Great Company and Great Hiking Makes for a Great Journey....
Day 247
11-9-2006
Started: San Joaquin River, CA
Finished: Mitchell Canyon Rd., CA
Today's Miles: 24.2
Total Miles: 4022.3
If stuffing ourselves silly last night with a couple of Zachary's famous pizzas wasn't enough, we started our day today with a cup of Peet's famous coffee and some very tasty sweets. Marcia and Ken Powers, along with Jakob and Tamar, as well as a dear friend of the Power's, Marta, all met at Peet's coffee shop so Sheri and Jakob could fill their morning caffeine fix. We enjoyed sharing yet more trail stories this morning while sipping on coffee and munching on pastries. Peet's is no normal cup of coffee though, and after just one cup, we were more than eager to get moving. We shared hugs with Marcia and Ken before hitting the trail but not before making plans to see them again when we reach the Pacific Ocean. We moseyed through the town of Antioch with Jakob and Tamar, and are truly enjoying the time we have been able to spend with the two of them over the past couple of days. Today was the perfect sunny California day. After a short stop in town we made our way into the rolling hills through the Black Diamond Mines Regional Preserve. In the 1860's five small coal mining towns thrived in the Black Diamond area through the turn of the century. Our terrain followed a series of ridgeline trails that afforded us great views of the valleys below. We passed several other hikers and bikers today, and it made us happy to know that people actually get out and use such wonderful trails. We made a late day push today toward Mt. Diablo, where on a clear day we will have beautiful views of central California and possibly hundreds of miles of the Sierra Nevada Mountains. We didn't quite make it to the summit but found a nice campsite for the night just below the summit. We are hoping that the weather will hold out for another day so we can enjoy the full spectrum of views from the top of Mt. Diablo tomorrow. We are even contemplating getting up several hours before the sun rises tomorrow to watch it rise from the summit. For now, we are tucked away in our sleeping bags looking forward to a good night sleep under the stars. There seems to be a lot of activity in the trees all around us, and we're hoping all the critters will stay a safe distance from our tent. Tomorrow we will enjoy 360 degree views from atop Mt. Diablo and possibly have our first peek at the Golden Gate Bridge, the San Francisco Bay and maybe even our first, long awaited glimpse of the Pacific Ocean!
Your Friends on the ADT,
Randy and Sheri
Follow our Journey at www.treckusa.com
