Monthly Archive: February 2007

hike

Winter – Walking with Barb

Picture_002_1 Nice to have the trail to ourselves once in a while. Out for a walk with Barb today on the Creek Trail. We layered up, bundled up and away we went for a nice winters walk.  All the dams were down and the creek was flowing brown with the rain from the last few days, making its way from Sunol regional wilderness, through Niles Canyon and out to the bay.  It was cold. Very Cold. Forecast for snow in the hills. We lucked out as far as the rain went, only getting a little wet. We did duck under trees and looked for shelter a couple of times on both the way out and back. The waterproof coat that Kelly got me for Christmas really worked great.  We did our four mile walk virtually alone, only passing two other walkers. Until the end when we ran into the high school cross country team doing a short run. They looked miserable!  Right near the very end of our walk it started to rain real hard.  We were lucky enough to be right near a tree that could provide some shelter. We stood there and watched the high schoolers run in. It was pouring rain and then started to hail!  We were so lucky we  were under that tree!  We made a dash for the car and shook off a lot of water before we got in.

kate~n~kel

Weekend Round up

Off to CSUEB on Friday afternoon to watch a little water polo. Kelly and the girls were hosting Cal Maritime in CSUEB’s homecoming game. The game turned into a route early and our girls went on to win by a score of 22-7. Kelly scored a couple, one on a 5-meter penalty shot, the other on a last second steal in the 4th quarter.  Then it was off to dinner with the Sturms at Mirchi Cafe here in Fremont. I had the Chicken Punjabi Burger and Barb had the eggplant parm.  All great!

Got in a bike ride and a couple of walks this weekend too! I made some turkey chili, BBQ chicken and grilled Italian sausage with pepper and onions for Super Bowl. Yum! 

hike

Walking with Barb at Coyote Hills

Picture_018_1 Yesterday was a good day. Got in a lunch time ride, then a late afternoon walk with Barb. During my ride I noticed the Flamingo had come back to the salt pond so Barb and I decided to head out there for our walk.  We knew it was going to be a good one when the ticket machine at Coyote Hills was out of order.  NO CHARGE today!  YAY!   We did the 3 1/2 mile  Bayview Trail loop in just about an hour. Stopped a few times to check out the birds. The Flamingo was way out in the pond and barely visible. Picture_027a Saw about 15 turkey vultures swooping around the rocks on the top of Nike hill. We figured it was a dead hiker. Tons of mud hens out in the ponds. Also saw this eacret, who was standing nicely until I wanted to take a picture. The pic turned out to be pretty cool, catching the eacret with wings on the perfect downstroke, with the neck curled nicely as he flew away. pretty cool!

hike

Red Hill Trail

Picture_028_1 Barb and I said goodbye to the creek trail for a day and headed over to Coyote Hills instead.  Barb had been out there the day before and reported that the pink flamingo that had been out there was gone. I had to see for myself.  Our plan was to go “off road” and stick to dirt trails rather than the paved trail that we usually ride our bikes on. Parked at last parking lot and walked the paved trail to where Red Hill Trail started. Picture_019We’ve always seen mountain bikes and hikers going up this trail but had never done it ourselves.  Turned out to be a great little hike for us!  Up and down and up and down and up and down. On the top it was great. Fantastic views abound. Hunting birds cruising the updrafts on a day when there were thousands of birds just kicking it in the old salt ponds below. By the way…Red Hill Trail is appropriately named. Both the trail and hill were red. There is a big outcropping of rocks at the very tip top of the hills. Up close they are reddish and wet looking. From way down below on the bike path, the rocks always look wet.

The pink flamingo has left the salt pond. til next time my feathered friend!

bike

old man winter…keeps on roll\’n

Picture_011 Couldn’t ask for better winter weather than what we had yesterday.  Unlike our friends back east,  We out here on the west coast have had it pretty easy this winter.   When the Beverly Hillbillys said “Californee is the place ya oughta be” , they were right.Picture_038a    Yesterday was forecast to be in the 70’s with sunny skies.   Out at 8am for a quick ride to start the day.  Down Alameda creek trail to the end. Took some pics of the city skyline over 20 miles away. Around the backside of Coyote then up heart attack hill. At the top of heart attack there were a couple of California Poppys making an early appearance.  ahhhh,  winter.

friends

Dinner @ McCovey\’s

Picture_010_3 We were just sitting around yesterday when Linda called and asked if we were ready for our dinner out?  I forgot that we had committed to going out when we talked on the phone last week. Either way, we are always up for dinner with the Loberts.  Tim and Linda were taking us out to dinner and not telling us where.  How fun.  They picked us up a little after 5pm yesterday and off we went. Heading up 880, I thought maybe a drive into the city or maybe Jack London Square. Then they take the 580/238 exit and I’m confused. Where can we  going out this way?  Truck Stop in Tracy? Anderson’s Pea Soup in Santa Nella?  Then we get on 680 north and I figure is has to be someplace in the Walnut Creek area. When the GPS said “you have reached your destination”…..

We were at McCovey’s restaurant!

Picture_002 If you haven’t heard of this place, its the bomb!  With Stretch’s seal of approval,  a local restaurateur has turned this corner in yuppified Walnut Creek into the place to be! We rolled in a little after six and the place was packed!!!! STANDING ROOM ONLY!  Good thing Tim had made a reservation. The place was totally cool. Sports memorabilia everywhere. All with the seal of approval from Willie Mac himself. Hundreds upon hundreds of signed baseballs, bats, jerseys, pictures. EVERYTHING!  The hostess would announce names “now batting, Suzy party of two”, On deck Sam Party of two”. If Suzy didnt show up in time it was, “Suzy has struck out, now batting, Sam party of two”. Very cool. The inside of the place was set up to look a litte like Pac Bell Park, complete with the right field arches, where McCovey cove would lie behind.

Picture_003_1We sat in the Ernie Banks booth, right in the middle of the place, in between the Pete Rose and Roberto Clemente Booths. Direct views of two huge screen tvs,  multiple other tvs showing the end of the pro bowl then college basketball. Right behind us was a huge piece of memorabilia, Picture_001Ticket stubs to every game where Barry Bonds hit a homer during his 73 home run year.  Above us a huge high ceiling complete with rotunda with an equally huge number 44 emblazed in orange and black. This place WAS McCovey’s.  And the place was hoppin.

Cocktails and chicken wings while we settled in and drank in the ambiance, and perused the large menu. Great choice of standard type pub food, with a couple of Willie’s favorites as well.  I settled on the fish tacos. Picture_007Barb got the mahi mahi with a great coconut rice, Timmy had the fish and chips and Linda had the Chicken fingers appetizer.  All good. We had a great time visiting and catching up. Since we haven’t seen the Loberts in a while, we had a lot of catching up to do.  Wrapped things up all splitting New York cheesecake and fudge brownie sundae. That along with a cappucino made for a great end to a fantastic meal. Oh YEAH!   Thought I was gonna explode!

Took a nice ride home through Niles Canyon and was back home by 9:30 What a great night it turned out to be!  Thanks to Tim and Linda for a good dinner and a great time!