October 8
I have to say no to the devil. I have a meeting with my friend Mark on Thursday in San Francisco, so there is just not enough time to
fit him in to my busy schedule.
The ADT takes a long detour over Mt. Diablo, whose heights
allegedly provide a fantastic view of the Bay Area. I condensed these twenty four miles into
merely eight by taking the less scenic route to Walnut Creek.
The shortcut put me back on pace to make my rendezvous. I felt free to sally forth on the ADT again
and headed into a new labyrinth of trails amidst the hills. I managed to go a few miles without making a
wrong turn, but eventually my extraordinary winning streak came to an end.
When I ran into a road I knew I was lost again. At least there
was a neighborhood visible below. I
figured I would venture down there, find a main street in Lafayette and
reorient myself. A gate to the right was
marked private, so I decided left was a grand plan. A few hundred yards further on I ran smack
into another enclosed property. A normal
person would have turned around, but thankfully I don’t suffer from that
particular disorder.
I could see an escape route – black tarmac ready to release
me from this private property trap. I
responded by sliding down the steep hill on my butt, putting freedom only
twenty feet away. There was still a
major problem. A fence running behind
the neighborhood blocked further progress.
I looked for a home owner, but early on a weekday afternoon no one was
present. Since I was still unwilling to
trespass, I decided to see if the fence would lead me to an exit.
I started along a ditch, but the intercession of a culvert
forced me back onto the treacherous hill, where I repeatedly slipped and fell
on the slick surface. As I came to my
feet I saw an older woman in her backyard, sitting poolside with a book. I opened my mouth to explain that I was not a
burglar or serial murderer before she panicked and called the police. Then I paused. She was asleep. Simultaneously, I noticed a gap in the
fence. I sprinted through in a flash.
I was unfettered, but where should I go next? I moved south, towards Lafayette, finding the
BART* station there. I consulted their map, discovering that Happy
Valley Road, which lay on the other side of the parking lot, would lead me
straight back to the ADT. The road name
sounded ominous, but I assumed I was too old to elicit much interest from Sandusky.
Two hours on Happy Valley and I met the ADt and was face
with another decision. The trail
ventures into East Bay Municipal Utilities District (EBMUD) territory and a
permit is required to hike there.
Lacking permission and fearing the fine, I picked a parallel course. My choice meant there was a high fence
between me and Briones Reservoir and I was nearly out of water. A bicyclist stopped and gave me a few ounces,
delaying dehydration only slightly.
 |
| Briones Reservoir |
By six thirty I was desperate. When an opportunity arose in the form of a
stream, I pounced. In my haste for water
I never saw the “No Trespassing “sign or the barbed wire I must have stepped
over on my way in and out. I braved the
inclined bank, picking my way down to the water’s edge. I filled the bottles, then proceeded up the
difficult grade. Only steps from the top
I grabbed a sapling for purchase. The
wood snapped, my shoes slid, and I prepared for the long fall to the
bottom. It never came. Somehow I stayed upright, lunging in one
stride to safety.
I had to answer one more question before I could rest for
the night. Where was I going to rest for
the night? Tindal Park was the logical
choice, but how should I get there? The
ADT went via Inspiration Point, via more EBMUD land. Other options were longer and dusk was
beginning to settle. I couldn’t read the
warning sign at the entrance to EBMUD, so I decided to chance ignorance as an
excuse. I assumed I would see or hear
any vehicles long before they would spot me.
The gambit paid.
Forty minutes of walking with only the flashlight to guide me and I made
the gate exiting EBMUD. Houdini was an
amateur.
22 miles/4049 total miles
*Bay Area Rapid Transit
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