a good end to 2012

A trip up Devil's Gulch is our traditional way to spend New Year's Eve. It was cold, but we spotted a baker's dozen spawning salmon in the creek.

That is frost under the tree, and water was frozen in small puddles on the road back to the car. But we have ways of dealing with the cold.

Mike is wearing two t-shirts, two layers of fleece, down vest, cashmere moebius, and his lucky brown trout tam. Not visible are his gum boots. A must in footwear for this trip. The trail along the creek and the road back is muddy and overflowing with winter run off from the recent rains. But Nicasio reservoir was spilling over the dam, so a good year of water for Marin county. And we were treated to spotting of a pileated woodpecker, not an everyday sight.

Thank you National Geographic for this photo. This was only the second one we have ever seen, the first being in Plumas county, many years ago.
After our walk back to the car we drove up to Millerton Point, pulling our chairs and milk crate out of the car, a Rettie portable picnic table. Here we enjoyed our Fairfax Perry's deli sandwichs on the edge of Tomales Bay.
Home for simple meal with friends, and we will be in bed by 10:30 pm. I'm sure the new year can welcome itself in with out us.