The Great OOTdoors

I've been meaning to start a thread like this for quite awhile now, and I figure since I've been cooped up in the house all week, now is as good a time as ever.

If you don't feel like firing up your own dedicated thread, then this is the place to post about your outdoor adventures. Whether you've been hiking, fishing, camping, climbing, walking, or just enjoying nature in general, you can discuss it here and share some pictures if you are so inclined.

I'll start off with just a few local hikes from the past couple months. Living in a city of 200K+ in one of the larger metro areas in USA#1, I feel pretty lucky to be able to drive just 10 minutes to get away from all the noise and congestion to explore our natural environment.
These first few places may not quite be the wilderness, but I enjoy being outside nonetheless.

Out along SF Bay in Coyote Hills:

feels like you can walk out to the middle of the bay on this levee

*******

hiking up around Mission Peak, where urban sprawl meets mother nature:

the state flower

it blows my mind that this shell encrusted rock on the top of the hill was once at the bottom of an ocean.

long legs!

I think I've posted this one before, but who doesn't like a flock of big clumsy birds under a tree?

*******

while on a hike in the Hayward hills we found this guy:

apparently something recently had kingsnake on the menu, judging by that big bite taken out of his side

bye kingsnake!