Ridge Lines

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O F T H E B A Y A R E A R I D G E T R A I L C O U N C I L

Views Abound on New Big Rock Trail

A
s this edition of the newsletter
went to press, preparations
were being made to dedicate
the new multi-use 3.6-mile Big Rock
Trail in Marin County as a section of
the Bay Area Ridge Trail. The Marin
County Open Space District opened
the trail to the public this past April,
and has found the trail to be a popular
addition to the county’s trail network.
It climbs gradually 1,000 feet from
Lucas Valley Road in San Rafael up an
open south-facing slope to the top of
Big Rock Ridge, where the trail user is
rewarded with inspiring views from
1,895 feet.
The Big Rock Trail passes in and
out of grassland, woodland, and chap-
arral, as well as actively grazed lands.
The summit, Big Rock Ridge, is the acres of the Big Rock Ranch. At the
second highest point in Marin County top of the ridge, just beyond the newly
after Mount Tamalpais. John Aranson dedicated Ridge Trail segment, the dis-
is the trail steward for the Bay Area trict secured an easement agreement
Ridge Trail, and at his previous job from the Hill Ranch family for sections
with the Marin County Open Space of the Big Rock Ridge Fire Road.
District, he oversaw the construction Of the 3.6 miles of trail, 2.5 miles
of the trail. He comments, “When is newly built. The Marin County
you’re walking on Big Rock Ridge, you Open Space District built the new
feel like you’re walking on top of the section over a five-month period and
earth. You can see the complex of spent $160,000. The Bay Area Ridge
open-space preserves to the north, San Trail gave the project a boost by mak-
Pablo Bay, the East Bay, San Fran- ing a $40,000 grant from its Proposition
cisco, and Mount Tamalpais. It’s 12 funding, provided by the Coastal
breathtaking.” At the ridge, the new Conservancy. The district used inno-
trail connects with the Big Rock Ridge vative methods to build the trail: a
Fire Road, which heads east and after Sweco trail-building machine and
about 2.5 miles connects with the Sutter Walls, a type of retaining wall
Chicken Shack and Queenstone Fire that allows for quick installation. The inspiring view from Big Rock Ridge (top) and the view up to the ridge from the beginning of the trail
Roads in the Ignacio Valley and Helicopters brought in three 20-foot (above). Look for Big Rock at the trailhead (bottom of page). Top photo by Chris Bramham, Marin
state-of-the-art, lightweight, multi- County Open Space District. Other photos by Elizabeth Byers.
Pacheco Valle Open Space Preserves.
About a mile from this intersection, use trails bridges. Trails Unlimited
the Queenstone Fire Road connects to helped the district build the trail, as Map by Ben Pease.
Miller Creek Road in Marinwood. well as three construction workers
Across from the Big Rock Trail who were hired from Brent Harris
trailhead, on the other side of Lucas Construction. On one volunteer trail
Valley Road, one can continue south building day, dozens of people showed
on the Bay Area Ridge Trail by taking up to pitch in.
the 2.5-mile Loma Alta Trail, dedi- To get to the trail, from Highway
cated in 2001. There are only a few 101 in north San Rafael take the Lucas
gaps south of the Loma Alta Trail and Valley Road exit and drive west for
it is expected that within a few years, about four miles to the crest of the
these gaps will be closed and the Ridge road, where you’ll see Big Rock on your
Trail will be open all the way from the right (see photograph below). Limited
Golden Gate Bridge to Big Rock parking is available on the south side of
Ridge. This long stretch will have the road for six cars. Be careful crossing
some gaps, however, for equestrians Lucas Valley Road. On the trail, please
and bicyclists. pay attention to the posted private
Most of the bottom section of the property signs, and because the trail is
new trail passes through the district’s narrow, be careful to watch for other
1,587-acre Lucas Valley Open Space users. For more information on the trail
Preserve. The first few hundred yards and the district’s nearby preserves, view
of the trail is an easement through the district web site at
Lucasfilm’s Grady Ranch, and a long marinopenspace.org.
section of the upper trail is an ease- –Elizabeth Byers
ment through Lucasfilm’s Big Rock
Ranch. Lucasfilm, Ltd. granted the
easements in return for securing
approval for construction of a new
office complex on 56 acres of its prop-
erty. Additionally, Lucasfilm conveyed
800 acres of Grady Ranch to the Open
Space District, and this land is now
part of the Lucas Valley Open Space
Preserve. The Marin Agricultural Land
Trust also received a conservation
easement from Lucasfilm over 1,061
 CLOSING THE GAPS
Watershed Ridge Trail Officially Opens
An enthusiastic crowd gathered on August 21 to celebrate the opening of the
9.5-mile multi-use Bay Area Ridge Trail within the Peninsula Watershed in San
Mateo County. The dedication took place in the watershed and was attended by
San Francisco Mayor Willie Brown, San Francisco Supervisor Tom Ammiano, San
Mateo County Supervisor Mike Nevin, San Francisco Public Utility commission-
