Wednesday Walk in the Rain, Plus Latest Work

Went out with my trash bag, but the rain made me want to just walk, not look for trash. So we did. Took photos, though.

Plus it was a little windy.

Raindrops on sidewalks 

No construction today, thank you.

Where is everyone?! It's just a little water!

Yesterday they sprayed that oddly green mulch along Branham (looking east).

They also did plowing work on the opposite side of the trail along Branham (looking west).

Ohhhhh, whoa, there's a jogger out there! No one else, though.

Boost didn't mind the rain. She minded having to stop and have her photo taken, though.

Look at that crazy person, out jogging in the rain! Not doing normal things for a rainy day, such as taking the dogs for a walk and shooting some pics.

Tuesday Patrol, Feeling Artistic

Picked up:

West side (from VistaPark/Branham to where the trail veers away from the creek):

• 3 cigarette butts
• 1 water bottle cap
• 3 random debris (old stuff)
• 1 chewed gum
• 0 poops -- yay! (But then, I *was* out there after 5 last night)

South side (along Chynoweth):

• 3 cigarette butts
• 2 fence construction leftovers
• 5 random debris
• 4 poops-- oh, come on, south side, really?

But there was so little stuff to pick up that I spent more time taking photos.

We hit the trail about 8:00, surrounded by chilly fog as the construction crew worked on the north side along Branham.

The sun began breaking through as we walked south.

With the douse of rain 2 weeks ago (about an inch according to my rain gauge), grasslets sprang up everywhere. I know that they're probably weedy foxtaily grass, but it's nice to have a little green.

Boost thinks the gophers are interesting.

The sky becomes more interesting as the fog dissipates above the new construction and the photographer applies some softening and tone mapping.

By the time we got to the end of the trail on Chynoweth, the sky was reclaiming its blueness and colors brightened under the sun.

Another lovely walk completed in our new park.

Monday Patrol, More Dogs, and Thanks

North side (along Branham) will be closed tomorrow until 4:00.

The Patrol was indisposed this morning and couldn't get out until after 5:00.  Houses along the west side nicely shaded that stretch of trail, which is good for my old dog.

Lots of folks out strolling.  Dogs, too; here are four of them (two in the background).

Sometimes you hardly notice the mountains in the background, but if you take a photo from the right angle, you can really see how lovely they are from Cottle Park.

I have to say Thanks to whomever is cleaning up the trail after Naughty Neighbors. I expected all kinds of messes today, but almost nothing! Even if it's a Santa Clara County Parks job, I for one appreciate it. Because today I picked up only--

West side:

• 2 poops
• 3 cigarette butts
• 4 wrappers or partial wrappers
• A few random small scraps of this and that

Not bad at all!

Sunday Patrol and some observations

Out on the trail starting about 7:30 a.m., with plenty of company on a pleasantly cool, overcast morning.

West side and south side. Picked up:

• bandaid from someone's finger
• 4 tissues
• 1 tobacco chaw wrapper
• 1 earplug wrapper
• 2 pieces of paper with writing
• 1 napkin
• 4 candy or gum wrappers
• 1 pc chewed gum
• 1 pc chewed gum in wrapper
• 1 dental flosser stick thing
• several more green and also shiny ribbon things... they're all over. I'm guessing left over from the opening day celebration (Feb 1)
• 1 cough-drop wrapper
• 12 bits of fence construction debris
• 2 bottle caps
• 1 drawstring from a sweatshirt
• 7 cigarette butts
• Many pieces of orange peel and bits of an orange that someone dropped as they went. Perhaps leaving a Hansel & Gretel style trail to find their way back.  In which case, I foiled them by picking up the pieces, and now they'll be captured by the gingerbread-house witch. Tsk. Bummer.

And, I am very very sad to say--especially considering that I swept these areas clean two mornings ago--  Too many poops, I lost count. I filled THREE of my own poop bags along the way. Worst was the south side between the two street entrances to the park. Couple in the middle of the sidewalk. One right next to the poo station. One ON the brand-new fence rail. (Maybe that one was  a raccoon? Odd shape and location.) (Yes, I do look at poop. So does Tika (in the back), whom I put into position for checking out the soiled fence--)

Observations:

• At 7:30, the trail teemed with people. There's apparently an early contingent who likes to be out starting at or just after sunrise. Quite a few fewer by 8-8:30 when we finished.
• Given how much stuff I picked up today, someone else must have been doing Naughty Neighbor Patrol all along.  I wonder whether they were out later this morning and being amazed at how clean it all was?
• Last 3 days had minimal stuff and minimal poop, but today, hooboy--so my assumption is that weekends will be the worst for Neighbors being Naughty in their littering and dog-pooping behaviors.
• I'll bet if you put a surveillance camera along the south side on weekends, you could make a zillion bucks in fines for people not picking up after their dogs.  That is a fineable offense, isn't it?

Poop bags: One station empty, one had bags.

Saturday Patrol

North side (complete):

• 2 cigarette butts
• 1 teeny tiny poop
• pink plastic spoon
• beer bottle cap
• water bottle cap
• (there was a bottle that I was going to pick up on my way back, but it was gone by the time we retraced our steps)
• bits of ribbony stuff like from costumes or celebrations
• tissue
• teabag (!)

Friday report

Poop bag dispensers all empty.

Picked up-- 

West side: 

• 3 poops (since yesterday, dangit)
• one used napkin. 

North side (not all the way): 

• 1 poop
• 2 cigarette butts
• 1 water bottle cap.

South side: 
Didn't do. 

Thursday, the birth of the Naughty Neighbor Patrol

At the brand new Martial Cottle park this morning.

Picked up one poop next to the garbage can at the northwest corner (nearby bag dispenser: empty). One poop next to the southern poop station (bag dispenser: empty). One poop next to the entry gate across the street from housing. Guess their pups have never pooped in public before, so it never occurred to them to carry a bag.