Hiking the Shoreline Trail was a truly pleasant experience. I languidly walked the 7-mile trail, taking it all in, stopping many times to observe the hazy colors of the landscape. We started out at 10am which is the perfect time to take pictures on a sunny day. The warm breeze tickled my face as I started out briskly following the 30 some group. Not very long afterwards, about 3-minutes into the hike actually, I fell behind barely hearing the distant chatter of my group. I couldn't help having to take a slow walk from that point on as I gazed at the splash of earthy colors surrounding me. I felt warm and fuzzy. Later on we crossed two bridges. One long rustic wooden bridge with fading blue-green paint and one art deco (?) metal bridge. I don't know what it is about bridges that fascinate me. Especially old rustic ones. The trail led us through mud flats, salt marshes and grasslands usually abundant with birds. Early morning was a peaceful, languid landscape. Caught two birds snoozing in the sun. As we walked back in the early afternoon, the tide was low and birds were all around feeding on the tiny creatures in the mud. Bikers, joggers, more hikers, fishermen and children dotted the scene. We walked approximately 3 miles of the 7-mile trail. I'm thinking of moving to Hayward.
The Shoreline is one of very few areas in SF bay remaining that are protected. As a consequence these protected areas have become a haven for common and endangered birds.
