Cool ghost town visible from train - San Jose to Sacramento…read more It was so fun discovering this small ghost town in the middle of the South at wetlands. A raucous history clings to Drawbridge - hunting and maybe gambling at one time or another. Built in the 1870s and it became 'ghostly' after the last person left in 1979. I like the background of the town and how it spices up the history of the southern part of San Francisco Bay.

I found out about Drawbridge on Atlas Obsura and was fascinated. It's definitely one the better…read moreelusive urbex destinations. You technically can't go here so I won't go into detail on how to get there but it's best to find someone who's been here before to guide you as it can be tricky to find and some entrances might be blocked off. The abandoned buildings on the side of the train tracks are spread out and you can get some nice photos with the hills and marshland in the background. It's worth going but this is a production. It's about a 9-mile walk and yes you do have to watch out for the train. Most of the time it's fine but there is a small stretch when you need to cross a bridge over water and let's just say you don't want to end up like those kids on Stand By Me. If you don't want to do the walk you can take an Amtrak Train which goes through it.

Not huge, but it's a great stop, especially when you're biking in the morning hours when the sun…read moreisn't too hot in Milpitas, CA. There aren't many cars on the roads between 10am-12noon, so it's a breeze riding a bike around and resting for a hydration stop here. Tiny public parking lot onsite off Milpitas Blvd. Hidden Lake neighborhood have peaceful homes and nice walking paths to get a glimpse of the small lake sometimes filled with ducks. You can easily walk up and down stairways or bike around the neighborhood area near the homes. Yes, there are picnic tables and families do stop to enjoy small gatherings. Hidden Lake Park is not far from retailers/restaurants/grocery stores/fast foods/etc. Convenient. Not many visitors on weekdays. It's always clean when I stop by seasonally for a morning biking routine. The clouds look great outside today, so it wasn't too hot under the sunshine. Overall, good place to chill before continuing onto Milpitas Blvd. where there's bike friendly streets now. Easy to follow the paths and navigate around town.

***the lake itself is part of a community called HIDDEN LAKE as well***…read more OVERALL: Meh. Wouldn't go out of my way to drive here to walk; therefore the 4 stars rating. Due to being part of a community, there are a ton of guest parking (especially near the gates to this park) BUT if you keep driving, the parking lot for this "park" is on the outside (you turn in with the sign "HIDDEN PARK LAKE" in green lettering/tanish brown background and there are a few spots for you to pick from). Two stairways up to other flat cement ground trails. Very quarry lake vibes but not much water. Lake itself is a smaller circular flat cement ground leveled trail. Regarding up the stairs: One way does end up at another park whereas the other way just ends up in another neighborhood/main road. Lack of shade. Lots of ducks. There's few places to sit. Few trash bins. No visible toilets.

Lupe the Mammoth is a cool (not so) little structure on the Guadalupe River Trail about 4 miles…read morefrom Alviso. There's not much around the area, so unless you are biking or jogging on the trail, it might seem out of the way to view such a simple little-known monument. But it has a neat little story behind it for anyone interested in art, science, history, or nature, or even just cool quirky attractions that are free of cost. A guy came across the collection of bones while walking his dog along the trail back in 2005. How awesome is that, it's like finding a dinosaur in your backyard! The actual remains can now be found at the Childrens Discovery Museum in San Jose where they can inspire kids to "dig for fossils" and explore the past, but the unique sculpture on the Guadalupe River Trail marks the setting of this magnificent discovery. And it is far from ordinary. It's beautifully crafted out of bent steel pipes, and almost twice the size of the actual baby mammoth remains. The area and the exhibit itself are not run down by trash or graffiti or shady characters, so it makes for a pleasant experience and worth checking out. The area is actual pretty quiet and scenic, besides the Trimble Road highway (there's an underpass that connects the trail if you're looking to cross the busy street). It's surrounded by business parks, with private parking only. So there is no parking at the exact location of the mammoth statue. However if you're driving, there is free street parking on Seaboard Ave (6am-10pm), next to the nearby 76 gas station, within walking distance... Though the sculpture can easily be viewed from Trimble Road, please don't stop on the street (illegally) and block traffic. This isn't the most exciting attraction in San Jose so you shouldn't have too high of expectations. But if looking for a low-key outing that won't cost you a penny, this is a great option (to appreciate this work of art in person, not just through photos).

Columbia mammoth spotted along the Guadeloupe Trail! Ok, actually it is only the whiff of a memory…read moreof a memory locked in a skeleton fossil over 12,500 years old. A sculpture of a mammoth made of what looks like curved metal bars sits under a tree waving at commuting cars trundling along the street. It is massive and I think quite cool. I hope the city makes it a habit of putting more sculptures and works of art along the trail. There is a small information board that gives you the low-down on Lupe, her discovery, and how old it is. A cool snippet of one of the coolest cousin to elephants that used to wander in Silicone Valley in the Pleistocene period. Tres cool! The large metal structure isn't in the best location, but can easily be visited by joggers, walkers and bicyclists wandering along the Guadeloupe trail where is passes through the city of Santa Clara.

