Parked at the trailhead of the "Mills Canyon Nature Area," on Adeline Drive near Hillside Drive, Millbrae, CA. The sign says, "Ed Taylor Trail;" it was named after the guy who founded the trail building effort. As I was getting out my small barefooting backpack and staff, an older man I had greeted once before walked by with his small, white puppy, "Sparky." We exchanged pleasantries and he told me to be careful of the sticker weeds which had just been cut along the trail.
As I went down the trail, I stopped now and then to pick up shards of glass for safe disposal (following Mike Berrow's example). The morning was still overcast, temperature about 60 degrees. Down railroad-tie steps into a cavernous glen, moist dirt path covered in places by drying leaves with small needles at the edges...delicious.
Thru a wet area, left some perfect bare footprints in the mud to advertise. Along an abandoned decaying asphalt street or road, stopped to talk with another dog-walker. He told me about some blackberries which should be ripening in about a month or so. Didn't ask "The Question."
Walked along some more, shortly stopped by a small waterfall which is cutting a channel into a boulder in the creekbed. A hummingbird darted about, drinking from the channel. Further up, a tree had fallen across the trail (long ago), and formed a perfect "chair." The moss has now dried out.
After about a quarter-mile along the upper trail, came to a rock promontory overlook; could see San Francisco Bay beyond the mansions, buildings, and Coyote Point. Just beneath me was a _huge_ poision oak bush...don't want to fall off this rock!.
Along the a little further, heard the unmistakable sound of a shod person behind me; in a couple of minutes a power-walking Rebok woman huffed along. I greeted her, she said "You must have some tough feet." "Getting there," I replied. She rushed on past without further comment, and I can't really blame her...alone on a trail with a stranger.
I noticed some earlier bare foot prints of mine had now hardened into California adobe; they should stay around for a while.
The trail descended into the woods again, some patches were cool and damp, some warm and dry; wonderful contrasts. How can anyone desecrate such _sacred_ places with shoes? The creek was visible about twenty feet below, and I climbed down across some tree roots to a clear, cold pool to wade. The water level is dropping rapidly now that the winter rains have stopped(?)
Back on the path, I took care to avoid the iron re-bar spikes which hold steps and logs in place along the trail. Used my walking stick to probe the far side of fallen logs and such before putting my bare foot across, and into god-knows-what. Came to the split in the trail leading back up to the car, and reluctantly left the glen. Hike took about an hour or so.