Yeah I think the Ridge Trail at Mount Tam is a great choice for this weekend. It's about 6 miles round trip with some nice shaded sections and a few lookouts. The elevation gain is moderate so it shouldn't be too taxing if we take it slow. I checked the weather and it looks clear with temps in the high 70s. We should start early though maybe around 8am to beat the heat and find parking. The lot fills up fast on Saturdays. I can bring snacks and plenty of water. There's also a nice spot about halfway where we can stop and rest. If we want to extend the hike we can take the connector trail that loops around the reservoir. That adds another 2 miles but the views are worth it. Let me know if you want to carpool or meet there. I'm happy to drive since my car gets better gas mileage for highway driving. We can grab lunch afterwards at that sandwich shop in Mill Valley that you mentioned last time.

I also checked if dogs are allowed and they are on leash so you can bring Cooper along. Just make sure to bring extra water for him and maybe a small towel because there's a creek crossing near the halfway point. The trail is well maintained so nothing too rugged. I think we'll have a good time.

I started my sourdough starter about three weeks ago and it's finally ready to bake with. I used equal parts whole wheat flour and water and fed it daily for the first two weeks. Now I keep it in the fridge and feed it once a week. The key is to use filtered water because chlorine can kill the natural yeast. I've been following the King Arthur recipe for a basic sourdough loaf and it turned out pretty well on my second attempt. The first loaf was a bit dense because I didn't let it rise long enough. Room temperature matters a lot. I find that letting it bulk ferment for about 8 hours at 70 degrees works best. The scoring on top is harder than it looks. I used a razor blade and tried to make a simple cross pattern but it came out a little uneven. Still tastes great though. The crust gets nice and crackly if you let it cool completely before slicing. I can share some of my starter with you if you want to try making your own. Just let me know when you want to pick some up.

One thing I learned is that you don't need fancy equipment. A glass bowl and a kitchen scale are really all you need. The scale helps a lot for consistency. I also found that using a Dutch oven for baking gives the best crust. Preheating it for about 45 minutes before baking makes a big difference. Let me know if you want the exact recipe I used.