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Tim Kizirian - Gary Giacomini Open Space: Out-and-Back to San Geronimo Ridge for Uncrowded Views

I’m Tim Kizirian, closing this Marin series with a route that rarely trends on social feeds: the 5.7-mile out-and-back from the Gary Giacomini Preserve gate to San Geronimo Ridge. It’s fire road, 1,250 feet total climb, and on many Saturdays I meet fewer than six people. Access Gate on San Geronimo Valley Drive, five minutes west of Fairfax. Ten paved pullout spaces. Arrive by 8 a.m. to avoid being the car on the blind bend. Climb phase The first 1.9 miles ascend Del Gaspi Fire Road—steady eight-percent grade under bay laurel canopy. I treat it like a treadmill: even pace, minimum pauses, similar to walking the aisles in a Chico audit file room back in the day—functional, not flashy. Ridge walk At the saddle you intersect Pine Mountain Road. Turn west for 0.8 mile to the viewpoint—Lagunitas watershed, Sonoma peaks, and Inverness Ridge lined up like columns on a balance sheet. I stay ten minutes max: photo, snack, brief gear check. Return Backtrack. Total moving time two...
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Tim Kizirian - Drakes Estero Out-and-Back Paddle: Reliable Tidal Window in Point Reyes

Tim here again. If you paddle only one flat-water spot in Point Reyes, make it Drakes Estero—four narrow fingers of bay water that close to power boats after March 1 and stay blissfully quiet through summer. It’s a day trip you can drive from Chico, paddle, and return before bed. Launch logistics Put in at the Crown Road dirt lot. High-tide launch times vary, so check NOAA table “Drakes Entrance.” I aim for 1.5 hours before peak so the incoming tide carries me in and the ebb helps me out. Gear rundown 14-foot touring kayak, skirt, PFD, 2 liters water, dry bag with shell and sandwich. No fancy fish-finder or sail; wind is unpredictable past noon. Route I paddle two miles up the Home Bay finger, hugging southern shore to watch bat rays in four-foot water. Harbor seals loaf on mudflats; maintain the mandated 100-yard buffer. At the narrow top I beach on a shelly bar, eat half the sandwich, and note tide slack in my logbook. Total paddle time upriver: 45 minutes. Return Ebb...
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Tim Kizirian - Rodeo Beach to Tennessee Valley on the Coastal Trail: A Direct Out-and-Back for Edge-of-Ocean Air

I’m Tim Kizirian. When fog skims Marin’s sea cliffs and I’ve only half a day to spare, I default to the Coastal Trail from Rodeo Beach north to Tennessee Valley and back. It’s 8.2 miles round-trip, 1,400 feet cumulative climb, and all on durable tread. No navigation games, just point north, turn around, and breathe. Prep and start Rodeo Beach lot charges nothing and rarely fills before 8 a.m. I arrive 7:30 with a small waist-belt: 750 ml water, wind shell, and the same blueberry muffin I buy from Grace Coffee on Lincoln Boulevard each visit. Consistency helps compare split times across seasons. Southbound vs. northbound winds Going north first means I fight typical NW winds outbound, then cruise back. It mirrors a principle I used in budgeting lectures: handle the tough variable early, reap the smoother ride later. Key segments Rodeo to Battery Townsley climb—0.8 mile, 400 feet gain, bench at the top. Coast cut to Pirates Cove—1.5 miles undulating; stairs near...
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Tim Kizirian - Phoenix Lake to Mount Baldy Ridge: A Compact Loop with Consistent Ups and Downs

