See this neat little thing? It's a Liebster Award and I won it. Well, I didn't so much as win it, but it was awarded to me. You see, this amazing person I know, who inspired me to rock a lifetime yoga practice, apply to YTT, and start my blog... she gave it to me. She has a blog, too: …
hiking this past weekend was a success! yoga & hiking is one of the best combinations in life! the turnout was also a success! last i heard there were only 11 people signed up for the event, and on the day of, 34 people showed up for yoga & the hike!!! that is serious community, my friends! 
xplore yogis: warrior 1 in the sun
this trail was as difficult as i remembered, if not harder this time around. the sun beat down on us as we ascended up the trail, and i had to stop several times to catch my breath. what kills me about mission peak is the fact that the main trail zigs and zags back and forth, so it feels like it’s such a tease going up the trail. there are more direct, less traveled trails, but satish and the big iron gates that explicitly read “keep out,” advised us to stay off of them. naturally, of course there were the idiotic few, who weren’t part of our yoga group, that still went through the gates. one couple actually knocked one of the gates open and didn’t even try to fix it. wow, really??
hiker in a moment of meditation
best part of the hike: yoga for an hour in the sun! we really lucked out with the beautiful weather on saturday. the weather was aaaamazing! there were so many people out. word of advice: get your hiking started early and anticipate having to park outside of the main lot in the residential areas. **do not park in front of fire hydrants or residential mail boxes. there is a city patrol car that circles around the neighborhood writing parking tickets.** we saw a couple of cars get ticketed the morning we were looking for parking. if you’re not a big fan about large crowds of people, hiking during the weekdays or during off-peak times (late afternoon, early evening) is also less crowded in the parking lot and on the trails. this goes for any popular hiking trail.
the tortoise hiker who made it up the mountain with his baby on his back!
the first time i hiked mission peak there was only a sprinkling of people along the trail, so it was fun seeing so many people of all ages out and about on the trails on saturday. jeff & i trailed off to the back of the group, taking pictures and running into people we knew on the hike aside from the xplore crew. we even noticed a man who was hiking mission peak with his baby on his back. if you’re familiar with the fable, the tortoise and the hare, the hare would be us (jeff & i), and the tortoise is the man with his baby. we passed him up so many times, but we stopped just as often to take a break or take in the amazing views. he’d pass us up every time we stopped, and he walked at such a slooooowwww pace. he only stopped once to check on his son. we made it to the top at the same time… actually, he made it up before us. so there goes the moral of the fable: the fastest isn’t always the one that ends up on top. but, for the record, we weren’t racing… lol.
we did it! at the top of mission peak
it was such a great feeling reaching the top, and seeing almost everyone there, too! also a fun thing to do as a group, and a great example of community and community building. i loved it because it gave me a chance to meet new people and also interact with my students on a different level off the mat.
atop the REAL mission peak
satish was the perfect trail leader. he was so supportive to the people that were struggling a little bit with the inclines and stayed behind to keep them company and offer encouragement. did you know: that the peak with the big metal cross on it actually isn’t the top of mission peak? it’s actually further to the left. you learn something new everyday! when you’re at the top of the real peak, it’s obvious that it is higher than than the other peak.
jeff's bakasana, baby!
for our descent, jeff & i decided to go down the other way, which we discovered when we got to the real peak and saw other hikers coming up from another direction. i loved it! it’s more direct, has some shady areas, but is WAY steeper. it would be even more challenging to hike up than the main trail. i’m thinking i’d like to try going up this way the next time i decide to hike mission peak!
one of the steepest descents on the other mission peak trail!
clear blue skies, sun shining down - it's a beautiful day!
best 6 hours spent on a saturday! there’s no better way to start off a morning than with yoga & a killer hike! til next time!!!
taking a moment to soak it all in...
nothing beats the outdoors an being surrounded by life: soaking up the sun, breathing the fresh air, basking in the beauty of mother nature.
redwood grove pathes (photo courtesy of losaltoschamber.org)
as a child, i remember spending a couple weeks every summer at redwood grove day camp. i learned to appreciate the animal kingdom & nature: i fed goats & lambs and also brushed their wool; held snakes in my hands, feeling them slither between my fingertips; watched owls and hawks take flight and land gracefully on their handler’s forearm. i wandered around redwood grove‘s wooden paths with summer-time friends picking blackberries; explored the creeks, jumping from rock to rock; and picked wildflowers in the tall grasses.
so naturally, i love to hike, especially with my little sister. but, since our schedules are so out of sync, i got jeff into hiking! we’re a yoga-flowing/hike-pumping/lulu-loving couple! lol. hiking is a great group activity. get a couple of friends, family, friends-of-friends together and it’s a great time out! the more the merrier. i strongly advise NOT hiking alone – it’s better to be safe than sorry. here’s another good tip: hiking can also be a fun date!
we live in an amazing area with tons of hiking trails sprinkled all over the bay: different terrains, breathtaking views, different species of birds & other wildlife – you name it. one of my favorite sites to reference hiking trails is: bayareahiker.com. the website provides a synopsis on literally every trail in the bay area. the writer covers: distance, terrain, difficulty, best time to year to hike the trail, trail traffic, and how to get there.
if you’re in the san francisco/greater bay area, on march 3, 2012, love yoga & hiking, enjoy the great outdoors, and are always looking to meet new people, join & me and xplore yoga (newark, ca) on the xplore: yoga hike at mission peak regional reserve in fremont. check out bayareahiker.com’s breakdown of the steep trek: mission peak hike. the hike will be lead by a mission peak veteran & xplore yoga student, satish, and yoga in the grass with xplore instructor, candace.
at the top of mission peak in 2009
satish is my mission peak hero. i didn’t know him at the time, but i remember crossing paths with him back in 2009 when i hiked mission peak with 2 other people to train for half dome. the 3 of us were on the main dirt trail that winds through the hills, when we saw satish walking straight up the inclines on the tiny (road less traveled) dirt paths and making good progress. satish was always a step ahead of us, showing no visible signs of overexertion or shortness of breath. he just kept ascending up the mountain, hands behind his back at a slow and steady speed. we eventually followed his lead on that tiny trail… huffing & puffing behind him.
3 years later, i actually know who he is! it will be interesting to see how i manage this hike. it’s been a very long time since i’ve done a hike like this… but it will be well worth the sweat and hard work to see the beautiful view from the top!
join us if you can!
watching the sunset over the south/east bay
