Native Samples & Observations

The Wedge @ 1500+ FT

2010-08-03T22:08:00.000-07:00

I traveled down to Southern California on business this week. I flew in and out of John Wayne Airport - always a fun ride. They gun the engines to steeply climb to 1000 feet very quickly and then they cut the engines to adhere to FAA rules to lessen noise over the OC.

The flight path brought us right over the Wedge. I quickly grabbed my phone turned it on and snapped this quick pic. Did not look like much was breaking at the time but you can see from the pic that the Jetty is set up to welcome what ever south pulse comes through with open arms. Cool vantage point.

The Wedge doing it's thang!!!

And the people who love to watch it!!!

A beast of a wave when it is on.

South VS North

2010-05-19T20:46:00.000-07:00

So I cheated. Sorta. Well not really.

On Saturday last weekend I chose to travel NORTH to check a surf spot I had not surfed before, all under my new Summer 2010 rule of traveling NORTH for SOUTH swells in hopes of finding some fun not too crowded waves NORTH of San Francisco. A nice alternative to traveling SOUTH toward Santa Cruz, where the surf tends to be significantly more crowded than up NORTH.

Well I actually ended up traveling SOUTH too but on Sunday. My family and I drove to a spot on the San Mateo Coast that I/we have learned to appreciate quite a bit over the past few years. We decided to go for a "hike" and I did not bring my surf stuff. I knew there was a good chance this stretch of coast would be holding up well and breaking. Why not at least be there to watch it? I did bring my camera to document.

Sure enough...OUCH... SOUTH of San Francisco... there she was sucking in the SOUTH swell perfectly... beautiful A-frame wedges... rolling in... with only... (3) people out...

Definitely took one for the Team, but technically held to my promise of only traveling NORTH this Summer to chase SOUTHS for surf.

Things are shaping up...

2010-05-19T20:39:00.000-07:00

... although I know never to get my hopes up too high. Good solid SOUTH headed our way. Already put the call into my buddy to get ready and get early morning clearance for Sunday. I might even see if I can sneak out early on Saturday locally to a spot that likes this type of swell. The anticipation builds. Click on image to enlarge.

Graph/table courtesy of STORMSURF.

Going North this Summer

2010-05-15T20:58:00.000-07:00

Last Summer I posted a write-up of my unfruitful pursuit of a south swell that washed ashore along the entire CA coast and beyond. My search took me south of San Francisco to an area dense with surf breaks. At the end of the post I suggested that I may decide to focus on the coastline North of San Francisco and have told many friends the same.

Well here we are, Summer 2010 and my commitment to travel North for surf has begun. A good size south is currently running so I decided to wake up early (4:30am) to get a jump start.

In general my efforts paid off even though I did not suit up or even get wet. I headed to a spot that I have been curious about for several years now. I have stopped by at least 2-3 times with never any results. This time was different.

What was valuable this time was that I actually got to see the surf break work... kinda. Turns out all the other times I had checked this spot, I now realize I had been checking the wrong point - WTF!!!? Yes I was looking in the wrong place literally around the corner from the actual spot. But this time I did a little more prowling around and actually found it and watched someone try and surf it. I use the word try because it turned out to be a minus tide and a good majority of the reef was exposed except for one section. In total I saw (3) surfers and (1) bodyboarder - a good sign.

So all in all a good bit of recon on my part I just need to get back up there with another south swell running and a higher tide. The surf forecast is hinting of another next weekend, we'll see how things shape up. At least I know where I'll be going next time.

On my drive back home I traveled through Jenner and I came across the memorial service for Noel Robinson who was a Bodega Bay local surfer who died while surfing some heavy waves down at Puerto Escondido, Mexico. Pretty poignant scene as I viewed from the bluff above. Easily 100 surfers all collected in the Russian River estuary surrounding what must have been some of his surf belongings/ashes (?). All there to celebrate his life and love of the ocean.

The GREEN RUSH - Part Deux

2010-05-13T21:44:00.000-07:00

Fairly early on in my blogging career (last year) I wrote about the continued focus on the push to legalize marijuana in the State of CA. Since my first post I have read countless local articles that have covered this currently hot and seemingly divisive topic. It is now starting to get some serious national coverage as well, as evidenced by this front page article from CNN.

CALIFORNIA MARIJUANA TOURISM

(Damn! Nice looking buds.)

Come this November all of us Californians will vote on whether or not "da weed" (some ah dem call it) should be legalized for medical and recreational purposes. They say that polls are showing that 56% of us Californians would favor legalization. I can tell you right now that if there ever was a time to pitch not only the medicinal benefits of "ganja", but the financial too, now is the time. A state wracked in debt, local governments taxed starved, recession, unemployment at 12%, teacher lay-offs, critical curricula cut and schools facing the ugly possibility of 4 day school weeks... time for the ole "cacker" to save the day. Two words:

REGULATE & TAX

Who knows what CA has to win with this arrangement but the estimations on tax income are showing favorable signs. The losers in this whole deal... unfortunately the small towns in Northern CA that have subsisted for years and years on the cultivation of marijuana. A non-existent lumber industry and failing or shrinking fishing industry, marijauna has been the last stand for many behind the "Redwood Curtain". As the CNN article states perhaps SONOMA, MENDOCINO, HUMBOLDT and DEL NORTE counties will become the Napa Valley of the "kush". Once legalized, a flood in the market (that already exists) will drive down the price of marijuana considerably. Already a pound of "boo" has dropped to roughly $2500, down from a high of $5000 years ago.

An interesting photo slideshow HARVEST TIME ACTIVITIES courtesy of GOOD.

Coyote Breaks Blogger's Block

2010-05-11T22:09:00.001-07:00

I can't put my finger on it... I guess that I ran into my first severe case of blogger's block! But in defense of myself I have dealt with the following since 03/15/10 (my last post): My daughter's 2nd birthday; a serious case of the flu (from said daughter), a (5) day backpacking trip and a busy work schedule. Enough excuses, now on with some semi-decent content.

My first local Coyote! For the last year or so I have been active with my Bay Nature Flickr Group where all I see are these beautiful pictures of local Coyotes, Bobcats and the rare Mountain Lion shot. I began to get jealous. After all, I spend enough time hiking the surrounding coastal and East Bay Hills, I deserved a "run-in"!

Well it finally happened and I must say that beyond the initial awe of seeing this cool canine it was rather uneventful. He/she just sauntered out carefully from the nearby coastal bush cover walked across a field, sniffed around the grass in various places and waltzed right along the edge of a semi packed parking lot. He/she definitely caught everyone's attention and stopped traffic too - our own Yellowstone traffic jam. Beautiful animal.

It all took place in the Marin Headlands at the dirt parking lot near the Miwok and Bobcat trailheads. I was just out for a nice evening hike with my wife and daughter. We were located not too far from where I have also witnessed my first bobcat while mountain biking years ago.

Thank god for Coyotes, if I had not come across him/her I may have given up on my career as a professional blogger!!!

A interesting video clip on local Coyotes, courtesy of Bay Nature Magazine.

Bay Nature Magazine / Flickr Group

2010-03-15T21:37:00.001-07:00

I have become a big fan of the magazine Bay Nature and have mentioned it before on this BLOG. A fantastic magazine focused on the natural world in and around the the San Francisco Bay Area region of California. I also received a subscription over the Holidays.

Their website is also a great resource and full of very interesting content. One of the cool features is how they highlight their FLICKR Group - a community of photographers focused on shooting nature around the Bay Area. Many of the folks who have joined have actually had their photography highlighted within the magazine. The magazine will actually reach out to this community via the FLICKR Group with specific requests for images they need for future articles (my first submittal). Once I stumbled upon, I eagerly joined and have subsequently learned a lot - a very active photo community!

