Contents:

Santa Teresa County Park

Friends of Santa Teresa Park

Geocaching

Almaden Quicksilver County Park

New Almaden Quicksilver County
Park Association

Slideshows and Videos

Other Santa Clara County Parks

San Jose City Events, Parks, and Trails

Santa Clara Valley Open Space Authority

San Francisco Bay Trail

Southern California

Mid-Peninsula Regional Open Space District Preserves

East Bay Parks

Other South Bay/Peninsula Parks

Other Park and Trail Pages

BioBlitzes

Outdoor Photography

Colleges

Museums and Exhibitions

Facebook Photo Albums

My Work Used By Others

Awards

Notes on migrated Geocities Pages

Bay Area Back Pages

Disclaimer







San Francisco Bay Area
Parks, Recreation,
and Travel
by Ron Horii
 
Coyote Peak Sign
Me in Santa Teresa County Park, at the interpretive sign on Coyote Peak, 12/6/16. I took most of the pictures, including the panorama, and helped with the sign's design.


Welcome! My favorite hobbies and activities are photography, hiking, biking, computers, geocaching, travel, and travel writing. I've created a number of Web pages on travel and recreation in the San Francisco Bay Area and California. Here you will find links to pages with photos and information on parks, beaches, trails, history, and places to visit.

I'm a retired electrical engineer. I spent over 34 years in the computer disk drive industry, working for IBM, Hitachi, and Western Digital. Among other activities, I am a volunteer photographer and docent for the Santa Clara County Parks & Recreation Department, a docent for the Santa Clara Valley Open Space Authority, and a member of several volunteer and non-profit organizations, particularly the Friends of Santa Teresa Park and the New Almaden Quicksilver County Park Association.

Note that this is entirely a volunteer effort, with no commercial intent or sponsorship. These pages are for information only and are based on my opinions, research, and observations.

I have a Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/ronald.horii. If you're on Facebook, you can see my public posts. Please don't send friend requests. For security reasons, I only accept people I already know.

