What I Observed from my Bench at Larry Moore Park

You Can See a Lot of Nature Just Sitting on a Park Bench

Many times we don't really notice what's right in front of us. When I was escaping my roofers' noises this week I found myself on this bench. I'm so blessed I can walk over here, though I didn't on this particular day. This is the bench upon which I sat.

This bench faces west toward the Salinas River, but the riverbed is dry now. On the other side of the river runs some railroad tracks and on the other side of those the 101 Freeway as it goes through Paso Robles. To the left of the bench is the end of the cul-de-sac and a fence dividing public land from the small farm across from it. That land is where I saw the goats after I left this bench to go home.

This Bench Offers a Dose of Wilderness Close to Civilization

One of the first things I saw was an Amtrak train heading south from the Paso Robles Station. It always passes the park, and you can almost set your clock by it if you pay attention. Normally I see it going toward the station, but I was earlier than usual on this day.

You can see beyond the train to the cars on the freeway. It's a divided freeway on this stretch. I was using a zoom lens, so that train and the freeway look much closer than they really are. You'd have to walk about two blocks through the park and across the riverbed and then a bit further to get to those train tracks. When you listen to the video you will hear the traffic, but I believe the train was gone by the time I made the video.

The Salinas River Trail

My bench sits near an entrance to the Salinas River Trail that goes through the park and past it for a couple of miles. If you look to the right of the bench, as I did to take this photo, you will see the trail. Quite often people are walking or biking there. Many people use the trail or the dry riverbed to walk their dogs.

The Video

As I sat on my bench, I made a video by pointing the camera from the right to the left to take in my view. I aimed it up, down, and sideways to take in the height of the tree near me. I narrate to tell you what I'm seeing and doing. I hope you enjoy it.

Still Views from My Bench

Below you see the path that leads to the riverbed, now dry. On the far right is the tree branch you saw in the video that bends all the way to the ground and looks like a little tree by itself. Between that and the path to the river you see a bed of poison oak with a red tinge. The oak is on the left and its branch extends all the way to the ground on the right. The path is steeper than it looks and one has to be careful not to slip -- especially when it's wet after one of our rare rains.

Here's a closer look at that poison oak beside the path to the river.

Here's the other side of the oak on the left side of the path.

Below is the rest of the oak and the rocks near the trail entrance near the road. On the far left you are seeing outside the park onto the private property where I saw the goats yesterday.

This is another perspective of the oak with a zoom and some dried poison hemlock stalks. Have you noticed how much poison lurks near the trails?

Here's a book that will help you identify and deal with poison oak if you happen to touch it. This book has the highest reviews of any I saw, and a great section on identifying these plants.

Below I put the poison oak right next to the oak branch so you can see the leaves clearly. There's part of a willow tree on the far left near the top.

Now You've Shared my Views from the Park Bench

Which did you like best? Did you learn anything from these photos? I feel very fortunate to be able to walk to this park when I need a dose of nature. 

*****

Dead Weeds and New Life from Stump

The main path at Larry Moore Park in Paso Robles is lined with dead weeds and dead trees at this time of year. Some of the dead trees have been there for years, along with more than one generation of dead poison hemlock and milk thistles. The weeds reseed every year. The stump of the tree that broke apart a couple of winters ago refuses to give up and die. You can see that it wants to put forth new shoots and restore itself. If you would like a closer look, just click the photo to enlarge it.

The Poison Hemlock at Larry Moore Park Grew Right through This Bench

One thing I have noticed for years is that weed abatement does not happen at Larry Moore Park. Besides the fire hazard this can be, it can also make the park hard to use as intended. This bench is one example of that.

I took this picture on March 26, 2011, a year when there was a lot of rain and the river almost flooded. Hard to believe now when we haven't seen water in the river for two years, but that year it came almost up to the water's edge near the fence you see below.