That in and of itself is pretty cool. But what I think is even cooler is how they randomly select recently posted images and rotate them on their homepage (scroll down a bit when you hit the homepage). So once you upload images to the FLICKR Group you can then go to their site - usually within an hour or so and sometimes see your image on their homepage.

Nothing earth shatteringly technological. Nothing that is necessarily seen by the masses. Just a cool way to share what is going on in their FLICKR community. Below are some screen shots that I have captured just to prove I'm not BS'in you!

^ Frog infested cattle trough in East Bay Hills

^ A shot from my Urban Redtails collection

^ Juvenile Night Heron, Mission Creek, San Francisco

^ Flotsum from Ocean Beach, Winter 2010

^ Mother Nature reclaiming Sloat Street, San Francisco

The Great Highway / Dispatch II from the shrinking Front Line

2010-03-07T20:38:00.000-08:00

Took a drive down to Sloat Parking lot at the end of the Great Highway right where they detour traffic to avoid the eroding roadway. I wanted to get a first hand update on what is taking place. A good couple weeks ago I saw large earth moving machinery in the area and they were starting to dump rocks over the side to try and slow Mother Nature. After parking I walked down to where most of the work was being done.

My last post I mentioned that this would be a very interesting situation to watch as all the "players/stakeholders" have their own agendas and perspectives on how this roadway should be fixed - or not fixed for that matter.

Let me introduce the "players/stakeholders":

CITY OF SAN FRANCISCO

Obviously the City does not want to loose any major infrastructure and I'm not talking about the Great Highway! Just across the street, literally 100ft, lies one of the City's largest waste treatment facilities that was built back in the 90's. They cannot afford to shut down this plant. When it was built, evidently a lot of people questioned the desired location due to the cose proximity to the ocean. Oooppps.

SURFRIDER FOUNDATION / ENVIRONMENTALISTS

Have a close watch on this project and obviously oppose anything that would be done to the coastline that would hinder access or destroy what many consider one of the best waves at the beach. They'd prefer less rock dumping and try more sand treatments - actually dumping major amounts of sand off shore to quell the erosion. The City wanted 950ft length of rip-rap dumped and evidently agreed (through pressure of the Surfrider Foundation) to only dump 400-500ft.

NATIONAL PARK SERVICE

The area in question is within the Golden Gate National Recreation Area. Interesting perspective from what I hear... they basically are somewhat indifferent to the loss of the parking area and or roadway. If there are manmade elements that are being reclaimed by Mother Nature (especially parking lots) they might favor letting her take it.

RESIDENTS OF THE SUNSET DISTRICT

Hard to say where people stand on this, I have not talked with enough people around the hood. I for one find that it cuts down the crowds at this end of the beach which one could look at in a favorable manner. I can also see that it is making traffic through the area pretty darn difficult so it may be making some residents commute difficult. I will say that I do like my toilet flushing and that when flushed it does not go right out into the water I swim in.

May still be too early to call what is the best solution and it may be too late as they are starting to drop rocks over the side. Somewhat of a "perfect storm" situation - literally!

San Francisco Art Benefit for Haiti, March 12, 2010

2010-03-04T21:44:00.000-08:00

A friend of mine, local photographer Paul Ferraris, has put together a benefit silent art auction, "San Francisco Community Art Show for Haiti". Paul asked if I'd like to donate artwork for the benefit coming up on March 12, 2010. My response was quick, "Absolutely!". All the proceeds from the show will go to Architecture for Humanity and their work in Haiti. Paul helped me select the photo above as the one to donate for the benefit.

This will be a great show and Paul has put together a seriously talented group of folks; Adam Warmington, Aleks Petrovich, Alexander Schaffer Czech, Barry McGee, Chris Burkard, Elizabeth Pepin, Peter McBride, Rob Brodman and that is only a few of the artists donating their work.

Come on down to the show, bid on some great artwork and do your part to support the rebuilding effort in Haiti. You can view and pre-bid on some of the work HERE.

WARNING: I'VE INCLUDED SOME IMAGES FROM HAITI THAT ILLUSTRATE THE DEVASTATION AND LOSS OF LIFE. LOOKING AT THESE I'M HAUNTED BY THE FACT THAT WE TOO LIVE IN A SEISMICALLY ACTIVE AREA.

(I apologize ahead of time for not crediting the photographers)

Epicuro, Salice Salentino - A Wine Review

2010-02-22T20:24:00.000-08:00

First things first...

...THIS IS NOT A PAID REVIEW (although I'll try hard to get the wine makers attention with this review in hopes to get a free bottle or two, I'm not too proud).

If you are the type of wine enthusiast that enjoys reading phrases such as, "slightly oaky undertones", "fruit forward splendor", "visions of mustard fields in Autumn", or "hints of this or that..." you may not want to proceed onward - you'll read none of that here.

You will however read words like "tasty", "smooth", "damn good", and (I can already hear the wine snob cringes from Napa Valley) I might even throw out a "yummy!". This wine is that damn good! And Napa Valley snobs fear not because this wine hails from Italy!

I must also come clean and state that I am not a true wine aficionado, I'm more of a beer guy (more gasps and screams from Napa Valley). But as I see it, better to have someone like myself be inspired by this tasty appellation and not get caught up in the mumbo-jumbo lifestyle-speak. Purely writing from the heart here because I truly believe this is a good wine and one people should know about. I wish I could take credit for its discovery but I owe that to my wife, she picked it up at Trader Joe's - the only place to buy wine and feel like you are not wasting your money.

It is a 2005 reserve, blend of 80% Negro Amaro and 20% Malvasia Nera grapes. It pours beautifully. A rich dark red color and a wonderful fruit smell that I find hard to resist. I want to smell it as much as I want to drink it - a good sign. The flavor is strong in fruit with a smooth finish. Nothing bitter or strong about it. Swirl it around the mouth a bit and continue to enjoy the flavor. In my opinion a perfectly approachable wine for any occasion.

Ladies and gentlemen, the true joy of this wine - $5.99 a bottle! A true steal as far as I'm concerned. I've even bought several bottles for friends just to turn them onto it. This is only the second time in my life I have felt compelled to buy a case of wine and keep it on hand, this again coming from a beer guy. And definitely the first time I have felt compelled to evangelize over a wine.

So there you have it. Pick some up for yourself and give it a try. I do not think you'll be let down. And if you do try it out, drop me a line - I'd love to hear what you think.

Napa Valley wine snobs can rest, I spared you from drop'in the "yummy!".

For more info on the Importer, D'Aquino Italian Importing Co., click here.

Of Waves & Abalone

2010-02-15T22:05:00.000-08:00

There are some waves I've heard about just north of San Francisco. These are not exactly the kind of waves you can just drive up to, hop out of the car, suit up and be in the water within a minute or two. You have to do some hiking and bush whacking to get to them. A lot of time invested in the "getting there" without any guarantee of success. It is called paying dues.

I've been adventure deprived for the past couple of weeks. So when I got the opportunity for an all day hike today I decided to call up a friend and go "pay some dues".

Beautiful hike in and out of the fog and sun. Good to explore an area I had not been into before. Got down to the beach and reminded me a lot of the North Coast - all cobblestones and flotsum.

We found some interesting things on the beach. I started off finding a very cool hat. My buddy said, "you may want to keep that, those are expensive". That was enough to make me lash it to my backpack. My buddy also collected (3) wiffle balls - WTF? He says they are great to play with in the house with his son.

Probably the most interesting items we found were all the abalone shells strewn about the length of the beach. Quite a few of them and enough to make us take a mental note and possibly come back on some favorable tides.

