1. 1 San Jose, California
2. 2 Almaden Lake Park & Trail,
3. 3 San Jose, California
4. 4 Villa Montalvo,
5. 5 San Jose, California
6. 6 Skyline-to-the-Sea Trail/Waddell,

Description

So often when we get that urge to roam and see some sights, we think of some exotic, far away location. What we so often forget is that far away location we are thinking of is, in reality, just someone else’s backyard. If they were to visit our own ‘backyard’, to them, it would probably seem just as exotic and far away.
I’m reminded of an experience I had while living in Santa Barbara CA (for those of you not familiar with the area, a very beautiful and quintessential spot in the Central Coast region of California). I lived in an area of town called ‘The Mesa’ which meant that every time I returned home from the downtown area of Santa Barbara, I had to go over a fairly large hill. At the summit of this hill was a view of some of the Channel Islands that were situated right off the coast. At first I found myself awed every time I saw this spectacular view. As the months progressed I noticed it less and less until, with the exception of those few days when the air was so crystal clear that you could seemingly see every nook and crevice in these rugged islands, I didn’t notice the view at all.
One day a friend from out of town was visiting me. We were returning to my house from downtown over the usual hill. As we reached the summit, my friend let out a rather loud gasp. Concerned, I asked what was wrong. The reply was that nothing was wrong, it was just that she had been surprised by the incredible view. As it was not one of those rare crystal clear days I mentioned above, as usual I hadn’t noticed the view. However, after she mentioned it, I looked again and suddenly I was just as awed by the incredible beauty of this view as I had been the first time I saw it! Needless to say, after that experience I tried very hard to notice that view every time I crested that hill.
The point is that we shouldn’t forget the beauty and variety of experiences in our own immediate areas. And though I no longer live in Santa Barbara, having moved to San Jose CA (south San Francisco Bay.... Silicon Valley), I still try to keep that same attitude I learned that day in Santa Barbara with my friend.
There are many advantages to exploring your local neighborhood. Probably the most significant is that you don’t have to invest that huge chunk of change and time that it takes to travel to some far away place. Don’t get me wrong, I’m still up for traveling just about anywhere on this planet (and beyond if that becomes available and affordable in my lifetime!) but I do think you’ll be surprised at what you can find close by in you're own neighborhood.
So in this trip I will explore some of the beautiful, exciting, and yes even, exotic things to do in my own backyard that can be reached...... ‘In About An Hour’.