two feet

I do like hiking and all that I can see and explore on my own. With Major semi-broken I still need to get out, so I've been exploring.

Some of the usual places, like the Auburn confluence, but from a different perspective. On this cloudy afternoon there were very few people, and no one down on the lower beach area (stay away from the water though!). Added bonus: from down here I can't see the ugly chain-link fence they added to the railings!

a different perspective

below No Hands bridge

downriver view

Then a place I'd only been a couple time, Sacramento Bar. It is lower down the American river (in Sacramento, duh!) and the last of the gold dredging areas (into the 1960s), so some of the walking is over giant piles of river rocks. Not the easiest on your feet! But the flowers were lovely. And FYI: do not feed a goose one of your Doritos (nacho flavor). They will not leave you alone. (yes, I know better, but damn, they're cute!)

poppies among rocks

just one more please?

cool spiky scary weed

But two feet is not always easier than four, especially when climbing big hills. A long time ago I took Major up Cardiac hill, but it is so eroded now, down to slick rock, I don't think I'd do that again. I'll keep doing it myself, and hopefully improve on my laughable pace up the hill. It only took 20 minutes, but the longest 20 minutes ever. Yeah, I'm stopping to take a picture of this lovely flower, not just trying to catch my breath!

first vetch flowers

alien-head rock is watching

a moment of zen before starting up the hill

laughable pace chart!

lovely wild iris

Major is on the mend, and we'll be using his four feet as transport soon, but I admit that literally stopping to smell the flowers is pretty nice too.

Major the street walker

busy bee on weeping cherry tree