Over the Benicia Bridge and through Napa Valley Wine Country to Mount Saint Helena I went (song to the melody of Over the River and … you get the idea)

Still testing out gear for my Alaskan wilderness excursion. Patagonia puff jacket lasted almost the entire first mile before being added to the weight in my backpack, albeit not much. Smartwool merino 150 base layer worked beautifully underneath my Columbia sun-resistant top layer. Boots still feeling perfect!

The first .9 miles of the hike was shady, somewhat adventurous and fun! The remaining 4.2 miles to the summit of Mt Saint Helena was service road with minimal shade. Beautiful day, slight breeze. Hawks were out soaring the beautiful blue skies. Very much enjoyed the hike and, as always, the solitude of being outdoors.