16 Jul Fourth Week on the Peninsula!

Time is flying by and I am really feeling the business here in Point Reyes. This week I have had quite a lot to do in the office! The new junior ranger book is really taking shape, but we are nowhere near being finished! So far we have a lot of text, but still need images, revision and translation. In order to construct the activities, I have to do research, which is the fun part. This week I took a trip to Tomales Point and visited the historic Pierce Point Ranch. I went during the middle of an overcast day. I was the only one there and couldn’t help but feel a sense of eeriness along with the intrigue of the place. Pierce Point Ranch describes life on a Point Reyes dairy ranch and tells about the peninsula’s famous butter industry. It was established in the 1850s as a dairy ranch and became the most prosperous dairy ranch in all of Point Reyes. In 1929 it was sold and turned into a business of hogs and cattle. The NPS took over the ranch in 1973 and restored the original buildings. It is now a fascinating historic site. Another reason why I am enjoying creating activities for kids is because I am learning a lot of cool things I didn’t know before. For example, did you know that when two bat stars bump into each other, a gentle brawl begins. It looks like they are “arm wrestling” in slow motion. I find this too be pretty darn cute even though perhaps these bat stars might be in a heated brawl! Latino Conservation Week is coming up! My fellow park rangers and I have put our heads together to come up with an event that will draw people into the park. We decided to have a day of hiking and a picnic to follow. I am really excited to see new faces at the park. Happy Late July 4th! To celebrate, I hiked 14 miles to a beautiful beach on the coast of the peninsula called Kelham Beach. It was the most beautiful hike I have ever done. Sometimes I just really can’t believe my eyes here. There is so much beauty here at Point Reyes!