Rancho San Antonio Hike (12-6-2013)

Rancho San Antonio Hike
Los Altos Hill, California

9th Hike: Foothill College Day Hike
Instructor: Thomas McCarthy

Friday, December 6, 2013

By Peter Y. Chou
WisdomPortal.com

Preface: The Fall 2011 issue of Midpeninsula Regional Open Space has a Visitor Survey for 2008-2010 (p. 16). Using infrared trail counters, the average visitation/day at Rancho San Antonio (1348) exceeded the total of the next three Preserves— Fremont Older (522), St. Joseph's Hill (422), and Windy Hill (341). I've hiked here with friends on many occasions, the last two times on August 27, 2011 (Coyote Trail & Wildcat Loop Trail), and September 8, 2011 (Permanente Creek Trail & Lower Meadow Trail). Today's outing is the ninth hike in Thomas McCarthy's Day Hike Class (PHED 23B) at Foothill College. A friend gave me a ride to Rancho San Antonio (22500 Cristo Rey Drive). We arrived on time at 1:03 pm and met Tom at the Equestrian Parking Lot, where he gave hike instructions to the class: Cross bridge and follow foot path to Deer Hollow Farm; Go straight on Rogue Valley Trail; At Y-Pond area, turn right and follow back to parking lot. We spent a half-hour at Deer Hollow Farm (2:14-2:44 pm) taking photos of chickens, roosters, ducks, goats, sheeps, and a Jersey cow named Luna. We encountered quails, a bluejay, and two deers on the trails. Arrived at Y-Pond (3:34 pm) that was dry, looking like two sunny-side up eggs in a frying pan. There were beautiful clouds at sunset, but rain clouds came at 5 pm and drizzled when we got in the car. Below are 124 photos from today's hike.

Clouds over Rancho San Antonio (1:03 pm)

View of Equestrian Parking Lot

Permanente Creek Trail Signpost

Twisted "8" Maple Tree

Two Leaveless Couple

First Bridge to Trails

Tilting Bay Tree

St. Joseph College Rock

Squirrel & Bird Closeup (1)

Cross Section of Bay Tree

Lone Leaveless Tree

"Comet" above Tuning Fork Tree

200-Years Old Bay Tree

Hollow Live Oak Tree

Old Bay Tree Info Board

Rancho San Antonio Info Boards

Rancho San Antonio Signpost

Live Oak Hollow View

Gnarly Live Oak

Lambda Trees on Trail

Quails on Trail

Live Oak Hollow Closeup

Fallen Dead Live Oak

"Iguana Eye" Trunk

Bluejay on Live Oak

Bluejay on Oak Closeup (1)

Bluejay on Ground

Old Oak Stump on Trail

Long Horizontal Branch Reaching

Bluejay on Ground

Giant Eucalyptus Bottom

Giant Eucalyptus Top

"Big Jaws" Trunk

Bridge to Coyote Trail

Lower Meadow Trail Signpost

Another View: "Big Jaws" Trunk

"Old Warts" Tree

Diagonal Bay Tree over Trail

Bridge to Deer Hollow Farm

Pig & Rabbit Logos

Deer Hollow Farm Entrance

Chicken & Eggs Welcome Board

One Chicken Is Out

Jersey Cow on the Farm

Ducks in Pool

Black Duck through Fence

Ducks & Chickens through Fence

Ducks Outside of Pool

Rooster on Edge of Pool

Deer Hollow Farm Info Board

Biggest Rooster in Farm

Ducks in Pool

White Chicken Eats Pumpkin

Biggest Duck Quacks & Flaps Wings

Rooster & Black Duck "Each in its Space"

Rooster Strides Ahead of Ducks

White Duck in Pool

Pretty Speckled Hen

Speckled Rooster & White Hen

Luna Jersey Cow Photo

Bay Tree by Sheep Farm

Goat Looking Closeup

Rooster on Fence

Luna the Cow Looking by Fence

Luna the Cow Closeup

White Goat

White Goat Looking

White Goat Closeup

Products from a Goat

Goats from above Fence

Three Goats in Farm

Five Sheeps and Barn

"Tightrope Walking" Rooster

Five Sheeps in Farm

Cat at Deer Hollow Farm

Phoebe Garden

Sage, Oregano, Thyme

Hay Barn at Deer Hollow Farm

Rancho San Antonio Info Boards

Deer Hollow Farm Barn

Rogue Valley Trail Signpost

Wildcat Loop Trail Signpost

Wildcat Loop Trailhead

Barn View from Wildcat Loop Trail

Virgin's Bower (Clematis virginiana)

Ravensbury Trail Signpost

White Oak at Crossroad

Lambda Shape at Horizon

Two Deers on Trail

Rogue Valley Trail

Chamise Trail Signpost

Deer Sighting on Trail

Two Deers by Rogue Valley Trail

Two Deers on Trail

Live Oak & Dead Trunk

Deer Crossing to Live Oak

Deer Near Live Oak

Young Deer Near Live Oak

Dry Pond with "Sunny-Side Up Eggs"

Beautiful Bay Tree

Two Pigs Eating Apples

V-Shape White Oak

Fruits on Buckeye Tree

Gnarly Tree Above Dry Pond

Windmill Pasture Signpost

Sign: Deer Hollow Farm 1.1 Miles

Lizard on Rogue Valley Trail

Phoebe Garden

Fresh Lettuce for Your Salad

Pigs Eating Apples

White Barn House

Historic Grant Cabin Info Sign

Historic Grant Cabin

Mistletoes on Oak

Tree Rings on Oak Stump

Majestic White Oak

Heart on Live Oak Trunk

Live Oak with Heart

Sunset Clouds over Rancho

Clouds at Sunset over Rancho

Sunset Clouds in Distance

Rain Clouds over Rancho (5 pm)

— Photographs by Peter Y. Chou, December 6, 2013