Zach Hilton is a Firefirghter / Paramedic for the Oakland Fire Department , City of Gilroy Councilmember , husband , dad , avid bicyclist and health enthusiast . Follow him at : zachhiltonca . blogspot . com

Here ’ s another perfect day — It ’ s a Saturday afternoon and the family is looking for something to do . You decide to stay local and get the bikes ready for a ride . You call up the neighbors and meet on the Levee Bike / Pedestrian Trail , also known as the “ recreation spine ” of the city . You ride up the trail along Uvas Creek and take in the views of the surrounding hills . You stop off at the park and let the kids run wild for a bit . You realize you ’ ve been having such a good day , time has flown by and it ’ s already time for dinner . No need to stress because you can find plenty of bike parking at most restaurants on the Hecker Pass corridor along First Street , and most eateries along Monterey Road can accommodate parking in some form . Your stomach is rumbling and as you lock up the bike you catch a whiff of the tasty local fare offered by our local eateries — fare that the family is about to devour . At all points during the day , you ’ re just a few minutes from home .

While it ’ s wonderful to get out on your bike , it ’ s important to do so safely . Some tips for the road :

• Be predictable : Walk / ride straight and indicate when you are turning . Warn other trail users of your intentions .

• Be courteous : Do not block the trail — on many heavy use or narrow trails , all users will need to stay single file . If you stop to regroup , fix a flat , or bird watch , always do it off the trail .

• Keep right : You should stay as close to the right side of the trail as is safe , except when passing another user . Don ’ t walk right down the middle . Riders should take it slow when passing pedestrians , for everyone ’ s safety .

• Give an audible signal before passing — this signal

may be a bell , horn or a verbal warning . Warn well in advance so that the seasoned and novice walkers have time to react , and you have time to maneuver if necessary . " Passing on your left " is the most common signal used to alert other users of your approach . “ Good morning ” also does the trick .

• Remember : When walking or riding on the street , walkers always walk against the flow of traffic and bike riders always ride with the flow .

With these tips in mind , get out for a walk or bike ride . Spending time outside improves mood and well-being , and is particularly beneficial to children . Walk or ride along our levee on paved paths , around your neighborhood , ride for distance on our rider friendly roads , or hike one of our many scenic areas like Mt . Madonna Park , Sprig Lake , or Harvey Bear in San Martin . Or simply get outdoors and engage in fun activity with your family . Of course , maintain social distance ( more than six feet away from persons who are not part of your household ), wear a mask as needed , and in general be safe and help to avoid spread of the coronavirus .

The potential for a hillside adventure park and more outdoor-enthusiast friendly attractions reminds me to keep an open mind of the possibilities . Add to that our perfect year-round weather , our proximity to beautiful open spaces , and its easy to see why Gilroy and the south county is a perfect place to live . We are the beneficiaries of the foresight and planning by many community champions and public servants in years past who envisioned a community built to support outdoor activity of all types . We are also the stewards of that vision . To preserve and improve upon what we have , it is important that we teach our youth the importance of mobility options including biking through the Safe Routes to School program and remind them that we are nationally recognized as a Bicycle Friendly Community from the League of American Bicyclists and recognized by the World Health Organization as an Age-Friendly Community . The City of Gilroy is a Complete Streets community by resolution , and a Recreation destination community by resolution .

Hop on your bike , take a walk or take a hike . It does you and the community good .

Photos provided by Zach Hilton

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