Mulholland dirt is fancier.

Mulholland Drive, Woodland Hills

Every time I drive Mulholland (or Reseda, or Ventura Blvd, for that matter), I can't help but sing a little Tom Petty.  As we walked along, and I scanned a very crowded San Fernando Valley, all I heard in my head was I wanna glide down over Mulholland. I wanna write her name in the sky. Gonna free fall out into nothin'. Gonna leave this world for a while.

Sing it with me now! And I'm free, free fallin'!

As a side note, I kind of want to hike back to each these places and raise a 12 flag at the top of all of them! SEA-HAWKS!

My shoes got dirty...

...so I'm calling it a hike. Well, technically two. 

Santa Susana Park, Simi Valley

There's no better way to finish breakfast at Old Santa Susana Cafe (banana pancakes = deliciousness), than to stroll around this park. If you haven't been, they have the coolest rocks there. I was too busy walking THROUGH them to take a picture, but it's worth seeing.

After going under the railroad tracks, in a very reverberant tunnel, I might add, we hit a trailhead...or a worn down path up some rocks. So neat to watch the clouds moving across the hills!

Sage Ranch, Simi Valley

Fast forward a few hours, and up into Woolsey Canyon we go. The first time I was up here, the sun was setting on Conejo Valley and you could see for miles. There are big rocks, green grass, and 360 views. On a summer day, this is where I'd like to pack a picnic and spend some time with a good book. 

"I want to take a hike with you."

Charmlee Wilderness Park, Encinal Canyon

How have I never been out this way?? As if the green hills weren't spectacular enough, (thank you, rain!)...

...we rounded a corner to an ocean view.  Sometimes when I'm at the beach down here, I think about how it's the same ocean as my friends in WA get to see (aww, I may be a little homesick right now!)

There were some giant boulders and great trees. The little kid in me wanted to climb all over them! I didn't though because I still don't know how to get down...

Oh, and one of the beautiful girl we hiked with ;)

Baby on board!

Hike #13 Saint Edward Park, Kenmore

On my last day in town, we just had to go to the "whoop-de-whoop" park, as named by the 3 year old, which happens to have a trail attached.

The sky was gray (what's new)...

And the ground was more than muddy. Luckily, we had an expert trail guide!

We saw so many colors of leaves, lots of evergreens, and all the ferns bordering the path. We even snuck through a tree tunnel!

We finally made it to the open field, otherwise know as, the messiest wet dirt field in the history of time. Only one of us landed in the mud while crossing the ravine. Hint: it wasn't the either of the ones with a baby sleeping against their chest. 

Undulating paths.

Hike #12 Wildwood Canyon Loop (West), Thousand Oaks

My borrowed hike book (thanks, Steve!) described this trail in such lavish detail, I thought I was reading L. M. Montgomery or some other fluffy writing.

We ascended knolls and traversed ridges. 

Then descended the undulating path...

to the lush canyon floor.

We crossed footbridges above the bubbling stream. 

And meandered alongside the creek. 

Oh, and we saw this kickass succulent. 

Riddle me this, Batman.

Hike #11 Chesebro Canyon Trail, Agoura Hills

I've been looking forward to this hike with Erin for weeks! I definitely think I could get lost in those hills - the trails all seem to connect to one another and go on forever. For a pretty full parking lot though, we only saw a few people out. Makes me think there's more than meets the eye!

The clouds were breathtaking. Can't get enough of those cumulonimbus clouds today. 

Thanks for taking such great photos, Erin! 

Marco? Marco? Um, Marco?

Hike #10 Big Sky Trail, Simi Valley

And the trailhead never responded... We eventually hopped a fence and got on board.

Nothing much to tell here. We saw some backyards and future hills to climb.

A beautiful sunset (filtered for a little excitement!)

And a teeny sliver of a moon watching over us. 

Goodnight, Moon.