ers, and more than one hundred others.
This event was truly a celebration. The Bay Area Ridge Trail Council has
been working to open the watershed since the organization’s founding fifteen years
ago. Over the years, the debate about public access focused on how recreation
could be accommodated in the watershed with minimal impact. The 23,000-acre
watershed contains the highest concentration of rare, unusual, and endangered
species in the Bay Area, as well as three drinking-water reservoirs that serve San
Francisco and the Peninsula. The San Francisco Public Utilities Commission
(SFPUC), which manages the watershed, voted in December to approve guided
tours on the trail. At the dedication, Mayor Willie Brown commented, “Intact
native habitat so close to an urban setting is a remarkable gift.”
Ridge Trail Council Executive Director Holly Van Houten expresses her
excitement about the new trail: “This trail was our largest missing gap in one
ownership, so this was a very important dedication for us. The trail goes through
some of the best lands in the coastal Bay Area.” The trail is a gravel fire road, and
it extends from Highway 92 to the Portola Gate at Sweeny Ridge. From the Por-
tola Gate, one can continue north on Sweeny Ridge in the Golden Gate National
Recreation Area.
The public can make reservations to take guided excursions on foot, bicycle,
or horseback. Guided tours are offered up to three times per day on Wednesdays,
Saturdays, and Sundays. The SFPUC coordinates the tours, which are limited to
20 people. Contact trail.sfwater.org or call 650-652-3203 to sign up for a tour. An
official Fifield-Cahill Ridge Trail brochure can be downloaded from the website.
Donors to the year-end appeal (see “The View from Here”) may also qualify to
participate in a special docent-led tour organized by the Ridge Trail Council.
The SFPUC still needs volunteers to lead hikers, mountain bikers, and eques-
trians one or two days a month. To apply as a volunteer leader download an
application form at volunteer.sfwater.org or call 650-652-3203.
Ridge Trail board members and
staff celebrate attending the
watershed trail opening pose next
to the commemorative plaque at
Quarry Gate (left).
GGNRA Superintendent and Ridge Trail Board
Member Brian O’Neill, San Francisco Mayor Willie
Brown, San Francisco Supervisor Tom Ammiano,
and Ridge Trail Executive Director Holly Van
Houten (right). Photo by Dee Swanhuyser.
THE VIEW FROM HERE
Dear Friends,
This summer I had the great opportunity to tour Spain and
Portugal by bicycle (organized by Backroads, the Berkeley tour
company which often sponsors the Ridge Trail Council). This tour
followed one route of the Camino de Santiago, the historic pilgrimage
route across northern Spain. Starting in 1175, pilgrims came from
all over Europe to the Santiago de Compostela cathedral, where
the remains of Saint James are said to be buried. Whether for a
religious awakening or a great summer vacation, hundreds of
thousands of backpackers, horseback riders, and bicyclists still
travel today along this historic route.
One of the things I learned on this trip was that many historians
believe the roads, bridges, and lodging developed to support these
pilgrims led in large measure to the creation of modern Europe. Working here at
the Ridge Trail you can imagine how I particularly liked the thought that a trail
helped modernize society! Can we claim the same about the Bay Area Ridge Trail?
Certainly, our work preserves the past—in addition to creating a public trail, we
preserve pristine open spaces, historic farmlands, wildlife corridors, and native plant
habitats. We also know our work ensures that in the present and in the future you
have the opportunity to get out and enjoy the outdoors.
We're pleased that the Ridge Trail Council has been able to attract so much
public funding in recent years—through park bonds supported by the voters—
allowing us to add more Ridge Trail miles. At the same time, the council needs to
attract more and more private funding from members and donors like yourself to
keep our staff working on the next section of trail. In the coming year, your annual
membership and support for our various appeals will account for nearly two-thirds
of our operating budget. It is becoming increasingly important that we leverage
public funding with private matching funds.
By now you should have received your year-end appeal letter. Please reflect on
how much the Ridge Trail Council offers—now and in the future—and consider
giving generously to support our shared vision of a Bay Area connected by trails and
open spaces. Your help is truly critical to our work. We cannot continue it without you.
Happy Trails!
Holly Van Houten
2
Photo by Elizabeth Byers.
Benicia Trail Dedicated
On September 27 more than 75 people gathered to celebrate the completion of
the two-mile multi-use Benicia Trail, a new segment of both the Ridge Trail and the
Bay Trail. Located in the Benicia State Recreation Area on the Dillon Point Penin-
sula, the trail offers dramatic views overlooking the Carquinez Strait. California State
Parks oversaw trail construction and built the trail to American with Disabilities Act
