I discovered a piece of dried, white coral firmly adhered to a rock. Holding it in the palm of my hand, I felt privy to the secrets of a complex and intricate relationship forged beneath the sea.

A fresh water creek snaked its way to mother ocean: sweet and salty blending perfectly to create the cocktail for all of life.

I peeped through the gap between doors. The dusky interior looked mysterious and holy.

We were standing right on the San Andreas Fault.

It is wonderful to be alive and part of the living landscape

As I neared the top, Tomales Bay stretched in the distance.

After a moment, I realized staying was impossible. At this point I surged into survival mode.

Woodward Valley Trail was a billow of green, delicate grass filling the gaps and inviting a hundred-year slumber. Life's secrets surely reside in this magical place.

Seconds later I heard a gentle, "boop" right outside my tent followed by a point-blank scream hitting my head, entering my right ear and resonating to my core.

These little lakes are scattered like jewels along jaw-dropping coastline with nature's inimitable aesthetic of casual perfection.

The smell of decay hinted of strange life forms at home in these dense, dark waters.

The voice of the forest filled me. It spoke of beauty and belonging. It held me.

The eeriness was augmented by inexplicable artifacts strewn around the pasture. This seemed a good alien landing site. There was also something weird about the energy.

We encountered Redwood trees. Piro hugged one; we all let out a sigh, oxygen turned to carbon dioxide and carbon dioxide to oxygen, a perfect system.

Enchanted, we stopped several times, agog at the sheer beauty of the forest. Fairies must live here!

I would love to go in and see what those bats are up to.

Hopping forward every few seconds, he jabbered with renewed emphasis.

Pearly-pink bindweed offered delicacies to a gnat.

Toward the top, glimpses of the Pacific ocean showed cool blue through lush green

To the left is undulating coastline: a strand of dry sand, wet sand, white surf and sparkling sea framed by black boulders jutting in golden ratio from the blue waters.