News:
  • My picture of the Casa Grande in Almaden Quicksilver took first place in the non-professional category of the VisualSJ photo contest in 2015. See the Awards section below.
  • My pictures have been used for some of the County Parks' 2015 "Nature is Nearby" Billboards.
  • I taught my annual outdoor photography class at the Bernal-Gulnac-Joice Ranch in Santa Teresa County Park on Saturday November 14, 2015 at 10 am - 1 pm. "Join a Docent for a FREE outdoor photography workshop. Learn how to choose and use a camera, how to take better outdoor pictures, and about photo composition. Workshop begins with an indoor slideshow, followed by demonstrations and a walk around the historic area to take pictures. Meet at the Bernal Ranch barn, 372 Manila Dr., San Jose." Here are pictures from the class.
  • My pictures were used in an article in Edible Silicon Valley Magazine on Martial Cottle Park: Farm Forward: Planting the Seeds For The Future of Family Farms, January 20, 2016
  • Some of my pictures of the Santa Clara County Parks were used in an episode of the Open Road TV show on NBC Bay Area. See the video on the Parks for Life Challenge, starting at 5:41 to 6:05.
  • I joined the Friends of Santa Teresa Park in leading hikes in April at Santa Teresa Park:
  • I gave my outdoor photography class and hike at Coyote Lake/Harvey Bear Ranch County Park on May 7, 2016 at 10:00. Here's a poster for the class/hike.
  • Measure A was on the June 2016 ballot. It renewed the Park Charter Fund, which allocates a fixed percentage of Santa Clara County's budget to fund the County Parks. It is not a tax, but an earmark that guarantees that the parks will get their fair share of the budget. It provides a reliable source of funding (though not a fixed dollar amount) for the County Parks, which allows them to maintain a high-quality park system and do long-term planning. The ballot measure also increases the percentage of the fund allocated for park development to allow them to do park improvements and open new parkland. My pictures were used as part of the "Yes on A" campaign. Measure A passed with about 78% yes votes. It only needed just over 50%.
  • On 6/26/16, I was featured on an episode of "Open Road With Doug McConnell" on NBC Bay Area. See below for details. Below is a screenshot from that episode, with me being interviewed by Doug McConnell:
Interview with Doug McConnell on "Open Road" TV show
  • I gave a class at Coyote Valley Open Space Preserve. Here's the description: 
    "Nature Photography for Beginners, Saturday, July 23, 2016, 4:00 - 7:00 p.m, Coyote Valley Open Space Preserve. Join nature photographer Ron Horii for this fascinating and engaging learning experience. Bring your own camera, phone, tablet or whatever you like to take pictures with and Ron will take you on a walk to observe nature as a photographer would. Learn how to take more engaging pictures from someone who is a passionate nature and community photographer." I previously gave this class on June 11, 2016. Here are some pictures from it, mostly taken by my son Chris. 
  • I gave another class for the Open Space Authority at Ulistac Natural Area in Santa Clara on Saturday, August 20, 2016 at 4:00 pm. Here are pictures from the class, mostly taken by my son Chris.
  • I gave an outdoor photography class at Santa Teresa County Park, on November 12, 2016 at the Bernal-Gulnac-Joice Ranch. Here's a flyer for the class.
  • The Open Space Authority of Santa Clara Valley has an article about me in their Spring 2017 newsletter (see page 2).
  • My pictures have been used in a billboard and busback advertising campaign for the Santa Clara County Parks, called "Wish You Were Here?"
  • I edited and wrote many of the articles for the Friends of Santa Teresa Park's Summer 2017 newsletter.
  • The Friends of Santa Teresa Park held a National Night Out event at the Bernal Ranch on Tuesday, August 1, 2017, from 5-7:30 pm: Free ice cream and cookies. Bring your family to our fun event. Meet your neighbors and public safety officials. Speak with local and county representatives. Fire engines, park ranger trucks, sheriff and police patrol cars, and other emergency vehicles on display. Children’s crafts project and games will be provided. Sponsored by: The Friends of Santa Teresa Park, Santa Clara County Parks and Recreation, United Neighborhoods of Santa Clara County, City of San Jose’s Community Action and Pride Grant Program. Emergency agencies vehicles and public officials will attend depending on their schedule. Here are pictures from that event.
  • Family Fandango was held this year on Saturday, August 5, 2017 from 5-8pm at the Bernal Ranch in Santa Teresa County Park. ​Celebrate the history of early California and its ties to the Anza Expedition and the Bernal family. The evening’s focus is family fun through song, dance, demonstrations and activities that highlight the many contributions of our early communities. Location is Camino Verde at Manila Drive in San Jose. Here are pictures from that event.
  • I gave a lunchtime brownbag slideshow presentation on outdoor and nature photography at the Open Space Authority of Santa Clara Valley's headquarters at 33 Las Colinas Lane, San Jose, on September 22, 2017 at 12:30-1:30 pm. More information here.
  • I gave an outdoor photography class scheduled at Santa Teresa County Park on September 30, 2017 at the Bernal-Gulnac-Joice Ranch (Manila Drive at Camino Verde) from 11am to 2pm. Here is the flyer for the class. You can register online here or call (408) 355-2201 to register or for more information. 
    Photo Class 9/30/17

  • I gave a Nature Photography Workshop at the Japanese Friendship Gardens, 1300 Senter Road San Jose, CA 95112 on Saturday October 21, 2017 from 4pm to 6pm. See here for more information.
    Japanese Friendship Gardens

  • I helped to lead these hikes with the Friends of Santa Teresa Park in the spring of 2018:
    • Sunday 3/25/18: “Hike the Magnificent Seven! Santa Teresa” 10am to 1pm. Join the Friends of Santa Teresa Park for a moderate 2.5-mile #PixInParks hike on the Stile Ranch, Mine, and Fortini Trails. View spectacular wildflower displays, take in the gorgeous views, and hear talks about the rich history of the area. There will be nature and history exhibits and activities at the trailhead. Please bring snack, sunscreen, water and wear comfortable shoes. Meet at the Stile Ranch Trailhead on San Vicente Avenue, at the end of Fortini Road, off McKean Road. Here are pictures from that event.
    • Saturday 3/31/18: Outdoor Photography and Wildflower Walk: 10 am - 1 pm. Join a docent (me) for an outdoor photography class and slide show in the barn at the historic Bernal Ranch followed by a moderate, but easy-paced hike up the Joice Trail to take pictures of the colorful spring wildflower displays. Meet at the Barn with your camera or smartphone. Register here. Here are pictures from that hike.
    • Saturday 4/21/18: Coyote Peak Vistas Hike: 2 pm - 4 pm. Join the Friends of Santa Teresa Park on a moderate 2-mile hike to Coyote Peak starting from the Pueblo Day Use Area. Look at the wildflowers and trees along the way. At the top, take in panoramic views of the Bay Area and Coyote Valley. Please bring snack, sunscreen, water and wear comfortable shoes. Register here. Here is a flyer I made for this hike.
  • Santa Clara County Supervisor Dave Cortese's office contacted me last year about providing a picture that would be used on the Gold Star Families Memorial monument to be installed in Oak Hill Memorial Park. It honors families of fallen military members. I sent them some pictures, and they chose one that I took from the Bernal Hill Trail in Santa Teresa Park on 4/15/16. The picture was etched in granite on the back of the monument, representing the homeland of the families, in this case, Santa Clara County. Here is an album of the ceremony and the monument, which was dedicated on 4/14/18.
    Gold Star Families Memorial, Homeland panel

