January Nature Adventures
I love to hike, take photographs of nature “the way God made it”, AND I love to eat healthy food! Combine them all together and I call it a self-care adventure. I hope that everyone who reads this page feels inspired to create your own nature adventures. ENJOY!
Even though it can have great benefits for our mental and physical health, spending time outside often comes in the form of a quick walk sandwiched in between other activities. We owe it to ourselves to take a break from the busyness of life and spend some extended time walking, hiking, or taking in the sights, sounds, and smells of nature - to remind ourselves of who we are and what we want.
I started the month of January as I always do with a solo hike at Bodega Head on the Sonoma Coast - followed by a yummy lunch at The Fishetarian. To read about that special day, visit my blog, My New Year’s Self-Care Tradition. After that, the “atmospheric river” rains came - endlessly it seemed like - to the point of flooding in many places and resulting in California being declared no longer in a draught. While THAT’S good for sure, all scheduled hikes were cancelled for the next two weeks and I was going stir crazy.
It was SO great to finally get back on the trail with the Sonoma County Go Wild Hikers group for a gorgeous morning hike at Helen Putnam Regional Park in Petaluma. It was a brisk 36 degrees when we started but, as always when dressed properly, it just felt invigorating. Our group of 15 hikers did a loop hike that combined Ridge, Filaree, Pomo, Panorama and Savanna trails for a total of 4.75 miles and 500 feet elevation gain - a fairly easy hike. It was absolutely wonderful to bask in the camaraderie and joy of the group (I wasn’t the only one happy to be back on the trail again), see how green the hills were becoming after all the rain, and take in the incredible views along the way.
Helen Putnam Regional Park is a compact wilderness park southwest of Petaluma. Its 6 miles of trails cross grassy hillsides and weave through oak woodlands. Ridge-top trails provide panoramic views of the city and the southern Sonoma County countryside. A fishing pond contains bluegill and other fish. An accessible playground, picnic area and gazebo are located near the parking lot. Helen Putnam Park's looped trail system lets hikers create walks of varying length and difficulty, making the park a great choice for beginning hikers looking for a bit of a challenge.
It was definitely time for lunch by the time we got finished, so I headed to Aqus Cafe in Petaluma for my favorite - a California Wrap. I enjoyed my yummy lunch basking in the sunshine on their outdoor patio. SO good!
Aqus Café was created to foster community by providing a space for people to meet, connect and get to know each other. Locavore’s delight in an extensive selection of locally produced artisan foods and beverages, from breakfast scrambles and locally made pastries, to delicious paninis, plentiful salads, wheat-free, gluten-free and vegan options, and tasty dinner time offerings.
The final weekend of the month, I chose to brave the freezing cold temperatures again - this time on my own - and visit Armstrong Woods in nearby Guerneville. While most of the upper trails are still closed due to the Walbridge fire of 2020, the valley floor is open and recovering nicely. The trails there are relatively short, but you can string them together for an easy yet satisfying hike. Most of all, I’m always deeply moved by the incredible beauty and sacred feeling of this place. I took my time - stopping along the way to take photographs and just breathe in all the sights, sounds, and smells. It was especially wonderful to experience the water flowing in the streams after our recent rains.
In Sonoma County's Armstrong Redwoods State Natural Reserve, walk among sprouting ferns and giant trees in the magnificence of nature. Beneath the soaring redwood canopy, you'll feel silenced by the trees' majesty and humbled by their endurance of more than a thousand years.
I was definitely ready for a hot cup of tea and something warm for lunch, so decided to try Big Bottom Market in Guerneville. I’ve heard about it for awhile now, and the Veggie Breakfast Sando didn’t disappoint. YUM!
Big Bottom Market is committed to bringing you the best of what we can find from artisanal food, wine and micro brews to inspirational retail items; without ever compromising our focus on local, organic, and sustainable. From jams, honey, coffee table books, vintage style picnic and camp gear and an amazing cup of pour over single origin coffee to locally sourced cheeses, breads, meats and prepared foods; there's something for everyone at big bottom market.
That’s it for January’s self-care adventure days. February looks promising with hikes scheduled for Lake Sonoma, the waterfall at Sugarloaf Ridge, Riverfront Park, Bothe State Park and Shiloh Ridge. Of course, Mother Nature is in charge and I hear it’s supposed to be a wet month, so we shall see. In the meantime, I hope you are inspired to create your own uplifting experiences. I’d love to hear about them in the comments below.