In a touching tribute to Marin County’s natural beauty and the bonds of family, Beth Ashley’s reprinted 2017 column takes us along Corte Madera Creek. The longtime Marin Independent Journal columnist shares her emotional return to a walking path that shaped her daily life for 14 years—now experienced from a wheelchair, thanks to her son’s help.
This reflection highlights the timeless appeal of one of Marin’s most cherished waterways. It’s also a moving meditation on aging, adaptation, and those simple pleasures that still bring joy, even as life changes.
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A Cherished Morning Ritual Along Corte Madera Creek
For nearly fifteen years, the bike path along Corte Madera Creek was more than a scenic route for Beth Ashley. It became the setting for a faithful morning ritual.
At the almost absurdly early hour of 6 a.m., Beth met her friends Mary and Carol for daily walks. They mixed exercise, nature, and a bit of socializing, making these mornings a cornerstone of her routine.
The Greenbrae and Larkspur neighborhoods were just waking up as they set out. There’s something special about being up before the rest of the world, isn’t there?
Wildlife and Community Along the Path
The path gave her more than exercise; it was a front-row seat to Marin’s wildlife. Herons, egrets, and all sorts of waterfowl made regular appearances, putting on a nature show that changed with the seasons.
Over time, a little community formed among the regular walkers. Familiar faces exchanged greetings and quick chats, creating a social network that really only existed in those quiet, early hours by the creek.
Returning to a Beloved Landscape
Now at 91, with mobility challenges that keep her from walking alone, Ashley could have let her connection to the creek fade. But her son Pete built a bridge to her past, pushing her wheelchair along the same asphalt path she once walked so many times.
They picked a day that was, as Ashley puts it, “perfect and cloudless”—the kind of weather Marin seems to hand out more often than not.
Moments of Reflection and Connection
Making their way from Kentfield toward Ross, Pete and Beth stopped at benches along the route. She watched birds and soaked in the calm of the creek, just like she used to.
Those pauses mirrored the reflective parts of her old walks. Even though things are different now, the core experience of connecting with nature is still there, waiting.
Beth once hoped to donate a memorial bench along the path, but the County of Marin said they already had enough seating. Instead, she shares a different wish—to have her ashes scattered in the creek someday. That waterway, it seems, is forever part of her sense of home in central Marin.
The Gift of Return
During their outing, Ashley worries about how much effort her son needs to push her wheelchair. Pete just laughs it off and promises to come back next Tuesday.
That promise turns a one-time visit into something more—a ritual they can share. Honestly, it’s the kind of moment that probably feels familiar to a lot of Ross Valley families dealing with changing roles.
The landscapes of Corte Madera, Larkspur, and the nearby towns worm their way into people’s stories. The creek runs from Ross through Kentfield and beyond, winding through Ashley’s memories.
Even as bodies slow down, those connections to special places stick around. The old haunts change meaning, but they don’t disappear.
Here is the source article for this story: Best of Beth Ashley: The simple joy of a walk along Corte Madera Creek
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