  • On August 7, 5:00-7:30 pm, I helped the Friends of Santa Teresa Park with our second annual National Night Out event at the Bernal-Gulnac-Joice Ranch at Manila Drive and Camino Verde. Here are pictures from that event. For pictures from last year's event, see: National Night Out, Santa Teresa Park, 8/1/17
  • On Sunday, September 23, 2018, the Friends of Santa Teresa Park had an information booth at Viva CalleSJ. I helped setup the booth, and my pictures were on display. Here are pictures from that part of the event. This is a huge annual event. Several miles of San Jose streets are closed to vehicles, so bicycles and pedestrians can experience exploring those streets without having to worry about traffic. There were lots of activities along the way.
  • On Sunday, September 30, 2018, from 10 am-1pm, I gave an outdoor photography class at Santa Teresa County Park's Bernal-Gulnac-Joice Ranch. Here is a flyer for the class.
  • On Wednesday, October 10, 2018, I led a hike to Little Uvas Creek Open Space Preserve in Morgan Hill for the City of Morgan Hill's El Toro Social Club for seniors. Here are pictures from the hike
  • On Sunday, October 14, 2018, I helped to lead a hike for the Open Space Authority in San Jose's Alum Rock Park. Here are pictures from that hike.
  • On Saturday, October 27, 2018, I helped with the La Fuente event at Santa Teresa County Park. Here is the description: "Bernal Ranch is "La Fuente" or "The Origin" for family histories, local economy, and a growing new community. Join us to celebrate the different histories of "Santa Teresa Spring," the original source of thriving communities from the past to present day. The afternoon event will feature cultural presentation of local community organizations, family activities, and children's games. FREE and fun for all ages! Questions? (408) 226-5453​." Here are pictures from that event.
  • There was a series of bird-viewing events at the Bernal Ranch in Santa Teresa County Park, organized by Park Interpreter Kelsi Ju, with help from the San Francisco Bay Bird Observatory. I went to the last one: Raptor Migration Program, Santa Teresa Park, 11/3/18
  • On Sunday, November 25, 2018, I helped with a plant identification hike at Rancho Canada del Oro Open Space Preserve.
  • On Wednesday, December 12, 2018, from 10 am to 12 pm, I taught an outdoor photography class at the Morgan Hill Community Center for the City of Morgan Hill's El Toro Social Club. This was the description: "Picture Perfect Outdoor Photography: Whether you're a newbie or an experienced photographer, this class will help you take better pictures!  Photographer Ron Horii, will share secrets of outdoor photography.  He'll show you how to get the most out of your camera and how to choose photo composition, lighting, editing, advanced tricks, and posting pictures online.  He'll show local hotspots for taking beautiful pictures of nature or as backgrounds for portraits of your family and friends." 
  • On Saturday and Sunday, 12/1-2/18, there were walk-thru events at Vasona Lake County Park's Fantasy of Light holiday light display. About 9000 people came each day. I went on Sunday as a docent and took these pictures: Fantasy of Lights Walk-Thru, Vasona Lake, 12/2/18
  • On Friday 12/7/18, I went on the first public presentation and guided tour on the History of Almaden Air Force Station on Mt Umunhum.
  • On Saturday 12/8/18, I went to Alum Rock Park in San Jose and helped with a BioBlitz event, organized by Keep Coyote Creek Beautiful: Alum Rock Park BioBlitz
  • On Thursday, 12/13/18, I accompanied County Parks docents and staff from the Almaden Quicksilver Mining Museum on a field trip to Filoli in Woodside. Filoli is a huge estate. It consists of 654 acres, with 16 acres of formal gardens, and a 65,000 square foot main house. It's open for tours. In the winter, it's decorated for the holidays. This shows how it's decorated: Holidays at Filoli, 12/13/18
  • I collected some of the best wildlife pictures that I took in 2018 and put them in one album: Santa Clara County Wildlife Sightings 2018
  • From 2/1/19 to 2/28/19, I have a photo exhbition of the parks and preserves of Santa Clara County at the Campbell Library in downtown Campbell. Here is an album showing the exhibition.
    Campbell Library Exhibition