Speaking of tides, we walked along the beach as far as we could before we got cut off by the cliffs. Rather than walk back the way we came we actually climbed up the bluff. One of those things you do in life and realize when you make it to the top how stupid it was that you did it.

And for those of you who have not stepped outside of late, Spring is beginning to make an appearance. The wild Iris were out in force - spectacular!

The Great Highway / Dispatch from the shrinking Front Line

2010-01-31T21:06:00.000-08:00

It is BIG news around these parts. A portion of The Great Highway has been shut down. Not just a lane - all Southbound lanes have been blocked off to vehicular traffic (northbound lanes are open) due to storm and erosion damage. For those that are unfamiliar, The Great Highway runs the length of and parallels Ocean Beach, which is located on the far western edge of the San Francisco Peninsula. So with all the hub-bub going on I decided to take a walk down and take a gander for myself. What not a better mission to bring my trustful companion and fellow adventurer - my daughter. And as it turned out, we were blessed with a beautiful day!

As we made our way down (we walked and took the stroller) an immediate observation was the extraordinary amount of flotsum along the length of the beach. Logs, branches, trash, telephone pole parts, foam, sections of docks, old x-mas trees and lots of exposed random rocks. Not too much of a surprise since we have recently gone through some good stormy wet weather cycles. But still more than I have seen in a long time.

A second observation was the amount of sand eroded off the beach. Many of the dunes that have been built up over the years are taking a real hammering. Yesterday I ran into Carol Schultz, "Queen of the Beach" in Golden Gate Park. One of her comments to me was, "Jeez DAK, I have never seen so much sand missing off the beach". I concur.

Sure enough, there is some serious havoc that Mother Nature is unleashing at the southern end of The Great Highway. The Sloat Parking Lot's (1st Parking Lot) egress point is completely been compromised due to high surf. And the the 2nd Parking Lot is also in bad shape due to some serious hydrodynamic activity.

While I'd love the opportunity to delve into the very interesting battle that will soon unfold regarding how to resolve this problem and the various stakeholders involved, I need to cut this short and catch some shut-eye.

So tomorrow, THE WHAT, THE WHO, THE WHERE, and THE WHY of this battle between Mother Nature, a City, a National Park System, Environmentalists and the residents of the Outer Sunset.

I almost forgot my 3rd observation. No Sloat Parking Lot means less crowded surf. My daughter and I watched some seriously good surf come through with only a handful of guys on it. Typically there would be twice the amount of people out in the water.

Have you been down there yet? Tell us your observations and your ideas of how to handle The Great Highway erosion issue of 2010!

Robert Frost & San Francisco

2010-01-24T20:14:00.000-08:00

This caught my eye today while out and about in Golden Gate Park with my family. One of those dedication plaques you see on park benches all over the place. I really liked this poem and did not know that Robert Frost had any San Francisco-centric poetry (not that I'm follower of Frost's work either). Harkens back to a day when the City was a little more gritty and rough around the edges.

Have you read this poem before? Are you familiar with other similar San Francisco-centric poetry? If so, drop me a line I'd like to read more.

True Wilderness VS. Metropolis

2010-01-17T22:25:00.000-08:00

It is really easy to get boxed into the urban fabric of the City. Sometimes it is important for us City dwellers to obtain a vantage point that takes us outside the confines of our concrete environment. There have been several vantage points I have been recently poking around to get some shots of the BIG surf showing up this Winter Season - like the shots above and below.

What I appreciate most about this vantage point is how it clearly illustrates the close proximity of true wilderness to the Sunset District's western edge. It is easy to forget that whales, dolphins, great white sharks, orcas, seals and a whole multitude of marine life not listed, ply the waters just off shore. What really separates us from the wilderness is just a Great Highway, sections of dunes, a concrete seawall, a large sandy beach and for most, cold water.

Think about it.

We live in a very unique and special place.

Jessica Dunne, an artist with an eye for San Francisco's Sunset District

2010-01-17T21:35:00.000-08:00

"Sloat at Sunset", Jessica Dunne

I recently stumbled upon a book highlighting the artistic work of Jessica Dunne. I found the book at Mullosk Surf Shop (they do not list it in the books section, it is at the shop though). What I was most struck about Jessica's work was her obvious close connection to our fine neighborhood the Sunset. I have yet to see any artist capture the feeling of our neighborhood quite as well as she has. The landscape/streetscape, the color, the dampness, the lighting, iconic Sunset subject matter, it is all there and impressively done.

Much of her work that interests me centers around The Great Highway, specific homes in the hood and beachscapes that often include the beautiful waves that wash up on our beach. I've also stumbled upon a book that focuses on her paintings of a local surfboard shaper. While I appreciate this collection it does not capture my attention as much as her Sunset-centric work. She has quite a bit of San Francisco-centric paintings as well - obviously a bi-product of just a portion of her education at San Francisco State.

If you'd like to see more of her work, check out her website:

http://www.jessicadunne.com/

Are you familair with Jessica Dunne? Have you met her? Do you own any of her artwork? If so I'd love to hear first hand information on this talented artist.

"Feinstein's Legacy", Jessica Dunne

"Mercury Vapor", Jessica Dunne

Ocean Beach (1), Surfer (0)

2010-01-04T23:18:00.000-08:00

I've always joked with my buddies about having to be picked up by the Coast Guard out past Seal Rock and having the TV crews waiting for you on the beach!

Well even when the surf is small you gotta watch the currents. As someone commented on the article, I can't believe this guy actually talked to the TV cameras.

My rule: when the current is ripping north at a good pace, I start heading in at VF's just in case. Never had a problem so far. Know your limits.

The video is worth watching - cringe value. At least it wasn't a bodyboarder, F'in surfers!

Read about it and watch it here! Courtesy of SFgate.com and Channel 4 News.

The pic above was taken last year on a well overhead day, probably three times bigger than the day this guy got swept out.

A Treasury of the Sierra Nevada, A Book Review

2010-01-04T21:39:00.000-08:00

Kit Carson, Jedediah Smith, John Muir, James Marshall, Grizzly Adams, Jack London, David Brower and Yvon Chouinard. If this list of mountain men, adventurists, conservationists, environmentalists, writers and experienced outdoorsmen peaks your curiosity then I definitely have a book for you. It is titled...

..."A Treasury of the Sierra Nevada".

It is a collection of previously released articles, essays and personal accounts from the individuals listed above (and many more not listed) regarding the mighty Sierra Nevada of CA. It was first published in 1983 by Wilderness Press located in Berkeley, CA. It was compiled and edited by Robert Leonard Reid.

Let me start off by explaining that I chose this book to review after being laid up in bed for 24 hours with a flu bug at my brother's cabin in Tahoe over the New Years weekend. Very appropriate locale, yet I would have preferred to have been drinking, eating and romping around in the snow surrounded by all of my family. Regardless, when life hands you a lemon... might as well learn something while shivering under the covers of your bed!

It was not the first time that I have picked up this book at his cabin. Aha! A sign of a truly good book. One you can pick up time after time and enjoy reading. The factual stories and perspectives contained within help to give you a real picture of what the Sierras were like 150 years ago. What it was like trying to cross with some of the first immigrant wagon trains.

It also helps to shape the history of environmentalism and conservation that focused on the Sierra Nevada through John Muir's work all the way up to David Brower's work in the 60's and 70's. A classic quote from David Brower that struck me as so perfect was his reaction to Disney's refusal to embrace his recommendation for either tunnel or fly-in only access into a remote and secluded valley Disney was eyeing for development. These would obviously be less of an impact than a paved road. When Disney brushed off these alternate plans as way too expensive, Brower responded, "you are going to change something FOREVER, so you can amortize the costs over a thousand years".

