Fern Pond

Garland Ranch Regional Park in Carmel Valley. The Monday morning Trompers and Chompers group hiked a couple hours in this beautiful landscape at the northern tip of the Santa Lucia mountains. It was uphill all the way to the top, and then a steep and dusty downhill path, with lots of fine views of vineyards and farms, gnarly moss-covered oaks, dense forest and open grassland. The Chompers part refers to the delicious lunch we always manage to have after the hike--this time in Carmel Village, a quaint and charming and very upscale tourist spot on Monterey Bay. A dozen sweaty hikers and a couple dogs did nothing to elevate the local real estate value, but no one threw us out and we had some excellent sandwiches before heading home.