Sunrise 6:56 am: Head start on the weekend

For the past two years, the Dawn Joggers have driven out to Arastradero Preserve with Cassie in tow on Friday mornings. At least on those Fridays when it's light enough and when there hasn't been significant rainfall.

Today - where we happened to gain two minutes over yesterday's sunrise - it was very brisk (snow is predicted down to 2,000 feet) but absolutely gorgeous. Spring green combined with blue skies and scattered clouds. The "count" (defined as how many critters we encounter) was just three - one cottontail rabbit and two deer.

We've seen a lot wildlife at Aratradero Preserve over the years, jogging and hiking at various times during the day - deer, bunnies, a flock of wild turkeys, bobcats, snakes (including rattlers) and coyote. Our hunch is the rash of mountain lion spottings are actually coyotes, which are leggier and lighter colored than those we used to see in our suburban neighborhood in Southern California years ago.