If reading a 17 year old boy's account of surviving the winter alone at Donner Lake in the mid 1800's sounds interesting then put this book on your to read list. If getting a little taste of what native american/CAian life was like back before the automobile, again, put it on the list. If you want to know what the Sierra Nevada's flora and fauna were like before Ronald McDonald and Starbucks reigned supreme, you'll like this book. All of this with a few interesting maps, diagrams, sketches, photos, and a first hand account of cannibalism, what more could you ask for.

Many of the stories surrounding the first explorers/immigrants made me realize just how soft we as a society have become. I'm sure if Jedediah or Kit woke up covered in four feet of snow with a spot of the 24 hour flu they would have laced up their old snow shoes and been off before I could have made my cup of coffee, scrambled my eggs and toasted my bagel around the ole campfire.

Enjoy!

Anchor Steam 2009 Christmas Ale: Good Beer & Classic Design

2009-12-22T20:36:00.000-08:00

I recently read an article in the Chronicle Newspaper (actually on SFgate.com) that was a small expose on the Designer of the Anchor Brewing Company's beer labels, Jim Stitt. This is a gentleman who has been designing the labels for roughly 4 decades! A true graphic artist. In his own words, "It is a hand made beer, so the label should be hand drawn.". This in the age of computers - very refreshing.

Each year Anchor Brewing Co. comes out with a slightly different recipe for their "seasonal" Christmas Ale and a unique label that typically highlights, illustratively, a specific tree type. In the past they've had Redwoods, Pines, Palms and Birch Trees. This year, to commemorate their 35th season of their Christmas Ale they chose a very special tree. They chose the Cuppressus Macrocarpa, or the Monterey Cypress (pictured below).

Now this is not just any old Monterey Cypress that Jim Stitt chose to draw, he selected a very special one. This year he drew the Cypress that is located at the intersection of Stanyan and Fell streets here in the City. A tree that is lit up every year just after Thanksgiving and known as the unofficial Christmas Tree of San Francisco. This basically is the Gateway into the Sunset District and I pass by this tree every night - saw it about 2 hours ago!

So you might be saying, that is a lot of typing without any mention of the brew itself. Well it is the season for darker heavier beers (at least for me) and this one does not disappoint! A spicey brew that is about as dark as they come. I could barely get the kitchen light to show through my pint glass when held up to it. I find it to be best when poured into pint glass and let sit for a few, warm up a bit and let the spicey flavor come out. If too cold, I find the full flavor can be a bit masked. It has a mild carbonation that enables the brew to go down smooth.

There you have it, good beer and good design coming together with a dash of Sunset Pride!!! Happy Holidays to you and yours.

DISCLAIMER: This in no way nullifies my declaration of beer loyalty to the BOONT Brewery out of Anderson Valley who by far crafts the most sublime beers on Earth. Sorry Anchor, you are my home town brewery, but only a close second to BOONT!!!

December Surf

2009-12-20T13:51:00.000-08:00

Wintertime is in full effect in Northern CA and our beach is doing it's thang!!! A great weekend of shooting photos, bodyboarding, family time and some Holiday shopping wedged in between. Fall/Winter is truly my favorite time of year here in Northern CA.

I recently made a comment to a couple of buddies of mine that there is a dearth of guys out on boards that do not seem to know how to surf very well (ie: "bouys"). I can't count how many times I have seen perfect head high peaks roll in with guys perfectly positioned to paddle and drop into them and then pull back suddenly and not take the drop. Obviously a lot of beginners out which is usually not the case for our beach break.

Regardless, still fun out there and have been scoring some fun waves!

I guess you have to start somewhere...

2009-12-17T22:16:00.000-08:00

SUSTAINABILITY - I promise to look up the definition after I write this. However I'm pretty sure that I can take a good guess at what the intent is when used regarding design and the environment.

I was listening to NPR this morning and got focused on the GRAND OPENING for the new Las Vegas City Center project ("Welcome to the capital of the New World"). Was so interesting to hear the developers / architects interviewed describe some of the structures / buildings within the project as "sustainable". What? did I just hear that...

DISCLAIMER: I've been to Las Vegas (formerly the Las Vegas Rancho) once before and yes it does have a certain allure and I'm sure some day I'll go back (for no more than 48 hours though). I am also someone who is not necessarily anti-development. I have worked for developers and assisted them in positioning and branding their residential and retail properties - more urban in-fill projects. I have even worked on a retail center in Northern Vegas.

HELLO... Earth to said Architects and Developers... there is nothing sustainable about building any part of a massive development in the middle of the desert!!! The amount of WATER and POWER needed to "sustain" Las Vegas in general is ridiculous! They do not call it the Cadillac Desert for nothing.

Sorry, but just a rant! I can't knock these folks too hard for at least trying to move in a more responsible development direction. I suppose abandoning Vegas altogether is out of the question? Well, with the Vegas home prices literally defining the verb TANKING who knows it may just happen.

Links to some of the Architect's / Designer's / Developer's websites:

- Rafael Vinoly Architects

- Pelli Clarke Pelli Architects

- Leading Hotels of the World

- Studio Daniel Libeskind

- David Rockwell

I've been BLOGGED!!!

2009-12-15T22:00:00.000-08:00

OK so blogging is relatively new to me. One of the aspects I'm most curious about is WHO is reading my BLOG and how are they finding me? Well I did a very informal search on google to see what I could find. I stumbled upon the BLOGGED site (click on screen shots for detail) listing my BLOG (about 5 clicks deep into the search), with a 7.8 rating no less by an editor. Or at least this is how they describe the review process, "Editor reviews are provided by professional editors who evaluate a blog based on the following criteria: Frequency of Updates, Relevance of Content, Site Design, and Writing Style.". I was surprised at this discovery and can only think this must be some gimmick or "standard review" to get me to sign onto whatever the site has to offer - who knows!? Looks like I'll be turning in my resignation letter tomorrow, who knows where this blogging could take me - NOT!!! I would like to update the look of my BLOG though, perhaps that will get me to the 8.0 I'm so eager to attain.

Should I be worried that I'm loosely categorized under "Parenting"? I hope they don't read my previous post.

Pelican Inn, my Daughter's first Pub experience

2009-12-13T20:07:00.000-08:00

So I could not quite tell if my Daughter enjoyed the rainy hike up Dipsea Trail near Muir Woods in the Golden Gate National Recreation Area this past weekend. I was determined to get out rain or shine, it was definitely on the rainy side of the equation. We only got up the trail about 20 minutes before I inquired as to whether or not she was enjoying herself lashed to my back. The only response I got was, "car". Did not want to misinterpret this response so we headed back down.

I decided to drive back the way we came through Muir Beach. The Pelican Inn (not too impressed with their website), a small english styled bed and breakfast, is right off the road and I thought it might be fun to go take my daughter by. I've only been there once previously with a buddy and was impressed.

We entered through the main doors of the B&B and were warmly greeted by the hostess. I stated that we were weary travelers of the road as well as muddy trail path of Tam and needed a place of respite. I inquired if it was OK to bring my Daughter into the pub, "Sure, of course" she said. Perfect.

What a cool throw-back of a spot. If you are wanting to transport yourself back a 100 years with a cozy warm environment accented by tasty pints of beer and good folk music, this is your spot! And family friendly too. My daughter really liked the place - a very different environment than what she is used to.

After engaging the bartender in conversation for a short time and ordering a Lagunitas IPA, we grabbed a padded bench seat in the corner and hung out with candles surrounding us casting a warm glow - perfect after a wet hike. Crayons and coloring paper were immediately brought to us - a nice touch. They obviously get enough kids in here.

