In this episode I talk about poisonous and potentially dangerous plants you’ll most likely meet along the trail, how to identify them, how to avoid them and what to do if you’re accidently exposed to them.

LINKS:

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• Poison-Ivy.org - One of the best web sites for tons of information
• Skin Rash Hall of Fame - Great gruesome photos, not for the squeamish
• Poison Ivy, Oak, Sumac Information Center - More great info
• Beware the dangers of poison oak - ABC 7 Los Angeles Video\
• Treating Poison Oak video Tecnu - Poison Ivy and Oak Block Lotion

Palomar Observatory is located in San Diego County, California, in the Palomar Mountain Range. At approximately 5,570 feet elevation, it is owned and operated by the California Institute of Technology. . The telescopes of the Palomar Observatory are involved in a wide variety of astronomical research programs. The studies conducted here range from the hunt for near-Earth asteroids, to probing distant galaxies and quasars at the farthest reaches of the universe.

The Observatory Trail is a 5 mile round trip hike from the Observatory Campground up to the Hale Telescope and back that takes you through a canopy of oaks and shady pines.  This podcast is about my solo adventure up the Observatory Trail to visit the telescope.

In this episode I share a little bit of history about the construction and operation of the magnificent 200 inch Hale Telescope and throw in some music from the era to give it a vintage feel.

Links:

Trip Photos

Trail Video on Youtube (Watch in HD)

Take a ride on South Grade Road via Youtube

Mt. Palomar Observatory

South Grade Road High Speed Motorcycle Cam Video