Still on a major health and fitness kick (I am looking good!!!) and decided to take a nice long…read morewalk along the bay in Tiburon today. Now I've know for years that there's a path that runs parallel to Tiburon Blvd next to the bay since I've sped by it in my car for years, but this was the first time I've ever taken the time to walk it and I'm really glad I did. From the convenient free parking at Blackie's pasture to the path's end upon arriving at the edge of downtown Tiburon, the path is beautifully paved and much of it looks like it has received considerable new landscaping and an abundance of nice benches to rest on. There are cute little romantic spots just off the path with a lone bench facing the water and even a hidden spot with a nice little gazebo with an inscription on the floor blessing all those who discover it. So peaceful...so serene...as you hear the water gently lapping at the shore. Along the water, you can see all kinds of nature and wildlife and the scenery is downright gorgeous. There are even fenced off areas for use as a natural reserve/animal habitat. During the scenic walk, there are very few places where you actually have to cross the street in front of cars and since it's Tiburon, there are no crazies or homeless to worry about as you walk around enjoying nature. The bronze statue of the horse "Blackie" at the very beginning was a really nice touch too. Apparently, he was quite a beloved landmark who could always be seen there for forty years until he passed away. Upon arriving in downtown Tiburon, we looked around all the little shops and even did some wine tasting before turning around and walking allllllll the way back. Hadn't realized how long the walk would be as it took about four hours total (roundtrip) including an hour in Tiburon. If you walk from one end to the other like we did, be aware that it will take some time as the distance is considerably longer than it seems. Next time, I'll park at the halfway point instead of the far end. As I mentioned earlier, there were tons of benches to sit on along the way. Sadly, there was only one bathroom along the entire multi-use path that I could find. I just couldn't believe it. As such, I couldn't give five stars, but it's still a great place for a nice walk, especially on a weekday when you can avoid all the crowds.

Prior to my first time going up with work this summer to the American River on our annual…read morecamping/rafting trip, I heard a ton of stories of visits past... boats flipping over, getting stuck under the raft and nearly drowning in the rapids, one guy trying to save himself by clinging onto a kayaker and getting beaten off with an oar. So of course I was pretty excited. Not to mention scared shitless. I ended up, however, having the time of my life. Seriously, you all need to go rafting once in your lifetime. I didn't even fall in! Though now I kinda wish I did, it looked like fun. One of my boatmates did... haha... so we had just entered a Class III rapid called "Troublemaker" when a jolt sent him flying head first into that freezing ass whitewater. He was swept down the river alongside our boat in for a good couple minutes before we hauled him back on the raft. It sounds scary, and it was, but it was DEFINITELY classic! For my awesome experience that I thought I might not live through, I have Inner City Outings, the guide team that takes my work group through the American River every year, to thank. ICO's Bay Area chapter is a nonprofit program that takes groups on whitewater rafting trips that otherwise wouldn't be able to afford it (like other nonprofits, such as the one I work at). It's part of the Sierra Club and was the initial program of all ICO, which is now nationwide and offers lower-income and disadvantaged groups a chance at participating in lots of fun outdoor activities. The kicker is that ICO is COMPLETELY volunteer-run... I couldn't believe it when all of our river guides (ranging from high school kids to people who had been with the agency for over 10 years) said they did all this for free. Now that's love! It's truly an amazing program. If you are part of or know of a group that you think would qualify to be taken out an ICO river tour, definitely check them out at their website (http://ico.sierraclub.org/sfbayrafting/volunteer.htm). Also, since the life of their program depends on the work of volunteers, they're always looking for new guides. If you're down for the cause, love the water, and have some free weekends next summer, inquire about their training program.

San Leandro Yacht Club is located at the northeast end of the harbor near Horatio's restaurant. It…read moreis a very intimate (small) yacht club consisting of one room building. The guest dock is rather rickety but serviceable. Whenever we decide to visit San Leandro, it's usually because we want to eat out at Horatio restaurant and for the most part, the SLYC guest dock is usually empty in the evenings and serve as a very convenient parking spot for us. Unfortunately, the San Leandro harbor is silting rather rapidly and it's rumored that the marina may be closing as the cost of dredging the harbor is prohibitively expensive. As for food at the club: they don't have a restaurant per se, at club functions, members volunteer their cooking skills. So I've never ate at the club except once when I was here on a club cruise. Go to Horatio's or any of the other restaurants nearby.