Can't wait to come back. I can only imagine what this Pub is like on a friday night with some live folk music, darts-a-fly'in and folks enjoying each others company and conversation. Would love to stay here over the weekend. They supposedly have wonderful rooms to stay in.

My daughter's first Pub experience was a huge success! The only downer, they forgot to bring me the Sheperd's Pie I ordered. The bartender apologized profusely and gave me the pint on the house - right proper of them! I gladly accepted.

A 10 minute detour...

2009-12-10T00:23:00.000-08:00

So the cold snap has not let up! Frigid out at the beach and even colder inland. Can't recall a spat of a weather this cold for quite some time. Regardless, the snow on Mt. Diablo is having a hard time melting in these conditions. When it has snowed in the past it is usually gone within 24 hours.

On my way into San Francisco for a meeting I decide to take a quick 10 minute detour to snap some more pics. Was glad I did because these are definitely better than my ones from the other morning. And found another good vantage point from which to shoot from in he future.

Thanks Mother Nature!

Photography: All about Time & Place

2009-12-08T22:00:00.000-08:00

Let me start off by saying that I by no means consider myself a professional photographer. I love photography and have shot consistently over the past (8) years - enough to pick up a few skills, compose some nice shots and gain a confidence in showing my work. I still have a lot to learn though especially as it relates to the technical side of photography.

One thing I have learned over the years and can confidently state is that good photos don't necessarily find you. You have to go out and seek them. Whether it be a specific location, subject matter or activity, I find the more work you put into seeking/scouting your shots up front, the better the pay-off.

I've also learned that having a full time job can some times get in the way of my photographic pursuits. Don't get me wrong, I love my job - wouldn't change a thing. There are times when duty calls (work) and I'd really like to be out and about pointing my camera at cool subject matter.

Case in point, this past Monday I was on my daily commute to the East Bay, when all of a sudden I popped out of the Caldecott Tunnel and into a winter wonderland! I had forgotten about the cold front moving in and did not pay close enough attention to the radio when they stated that snow levels would drop to 2000 FT. I'll listen better next time because in hindsight I realize that I missed out on something very special. I have never seen Mt. Diablo covered with as much snow as I did that morning. Incredible!

Alas...I was only able to shoot Mt. Diablo this morning, early before work. Certainly not as compelling had I shot it on Monday morning but enough to get the point across and to scout a perfect spot for when the next Arctic cold front sweeps over us. I'll be there snapping away!

Did you get some good shots of Mt. Diablo with snow? I would love to see them or hear about where you chose to shoot from. Here is a link to some nice shots from a woman on FLICKR. I like her shots, they remind me of Montana.

Sessions No 3 & No 4

2009-11-30T23:48:00.000-08:00

Safe to say most of the surf community around these parts would agree this has been a pretty dismal Fall surf season. The surf and good surf conditions really have not been in alignment and shown up with much gusto until this past weekend. So it hasn't been since August that I have been out with my waterhousing to snap some water shots. Felt good to get out. The pic above was from a session of overhead + surf the biggest I've been out in so far - a bit sketchy at times. The pic below was from a session up in the far reaches of Northern California.

San Francisco Street Art / 8 Year Retrospective / Part 1

2009-11-24T22:05:00.000-08:00

After my recent visit to the Kommunitas Allery, I started to go back to my archives of Street Art photography, singling out the shots that I have really appreciated over the years. I have realized that there are just too many for one posting. So I'll try a post a collection each month.

Now what defines Street Art? That is a tough one to define and please everyone at the same time. The definition for me is any act of self expression layered into or on top of the Urban Fabric of our fine City of San Francisco. Stickers, stencils, tags, pieces, graffiti, readymades, you name it - as far as I'm concerned they all fall within the definition, no matter how senseless or benign they may be interpreted.

The following are just a few that have caught my eye over the years. If you know anyone responsible for these or if you remember seeing these also, would love to hear from you. Enjoy!

^ A favorite from the tail-end of DOT-COM boom

Bus Shelter @ 5th & Mission

^ A clever reminder that we are a country at war

Sidewalk near Duboce Park

^ Always liked this guy's style

Doorway on N-Judah Line, Inner Sunset

^ Have a happy emergency

Emergency call box, Upper Market Street

^ The Original

Outer Sunset, Judah Street Restrooms

^ Fence tag

Laguna & Page

^ Amoeba Parking Lot

Upper Haight Street

^ Mission District alley

^ Utility box

3rd Street & Townsend

^ Rowdy @ empty retail

South of Market, near 9th St & Howard

^ C&M Bar

48th Avenue, Outer Sunset

^ Retail window

South of Market, near 9th St & Howard

Peta Ad, McCruelty, I'm hatin' it!

2009-11-14T20:14:00.000-08:00

During my urban hike through the South of Market District in San Francisco I ran into this ad on roughly 5th and Bryant. The politics of it are not what strike me as interesting. What does though is how in the hell they have not had McDonalds on their ass to take it down. They are known to be very sensitive about their BRAND and how it is used and perceived. I would think that this would really... ruffle their feathers! Sorry had to type it!

Does anyone know anything about this ad? Does anyone know the agency that did it for Peta? Would be interested in knowing more information about it.

KOMMUNITAS an Urban Allery

2009-11-14T14:10:00.000-08:00

While waiting to get my windshield replaced down South of Market, I decided to take advantage of the 2 hours of time to roam around the area and shoot some photography. I've always enjoyed aimlessly wandering around this neighborhood shooting pictures because inevitably you are always bumping into interesting... well... stuff.

People, art, filth, grime, industry, businesses, restaurants, poverty, wealth, vacated spaces (especially nowadays), new condos, old condos, train yards, new cars, old cars, delivery trucks, gutters, cyclone fences, rust, broken glass, flyered telephone poles, quiet clubs, weeds sprouting out of cracks, the lone community garden, wandering souls. I'm never let down when I criss-cross these streets, there is always something to point the camera at. The area is always changing but in some weird way it kinda stays the same... stuff just seems to shift around.

I decided to go by an alley that I knew had a considerable amount of Graffiti / Street Art in it. I was surprised to find the pic above posted on the fence at the front of the alley. What I thought was just a random stroll to a non-descript alley was actually a visit to one of the cooler Galleries (or an Allery) that I have been to in awhile. It is actually managed or curated by KOMMUNITAS. Go here to not learn much about it. Or go here to learn more about the individual that runs KOMMUNITAS.

The work / art / graffiti / street art that I have found here over the years has always been exceptional and worth a visit. I'd highly recommend stopping by. Please note the colors of my uploaded images do not do the art justice. It did not help that it was overcast as well that morning.

Have you been to this alley before? Do you know the names of these artists? What do you think of the work? Do you know other great areas in SF to see art like this? Drop us a line I'd love to know. Also stay tuned as I will be posting an (8) year retrospective of some of my favorite street art that I have documented over the years of living and working within San Francisco.

A few more images for your enjoyment.

For information on Jimmy McGriff, click here to check out some of his albums. Gotta love some of those covers!!!

Sonoma Coast Camping Trip

2009-11-11T22:20:00.000-08:00

We pulled it off! My wife and I are excited that our first "car camping" trip up along the Sonoma Coastline with our daughter was a great success. All family members on tail-end of colds and with CA Winter just starting to show it's face we were not sure what to expect from our daughter. Our biggest fears being:

Would sleeping in a tent be too foreign and create nothing but a sleepless night of crying?

Would it be too cold for her at evening time and night time in the tent?

The answer to both questions was no! She had a blast. We had a blast. The weekend was filled with campfire, hiking in the redwoods, tossing the ball around, setting up the tent, eating together, little beer and little vino, meeting friendly camp neighbors - great family time! We can't wait to do it again.

