The Lost Park

As part of my commitment to the local hiking club I decided to start a series of local hikes called "Parks You've Never Heard Of".  This requires that I actually find parks that a good percentage of the group has not been to.  A few other things I look for are a decent trail, natural surroundings, and a chance to clock off at least a couple of miles.  Given the opportunity I would rather not follow a paved trail through manicured grass around ball diamonds ... that is what my morning runs are like! 

A few weeks ago I went in search of an interesting park called the Cemex Reserve.  Part of a local mining operations agreement, it is an effort to reclaim some land that is an important part of the local wetland ecosystem.  Tucked away between freeways and housing developments, it is close to 160 acres so it is very apparent on a map.  There is even an address on the Web sit.

I headed out and followed Google maps on my Android and got to where I could see glimpse of what I assumed was my park.  I drove in circles, through neighborhoods, back and forth and never could locate the entrance.  I abandoned the effort is lieu of re-inspecting another park close by which became my first hike in the series, which I called "Fun with Fossils" at an abandoned quarry that had been reclaimed by city government and turned into a very unusual park that literally transports you back 450 million years and allows you to take home rocks with Silurian era Crinoid fossils embedded within. 

Last weekend I was participating in a 5 mile run ... as a course observer manning the finish line.  After the event a runner reported a lost key on a lanyard .  I decided to drive the course to see what I could see.  As I followed the signs and pavement chalk it took me up into some neighborhood and as a rounded a corner -- there was my park!  I knew it was in the area and had even given a passing thought to restarting my aborted search between this event and the fossil hike coming up later that day.  Honestly though, I had no idea that I was right there and my random key search would reveal something completely unexpected.

So it was a good day.  I had a chance to help some friends host their first ever race for MSA.  I found my missing park.  I led a fun hike for about 2 1/2 miles and we collected fossils and stood on top of ancient coral beds.  Overall for the week I put in around 10 miles ... not bad considering some emergencies that occupied a good chunk of the week.  I led two hikes, and I am one step closer to being at least marginally fit for the Appalachian Trail. 

Oh yes, I think I have proven that I have a penchant for history and unusual places.  Wait until you hear about the Argonne Forest!