Robert Sibley Volcanic/Huckleberry Botanical Parks

Yanni and I were able to fit in one last hike before my China trip. I was thrilled to go to Robert Sibley Volcanic Park and also Huckleberry Botanic Park. They sit almost side-by-side in the Berkeley hills and each has its own claim to fame.

In addition, this would likely be my last post for about three weeks when I can post the China pics. And no boring Great Wall tourist BS either! I'm going to capture the seamy underbelly of the Chinese government by sneaking into the Kremlin or whatever they call their government HQ. The shocking photos and expose' that will follow might just win me a Pulitzer or Peabody or an Emmy or a Tony or something. OK, enough on China for now and back to the hike.

Robert Sibely Volcanic Regional Park was home to a big friggin' volcano 10 million years ago. That must have really made the evening news when that thing blew. As we pull into the parking lot, we can hear the din of happy screaming kids from my car . Lots of din, lots of happy screaming kids. We grab our packs and hit the trail.

One small problem: its freezing! Cold fog is blowing in and its nearly raining from the heavy mist. I have no windbreaker since 1) I'm an idiot, and 2) I've been hiking in 100 degree weather for the past several hikes! Yanni says he forgot his as well, but then pulls out an alpine survival jacket. Its 40 degrees out and he tells me, "Don't worry, this baby's rated for ten below! I'll be fine."

We were hoofing it pretty good, when I turn around and see this. Or rather, hear the roar. Their leader, a volunteer geologist, told us we'd best get way ahead of him or we would suffer eardrum damage. (This same guy later told us that he was in a geology club where they sit around and talk about rocks. He tried to explain the local volcanic geology of the park, but my eyes glazed over when he said, "Long ago...")

Sibley is an interesting East Bay park, and has all the usual stuff that I like to see. However, every picture and story concerning this park talks about the mazes or labyrinths that exist there.

There are many stories about the origins of the mazes ranging from aliens to Indians. We stop at a lookout point and begin to feel the mystic cosmos aura seeping up from the center.

Yanni talks me into climbing down the hill to get a closer look. The center of the maze is piled up with various items that hikers have left. We saw Beenie Babies, coins, candles, flowers, notes, and photos in a bottle. Everybody left something. Yanni, swept up in the moment and feeling the power of Moses being channeled through him, reaches into his pack. He tells me that he is going to leave his energy bar and begins to unwrap it. He then eats 4/5th of it and places the rest on the pile. The SF Chronicle wrote a great story about the mazes in Sibley. You can read the article here.

Sibley, like its sister park, Huckleberry, has beautiful wildflowers. My favorite, Chaparral Pea, is here.

I see a Banana Slug, but Yanni says it looks like a male body part that rhymes with weenus.

There always seems to be so much going on in the woods and lots to photo. This peacock feather was in the center of the maze.

Speaking of the maze, I forgot to show you the other big maze. This one is shaped like a heart. OK, here's the kicker, especially if you read the SF Chronicle above: No one knows how or why the mazes were created? Ancient tribal rites? Aliens?

Well, Mr. Geology (leading the kids' hikes) catches us reading about the history of the park. He is now more excited than Martha Stewart at a napkin-folding contest at the prospect of getting to talk about the park's mazes and volcanoes. He tells us that the "main" maze was created by a local artist woman in the 60's who was looking to build a little meditation spot. She originally poured ashes around in his classic pattern, and over the years other hikers have improved on it. Yanni says she was just a hippie looking for a spot to smoke dope.

We continue our hike and wander around this cool area. We stop at a good spot for lunch which we think is the site of another volcano. We then drive 1/4 mile to Huckleberry Botanic Preserve for a two-mile hiking loop.

Here's again, lots to see and learn about. I try to explain to Yanni about the mating habits of the Eastern Yak, but he has some "inner glow" from the maze and won't stop chanting. He says he's going to sell everything and move to Tibet, but I doubt he'll get past Mongolia.

Our second hike of the day sadly ends as we work our way back to the trailhead.

At this point, Yanni is still chanting, glowing, pulsing, spinning, and ZAP! He morphs into a Pink-Flowered Currant shown here. I clipped the plant and put him in a vase with water. I named the plant "Yanni" and gave it to his wife. He's actually doing quite well.