It was with some trepidation that we took off for Coyote Hills Regional Park in Fremont. The weather was threatening with rain predicted throughout the day and night. However things went just about as good as could be hoped! The rain ended in Santa Rosa before dawn and as we arrived in Fremont. Set up was under dry but cloudy skies and in only cleared more as the day went on providing great conditions for the ride. The rain set in again in earnest at 10:45 PM and poured for about an hour but was done before dawn.
The site was a pleasant surprise. Spacious with semi-covered eating areas and 2 large BBQ stations. It is down a service road from the Quarry Staging Area parking lot and only 2 vehicles can park at the site. The rest have to park at the parking area. Max size is 75 and the large meadow below the site will accommodate that and more.
Also a pleasant surprise was The visitor center. We only had a few minutes there, but you could spend an hour.
The ride was a success and an disappointment. The trails in the park are earth or gravel and in great shape. The Alameda Creek Trail has been newly paved and extends all the way to the middle of the bay. The San Francisco Bay Trail however, is earth and had turned into impassable sticky mud with the recent rains. That kept us from doing the loop under the Dumbarton Bridge. I'd like to try it again at the end of the dry season.
The only knock would be that the site is in the urban interface of the Bay Area. It is in the flight path for Oakland and San Francisco and the lights from Fremont disturb the night sky.
Participants:Owen, Bryce, Jordan, Gerrit, Payton, Devon, Brian
Leaders: Mr. Polkinghorn, Mr. Brisgel
Lessons Learned: Exit Highway 84 on Paseo Padre Parkway and you can skip driving through the business parks to park. The visitor center is awesome. Plan on spending a hour there. Bring large tarps and you can roof over the shade structures. Plan on using the BBQ pits. The San Francisco Bay trail is muddy and impassable when wet.
