A Path Diverged...

...from the main trail, and despite all efforts to discourage me from taking it, (first extra) I did, and that made all the difference. 

The paved waterfront trail is all very nice and perfect for walkers, cyclists, and folks on roller blades, but to actually see the water, you need to get off it...and yes, if you do, you end up on those unstable slopes...but you also end up in fields of gold and purple with happy butterflies overlooking a vast expanse of blue that reaches to the horizon...Mother Nature's garden with a water feature! 

The path is narrow, at times a mere slice in the grass, but with the wind in your hair and that view in front of you, it beats the paved path! And nary a milk snake to be found....or a toxic wild parsnip..thank heavens..

I do respect those warnings - better a warning than a surprise...like the fire ants I disturbed in another one of my favourite parks last week...no warning about them! Ouch!

So, I had a wonderful morning and chalked up over 7000 steps at the same time! 7000 fun steps...