Coyote Hills Regional Park, Fremont CA

An extra day added to a weekend - what a novel idea! Spent a long day on the road yesterday exploring hidden canyons in the southern Diablos, and I was tired of driving....but still wanted OUT.

I hadn't decided which direction I'd be taking, and kinda let the car lead. Wanting out of the Valley fog, I headed toward San Francisco Bay and Coyote Hills Regional Park.

Five miles south on Hwy 880 the sun was shining, traffic was moving smoothly, all was well. But as suddenly as the sun appeared, it vanished. As I got near the park's entrance, fog shrouded the grounds, trails, people walking along the road.

But far from being discouraging, I knew that this thick soupy stuff could lift just as quickly as it ate the Hills. I parked and was off, heading for the marsh and the Bayview Trail loop. Birds were bound to be abundant, at least I had hoped.

A slow cruise north from my car came the first signs of Good Things to Come - A "V" of Canada Geese flew just overhead, quietly honking other bird traffic out of the way. Canvasbacks, coots and mallards dotted the marshes. A white tailed kite chased and was chased by a northern harrier. My day had just begun, and was already made.

Bayview is a paved loop, usable by hikers, bikes, runners and wheelchairs alike. It's a gently rolling trail, with built - in accesses to the Alameda Creek Regional Trail as well as Don Edwards National Wildlife Refuge. It's a favorite of Fremonters and Newarkians alike, but there's enough space that no one feels crowded. I rounded a corner and, heading west, got my first look at the Bay.

Soon after I saw my first long - legger, a Common Egret feeding on the hillside between the trail and the Bay. I stopped to chat with her, but she could hardly be bothered. I have that effect on women, I guess. At least she didn't fall asleep.....

The trail is an easy one for me, as it combines gentle up / downhills to make for a low stress hike. Throw in some of my favorite raptors, a gaggle of squirrels, and a few gamebirds (they didn't name it the Quail Trail for nothing!) and you have a recipe for a nice, short hike in bayside suburbia.

As I rounded the corner near Don Edwards and the new group camp at the Old Quarry parking area, the sun broke through, melting away the fog. I sat and chatted with some nice folks who'd made the trip to scout the route for a 5K / 10K / half marathon scheduled for 1/29. I'll be there, but no scouting necessary - I'll be a course worker. I watched a courting pair of kites  flutter over various potential lunches, then dart after each other and land in a leafless tree. Another harrier flew low over a goose patrol that barely noticed. Canadas have that "bring it on, dude" collective look when threatened. If I'm that harrier, I'm picking on ground squirrels...

The stroll went faster than I'd anticipated, and I realized once done that I'd better start picking up my conditioning focus. But it made for a pleasant early afternoon, and as I left the park I turned on the radio in time to hear the end of one of my favorite oratory pieces - Dr. King's "I Have A Dream" speech. Hearing it still gives me goose bumps. When it was finished, I turned off the radio and reflected, all the way home. All that reflection makes for quite a glow, and that's how it ended. Another nice day in our parks. Let freedom ring!