Hike in Sunol

Saturday I took a hike in Sunol Regional Park together with some other people I know. I didn't feel physically that great (had a slight cold), but decided to go anyways. Basically I was talked into it ... and organizing this hike was actually my idea in the first place! And then my boss showed up at the trailhead. That would have been bad, for me to miss! So it was all good....

Anyways, following our trip leader Bob Solotar, our group of 6 set out from the Sunol visitor center in the afternoon at about 2.30 p.m. on a sunny afternoon (we were hiking on the right side of the map showing Mission Peak and Sunol). Temps were around 80 degrees - not bad for a late June day down in the south bay (it sometimes gets up to 100 there I guess). The landscape was hilly and dry - basically, like the rest of the eastbay parks (except for the redwood groves found in Redwood Park and in Marin County.) Bob S. did us all a great service by pointing out all the different forms of poison oak. I had no idea it grew as a vine, a bush, and even a small tree! We saw poison oak all over - LOTS of it - at ankle level, hip level, and face level. Due to Bob's experience and our fear of contact (I actually already had the pleasure, even had to get cortisone shots), no one (to my knowlege) was exposed. If you want to read more about the plant, I include the following link. (note, how the plant toxin is spread through the branches and shafts - not through the leaves. Bob pointed this out to us, also).

The highlight of the hike for me was the view from the top of Grande Vista trail, with is in the upper region of the park. From there we could look at the surrounding ridges and hills (including to Mount Diablo). None of us were sure, but we thought the ridge directly to the north was Apperson Ridge - where De Silva Gates is planning to blast apart the top of the ridge for gravel mining (in order to supply road building material that will be needed as part of the 1B transportation bond passed by California voters last fall).

The second most interesting thing we saw was our first rattlesnake. All 12 inches of it! It was just a "baby." Fascinating creature.

All in all, a fine hike. I will try to give people more notice about the next one. Hopefully we'll have a bigger crowd.