  • I led this hike for the Bay Area Older Adults at Rancho Canada del Oro on April 10. See their website. It's Hike 7:
    Wednesday April 10, 2019 from 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM
    Join us for a hike at Rancho Canada Del Oro Open Space, a park whose serpentine soils make for awesome displays of wildflowers. This 3882-acre preserve is managed by the Santa Clara County Open Space Authority. It is located in the foothills of the Santa Cruz Mountains. While walking over rolling hills, wildflowers on display include yellow Johnny jump-ups and fiddlenecks, orange California Poppies, purple Lupine and vetch, Blue eyed grass and blue witch, white milk maids and star lilies and more! Along the way, we will learn about the complex ways climate change affects the natural resources we depend upon. Everyone will get a wildflower guide to help them identify wildflowers along the hike route. We end the day with a social picnic lunch.
  • I gave another outdoor photography class and wildlflower hike in Santa Teresa Park, meeting at the Bernal-Gulnac-Joice Ranch on Saturday April 27, 2019 from 10 am to 1 pm. "Join a Docent for a FREE outdoor photography workshop. Learn how to choose and use a camera, how to take better outdoor pictures and about photo composition. Workshop begins with an indoor slideshow, followed by demonstrations and a walk around the ranch. Meet in the west bar with your camera. Here is the flyer for the class. Here are pictures of the class and wildflower hike.
  • I led this hike for the City of Morgan Hill's El Toro Social Club, meeting up at their Senior Center: Coyote Valley Open Space Preserve Interpretive Hike: Join docent Ron Horii as he takes us on a tour of Coyote Valley Open Space Preserve..  Discover and explore this beautiful preserve with a knowledgeable docent who will talk about the plants and wildlife found here.  The hike will be 4 miles long and moderately strenuous with several uphill grades.  Along the hike, you will see oak woodlands as well as grasslands.  The trail may be muddy, rocky and uneven in some areas, so sturdy shoes are advised.  Bring water, lunch or snack, a camera, sunscreen, a hat and your sense of adventure!  There are restrooms in the parking lot but none on the trail. Location:  Coyote Valley Open Space Preserve (Meet at the CRC Lobby at 9:30am and we will caravan). Instructor:  Ron Horii, Santa Clara Valley Open Space Authority Docent. Date:  Wednesday, May 1, 2019. Time:  10:00am-1:00pm. Here are pictures from the hike.
  • This is a hike I helped to lead with the Friends of Santa Teresa Park on Saturday May 11, 2019 from 10 am to 1 pm, meeting at the Stile Ranch/Fortini Tralhead on San Vicente Avenue in the Almaden Valley: "Join the Friends of Santa Teresa Park for a moderate 2.5-mile hike on the Stile Ranch, Mine and Fortini Trails. View spectacular wildflower displays, take in the gorgeous views, and learn about the rich history of the area. Meet at the Stile Ranch Trailhead  with sturdy shoes, snacks and water.  Questions? (408) 355-2240​." The Stile Ranch Trailhead is off of McKean Road. Take Fortini Road and turn left on San Vicente Avenue to the parking lot. Here are pictures from the hike.
  • On 6/20/19, I taught an outdoor photography class to employees of the Santa Clara County Social Services Department in downtown San Jose. I gave a slideshow presentation, then helped as the employees split into groups and took pictures outdoors. Afterwards, I commented on the pictures.
  • I will be leading a hike for the Morgan Hill Senior Center's El Toro Social Club on 10/7/19 at Rancho Canada del Oro Open Space Preserve. Meet at the Centennial Recreation Center at 171 W. Edmundson Avenue in Morgan Hill at 9:00 am to carpool to the preserve. Call 408-782-1284 to sign up or register in person at the CRC. Here are details: https://docs.wixstatic.com/ugd/75d2fe_9826c2543cd842ed87f5594332a1be29.pdf
  • I taught another Outdoor Photography Class at the Bernal-Gulnac-Joice Ranch on Sunday, November 10, 2019 from 10:00 am to 1:00 pm. It was a free outdoor photography workshop for all experience levels. I talked about the types of cameras and how to choose and use them, how to take outdoor pictures, photo composition, lighting, photo editing, advanced techniques, and Internet publishing! We met inside the barn for a demonstration and slideshow. Afterwards, there was a short photo shoot tour of the historic ranch. Here is the flyer for the event. Here are pictures from the class. The indoor shots, like the one below, were taken by my son Chris, with his Pixel2 smartphone, showing its impressive low-light capability.
    Photo class slideshow, picture by Chris Horii

