Saturday, August 03, 2013

Saturday's 14-mile Trail Hike to Mordor Marin Headlands


Today's route
I had to turn my WalkMeter App off after mile 11 because the battery level on my iPhone was getting very low. I think it had to work extra hard because we only had an intermittent signal throughout the hike. We continued by following the same trail from which we had come in the morning for another 3 miles.


Well, that was a very cool, beautiful and challenging HIKE!!

We met at Ft. Baker, just across the Golden Gate Bridge in Marin to go on a killer hike in the Marin Headlands this morning. We met around 7:00. The fog was really thick, and it was pretty chilly.

We walked along the Coastal Trail, which starts at the bottom of the Golden Gate Bridge, and climbs up, Up, UP into the Marin Headlands. I had heard tales of this Coastal Trail Hike from last year. I wasn't able to make that walk, but I heard it was a doozy, and that it was a LOT more uphill than downhill.

Well, it didn't disappoint! We climbed UP into the fog, and up many steep trails. According to my Walkmeter App, we ascended 2,312feet, and descended 1,753 feet. The Coastal Trail is 6 miles to the Marin Headland's Visitor's Center. We had a quick potty break there, then did a 2 mile loop around the Rodeo Lagoon. We had our lunch break at the Visitor's Center, then reversed our rote on the Coastal Trail.

It was great fun, and really was a good challenge. According to our Fitbits (because we're all Fitbit crazed now) we walked 34,100 steps and climbed 281 flights! Wow!!!

As we kept climbing up the trails, I joked that we were climbing to Modor (From The Lord of the Rings Trilogy). Tanzeem had made the same joke when they did a steep trail hike in San Bruno two weeks ago, but it seemed to fit our hike today, too. We were in the heavy fog, which didn't lift until the very end of our hike, and the trails kept going UP! That, and I'm always munching on snacks while I walk, having second, and third breakfast before lunch... ;)

We rewarded ourselves with a lunch and drinks at Cavallo Point after our walk. It was a fabulous way to end our fun and challenging day together.


The Marin Side of the Golden Gate Bridge at 7:00am


We almost didn't get very far! We were stopped by some construction on our way towards the bridge


walking up in the fog up towards Modor! (you can see Peggy up there with her bright pink jacket!


First potty break!
This was the cleanest public porta-potty I've ever used! Seat covers, toilet paper, hand sanitizer, and no smell!



pretty scene - might make a pretty painting?


really picturesque trail


one of the many trails we walked up


hold on! Let's not get lost! everyone consult your maps!


Ah - there's the sign for the Coastal Trail! Back on track!


My view for most of the day - Sandy climbing the hills in front of me :)


We made it to the Marin Headlands Visitor's Center! Here's Linda posing with one of the displays


...and given the enormous size of my head, I thought this was very funny


The Rodeo Lagoon - we thought it looked like the body of water from "Lord of the Rings" with all of the bodies floating in it


Group Shot in front of the Pacific Ocean!


Yay - walking in sand!


UP more trails


a gorgeous, giant eucalyptus tree


a very friendly, albino horse at the stables


suddenly, the fog cleared, we turned a corner and POW - Gorgeous view! When we walked up this way in the morning, it was too foggy to see anything!


this great hike was made even better by the spectacular views we were greeted with towards the end


back to where we started


then we treated ourselves to lunch and drinks at Cavallo Point!


Cheers on 14 miles!


My Fitbit screen by the time I got home - impressive!

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