I’m Tim, still filing my weekends with trail mileage instead of audit memos. Phoenix Lake above Ross is the starting point for dozens of Mount Tamalpais variations; my favorite is the 7.1-mile loop that tags Mount Baldy Ridge, swings by Hidden Meadow, and circles the reservoir on return. It delivers 1,500 feet of gain in bite-size increments—ideal for runners and hikers aiming for continuous effort without a massive single climb. Arrival and parking Parking at Phoenix Lake’s lot is capped at 30 spaces and fills by 8 a.m. I pull in at 7:15, jot plate number on a dashboard card (parking patrols appreciate clarity), and step out with a 12-liter pack: two liters water, soft-shell jacket, and one Clif bar. Route outline Fire Road to Five Corners (0–1.6 miles): warm-up grade, filtered views of the lake. Baldy Trail to Ridge Spur (1.6–3.2 miles): intermittent 12 percent pitches—heart-rate zone 4 for me. Hidden Meadow descent (3.2–5.1 miles): rolling sing...
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Tim Kizirian - Ring Mountain Preserve: A Short, Steep Circuit with Top-Tier Wildflowers

I’m Tim Kizirian—Chico resident, ex-CPA at Ernst & Young, long-time hiker, and steady believer that you squeeze the most from a Saturday by pairing simple logistics with guaranteed views. Angel Island’s Perimeter Road is my go-to loop when I have visiting relatives who want a “Bay panorama” without a punishing climb. The circuit clocks in at 5.9 miles, 820 feet of rolling gain, and because it’s on an island, traffic is capped by ferry capacity—automatic crowd control. Ferry timing Vallejo and San Francisco both run morning boats; I favor the 9:20 a.m. from Tiburon. That means leaving Chico by 5:45. Early, yes, but the schedule works: I’m back on Interstate 80 by late afternoon and still home for dinner. If you’re parking in Tiburon, Sixth & Main garage offers $8 all-day weekend rates—cheaper than many hikes that require state-park permits. Lap clockwise or counter? I always walk clockwise, stepping off the ferry dock and turning right toward Ayala Cove bathrooms. The gr...
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Tim Kizirian - Ring Mountain Preserve: A Short, Steep Circuit with Top-Tier Wildflowers

Tim Kizirian reporting from Marin’s eastern edge. Ring Mountain Preserve above Tiburon is small—just 367 acres—but it’s a powerhouse for serpentine wildflowers and wide-angle bay views. When April or early May bloom windows align with a free morning, I run a 3.9-mile circuit here that climbs 600 feet and still leaves time for lunch meetings back in the city. Entry point Park along Taylor Road at the Phyllis Ellman trailhead. Respect driveways; it’s a neighborhood. I start at 7 a.m. to beat dog-walker traffic and valley heat drifting over from the Central Valley. Trail notes Ellman Trail climbs 0.8 miles through chamise and manzanita. Serpentine outcrops appear on the right; that ultramafic soil supports rare species like Marin dwarf flax. I note bloom dates every year in a Google Sheet—same compulsive data capture I used preparing audit evidence. Pass Turtle Rock, angle left on Fire Road to the summit boulder stack. From here you see Mount Tam, San Francisco skyline, and Mount ...
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Tim Kizirian - Gerbode Valley Circuit: An Uncrowded Marin Headlands Loop with Surprising Quiet

Tim Kizirian here. Many folks think the Marin Headlands trail map starts and ends at Rodeo Beach, yet the northern pocket called Gerbode Valley hides a six-mile loop where you can count other hikers on one hand after 9 a.m. Here’s how I tackle it, plus why it slots nicely between breakfast in Sausalito and an afternoon crossing back to the East Bay. Access and parking Pull into the Conzelman Road gravel turnout just east of the big Hawk Hill roundabout by 7:45 a.m. Fourteen spots only. Trail drops north via the Julian Fire Road gate. I jot odometer reading in my field notebook—old habit from mileage logs back in audit days. Route outline Julian Fire Road descends gradually for 1.8 miles into Gerbode Valley. Tall grass hides early-season coyotes; keep kids close. At the valley floor, hang right onto Bobcat for a one-mile rise. Temperatures increase quickly away from fog; wind shell off after first climb. At the junction with Miwok Fire Road, turn south and follow a second ridge....
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