Teague Hill Hike October 4 2008

The Sierra club met at the Woodside school to carpool. Isn't this a gorgeous school? I know houses that aren't this nice. Jerry Rice's kids are rumored to have attended this school.

2008-10-04T14:32:04Z

elf1
The Sierra club met at the Woodside school to carpool. Isn't this a gorgeous school? I know houses that aren't this nice. Jerry Rice's kids are rumored to have attended this school.

Outside the school, a beautiful huge old oak. Mossy. Woodside is well inside the coastal fog shadow.

2008-10-04T14:32:04Z

elf1
Outside the school, a beautiful huge old oak. Mossy. Woodside is well inside the coastal fog shadow.

Because of the rain, the group leader said they might get only 3 or 4; the biggest group for Teague Hill has been about 10 people. Today? 20!

2008-10-04T14:32:04Z

elf1
Because of the rain, the group leader said they might get only 3 or 4; the biggest group for Teague Hill has been about 10 people. Today? 20!

The group hanging out waiting for everyone to arrive.

2008-10-04T14:32:04Z

elf1
The group hanging out waiting for everyone to arrive.

Woodside school parking lot, Sierra Club, and big oak tree.

2008-10-04T14:32:04Z

elf1
Woodside school parking lot, Sierra Club, and big oak tree.

We carpooled to the trailhead, which oddly started out from this private, very steep driveway.

2008-10-04T14:32:04Z

elf1
We carpooled to the trailhead, which oddly started out from this private, very steep driveway.

As we push our way up the steep hill, we're surprised to see the sign that greets us.

2008-10-04T14:38:13Z

elf1
As we push our way up the steep hill, we're surprised to see the sign that greets us.

This must have been a very early prototype for an Interstate. I can confirm: This design didn't work.

2008-10-04T14:32:04Z

elf1
This must have been a very early prototype for an Interstate. I can confirm: This design didn't work.

Leaves littered the trail, although the trees didn't look particularly autumnal. We climb steadily for 2 hours. Two hikers give up and turn back.

2008-10-04T14:39:10Z

elf1
Leaves littered the trail, although the trees didn't look particularly autumnal. We climb steadily for 2 hours. Two hikers give up and turn back.

Constant bathing with fog enables amazingly thick, fernlike mosses to grow on most of the trees. We keep climbing.

2008-10-04T14:39:57Z

elf1
Constant bathing with fog enables amazingly thick, fernlike mosses to grow on most of the trees. We keep climbing.

Beautiful moss.

2008-10-04T14:32:04Z

elf1
Beautiful moss.

The path was sometimes a little subtle. We're still climbing.

2008-10-04T14:40:18Z

elf1
The path was sometimes a little subtle. We're still climbing.

After hiking 2 miles and climbing 1000 feet in 2 hours, we suddenly came across this sign in the middle of nowhere. No trail junctions that I noticed.

2008-10-04T14:40:49Z

elf1
After hiking 2 miles and climbing 1000 feet in 2 hours, we suddenly came across this sign in the middle of nowhere. No trail junctions that I noticed.

After our effort at getting up the 1000-foot climb, we were a little entertained to discover that there was a speed limit. I assure you that we weren't exceeding it.

2008-10-04T14:32:05Z

elf1
After our effort at getting up the 1000-foot climb, we were a little entertained to discover that there was a speed limit. I assure you that we weren't exceeding it.

Our sweat-soaked bodies were all more than ready for a lunch break.

2008-10-04T14:41:19Z

elf1
Our sweat-soaked bodies were all more than ready for a lunch break.

Today's fearless leader (with beard), Craig Keith. Yet another man with 2 first names, along with my other associates: Doug Keith, Eric Bruce, Daniel Craig...

2008-10-04T14:32:05Z

elf1
Today's fearless leader (with beard), Craig Keith. Yet another man with 2 first names, along with my other associates: Doug Keith, Eric Bruce, Daniel Craig...

Enjoying the company at lunch. A couple of people forgot their lunch. Among us, we were able to provide them with an abundance of food.

2008-10-04T14:32:05Z

elf1
Enjoying the company at lunch. A couple of people forgot their lunch. Among us, we were able to provide them with an abundance of food.

Still at lunch. We had all been in shirtsleeves, but jackets are starting to go back on.

2008-10-04T14:42:24Z

elf1
Still at lunch. We had all been in shirtsleeves, but jackets are starting to go back on.

Ben monitors the situation. (Before today, I had met only one of the hikers. But they were all pleasant companions.)

2008-10-04T14:32:05Z

elf1
Ben monitors the situation. (Before today, I had met only one of the hikers. But they were all pleasant companions.)

Me post-lunch. I'm wearing my fleece again, as sitting in this cool, damp weather in my sweat-soaked clothes was cooling me rapidly. And everyone else, too. It was time to get up and go agai ...

2008-10-04T14:43:14Z

elf1
Me post-lunch. I'm wearing my fleece again, as sitting in this cool, damp weather in my sweat-soaked clothes was cooling me rapidly. And everyone else, too. It was time to get up and go agai ...

Every time I go out into my yard, I grab the pooper scooper and cover the whole area looking for things to scoop. These little oval brown pinecones drove me nuts this whole hike.

2008-10-04T14:44:17Z

elf1
Every time I go out into my yard, I grab the pooper scooper and cover the whole area looking for things to scoop. These little oval brown pinecones drove me nuts this whole hike.

Another--smaller--tree overcome with moss.

2008-10-04T14:44:52Z

elf1
Another--smaller--tree overcome with moss.

In places, the underbrush came right in on top of the trail. Many of the trails were well-used enough to have worn into the topsoil, but they're not well maintained (because officially they ...

2008-10-04T14:45:54Z

elf1
In places, the underbrush came right in on top of the trail. Many of the trails were well-used enough to have worn into the topsoil, but they're not well maintained (because officially they ...

Coming down off the hill, we found the trail thoroughly blocked by this downed tree (you can see Ben in the yellow shirt at the top of the photo, evaluating whether to follow the rest of us ...

2008-10-04T14:47:02Z

elf1
Coming down off the hill, we found the trail thoroughly blocked by this downed tree (you can see Ben in the yellow shirt at the top of the photo, evaluating whether to follow the rest of us ...

Ben elects to clamber over the tree.

2008-10-04T14:47:21Z

elf1
Ben elects to clamber over the tree.

I don't know whether it saved him any time, but he got artistic points for being different.

2008-10-04T14:47:52Z

elf1
I don't know whether it saved him any time, but he got artistic points for being different.

On the way out, we encountered several redwood groves. Redwoods primarily grow up around the base of the original giant parent. These 6 trees might show the diameter of an ancient ancestor.

2008-10-04T14:48:53Z

elf1
On the way out, we encountered several redwood groves. Redwoods primarily grow up around the base of the original giant parent. These 6 trees might show the diameter of an ancient ancestor.

These were all baby redwoods, as most of these hillsides were clearcut of their 1000-year-old old-growth redwoods in the 19th century. But their bark is still beautiful.

2008-10-04T14:59:35Z

elf1
These were all baby redwoods, as most of these hillsides were clearcut of their 1000-year-old old-growth redwoods in the 19th century. But their bark is still beautiful.

And even 100-year-old babies get really, really tall.

2008-10-04T14:50:11Z

elf1
And even 100-year-old babies get really, really tall.