Tilden Part 1-The Botanical Gardens

I got a little worried when I found out that there were 65 parks in the EBRPD, but then under more investigation, I discovered that there are often multiple areas in one park or they are right next to another park.  Phew! On January 7th, I invited my friend Robyn to come to Tilden, the first place we stopped was the  Botanical Gardens at Tilden , I'll go into more detail as to how we accidentally went to the Botanical Gardens in Part 2.
 

 View from near the car. I think the building is the Nature Center of the Botanical Gardens.

Robyn decided to take pictures of me at the parks that day.  I was not super into this idea as I was wearing hiking clothes (ie a flannel shirt) and carrying my cool collapsible water bottle, but alas she took the pictures and here I am posting them. I think our entire trip around the garden took maybe 15 minutes. There is a stream and a bridge though.

Orange/yellow Lichen!!!

The Verdict: I do love Botanical Gardens but I think I would want to wait till spring and more flowers are blooming to come back. It seemed quite lovely, I was just more excited by bigger trees that day. I do really like cool colored lichen though, and flowers. Maybe I would take a tour in the spring.

The beginning of the East Bay Reigonal Parks Project

 This whole resolution was inspired by a late-December hike that I went on with my friend Megan, who has an adorable dog, Burrows. I love to walk around the lake near my house, but because of the traffic and the bird sanctuary, he can't go off leash. (Plus, he is a water dog and he would totally go swim in the lake.) Anyway, that day she really wanted to go somewhere where he could run around off leash. She suggested that we go to Redwood Regional Park which is not too far from my house. We had a great time and a good hike walking up the Canyon Trail to the East Ridge Trail towards the Pinehurst Staging Area. Burrows got to be off leash on that trail, and we got a lot exercise walking up and down a big hill. When we were driving away, I thought about the fact that not only had I never heard of that park specifically, but somehow I forgot about the East Bay Regional Parks District.  I'm not quite sure how that happened. As it was almost the new year I decided to make it my resolution to visit all of them in 2012.

I know I had already been to Redwood, but I decided for the first park of 2012 to go back and walk on other parts of the trails. I got my new roommate Amanda on board and we headed out on Jan. 3rd to hike towards things labeled on the map as the Orchard and the Old Church, and walk along the Stream trail. I am not going to lie but I was excited about seeing an old church and an old orchard.  The orchard was just a few fruit trees and a playground and the old church was a plaque and a camp site.  I was a bit disappointed, but then I looked up and saw these beautiful trees.

I felt like I was back in Santa Cruz walking in the Redwoods. (Sorry for the blurriness, I guess I should bring my real camera for these hikes but so far I have not. It's all phone all the time.)

We walked along the Stream trail then went up the Fern trail and cut over to the Chown trail. (I'd post an image of the trail map, but it is really easy to zoom on the EBRPD Redwood park site, feel free to use the link above.)

I like all the trees that lean into the sun. On our way back to the parking area on the Bridle trail, where we passed some horses!  According to the map (and evidenced by horse poop) there is a lot of equestrian activity at this park.


An Artsy accident.


Verdict: I would totally come back. I bet it is really beautiful when there is more water in the stream. There is a ton of parking which must mean it is super popular in the summer. The Stream Trail was totally a great flat trail (or all ages as I might say now) and combined with the hills of the Fern, Chown and French Trails we had a great hike. There are a ton more trails to do, so it would be easy to come back over and over and over and not get bored.  It's pretty shady because of all the trees so be sure to wear layers for warmth.  It's colder by the stream till you walk up some of those hills and then you wish you had no layers.

Bye Bye 2011, Hello 2012

Happy New Year! 

It's time for a motto: It's choice not chance that lead to success.

And a Resolution:  I want to take a hike in each of the 65 East Bay Regional Parks.

Via the East Bay Regional Park District

 Wow.  Just look at all of them!!! I just looked at the website to have a concrete number after already deciding on this as a resolution. I am a little overwhelmed. That's a more than one a week.  Who knew that there would be so many?  We are so lucky here in the Bay Area! I think it will become a part of the weekly blog. We'll I've got my work cut out for me.

I wonder if this will be like the year of pies.  A few years ago, like 5 or 6, my dear friend and co-worker decided she wanted to learn how to make pies so she decided to make all the pies in a cookbook that she had. It worked out to more than one a week.  She did it even with a mad rush just before the year ended and brought pie to work all the time. It was delicious, but I am mighty glad that it was only a one year commitment.

I'll have to do some research to pick the first park for the East Bay Regional Parks Project.  All of you are invited and encouraged to come with me on a hike!!! (Also, watch this Video for some inspiration.)

I was kind of bummed last week because I gained a tiny tiny bit.  Which happens when you are loosing weight and is generally no big deal.  For me, it was kind of a big deal because I was trying to be careful about how much delicious wine I drunk and not eating all the goodies that come out around the holidays. I was feeling a little bit deprived. And I had been kind of on a healthy loosing roll.  Or loosing the roll healthily.  (HAHA!)  I had a pretty normal week foodwise and tried to make good choices but I still had champagne and a piece of delicious cake that my friend had at her New Year's Eve Party last night.

This week, I did great!!  -3 lbs! Whoo hoo! I must admit I did cheer out loud at the scale. Just like all the people watching football at the sports bar across the street just did. Go Raiders!

I'm trying to jump into 2012, but I didn't capture it as well as I did the first time I tried to jump...

It's time to make some good luck black eyed peas for New Years.  It's an old tradition in my family, who generations ago used to live in the South and brought the tradition to the Midwest and on to California. Yum, Yum, Yum!