  • I have been making a Coronovirus Blog, with information, links, and statistics about the COVID-19 virus, how it's affected us in Santa Clara County, and how it's affected me with events cancelled. On 3/16/20, the Santa Clara County Public Officer issued a stay-at-home order to everyone in the County except for those providing essential needs. On 3/19/20 Governor Gavin Newsom issued a similar order to everyone in the state of California, with no end date. However, people are still allowed to go outside and get exercise, which includes hiking and biking in the parks and preserves in Santa Clara County. I have a document called "Trail Usage Tips During the Coronavirus Crisis," with tips about safe social distancing to prevent spread of the virus while using the trails.
  • I had intended to teach another outdoor photography class/wildflower hike at Santa Teresa Park in May, 2020, but it was cancelled due to the COVID-19 crisis. The Friends of Santa Teresa Park and I were planning to lead another pre-Mother's Day hike in Santa Teresa Park the day before Mother's Day. It was also cancelled. All park group events and volunteer activities in the County Parks and Open Space Authority preserves have been cancelled or are on hold indefinitely. Instead, I have been solo hiking, taking pictures, and posting them on Facebook and Next Door. I also have been watching videos and attending Zoom conferences from various organizations, such as Saved By Nature, the Open Space Authority, and the Santa Clara County Parks
  • Starting around May of 2021, I started going to park events organized by private groups, like Saved By Nature, the BioBliltz Club, and Keep Coyote Creek Beautiful. (See 2021 Facebook albums.) 
  • I haven't been able to teach in-person photo classes since the pandemic started. However, I gave Zoom photo classes in 2 parts for the California Native Plant Society, Santa Clara Valley Chapter, as part of their monthly photo-sharing group. I have been participating in the group and showing plant and flower pictures from local parks and preserves.
  • On 9/27/21 at 12 pm, there was an online forum called "Shining a Spotlight on the Coyote Creek Watershed." It was part of the regular "Peninsula-South Bay Watershed Forum." (Here's a Youtube video recording of the forum.) It was sponsored by Grassroots Ecology. I gave a presentation on the Coyote Creek Watershed. I showed pictures from Palassou Preserve, Coyote Lake, Anderson Lake, the Coyote Creek Parkway, Coyote Valley OSP, North Coyote Valley Conservation Area, Coyote Ridge, Santa Teresa Park, Hellyer Park, and more, all the way to the Bay. Here's my Powerpoint slideshow (68MB PDF).
  • On 10/3/21, I led a hike at McClellan Ranch Preserve/Blackberry Farm Park on the Stevens Creek Trail in Cupertino for the California Native Plant Society Santa Clara Valley Chapter. Here are pictures from the hike. I previously scouted out the trail in July, when a new section of the trail opened: Stevens Creek Trail: Blackberry Farm to Linda Vista Park, 7/6/21
    CNPS hike, McClellan Ranch Preserve, 10/3/21

  • On 10/14/21, I led a hike for the Morgan Hill Senior Center: "October 14 - Hike with Ron Horii on the Hecker Pass Trail (meet at the Senior Center to caravan at 9:00am or the Heartland Dog Park on 3rd Ave in Gilroy, off Santa Teresa Blvd at 9:30am." In July, on the way back from Mt. Madonna County Park, I saw a new trail next to the Hecker Pass Highway. I explored it and discovered a new trail, which led to an existing trail. I made 4 albums about it. This is the first: Exploring the New Hecker Pass Trail in Gilroy, Part 1, 7/31/21.
    Hecker Pass Trail

  • On 10/16/21, I led a tour of the Master Gardeners' Parcel at Martial Cottle Park for the California Native Plant Society's Santa Clara Valley Chapter. The Master Gardeners had an open house that day. It was similar to their open house they had during the "Explore Martial Cottle Park" event on 10/2/21. We heard talks from one of the gardeners about their native plant garden. Here are pictures of the tour.
    Master Gardeners, Martial Cottle Park

