The quaint city of Sunol is small and if you drive too fast, you’ll miss what it has to offer. Come to think of it… we most likely would have never discovered this place if it wasn’t for our GPS. One day on the way to Manteca, there was heavy traffic on the 680, so Waze guided us through Sunol to get around the traffic. We were directed to take Niles Canyon Road. Having never been down there before we started off down the guided route. It was a very down to earth and peaceful drive. Alongside Niles Canyon you can see the Alameda Creek with its rushing water. You’ll notice a lot of train tracks, train bridges, old train cars and engines along the way into and around the city.

We imagined this town to be a train station stop off or a place of rest for weary travelers going up and down California in search of work or a fresh start in life. If we could have picked a name for this lovely town, we would have most likely choose River Crossings. We had other ideas like Depotville because of all the trains that would cross Sunol or Hidden Gem because of how the town is lush and green. It’s a literal jewel of a city that is tucked away in the mountainside.

From our Adventure today, we have learned that Sunol is a really small town and everyone in it seems to know one another. There is only one restaurant that we know of that also houses a bar next door, which happens to be under the same roof. As part of our Adventure Challenge we had breakfast in this lovely restaurant.

As we walked inside, a girl welcomed us with not only words, but with a big smile. She asked where we were traveling from. We explained how we’re from the Bay Area and told her we’re in Sunol because of The Adventure Challenge. She happily told us about Sunol. Then she explained how Bosco’s Bones & Brew just reopened under new ownership. As she walked us over to our table, We were in Awe. The dining area was beautiful and arranged nicely. The walls were lined with vintage black and white photos of Sunol. Some photos showed houses, while others showed it’s former residents.

We both ordered the Bacon Breakfast Burritos and drank diet cokes. The food was delicious! I felt right at home. We plan to bring my mom and brothers to the restaurant one day.

While we were having our breakfast, we met the owner. He asked how things were going for us and asked where we were from. He genuinely seemed interested in getting to know us. We spent about a good ten minutes talking at our table. We even had a chance to tell him about The Adventure Challenge. He happily then shared the history of Sunol. We learned from him about the meaning behind the name, Bosco. We learned Bosco became the mayor of Sunol in what was basically a dare that turned into a bluff being called. During the initial running of two mayoral candidates, one said to another at the bar that the other man would lose so bad that his dog could beat him in the race. One thing led to another and the towns people voted in the dog, Bosco, who overwhelming won the mayoral race. He would start serving as mayor in 1981 and didn’t leave office until his passing in 1994. It was an interesting and funny story to hear about.

Before leaving Bosco’s Bones & Brew we left a tip at the table and went on a mini tour of the whole restaurant. Michael knew the people from the bar next so he walked us next door to have a peak inside. I’ve never been inside a bar before, so it was interesting to see what one looked like. To the side of the bar was an area for Karaoke and an area for people to dine. It was a lovely little bar. I can see myself going here for some karaoke nights.

After our food settled, we took a walk around the small town. It was a beautiful day outside. There were many birds chirping away and we even spotted a Woodpecker! We plan to return to this town at a later time, so we can have lunch at Bosco’s Bone & Brew and possibly attend the Little Brown Church of Sunol.

We would like to thank The Adventure Challenge for giving us a new adventure! We had a wonderful time. You even inspired us to want to visit other cities in California. Perhaps, we’ll have to visit every city on the map. For those of you who are interested in The Adventure Challenge, stop by their website here: https://www.theadventurechallenge.com/