We stayed at the Stillwater Regional Park run by Sonoma County - site 19 to be exact. A great campground with good facilities and great hiking close by, making it very family friendly. We were supposed to stay at Reef Campground (10 minutes South) but the State decided to close it due to budget cuts. Sad.

A few pics from our trip.

SUNSET PRIDE: Hess Surfboards

2009-11-11T21:43:00.000-08:00

The San Francisco Chronicle is assisting me in highlighting yet another person of interest and source of SUNSET PRIDE, Danny Hess of Hess Surfboards. A true artisan when it comes to making hollow core, wood and epoxy surfboards. A nice guy as well - I've only met him once through a mutual friend. Read all about his boards and the lifestyle he has created for himself as a full-time surfboard maker right in the heart of the Sunset District - click here to read the article.

The shot below is of a friend of mine that I took last Summer. He is hiding behind a Hess "Handplane" he was using for bodysurfing. Little buggers are $150.00 - YIKES! But worth it as I am told by those who have bodysurfed with them - I have not.

Do you own a Hess surfboard or handplane? Would love to hear if you do and why you chose Hess over other board makers.

Urban Hummingbird Visit

2009-11-01T20:56:00.000-08:00

They say you never forget your first Hummer!

My wife and I were in our kitchen having a heated discussion when all of a sudden my wife quickly shifted my attention to the new Hummingbird feeder we have placed on our window. Sure enough, there (he/she) was just hovering over the feeder - beautiful metallic crimson head and all. An Anna's Hummingbird I believe. Very cool!

I received the feeder (Droll Yankees) from my wife for my birthday in September. Living in such close proximity to Golden Gate Park we had talked about getting one for quite sometime. We see Hummers in the Park all the time so we felt that we had a shot to attract them. And now we have!

We'll keep the feeder clean and the nectar fresh. Hope to get some shots of them from the kitchen window. Here is a site on Western Hummingbirds for more information.

Are you visited by Humming Birds in San Francisco? Let me know where and by what kind. A couple of pics below.

Our new Droll Yankees feeder!

Hummer up @ Sutro Park

Bay Nature Magazine: Great White Sharks Submission

2009-10-31T13:33:00.000-07:00

I have mentioned Bay Nature magazine previously within this BLOG. I find it to be an outstanding magazine focusing on our natural world surrounding the San Francisco Bay Area. They have a great website filled with interesting content too.

Beyond just recently joining their FLICKR Group online, I submitted my first set of photos for an up coming article slated for the next issue. The article focuses on Great White Sharks and will be written by the SF Chronicle's former environmental reporter Glen Martin. Within the submission request they asked for photos of the Sharks themselves. Photos of the sharks I could not help out with, but I do have a collection of images that I submitted that could essentially help to tell the broader story of the Bay Area's connection to Great White sharks. The following text is the introduction I sent to Dan Rademacher of Bay Nature:

Dan, Greetings. First time submitting. I've fallen in love with the Bay Nature Magazine. It is my personal goal to get some of my photographic work published in your fine magazine. This may take awhile as it seems you are connected with some very talented photographers! While I do not think the attached images fit the exact description of what you described on the website, I did want to send them to you anyway. As a local surfer and photographer (I live with my family in SF), I am constantly reminded that I recreate within the home waters of Great White Sharks. It humbles me and I often think how incredible it would be to run into one of these creatures - while on a boat of course! I do have a couple friends that have had confirmed run in experiences while surfing. I often find myself shooting images that relate to GWSs when they present themselves. This collection of images are random but definitely a part of our daily fabric that intertwines with these awesome creatures habitat - small reminders they are never that far away from us - even heavily populated City Centers! Isn't that what makes the Bay Area so special? So enjoy, I hope there is something you find interesting here, if not no harm done. Again, hope to contribute to the magazine someday.

Just joined the FLICKR Group. Take care.

DAK WAS HERE

Below are the images that I submitted. Enjoy and please leave me a comment if you are inspired by these images or if you have a Great White story to share.

Car @ Ocean Beach

Posted Flyer @ Stinson Beach

Posted warning at front gate to Stinson Beach

The Farallons, seasonal home base, Mile Rock Light

Posted warning @ Ocean Beach near deceased whale

Pt. Reyes, North Beach, "Shark Area"

A Bolinas "welcome/warning"

MSR "Hubba" Tent Review

2009-10-25T22:24:00.000-07:00

THIS IS NOT A PAID REVIEW

^ I guess you need to declare if you have been paid to write a review for a company, product or service nowadays on the internet. I wish it was. This being my first review, I'll try and make it concise and the the point.

First off, let it be known that I am not a professional outdoorsman and that I only go out backpacking once a year, twice if I am lucky. I do however appreciate good equipment. With that being said I'd highly recommend MSR's "Hubba", solo, one person tent.

I recently got back from a (4) day backpacking trip on the North Coast of CA. This being one of the toughest hikes I've made, I knew I needed to go lighter than previous trips. I decided to pony up and invest in a one man tent. I read a lot of reviews on various tents and decided on the "Hubba". A choice well made and here is why:

- Yes it is light, just shy of 3lbs

- No condensation issues what so ever

- Easy set up, great stakes, good tie downs

- Kept me completely dry

- Stitching seems durable

- Vestibule was sizable to stow shoes/gear

- Good head room, easy to sit up straight

- Felt roomy, with some gear stowed at the head

- Kept the critters out

- Zippers performed well with no snagging issues

We only had one full night of rain so I know I have not truly put it to the test. All in all, I'd give this tent a grade A. I cannot wait to get it out again. Would not hesitate to hole up in it for a 2-3 day deluge. Will provide an update after my next trip.

Perfect CA Hiking Trip

2009-10-24T06:35:00.000-07:00

As far as I'm concerned you know you've had a great hiking trip when:

- You've come back uninjured

- Your hair still smells like camp fire 4 days later

- Only a small patch of poison oak

- Your muscles are sore but not too bad

- All your gear performed well

- You've come back with good pics & memories

I wrote earlier in my BLOG that I was going on a hiking trip and I've just recently gotten back. I even went so far as to say that the location we hiked into was my own personal definition of Paradise. It had been (2) years since I had been into this area and it did not disappoint. It still holds the title of most beautiful spot in CA.

All in all a great trip. Hiked in with two close buddies for four days. It was forecasted to rain most of the time and we only experienced rain on the way out, last day. Fall is a wonderful contrast to the last time I hiked in which was during the Spring of '07. What lacked in colorful wildflowers (the area is loaded with them in Spring) was made up with the turning colors of Fall foliage.

The following is a collection of images from the trip, enjoy. And if you are curious about the location I'm sure with some investigative work you can find it.

Buddy #1, start of the hike

Buddy #2, start of the hike & solar powered

Buddy #1, halfway in the weather gets moody

Buddy #2, leads the charge around one of several points

Buddy #1, negotiating a 1/4 mile of small boulders

Our camp spot in the trees

Backdoor to our campsite

Camp life, tree climbing

Camp life from above

Young Alder thicket

Buddy #1 after mediocre surf

Ran into my second rattlesnake, kinda looked like this

Day Hike, this trail was washed out two years ago

Day Hike, the creek we hiked up

Day Hike, Fall color

Day Hike, lavander vine

Day Hike, Buddy #2 deep in the creek valley

Day Hike, hike out of the creek valley

Day Hike, steep country

Back at camp

One of our many great camp fires

Weird things wash up on this stretch of coast line

10/14/09 Bay Bridge Snarl

2009-10-15T06:36:00.000-07:00

So I spent (3) hours in my truck last night trying to get home. Typically my commute home to San Francisco (reverse) is about (1) hour. But not last night. Evidently there was a big rig overturn right on the new "S section" of the small bypass that was recently completed. It ended up funneling traffic down to one lane as the link above will show you.

