Saturday in the Woods With Grant

One of the advantages of living in my new home is the breathtaking scenery that surrounds me. Now I'm not normally the outdoorsy, hiking and camping type, but the reality is that a lot of the people I am meeting out here are. As such, I have been able to get out in nature a bit more on some local hikes. Last month I took a 5-mile hike on some trails in Portola Valley not far from where my sister lives. Yesterday, I met up with a new friend, Martha, for a hike in Purissima Woods near Half Moon Bay, a coastal city 25 miles south of San Francisco. She had been telling me about the area ever since we first met, and I was really excited about the hike. It was much more hilly and a longer hike at around 9 miles, but there were some amazing views along the way. To be walking amongst huge Redwoods or along the side of a mountain with a view of the Pacific Ocean in the distance (top left picture) is not something you take for granted. I was a bit sore in the, um, gluteal area the next day but it was so worth it. Much more fun and scenic than doing 30 minutes on my sister's Nordic Track.