Point Reyes Hike With Lisa -- Feb 2, 2007

In August of 1993, following a "where-we-first-met-dinner" hosted by Win and Mona, I asked Lisa out on a date to go hiking with me to the Point Reyes National Seashore. This was our official first date and I was pretty excited.

Lisa suggested we have breakfast at her house before heading out and made me breakfast and picked fresh tomatoes from her garden. I was very impressed. After the hike, we went out for a sushi dinner and made goo-goo eyes as we ate gooey stuff better known as bait. The hike went well, the dinner went well, the future dates went well, and the rest is, well....history.

On Feb. 2, 2007, we decided to re-create that first date and returned to Point Reyes for the 8-mile hike from the Bear Valley Visitor's Center to the beach at Arch Rock. This is a pretty cool hike. It is an out-and-back, level hike through several micro-climates and varied terrain ultimately ending up at the beach. Lots of redwoods, ferns, wildflowers, oaks, California Bays, and the trail follows a creek for the entire trail.

(The spacing in this blog is a little off as I learn what I'm doing, so keep scrolling down until you hit the sushi)
Check out Jane Huber's site for maps, directions, etc. http://www.bahiker.com/northbayhikes/prbv.html

So, loaded with snacks in our packs, cameras, and the memories of 13 years prior, we hit the trail. The weather was a bit cool, but perfect for a hike. The trail meanders along the creek through a fern woodland.
We talked about the first date and took lots of pictures. As I was pointing out the various plant life to Lisa, she pointed out that I had pointed out the plants during our first date. Uh, I get the point. I then pointed out, I mean showed her how ferns can grow on and in anything.


She said I had a pointed head, but I think she was secretly impressed. We continued on and at 1.6 miles, we arrived at the popular Divide Meadow. I say popular because they have bathrooms there, saving the hikers from what bears have been doing naturally for years. Divide Meadow is a good place to rest, have snacks, and readjust packs.












Divide Meadow and DM panorama- try clicking on it.

For the next couple of miles, the trail follows the wooded creek and then opens up a bit as you near the beach and the west end of the United States. We were getting excited to see Arch Rock and the picnic spot we had on that seminal date 13 years ago. Here's what it looks like:
Arch Rock is the perfect spot to have lunch and to try and steal a kiss. My results? Well, it was basically salami and cheese. And, no, that is not a euphemism for anything except salami and cheese.


See? No joke; salami and cheese. Check out the cool hiking stools we have. They weigh only 22 ounces and hold 220 lbs (no comments on this limit please) and are great for hiking.




Lisa made a friend on the Rock and he got some of our sandwich. Later, we ate him!












After a while hanging out on the Rock, eating gulls, and taking pics, we started the four miles hike back to the trailhead. It was wonderful: we walked, talked, founds milkmaids (the first blooming wildflowers of the season), took breaks, and re-lived our first date. Here's a few more pics of the trip. I believe they open if you click on them:



















And, finally we made it back to the meadow and then the car. On the first date, when I leaned in to plant a kiss on Mellissa, she said, "You know, you're really getting red; you should put on some sunblock." So, this time, I figured that I would just try again.







BINGO! He shoots; he scores.
OK, we're married, so no big challenge here, but still, it's all good.

And, finally, don't forget about the date top-off, the sushi dinner. We ended up at our favorite place, Kane Sushi in Danville for a "fresh bait pig-out". Perfect dinner to end a perfect hike, a perfect day, and a perfect date.



Dedicated to my wife, Feb 3, 2007