The Bridge to Nowhere

Abu Dhabi is short on tracks. Abu Dhabi Striders, the local running group, often does its speed session in parking lots (last Sunday night, at least two people were felled by curbs). There's the formula 1 track, open most Tuesday nights for runners and bikers. If it's not Tuesday or Sunday, there's always a good old standby right out our front door, the Corniche.

And then there's the bridge to nowhere. Until recently, though, we stopped when we got to nowhere -- the island on the other side of the bridge. 

Big mistake. 

It turns out that nowhere is a really lovely place to be. 

The sand is firm enough for running, homicidal Ferraris are scarce, the scrub is lovely, and the views -- they are sensational. 

The birds love the island, too. 

 Including these distant flamingos.

And (Nick promises it's true) sometimes dolphins, too.

Twin Peaks

Take the stairs at Clayton Ave & Corbett Street....

....up to a gorgeous old tree....

...and follow the Twin Peaks signs to wind up one last stretch of bendy road.

                              And, like Adam and Eve in Paradise Lost, the world will be all before you. 

Yes, all of it. Transamerica Tower and Market Street. Golden Gate, San Rafael, and Bay bridges. 

All from a half mile walk! Take someone you love on a nice day. 

 And perhaps (next time we will remember) a cool drink with which to celebrate. 

Mendocino

A disclaimer that recent trips have not been camping related and that most of these photos are borrowed....but at any rate, they were all exploration-centric. We've been on a cute B&B kick, and Mendocino is the perfect place to indulge such a kick.

We stayed at The Andiron Inn in the "Play" cabin, full of vintage board games (PerQuackety!) and complete with Whoopie pies on our arrival. The breakfast toast bar far transcended the humble status of toast, happy hour was fun, and the starlit hot tub in the grove was fantastic; best of all, though, were the goats (Peanut Butter & Jelly), who are friendly and perpetually in need of a rub and a treat.



The town of Mendocino was lovely...gifty and gallery laden, sure, but also right on some coastal cliffs that we eventually explored after we tired of buying candles and ogling expensive beach wood items of dubious functionality.



Fort Bragg, home of the Skunk Train, was a little more down to earth. We went for a run along the old railway trail, a gorgeous ocean-side track that goes on for miles along a secluded coast line. We ended by running back to the Trestle Bridge (near "Pudding Beach")...more striking to see from a distance than to stand on, but important to stand on, nonetheless.



And...the best ending for a run... we tried the beer sampler at North Coast Brewing Co. over soup and sandwiches.



Our second run was perhaps even more lovely, because so secluded. We ran into Russian Gulch State Park from the beach parking across the street from the entrance, up through the park, and onto Fern Canyon Trail.



"And I shall have some peace there, for peace comes dropping slow"
W.B. Yeats