Let's go exploring!

On Sunday, we went exploring...to Sunol Regional Wilderness in Fremont, where Little Yosemite waterfall is currently roaring, the wildflowers are full-blown and beautiful, but best of all: the hills are covered in lush, green grass -- lolling grass, perfect grass, peppered with tiny purple flowers, pansies, California poppies ... and cows, who are the best lollers of all, arising rather awkwardly should a hiker stray too close. (We did, but there were no casualties.)

We hiked up Indian Joe, a rolling trail that winds creek-side high up the hill through rocks and shady dells, before turning onto Rocks Road to climb further up, and then going back down Cerro Este, which dead-ends at Little Yosemite, the waterfall. It's amazing that the Fremont hills -- looming green and empty above the strip-mall-ish interstate off of 880 -- can create a sense of total isolation...from the top, there's not even a house in sight -- just green hills rolling on forever, punctuated with two tiny barns.

The hike distance was four miles, but the hills were rather strenuous. Hiking is best in the spring, when the hills are still green, and the flowers are out. Plenty of water, and definitely capacity for a weekend-long trip (though not much more). We'll be back for gourmet backpacking sometime next year.