Marin Headlands Hike
2.25.01
On a beautiful Sunday morning, Crystal and I woke up full of energy and
well-being after a night of dancing. We decided
to go hiking even though there were some clouds in the sky and rumors of
rain. We drove out to the Marin Headlands National Park above the Golden
Gate Bridge and hiked from Rodeo Beach to the Point Bonita Lighthouse and
back.
 The
beach was a northern California delight with large waves crashing onto
the warm brown sand and the rocks to either side. We climbed up the hill
to a grand view of the pacific and the coast.
As we passed W.W.II bunkers and a YMCA camp, we saw the first few spring
flowers on the hills - lily of the valley, daffodils, and a few others
I recognize, but can't name. A wonderful view of the Golden Gate Bridge
and the San Francisco Bay appeared to us as we crested the hill and arrived
at the lighthouse trail. This is also when it started to drizzle. Even
though the lighthouse itself was closed, we could see the remains of the
old Coast Guard lifesaving station and the site where the first lighthouse
on the point was constructed in 1866.
Point Bonita is actually one of the lighthouses that my grandfather
serviced when he was stationed in the Bay Area in the fifties. I spent
many happy afternoons as a child picnicking with my grandparents in this
same park in Marin and listening to stories about the lighthouses and bunkers.
 We
meandered back across the hills, around and through various old bunkers.
We choose a machine gun turret as the perfect place to have our lunch away
from the drizzle. It was dry and had a panoramic view of the pacific. What
more could a hiker ask for? We speculated about it's likelihood of collapse
in the event of a major earthquake, but didn't let it spoil the mood.
 As
we finished lunch and decided to head back down to the beach, it really
started to rain. We got soaked as we picked our way down the hill, but
it was totally worth it.
|
