Have you ever wondered what kinds of insects, plants, or animals live in your nearest park? Or even in your own backyard? That’s exactly what you can find out by participating in a BioBlitz!

What’s a BioBlitz?

A “BioBlitz” is a period of time (“blitz”) where people go out and document as many different living things (“bio”) as possible in a specific area, like a park or open space preserve. You could do this as a group through events hosted by BioBlitz Club and Keep Coyote Creek Beautiful, or on your own.

How do you do a BioBlitz?

One of the easiest ways to do a BioBlitz is by using the iNaturalist app. With this app you can take photos of plants, animals, and insects or record audio of birds and frogs, and using artificial intelligence (AI) the app will suggest species that may match what you see and hear. If the AI can’t find a good match, other iNaturalist users can help you identify the species.

Have there been BioBlitz events on the Ridge Trail?

Yes! We recently hosted a BioBlitz in March along the Penitencia Creek Ridge Trail in San José. At Penitencia Creek County Park, 32 people recorded 287 observations of living things. 124 different species were found, just in one park! Some fantastic finds included hummingbirds, mushrooms, wildflowers, and California ground squirrels. You can see all the observations here. We had so much fun and hope to host more BioBlitzes in the future!

Resources to help you do your own BioBlitz along the Ridge Trail

If you weren’t able to join us for the BioBlitz in March, don’t fret! Below are videos, maps and brochures to help you explore nature along the Penitencia Creek Ridge Trail anytime. You don’t have to wait for us to do your very own BioBlitz on your favorite Ridge Trail. Check out these resources, download the iNaturalist app, and get out there!

Videos: BioBlitz Tips for Penitencia Creek County Park and Fun Spots Along the Penitencia Creek Ridge Trail

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Species of Penitencia Creek County Park Brochure

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Penitencia Creek Ridge Trail Map and Points of Interest

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Thank you to our BioBlitz partners:

Morris first caught the trail work ‘bug’ working on National and State Trail day projects in the mid 80s and has never looked back. Now his dedication to supporting trails spans over three decades. Through many different trail organizations, he has served as a crew leader for volunteer trail projects, a passionate fundraiser, trail ambassador, and organizer for popular trail events.

For all of his leadership as a dedicated volunteer, Morris was awarded the California Trails and Greenways’ Lifetime Volunteer Achievement Award, recognition he truly deserves!

Nonprofit Board Leadership and Planning

Following his early experiences with trail building and event organizing, Morris became deeply involved as a leader in multiple trail organizations.

Bay Area Ridge Trail Council (RT)
Morris has served for 18 years on the Board of Directors, including Executive Committee, Board Secretary, and Chair of the Trail Committee. He has played a key role in all aspects of the organization, including strategic planning, program development, advocacy, funding development, outreach, and more.

Bay Area Barns and Trails (BABT)
He has also served for 15 years on the Board of Directors at BABT including as Treasurer. Morris played a pivotal role in sustaining the organization after the founder passed away, shepherding it towards financial stability and facilitating grants to dozens of trail projects.

Volunteers for Outdoor California (V-O-Cal)
He has worked on the Planning Team and as Project Lead since 2010 and Crew leader since 2007. He has led over 1,000 volunteers as project lead on large-scale trail building and maintenance projects. Read more about Morris’s work with V-O-Cal in this Bay Nature article.

Tilden Wildcat Horsemen’s Association (TWHA)
For 17 years, Morris has served as Newsletter Editor, as well as Treasurer during that time. He has also helped organize and participate in over 50 TWHA volunteer trail stewardship projects and over a dozen horse-camping trips.

Amazing and Inspiring Trail Events

Morris created, organized and developed many trail events that have grown into beloved annual traditions. 

He created and has continued to lead (while bringing along many other co-leaders, agencies and nonprofits) the annual East Bay Hills Equestrian Ride and Hike for 20 years. Participants traverse up to 100 miles, and join together each evening to share stories, gourmet hot meals and entertainment. Volunteers shuttle gear between the campsites and prepare dinners and breakfasts. An auction raises funds to support many trail organizations. 

Cumulatively through this event, 725 equestrians, 650 hikers and 1075 volunteers participated and raised over $349,000 to support local trail organizations.

The V-O-Cal model of combining multi-day camp outs and hundreds of volunteers to build trails immediately excited Morris and he hasn’t missed a major project since his first in 2007. “Morris has played a role in absolutely everything V-O-Cal has done since his first project,” says Director Cathy Moyer (crew leader, project lead, planning team member and fundraiser). She adds that Morris’s support for V-O-Cal has been critical, invaluable and irreplaceable. 

Leadership

Morris’ enthusiasm for trails and the critical importance of expanding, connecting and improving them is infectious. He nurtures partnership among different communities and interest groups and his experience as both an equestrian and hiker makes him an effective multi-use advocate. Morris puts in long hours on behalf of trails and trail organizations. He shows up for board meetings, agency hearings, and planning meetings and is the first one to roll up his sleeves and volunteer for assignments.
 

