East bay. My experience is primarily limited to South Bay and Mid-Peninsula. These are some that I like:
Wűnderlich
Huddert Park
Phleger Estate
Coal Mine Creek
Windy Hill
Purisima Creek Redwoods
Black Mountain
Montebello
Russian Ridge
Montara Mountain
Stevens Creek Canyon
Saratoga Gap
Rancho San Antonio
Foothills Park (restricted access, open only to Palo Alto residents)
Quite a few of the preserves are managed by the Mid-Peninsula Regional Open Space District (MROSD). This organization has done an outstanding job in protecting vast areas from developers and making them accessible, without charging entrance fee, to lovers of nature and outdoor activities. Parks that fall under the jurisdiction of county authorities (Santa Clara and San Mateo) require payment of entrance fee for those who drive in.
The preserves have trails that are fairly easy to follow and do not require too much effort, as well as those that are demanding. The views are great; good picnic spots are plentiful. Take advantage of them. Good for one's body---and spirits.
The MROSD web site http://www.openspace.org/ contains details about the preserves
managed by the organization, including maps and docent-led walks.
******************
"The falling leaves fall and pile up;
the rain beats on the rain."
----Gyodai (translated by Harold Henderson)
******************
Election 2004 (November 2nd)
23 days before the election.
A few months back it looked as though John Kerry had a chance of beating President Bush. Then in September, following the Republican Convention, the polls reflected a spurt in the rating for Bush. Kerry's prospects appeared dismal. Now,after the two debates, there is again a glimmer....a faint glimmer of hope. Although the Republicans are trying to put a spin on it, the Duelfer report was bad news for the president. On October 6th his handpicked head of the Iraq Survey Group, Charles Duelfer, released the report of his findings. In a nutshell, there was no evidence that Saddam Hussein possessed
WMD, and there were no active facilities in Iraq to manufacture WMD. The Bush administration's lies came home to roost.
The exposure of the lies and Bush's weakness in the debates reversed the tide against John Kerry. Without a teleprompter the president gets tense and it shows. That brings up the matter of the "mysterious bulge". In the first debate, TV cameras (Fox News) caught Bush from the back when he was standing hunched over the podium. The presence of a square object under his suit jacket was quite noticeable. What was it---some kind of electronic device that was prompting him? The White House is staying mum.
Indications are that John Kerry could win more popular votes than Bush as Al Gore did in 2000. The Electoral college is something else. There, too, the projections are tightening.
The president must be sweating for news of Osama bin Laden's
capture. Would Musharraf be able to deliver before November 2nd?
***************
"Three Witches: Fair is foul and foul is fair, hover through the fog and filthy air.
Macbeth: False face must hide what false heart doth know."
----Wm. Shakespeare
