On our last day in Mountain View before departing for home Emily and I took time out to go rambling in the mountains that surround the city both to the east and the west and give it its name. I've always wanted to view Silicon Valley looking down from on high so we headed westwards to the Rancho San Antonio Open Space Reserve (named after me presumably!). There we took the Wildcat Loop and, towards the end, the High Meadow Trails, two of many criss-crossing the reserve. They started and ended close to the Deer Hollow Farm. We had a long climb up the mountain side, followed by a walk along a ridge-line with great views of the valley, and then a long descent. The hills are apparently home to Mountain Lions (aka Pumas or Cougars). These are large wild cats that live a fairly solitary existence and attack deer or pets or, very rarely humans. Needless to say we didn't see one, but Em and I were talking vigorously for much of the trip and we could be heard a long way off. So we had safety in numbers and flagged our existence so that we were unlikely to be disturbed!
Here's the start of the reserve with its unbelievably green grass and lush vegetation. Mind you, this range had just had about 250 mm of rain in a week or so, helping to end a very long drought. And I add a picture of Emily at the beginning of our ascent of the mountain side.
The trail wound relentlessly up the side of a creek with running water.
And it began to offer extensive views of the lushly vegetated countryside populated also with delicate and rather beautiful wild-flowers.
And the ridge-line offered extensive views over Silicon Valley from Los Altos (The Heights) and Palo Alto (High Pole) in the foreground across the southern end of San Francisco bay towards Oakland in the north and San Jose in the south. Yes, Mountain View itself is somewhere in the middle ground.
And here I am gracing the scene all rugged up on what was promised, accurately, as a cold and wet day. We timed our journey well because the rain came on as we drove home.
On the descent we passed through as series of lovely meadows populated with wild deer!
In all, a great walk and excellent preparation for sitting 13 hours in a plane crossing the Pacific Ocean. Thanks Emily for being my guide.
AS
Here's the start of the reserve with its unbelievably green grass and lush vegetation. Mind you, this range had just had about 250 mm of rain in a week or so, helping to end a very long drought. And I add a picture of Emily at the beginning of our ascent of the mountain side.
The trail wound relentlessly up the side of a creek with running water.
And it began to offer extensive views of the lushly vegetated countryside populated also with delicate and rather beautiful wild-flowers.
And the ridge-line offered extensive views over Silicon Valley from Los Altos (The Heights) and Palo Alto (High Pole) in the foreground across the southern end of San Francisco bay towards Oakland in the north and San Jose in the south. Yes, Mountain View itself is somewhere in the middle ground.
And here I am gracing the scene all rugged up on what was promised, accurately, as a cold and wet day. We timed our journey well because the rain came on as we drove home.
On the descent we passed through as series of lovely meadows populated with wild deer!
In all, a great walk and excellent preparation for sitting 13 hours in a plane crossing the Pacific Ocean. Thanks Emily for being my guide.
AS
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