  • On 4/23/22, the Santa Clara County Parks held their 27th annual Volunteer Recognition event. It was held at the Bunea Vista Group Picnic Area in Hellyer County Park. I was recognized for achieving 14,000 lifetime volunteer service hours. That gave me one of the highest number of volunteer hours. I was recognized for 14,500 lifetime volunteer service hours at the Volunteer Recognition event on 4/15/23 at Hellyer County Park and 15,000 lifetime volunteer service hours at the Volunteer Recognition event on 4/23/24 at Martial Cottle Park.
    Ron Horii volunteer recognition, 4/23/22

  • On 5/13/23, the Saturday before Mother's Day, I helped to lead a hike in Santa Teresa County Park with the Friends of Santa Teresa Park. The event was called "Where Nature & History Collide" The hike was on the Fortini, Mine, and Stile Ranch Trails and included stories about the history of the area, along with the natural history of the park. While others talked about the history of the area, I talked about the wildflowers and the importance of serpentine soil  See the flyer for details. Here are pictures of the hike.

    I helped to lead the hike again on 5/11/24. It was called the "Mothers and Flowers Hike. 
    Here are pictures from the hike.
    Stile Ranch Trail Hike 5/13/23

  • On 5/19/24, I led a hike at Spreckels Hill, which is a 215-acre part of the 953-acre North Coyote Valley Conservation Area south of San Jose. It is owned by the Santa Clara Valley Open Space Authority (OSA) and is normally closed to the public, except for special events (like today's) or by request. The purpose of this hike was to teach some tips about photography and introduce visitors to the Coyote Valley. The OSA has a photo contest. They are looking for pictures of the Coyote Valley. Here are the contest details. We walked along Fisher Creek and went up to the top of Spreckels Hill to get panoramic views of the Coyote Valley. Along the way, I talked about photography techniques,  the Coyote Valley, its history, its natural features, and efforts to preserve it. Here are pictures from the hike.
    Spreckels Hill Photo Walk

  • In 2024, the Santa Clara Valley Open Space Authority held a photo contest, called "Picturing Coyote Valley." They wanted pictures that showed different aspects of the Coyote Valley. Contestants were limited to 3 entries in one of several categories. I entered 3 pictures in the wildlife, landscapes, and wildflowers categories. My wildlife entry, of a bald eagle on the Coyote Creek Trail, took first place. My landscapes entry, or Coyote Creek from the Coyote Creek Trail, won honorable mention. These are all the winners. Below are my winning pictures. The bald eagle was taken on 2/23/21. This is how I described it: "I was riding my bike on the Coyote Creek Trail. Just north of the Model Aircraft Skypark, I saw this bald eagle perched in a tree near a pond. I also noticed the moon was out. I moved around until I could get the moon in the background, then zoomed in with my telephoto and got this shot. I have seen bald eagles in and near the Coyote Valley before, but they've been too far away to get a good shot. This time I got lucky." The picture of Coyote Creek was taken on 11/25/09. This was my description: "I was riding my bike on the Coyote Creek Trail. Just north of Bailey Avenue, the trail crosses over the creek. I stopped in the middle of the creek crossing. I noticed the trees, especially the western sycamores, were changing into their fall colors. There was still water in the creek, so it made a nice reflection of the trees." This is how I took those 2 pictures. There was a story about the photo contest on ABC7 TV in the Bay Area. They interviewed me and showed my pictures.
    Coyote Valley photo contest winner: bald eagle

    Coyote Valley photo contest runner-up: Coyote Creek

Santa Teresa County Park


Coyote Peak, Santa Teresa County Park

(Migrated from geocities.com/santateresapark.) Here are web pages on my favorite park in San Jose. The park covers nearly 1700 acres in the rolling, grass-covered hills guarding the southern gateway to the Silicon Valley. It's the closest County Park to where I live, so I go there the most often and have lots of pictures of it. 


Friends of Santa Teresa Park and Volunteers at Santa Teresa Park


FOSTP president Mike Boulland leading a hike on the Stile Ranch Trail in Santa Teresa Park, 5/4/08

(Migrated from geocities.com/stpfriends.) The Friends of Santa Teresa Park (FOSTP) is the volunteer organization supporting Santa Teresa County Park. I am the secretary and webmaster for the organization. Find out what's going on in the park and what you can do to help make it better. This site is updated frequently with park and community news, developments, pictures, and volunteer activities. Below are Santa Teresa Park-related volunteer events and community issues. The Friends of Santa Teresa Park also has a Facebook page, STPFriends, which I help administer.

