With the windy days in our faces there is plenty to be grateful for!  Just look at these hidden treasures in the forest and along the ridge ... if only I had my real camera other than my iPhone ...  

With Unbeaten Path Hiking Tours you are certain to get all the perks of the coast without the wind in your face and chilling your bones.  Let us show you the way!

Believe it or not I saw some Rhododendron blossoms along one trail (way early!) so we decided to see if any others were out along the Kruse Rhododendron trails... unfortunately none were seen  - I think I would have been a bit disappointed to see them so early ... but, we still saw some evidence of the Earth having a good smile ... with Thimble Berry blossoms and more. 

Today - I had some time to myself.  So, I packed up the dogs and hit the Hillside Loop Trail to see what's blooming.... A LOT!  Check out some findings ... 

Each winter when I see the remains of Kelp on the beach I am amazed by their structure.  I took this photograph of a tangle of stipes - this is the stem-like structure of Kelp. It is amazing stuff sometimes up to 100 feet long on the beach!  See below for more interesting info on the Giant Kelp of the California Coast.  On a funny note: Sometimes, when I am hungry and I see this picture it reminds me of french fries!  Seriously!

Off the coast of California, real forests can be found in the Pacific waters. These plants found here are called Giant Kelp. One plant can grow to 125 feet in length. Kelps are large brown seaweed found in temperate oceans around the world. However, kelps found on the Atlantic coast of the U.S. are much smaller than those found in the Pacific waters. Kelp beds & forests are recognized as one of the most productive and dynamic ecosystems on Earth. On the coast here - we see lots of smaller areas of anchored Giant Kelp. These are called Kelp Beds. Each winter much of these beds are cast upon the beach by winter waves and weather. However, Kelp regenerates quickly and by Spring many new beds repopulate along the coast.  That's fast!!!  Giant Kelp can grow up to 2 feet per day!

Click here for more information about Kelp

The San Andreas Fault is right out our back door!  Literally!  And there is great evidence of this as we walk the trails.  One example is a Sag Pond.  This particular Sag Pond is along our Hillside Loop Trail hike. This is a very common feature of the San Andreas Fault zone. 

Sag Ponds are formed in the low spots between the ridges and/or when stream drainage is offset and blocked by horizontal movement within the fault zone. The water does not drain from the sag ponds because the rocks in the fault zone have been ground to a fine clay from the "rubbing" of the Earth's movement and are thus impermeable.  Water collects and wa-la you have a pond.