standards. The Trust for Public Land, the Bay Trail, the Bay Area Ridge Trail Coun-
cil, State Parks, and the Coastal Conservancy all contributed funding to the
$346,000 project. Also, more than 135 Boy Scouts pitched in to help build the trail.
Public officials came out to celebrate, and each spoke at the ceremony, includ-
ing State Senator Liz Figueroa, Assemblywoman Lois Wolk, Vallejo Major Tony
Intintoli, and Benicia Mayor Steve Messina. State Senator Liz Figueroa marveled
that by building these regional trails, we are leaving a “wonderful legacy for the
San Francisco Bay Area.”
All of the project partners attended the dedication and their representatives also
spoke at the event: Acting District Superintendent Brian Hickey, Sonoma Sector
Superintendent John Crossman, and Park Maintenance Worker Toni McRorie, all
from California State Parks; Holly Van Houten, executive director of the Bay Area
Ridge Trail Council; Rick Parmer, chair of the Bay Trail’s board of directors; and
Nadine Hitchcock, program manager with the Coastal Conservancy. Kathy Hoff-
man, co-chair of the Bay Area Ridge Trail Council’s Solano County Committee,
served as mistress of ceremonies.
The Bay Area Ridge Trail Council presented certificates of appreciation to
Sammy Gonzales and Mayor Intintoli. Gonzales works for the Vallejo Public Works
Department and has been instrumental in helping to determine trail alignments in
the Vallejo-Benicia area. Intintoli, Vallejo’s mayor for the past eleven years, has
always strongly supported the Ridge Trail. After the ceremony, Park Superintendent
John Crossman led an interpretive tour along the new trail segment.
Many thanks to those who helped with the dedication event: Jane Bogner, Donna
Burla, Kathy Blume, Carlo Carlucci, Kathy Hoffman, Doris Klein, Joe Ingenito, Lorrie
Thomas-Dosset, Laura Thompson, and Dee Swanhuyser. Thanks also to Pacific Gas
and Electric Company for underwriting all of the Ridge Trail’s fall dedications.
COUNCIL NEWS
Tilden-Wildcat Horsemen Ride Benefits Ridge Trail
One hundred Bay Area equestrians participated in a five-day Labor Day week-
end ride in the East Bay Hills that raised funds for the Bay Area Ridge Trail
Council. Organized by the Tilden-Wildcat Horsemen’s Association, the ride
began in Anthony Chabot Regional Park, and traversed Ridge Trail sections in
Chabot, Redwood, Huckleberry, Sibley, Tilden, and Wildcat Regional Parks, as
well as in the East Bay Municipal Utility District watershed. The 20 to 35 riders
each day came from all over the Bay Area and camped out in Chabot, Tilden, and
Briones Regional Parks. Riders rode as many days as they were able, and at their
own pace in small groups. The volunteers were fabulous, the trails beautiful, the
food scrumptious, the weather perfect, and the esprit-de-corps contagious.
The ride raised $5,000 for the Bay Area Ridge Trail, and Bay Area Barns and
Trails provided a challenge grant and doubled the donation to $10,000. Ride co-
coordinators Martha Mikesell, Eric Schroeder, Judy Etheridge, and Morris Older
were assisted by 35 volunteers, including members from the Metropolitan Horse-
men’s Association and the Moraga Horsemen’s Association. Thanks also go to
Bob Power of the Bay Area Ridge Trail Council. –Morris Older
Tour de Fat Fundraiser a Success
On July 26 the Bay Area Ridge Trail Council raised over $3,900 by participating in
the Tour de Fat, a bike and beer community festival held at the MLK Jr. Civic Center
Park in Berkeley. The event, part of a national tour, was sponsored by the New Belgium
Brewing Company of Fort Collins, Colorado and included morning rides organized by
Mike’s Bike Shop of Berkeley, fun bike games, beer tasting, and music. The company
makes four beers, its most popular being Fat Tire Amber Ale. The purpose of the Tour
de Fat is “to plan with local communities a fun, green, and enlightening event that assem-
bles and celebrates the multiple facets and subcultures of bicycles while earning revenue
for cycling, alternative transportation, and trail conservation nonprofit organizations.”
The Ridge Trail provided volunteers to run the beer garden and in return, received
all the proceeds from the sales. As many as 1,000 people attended the event. Andrea
Manion and Ruth Zamist, Ridge Trail board members, coordinated the recruitment of
volunteers. Ruth even obtained a beer license from the Alcohol Beverage Control
Board and attended a Licensee Education on Alcohol and Drugs class to fully under-
stand the responsibilities that come with serving an alcoholic beverage at such an event.
Many thanks to the New Belgium Brewing Company, and to the 26 volunteers who
helped out at this fun event. –Ruth Zamist
Remember the Year-End Appeal!
Many of you recently received a letter asking you to consider making a gift by
year end to the Ridge Trail Council. Your contributions are so vital—they allow
us to carry out the many activities you care about, like opening new sections of
the Ridge Trail. Your support is much appreciated and helps so much! This year,
your donation may also qualify you for a special docent-led tour of the newly
opened Peninsula Watershed trail.
 W I N T E R 2 0 0 4

