by Curtis Otaguro, Board Member
A hike that is only 2.5 miles and takes about an hour and a half? Sign me up! On September 19, a group of 12 NSC members gathered at the Don Edwards San Francisco Bay National Wildlife Refuge in Newark for our Tidelands Trail adventure. And we really lucked out with the weather. Normally there’s a breeze from the Bay while hiking this trail, but there wasn’t a breath of wind. The water was practically glassy, making the salt marshes and Bay views even more beautiful. We started on the LaRiviere Marsh Trail working our way to the Tidelands Trail, enjoying the scenery without having to work too hard—which, frankly, is my kind of hiking.
We also had a few wildlife and historical discoveries along the way. A Snowy Egret made an appearance on the LaRiviere Marsh Trail, posing just long enough for us to appreciate it before continuing on its way. Later on the Tidelands Trail, we came across a little red hut, a historic structure that originally provided shelter for duck hunters. I had always thought of Don Edwards as simply “that refuge in Fremont,” but apparently there is much more to it. The refuge is actually a series of preserves around the southern end of San Francisco Bay, and it was the nation’s first urban national wildlife refuge. Who knew an easy Saturday morning hike could also turn into a history lesson?
Of course, no NSC hike would be complete without lunch. We headed to Good Neighbor Seafood Restaurant in Newark, looking forward to one of our favorite dishes: twice cooked spareribs, or Gindo Pai Gwat. Unfortunately, somewhere between our intentions and our ordering skills, we ended up with twice cooked pork instead. And, as we quickly learned, twice cooked pork is NOT the same thing as twice cooked spareribs. Needless to say, we were quite disappointed as this is their signature dish.
Despite the Great Sparerib Mix-Up of 2026, it was a wonderful NSC outing. Perfect weather, glassy Bay water, beautiful scenery, a Snowy Egret, a bit of history, good friends—and only one culinary disappointment. It was another reminder that you don’t need a mountain, a chairlift, or sore legs to have a great day with the NSC Ski Club. Sometimes all you need is a flat trail, good company, and a very carefully checked lunch order!