Thank you, Morris, for all of your hard work to care for and expand trails throughout California! 
 
 
 
 
 

 
Have you walked past a shiny new Ridge Trail sign lately? Through the generous donation of four sets of cordless hand drills and drill bit kits from Bosch, many signs along the East Bay segments of the Ridge Trail have been updated by our wonderful volunteers and staff!
 
Ridge Trail signs need to be updated once in a while due to a number of factors: natural wear and tear happens over time, trail routes and access evolve, and in 2017 the Ridge Trail underwent a brand revamp, meaning some trail signs may still have the old branding.
 
Luckily for the Ridge Trail, past board member and active trail advocate, Austin McInerny, had a relationship with Bosch through their electric bike program and connected us. Bosch generously donated four tool sets to help us update and install new trail signs in the East Bay and beyond. We are so appreciative to Bosch and our other sponsors for their generous corporate donations that aid the improvement of the Ridge Trail.
 

Bosch’s donation helped the Ridge Trail equip dedicated volunteers Phil Bellman, Austin McInerny, and Ross Heitkamp, along with staff members, to complete the East Bay sign updates in the field. The East Bay has the second longest continuous stretch of the Ridge Trail at 45 miles long, and sign updates along these segments would be impossible without the help of our wonderful volunteers. A few East Bay Ridge Trail segments include Anthony Chabot Regional Park, Crockett Hills Regional Park, and Pinole Valley Watershed. This work was also made possible through coordination with our East Bay partners, East Bay Regional Park District, East Bay Municipal Utilities District, and John Muir Land Trust.
 
We are very excited to have the Ridge Trail signs updated in the East Bay, and look forward to getting the rest of our signs around the entire trail refreshed and up-to-date. If you see our staff or volunteers out on the trail working on signs, make sure to say hello! Thank you again to Bosch for their donation, and to our dedicated volunteers.
 

Want to help with our signs?

If you see a Ridge Trail sign that appears out of date with our old branding, needs replacement due to damage, or if you see a spot along our trails that could use more/better signs, let us know!

You can fill out a form to report a sign issue HERE.
 

Dizzy, shivering and fatigued, Chris Thoburn shuffled back onto the trail after a 24 minute rest. While this doesn’t sound like the triumphant scene you’d imagine if you had just set a new record, that’s exactly what Chris had done. On November 28, 2020, he ran the 32 mile East Bay Skyline National Recreational Trail in 3:59:01, the fastest known time (FKT) for this trail. 

The East Bay Skyline National Recreational Trail (Skyline Trail) shares much of its route with both the Bay Area Ridge Trail and the Juan Bautista de Anza National Historic Trail. At the north end, the trail begins at Alvarado Park and the entrance to Wildcat Canyon Regional Park in Richmond. Along the way this trail provides a mix of epic views along the ridgelines and shady redwood groves as it winds through Tilden Regional Park, Sibley Volcanic and Huckleberry Botanic Regional Preserves, Redwood Regional Park, and finally ends at Proctor Gate in Anthony Chabot Regional Park near Castro Valley. Find maps for these Ridge Trail segments here. 

Chris was initially inspired to run the Skyline Trail after learning about Brian Gillis’ BART to BART runs. When he heard about Paddy O’Leary’s FKT on this trail set in 2018, Chris decided to take on the challenge. During 2020, he attempted to run the Skyline Trail with the FKT –and in under 4 hours– a total of 3 times. He set these goals before he knew about the Battle of the Bay, a competition organized by Paddy O’Leary where trail runners compete to set the FKT on trails in four different Bay Area regions, including the Skyline Trail. After learning his goals aligned with the competition, he joined the “Battle” as well! 

The first time he attempted these goals, Chris was still recovering from lung surgery from a few months prior. On his second attempt, he achieved the overall (and unsupported) FKT, but hadn’t quite reached the under-4-hour mark. The third time was the charm. Chris became the first person to run the Skyline Trail in under 4 hours, with less than a minute to spare! 

But the run wasn’t over. Not only did Chris aim to set the FKT for the Skyline Trail, he wanted to set the FKT for both out and back – a total of 64 miles. However, with only 9 months after his lung surgery and with the exertion of the 32 miles behind him, Chris ended the return run attempt after 6.7 miles. While this may have felt like giving up in the moment, Chris had set a record, accomplished a huge goal, and eventually came around to his success. 

With the cancellation of most races this year due to COVID and with the East Bay Ridge Trail right in his backyard, Chris enjoys exploring the trails near his home. He runs about 3 to 4 times a week on trails throughout the East Bay and says of the Ridge Trail, 

“I really appreciate the connectedness of this trail; it links so many parks together with so few road crossings. You can forget you’re close to civilization and really get immersed.” 

As for Chris’ advice for others who want to try out trail running? “You can’t go wrong. There are so many trails out here, just go out and get a little lost. Explore and have fun –and don’t be scared of a steep-looking hill!” 

We have a feeling it won’t be long before Chris is back out on the trail–getting lost, having fun, and chasing that next FKT.

You can read more about Chris’s experience here and follow him on Strava.