Author Archives: Secret Ranger

Remember us….

Posted
Filed under Fundraising

Fellow devotees of the Overlook Trail,

Our deepest appreciation and thanks to all who have donated to Sonoma Overlook Trail this year. We see you!!

For those who haven’t yet had the chance, during this giving time of year, we hope that you will remember us. We continue to raise funds for the third and final phase of our Overlook Trail rehabilitation, but we need your help get us through!

So we ask: If you are inspired to contribute to the tending of this place, please make a tax-deductible donation to the cause. Your donation will go directly towards the cost of supplies and manpower. You will be able to delight in new stone steps and other elements that we will install to smooth your way.

  • Make your check payable to “Sonoma Ecology Center” and be sure to write “Sonoma Overlook Trail” on the memo line.

  • Or, mail your check to:

Sonoma Overlook Trail
℅ Sonoma Ecology Center
P.O. Box 1486
Eldridge, CA 95431

Thank you kindly in advance–and we hope you have a perfect holiday season….

Sonoma Overlook Trail Stewards

All the Rocks You Never See

Posted
Filed under Safety, Trail Maintenance

I work on the trail, or hike it, most days. Even as I’m hiking I’m inspecting it. I know the rockiest places, I know where there are roots. I’m even familiar with individual stones. Call me obsessed, but in the best possible way. But yes, still obsessed.

By now I’m sure you know (if you’ve ever read this blog in recent years) that as the Trail Maintenance Chair I’ve been focused on “trail smoothing” or “tread renewal.” Many of our recent monthly volunteer workdays have been mostly focused on this (see this time-lapse video of rebuilding a section for a taste). There’s a reason for that. For many years we volunteer stewards (including me) did not believe in tackling what I now call “rock work.” That is, taking out or chipping down rocks in the trail. And it started to show — often dramatically so. Entire stretches of trail became difficult to navigate, even for the nimble.

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Evening on Montini

America’s Trails At Risk

Posted
Filed under Acts of Service, Stewardship

America needs more volunteers; not just our trail systems are at risk.  Volunteerism is declining as Americans spend more time at home and less time engaging with their communities.  If only they knew: acts of service reduce stress and promote positive, relaxed feelings by releasing glorious waves of dopamine.  Less stress = less stroke, heart disease, depression, anxiety and general illness.

Love, Lizard Style

Posted
Filed under Lizards, Love
Love Lizard Style

Sonoma Overlook Trail, May 8, 2024

Words of affirmation, acts of service, receiving gifts, quality time, physical touch…the five classic Love Languages.

Lizards have their own seduction style. Redefining the term “love bite,” lizard courtship is known to include the male clenching his desired tightly behind the neck, for hours or even days, until she becomes ready to mate.

Sonoma Overlook Trail lizards are no exception; if you come upon a pair thusly engaged, please leave them undisturbed!  The female will emerge from the ritual unharmed.

We Overlook Stewards revere lizards for their own sake as well as for a particular aspect of their role in the eco system that contributes to the protection of humans.  Our local breeds of lizards, including the western fence lizard and the northern alligator lizard shown here, eat ticks and also contain a protein that kills the spirochetes in the guts of Lyme infected ticks. So if an infected tick bites one of these lizards, it’s cured of its Lyme Disease.  This doesn’t preclude the need to take caution in regards to ticks, but it’s one more reason to appreciate our little friends on the trail.