Over the last few days, we actually got some rain here in Northern California. It wasn't a lot, but it was enough to water the plants and replenish the snow in the Sierras. We still need much more, though, so send it our way. Today, however, the rain skipped over us, but we were fortunate enough to see spectacular cloud formations left behind by the storm that passed through earlier. Although the sun peeked through the clouds periodically, it remained quite cold. Not to waste the day away indoors, one of my travel buddies and I decided to take a brisk walk around Lafayette Reservoir, where there is a lovely loop road about three miles long. You can also go fishing on the lake, rent rowboats or paddleboats, and have picnics. It's the perfect spot to enjoy the California sunshine, and that's exactly what people were doing. Here are a few images from our afternoon walk...
The view from the parking lot looking toward Mt. Diablo
The Red White and Blue fluttering over the parking lot...
First peek of the lake...
Typical tranquil scene...
View from one of the higher points along the trail...
Storks hanging out together...
Two ducks enjoying the calm waters...
The sun breaking through the clouds...
Typical view from the shore...
Reeds along the shoreline...
Heading down to the fishing pier...
One of the fishing piers with picnic table...
One of the boat houses...
Paddleboats for rent...
Rowboats for rent...
View of the water tower with awesome clouds...
The view from the parking lot upon our return...
Lafayette Reservoir is easy to get to, has plenty of parking, and offers picturesque, easy hikes with spectacular views of the surrounding hills and wildlife.
The Martinez Regional Shoreline is a great place to birdwatch, boatwatch, and skywatch. If you'd like to see what downtown Martinez looks like, click here.