So my second nominee for the Mike Stone JUSTICE award goes to...

...THE BIG RIG DRIVER WHO DID NOT SLOW DOWN AND ENDED UP JACKKNIFING HIS BIG RIG ON THE BAY BRIDGE AND TRIPLED THE LENGTH OF MY COMMUTE HOME AND THUS MAKING ME MISS TIME WITH MY FAMILY!!! (I hope the driver was OK)

I have included a pic from my i-Phone - what else am I supposed to do while crawling 2 hours over 2 miles?

For more information on the Mike Stone JUSTICE award, you can read about it here. Just pleased to be taking off on a hiking trip tonight far far away from bumper to bumper traffic and "the grind".

YIKES!!!

2009-10-08T21:28:00.000-07:00

These are the types images that are kinda like car crashes, you really don't want to see them yet you have to stare on intently and come back to again and again.

Its FAKE anyway! Right? No really...I think...well maybe...

Full sequence of breaching Great White Shark

Account of the sighting by the photographer, Randy Wright.

Screen shot courtesy of Surfline.com

1916: Sierra Nevada Open!

2009-10-07T22:05:00.000-07:00

Shortly AFTER President Woodrow Wilson sent 12,000 United States troops over the Mexico Border in pursuit of Pancho Villa and shortly BEFORE a bomb exploded on Market Street in San Francisco during a "Preparedness Day Parade", killing (10) and injuring (40), my Grandfather drove/delivered a Cadillac over the Sierras to Carson City and brought back another Cadillac to Oakland. Upon his return he contacted the Oakland Tribune to inform them that the passes were generally cleared and ready for travel.

The article pictured above is a clipping that has survived the past 83 years being passed from person to person within my family and box to box housed in various garages in the East Bay. The picture is just a random one of my Grandfather and is not associated with this article. The following are a few interesting portions I've pulled out and provided some observations:

"It befell Keyser's lot to drive it over the mountains, leaving with it at 7:30 o'clock Friday night for Carson, by way of Placerville. The house at Oakland received a telegram from him, dated Saturday morning, at 7:45 o'clock a.m., or a run of twelve hours."

OBSERVATION: 12 hours is a long time, mostly in the dark on probably dicey roads! If it had been me, I would have left in the morning.

On his return trip, "Taking out a stop in Stockton for eating, the running time was exactly ten hours. The mileage on the return trip was 278 miles as he went to Lodi by mistake."

OBSERVATION: I guess the directions and road signs weren't as helpful as they are today. Lodi rather than Stockton? Wish Granddad were around to account for that one.

"He also reports that the road is passable by way of Auburn to Lake Tahoe. There is one small section of snow about 200 yards between the summit and the subway, where a team of horses pull the cars which are now going."

OBSERVATION: Horses? enough said.

Well just as I started this BLOG, I'll say it again, this sure ain't my Granddad's CA anymore. We all take for granted how easy it is to get up and over the pass/summit to Donner Lake, Truckee and Lake Tahoe. The thought of 12 hour trips, crappy roads and road signs, horses not horse power assisting you over the over summit - truly a ROAD TRIP!

I wonder what my Granddad would think of Tahoe within 3.5 hours, while cranking the Janes Addiction, wolfing down 99 cent cheese burgers and a Starbucks Latte (venti xtra whip, double shot, decaf) in hand with no intention of stopping unless nature calls - oh and gas is $3.15 a gallon! Sounds like a good portion of the adventure has been completely stripped out for us "modern folk". Too bad and I'd like to think he'd agree.

A couple extra pics for to view in detail. Note the old CA Lic Plate with the State Bear on it.

Hike to Paradise

2009-10-03T06:44:00.000-07:00

Within two weeks I'll be hiking around the point pictured above. A journey to what I'd consider one of, if not THE, most beautiful spots in CA. Literally Paradise as far as I'm concerned. I've traveled to a lot of places throughout CA and the western United States; Yosemite, the Sierras, Joshua Tree, Carmel, Big Sur, the Smith River, the McCloud, Mt. Shasta, Mt. Lassen, San Juan Mountains, Yellowstone, Wasatch Mountains, Glacier Park, the Rogue River and the Ho Rainforest. All of these destinations are truly beautiful and hold spots in my mind but none are as etched deeply as the area I'll be backpacking into above.

Having a deep appreciation and love for the Pacific Ocean and a consistent yearning to be in the mountains, this area is the perfect combination of both. That is the edge this spot holds over all of the places listed above. Big Sur comes very close but does not have the same seclusion as this particular area.

Rugged, remote, raw, beautiful, demanding, taxing, exhausting, commanding, terrifying, relaxing, soothing, unrelenting, inspiring, unforgiving, eroding, growing, decaying, flowing, changing, would all be good words to describe this area. This is not car camping, this is not hiking the PCT, it is the most physically taxing hike I've ever taken on. And all 9 miles of it are worth every step, blistered heal, aching hip joint, sun burnt neck and sore ankles.

Where is this area? This is the day and age of the internet (obviously) so I'll let you work a bit to find it. It is not an unknown destination nor an off the map location and I have left several clues within this post (Hell, I've even given you a picture!). If you want it bad enough you'll find it. Good luck - not in finding it, but in making the hike.

Summer has arrived!

2009-09-28T20:45:00.000-07:00

This past weekend Summer arrived in the Sunset District, for San Francisco in general. I was in charge of my daughter over the weekend, my Wife declared a "staycation" weekend - a break from the family to focus on and pamper herself - she deserves it. So with all the good weather (and good waves) my daughter and I hung out around the neighborhood. We walked to the beach, did some dune climbing and snapped some pictures together. Turns out an 18 month old can be pretty handy in pointing out the good set waves as you can see below.

I took my daughter down to the Sloat parking lot. Wanting to make sure she did not either fall off the cliff edge or get run over, I kept her in the car with the windows rolled down. It actually worked well and she was content for all of 10-15 minutes. Just enough to snap off a few pics of the "Choi Wan" super typhoon swell that originated just off central Japan last week.

My wife was kind enough to let me sneak out on Sunday for a quick paddle out. Had a great time, saw a lot of good waves come through but did not connect with anything to write home about. Hung out with the dolphins/porpoise for a short time - neat to see them out there.

Summer/Fall is here and life is good.

Mike Stone JUSTICE!!!

2009-09-22T22:15:00.000-07:00

So this is what I'll call the Mike Stone JUSTICE editorial section of my BLOG. After having just gotten through the second season of "The Streets of San Francisco" (don't get me started on how great this program is) I find myself wondering how Mike Stone would handle some of the BS we City Dwellers contend with on a daily basis. In my mind I fantasize hearing these words come out of Mike Stone's mouth...

Now of course Mike Stone was too classy of a cop to talk like this but a guy can still fantasize right? So my nominee for the first ever Mike Stone JUSTICE award is...

...THE GUY WHO LETS HIS DOG TAKE A DUMP IN FRONT OF MY HOUSE AND DOESN'T PICK IT UP AFTERWARD!!!

Look out Buddy Boy, with some good old fashioned investigative work, I'll track you down and make you feel the wrath of Mike Stone!!!

FOG of a World Class nature

2009-09-22T21:35:00.000-07:00

DAMN!!! There it is again, lazily hanging and ever so slowly creeping into the contours of the City, almost tar like in it's consistency. The past several days, while the entire Bay Area "suffers" from a heat wave, us hearty residents of the Sunset District have been dealing with some truly World Class FOG.

