2019 Rambler Hikes
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The
Ramblers are Carolyn Amicone, Julie Hornback, Wes Thiessen, Don
McClellan, Sue Wirt, Elsa Sweeney, Ardyss Webster, Pati Soto, and Dick Estel, former colleagues at the Fresno County
Department of Social Services, former CDF firefighter Allen Ward and
Pati's long-time friend Berdie Beier. Every month or so we get together for
a short hike, good conversation, and lunch. |
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Photos
Related Links
More
Travel Reports 2017
Hikes 2018
Hikes 2019 Part 2
2019 Part 3
Jensen
Ranch Trail
Pohonichi Trail at Hensley
Sycamore Wildlife Area
San Joaquin Gorge
Ahwahnee Hills
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Jensen Ranch Trail
The
largest contingent of Ramblers and guests in history assembled on
January 23 for our first hike of 2019 and enjoyed cool, sunny
weather in the San
Joaquin River bottom. Wes sent out his usual post-hike summary:
We started the new year with the largest hike group ever:
Ten strong! We welcomed three new members including Marlene Pascua, Gloria Bishop Jackson, and her friend
Berdie Beier. With so much rain and snow in the foothills, we chose to walk
three and a half miles along the paths of Jensen Ranch adjacent to Woodward Park. The grass of these fields has turned
deep green giving us hope for a good wildflower season to come. The mighty San Joaquin River looked to be a weak stream which one could almost walk across. Marlene needed to leave the group early. It was fun to watch her "powerhouse"
up the bluffs taking a shortcut to her car. We were briefly joined by a posse of Fresno City Police Officers training on horseback. They stopped for a chat and "photo
op.. They were a nice corps of guys and gals. We thanked them for their service. We finished a beautiful morning with a lunch break at
La Kebrada where we enjoyed tasty Mexican dishes.
By the way, I've designated Dick Estel as the Pied Piper of hiking. He plays a happy tune about the joys of hiking and we all fall in line behind him (ha!). I can't wait to find what trails he will next have us explore. Nature has no limits and neither
do the Ramblers.
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A quiet
section of the San Joaquin River |
Some of
Fresno's finest, on a training ride |
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In
addition to the three potential new Ramblers mentioned above, this
hike brought together Elsa Sweeney, Ardyss Webster, Sue Wirt, Allen
Ward, Wes Thiessen, myself (Dick Estel) and my daughter Teri Liddle,
who had a couple of weeks off from work.
We
were treated to several wildlife sightings, including egrets, hawks
and rabbits. Only the usually elusive raptor sat for a photo. We
also had a great view east across the river bottom of the Sierra
Nevada, which currently has 100% of normal snow pack, holding out
the promise of some relief from a number of dry years.
Beyond
that, Wes pretty much said everything that needs to be said, and our
photos each provide an additional thousand words.
--
Dick Estel, January 2019
More
Jensen
Ranch Photos
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This
redtail hawk flew in and landed as we watched |
There's
plenty of snow on the distant Sierra |
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FRONT: Berdie Beier, Gloria Jackson, Sue Wirt, Dick
Estel; BACK: Ardyss Webster, Elsa Sweeney, Allen Ward, Teri Liddle
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Dick takes over the camera so Wes can be in the
photo
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More
Jensen Ranch Photos |
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Pohonichi
Trail at Hensley Reservoir
After
our gang of 10 last month, the Ramblers count was down to four, just
like when we first started. We were delighted to welcome Carolyn
back, after an absence of 13 months. Two others were also
"originals," Wes and Dick, with Allen rounding out the
group.
We
met at the Park and Ride at Highways 145 and 41 north of Fresno, and
took my Honda to nearby Hensley
Reservoir, located on the Fresno
River, only 35 miles from my
house. We've hiked here several times, and I've written about
camping and hiking trips before, so I'll spare you the repetitious
details.
There
was a cool breeze much of the time, with a mix of sun and clouds,
but the continuous up and down hiking keep us warm. The foothills
are bright green with new grass, and the lake is filling up.
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Wes
follows a game trail back from a search for the perfect view |
The
winter sun glistens off Hensley Reservoir |
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The
predominant trees in the are are the blue oaks, with their striking
gnarly branches. A recent cold storm brought snow down to below
2,000 feet, and we could see snowy mountains and ridges not too far
away. |
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The trail
winds through blue oak woodland |
Deadwood
Mountain, west of Highway 41 and just south of Oakhurst |
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As
always, Wes brought new drama to our "Wes on the rock"
photo. We made a few short excursions off the trail, looking for the
perfect view of lake, hills and mountains, although we saw more than
enough beauty right from the trail |
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One giant
step for Wes... |
Could any
human match nature's landscaping efforts? |
Wes
provided his usual post-hike summary via email
What a day! We woke to freezing temperatures. But the Ramblers would not be denied. Four of us met to hike the green hills of Hensley Lake in Madera County. Our hike started near 10
o'clock with sunshine and moderate climate. Although it was a one-mile hike, the trail took us up and down over various hills for a very good workout. The hill country was so lush green that "The Sound of Music" could have been preformed at this very site. On the hilltops, we could see the
snow capped mountains of the Sierras in the distance. Our hike was filled with beautiful sights and great conversation. We were so happy that Carolyn Amicone had rejoined the Ramblers with her bubbly personality. She was a great asset on this hike. |
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A typical
scene along the trail |
The
Ramblers: Allen Ward, Carolyn Amicone, Dick Estel and Wes Thiessen |
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After
returning to the trailhead, we drove about a half mile into the
campground and walked up a paved service road to the highest hill in
that area, looking for more vistas. As it turned out, clouds covered
most of the snowy foothills to the northwest, and the view from
where we parked was more than adequate.
