China Camp

Start/End: Start car was along Pt San Pedro Road outside San Rafael, parked on Main Dr. This was across from the little park we turned around at last week. Finish car was at the dog park behind the Marin Civic Center.

Notes: Started at the small park opposite Main Dr on a foggy morning which wasn't really inspiring. Initially we walked a while as it was cold and motivation was a bit low. Mileage for the week is a bit higher than it has been, so that's part of it.

First stop was the McNears Beach Park. This was an optional out and back. In theory the Bay Trail will go right the way around the piece of land that juts out here, but you can just walk as far as the "beach". This location is where I did my first Olympic Distance Tri, something like 15 years ago. It was my first race in the bay and the first time with a wet suit and with a new road bike! The race was kind of a disaster, but I went on to more successful triathlons. Anyway, the place looked a bit abandoned as a bunch of winter work was going on. And, it only looked vaguely familiar. I couldn't even really identify where the swim start was, but it was high tide.

Shortly after the beach turn off we entered China Camp and followed the Shoreline trail until the main entrance. By the time we were done the mountain bikers were really streaming in, but we didn't really mix it up with too many of them. It was a nice trail. We came across a coyote yapping up a storm some 30 yards away from us. Other than that it was uneventful. Trail use is $3 each. The first time we've had to pay to be on the Bay Trail. The first machine we came to only had credit card payment. The second had cash envelopes.

Beyond the China Camp entrance we followed the road, which was fairly sketchy for a bit, with no real shoulder and blind turns. Closer to the civic center there was either sidewalk or a dedicated path. None of this section is Official Bay Trail, just proposed.