Hiking Above The Clouds

My friend Miriam is training to climb Cerro Aconcagua in the Central Andes in Argentina. It’s one of the Seven Summits and the highest mountain in both the Western and Southern Hemispheres. As part of her training, she goes on long and grueling hikes around Bay Area peaks and this weekend she invited me and my friend Laurie to come along.

Early Saturday morning we drove up to Stinson Beach, where the Mount Tamalpais hiking loop begins. The fog was thick when we started at the base of the Dipsea Trail. The cool and damp air was perfect for our ascent up the hillside.

Most of the 7.3 mile trail was shaded by Douglas firs and California bays. Along the way we saw waterfalls, a variety of ferns and countless other plants. The sound of the water flowing down the creeks was soothing. Everything was so green and full of life. I felt a burst of energy every time I took a breath. There was something almost spiritual about it.

The path eventually crossed over to the Steep Ravine Trail and then to the Matt Davis Trail. The last trail took us up through a sunny grassy hillside with spectacular views! You could see all the way to San Francisco’s Twin Peaks. The fog at the base of the hillside had not burned off yet and looked like a giant puffy white blanket covering the coast side. It was like hiking above the clouds. Our descent took us through some tight switchbacks and more gorgeous forestry.

We finished our amazing journey in 3 hours and then enjoyed a nice lunch in Stinson Beach. This hiking loop is now one of my favorites in the Bay Area and I’ll definitely be back soon!

Coit Tower

After 13 years of living in the Bay Area I finally made my way up to Coit Tower today. I’ve driven up to the parking lot atop Telegraph Hill, but I had never gone inside the tower. Taking advantage of the great sunny weather, I made the trek up to the iconic landmark. This time I went walking. I didn’t want the hassle of trying to find a parking space.

Filbert Street in North Beach takes you right up to Coit Tower. If you’re in decent shape, the steep hill shouldn’t be too bad. The walk is short and they have steps to make it a little easier. About halfway up the hill I saw a young guy out of breath, sweating bullets, sitting on the sidewalk. Maybe he should have taken a taxi.

Once I got to the base of the tower, the views were amazing! I then went inside the small circular building. The first floor walls are covered with beautiful murals depicting life in San Francisco from the perspective of different communities in the city.

There is a little gift shop where I bought my $5.00 ticket for the elevator ride to the top of the tower. About 13 of us packed into the old and noisy elevator. When I got off the elevator, I still had to walk two short flights of stairs before I reached the top.




The views from the top were breathtaking! I had a 360 degree view of the city. As I walked around I could see from the Golden Gate Bridge to the Bay Bridge and to the Transamerica building.

Coit Tower was built in 1933. Lillie Hitchcock Coit donated the money for the tower. It was her way of honoring San Francisco firefighters.

Trolley Dances

I am always looking for new and interesting events around San Francisco. So when I saw a story on the news about the 6^th Annual Trolley Dances, I knew I had to check it out. The production takes the audience out of the theater and on to the streets of San Francisco for a unique journey into the city’s diverse dancing community. All you need to pay is $2.00 in train fare!

The guided tour started in the middle of Mission Dolores Park. The first performance was a Son Jarocho from Veracruz, Mexico. A group of local musicians sang as two members of Grupo Folklorico Los Mejicas danced for the crowd.

From there, we moved over to the pedestrian bridge near 19^th and Church. Members of the Deborah Slater Dance Theater danced a piece called “Men Think They Are Better Than Grass.”

The next stop was the Muni trolley. We packed onto the crowded train taking us to Balboa Park in the southern part of the city. As we approached 30^th and Church the Muni driver announced over the loud speaker to look out the left side of the train for a special performance. Of course I was on the other side and couldn't see much, but I did catch a few glimpses of the couple dancing on the sidewalk. Everyone on the train started cheering as the man lifted the woman into air with her puffy, black and white polka dot skirt. We all clapped and waved good bye to the dancers as the train moved on. It must have been quite a scene for people walking down the street wondering what was going on.

When we arrived at Balboa Park we were greeted by the Oakland based company Deep Waters Dance Theater. Their lively hip-hop style music and energetic moves really got the crowd going, dancing under the trees.

We then headed to the parking lot area for a performance called “Blue Ramp.” Two women in long flowing dresses ran around dancing, splashing water from a bucket and hugged a tree as a third woman played the accordion.

Our last stop was inside the Balboa Park Pool. The first routine was a solo by a young male synchronized swimmer. For the grand finale, the San Francisco Merionettes Synchronized Swim Club performed to a medley of superhero theme songs.

I had no idea what kind of ride the Trolley Dances would take me on, but it turned out to be a very entertaining and memorable journey through the streets of my favorite city.

Blue Angels Flying High

Thousands of spectators gathered along San Francisco’s waterfront this weekend to catch a glimpse of the Blue Angels. The blue and gold jets are the stars of the annual Fleet Week festivities.

Every year, I can’t wait to see the Navy’s elite squad show off its mid-air acrobatics. The roar of the F/A-18 Hornet jets can be heard across the city, as they hurtle through the sky rattling windows. Of course, not everyone appreciates the noise, but most people welcome the spectacle.

Friday’s practice run was a big crowed pleaser. I got to watch it from Crissy Field, along with hundreds of other excited fans. The sky was clear and ideal for flying, but it was a different story on the weekend.

On Saturday, the Blue Angels abruptly stopped the show after the fog rolled in, leaving a lot of people disappointed. The Sunday performance also had to be modified and shortened because of the cloud coverage.

The weather may have put a damper on the weekend air shows, but hopefully they’ll be back next year!