The Dawn Jogger has decided to explore new areas on the Sundays she heads to Oakland to spend some time with Grace and the gang. Today she took a terrific walk along the Bay, part of the Hayward Regional Shoreline. The out and back is around ten miles; she found an nice almost four mile loop. More birds than people…
The Dawn Jogger has noticed a touch of fall in the air during her dawn outings this past week. There’s a crispness that’s been absent, even in this rather cool summer. The contrast of the golden Big Dish land against the bright blue skies was dramatic. Does Stanford know the Blue and Gold lurks on its land…
Wouldn’t you know it. On a morning that the Dawn Jogger didn’t get up before dawn, skies were clear, making it possible that she would have actually seen the sun rise. Instead, she reaped the benefits of seeing the early sun rays shine on antique wagon that graces the Allied Arts possibility. Who would have thought old farm equipment could shine…
In answer to the headline, that’s what the Dawn Jogger thinks ever time she’s at Cafe Borrone, which opened or less about the same time the DJs moved to Menlo Park. What she knows is that there’s a line to order at many times during the day. And now that she goes a bit more frequently, she’s noticing the Borrone regulars. She wonders: Are these people here every day? Today the DJ enjoyed breakfast – the eggs with Swiss chard and bacon – and the company of friend Sara. Oh, did she mention that she walked there and back…
The Dawn Jogger decided to try something new and solve a problem at the same this morning. She had an 8:30 Pilates appointment with Lisa, but getting from her house to Lisa’s at that time of day meant battling the grid lock of multiple school drop offs. So she decided to get up at the normal early time but drive to Bedwell Bayfront Park at the foot of Marsh Rd., which is close to Lisa’s studio.
Sunrise along the Bay could be quite lovely, if, of course, there was sun. Alas, today was another socked in grey morning. And while the remaining salt flats didn’t shimmer, they produced enough of an unwordly red glow…
The Dawn Jogger has begun to circle back on many of the trails enjoyed by her and the male DJ. Some, like today’s hike along the Toyon and Old Spanish Trail, they walked very early in their years in the Bay Area, prior to loyal dog Cassie joining them. These are the “no dog” trails. This afternoon’s walk was short due to other commitments but she’s looking forward to longer “no dog” jaunts at Huddart and Wunderlich.
Mainly she walks alone. Last weekend’s jaunt with Frances coastside reminded her the pleasantness of trail companionship. She wonders how long the couple in their late 80s/early 90s she spotted on Old Spanish Trail – walking up hill, just for the record! – has been hitting the trail together…
There was a freak thunderstorm last night and even a bit of rain gave the oaks woodlands of Arastradero Preserve a fresh feel. That’s where the Dawn Jogger chose to go for her Saturday morning jaunt. The start of a busy day…
Yes, the DJ got up before dawn for her daily jog around town. But it was where she was just before dusk that seems more important today.
One of the side issues of losing a spouse is that you’re left without a fact checker. That became clear when the female DJ went to eat sushi as prepared by Toshi for what may be one last time. As will be reported on InMenlo tomorrow, Keiko and Toshi Sakuma are closing their restaurant Kaygetsu at the end of the month. The DJs dined there far less often than they did at the couple’s sushi-only restaurant that graced El Camino for nine years. They were frequent customers, whether eat in or take out, almost from the day it opened in 1994.
The female DJ likes to think that is was Toshi who convinced Kitty, who came to them somtime in 19??, that she’d landed in a pretty good house. Or maybe it was Toshi’s sushi that convinced Kitty that guests really were ok in her adopted home, hopping up on the table outside when friend Cindy was here for a summer dinner. Whatever the truth, there’s no denying that Toshi’s sushi is a special treat, whether you’re a cat or a human…
In all of her years in journalism, the Dawn Jogger could not imagine writing the “headline” that accompanies this post. First, a confession: when she snapped this photo shortly after dawn this morning, she thought someone had just done a chalk outline of a person on the San Mateo Dr. bike bridge. She felt lucky that a person jogged by her as she thought the isolated foot gave the photograph interest.
But it wasn’t until late this afternoon when she finally uploaded the photo that she realized the chalk figure appeared to be urinating. Why draw a urinating chalk figure? Why on this bridge that crosses San Francisquito Creek? Those are the questions of the day…
The Dawn Jogger does feel like a bit of a whiner, complaining about her over the top full days, especially when they are so pleasant. Today began with a hike with friend and InMenlo contributing photographer Frances Freyberg at the Burleigh Murray Ranch near Half Moon Bay. Yes, she was once again coastside, today to interview the owner of the Dahlia Farm, which Frances had arranged. The immense flowers are sold at the Menlo Park Farmers Market.
The main attraction at the Ranch is the “bank barn” built in 1889 by landowner Robert Mills, which is set into the hillside, allowing farmers to drive loads up to the second floor. According to signage, the barn was built with little cross-bracing and has shifted from its foundation. Temporary braces were added in 1992. It has also been taken over by nature, giving it an ethereal feel, but remains the only recorded building of its type in California.
While the DJ and Frances were enjoying an after interview/photo shoot sandwich at a cafe along Main St. in Half Moon Bay proper, she got a call that Miss Grace was back in town. She’d been on extended tour with her other grandmother in Southern California but was now receiving visitors in Oakland, so off the DJ headed, spending a pleasant afternoon with Grace and baby brother James. Duly noted: The gusto with which big sister kisses littler brother…
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Dawn Jogger 2011 