Noe Valley Park is a small community park smack in the heart of Noe Valley. It is one block from…read morethe business district, and one block from bones bagels. Phil's coffee is right on the corner for a quick cup of coffee and pastry. It is beloved by dogs, neighbors, basketball players, and even has a tennis court. There is also a playground for kids that is frequently used by local camps and childcare centers. A super cute place to rest and read a book or play a sport!

Brooks Falls is very seasonal. In fact I still haven't seen it in its so-called full splendor…read morewhich is likely in the middle of the wet weather season. However, the hike to get to the viewpoint is very nice. I enjoy hiking on the Brooks Fall Trail going up from the parking area (though sections are narrow with a cliff on one side which can at times cause nervousness). A loop hike that I now very much enjoy consists of going up the Brooks Fall Trail and returning by going down the Montara Mountain Trail. The latter provides spots with nice views of the Pacific Ocean in the near distance.

This was a pretty descent little hike of course there is no water in the fall so I almost walked…read morepast it But the views of the valley were amazing. When you get up finally to the north access road the view of Pacifica is amazing. There's a little bench to sit and just look. I would do this little hike again

It's already 1 month later and I'm still coming down from the high that was my experience on the…read moreNarwhal Dive trip to Puerto Vallarta for Pride 2024. For context, I'm a non-binary novice diver in my mid-30s. Besides the 1/2 day refresher course I took with Niko a month before the trip in the Bamboo Reef pool, I hadn't SCUBA dived since I took a semester-long college certification course over 10 years ago. That said, Niko and the other trip participants made me feel super safe and affirmed, both under and outside of the water. There was a nice mix of solo down-time and structured group options that suited my fairly independent travel style. I'm really looking forward to when the queer and trans-centered diving trip to the cenotes of Mexico drops in the next couple of years!

I took a trip with this organization to Puerto Vallarta and had a superb time. I would highly…read morerecommend them as an LGBTQ-centered dive organization! Whether you are interested in getting certified or are already certified and just looking for a trip, you'll have a blast.

It's great to finally have a Turkey Trot in Oakland!! I missed the Inaugural race last year, but…read morethis years (2018) was great. It's the exact same route as the Oakland Running Festival 5K, running on the streets around Lake Merritt. They also have kids races. It's a 5K that starts at 8:30 AM, and you can sign up online or race day morning. I love that they offer a packet mailing option, I wish all races offered this!! There is also a virtual race option if you can't actually make it there. The rain seemed to stop just long enough to get this done this year, but it started pouring rain not long after the finish. But we really needed the rain, and rain running is fun anyhow. So mark your calendars, every Thanksgiving, this race could become a new tradition. And you can burn some calories, work up an appetite, and feel less guilty from all the food you're gonna eat later!!

Bicycling in San Francisco....this review actually centers more on the Richmond District where I…read moreused to call home. Cycling here offers major, major benefits. If you go do a little shopping on Clement St or the Citibank on Geary or Charlie, the barber on Balboa, you don't have to fight all those cars for parking spaces. Seriously when I drive to Clement St., it takes 5 minutes to get there and 10 minutes to find a space on avg. This is a even bigger deal if you have to park at a meter, which is hwy robbery in SF these days. When you ride back home, again you don't have to hunt for parking spaces on your home turf. So realistically I can ride my bike to Clement and it would take roughly the same time to get my errand done, but with less stress and zero gas fumes. And the Richmond doesn't have too many hills. There are always some way to avoid the really steep ones. For fun, there's riding through Golden Gate Park or take Cabrillo all the way down to the beach. They put a bike lane on that street, but it is so wide and so quiet, it didn't really need one. Anza and Lake St and all the numbered avenues are super safe to ride on. Just stay off Fulton St, that st. is plain dangerous. So if you have a bike and live in the Richmond, try this out. Using the bike as transportation really isn't as weird as you think.