Seemed like a gorgeous late-summer day, and L & P had a new vehicle, so we hied ourselves down to Monterey to Jacks Peak Park for a test drive and a little hike. The entry booth claimed that the ranger was "on patrol", although we never saw him/her. But remember: NO camping!
Before we even got to the parking lot, we knew "NO sports allowed."
And, furthermore, although it didn't say so, "NO parking here."
Here are L & P with their new vehicle.
Other than us, the two parking lots were pretty much empty. Made for quite a peaceful hour or two.
This is where we started. The bin on the information board had maps of the park and guidebooks for the self-guided nature trail.
Info about the park itself.
Intriguing info about the original settler, one Mr. Jacks, whose dealings were apparetly sometimes as shady as this park is today.
The nature trail (small loop in very lower left corner) looked good as it circumnavigated the top of the peak, and we'd already had lunch, so a mile or so sounded even better.
Sign to the two trails we eventually wandered.
Before you even get to #1 on the nature trail, the brochure warns you to avoid Toxicodendron diversilobum, which is "abundant"--no fooling! It was everywhere, even coming up through the path in a couple of places. But fortunately the paths were wide and it was easily avoided.
What a lovely plant, starting to turn autumn red! Think I'll take some home to mom!
The grand Monterey Pine, which grows natively only in a few small pockets on the Monterey Peninsula. Apparently, however, it's an important timber crop overseas and there are more of it there than here in its natural habitat.
The problem with doing the nature trail at the end of a long, hot, dry summer: There are numbers but nothing to go with them half the time. This is the Indian Soap Plant. Costonoan Indians of the Rumsen tribe used it for poisoning fish and for food. Which makes one ask sardonically, "Why is the Rumsen gone?" (as this is Jack's Peak) (Thanks, Linda, for the joke--) Anyway, we'll have to come back in the spring for the wildflowers.
"Is *that* the dried out husk of the sticky monkey flower, or is *that* it?"
All of the trail junctions were clearly labeled, which is a nice thing.
From one side of Jack's Peak, you had gorgeous views of Carmel Bay. Benches were abundant along the nature trail. This is a hike that even someone with some walking challenges could manage.
L&P enjoying the view.
Carmel Bay again.
Carmel Bay yet again.
The nature trail was generally very wide and well-used, although we're not sure when or by whom, because we saw only two other parties the whole time we meandered through, taking our sweet time.
The weather was gorgeous for hiking. The trails had just enough shade so that we hardly broke a sweat.
Apparently the shade and the weather and the trails made for good smooching, too.
On the way back to the parking lot, on the far side of the loop, we encountered a whole ton of switchbacks. They weren't bad going down; we didn't remember going up that much on the way in. This part would not be as good for the ambulatorily challenged.
Reading all about the shale formation.
Fossil shale. The whole peak--perhaps most of Monterey Peninsula--is made of this amazingly light-weight rock. We didn't find any fossils in scrutinizing the layers with our noses inches away from them, but I'm sure they're there.
Shale close-up; pretty rock.
An absolutely stunning view of Monterey Bay from the other side of Jack's Peak. At sea level, you feel that you're just driving along the ocean's shore. It isn't until you get a view like this that you realize how deeply the Bay runs into the coastline. (The Pacific is off to the left somewhere.) It wasn't quite clear enough that we could make out Santa Cruz on the northern point of the Bay, but it was worth standing and looking for several minutes.
Although we saw little wildlife, this swallowtail butterfly kindly alit on a nearby shrub and waited until I could get close enough with even my cheap little point-and-shoot camera. Then he departed for parts unknown, perhaps Ghirardelli at Cannery Row for a hot fudge sundae. Which sounded like a good idea to us, too.
Just as long as you have NO fires and NO barbecues.
Not to mention NO smoking and NO horses on the trail.
NO horses can have picnics, either.
Well, it was a small park, maybe they had to get all of their rules and regulations posted in such a small area that we just happened to notice them all in quick succession. Apparently they weren't using the same dictionary as the makers of the previous "NO BARBQUES" sign. (Thanks again, Linda; jeez, I'm going to have to hire you as my gag writer.)
Cannery Row.
A beautiful day in Monterey.
A couple of sites that have been ruins and/or vacant, partially built lots for about as long as I can remember are now being built up into a hotel and shopping complex.
More Cannery Row.
More Cannery Row. It's just SUCH a nice day.
You need these sunglasses.
Ah, our destination at last!
Domingo Ghirardelli looks on in presumed approval as L & P order their refreshments.
The traditional hot fudge sundae (left) and my nontraditional mint-chip version. Next time I'll stick with the traditional vanilla.
One of the sites from the old canneries is now preserved permanently as McAbee Beach, a mini park among the tourist brouhaha.
Info about McAbee Beach.
