Cherry St., Auto Mall - July 19, '11

Walking Distance: 4.6 miles
Walking Time: 1 hr., 52 min. (7:15 - 9:07 p.m.)
Start and End Point: Intersection of Cherry St. and Buena Vista, Newark, CA

Tonight's stroll took me from Cherry Street in Newark to Boyce Road in Fremont and beyond, through the Auto Mall Parkway area (where many automobile dealerships were located) to the start of Cushing Parkway.

Most of this little journey was accomplished by walking on sidewalks. However, there was a long stretch of Boyce Rd., north of Auto Mall Parkway, where sidewalks switched sides of the road, or disappeared altogether -- making numerous crossings necessary across a busy street, unless you are willing to walk in the bicycle lanes. This stretch probably should be classified as double yellow lines on the map. Fine for bicycles, but not so for pedestrians.

This area was, from what I could see, with the exception of an apartment complex and a development off Buena Vista, almost all light industrial and commercial property. The Bay was not really visible from this walk, but its general location further west (judging from the few small creeks I crossed that were flowing toward it) was fairly obvious. 

Wildlife consisted of a handful of birds -- some, like the small groups of sea gulls I was, were flying high overhead.

On the walk back to my car, I enjoyed a sunset -- that illuminated, and silhouetted, various objects: transformers/electrical towers, building, rows of trees, etc.

Wildlife: 

1 screw; 1 brown snail; 1 crow; 34 sea gulls; 5 small, white-ish moths or butterflies; 4 swallows; 20 starlings; 1 mockingbird; 2 doves; and 1 giant concentrated glob of ants on the edge of the sidewalk.

Newark - Thornton - July 12, '11

Walking Distance: 3.4 miles
Walking Time: 1 hr., 5 min. (7:36 - 8:41 p.m.)
Start and End Point: Street parking along Thornton Ave., Newark, CA

Tonight I walked the remaining segment of Thornton Ave., in Newark, CA (shown as double yellow lines on the Bay Trail Map), as well as the beginning of Cherry Street (from the intersection of Cherry and Thornton to the intersection of Cherry and Central -- shown as double red lines on map). I was able to amble along on sidewalks during most all of this route.

This walk ran by small businesses, homes and apartments. A few houses had "Beware of Dogs" signs posted on their front gates. One of these signs caused me to scan the yard; as a walker, this is almost instinctive -- I want to anticipate any dogs rushing up to me. However, all I was able to see through the fence were two goats. (It's probably more difficult to find a sign that says "Beware of Goats.") Another gardener had created a fence around his yard in the form of neat rows of corn and greens. The goats and the corn impressed me, because this was such an urban, developed area, with relatively small yards.

I passed two taquerias, a Mexican restaurant, a few chain restaurants, two Chinese restaurants, mini marts, and a few bars, but did not have time to stop and sample any food or beverage items this evening. Regarding wildlife, birds and critters were a little less numerous with all these paved surfaces; however, I spotted several sea gulls flying overhead, passing through the area at high altitude.

Wildlife:

11 sea gulls; 2 goats; 1 domestic cat; 1 little brown job; 1 couch

Newark - Willow St. - July 11, '11

Walking Distance: 4 miles

Walking Time: 1 hr., 37 min. (6:50 - 8:27 p.m.)

Start and End Point: Willow Place and Willow St., Newark, CA

This evening I walked through an industrial park/commercial area (depicted as double yellow lines on the Bay Trail Map). I figured out later I could have walked this as a loop, had I filled in the gap on Central Ave. (between the Railroad tracks and Cherry St.). Ah well.

From the intersection of Willow Place and Willow Street, I walked up a short distance to Thornton Av. and proceeded West on Thornton to Peachtree/beginning of the divider or island on Thornton, then I turned around. I walked back (east) on Thornton, and turned right on Willow St. When I got to the end of Willow, I turned left on Central Av. to just past the railroad tracks (in front of Henry Pocket Fences, 6995 Central Av., Newark, CA). I retraced my steps and walked back to the car from there. 

On the drive over to Newark it seemed pretty warm; however, during this walk it clouded over and cooled off. I didn't think I was cold, until I stopped to log some birds in my logbook; then my fingers were so stiff, that I could barely write/scratch out some numbers.

