We took many hikes amidst medical testing and procedures for MoyaMoya. If we stop to think about it, in two weeks we have completely altered the course of a life by essentially eliminating the chance of a stroke (without surgery, 65% chance of a debilitating stroke). Taking scalp arteries, cutting through the brain and stitching them into tiny vessels with thread a third the diameter or human hair, the fate of Rosha and her entire family who depend on her has been altered!) I am so honored to be in this profession and have nothing but respect for the fantastic techs, nurses, residents and of course our wonderful surgeon who took care of Rosha.
In addition to traveling for life preserving reasons we made sure to also take time out to cherish the life we have and enjoy the best show ever, planet Earth!
The first place we hiked was Land’s End which is a respite from the urban hustle and bustle of SF which is just a ten minute walk away. As everywhere on the rocky coastline in this area, we saw beautiful wildflowers and sea stacks on the windswept beach. The hike (for us at least due to time constraints) culminated in the Mile Rock beach where we could glimpse the Golden Gate Bridge. The sea figs and daisies growing on the rocky cliff sides were in full bloom.
Hiking north of San Francisco in the John Muir National Monument where ancient giant redwoods reside. Even before Yellowstone became a National Park, Teddy Roosevelt made this as a national monument to preserve what little there was of the majestic Redwoods. Some of these trees are over 250 feet high and nearing a 1000 years old! Due to the fog, the forest enjoys a constant cool mist and rain making the forest floor exceptionally verdant. I took some photos of Rosha admiring the trees to show how incredibly small we are to these ancient giants.
Karl the Fog is an ever present frenemy of San Francisco in the summer. “The coldest winter I have ever spent was a summer in San Francisco” Mark Twain. Seeing the fog linger even into the afternoon through the San Francisco bay makes you appreciate how difficult it must have been for the sailors before there were foghorns, light houses and of course sonar and GPS!
More hiking in the Redwoods! This time, closer to Palo Alto in Purisma Woods in Redwood City. The purple flowers were in full bloom and I think they are called Pacific houndstongue. Arvind had a minor foot fracture (AGAIN!) but was a real trooper and did a half mile through the uneven terrain. Also, is this not a perfect photo to summarize what a free spirit Keshav is? Anjani and Keshav worship the God of small things. Whether it is snails on tall grass or small ladybugs!
I have always been told that SF has its own climate depending on where on the bay you are. I now believe the hype! It was a beautiful cloudless day in Menlo Park and I decided to head up in the eve to Baker’s Beach to see the bridge in the sunset. No sun, just a heavy blanket of Karl over the entire city! Still I was able to salvage a couple decent photos. Also went into the Financial district to view the Columbus Tower which is a beautiful green iron structure straddling the junction of four streets. Lastly the “painted ladies” row houses and the beautiful SF skyline in the background. Unfortunately, thick fog and blustery winds were still present.
Other hikes done included to the Baylands Marsh preserve in Palo Alto, Uvas Canyon with a beautiful brook that had numerous small waterfalls and even some redwood trees. Despite beautiful skies in Palo Alto, a quick drive to Half Moon Bay again demonstrated the microclimates in the Bay Area. Clouds are trapped in the high foothills off the California coast. It was 20 degrees cooler with mist and fog making visibility incredibly poor. Despite the terrible weather, my daughters unending joy of life and thermogenic brown fat kept her happy even though I wanted to leave ASAP!
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