May 21st in Los Altos

Los Altos, CA

May 21, 2011

This morning Peter, Margaret, Carol and I went for a 4.7 mile hike on a portion of the Russian Ridge Trail in the hills west of Los Altos. The weather was beautiful with plenty of sunshine and a pleasant breeze.

We drove up Page Mill Road, my favorite drive in the area, and parked at the trailhead. The trail wound through grassy fields sprinkled with wildflowers (which I photographed as we walked). We followed the network of trails that climbed to the highest point in area looking out over Palo Alto and neighboring towns. The red roofs and spire of Stanford University were clearly visible to the east. As we meandered along up and down the hills, expansive panoramic views opened before us. To the west a mountain range blocked our view of the Pacific Oceans.

Working our way around in a large circle we passed through cool, dim forests of ancient moss clad oak trees slowly climbing back toward the highland to retrace our steps to the parking lot.

We returned home for lunch and relaxation.

As I write this the TV is tuned to a horse race, the 136^th Preakness, which is about to begin.

They’re off and so am I to continue catching up on the blog.

And “Shackleford” wins!

Margaret and Carol on the trail

Peter and Margaret

The red roofs of Stanford University

Typical view

All of us