This has got to be the most beautiful wild mustard growth I have ever seen. It is simply…read moreheart-stopping, especially for motorists driving past 880 towards Milpitas. The field measures about 1-2 acre and located between business buildings. It is amazing how this piece of land is still undeveloped. To get there (if my sense of direction is as good as my math), from 237 East, take McCarthy Blvd exit. Bear right and make another right turn onto Dixon Landing Road. You will pass by Ranch 99 plaza and Cisco.

This area of Milpitas is very pretty. Sometimes there are sheep here. It makes me wonder. It…read moremakes me want a sheep.

This is my favorite art piece among the awesome collection of exhibits at the Google Visitor…read moreExperience in Mountain View. The unique sculpture, created by Mr. and Mrs. Ferguson Art, features a grizzly bear made up 160,000 pennies and a steel frame. The illusion of this artwork is engaging, and the detail impressive, both during the day and under the moonlight. Love seeing this creative portrayal of my spirit animal on display at the Google Gradient Canopy :D

This bronze sculpture is situated in a business park setting in front of one of the Google…read morebuildings (formerly NetApp), almost hidden in the brush between the sidewalk and parking lot. The artist, Thomas Ostenberg, aims to utilize thought and emotion on a more powerful level in his art, conveying a sense of balance, hence the balancing act displayed in Above Conflict. The titles of his sculptures emphasize the intended meaning (following ideals that bring joy and positivity) beyond the sometimes playful depictions of animals interacting with humans. This particular art piece, though unkempt in appearance with run off and a bit of wear and dirt, is still in pretty good condition considering the sculpture is more than two decades old. It's not something I would recommend going out of your way to see, but if you're in the area, it's free and easy to stop by (parking available right in front) and give it some attention... it sadly looks like an afterthought now.

Solid pedestrian bridge linking the cities of Santa Clara and San Jose…read more This red rust color bridge is a special link across the Guadalupe River. The only pedestrian bridge for miles. Not only is it utilitarian useful, but it also melds organically with the local landscape. One can appreciate its aesthetically pleasing form. I appreciate the views of the river, trees changing colors and view of golden hills in the east. Why does the sky appear bigger here?

This 2023 aluminum metal sculpture, located in front of the Sunrise Senior Living facility in…read moreSunnyvale, is surrounded by a couple benches as well as a small garden of flowers and plants (and even a couple fruit trees) creating a simple but beautiful setting for relaxing and appreciating the artwork. The artist, Michael Kalish, is known for his unique license plate collection including portraits of iconic figures such as Albert Einstein and Superman, as well as impressive artworks (particularly roses) made of car parts. But his Floral Sky design and creation is just as impressive and beautiful, the Sunnyvale version, Sunflower Sky, creating a nice outdoor space I was able to take advantage of on a sunny Monday afternoon. There's also easy street parking on Manet Drive, adding to the convenience of checking out this lovely art piece.

Epoch is a public art installation located in the City of Sunnyvale, California. Located on Java…read moreStreet and adjacent to the NetApp headquarters, it is the work of Brad J. Goldberg. Goldberg, a native of Rhode Island, specializes in large outdoor installations. His works can be massive and often incorporate element of the surrounding community into account. From the artist: "Artist Brad Goldberg sees his work as a fusion between sculpture, landscape, and the built environment. Sculptures are seen, not as isolated objects, but rather as spirit-creating components of larger spatial experiences. The desire to work with the environment as a whole allows the creation of a unique non-preconceived response to the total aspect of a place." Epoch is a fantastic instillation. Its composed of three large granite boulders that have been cut in half and arranged in a split fashion. The cut surfaces have been polished smooth and the whole face has been engraved with binary code which reflects the technological aspect of the area. I freely admit that I can still send rudimentary signals with semaphore (Thank you Boy Scouts) but binary code reading is beyond my skill so I have no idea if there is a message in teh code. However, as I was taking a picture of a snail on the surface I noticed that several words were engraved into its surface breaking up the strings of 1 and 0's. The words I found were: Change, Nature, Community, Listen, Integrity, Imagination, Evolve, Substance, See, Chaos, and Craft. The artist intent was to show "words which can be seen to align or conflict with today's technological advancements". If that was his true intent he really hit it spot on. Epoch as noted is located in a technology park and basically surrounded by office space. There is very little in the area beyond this installation and it should be treated as a stop as opposed to an outright destination. There is a light rail station right next to the street for the public tranpost inclined.