Sunday, March 24, 2013

Arbor-EAT-um

 

We had been wanting to go to the UC Davis Aboreatum for quite some time now.  (Nope, I don’t know how to spell Arboreatum correctly, so I just spell it phonetically).  Most people don’t even know this arboreatum exists at all. You don’t really see it as you drive by.

We even tried going last year, but we went on a cool day and when we got there it was foggy and cold, so we decided to come back when it was warmer.

Well, today was that day.  It’s a leisurely 3.5 mile stroll around 100 acres of 17 different “gardens & collections” such as Australian  Conifer, Desert, East Asian, Mediterranean, South American, & Redwood Collections, each with native plants from those areas.

There is a stream and or pond running down the middle, and I think it was the “Dirty Swamp” Collection.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The turtles sunning themselves didn’t seem to mind the green water.

 

We found several geocaches along the route, and this one was interesting.  The clue was “something our dog left”. 

 

Picking the plastic and realistic looking poo revealed a small hole underneath, where the geocache was hiding in a small micro container.  Very clever, this one.

 

 

 

Jacob found this strange looking offshoot plant that was huge and hung over the trail.  It was amazing how big it was and how it didn’t break.  He tried to ride it like a pony, but I made him get off, as it wasn’t that strong.

 

 

 

 

Look at the thorns on this weird tree!  No climbing on this tree!

 

We liked this weird looking HUGE bush next to a HUGE cactus bush. This was in the desert collection.

 

 

Afterwards, we walked around the UC Davis campus as they have some “eggheads” scattered around campus that are fun to go and find.

 

These two are talking to each other………..

 

 

This one is outside the Administration Building, with the all seeing eye pointing to the Admin Building..

 

 

then you go to the other side and it turns all silly:

 

 

We had a good little hike..actually, this was more like a stroll or walk.. It really didn’t count as a hike.  We went at a good time because all the trees and flowers were blooming.

 

Sunday, March 10, 2013

Dead Truck

 

Weird name for a trail. Dead Truck.  We hiked in the Auburn Rec Area again as there are literally hundreds of trails there!  This one we heard was one of the prettiest in the area.  It’s actually two trails in one – American Canyon Trail and Dead Truck Trail.  Round trip was 5.3 miles.

And it was beautiful!  That’s Hannah behind the sign finding a geocache.  (We found 5 on this hike!)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Only because of a geocache, did we find this hidden dam built by miners back in the day.  This area was a thriving gold rush town way back.  It’s hard to see the dam because of the shadows, but look hard.  It’s about 50 feet tall, and consists of rocks placed together like a puzzle. It was very cool to see and walk around it.

 

 

We found the “Hidden Pool” right below the hidden falls that are literally hidden in a crack between two rocks.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Next up was the Dead Truck trail.

 

 

Why is it called Dead Truck?  We found the dead truck laying upside down against some trees that stopped it as it rolled down the hill long long ago.

 

 

 

As we were starting our hike, we passed a little girl who was walking with her mom. She kept picking up things and asking her mom if she could keep it. She picked up a rock, “Mom, can I keep this?”  Then she picked up a small tree, “Mom, can I keep this?” and she kept asking and asking.

Along our hike, Jacob found a small tree and carried it the entire hike!  He brought it home even.

 

Our hike was beautiful! One of the prettiest one we’ve done!  We crossed several streams, and the pics on here don’t do it justice. Jacob even said he thought some of the areas looked like they belonged on a post card!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We highly recommend this hike!