ChiYan T.
Yelp
There is nothing like recently going in and out the hospital multiple times within a short period, having to explain myself again and again to 8+ advice nurses, blood tests, side effects, arguing against one doctor why really it's not necessary to keep me there, and one nurse to randomly throw in I have a higher chance of the big "C" to make me take my health a lot more seriously.
It's not like I was previously surviving on potato chips and french fries my entire life, I'm in pretty good shape and like being active, but the whole experience still really scared me to make my health an even higher daily priority than it already was. It just doesn't feel like a recreational option anymore.
So I'm from the Bay Area and there is no Equinox out here (*weeps*). No way am I going near 24-Hour Fitness. Now what?
Ok, City of Roseville has a list of city parks. Combine that with Google maps and Google earth view, and it makes it really easy to figure out the layout of the park. I've found the issue with many of the listed parks are that they appear to consist of a lawn with a kiddie playground on it, in the middle of a bunch of residential houses, and leave it at that. Add or minus a basketball court or baseball field. Or it consists of a single straightforward trail that goes for miles (hiking/walking/biking ok, running feels kinda stupid unless you're going for a marathon). If the park does have a loop there are no trees.
No trees/shade in summer = burn baby burn.
Out of all the ones I went through, Maidu Regional Park seemed to fit. It has a convenient circle around a kiddie park with four baseball diamonds. (To get an idea of the overhead view, just think of a large circle with an X in the middle of it). It also turned out surprisingly close to where I live.
For people that get tired and want to ditch out mid-circle, they can cut through the kiddie park back to the car. For those with knee/ankle/joint problems, half the path around the circumference of the baseball fields is loose rocky gravel that gets stuck in the tread of sneakers. The other half is pavement. But at least it's all level which is really important. Trees are ok in some parts of this path and more plentiful in the middle of the kiddie park area.
There is a larger, more loopy trail in the back where the soccer fields are, as well as one big huge long loop around the entire 150+ acre park. As far as I can tell no trees at all for these sections.
For everyone else there are the afore-mentioned baseball and soccer fields, and also a community center and batting cage here.
In the early morning I've seen the cops actually patrol by the parking lot every now and then. The place looks really clean and well kept. People are nice. They go out of their way to nod, wave, or say good morning/afternoon to me. As a former city girl I find it sweet, but also takes some getting used to.
Around dusk to sunset there are a number of young and older kids playing baseball and soccer in the field. The park is not well lit at this time but I still feel pretty safe as long as I stay around the baseball fields. Passerbys are more likely to keep to themselves.
I really like this park so far whether it's been morning, afternoon (well not so great when the Sun is really at it), or dusk. I just wish they'd at least pave the perimeter around the baseball fields and plant 50 more trees around the area.