Wednesday, August 11, 2010

Highway 121/Carneros Highway - Aug. 2, 2010

Walking Distance: 1.6 miles
Walking Time: 36 min. (5:05 - 5:41 p.m.)
Start and End Point: unpaved shoulder, along Highway 121, near intersection with Old Sonoma Rd., Napa, CA

This short walk was a "close-the-gap" segment. The gap, in this case, was along Highway 121 (represented by double yellow lines on the bit of map shown above right). I walked as far east as Los Carneros Ave. (at the right edge of the map) near The Carneros Inn turn-off, and as far west as Duhig Road (left edge of map).

Fortunately, the shoulder was fairly generous along most of this stretch; although I was a bit nervous walking along a short stretch before Duhig Road. Unfortunately, I saw another recently dead barn owl by the side of the highway. Perhaps this was the mate to the first one I saw earlier today, on Cuttings Wharf Road. In any case, I paid close attention to the fast-moving traffic, as I had no desire to share the owl's fate.


There was some road construction going on near Duhig Road; but today the construction crew were starting to pave over the area that had been dug up. So, this area should be good as new fairly soon. The Domaine Carneros winery (also referenced in July 28, '10 post), is located at the intersection of Duhig Road and Highway 121. This time I ventured up the steps to buy some chocolate in their gift shop. No wine this time. I've included two pictures looking out from their deck, toward the bit of road where I was walking. (It's the least I could do after talking about the deceased owls.)

Wildlife Sightings:
4 Canada geese; 2 little brown jobs (LBJs); 1 (another) recently dead barn owl; a few blurs in the bushes (probably lizards); and 1 tennis ball perched on a drainage grate.

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