Villages Hiking Club, San Jose, CA
Our mission is to promote an active and healthy lifestyle through hiking.
Only six hikers showed up for the hill hike on Christmas Eve. While it rained heavily earlier in the morning, there was no rain during the hike. In fact, the hikers were pleasantly surprised with blue skies peeking out of the clouds. They were also treated to an interesting show of snow-white mushrooms growing out of a log. Hikers L-R: Dan, Gordon, Wendy, Nancy, Mary, and Julian.
Nearly 20 people met this morning to hike the Hill. Five adventurous hikers (Jim, Deb, Bob, Lisa and Gordon) made it to the top to both mailboxes. It was Lisa Zapata’s first hike to the mailbox at the NE corner of our hill property, which was memorialized in the last picture of the group of five.
Today’s beautiful Monday walk throughout the foggy golf course…appreciated the aroma of the cut down tree limbs.
Fifteen hikers took a unique walk through all 18 holes of the Villages Golf Course on a foggy morning. Normally the group walks the course on a perimeter route which does not include holes 8, 9, 10, 11 and 12. Gordon Carbonetti led the walk today, and in addition to the five new holes, Gordon guided the group passed the original stone gate to the Wehner Estate/Mansion (see photos), as well as the new cell tower in the center of the course. As most of today’s walkers don’t golf, it was a new and educational walking experience.
The Saturday Hill Hike on Dec 6th had 23 hikers, with six going all the way to the top. On the way, those six hikers encountered a Bobcat just below the top of Oak Trail. We were lucky to get some good photos.
Ten rambler hikers went to Alum Rock Park for a 4-mile hike. The Sycamore Switchback trail is a bit beyond the scope of rambler’s comfort zone, but everyone made the 600-foot elevation with a good pace. We enjoyed beautiful views of valley and hills. When walking back along the Penitencia Creek, we passed by the ruins of mineral spring pools, which were main attractions to tourists many years ago. Still, we can smell the sulfur than comes out from the cracks of mountain rocks. John and Mimi led the hike.