We
finished our outing with a visit to the Axis
Coffee Bar and Eatery, a brand new place in Tesoro
Viejo, a brand new residential development on the east side of
Highway 41 about five miles north of the San Joaquin River in Madera
County. They had a limited sandwich menu, but the service and the
food were both excellent, and we will no doubt be returning.
Although
our numbers were small, our enjoyment was great, made even more so
by the realization that May will mark five years of Rambler hikes.
--Dick
Estel, February 2019
More
Pohonichi Trail Photos |
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Sycamore
Wildlife Area
Trimmer
Springs Road runs along the north side of Pine Flat
Reservoir, close
to the lake most of the way. There are two large tributaries running
into the lake on this side, Sycamore Creek and Big Creek. The road
goes up hill and away from the lake over the divide between the two
creeks, and along this stretch there are two campgrounds and a
picnic area. At least there USED to be. They have been closed for
decades, with locked gates across the entrances. However, they are
accessible for walking, and the first one is officially designated
the Sycamore Wildlife Area.
The
old loop roads through the camps are still there, with grass growing in
cracks in the pavement, but it's an easy walk with abundant
wildflowers in season. The Ramblers first hiked there in 2015
and have returned several times. We
met on the morning of March 11 at a Subway Sandwich shop in Clovis
and got our lunch, then took off for the foothills in Wes's Toyota
Highlander and my Honda CR-V. We were five strong- Elsa Sweeney,
Ardyss Webster, Allen Ward, Wes Thiessen, and Dick Estel. It was the first visit to the Pine Flat area
in many
years for Elsa, Ardyss and Doug. With
all the rain and cool weather, wildflowers got a late start this
year, but we have heard good reports that they are coming out
nicely, and we were not disappointed. We stopped twice near
Piedra to enjoy the bush lupines growing there before proceeding to
the lake and our hiking area. |
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A bush
lupine forest near Piedra |
Allen,
Ardyss, Elsa, Wes, and a big bush lupine |
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At
each of the three places we hiked we had views of the lake, as well
as blue oaks and various
shrubs. Best of all, we found a good number
of wildflowers. They were not covering the ground yet, but they show
a lot of promise. |
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Pine Flat
Lake from the old picnic grounds |
Fiddlenecks
amid the blue oaks |
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Baby blue
eyes in the campground |
Blue
dicks along Trimmer Springs Road |
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As
we walked through one of the three old campgrounds, we were
fortunate to see two bald eagles flying overhead, very close to us.
We watched as they circled higher and higher until finally they went
out of sight.
We
finished our hike by walking out on a ridge beyond the end of the
road in the old picnic ground to a spot where we had the lake on
three sides of us, and interesting rock formations to rest on. We
covered a total of just under two miles, with very short drives
separating the three sections of the outing. |
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One of
two bald eagles who treated us to a spectacular flying display |
Rocks
piled on rocks and covered with lichen |
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Finally
we drove another two miles or so to where the road crosses Big
Creek. A dirt road goes up along the creek, and we drove a short distance to a spot where
we could set up a card table and enjoy our lunch with a view of the
creek.
This
spot is the location of one of several interesting structures
built in tributaries that run into Big Creek. Each of them consists
of a small concrete dam or weir, various valves and gates, cement
channels, and other artifacts whose purpose is open to discussion.
I've been told they were used to measure runoff before Pine Flat Dam
was built in the 1950s. In any event, they are well worth a closer
look, especially since the larger ones have concrete steps built
into the hillside parallel to the cement channel.
I
have gone up a number of times over the years, so I stayed back to
photograph the others as they made the steep climb up and back. Wes
and Elsa both made their way out on to the dam, allowing us to add
"Elsa on the weir" to the traditional shot of Wes in
apparently precarious locations.
While
exploring the water system, the hikers saw a salamander and
bullfrogs.
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Stepping
carefully on the worn concrete steps |
Elsa on
the weir |
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As
we started our drive back home, we saw that the poppies by the roadside, mostly
invisible in the morning, had opened to the sun, providing a perfect
backdrop for our group photo. |
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Poppy-covered
hills above Trimmer Springs Road |
The
Ramblers: Dick, Wes, Elsa, Allen and Ardyss |
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The
wildflowers were better than we had hoped, and inspired us to
"seize the day" and schedule a second March hike to see
more blossoms.
