News – Page 82 – Villages Hiking Club

Annual New Years Brunch-2014

Wednesday, January 1st 2014 was a bright sunny day, just right for the annual New Years Day brunch at the top. This year we had both a Rambler hike part way up the hill as well as the usual march to the top for the Long Hikers. Bonnie Preston led the Rambler hike to the new picnic table at the intersection of Sky and Indian trail for an 11:30-12:00 celebration and a glass of bubbly. Nancy Rumple led the Long Hikers also starting at about 10:00 AM at Foothill parking lot for a celebration at 11:30 to 12:00 at the top of the hill, where there is now two picnic tables. There was good fellowship and fun for all that attended. There were about forty combined people that attended.

Jim Beyer,Nora Chang,Amy Meier
Sy Gelman,Gigi Clark,Karan Foss,Jackie Jones

Holiday Party – 2013

On Thursday, December 12 at the Foothill Center starting at 5:30 p.m. ninety members and guests attended the hiking club holiday party and enjoyed appetizers, dinner and a dessert. Lively music provided by the “Blue Mountain Radio Band” enhanced the evening.

Bob Hunley,Cookie Hunley,Claire Gililland

Susan Brown,Gigi Clarke,Nancy Rumple

Bernie Loth,Jackie Jones

Jack Kuzia,Katy Obringer,Terri Molloy

Odila Nielsen,Jim Nielsen,Rayette Adams

Jim Beyer,Prescilla Simms

Joanne Cooke and guests

guest,Marie Buck,Ray Buck

guest,Karen Carlson

Barbara Orlando,Lynda Kelaita

Sierra Vista Open Space Hike

Debbie Siedband,Nancy Rumple,Jackie
Jones,Akiko Giordono,Wate Bakker,Susan Brown,
Gigi Clarke,Mike Warfield,Sandra Walker,
John Walker,Gisela Pearson

On Saturday, November 23: a group of club members hiked a Sierra Vista Open Space trail of 5-6 miles with a 1,000 ft. elevation gain. The Sierra Vista which is perched above Alum Rock Park and normally requires a hard hike to get to but we were allowed to drive up to it. This was a beautiful hike with spectacular scenery.

John Walker,Gigi Clarke,Sandra Walker,
Jackie Jones,Susan Brown,Debbie Siedband,
Guest

Willow Glen Hike

Suzanne Pham,Liz Giarratana,
Sy Gelman,Laura Gelman,Victor
Kelaita,Linda Kelaita,Barbara Knight,
Arlyn Unruh,Katy Peretti,
Bonnie Preston,Katy Obringer

Liz Giarratana led a historical walk on the leafy streets of Willow Glen on November 16th. It was about 2 miles total with a break for lunch. We met at 8:30 AM in front of Cribari to carpool.

Liz Giarratana

Almaden Quicksilver Park Hike

F:Jim Beyer,Wate Bakker,Debbie Siedband
B:Gigi Clarke,Eve Gebhardt, Anka Hoek
Johanna Bakker,Cookie Hunley,Brad Hinckley,
Nancy Mosher-Williams,Bonnie Preston,
Teri Tyrrell,Amy Meier,
Jackie Jones,Suzanne Pham

Wate and Johanna Bakker led hikes in the Almaden Quicksilver Park, starting at the Web Canyon entrance in an area of the park we have not visited before. The Long hikers did a 6.5-mile hike with an elevation difference of less than 1,000 ft. The ramblers did a 3.6- to 4-mile hike with an elevation difference of less than 500 ft. The day provided beautiful weather with ideal hiking conditions, great views, and good fellowship.

Cookie Hunley,Johanna Bakker,Suzanne Pham,
Teri Tyrrell,Nancy Mosher-Williams,Bonnie Preston

Brad Hinckley,Debbie Siedband,Wate Bakker,
Dan Kato,Jackie Jones,Amy Meier,
Gigi Clarke,Eve Gebhardt,Anka Hoek

Cookie Hunley,Johanna Bakker,Bonnie Preston,
Nancy Mosher-Williams,Suzanne Pham,
Teri Tyrrell,Brad Hinckley

Gigi Clarke,Jackie Jones

Teri Tyrrell,Suzanne Pham,
Nancy Mosher-Williams

REI volunteer day at Alum Rock Park

Sy Gelman,Debbie Siedband,
Dan Kato, Susan Brown
Not pictured: Katie Obringer,
Wate Bakker

Eight hiking club volunteers helped support the Ridge Trail Council by working on the Todd Quick Trail. They supplied all the tools and received a free Lunch and T-shirt. REI Saratoga and the City of San Jose hosted the event. The work entailed repairing trail tread, improving drainage, pulling brush, and pruning overgrown vegetation.

