Mushroom Hunt

We've been getting regular rain for the first time in five years, so we decided to look for mushrooms yesterday in the East Bay (no dice), and then again this afternoon in Marin County, along the coast.

Down there somewhere is the Pelican Inn, and beyond that, Green Gulch Zen Center, a place that greatly impressed me upon my first visit to the Bay Area in 1992.

Looked for mushrooms around this area, but nothing doing. Still relatively dry in some spots.

Robin knew the secret entrance to the road to Rivendell. That's what this looked like to me, but it's actually a state park called Steep Ravine.

Right away I could smell the fermenting leaves. Unmistakeable smell of a wet temperate forest. That water was running fast and clear. Probably ideal for drinking.

Right about here the camera indicated low battery. All the following shots: running on fumes.

Bingo: Oyster Mushrooms. These particular specimens were a bit too old and dried out, but we found others. You can pick up to 5 lbs. per person each day in State Parks. I doubt we got more than a few ounces. Plenty for dinner--much better than any oyster mushroom I've ever had.

Gnome habitat.

Bridge to Rivendell, protected by well-hidden High Elves.

Colossal boulder icon the local gnomes worship. Their rituals were parodied in Return Of The Jedi.