Skyline Wilderness Park: Rattlers to Lemonade

Unfortunate circumstances led to an outstanding three-day adventure—lemons to lemonade. My original plan to walk with my dog Gypsy from Sacramento, California, to Point Reyes is out. My symptoms are increasing, and doctors suggest I get more tests. With a heavy heart, I canceled my reservations at the different campgrounds where I'd stay on the way—except one.

I was surprised to find the Napa area challenging for a through-hike, especially with a dog. Aside from stealth versions, the sparse camping options would require long days of walking, and I'd still need to stay in a hotel for one night. To get past Napa, I'd depend on rides to shuttle Gypsy and me to Skyline Wilderness Park, where we'd sandwich two nights sleep with three long walking stretches.

Disappointed by the collapse of my Camino, adventure partner, Chav and I packed our gear and kayaks and figured to make the best of the change in plans. It would be one of my favorite camping trips in recent memory.

To lock in the memory, I used my iPad Mini and Apple Pencil to draw a signature graphic for the trip. Easy subjects: The reeds in the Napa River where we paddled. The majestic vineyards directly outside the park. Or the doe and her two fawns I'd see when I'd wake up under my tarp. Magic. But with a trailhead only yards from our camp, we hiked up the twisted path to a vulture rest and their commanding view before winding down to a small lake. We were caught off guard by not one but two rattlesnakes along the way! Ok, the graphic is a little over-dramatic. I wouldn't say I like villanizing animals, but it made for a fun type-driven illustration and delivers a powerful bite to this post.