Jackie Jones,Gigi Clarke

Sy Gelman

Filoli Trails Outing

1st row:Susan Brown,Arlyn Unruh,Cookie Huntley,
Jackie Jones,Faye Swanson,Lynda Keleita
2nd row:Katy Peretti,Pam Pierson,Eric Pierson,
Wate Bakker,Sy Gelman,Johanna Bakker,
Marie Buck

There was a docent led hike on the trails of Filoli, behind the area normally open to the public today. This hike is done only twice a year and lasted two hours. It gave us access to the garden and we visited the mansion on our own. We then explored the garden and mansion.

Rancho Canada del Oro Open Space Preserve Hike

Wate Bakker,Karan Foss,Jim Beyer,
Amy Meier,Dan Kato,Gigi Clarke,
Jackie Jones,Nancy Rumple

Eight long hikers did a 7 mile loop hike with a 1000 ft. elevation gain led by Nancy Rumple. It was a beautiful sunny hike with views of the Calero Reservoir and the surrounding area. At the start of the hike a young man, Jae Hong Kim, approached us and asked if he could walk with us. He proved to be a delightful addition and took most of the pictures. The ramblers, Bonnie Preston,Johanna Bakker, and Barbara Knight, did a shorter hike along the same trail.

Karan Foss,Jim Beyer,Gigi Clarke,
Amy Meier,Jae Hong Kim

Area of fire damage

Jim Beyer,Gigi Clarke,Amy Meier,
Nancy Rumple

Wate Bakker

Nancy Rumple

Amy Meier,Wate Bakker,Karan Foss,
Jae Hong Kim,Dan Kato,Gigi Clarke,
Jackie Jones,Nancy Rumple

Wate Bakker,Nancy Rumple,Amy Meier,
Jim Beyer

Fall Outing-2013

F:Debbie Siedband, Brad Hinckley,Lyndia Kelaita,Victor Kelaita
B:Dan Kato, Johanna Bakker,Eve Gebhardt,Jackie Jones,
Jane Ruona,Bev Wharton,Gigi Clarke,Nancy Rumple,Anka Hoek,
Wate Bakker,Martin Hoek,Nancy Mosher-Williams

Several members of the hiking club went to Sonoma County for the fall outing and stayed in the village of Glen Ellen, between the cities of Sonoma and Santa Rosa, adjacent to the Jack London State Park . Hiking activities included a walk on the Golden Gate Bridge and surroundings. Walkers and ramblers explored historic areas in the Jack London State park. The following day they explored the Sugarloaf Ridge State Park where various hikes were taken including one to the ridge between the Sonoma and Napa valleys, with beautiful views of both. Sight seeing opportunities included exploring downtown Sonoma with its mission and Hispanic army barracks as well as Luther Burbank’s house and gardens.

Wate Bakker,Anka Hoek,Nancy Rumple,Gigi Clarke

Brad Hinckley, Nancy Mosher-Williams

(Facing Camera)Jackie Jones,Nancy Rumple,
Karen Kosmala,Eve Gebhardt,Sita Kern

Jack London’s Office

(Foreground)Dan Kato,Karen Kosmala,Nancy Rumple,
Debbie Siedbold
(Background)Gigi Clarke,Jackie Jones,Jane Ruona,Anka Hoek

Jack London’s House
(after fire)

Seascape Potluck and Beach Walk

Jane Ruona again, graciously offered her Seascape condo for our fall potluck and beach walk on Saturday, September 28th . Each participant brought a dish or appetizer to share. Cameras and binoculars were used to spot shorebirds and dolphins. The hike was over flat sand along the shoreline. The walk was approximately four and one-half miles and was suitable for all levels of hikers. There were seventeen members that participated. The photographer for all the pictures was Sy Gelman.