This is not the wind whipped FOG that we typically get pushing through to the East Bay, this FOG bank has just hung over the City's low points and through the Gate. Talk about a change in climate - 60s, wet and dewy when I start my commute to the East Bay, arriving to clear sunny blue skies already tipping into the 70s. Fantastic example of the Bay Area's micro climates.

Carol Schulz, Queen of the Beach, recently stated, "Jeez Dickson, I'm usually a pretty positive person, but this Summer has been pretty bad with the FOG.". This is someone who has lived in the Sunset her whole life and knows it like the back of her hand! You know it is bad if Carol complains about it. Typically by this point in the year we have shaken off our FOGGY weather.

All I can do now is pray for a cold front to sweep through the Bay Area, dust the Sierras with a layer of the Winter Season's first snows and then it will be on... yes our (San Francisco's) Summer will then arrive being blown in via the East! Bye, bye FOG don't let the Gate hit you in the ass on your way out!!!

Grouse Ridge Lookout = BW Inspiration

2009-09-19T12:54:00.000-07:00

Took some time away from home to attend my Brother's "Boys Weekend" up in Tahoe / Truckee. Good times. Great food, ample amounts of beer, some serious BS'ing and as always, card playing. Great weekend, short of the serious lack of card abilities, in turn leaded to a deficit by the time I pulled out of the driveway to go home.

Took a couple of the fellers up to Grouse Ridge Lookout off of HWY 80 and the 20. Great spot to go for a hike. By the time you get up to the parking area you have a seriously commanding view of the scenery 270°.

Was a terrific day of moderate day hiking and lake swimming. There was some weather just off from us the whole time which made for some good photographic opportunities.

Enjoy!

Overcast Skies = BW Inspiration

2009-09-05T14:33:00.000-07:00

The dreary weather around San Francisco has served as inspiration for some black and white photography. This is a small collection of images from my recent adventures in and around Golden Gate Park and up in the Marin Headlands. Enjoy.

Lone Battery, Marin Headlands

Lone Sentry, Marin Headlands

Sentry Escape, Marin Headlands

Sunrise, Sunset District

Eucalyptic Ghoul, Golden Gate Park

Ghoul Guarding Trail, Golden Gate Park

Shady Bend, Golden Gate Park

Fall's Start, Golden Gate Park

For those of you that appreciate BW Photography I highly recommend checking out Marty Knapp's work. He is a photographer from Point Reyes Station here in Northern CA. I really enjoy and appreciate his work and have collected a couple of his pieces. A true Artist with a keen eye pointed toward the CA landscape.

Marty Knapp Photographer

Session No 2

2009-08-29T11:41:00.001-07:00

Traveled down the coast last weekend to a break that has been good of late. Got down there and was welcomed by semi-overcast sky. My buddy I went down with knows his way around cameras and encouraged me to shift to B/W mode. While I like the feel of the shots I took, unfortunately there were not a lot of really good pics snapped. Below are just a few "interesting" shots. The tide was really high this day and caused the waves to break on the mushier side. And of course, by the time we had to leave (had to be back home on time) the tide started to drop and the waves were getting better and better. We left with our buddy from SC telling us, "another hour or two and this place will be firing!".

Just good to get out.

Some things don't change in CA

2009-08-28T21:48:00.000-07:00

I started this blog with the comment that CA has changed so dramatically over the course of it's relatively short history and that even dramatic changes are evident within two generations of my family. Rather than focus on what has changed about CA, I'd like to highlight something in CA that has not changed for 5-6 generations.

In the latest issue of Bay Nature, a great local magazine (and website) dedicated to, "Exploring, celebrating, and understanding the natural world of the San Francisco Bay Area", they highlight one of the largest and oldest Blue Oaks in CA. This amazing 400 year old tree (pictured above) is located within the Ohlone Regional Wilderness, located near the South East corner of the East Bay near Sunol, CA.

Just think about that, 400 years old, puts the tree just springing up out of the soil around 1609. I'm no historical scholar but I believe that Spanish explorers were just beginning to ply the waters off the CA coast and only up to Monterey at this time. So this tree was really only surrounded by its natural environment and any human contact would have been with the indigenous CA Native Americans of the area for the first half of it's life.

Pretty amazing what this tree has been through, humans, animals, disease, development and just about anything that mother nature could throw its way. Its good to know there are some things within CA that are greater than US and they can withstand the pressures our modern societies place on them. Fine examples of both natural selection and our East Bay Regional Park system at work.

Here are a few pics from my first hike with my Daughter this past Spring in the Sunol Regional Park not too far from where this tree is located. I highly recommend a Spring time hike through this area - simply amazing - you feel like you have stepped back 400 years.

Shark Attack, Baker Beach, San Francisco

2009-08-24T20:53:00.000-07:00

OK... so I'll propagate this one. By "this one" I mean that every word typed beyond this point should be considered hearsay rumor.

So a friend of mine and I are driving down to the Santa Cruz area to go surf and take some photos this past weekend. He asks me, "So did you hear about Baker Beach?". This being a very broad question, I replied, "What about Baker?". I'm expecting him to tell me that the Bodysurfing had been unreal recently or that another tourist got pulled into the surf and had to be rescued or worse recovered by the Coast Guard. He responds by telling me that some beach walker with his or her dog were having a nice day recently. The beach walker throws a ball or stick out into the surf and "little buddy" goes running out to fetch it. Well no sooner than he gets to the ball or stick then, WHAM!!! A great white shark nails "little buddy" from below and takes him under. Supposedly a 911 call was placed during the incident.

Wow.

I'll let you decide what to make of it. I've felt relatively safe bodyboarding and bodysurfing Baker Beach a handful of times. I'll look into this some more and see if it is legit. Did you hear anything about this? If so drop me a line/comment.

SUNSET PRIDE: Carol Schuldt, Queen of the Beach

2009-08-22T11:44:00.000-07:00

In my continued effort to highlight what makes the Sunset District so great, I'd be in error if I were not to mention Carol Schuldt, "Queen of the Beach". At one point in my life a few years back, she was my landlord (a story for another time).

She has been a fixture, better yet a foundation, out in our neighborhood for years. One of the original locals to hang out at Kelly's Cove back in the day. Describing Carol is really tough to do. Much of who she is can be best described by her actions. Here are just a few I can rattle off (keep in mind that she is in her 70's):

- Bikes to most of her destinations on a daily basis

- Body surfs damn near on a daily basis on the very south end of Ocean Beach - NAKED!

- Recently completed a hike up Mt. Shasta (I don't think that she summited but close)

- Has biked Death Valley not too long ago

- Has (2) hip replacements

- Retains a keen eye on her environment (especially the ocean)

- Has a kick ass garden in her backyard (not neat and orderly but just thriving and beautiful)

- Raises chickens

I believe that most people who cross paths with Carol find her on the "eccentric" side and to their credit she does dress a bit tusseled (the dirt is typically from her garden). She can be a bit in your face if you are not used to her demeanor. And certainly if she is standing in front of her house on La Playa (her domain) you really get a sense of her eclectic style in the form of the bright colors, painted murals, stuffed animals, buoys, statuary and random found artifacts that she utilizes to decorate the exterior.

I'll end this by saying that she is truly one of a kind. One of the unique personalities that make the Sunset District so great. I truly enjoy talking with her and catching up. She has greats stories to tell. If you pass by her in front of her house, I'd encourage anyone to stop and say "hello". If you have time ask, "I hear you have a terrific garden in back?". Chances are she'll invite you to take a look. Time worth spent from my perspective.

Here is a link to The Surfers Journal which recently highlighted her lifestyle and body surfing in an article. Worth the read.