Hiking! Mingling! Zipping! It was another epic week of outdoor activities with the Events & Adventure Bay Area club. We started off the week by strolling through the rolling green lawns and colorful, showy blooms that highlighted the San Jose Municipal Rose Garden. San Jose’s Municipal Rose Garden is one of the most beautiful gardens in the world, drawing thousands of visitors each year. Hardly a day passes when some species is not in full bloom, which isn’t surprising when more than 3,500 plantings and 189 varieties featured.
We visited many of the garden’s original features – including the reflection pool in the center of the structural entrance, the ornate garden vases and the famous rose garden’s two-tiered water fountain. After our walk through the rose garden, we traveled a few blocks away and ended the evening with a mingling session at the Normandy House. This week we also went on a docent-guided nature hike through the estate’s nature preserve. It surrounds one of the finest country estates of the early 20th century, Filoli Mansion.
Our outdoor activities continued with a hike in the woodlands at dusk, the ideal time of day to spot Filoli’s resident wildlife. We came within feet of deer and marveled at the beauty of the flora and fauna at the Filoli pond. Our guide taught us about the plants in the area. We learned which ones were edible, poisonous and used those used for a variety of fascinating purposes. What an amazing way to spend a weekday evening!
The highlights of the week came on Saturday when 16 of our members went zip-lining through the grand sequoias of Mount Herman. The two-hour guided eco-adventure included six zip lines and two sky bridges that our members had to traverse at heights of up to 150 feet. Along the way, two certified guides shared ecological knowledge and stories that brought the forest to life.
Another eight brave members chose to participate in the Sequoia Adventure Tour. Those members experienced an exhilarating adventure while exploring the redwood forest. Members pushed themselves to conquer multiple activities, including swinging logs, cargo nets, and cables set 30 to 80 feet in the air! Three self-guided courses of varying levels of difficulty allowed everyone to be challenged at their own pace. One of the best aspects of being a member of Events & Adventures is that we get to choose own pace and the kinds of adventures we want to experience!