Geocaching


Geocaching class in Mt. Madonna County Park, 7/11/09


Almaden Quicksilver County Park


Mine Hill Rotary Furnace, Almaden Quicksilver County Park

(Migrated from geocities.com/almadenqs.) Website on one of the Bay Area's crown jewels. This park, in the backyard of the Silicon Valley, covers almost 4000 acres, with hiking trails through rugged, wildflower-covered  hills filled with historical quicksilver mining relics.

New Almaden Quicksilver County Park Association


NAQCPA president Kitty Monahan at the dedication of the English Camp Map House, 10/10/09

The New Almaden Quicksilver County Park Association (NAQCPA) is the volunteer organization supporting Almaden Quicksilver County Park. I am the webmaster for the organization. See this site for pictures, events, and volunteer opportunities at the park. Here are NAQCPA events in Almaden Quicksilver County Park and New Almaden community events, which are organized by NAQCPA members:

Self-Running Slideshows (Windows only)
 
Instructions for slideshows: move mouse around the bottom of the page to see the controls to pause/play and step back/forward. Slideshow will loop. To stop, right-click, choose Exit option.

Online Slideshows

(Wait for pages to finish loading, enable Javascript if asked, scroll to bottom, hit play button to start, stop button to stop, click on links to exit):
Videos

These are videos that I've uploaded to the Internet, primarily on Youtube and Facebook:

Other Santa Clara County Parks:


Healthy Trails Hike, Uvas Canyon County Park, 2/21/09


Santa Teresa and Almaden Quicksilver County Parks are covered above. Here are webpages and pictures on other County Parks:

San Jose City Events, Parks, and Trails


Discovery Meadow, Children's Discovery Museum, Downtown San Jose
Santa Clara Valley Open Space Authority

Sierra Vista Open Space Preserve
Sierra Vista Open Space Preserve, Sierra Vista Trail, 10/22/11
* Note that the Open Space Authority provides 20% of its capital expenditures to fund urban open space projects. This includes the Albertson Parkway, Martial Cottle Park, the Three Creeks Trail, the Coyote Creek Trail in Selma Olinder Park, the Penitencia Creek Trail, the San Tomas Aquino Creek Trail, Ulistac Natural Area, and the Santa Teresa Park Historic Area. See other pages for more pictures on these areas. This list also includes OSA events at urban parks. The Open Space Authority partners with city agencies to provide educational and interpretive events in urban areas.

San Francisco Bay, Bay Trail, and Feeder Trails


Alviso Slough Trail

Southern California

Santa Barbara Harbor, 9/23/12

Santa Barbara Harbor, 9/23/12

I was born and raised in Southern California. My family's there, so I mostly go to visit family, rather than being a tourist. Here are some pictures I've taken down there:

Mid-Peninsula Regional Open Space District Preserves


View of Mt. Umunhum from the Woods Trail, Sierra Azul Open Space Preserve
East Bay Parks

Coyote Hills Bench
View from the Red Hill Trail, Coyote Hills Regional Park, Fremont
Other South Bay and Peninsula Park and Trail Pages

Tunnel in Quarry Park, Saratoga
Tunnel in Quarry Park, Saratoga
Other Park and Trail Pages

China Cove, Pt. Lobos State Reserve
China Cove, Pt. Lobos State Reserve
BioBlitzes

Coyote Ridge BioBlitz, 3/4/18
Coyote Ridge BioBlitz, 3/4/18

What's a BioBlitz? "A BioBlitz is an event that focuses on finding and identifying as many species as possible in a specific area over a short period of time. At a BioBlitz, scientists, families, students, teachers, and other community members work together to get an overall count of the plants, animals, fungi, and other organisms that live in a place." Participants use the iNaturalist app or website to record and upload observations. Here are local BioBlitz results on iNaturalist: South Bay BioBlitzes. See here for BioBlitz events.
BioBlitzes have occurred in many parks and open space preserves. They are listed above by their location. This section collects them into one place: Outdoor Photography

Ron teaching photo class, Santa Teresa Park, 11/14/15
Ron teaching a photo class at the Bernal Ranch, Santa Teresa Park, 11/14/15, picture by Mike Boulland


I've been been teaching classes on outdoor photography at Santa Teresa Park and other venues for several years. These are web pages associated with the classes or on outdoor photography:

Colleges


UCSB

Museums, Gardens, and Exhibitions

Gilroy Gardens Luminations

Lumination, Gilroy Gardens, 10/2/16

Facebook Pictures and Photo Albums

Note that most of these Facebook albums are also listed above. This is a list of all the Facebook albums that I have made. They are not always in chronological order by when the subjects occurred, but starting in 2020, they may be in the order that I made the albums. In the sections above, they are in chronological order. Jump to a year: 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024. Some are saved posts instead of albums. Facebook membership is not currently required to view these, but is needed to comment on them.

