Beating up ferns

Whenever I go out in the Marin hills, I try to hit someone. Sometimes I just hit myself and that's enough.

No, mountain biking and hiking don't make me prone to violence. The reason I give a good smack, usually to a bike-shorted leg or butt--is to make a cool fern print using a frond of spore-laden (and aptly named) California goldenback fern (Pityrogramma triangularis). I made a quick video this afternoon after my ride to show you how you can have an excuse to hit your buddy next time you're out on the trails.

Look for goldenback ferns growing in nooks and crannies, usually in shady moist areas like road cuts and rock crevices. Just watch out for a common neighbor, poison oak. Not cool to slap that on someone's leg...much less yours.

One of the first times I tried this whacking move was on a realtor who was showing me a San Rafael house with a cool, shady backyard--full of these little ferns. I plucked a frond, put it on her shirt and whacked. The shirt was silk. I thought it looked pretty. She was not amused. I made it up to her by buying the house.