Memorial Day hike at Shell Ridge in Walnut Creek, CA

[Tommy]

This awesome park is only about 10 minutes from our house. It's mountain bike friendly and off-leash allowed for dogs which is great because Charley gets to run and chase stuff to his heart's content. The main trail creates a loop of about 6 miles around the ridge with numerous side trails venturing off. One side track is the entrance to Mt. Diablo state park into which you can leash up your dog and hike about 10 miles to the top of Mt. Diablo. Brutal hiking up there on the mountain - we hiked a seven mile loop around and up to the peak several years ago and my knees still haven't recovered from the steep downhill pounding they took.

Another such side trail is called the Fossil Hill trail. When you begin climbing the trail you soon notice that you are walking on bazillians of shells weathering out of the host rock. There's nothing here that even approaches lapidary grade but it's still a neat place. This last winter was a brutal one with storms and all of fire roads in the park had become very rutted from running water so the county recently scraped them down with a tractor. On Fossil Hill trail this dislodged and unearthed a number of large boulders so there's a fresh supply of shells in rock to catch your eye. On this particular day the county fire fighters were performing training drills in a number of locations around the park. It was neat to see.

Anyway, without further delay - photos...




































Thanks fer lookin

[rebeccaink]

Thanks for sharing! Looks and sounds like a nice Memorial Day!

[beefjello]

Love that action shot with your pup doin' the pounce. Looks like a neat place to hang out!

[Gem'n I]

That is a great looking dog ....looks like a fun place to explore....were the fire troops just practicing?

[aDave]

Spent many a day driving up Mt Diablo as a teen. Thanks for sharing.

Dave

[coloradocliff]

Don't know if I like the flower pictures more or Charlie.
I do know that with you in the picture it made Charlie look even better. hehehehe
Please don't delete my account..I'm already no account...

[Fossilman]

Wow! Lots of fossil "Death" plates.......Great photos!

[MrMike]

No sharks teeth

[Jugglerguy]

Thanks for taking us along, Tommy. Looks like a beautiful place to spend some time outside.

[Deleted]

May 29, 2017 22:22:22 GMT -5 aDave said:

Spent many a day driving up Mt Diablo as a teen. Thanks for sharing.

Dave

The mountain kingsnakes on Mt diablo are bad ass.



Tommy looks like a bunch of fun. And I forgot to mention in Utah but your ankle issue seems to be behind you. Congrats.

[coloradocliff]

Great looking snake Gunner.. You going to slab him??

[coloradocliff]

May 29, 2017 18:06:19 GMT -5 Tommy said:

This awesome park is only about 10 minutes from our house. It's mountain bike friendly and off-leash allowed for dogs which is great because Charley gets to run and chase stuff to his heart's content. The main trail creates a loop of about 6 miles around the ridge with numerous side trails venturing off. One side track is the entrance to Mt. Diablo state park into which you can leash up your dog and hike about 10 miles to the top of Mt. Diablo. Brutal hiking up there on the mountain - we hiked a seven mile loop around and up to the peak several years ago and my knees still haven't recovered from the steep downhill pounding they took.

Another such side trail is called the Fossil Hill trail. When you begin climbing the trail you soon notice that you are walking on bazillians of shells weathering out of the host rock. There's nothing here that even approaches lapidary grade but it's still a neat place. This last winter was a brutal one with storms and all of fire roads in the park had become very rutted from running water so the county recently scraped them down with a tractor. On Fossil Hill trail this dislodged and unearthed a number of large boulders so there's a fresh supply of shells in rock to catch your eye. On this particular day the county fire fighters were performing training drills in a number of locations around the park. It was neat to see.

Anyway, without further delay - photos...




































Thanks fer lookin

Charlie needs a brother when dad isn't around....

[rockjunquie]

Looks like fun- especially for a dog! Love that action shot! Great picture!

[Sabre52]

Thanks for the post. Brings back my youth when I spent some time hiking Mt. Diablo too. Didn't remember all the fossils till your pics reminded me. I also seem to remember step stones near the observation point at the top that has clam fossils embedded. Dang long arse curvy loopy road up there too, back in the fifties.....Mel

[zarguy]

Looks like a fun day. I want to know what Charlie was leaping after. Lunch? A dog toy?
Lynn

[fantastic5]

Great pictures and hike. Thanks for taking us along. Like others, my favorite is Charlie. Gotta love the 'all in' attitude of dogs!

[Tommy]

May 31, 2017 9:35:29 GMT -5 zarguy said:

Lunch? A dog toy?

It's pretty much anything that moves except snakes. He leaves snakes alone after jumping directly on top of a rattler and getting bit when he was about six months old.

I posted this a couple months ago.

[Tommy]

May 30, 2017 21:39:29 GMT -5 @shotgunner said:

The mountain kingsnakes on Mt diablo are bad ass.



Tommy looks like a bunch of fun. And I forgot to mention in Utah but your ankle issue seems to be behind you. Congrats.

Yes they are beautiful! Much more plentiful when we moved to this area in the late sixties. "yellow touches black..." I used to find them as a kid - not so much anymore.

Thank you but the ankle has it's good and bad moments. After these little hikes I pay the price with several days of heavy limping. The pain is down inside the joint where all the metal is - and Eva can't massage it out

[Deleted]

May 31, 2017 13:08:56 GMT -5 Tommy said:

May 30, 2017 21:39:29 GMT -5 @shotgunner said:

The mountain kingsnakes on Mt diablo are bad ass.



Tommy looks like a bunch of fun. And I forgot to mention in Utah but your ankle issue seems to be behind you. Congrats.

Yes they are beautiful! Much more plentiful when we moved to this area in the late sixties. "yellow touches black..." I used to find them as a kid - not so much anymore.

Thank you but the ankle has it's good and bad moments. After these little hikes I pay the price with several days of heavy limping. The pain is down inside the joint where all the metal is - and Eva can't massage it out

Sorry about the ankle. Eva is magical I am sure. But that sounds outside of her realm. Ughhh

In California your poem is moot. There is no dangerous snake matching red to yellow in California!

[Tommy]

May 31, 2017 13:19:35 GMT -5 @shotgunner said:

In California your poem is moot. There is no dangerous snake matching red to yellow in California!

Yes but kids have to have things to occupy their minds and dispel fear while hunting snakes heehee. I read a Readers Digest article about coral snakes when I was youn and that was all it took to set the nerves on edge lol