--Dick
Estel, March 2017
More
Sycamore Wildlife Area Photos |
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San
Joaquin Gorge Bridge Trail
On
March 26 five Ramblers drove the 35 miles from the big city to the San
Joaquin River Gorge Recreation Area, planning to revel in the beauty of more foothill
wildflowers. We chose the Bridge Trail, which goes down to the San
Joaquin River, about a mile each way. Our decision to schedule a
second March hike paid off beautifully, with large patches of
fiddlenecks, popcorn flowers, clusters of baby blue eyes,
spectacular bush lupines, and smaller samples of another dozen or
more spring blossoms. |
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Fiddlenecks
were the dominant flower during our hike |
The trail
was lined with flowers most of the way |
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I've
written about this
location more times than I can count, so for the most part I'll
just let the photos Wes and I captured tell the story. |
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Blue
Dicks waving in the breeze |
Blue oaks
and more fiddlenecks |
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Another
scenic section of the trail |
Baby blue
eyes were out in good numbers |
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We call
this spot Lupine Point; it's lined with bush lupines on both sides |
A close
up view of a silver (bush) lupine |
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The
bridge over the San Joaquin River |
The
Ramblers: Dick, Ardyss, Sue, Allen and Wes |
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Wes
offered his usual post-hike comment in an email to all Ramblers:
The Ramblers just couldn't get enough of springtime in the Valley. So Dick scheduled a second hike this month to expose us to even more of those colorful "flowers in the wild." And we were not disappointed. Many of you have hiked the trail leading from the
parking lot to the footbridge over the San Joaquin River. It can be a boring
one-mile trail except when it's lined with fiddlenecks, lupines, popcorn
flowers, baby blue eyes, and so many more wildflowers. Then that trail becomes a Royal Road. I couldn't stop clicking my camera. All I had to do
was hold it up and click the shutter in any direction to capture amazing photos. I was especially impressed with the trail and
captured a number of images of that Royal Road. After our hike, we stopped at Valasco's in Prather for a late lunch. Don & June McClellan drove up to join us. Many of us had not seen June in
a while, so there was "a whole lot of huggin going on." Way too much
fun!
--Wes and Dick, April 2019 More
San Joaquin Gorge Photos |
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Ahwahnee
Hills Regional Park
(Text by Dick and Wes)
Dick:
On April 25 the Ramblers made our third visit to Ahwahnee
Hills Regional Park, a small preserve in the foothills near the
village of Ahwahnee,
about ten miles from Oakhurst on State Highway 49. We had a large
group this time - "old timers" Wes, Ardyss, Sue, Don,
and Dick; recent additions to our group Berdie and Pati, and three
special guests. These were Bev Williams, who was in my high school
class, and Andy and Susan Crandall from Mariposa County. Susan's
grandfather and mine were friends in Oho as young boys in the early
1900s, so our family friendship goes back well over a century. |
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BACK:
Berdie, Ardyss, Andy, Susan, Wes;
FRONT: Don, Sue, Pati, Dick, Bev |
The trail
winds among huge valley oaks |
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Wes:
Today the Ramblers traveled to the Ahwahnee Regional Park for a late
spring hike among the giant oaks. The pathways were surrounded with
deep green grass and a variety
of wildflowers. If you know your oaks, we saw valley, blue and
live oaks. This hike was less than two miles so we didn't run but
sauntered along the paths as recommended by John Muir himself. I
knew we were in for an adventure when I saw Berdie jump into the air
and scream. A gopher snake of reasonable size crossed her path.
Susan caught him with her camera as he disappeared into the grass. |
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Popcorn
flowers and oak trees |
Gopher
snake, making a hasty retreat |
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Dick:
Like many recent trips, this one does not need a lot of words - the
pictures that Wes, Susan and I captured tell the story better than I
can. |
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The old barn
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Dick and
Andy |
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Cream
cups |
Wes
photographs Berdie and Pati by the creek |
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A
lovely little creek winds through the park on the east side. Wes
climbed down into the channel to get a shot of a little waterfall.
The trail crosses a half dozen bridges,
and we learned that Andy did some of the engineering work for them.
And as usual, we visited the old
barn that sits on the property. |
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This
nameless creek runs along the east side of the park |
A sort of
waterfall on the creek |
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It
does need to be said that this is not a single trail. There are
loops off the main trail, and you can walk short or long routes.
This time we pretty much followed the outer loop, getting in the
most hiking possible. This allowed us to discover a nice pond that
we did not know existed, and some of our sharp-eyed members spotted
a turtle sitting on a stump in the water. |
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Clouds
and hills reflected in the pond |
Western
pond turtle, watching for lunch |
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To
finish out the day, we had lunch at the Hitching
Post in "downtown" Ahwahnee, about a half mile from
the preserve. I've driven past this location dozens of times, and
always just assumed it was a little country bar. In fact it is a
very roomy restaurant offering views of the nearby green fields and
distant mountains, and providing excellent food and service. As an
added bonus, Bev's boyfriend Bob joined us, allowing me to not be
the oldest person in the group for a while.
--Wes
and Dick, May 2019
More
Ahwahnee Hills Photos |