Outings & UpkeepH I K E S , B I K E S , R I D E S ,

Ridge Trail

A N D W O R K P A R T I E S

1. SWETT/KING RANCHES HIKES Santa Rosa

route in the 1,544-acre park. Bring snacks, water,
BY-INVITATION OUTINGS rain gear, and layers. Rain cancels.
Solano County Kenwood Directions: Meet at the main entrance on Calav-
Sebastopol Yountville
Saturdays, December 6, January 17, SONOMA INFO RMATION KEY
eras Road.
N A PA
February 7, March 20 and April 10 Vacaville
Completed
Ridge Trail Contact: Jim Foran, 408-434-0101
Time: 9:00 AM – 1:00 PM Sonoma
Segments
Distance/Pace: 6 to 7 miles with less than 1000' Napa Proposed 6. JOSEPH GRANT PARK HIKE
Trail Corridor
elevation gain. Moderate pace. Santa Clara County
Explore lands that are not yet open to the public Petaluma
0 5 10 MI Saturday, February 7
Fairfield
but will soon include a segment of the Bay Area SOLANO 0 5 10 15 KM Time: 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM
Ridge Trail. Each hike will go to another corner of Distance: 8 miles, 1500' elevation gain
the ranches. Excellent views of bay, marsh, creeks 1 This county park sits on the slopes of 4207' Mount
and grasslands abound. There are no trails; long Vallejo N Hamilton. The Ridge Trail has lookout points from
pants, water, snacks, and good boots are recom- Novato 2400' and traverses the park’s western boundary.
mended. Sponsored by the Bay Area Ridge Trail Meet at the main parking area (entry fee). Bring
MARIN
and the Solano Land Trust. Heavy rain cancels. lunch, water, rain gear, and layers.
Directions: Meet at the Park and Ride lot at the Contact: Matt Hahne, 408-749-9968 evenings
Hiddenbrooke Parkway/American Canyon Road San Rafael
Pinole
Concord
exit of I-80. We will carpool to the trailhead. 7. SAN FRANCISCO LOOP HIKE
Contact: Kathy Blume, 707-864-2108 Richmond
San Francisco
Walnut
Creek Saturday, February 21
2. SECOND ANNUAL PRESIDIO TOUR Berkeley CONTRA C O S TA Time: 10:00 AM – 2:00 PM
San Francisco Sausalito Distance/Elevation Gain: 6 to 7 miles with about
Saturday, December 20 Oakland 800' of elevation gain
Time: 10 AM – 1:30 PM San
Francisco Pace: Moderate
Distance/Pace: 6 to 7 miles, moderate
Join Executive Director Holly Van Houten to cele-
42 7 Description: We’ll follow the Bay Area Ridge Trail
route as it gradually ascends to the Twin Peaks area
Sa