Wildlife: 

10 ducks (8 = ducklings); 1 turkey vulture; 3 doves; 2 swallows; 13 starlings; 5 crows; 3 mockingbirds; 2 rusty screws; 1 snowy egret; 16 sea gulls; 6 brown snails

Thornton Ave. - July 4, 2011

Walking Distance: 4.8 miles
Walking Time: 2 hrs., 1 min. (6:39 - 8:40 p.m.)
Start and End Point: Intersection of Jarvis Ave. and Gateway Blvd., Newark, CA

This evening I walked along Gateway Blvd., Thornton Ave., and Paseo Padre Parkway -- from Newark, into Fremont -- and then back down Thornton, back down into Newark and past the Don Edwards National Wildlife Refuge turn-off area until I reached the beginning of a residential development.

Most of this walk (shown as double red lines on Bay Trail Map) was along wide, tree-shaded sidewalks (along Gateway and Paseo Padre Parkway), along light industrial/commercial buildings and open spaces; although a fairly long portion of Thornton Ave. (shown as double yellow lines on map) had narrower sidewalks, or just an unpaved shoulder area for walking.

Tonight was 4th of July, and I could hear crickets and the distant sounds of illegal fireworks (accompanied by a few small puffs of smoke rising above the trees, houses and fields) in Fremont and Newark. As in many places, these whistles and pops were were happening despite the signs posted everywhere warning against illegal fireworks (in part due to high fire danger).

However, most of the birds and wildlife I spotted along this corridor, near the Coyote Hills, seemed fairly unreactive to the fireworks and celebrations in the distance.

Wildlife Sightings:
5 red-winged blackbirds; 12 doves; 12 crows; 21 little brown jobs (LBJs); 9 sea gulls; 3 ground squirrels; 3 mockingbirds; 1 hummingbird; 3 black-crowned night herons; 3 robins; 1 turkey vulture; 1 finch; 4 pigeons; 1 dragonfly; 1 pillbug; 2 small dust-colored moths; 1 kite (bird); 4 starlings; 7 swallows; 1 great blue heron; 1 large black beetle; and 1 cloud/area of ankle to eyeball gnats.

 

Fremont-Newark - July 3, '11

Walking Distance: 4.8 miles (2.4 miles x 2)
Walking Time(s):
1.) 56 min. (7:59 - 8:55 p.m.)
2.) 48 min. (9:03 - 9:51 p.m.)
Start and End Point(s):
1.) Karl Nordvic Park, Fremont, CA
2.) Raley's Supermarket, Newark, CA

Tonight I walked Ardenwood Boulevard (from Paseo Padre Parkway to Jarvis Avenue) and Jarvis Ave. (from Ardenwood Blvd. to Gateway in Newark). These two streets (both shown as double red lines on Bay Trail map) form two sides of a Bay Trail triangle Bay, east of the San Francisco Bay, with Paseo Padre Parkway (and a bit of Thornton Ave.) forming the third side.

I passed the Ardenwood Historic Farm, but it was closed. The farm acreage is surrounded by housing and railroad tracks to the north, and Highway 84 and shopping centers to the south. This much open land being preserved in agricultural form was a rare and wonderful sight. There was also a produce stand (Perry's Fresh Organic Produce, off Ardenwood); however, I believe it was closed for the evening as well.

Walking in an urban area like this with generous sidewalks and street lighting made it easy to decide to walk later, to beat the heat. I waited until the cooler, evening hours to start my stroll. And it was much more pleasant. The only disadvantage: evening walks make capturing the experience in photos a bit more difficult -- since I don't walk with any extra weight or photo gear, such as a tripod. Of course it's especially challenging if I forget my camera entirely -- which I did. So, I have no pictures of this area. I may go back and snap a few if I have time later.

Wildlife Sightings:

7 sea gulls; 7 crows; 1 mockingbird; 24 little brown jobs (LBJs); 2 snowy egrets (flying overhead); 1 great blue heron (flying overhead); 2 ducks (flying overhead); 1 snail; 1 moth; 6 unidentified flying bugs (that I hope weren't mosquitos).


Notes: Use caution when walking across intersections on Ardenwood that are also Highway 84 freeway off-ramps and on-ramps. Also, while the sidewalks along both these roads were great for pedestrians, the bicycle lanes were a bit on the narrow side in some spots.