Back in December, I started a group called GoBabyGo for local moms to get out with their kids and go hiking together. Since the SF Bay Area (and especially the Peninsula and South Bay) has so many incredibly beautiful open spaces, the hiking possibilities are almost endless. Within 45 minutes of my house I can go to redwood forests, gorgeous beaches, chaparral-covered hillsides, silvery marshes full of birds on stilt legs, bucolic meadows, rivers and lakes and reservoirs. It's really amazing. And here are all these moms isolated at home with their kids, putting on weight and losing their minds. Payng hefty prices for the privilege of living here, but not really enjoying it.

Plus, I got tired of hiking alone with Julian, and not having enough opportunities to hang out with the cool moms I met through The Portable Baby who were actually interested in getting out and doing stuff.

GoBabyGo is up to 56 members now. I can't believe it! And the mamas that come on the hikes are so great. I think I've finally found my village.

The only bad points are:
1) The weather is AWFUL this winter. We only had a few days in March that weren't rainy and cold. Now it's finally warmer, but stil raining. Here's the weather forecast for the next 5 days:

and the extended forecast? SAME. The result is that we have barely gotten out and about, except during the brief moments of non-rain.

2) Most of the moms live up in San Mateo/Palo Alto, so it's not like we can drop over for lunch or a cup of coffee or anything. Still, I'll take what I can get.