Sunday, September 14, 2014

An Afternoon at Bonita Cove





The Golden Gate was one of my favorite places to visit while living in the San Francisco Bay Area. As the straight that connects the Bay to the Pacific Ocean, it's a dynamic and energetic coastal environment characterized by deep waters, powerful currents, and frequent fog. Steep bluffs tower on both sides of the inlet, providing spectacular views of the surrounding area and forming a protective fortress that largely shelters the Bay. Due to this advantageous location, the Marin headlands (to the north of the inlet) became the site of many military fortifications, batteries, and bunkers. Although now decommissioned, many of these structures are still in place and preserved as historical sites.

Below are photos from one of the many afternoons we found ourselves at the headlands. This time Craig and I were accompanied by our pal, Mark, who was visiting for the weekend from Reno, Nevada. Determined to get to a small pocket beach at the bottom of one of the cliffs, we snaked our way along the least steep route we could find. Although we made it to the beach and had a great time relaxing and exploring the water's edge, the three of us ended up with poison oak a few days later!


Craig inside Battery Rathbone with San Francisco in the background


View of the Golden Gate

We make our way down the steep headland

...almost there

Craig playing on the rocks

Mark explores a crack in the cliff.

Watching the waves roll in

Me, Craig, and the California hat

Looking SW toward San Francisco

San Francisco and the Golden Gate Bridge

Tuesday, September 9, 2014

Kings Canyon/Sequoia National Park

Some photos from our recent trip to Kings Canyon/Sequoia National Park, California.

a view looking into the canyon

Craig and Kings River

so many folds!

triangles are my favorite shape

the crew

The trees were so busy hogging the lens they didn't even notice Craig down below

Me lagging behind 

she's got a big gap in her smile

Craig just had to crawl in the burnt tree :)

H(e)art tree

wildlings

granite and greenery

Tuesday, September 2, 2014

Mountain biking at Lake Tahoe

Below are a few scenes from our fantastic bike ride along the Flume Trail, located on the east side of Lake Tahoe. The trail was 14 miles at 7000-8000 ft of elevation, which I definitely was feeling during the steep ascent at the beginning of the ride; it's tough coming from sea level! The ride started with a cruise through meadows and aspens, which eventually transitioned into a steep climb up Lake Tahoe's flanks to finally reveal the blue beauty on the other side. Looking down at the massive body of water, it was sometimes difficult to convince yourself that it was a lake and not the sea. The winds were howling on this day so even though it was Labor Day, there were very few people on the water, which probably strengthened this illusion. 

Ms. Tahoe and me

Beach for ants

Craig hoisting up Gary F. for a view

Taking in the sights

Lake Tahoe making it hard to keep my eyes on the road

Nearing the end of the ride