Tongariro Alpine Crossing, New Zealand: Day 95

Day 95: Tongariro Alpine Crossing 

I didn't set an alarm, but woke early in excitement anyways. If any shuttles were running, I'd have to arrive by 9am. I rolled in just after 8, ate a quick peanut butter sandwich, and checked in at the security car park - the only running shuttle for the day (NZ $30). She looked at me, knowing that I didn't know what I was getting myself into, warning me of the harsh weather conditions.

Coromandel Peninsula, New Zealand: Days 89, 90, 91, 92

January 12, 2016 - January 15, 2016

Day 89: Road Trip on the Left Side of the Road, Coromandel Peninsula 

Around midday, I picked up my Jucy car rental - praying that they wouldn't give me a manual transmission. Luckily, they gave me this green beauty that I call "Little Booger" in my head, and it's an automatic. I hit the road, on the left side, which wasn't as difficult as I'd imagined. I suppose driving the scooters around the islands helped prepare for this moment.

Tennessee Valley Trail; Sublime Concert

   

Tennessee Valley Hike

Sublime Concert

On Saturday, I ventured out for another solo hike. My intention was to check out one of the waterfalls from this list that a friend of mine sent me. I picked one in Marin and set out around 7 in the morning. That became my first mistake of the day: the fog hangs over the mountain in Marin and takes some time to retreat for warmth and good views. Blissfully not considering this, I'm circling up Mt. Tam to find the trailhead, when my gas light turns on. Fail #2. If anyone knows me - I'm a worrier. Going to be difficult to enjoy this hike fearing that I'll run out of gas in the early morning cold fog. Yet, I continue forward convincing myself that I'm almost there and can coast down most of the way. Then, I discover fail #3 - the road leading to the trailhead stays closed until 9am. At this point it's only about 8 in the morning; waiting around isn't my strong suit. I decided to go get gas and find a different trail. Hence, Tennessee Valley. I literally googled "trailhead" and picked the one closest to the gas station. 

Castle Rock State Park, Independence Day

Castle Rock State Park

Solo Hike - July 4, 2015

I woke up Saturday morning, ready to take on the day. It had been some time since I'd been on a decent hike, so after a quick google search - I found this website. It is full of hikes around the entire bay area - divided by season and area. Heading South of the city is always a beautiful drive, so I picked one of their "Best Overall Hikes" in the southbay: Castle Rock. Their website can describe the hike much better than I ever could.... so click here to check it out. Read on for my personal experience & pictures... 

Ring Mountain Open Space

For Valentine's Day this year,  I took myself on a hike to watch the sunrise. Just a short drive from the city, crossing the Golden Gate Bridge,  you can find this quiet hike near Tiburon. Park along the side of the road near the trailhead, bring your furry friend if you have one, and make sure you have a flashlight with you or on your phone. Not going to lie - I was girlishly scared to do this alone in the dark, but the view was worth it. And to be honest, there's nothing to be afraid of other than tripping over a rock or tree stump in the dark - if you know anything about Marin County, you know it's a safe place to be.