You know how it is when someone jumps up behind you? That happened. Of course, no-one said "Boo!", but there was that stomping sound right behind me and a pop of air (kinda like one of those air canons). Nobody, no tree limbs, nothing changed. And I stayed planted there listening for anything unusual.
Then I was investigating a redwood that had split clean in two (no idea why) and created two very nice bridges to the center. While balancing on the higher of the two, a nearby tree started falling (bending hard, snapping sounds). I watched pretty fscking terrified because there was no easy way for me to move further away if it decided to fall in my direction. It didn't fall. It was very close to other redwoods that were not even waving in the wind.
Near the end of the loop, thinking that all was well and enjoying the warm sun in a meadow a tree did fall ~100 ft behind me. Against the wind (or so it seemed from where I was).
Now, I know it's been a hot dry year and all that, but this park is in the fog belt and had plenty of green ferns that I have seen totally dried up in other parks. It was a warm day but not hot and some breeze but not gusting. I can't think of why two otherwise healthy looking trees would decide to (almost/really) fall on this particular day. The weird moment I had? Not a clue.
Was it ghosts from people flipping their cars on the crazy loopy dirt road I came down to get to the parking lot? Angry convict ghosts from the jail that is located in the middle of the park (yeah, weird, I know).
I thought it was one of the best parks I've been to so far and totally want to come back. But I won't be going alone next time!
Panoramic View from VirtualParks of the meadow on Tarwater Loop. VirtualParks also has the most kickass online trail maps available of bay area parks.
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