JOY TRIPS ARE MANY; BEAUTY-SPOTS PLENTY - Oakland Tribune - 28 Feb 1915, Sun - Page 8

JOY TRIPS ARE MANY; BEAUTY-SPOTS PLENTY Silva Classen TO BLOG Sun, Feb 28, 1915 – Page 8 · Oakland Tribune (Oakland, Alameda, California, United States of America) · Newspapers.com

JOY TRIPS ARE MANY; BEAUTY-SPOTS PLENTY

Now that Old Sol has renewed his acquaintance with stranger Earth after the long domination of the storm clouds, the call of the great outdoors is heard insistently appealing to the able-bodied to come out and play. Oaklanders are fortunate in having at their very doors the opportunity to answer the call. They are fortunate in having play-space in the heart of the city provided by the authorities where they may come out and frolic, but they are even more fortunate in being amply cared for by the great provider Nature, who has encircled the city with a ring of beautiful hills, and laid in her lap a sunny bay.

It is now in the spring that Nature's gifts are presented in the first blush of their new beauty; it is at this season that the town-dweller should discard his starched liner and fashionable attire, and garb himself in khaki and flannels for a ramble in the woods and hills of a Sunday. This is the season of clear air and firm roads, there in no dust and our warm spring sunshine dries up the mud in a very few hours. All the streams are full and noisy, and the tender green grass smiles back at Father Sun from every hillside. The fragrant, pink bloom of the wild currant grows in great profusion on the gulch slopes of nearly bills, pussy willows await the hand of him who cares to come and gather them. Here and there is the wooded spaces, the diligent searcher may find the deep-scarlet, orchid-like trilium, the fairest of all the wild bull-plants with its three leaves widespread and its three petals opening to receive the warmth of the sun.

And in man himself there is an answering impulse, an impulse to stretch one's limhs, to breathe long and deeply, to brave the tortures of over-exerted soft muscles, to brave even the ravages of our omni-present poison oak, anul to follow the roads and trails that take one into the heart of Nature. The impulse we have, and also the opportunity. Surely we all feel the impulse, but do we all know of the opportunity?

Play lovers answer the impulse of Nature on one of the beautiful trips that are right at hand.

A beautiful trip of about twelve miles that will be a good one to start on is to take a Telegraph or College Avenue car out to Ashby avenue. Here transfer to the Ashby car going east. Get off at the end of the line, take the Tunnel road and follow it as far as the tunnel. At the mouth of the tunnel turn to the right on a trail that leads to a well defined path which further on becomes a road. This is the Skyline boulevard. Following the crest of the ridge, one is between the two counties of Alameda and Contra Costa. An excellent panoramic view of the city of Oakland and the bay is on the Alameda side. On the left are the rolling hills of Contra Costa.

BOULEVARD LEADS TO BEAUTY.

Follow the Skyline to its conjunction with the Snake road. From here on one may keep on the heights by taking the trail which skirts the Contra Costa face of the hill, or the road to the right which skirts the Alameda county face. Both ways lead you to a point known as the Summit, from which the New Snake road drops down by long sweeping grades into Redwood canyon.

From the summit is seen a point known as Cape Horn, a pass in the low hills through which the East Oakland section may be seen. There is a trail leading down from the summit to the left of the road which winds through a forest of new pines. The trail leads into a disused road at the mouth of the Oakland and Antioch tunnel. From here on there is a beautiful walk through Shepherd's canyon connecting with the county road. At the point where the Shepherd's canyon road hits a turn in the county road, there is a trail to the left. This will lead down the hill, across a little creek over a priváte road to the main road which takes you past a quarry and to the Fourth avenue carline. Or one may drop down into Dimond canyon your left and follow the Canyon creek.

ANOTHER TRIP 

Another trip is to take the Dimond car to the end of the line. Thence take the road which leads to the north, the Redwood road, it is called. Just keep going on the road. Shortly after you pass the "Oakland City Limits" sign, you will arrive at many beautiful tarrying places. There is a very pretty creek in the canyon, about a half-mile past the sign there is a sulphur spring on the right of the road; the whole slope on your right is covered with a dense forest of redwoods, with many varieties of ferns in the undergrowth. You will find any number of charming spots where you may lunch.

Redwood Peak is a favorite tramp and an easy one. Take the Dimond car from Thirteenth and Broadway, walk up Maple avenue into the old Joaquin Miller road. About a half-mile up the road is the entrance to Silva canyon. Follow the canyon to the old Classen homestead, there turn to the right through a gate and across a field into a trail which leads through the woods and up to the peak.

Probably the most charming spot and the most suitable for a family picnic is Moraga Redwood canyon. This is reached by taking the Oakland and Antioch to Canyon station. This station is in the heart of the canyon. There are many excellent picnic spots along the creek. The slopes of the canyon are covered with majestic redwoods, and the minor vegetation is more varied than at another nearby point. The walk between Canyon station and Pinehurst, about a mile and a quarter, gives one a glimpse of most of the beauties of the canyon. The Inn about a quarter mile west of Canyon station is a good place to lunch. There are on exhibit here some of the wild animals trapped in the neighborhood.

Leona Heights is a spot easy of access and of great beauty. Take the Leona - Mills College car and ride to the end of the line. From here, cross the trestle and follow up the road into the canyon. Climb up the slope on the right to the old quarry, if you feel strenuous, or stay in the canyon for lunch, if it is rest you are seeking.

That's enough of a selection for Sunday. They are all short trips and just the right kind to break in on.