Author Archives: AlphaRoaming

Back on December 12th and 13th we were having some glorious California sunshine and I decided to head to the Los Padres National Forest. Visiting the cabin of Jack English, in Pine Valley, has been on my to-do list for … Continue reading →

A few weeks back I had a brief Twitter exchange with Specialized Bicycles (@IAmSpecialized) and discovered they have a small museum in their lobby…which just happens to be about 2 miles from one of my “destination brewpubs” http://www.eltorobrewing.com/ Despite the … Continue reading →

Back a few weeks ago I carpooled with a retired friend from San Jose up to Antioch California to visit Northern California’s former coal mining district. http://www.ebparks.org/parks/black_diamond Moderate rain was in the forecast on that wednesday, but we had planned … Continue reading →

The huge Apple “Campus 2” was fully approved a few weeks ago by the City of Cupertino. Steve Jobs’ presentation to the City Council was his last public appearance back on June 7, 2011: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gtuz5OmOh_M 4 stories, 2.8 million square … Continue reading →

One of the dominant peaks surrounding Silicon Valley is “Mission Peak” above Fremont California. http://www.ebparks.org/parks/mission It’s very popular, accessible, and easy to navigate (just follow the other lemmings 😉 ). The ~2000 foot vertical hike provides impressive views of the … Continue reading →

Ever since I was a wee Boy Scout I’ve heard of the “10 essentials”. This list comprises items that would be helpful, (or “essential”) in case an outing doesn’t go as planned. They would help make an unplanned overnight or … Continue reading →

Every Thanksgiving morning, BEFORE everyone overeats, there’s a spontaneous party in the hills above Los Gatos, California. It starts in front of Summit Bicycles, up several miles of paved public roads, then up a LONG, STEEP hill, known as the … Continue reading →

On a quiet weekday, a few weeks ago, I decided to do another “mellow” day along the coast with my bicycle and camera. It was not due to an injury like the last time, (https://alpharoaming.com/2013/09/24/santa-cruz-a-beautiful-place-to-nurse-an-injury-and-watch-whales/) but just to enjoy the … Continue reading →

Did you know that about 120 miles from Silicon Valley there’s a place that few know about, but is worth a drive for the adventurous? Head south on Highway 101, then turn left on Highway 25 at Gilroy; pass through … Continue reading →

It saddens many people to hear of the “Goblin Valley Vandals” (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/10/18/goblin-valley-boy-scout-leaders-destroy-rock_n_4122488.html )…both those who have been associated with the Boy Scouts of America, and those who simply love the natural wonders of our parks. It’s unfortunate that the headlines … Continue reading →