Long-time Berkeley resident Gary Forbes brings decades of retail and management experience to our board and will helpful with marketing our map and other merchandise. In fact, he often is a walking advertisement for us, sporting his BPWA shirt and cap.

Originally from Pasadena, Gary came to UC-Berkeley in the 1960s and never left, except for a few years of living in San Francisco. Now retired, Gary and his wife Emma live just steps away from Columbia Walk, high in the Berkeley Hills, and he walks to and from Peet’s on Vine and at least three mornings a week. An inveterate outdoorsman, Gary varies his route to include as many paths as possible, usually six down and ten back for “an exhilarating uphill climb!” His favorite path is Vine Lane, which he says “transports” him with its overarching trees.

“My wife and I discovered the Berkeley paths when we wanted a quick and easy way to get down — and sometimes back up! — without walking just on streets. Thanks to the Path Wanderers, we not only get exercise in the outdoors but also solitude as we get off the street grid and meander through the beauty of our scenic city.