We took a spring walk in California the other day.
My husband and I looked out the window at the sunny sky and thought, “Why not?”
We set off to hike a tall hill–a small mountain by some counts–near our home.
We hadn’t been up there in several years. Trails were overgrown, illegal new ones appeared, and it felt like a new hike.
We walked after a long stint of rain, and the creek was busy and wild.
The trails were soggy, and we either left our footprints or our shoes!
To our surprise, we also got lost.
But here’s what we saw!
Annadel State Park
We hiked up a rough trail to Lake Ilsanjo in Annadel State Park.
I brought a walking stick this year after remembering the challenges of the rocky path.
I only needed one pole, but with the stick mud, uneven path, and the incline, I needed it.
My husband, of course, also stopped to hold out his hand as needed!
The water was high, but it’s since dropped, and now we’re threatened with drought (again).
The lichen-covered trees are waiting for leaves.
The sound of a merry creek, at least in California, heralds spring!
A spring walk in California always includes flowers
And, if you’re near a lake, you get to hear calling birds! YouTube Video here.
On the way to see the above birds in Spring Lake, we passed more flowers!
Traveling to parks involves vineyards coming to life and other signs of spring!
The next week, we headed to Lake Sonoma, passing by awakening vineyards to take another spring walk in California’s beauty.
Other signs of spring stepped out that day, though not with their mother!
We hadn’t been to this part of Sonoma County in a long time. The park seemed empty, which surprised us on that sunny day.
After hiking in the hills, we wandered below the dam to the fish hatchery.
There, we learned about humans’ intervention to ensure there were fish in the Russian River!
The involved setup surprised me. Once the fish cleared the fish ladder, a hose sucked them into metal tanks.
There, workers hand-milked the fish for eggs, then fertilized (not the old-fashioned way!), and raised them in a jar.
We examined the new fish growing in their tanks!
1. Fish swim up the fish ladder. 2. Eggs fertilized in a jar 3. A few weeks later, baby fish!
Once the fish grow enough — usually in a year or two — workers release them into the Russian River.
From there, they swim to the Pacific Ocean.
Five years or so later, they return upstream, and the cycle begins again.
Sonoma County is beautiful any time of the year, but especially on a spring walk.
Thoughts? Reactions? Lurker?