brate the winter solstice and prepare for the New

n

where we’ll take in the extraordinary views from

Fr

Livermore
Year by circumnavigating the Presidio on the Ridge Hayward Christmas Tree Point and the northernmost Twin
an

Trail and following Tennessee Hollow creeks. On San Bruno Peak. We’ll return to West Portal through Forest
ci

this special tour you’ll learn more about the history

sc

Pacifica
Knolls, Sunset Heights, Golden Gate Heights, and
o

and restoration of the Presidio. ALAMEDA Forest Hill, enjoying many of San Francisco’s neigh-
Ba

San
Directions: Meet at the corner of Arguello and Mateo borhood stairways along the way. Leader Ron Brown
y
PA

West Pacific near the Presidio Golf Course, just SAN Fremont will provide some interesting tidbits of historical and
inside the Arguello gate. MATEO
5 current information about the area west of Twin Peaks.
CI

Contact: RVSP to the Ridge Trail office at 415- Half Moon Bay Redwood
City Directions: Meet in front of the Squat and Gobble
FI

561-2595 so we can notify you in case rain cancels Café at the corner of West Portal Ave. and Ulloa St.
the outing. 8
C

Milpitas
(directly across from the West Portal MUNI station).
Los Altos
The K, L, and M MUNI train lines stop at West Por-
3. SIERRA AZUL HIKE 6 tal, and these train lines can be accessed at each of
O

Santa Clara County San Jose the four downtown BART stations, making public
C

Saturday, January 3 transportation an easy alternative. If you drive,

E

Time: 9:30 AM – 4:30 PM S A N TA CLARA

A

unlimited parking is available on the residential

N

Distance: 11 miles, 2500' elevation gain Los streets near the West Portal MUNI on weekends.
Gatos
Hike from Kennedy Road to Hicks Road in the Contact: Ron Brown, 925-376-8708 or
16,727-acre Sierra Azul Open Space Preserve. Part ronbrown12@comcast.net. Rain will postpone, so
of the hike will be on the Woods Trail, the new be sure to give Ron your contact information so he
Ridge Trail segment below Mt. Umhunhum. Bring 3 Morgan can let you know the new date if it rains.
lunch, water, rain gear, and layers. Hill

Contact: Matt Hahne, 408-749-9968 evenings S A N TA CRUZ 8. PENITENCIA CREEK HIKE

