by Curtis Otaguro, Board Member
What activity blends exercise, freedom, and exploration in a rewarding adventure? Biking of course! A small group of NSCers, Greg, Virginia, and Wes joined me on an enjoyable 24-mile bike ride in the East Bay, passing through Newark, Union City, Fremont, and Niles Canyon on Saturday, September 20th. We started from Coyote Hills Regional Park, then along Alameda Creek towards the East Bay Hills, then back, making a detour to Niles Canyon, then returning along Alameda Creek back to Coyote Hills.
We headed out before 10 am under mostly cloudy skies with temperatures in the 60’s. Perfect weather for biking. I led the group with Wes riding in the back as sweeper. I’ve been on this ride many times, but this was a first for everyone else. Though not having ridden her bike for a year, Virginia pushed me to ride at a faster pace. Greg rode a more leisurely pace followed by Wes. As this was a “no drop bike ride”, we had regroups along the way and allowed people to rest when they caught up.
As we rode out from Coyote Hills, we encountered a gentle climb then a downhill track to Alameda Creek Trail. After a few miles, we encountered several hundred goats fenced in along the creek as part of vegetation mitigation or “targeted grazing” for clearing the flood channel. Did you know that their digestive system destroys most seeds, preventing the regrowth of invasive and fire-prone plants? They truly are a cost-effective and environmentally sustainable solution. It was quite a sight to see!
The Quarry Lakes Regional Area came into view a few miles later. This was followed by the BART line bridge crossing and then we finally reached the Niles Staging Area on Old Canyon Road. After Greg and Wes arrived, I told the group that we would take a detour to visit the Niles Famer’s Market which is open every Saturday at the Niles Town Plaza. So far, we had traveled just a little over 10 miles on our adventure. The market was just over a mile away.
We doubled back along the trail, cut over Alameda Creek at Mission Blvd, rode up on Niles Blvd, and arrived at the farmer’s market. It was a foodie’s delight with lots of fresh produce (regular as well as yellow and orange watermelons, peaches, pluots, and mushrooms) and baked goods (Kouign-amann from the Starter Bakery pop-up!). After sampling some goodies and buying some baked goods, we headed back along the Alameda Creek trail to Coyote Hills.
After returning to the park, I quickly headed out to buy the Banh Mi sandwiches for lunch. I wanted them fresh with a crispy baguette, so I didn’t buy them ahead of time. Once I returned, we sat down for a nice lunch and enjoyed the pleasant weather.
This year’s ride was another perfect day on the saddle, shared by great company and scenic views. We’d love for you to join the fun, so keep on eye on the NSC website for future rides and the our next event.