* Note that Facebook made changes starting in March of 2019 such that in order to view Facebook albums, you needed to sign into Facebook, meaning you needed to be a Facebook member. This may have changed recently, so you might be able to see these without signing onto Facebook, but you still won't be able to comment on them.

I have contributed pictures and notes to the Facebook pages of these organizations:


My Work Used By Others

Bay Trail in Shoreline Park in Mountain View, used in Bay Nature Magazine, April-June 2009

I often get requests to use pictures or information from my websites. Here are some examples. If you'd like to use something from my websites, send me a note. Some of the documents mentioned below are no longer available online. I've removed the links, but kept the reference. Where possible, I've downloaded the documents to one of my websites and linked to them.


Awards
Recipients of Presidential Volunteer Service Award
Me (3rd from left) with fellow recipients of the Presidential Volunteer Service Award on 11/18/14 at the County of Santa Clara Civic Center

I've received a number of awards over the years. Here's a sample of them:

Note on Geocities migration: Geocities was a web hosting service that was founded in 1994. They offered free web hosting for small web pages. Many of my web pages, including the predecessor of this one, were on Geocities. The webpages included geocities.com/rhorii, which was my main page, geocities,com/santateresapark, bayareaparks, almadenqs, santateresahills, stpfriends, and some others. Geocities was acquired by Yahoo! in 1999, but they shut it down in October 2009. I migrated most of my Geocities.com webpages to this website or other websites that I control. While the links below work, the links on the pages that they are linked to most likely don't work. Here are my old Geocities websites and their new locations, including some archive sites for the pages that haven't been migrated:

Bay Area Back Pages

Bay Area Back Pages header

For many years, I had a website on Prodigy called "Bay Area Back Pages." This is what it said:
Bay Area Backpages - Visit my first webpages on Prodigy, started in 1997, once featured on TV, on travel and outdoor activities in the Bay Area. It has pages on parks, hiking, camping, biking, beaches, swimming, museums, playgrounds, views, and information about places in the Bay Area and other parts of California. There's also a technical section on scanners. Prior to these webpages, I was a frequent contributor to Prodigy and other travel bulletin boards, and I found I was frequently answering the same questions over and over again. These pages gave me a means of having the information available permanently. Because of space limitations, I have not been able to expand these pages, so some have been supplanted with pages on this site.

On June 1, 2011, AT&T terminated the Prodigy Personal Web Pages without warning (to me, at least). All my Bay Area Back Pages at http://pages.prodigy.net/rhorii are now dead. I may revive some of them here, but it will take time. Many of those pages are very old and are in need of upgrading. In the meantime, you can still find the home page on this archive. See here for the history of Prodigy.

I attempted to re-create Bay Area Back Pages on this website, but not everything is working yet. Here are the major pages for my migrated Bay Area Back Pages. Note that many of these pages date from the 1990's, so they are not up-to-date. The links are most likely stale. Some things never change, so much of the fundamental information is still valid. Just don't expect the links to work.
Disclaimer:
The information in these web pages was accurate to the best of my knowledge at the time the pages were written, but is not guaranteed to be accurate or current. Factors such accessibility, conditions, rules, ownership, directions, etc., can change without notice. Readers are responsible for finding out the latest conditions before venturing out. The information on these pages should not be treated as official, but as private opinions and observations. These pages are non-commercial and not officially associated with any company or agency.

Note on Dead Links:
Links go dead faster than I can fix them. The older the web page, the more likely the links will be dead. All of these web pages are volunteer efforts, done in my spare time. I don't have time to constantly go back to check and refresh links on old web pages. However, if you are looking for some specific information, send me an e-mail, and I can see what I can do to answer your questions.

Note on Link Exchanges:
Sorry. I don't have time, so please don't ask.
I do not accept commercial link exchanges.
Updated 11/8/24 by Ron Horii. E-mail me!