“Nature is the purest portal to inner-peace.”
—Angie Weiland Crosby
My friend and neighbor Bill Rothenberg and I loaded up our bikes on the back of his Suburban and drove to the bicycle and pedestrian ramp at the intersection of Dale Avenue and Heathersone Way in Mountain View.
This gave us access to the nature-centric Stevens Creek Trail that leads to Shoreline and beyond. Thanks to a series of bridges and underpasses, this route is a devoid of any car traffic—which is essentially a bicyclist’s dream. Thanks to planners and conservationists we are blessed to have some of the greatest walking a biking trails.
Bill and I passed the futuristic Google building and its unique canopy roof design that provides natural light to the interior spaces, while at the same time providing energy efficiency and fosters good heath for its employees. Nearby is the Stevens Creek Tidal Marsh Trail, Shoreline Lake, Golfing links, and two restaurants, bird sanctuaries in the Palo Alto Baylands including such species as Barn Swallows, Green-winged Teal Ducks, Double-Crested Cormorants, Shorebirds, Seagulls, Egrets and many more. We rode the gravel and dirt paths to the Palo Alto Airport to watch the small private planes depart and land on the runway right over our heads.
We made a pit stop at the Art in the Park exhibit at Byxbee Park Public Art Installation that provides a place for visitors to reflect on how nature and art interweave and enhance the experience of this open space. There is also the City of Palo Alto Baylands Nature Preserve and Lucy Evans Nature Center.
Bill and I enjoyed Cheeseburgers and salad for lunch at the Bistro at edge of Shoreline Lake before continuing another several miles back to the car for our drive home, feeling rejuvenated and at peace.
