April 9, 2007

Despite not having a record breaking rainy season this year, spring has definitely sprung in Sunol. It seems like every time I look around there is another “spring” event in town. Although we really need the wet stuff, I hope it doesn’t start raining on all these events. But you know what they say, “April showers bring May flowers”.

Most of the events are centered around two of our most popular attractions, the Sunol Regional Park and Niles Canyon Railway.

First up is a Niles Canyon Railway’s Weekday Wildflower Train called the “Senior Special” which will run on Thursday at 10:00 a.m. and 11:30 a.m. Please call 408-249-2953 for reservations.

The railway will also be featuring onboard wine tasting, “A Taste of Spring” will be held every Sunday until June. The first winery to offer their wine was Little Valley Vineyards on April 1, followed by Red Sky Winery this coming Sunday, what a great way to relax on tax day; Steven Kent and LaRochelle Winery on April 22; Fenestra Vineyards on April 29; Elliston Vineyards on May 6; June 10 and Wente Vineyards on June 17. Wow, that a lot of wine! Just a reminder that the Niles Canyon Railway’s train runs every Sunday through September. For more information on these Niles Canyon Railway events please call 925-862-9063.

The wildflower events featured at Sunol Regional Park for the month of April are: a wildflower backpacking trip on April 13 and April 14 into the Ohlone Wilderness. The fees are $38.00 for residents and $42.00 for non-residents. Pre-registration is required by calling 540-636-1684.

Wildflower Exploring is offered on April 15, another way to let off some steam on tax day, or better yet, maybe you can do this hike then head on over to the train and relax with some wine. This free event is from 1:30 p.m. to 3:00 pm. No pre-registration is needed.

Ready to “make nice” with Mother Earth? It’s Sunol Regional Parks Earth Day Open House and Creek Clean-up on April 22 from 10:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. Go ahead and get your hands dirty by planting trees and picking up litter. They are also showing former Vice-President, Al Gore’s award winning documentary “An Inconvenient Truth”. Pre- registration is not required but large groups should call 925-862-2601.

“Sketchiking” is a word I’ve never heard before and my computer’s questioning it as well, but it makes perfect sense when applied to Sunol Regional Park’s spring outing. Yes it’s a day of hiking AND sketching wildflowers on April 28 from 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Pre-registration is required by calling 540-636-1684.

Another favorite way to see the wildflowers in the park is by horse. Western Trail Riding Services offer an array of trail rides throughout the park on weekends through May from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. and on Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday June through August.

For more information on any of the above Sunol Regional Park events, please call 925-862-2601.

Unfortunately I must report some disturbing activity in the downtown area. Several small fires have been started under suspicious circumstances. The most recent happened in the early morning hours of March 21 when a fire was started between two storage containers in the Sunol Community Park. Thankfully there was minimal damage. There has also been an increase in vandalism in the area as well. Please keep an eye out for any suspicious behavior in town and report it to our local authorities.