4. OUTING LEADERS GET-TOGETHER
San Francisco
Saturday, January 10
Time: 10:00 AM – 1:00 PM
Are you currently an outings leader or considering
becoming one for the Bay Area Ridge Trail? Come
join us to learn more about the trail and how you
can help people get out to explore it. Lunch pro-
vided. Held at the Ridge Trail Council office.
Contact: Please RSVP at 415-561-2595. Call for
directions to our office in the Presidio.
5. ED LEVIN PARK HIKE
Santa Clara County
Saturday, January 24
Time: 10:00 AM – 1:00 PM
Distance: 4 to 5 miles, moderate pace
Walk the Ridge Trail and the future Ridge Trail
The proposed trail corridor represents a conceptual plan to connect Santa Clara County
the remaining parks and public open spaces within the Bay Area Ridge
Trail corridor. This conceptual map conveys no rights to the public to Gilroy
Saturday, March 6
enter private property without the owner’s permission.
Time: 10:00 AM – 2:30 PM
Prepared by CartoGraphics, S.F. Revised 1/02 by Bobbi Sloan Design Distance: 4 miles, 500' elevation gain
Santa Cruz
Meet at the upper (east) end of Penitenica Creek
Road, parking for the west walk-in entry to Alum
Rock Park. Bring, lunch water, raingear, and layers.
Contact: Matt Hahne, 408-749-9968 evenings
Learn about the latest Ridge Trail outing or dedication
event by e-mail! 9. TRAILS CONFERENCE
Folsom, California
We have successfully launched a monthly e-mail to members announcing upcoming Thursday-Sunday, March 25-28
The annual California Trails and Greenways confer-
events on the Ridge Trail. This is the best way to learn about newly announced hikes ence, organized by California State Parks, will have
or rides and to get updated information on how to participate in the next trail opening. All sessions on planning, funding, construction, GIS,
we need is your e-mail address. Please send a note to Martha Benioff, our office manager, at GPS, advocacy, managing volunteers, and more.
Contact: Statewide Trails Office at 916-653-6501
info@ridgetrail.org.
or parks.ca.gov.

NEW PUBLICATIONS
New Guides Feature Bay Area Trails New Maps Highlight the Ridge Trail
Wilderness Press recently released two books that may Two new maps by Ridge Trail volunteer Ben Pease show
be of interest to Ridge Trail enthusiasts—Camping and the Bay Area Ridge Trail and nearby parks in San Mateo and
Backpacking in the San Francisco Bay Area and Trail Runners Marin Counties. Trails of the Coastside, published in late
Guide: San Francisco Bay Area. 2002, covers parks from southern San Francisco to Half
The camping and backpacking book by Matt Heid Moon Bay. This two-sided map shows the Ridge Trail from
features more than two dozen drive-up campgrounds and Stern Grove south past Fort Funston into Pacifica, and from
30 backcountry trail maps (covering more than 200 Skyline College to Sweeney Ridge. It also includes San
miles of trail) within a two-hour drive from the Bay Bruno Mountain, Montara Mountain, the Sawyer Camp
Area. This is the first and only comprehensive guide to Trail, and the north half of the Peninsula Watershed (one of
the region’s campgrounds and backcountry trail camps. the newest Ridge Trail segments, open to docent-led tours).
More than ten parks through which the The just published second edition of Trails of Northeast
Ridge Trail passes are featured in the book. Marin County includes two Ridge Trail segments: the Loma
Recommended hiking and mountain bik- Alta Trail and new Big Rock Trail, and the Ridge Trail
ing routes are included, and mile-by mile linking Indian Tree and Mount Burdell Open Space
route descriptions for backpacking trips. Preserves in Novato. It also shows Olompali State His-
Matt Heid also provides practical advice toric Park, China Camp State Park, and a dozen Marin
on the best time to visit, how to avoid County open space preserves. This map was first pub-
crowds, and how to make reservations. A lished in 2001.
“Trips by Theme” section helps you choose A native of Boston, Ben Pease has lived in and hiked
a trip by nineteen different criteria, all around the San Francisco Bay Area for 27 years. As
including places featuring epic views, co-chair of the Ridge Trail Council San Francisco Com-
lakes, or old-growth redwoods. mittee from 1988 to 1993, he helped plan and sign the
The Trail Runner’s Guide by Jessica Lage Ridge Trail through San Francisco. He is a freelance car-
lists fifty runs in the Bay Area and includes tographer, making maps for guidebooks, self-publishing
maps and detailed descriptions for each run. several trail maps, and contributing to Ridge Lines and
The featured runs will appeal to runners of every ability. Many of the runs are Bay Nature. Pease Press’s online catalog includes informa-
located on the Ridge Trail. To obtain either book, contact the Wilderness Press tion about his maps and services, and ordering
at www.wildernesspress.com or 510-558-1666, or check your local bookstore. information (www.peasepress.com).

