"Such a country in the City"

by Gilbert G Nichols
(Lubbock, Texas USA)

A view from Mount Tamalpais

The title of the song comes from the song, Doraville, by the Atlanta Rhythm Section and described a small "country" settlement nestled inside a sprawling cosmopolitan metropolis as Atlanta. Such is the case with Mount Tamalpais just north of San Francisco in Mill Valley, California.

Mount Tam, as the locals fondly call it, is just a few miles north of downtown San Francisco and well within the commute for many suburbanites who pass its access by the thousands daily. Only minutes from Golden Gate Bridge to the south and Santa Rosa in the north, Mount Tam is a welcome retreat for hikers, bikers and escapees from the rat race below.

My son and I enjoyed the cool temperatures as we made our ascent to the top, encountering daredevil cyclists as well as venture-intoxicated people from various countries and backgrounds. At one point, we witnessed a couple of hang gliders soaring a couple thousand feet over Stinson Beach and well above a cotton quilt of clouds drifting lazily over the bay.

Mount Tam invites you to come and drink of its natural beauty as you drive along Panoramic Highway. Come with a picnic basket and your significant other for an afternoon where Redwood nature trails or incredible vistas await you. It will be a trip you'll remember for years to come and a destination to revisit whenever you return to the gorgeous shores of Northern California.