As I walked to the bench to take the above picture, the poison hemlock and prickly milk thistle were up to my calves and I had be be very careful not to get scratched. It was so high, as you can see, the poison hemlock grew right through the seat of the bench. That bench is not on the ground as it appears to be. Its seat is at normal height for park benches. Who would want to walk over to that bench to sit and look at the river?

This year I walked past the same bench in February, and we had had a bit of rain by then. Fortunately the poison hemlock and thistles had not taken over near the bench yet, and I'm hoping the high grass around the bench will discourage the other weeds from surrounding it.

Unfortunately, in other parts of the park, along the paths, the poison hemlock is growing over my head, though most is only waist high. Closer to the riverbed on the south end of the park, there is poison oak next to the last access path to the river. One has to be careful what one touches there.

I'm not sure if the city just wants to keep the park wild for the sake of maintaining a wilderness area or if they are just not willing to spend maintenance money. Weeds are everywhere but the ball diamond and the paths themselves. Maybe the city just can't afford weed abatement and the hauling away of dead tree branches in the middle of the park as they fall from trees. I suspect the city gets grant funds to build the parks and trails,  but not to maintain them.

Meanwhile those walking through the park just have to be aware of the poison weeds and hope lightning or smokers never set the dead wood by the river ablaze. If the park catches fire some dry season, the nearby residents will need gas masks to protect their lungs from burning poisonous plants.

Poisonous plants are everywhere in the North County. It pays to be able to recognize them and understand what they do. If you want a delightful read on this subject, try Amy Stewart's book below. She is an amazing writer and I've read this book and a couple of her gardening books, as well, and loved them. Wicked Plants is not a field guide, though. That's why I've suggested a highly rated field guide to poisonous plants as a supplement to it. Treat yourself to one or both today. If there's one thing I've learned, it's that having a good set of reference books around when you need them is very helpful.

 Wicked Plants: The Weed That Killed Lincoln's Mother and Other Botanical Atrocities The North American Guide to Common Poisonous Plants and Mushrooms

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• Poison in the Park
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Poison in the Park

We like to think of our parks as safe places, and, for the most part, they are. But Larry Moore Park is full of poison, especially from February until the end of summer. It's not only poison, but it's lovely poison. You can see it here above. I suggest you click to enlarge these photos so you can see the leaves in greater detail. Those beautiful green lacy leaves are none other than poison hemlock, the same stuff that killed Socrates. See my article Poison Hemlock: Lovely but Lethal for information on how to recognize it at every stage of its life.

I took the photos in this blog post at Larry Moore Park on February 18, 2015, but the park is full of poison hemlock very year. You will also find it all over the North County on uncultivated land and on roadsides, and probably in your yard if you have open space. It smells sinister if you pick it, but you really don't even want to touch it. One mouthful of this plant can kill an adult, but it comes with no warning labels except its smell, and even that is subtle.

Poison hemlock often grows in close proximity to milk thistle, another beautiful plant, but it won't harm you unless you touch its thorns. Wild mustard often grows with one or both of these. You can see the broad white-streaked milk thistle leaves interspersed among the hemlock plants in this photo.

If you see a fern-like bright green plant growing next to mustard and / or milk thistle, it is very likely to be poison hemlock. Teach your children to recognize these plants. Mustard and milk thistle are harmless, but they can warn you that poison hemlock may be nearby. If your children play at Larry Moore Park between back trail and the riverbed, be sure they are warned never to touch the green plants or eat them. Poison hemlock can resemble wild celery, Queen Anne's Lace, and even wild carrot. They are in the same family.

Wild Mustard and Poison Hemlock Together

This last photo shows you just how much poison hemlock invades the park. I was walking that back trail that leads to river access when I took these pictures. The poison hemlock grows not only along the trail, but through all the dead and living trees almost to where the river sand starts. It's a see of green invading the woods - just where children might be playing hide and seek. Look through the trees and you will see it everywhere.

Poison Hemlock Invading Larry Moore Park