A week ago(6/25/14) 27 members of the hiking club went to Santa Cruz and had a wonderful time. They hiked along the cliff by the lighthouse
and had lunch on the pier.
On the same day eight people hiked the Villages hills. This was the last day all the roads were graded for fire protection. It takes three days to grade everything and the same person has been doing this for a good number of years. He recommend that the trees be pruned up over eleven and a half feet so the firetrucks can get through without ripping off their lights.

Wednesday July 2nd the Ramblers hiked the Meadow trail and we encountered some  turkey buzzards. Our hiking club president, Dan Kato, was able to get rid of the buzzards before they  started eating the slow hikers.

Marc Siedband,Rich Bainbridge,Susan Brown, Gisela Pearson,Amy Meier,Nancy Rumple, Faye Swanson,Debbie Siedband,Katy Peretti Frances Wilson,Jim Beyer,John Stratakos

12 long hikers did about 6+ miles Saturday morning 6/28/14 on the North and South Rim trails in Alum Rock Park. The sun was already bright when we parked our cars at the Alum Rock Avenue entrance and hiked in from a wooded trail. Because of  the North Rim trail hilliness the ramblers had to turn back and take a shorter route through the visitor’s center and the Inspiration Point Trail. They consisted of Cookie Hunley, Barbara Knight, and Arlene and Richard Holmboe. The long hikers climbed up to the Eagle Rock Overlook to see the spectacular 360 view of the city first and then enjoyed the beautiful, cool, and shady trails on the South Rim Trail. Everyone liked their lunches at La Perla Mexican Restaurant on McGennis Rd off of Story Road.

Twenty hikers walked a 12 mile moderately hilly hike from the park headquarters to the Pacific Ocean Saturday, June 14th. We ate supper in Boulder Creek after the hike. There was some rock scrambling and tree root stepping. There were still many flowers in bloom. The day turned out beautiful with many views of the redwoods, a water fall, and culminated with a spectacular view of the ocean.

Peggy Grote,Susan Brown

Banana Slug

Amy Meier,Jim Beyer

Wate Bakker,Eve Gebhardt,Amy Meier, Stan Pegram,Pamela Thompson,Faye Swanson, Katy Peretti,Bonnie Preston Photographer:Susan Brown

Amy Meier led the trip on Wednesday, June 11th to the Rose Garden which was much bigger than previously thought. We had a volunteer guy with a green vest ( you earn it ) give us a nice tour. There were so many different colored roses that it was difficult to choose a favorite! We had lunch on the bench next to the fountain where a female duck kept coming near looking for food. The Egyptian Museum was couple of blocks away, a walking distance to the Rose Garden. It’s been renovated since last visited years ago. It was well worth the $7 ticket. Besides the regular exhibits, we caught the 3pm guided tour of the park underground tomb. The Egyptians valued their life before and after death. We all had a great time yesterday  and thank Amy for leading the trip!!

Katy Peretti

Faye Swanson,Susan Brown,Eve Gebhardt

Stan Pegram,Pamela Thompson,Eve Gebhardt, Susan Brown,Faye Swanson,Bonnie Preston, Katie Peretti,Wate Bakker Photographer:Amy Meier

Wate Bakker,Bonnie Preston,Johanna Bakker,Katy Peretti, Barbara Knight,Marian Wyatt,Chuck Wyatt,Jim Beyer, John Walker,Sandra Walker,Susan Brown,Eve Gebhardt, Dan Kato,Amy Meier,Nancy Mosher-Williams,Alice Sullivan, Brad Hinkley,Gerry Stillman,Buffy Stillman,Faye Swanson, Nancy Rumple,Jackie Jones,Laura Gelman,Sy Gelman

Twenty-four members of the Villages Hiking Club recently spent three glorious days in the high Sierra exploring beautiful Pinecrest Lake and environs. The next day they entered nearby Emigrant Wilderness to hike to two dazzling back country lakes, Camp Lake and Bear Lake. That evening they all celebrated their good fortune with a delicious meal at Mia’s, a local restaurant. It was great to walk along on this most excellent trip.

Jim Beyer,Amy Meier

Susan Brown

Nancy Rumple,Jim Beyer,Jackie Jones

Western Wallflower

Snow Plant

Nancy Rumple,Dan Kato

Goat’s Beard

Gisela Pearson

Coyote Mint (Monardella villosa)          The leaves have a minty smell. Native  Americans made a tea from the leaves, stems and flowers and used  the plant to treat stomach aches.

B:Chuck Wyatt,Faye Swanson,Katy Peretti, Laura Gelman,John Walker,Sandra Walker, Debbie Siedband,Jim Beyer,Jackie Jones, Nancy Rumple,Gigi Clarke,Eve Gebhardt, Gisela Pearson F:Karan Foss,Susan Brown Photographer:Sy Gelman

Sy and Laura Gelman  led a rambler hike starting from the park headquarters on Saturday,May 24th.. The long hikers led by Nancy Rumple hiked 12 miles to Manzanita Point and China Hole and returned to the headquarters building, Wildlife abounded and many wildflowers were still in full bloom. The day started out cool and changed into a warm day with gentle breezes with most of the trail in shaded areas.

Debbie Siedband,Susan Brown,Jim Beyer

Jackie Jones,Nora Chang,Chuck Wyatt, Jane Ruona,Susan Brown,Nancy Rumple, Mary Wu,Carolyn Tornay, Jim Beyer,Quincy Chang Photographer:Brad Hinckley

On Wednesday, May 21st, eleven hikers walked from the Foothill parking lot up Rawhide to the Turkey switch back. Then onto the Oak trail and through another switch back up to Sky trail and finally arriving at the mailbox and picnic tables at the highest point in the Villages. It was somewhat overcast but made for a good morning hike.

Pamela Thompson, Terry and Gary Holmquist, Wate and Johanna Bakker, Bonnie Preston, Katy  Peretti,  Faye Swanson Photographer: Deb Siedband

.Johanna Bakker led a 4.6 mile hike on the hills and through the woods of Picchetti Ranch.  Nine people enjoyed the beautiful surroundings and had lunch in a shady picnic grove

Pamela Thompson and  Katy Peretti  check out the Tasting Room  at Picchetti.