2023 Rambler Hikes Page 1

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Blue Oak Trail

Blue Oak Trail

January 2023 came in like a whole bunch of lions, with record rainfall, chilly winds, road closures due to rock sides, deadly flooding in parts of California, and a mid-January snowpack at 250% of normal. However, the 23rd was sunny and cool, with just a few clouds, almost no wind, and a reservoir that had gone from 60% to 80% of capacity since mid-December.

Five Ramblers met at the town of Friant, in front of Friant Dam, where Wes, Dick, Carolyn, Allen and Sue squeezed into Wes's Highlander for the short drove into Millerton State Park, to hike the Blue Oak Trail along the edge of the lake.

We were delighted to see the water so high, having walked here a number of times when the lake was dozens of yards below the high water mark, with lots of bare soil marked with ridges that recorded the changes in level, as in this photo from 2018..

This trail goes to a marina at Winchell Cove, a distance of a little less than two miles. Most of us are not up for a four mile round trip hike, but at least once in the past we placed cars at both ends of the trail, making for a two mile hike. This is a hassle and requires payment of the $10 entrance fee at both ends. Being retirees on fixed incomes we are frugal, and contented ourselves with an out and back hike that was probably about 1.9 miles.

This is alleged to be a prime location for spotting bald eagles, and though we have looked in every tree on previous trips, we had never seen one. This time we were lucky and a huge bird posed in the top of a blue oak for a few photos before soaring off to take care of official eagle business.

With all the rain, the foothills were a brilliant green, and we even saw a few wildflowers just starting what should be a spectacular bloom. Hawks flew overhead, and ground squirrels scampered among the rocks below the trail. All in all, we could not have asked for better conditions or better companions. What we didn't see were people. We met one hiker on the trail and had our group photo taken by a couple who were sitting on a bench at the trailhead.  

As usual, Wes had a few post-hike thoughts: "Just a few miles from the city, we found a quiet place in the country with very few people around. It was so relaxing I could go back time and again. We finished this adventure with lunch at the Blue Oak Grill at Table Mountain Casino, where Don joined us. I can report we only ate lunch. The 'one armed bandits' did not take any of our hard earned cash (ha!). In a couple of weeks, Dick is taking us to another quiet place in the country. You won't want to miss it."

You also don't want to miss Wes's video of the Ramblers on the trail. By the way, if my count is correct, this was our 97th hike, meaning we will hit 100 in March. Stay tuned!

--Dick Estel, January 2023

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