3
 Bay Area Ridge Trail Council
NON-PROFIT ORG.
1007 General Kennedy Avenue, Suite 3
San Francisco, California 94129 U.S. POSTAGE

PAID

SAN FRANCISCO, CA

PERMIT NO. 3001

BAY AREA RIDGE TRAIL COUNCIL

(415) 561-2595 (PHONE)
(415) 561-2599 (FAX)
www.ridgetrail.org

Staff Board of
Holly Van Houten Directors
Executive Director Bill Long
Bob Power Chair
South & East Bay Trail Mary Burns
Director Vice Chair
Dee Swanhuyser Michael Kelley
North Bay Trail Director Secretary
John Aranson John Harrington
Trail Steward Treasurer
Camie Bontaites Thomas Beck
Program Coordinator Kathy Blume
Martha Benioff Mary C. Davey
Office Manager Mark Evanoff
Steve Fiala
Ridge Lines Mark Frederick
Editor Joel Gartland
Elizabeth Byers David Hansen
Designer Don Herzog
Bobbi Sloan Design Doug Kerseg
Printer Steve Kinsey
Lasting Impressions Glenn Kirby
Carol Kunze
Frank Morris
Brian O’Neill
Brian Smith
Sandy Sommer
Ray Sullivan
Carol Vellutini
Barbara Weitz
Ruth Zamist

The new Ridge Trail and

Bay Trai in the Benicia State
Recreation Area. Photo by
Elizabeth Byers.

Printed on recycled paper.

Runners Circle the Bay Area

On September 4, ultra-runners Gillian Robinson and Don Lundell finished their amazing 500-mile Run
for the Ridge along the length of the Ridge Trail route. Gillian, a 37-year-old technical writer from Mountain
View, and Don, a 41-year-old software engineer from Boulder Creek, started and ended their journey at the
Golden Gate Bridge. They completed the run in just 13 days, each day averaging 41 miles and consuming
3,000 to 5,000 calories to keep up their strength. They even kayaked across the Carquinez Strait, their
halfway point, since there is no pedestrian access across the Benicia-Martinez Bridge.
This was by far the hardest run Gillian and Don had ever done. The runners typically started each day
early in the morning and stopped running very late in the evening, sometimes into the middle of the night!
Sleep deprivation proved to be their greatest challenge. They also spent a fair amount of time reading direc-
tions, finding their way, and coordinating with volunteers on cell phones. Volunteers helped along the
length of the run by bringing food and water, and at night driving the runners to where they would spend
the night.
Don and Gillian ran 250 miles of the completed Ridge Trail, and the other half of the run was on
trails and roads. In many places where the
Ridge Trail is not yet in place the runners
obtained permission from property owners to
cross their land. They enjoyed getting to know
all the parks along the Ridge Trail, and found
the great views to be inspiring. After they
completed their run, they spent a week doing
absolutely nothing.
Gillian talks about why they did this run:
“Many people don’t know this amazing trail Gillian and Don begin their run at the Golden Gate
exists. When people see what a wonderful Bridge. Photo by Ruth Zamist. Don runs in the Franklin
opportunity the Ridge Trail is, we believe they Hills above Martinez (left). Photo by Gillian Robinson.
Gillian heads down the trail toward Ed Levin County Park
will want to help close the gaps to create a con- in Santa Clara County. Photo by Don Lundell.
tinuous trail.” Don and Gillian thank their
friends, who provided much help and support.
Thanks also go to the run’s sponsors: The Run-
ners High, Pacific Coast Trail Runs, and California Canoe and Kayak.

Please note that occasionally we share our membership list with other worthy nonprofit organizations. Exchanging names
greatly benefits both organizations. It helps publicize the Ridge Trail to more people and increase our membership. If you do
not want your name to be included in these exchanges, however, please contact the office at 415-561-2595 or info@rid-
getrail.org and we'll make sure your name is removed from future exchanges.

Thanks to Clif Bar for becoming a

product sponsor of the Bay Area
Ridge Trail Council.

Thanks to PG&E for sponsoring

our fall dedications.

R I D G E L I N E S • W I N T E R 2 0 0 4