Alameda Creek - Dec. 9, 2011

Walking Distance: 3.8 miles
Walking Time: 1 hr., 42 min. (3:50 - 5:32 p.m.)
Start and End Point: Alameda Creek Stables Staging Area, Fremont, CA

Today I finished up the last bit of Bay Trail for this go-round. My original goal two years ago was to walk 1,000 miles around SF Bay. However, when I reached the end of my walk around the bay a few months ago, my mileage total was only 997.28 miles. I had come up a few miles short -- because I'd been forced to skip this last section of Alameda Creek trail; it was closed when I walked by here a few months ago. (Thank you to Greg Hilst at the Alameda Public Works Dept. for confirming that this trail reopened last Wednesday.) This evening I walked this segment and finally reached my official 1,000 mile goal -- at last.

From the Alameda Creek Stables Staging Area parking lot ("P" on map), I walked up a slight hill to the top of the levee, and headed east on the north side (unpaved for equestrians) of the Alameda Creek Regional Trail (red line on the north side of the Creek/Channel Bay Trail Map) toward the Union City Boulevard bridge (double yellow lines in Bay Trail map) over the Alameda County Flood Control Channel/Alameda Creek. I walked under this bridge and then back onto (the east side of bridge that has a sidewalk for pedestrians); and I walked across the bridge. I exited left at the end of the bridge, and went under bridge again, back to west side, and walked up to newly re-opened section of the Alameda Creek Regional Trail (red line on map, south side of Creek/Channel).

This sounds complicated, but this is all a fancy way of saying -- don't try crossing this bridge walking on the west side -- as there is no sidewalk/shoulder for pedestrians or bikes, and cars are zipping along this street at a good clip. Note: walkers and bicyclists can also access this trail through Coyote Hills Regional Park.

Once I made it onto the south side of the Alameda Creek trail (paved for bikes and pedestrians), I headed west toward Coyote Hills Regional Park/SF Bay. On the way, I passed the turn-off to the Dust Trail, an unpaved packed dirt trail, good for trail bike riding. I continued to walk west on the newly asphalted trail, until I reached the intersection of Alameda Creek trail and the Bayview Trail (which continued into Coyote Hills park, and/or toward the Bay (offering nice views of the water and Dumbarton Bridge heading over to Menlo Park.


I started this walk in the 90 degree weather. Tonight I ended my walk in considerably cooler weather. The colors and landscape were muted. Tonight today's not-quite winter sun sank at 4:50 p.m. A colorful orange sunset to the west, and a full moon rising in the east. It was a beautiful way to end a 1,000 mile walk.

Wildlife Sightings:
56 Canada geese; 4 pigeons; 3 great blue herons; 5 snowy egrets; 7 great egrets; 2 killdeer; 79 ducks; 1 turkey vulture; 12 little brown jobs (LBJs); 3 kites (birds); 2 hawks/kestrels/falcons; 3 unidentified brownish shorebirds (UBBs); 10 coots; 9 doves; 9 sea gulls; 2 deer

Alameda Creek Trail (North) - June 22, '11

Walking Distance: 7.4 miles (estimate)
Walking Time: 2 hrs., 58 min. (5:11 - 8:09 p.m.)
Start and End Point: Alameda Creek Trail parking lot, Union City, near border with Fremont, CA

I was determined to make it out to the end of the (North) portion of the Alameda Creek Trail -- to it's endpoint, where it meets the San Francisco Bay and back -- before dark. And, I did, just barely. I don't recommend stranding yourself in the dark in the baylands, unless there's a full moon and/or you bring a flashlight. There's always the danger of running into a --- no, not a mountain lion, or a rabid raccoon -- but rather a skunk, who might shoot first and ask questions later. Also, most parks want most visitors out by a certain hour -- generally 9 or 10 p.m. during the warmer months.

But, back to this particular walk. I was rewarded with a great, close-up view of waves lapping at the shoreline by a lone picnic table at the end of this unpaved, packed gravel, trail. And, that made the long walk worth it -- as did seeing a pair of pheasants and many other birds.

Wildlife Sightings:
3 white pelicans flying overhead; 1 great blue heron; 17 American Avocets; 2 crows; 15 red-winged blackbirds; 91 sea gulls; 18 swallows; 4 horses; 1 blue jay; 4 Canada geese; 3 butterflies; 65 little brown jobs (LBJs); 6 killdeer; 2 turkey vultures; 2 falcons/kestrels; 2 pheasants (pair); 7 snowy egrets + 2 great egrets; 11 ducks

Union City Blvd. - June 21, 2011

Walking Distance: 5.0 miles
Walking Time: 2 hrs.,17 min. (6:28 - 8:45 p.m.)
Start and End Point: Street parking spot on Silvertide Dr., next to intersection with Union City Blvd., Union City, CA

This evening I continued walking South along Union City Blvd. (shown as double yellow lines on Bay Trail Map).

I turned right on Eastin Dr. - and right again to follow the road into Alameda Creek Trail parking lot -- very close to the Union City - Fremont border. I then turned around to walk back. I walked north back toward my car, with a stop to photograph a group of cows (and one feisty bull) and some goats behind a fence. I also stopped to change shoes when I passed my car. Then I continued to Smith St., taking a slight detour to investigate an old church, then returned back to Union City Blvd., and back to the car.

Wildlife Sightings:
1 great egret; Ants - uncountable; 1 crow; 10 sea gulls; another smaller spot of ants - uncountable; 2 pigeons; 2 bumblebees; 16 cows; 3 goats; 6 ducks; 7 birds hanging out by cows/goats (bigger than LBJs, starlings?); 3 Canada geese; 1 basketball; 3 black-crowned night herons; 2 little brown jobs (LBJs)