A red-winged blackbird (Agelaius phoeniceus) shows his bright red shoulder epaulets in a territorial display called the song-spread.
From an afternoon run at Ahmanson Ranch — now Upper Las Virgenes Canyon Open Space Preserve.
A Long Run Kind of Day
The beauty and intensity of the day was infectious. Hours before a cold low pressure trough digging down from the Pacific Northwest had carried showers, thunder, hail, and chilly temps into Southern California. Its rainfall had refreshed the greens of the hills, and accentuated the yellows, purples and reds of the wildflowers along the trail. Its blustery winds had cleansed the sky.
A few minutes before I had completed one run, and now was starting another. I wasn’t certain how much farther I would run — I just knew I had to run.
The day had begun with friends on the Secret Trail in Calabasas. We had run up and over the shoulder of Calabasas Peak, and then ascended Saddle Peak via the Stunt High Trail and Backbone Trail. The view from the summit of Saddle Peak had extended beyond Santa Monica Bay and Palos Verdes Peninsula to the South Bay and Saddleback Mountain. New snow glistened on Mt. Baldy, and to the west the rocky summits on Boney Mountain stood in bold relief.
That 14.5 mile run had ended at Tapia Park. Now I was on the Tapia Spur Trail on the first climb of the Bulldog Loop. On the wind sheltered slope the bright yellow blossoms of tree poppy had begun to unfurl, absorbing the warmth of the midday sun. Distant peaks loomed to within an arm’s reach, and my legs seemed to draw energy directly from the trail. It was a long run kind of day.
Notes: The title photograph is of Saddle Peak from the Backbone Trail, in the Santa Monica Mountains, near Los Angeles. Mt. Baldy can be seen in the distance. The combined length of the runs was about 29 miles with an elevation gain of about 5000 ft.
Some related posts: Tapia Bound, Bulldog Loop and the Corral Fire, Fog Along Malibu Creek
Return of the Belly Flowers
Recumbent view of goldfields (Lasthenia spp.) on Lasky Mesa in Upper Las Virgenes Canyon Open Space Preserve.
Related post: Dealing With Drought
It’s Raining Wildflowers
This year’s surprisingly generous rainfall is already producing an explosion of wildflowers in the Simi Hills and Santa Monica Mountains.
These are Padres’ shooting star (Dodecatheon clevelandii ssp. patulum) and ground pink (Linanthus dianthiflorus) at Sage Ranch Park. Both are California natives.
Related post: Shooting Stars
Los Angeles Basin Fog
This photograph of downtown Los Angeles and Century City was taken Sunday morning from the Backbone Trail in Topanga State Park while doing the Will Rogers – Temescal Loop from the “end of Reseda” in the San Fernando Valley.
At the time an offshore wind was scouring out low-lying fog trapped in the Los Angeles basin by a low altitude temperature inversion.
Related posts: California State Park Closures, Will Rogers – Temescal Loop
Southern California Greenscape
From a run last week at Ahmanson Ranch — now Upper Las Virgenes Canyon Open Space Preserve.