My hike on Sunday was through the fantastic Russian Ridge Open Space Preserve off of Skyline Blvd. in the Santa Cruz Mountains.
Mostly out in the open, this is a must do hike on cool early mornings. Mid day summer hikes will leave you over done by the sun.

On this Sunday, along the Bay Area Ridge Trail, which travels through parts of this OSP, I was witness to a fantastic wildflower show. I was literally blown away by the thousands of California Golden Poppies, Blue Eyed Grass, California Buttercups, and many other wildflowers that seemed to be growing everywhere. Remembering the advice of my friend Rich McIntosh – a very good outdoor photographer – I focused on this purple beauty and “filled the frame.”

Anybody out there know the name of this purple wildflower?

Links:

http://www.ridgetrail.org/
https://www.wildflower.org/nww/
http://www.openspace.org/

Where are you hiking this weekend?

If you’re looking for me, I’m over the hill.