Fitness


Villa Montalvo hiking trails

villa montalvo hiking trails
villa montalvo hiking trails
hiking trails saratoga california

The Villa Montalvo hiking trails are some of the prettiest trails in Saratoga, California. If you are local to the San Francisco Bay Area, you may already be familiar with Villa Montalvo in Saratoga. It is an historic mansion which is currently used as an event venue, artist retreat, children’s activities, and for outdoor activities.

Sometimes you don’t want to go on an aggressive hike. There are days when a one or two-hour hike is just perfect. The hiking trails at Villa Montalvo are for those days. There are several connecting trails which you can make into a half-hour hike, or a three-hour hike. It all depends on how long you feel like staying out. It is easy to adjust and find a linking trail which takes you back to the Villa or the parking lot in a few minutes when you get tired.

We hiked at Villa Montalvo with my daughter’s girl scout troop, and since we had some younger girls with us, we lasted roughly two hours. This was perfect because the girls had fun, but it wasn’t overly strenuous. There is definitely some elevation on the trails, so even if you hike for a short time, you will still enjoy beautiful views of Silicon Valley and get a great outdoor workout. Love that!

In addition to hiking, the artists in residence have added some beauty to the natural trails. There are inspirational quotes along the trail as well as occasional artwork. It is very pretty and unique.

saratoga hiking tails art work

The hiking trails at Villa Montalvo can get busy since it is a favorite hiking spot for locals and families. If you plan to go, I recommend arriving early in the morning, before 10am. The trails close at 5pm, so plan ahead.

What I wore hiking on a fall day:

Have you hiked at Villa Montalvo before? What did you think?

Thanks for stopping by!

XOXO
Cathy

family friendly hiking trails bay area

Summer 2022 fitness routine

summer fitness

wearing: summer weight jacket / short sleeve blue top / leggings / summer nail polish / running shoes /

Summer is here, and just because school is out for summer, does not mean we can relax on our fitness schedule! Our bodies need to continue staying fit and healthy. So this summer, my fitness routine hasn’t changed much from the spring.

I am still dealing with a healing hip and plantar fasciitis. Therefore, I need to keep my fitness low impact and ensure it has core and hip strengthening exercises intertwined. In addition to strength, my routine incorporates enough cardio to help keep the forty pounds I lost last year-off! Thankfully I have been maintaining my new weight through exercise and staying away from sugar.

One of the reasons I am healthy is because I was able to get my BMI into a normal range. People knock BMI, but unless you are extremely muscular, BMI helps ensure your weight is in a healthy range. There are so many problems that can occur with an unhealthy weight. Weight can affect joints, heart health, cardiovascular health, and more. It is so important to stay healthy!

So, without further ado, here is my summer fitness routine:

Monday: BodyCombat (cardio)

Tuesday: Les Mills Core and yoga (strength, stretch)

Wednesday: Cycle class (cardio)

Thursday: Treadmill, weights, core (cardio and strength)

Friday: 30 min. walk

Saturday: hike, swim or walk

Sunday: hike, swim, or walk

That’s it! It’s a fun routine and incorporates outdoor exercise to take advantage of summer. What is your fitness routine this summer?

Thanks for stopping by!

XOXO
Cathy


Zinfandel Trail in Cupertino

zinfandel trail cupertino

Hiking outfit: black jacket / tee-shirt / jeans / G buckle belt / backpack / waterbottle / spring nail polish / hiking boots /

Last weekend, we decided to check out the Zinfandel Trail in Cupertino. This trail is adjacent to a beautiful winery by the name of Picchetti Winery. It is also part of the Steven Creek County Park which we have hiked in before.

This is a fabulous trail whether you are hiking with children, or a group who might be interested in wine tasting after the hike. We were with friends who had small children, and they were able to hike for two hours without complaining! It was great! That being said, don’t think is an easy trail. There are hills, twists and turns. If you hike the entire trail, you will end up on the other side of the reservoir; which is a long hike, but worth it for the beautiful views and amazing exercise.

I really enjoyed the Zinfandel Trail because a good portion of it was in the shade. This meant we had enough sun and shade to not overheat or get burned. Of course, always wear sunscreen! We did!

There were some cute little wildlife sightings along the trail which the kids enjoyed. We saw large and furry caterpillars, as well as various types of lizards in red, green, and grey. There was a variety of birds, and an unidentified animal sound which the kids enjoyed trying to guess what they heard.

The one sad part about this trail is that you can see how low the reservoir is right now during our drought. To top it off, the pond along the trail is completely dry. We are in the middle of spring, which is the end of our rainy season. This means our ponds and reservoirs should be full and thriving. Unfortunately, that is not the case at all. Let’s pray for an odd rainstorm to help us out!

Despite being low, the reservoir still provided a beautiful view and a glimpse at some pretty water. The Zinfandel Trail does provide some spectacular views! You will be rewarded for the work you put in to hike it. I would call this a medium trail.

Of course, if you leave the kids at home, the winery opens at 11am for wine tasting. You can not only have the reward of fabulous views, but a little vino too! Love that! We had kids with us, so we admired the pretty winery from afar.

The Zinfandel Trail can be accessed off Montebello Road which is off Stevens Canyon Road. It is an easy find off highway 85.

I hope you have a chance to check out this beautiful trail!

Thanks for stopping by!

XOXO
Cathy