Happy New Year everyone. I am thankful and grateful for your readership and your comments and your friendship. I hope the final week of 2020 is a good one for all of you and we can collectively wish a better 2021 to each other. I hope 2021 brings health and travel to all of my restless and wanderlusting blogger friends. Cheers and Happy Travels everyone!
Merry Christmas from Bulldog Travels everyone! I hope your holidays are jolly and you are surrounded by light and love no matter how you find it. And please everyone let’s hope 2021 is better! Cheers. #WIDEOPENWALLS916
Nothing says Christmas like an underwater sea creature art mural. Enjoy your holiday time with your family and friends! Much love!
We could all use a little help please! I feel ya Batman. I feel ya. #WIDEOPENWALLS916
While walking up to the Donner Train Tunnels from where we parked we were perplexed as to why there were perfectly manicured rock trails seemingly where there should not be any. We started poking around and realized we had walked right past some pretty epic petroglyphs. I say pretty epic because there aren’t a whole lot of them around this area. Apparently the area was knows as a region where various groups of American Indian groups would gather and trade. The petroglyphs were thought to have noted the meeting spots with meaningful images.
The Donner Train tunnels are a fun day trip from Sacramento. Located near Donner Ski Ranch one can hike through one tunnel or all of the tunnels for about an eight to nine mile trek if you go the distance. It gets pretty damp, dark and cold so be prepared. Last year we went and everything was covered in snow and ice with monstrous ice cycles. This year we managed to visit right before Halloween and before the first real snow of the season. Lots of art can be seen although none too noteworthy. I found the patterns of the ceilings to be interesting and the tunnel lighting to be fun. This was a great socially distant COVID day trip/hike.
I’ve only just noticed that this pattern is not symmetrical which is of course throwing my OCD off. Ha. I do love this mural though. It’s bright and cheerful and massive in scale. There are lots of people on the WideOpenWalls916 Instagram page who take gorgeous selfies in front of this one. I wasn’t feeling it the day I took this photo but here you are. 😉
My first trip to Art Alley captured the first photo which I did not even realize was incomplete. When I went back it had been colorized and brought to life. Any opinions on which you like better? Before or After? #WIDEOPENWALLS916
A nice wall for thinking in Del Paso Heights which is quickly becoming covered with murals on every free stretch of wall. #WIDEOPENWALLS916
I am so fortunate to live within a few hours of our magnificent California coast. I have posted on the Bodega Bay Kortum Trail before. But, all these years of visiting and camping, I have never hiked the entire trail. I always wanted to but either wasn’t prepared or didn’t have the time. I finally decided it was time. I had hiked bits and pieces here and there but never the entire 8+ miles. Well, friends, the trail did not disappoint. In fact I could easily argue it is the finest trail in all of California. What? Yes, folks, big talk I know, since the epic Pacific Coast Trail runs nearby. The American River Bike Trail is pretty awesome too. But, 4ish miles each way of reasonably flat trail with sections of the most gorgeous coastline in the world cannot be understated. It is impossible not to be happy on this trail. Bring a snack and some water, clear your mind, and do this. The waves and bird sounds will accompany you. Do this. Right. Now. Start the trail at Wright’s Beach (free parking) and head north to Goat Rock Beach and back. There is one good stretch just before Goat Rock which is a bit strenuous and a good rise in elevation so leave this in the middle of the hike and not at the end. 😉 Your legs will thank you. Cheers!
