Regarding your question about the raised beds for this season I think we should go with tomatoes and peppers this year. The soil in the back corner gets good afternoon sun and the drainage there is better than near the fence line. Adding some basil and oregano along the edges would help keep certain pests away and they pair well with the vegetables for cooking. Based on the frost dates for our area we should be safe to plant after the second week of May. If you want a head start I can pick up some starter plants from the nursery next weekend. They have a good selection of heirloom varieties that tend to do well in our climate. I also thought we could try some cucumber plants along the trellis on the south side since that worked well last season. Let me know what you think about this layout and if you want to add anything else to the plan. I can sketch a rough diagram and send it over later this week so we can finalize everything before the planting window opens. The soil test results showed slightly acidic conditions so we may need to amend a few spots with lime but that is easy enough to do before planting.

To answer your question about Saturday morning I think we should aim for the trailhead by seven to avoid the heavier crowds later in the day. The loop is about eight miles with moderate elevation gain so it should take us around four to five hours with breaks. I already packed the gear list and it looks like we have everything sorted. The weather forecast shows partly cloudy skies with a slight chance of afternoon showers so I will bring the lightweight rain shells just in case. There is a good spot about halfway where we can stop for lunch with a view of the valley. I can bring snacks and plenty of water for everyone. The trail has some rocky sections near the top so sturdy footwear is recommended. I should also mention there is a parking fee at the trailhead so you may want to bring some cash or use the app to pay beforehand. The fee goes toward trail maintenance which is nice to support. Let me know if you want to adjust the meeting time or if anyone else plans to join us so I can coordinate accordingly. I checked the trail conditions online and they reported good footing throughout with only a few muddy patches near the creek crossing which should be easy to navigate.