a photo a day - photos by Donald Kinney

early morning at Covello Point

2012-02-02T05:09:00.000-08:00

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photo by Donald Kinney

It seems to me that San Francisco's skyline, when viewed from a low elevation, is much more dramatic than the standard elevated views from Conzelman Road on the west side of the Golden Gate Bridge.

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photo by Donald Kinney

So yes, we are within spitting-distance of the G.G. Bridge. And, if I were a few years younger I could probably toss a rock across the bay and hit San Francisco from my favorite viewing spot at Covello Point.

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photo by Donald Kinney

And when not spitting or throwing rocks, I generally just like to soak up the view. It's all right there--a panorama of Angel Island, Alcatraz, Bay Bridge, San Francisco skyline, and the Golden Gate Bridge. Hmmm... Maybe I should get down there and try a panorama shot.

Which reminds me--the other day Bob Horowitz of the AllCitySF team posted one of the most incredible and creative circular panoramas I've ever seen.

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Community Garden at Fort Mason

2012-01-31T05:43:00.000-08:00

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photo by Donald Kinney

One of San Francisco's best kept secrets is the community garden at Fort Mason.

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Tourists will come very close to the garden, however, when they take the popular scenic trail along the bluffs between Aquatic Park and the Marina Green. The Community Garden is located in the center of Fort Mason, behind the Administration Building.

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I wasn't quite sure what I would find going on at the garden "in the dead of our California Winter", but there's still lots to look at, and of course for a guy like me, still lots of photo opportunities.

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...TECHNICAL PROBLEMS -- Well, darn-it, I hit one wrong button this morning and somehow completely lost yesterday's edition of APAD... But if you missed yesterday's "issue", here's the photos, minus my commentary:

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photo by Donald Kinney

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photo by Donald Kinney

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photo by Donald Kinney

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photo by Donald Kinney

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Water -- it's a three ring circus!

2012-01-30T04:42:00.000-08:00

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photo by Donald Kinney

Thanks to J. Edgar Hoover, former head of the F.B.I., we've always known that no two fingerprints are exactly alike. Fingerprints cannot be changed--but little did we know that the surface of the water at Alpine Dam knows a few tricks.

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photo by Donald Kinney

And I've got to tell you that not all the stars are in the Heavens. Again, the surface of the water at Alpine Dam can put on a star-show of it's own.

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And in this ring, ladies and gentlemen, we have peace and tranquility. A small lake in the countryside. I recommend it highly. Approved by birds and cows, and the occasional
.

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China Camp -- bright and early

2012-01-29T05:01:00.001-08:00

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photo by Donald Kinney

My usual sunrise viewing spot was socked in with fog on Friday morning. I thought I would have better chances farther up San Pablo Bay at China Camp.

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At this point it's still unknown what's going to happen with China Camp's last remaining resident, Frank Quan. About 200 parks will remain open, but this and 70 other California State Parks will most likely be closed on July 1. California is flat broke, yet our Governor still has his sights on spending billions on a high-speed rail system that will turn out to be neither high-speed, where people want to go, or within cost estimates.

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But San Pablo Bay isn't going anywhere, although salt intrusion has altered the ecology of this bay. Fresh water from the Sierra that would normally flush San Pablo Bay of salt has diminished due to diversion of fresh water for agricultural uses in the Central Valley.

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With dilapidated docks and traces of structures along it's 7 miles of shoreline, it's obvious that China Camp was once a busy place. And after reading about the lives of the Chinese immigrants who worked hard netting and drying Bay Shrimp here, it most certainly was a bustling village. There is a splendid little museum at China Camp telling the history of Chinese who settled here and how they were blatantly discriminated against by the "white man".

Today, China Camp's hilly trails are mostly enjoyed by mountain-bikers and joggers. And more often than not, there's going to be some joker with a camera poking around, trying to snag just one more shot.

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Mount Tamalpais -- in a foggy kind of mood

2012-01-28T04:31:00.000-08:00

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Just to the west of where I live is probably one of the most beautiful roads in the world--the Fairfax-to-Bolinas Road--with more than it's share of twists and turns and ups and downs.

Sharing the honors, way up there in the clouds is Ridgecrest Bouleverd. A plethora of auto commercials have been filmed here--there's a great Ford Escape ad currently running on the "one-eyed-monster".

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photo by Donald Kinney

"Tam - al - pie' - us". If you use your imagination you can see "the sleeping lady" in the contour of her slopes.

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Well, there's three versions of how "Mt. Tam" got her name:

The name Tamalpais was first recorded in 1845. The meaning of the name is not well-established and there are several versions of the etymology of the name. One version holds that the name comes from ostensibly Coast Miwok words for "coast mountain" (tamal pais). Another holds that it comes from the Spanish Tamal pais, meaning "Tamal country," Tamal being the name that the Spanish missionaries gave to the Coast Miwok peoples. Yet another version holds that the name is the Coast Miwok word for "sleeping maiden" and is taken from a "Legend of the Sleeping Maiden." (((source: Wikipedia)))

I tend to favor that third explanation, however some say it has no basis in Coast Miwok myth.

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Mount Tamalpais fog. It was quite a show. A command performance. The lifting of the veil. Secrets revealed.

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Watch Out! -- Cable-Car coming

2012-01-27T05:08:00.000-08:00

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Yeah, I can just see the headlines; "Local photog gets creamed on cable-car tracks". Well, the shutter was still open when I realized I had to get out of the way.

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So anyway, I lugged my tripod along with me last Sunday on a steep walk up Mason starting near Columbus. Cable-cars have pretty wimpy warning bells--I suppose out of consideration for the residents at such an early hour.

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Surviving Mason Street, I moved several blocks south, to the curved tracks at the corner of Powell & Jackson.

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So did you know, cable-cars can't turn corners without letting go of the cable or "rope", coasting around the corner, and then re-gripping the rope? They are called "let-go" curves, where the car drops the cable and coasts around the curve on its own momentum.

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more waterfalls - the "Kinney" and "Cataract"

2012-01-26T04:21:00.000-08:00

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Winter arrived late, but we're off to a good start with two storms that have the creeks up and flowing. For eight months of the year this creek is dry as a bone. As far as I know this one has no formal name so I've given it mine! "Kinney Creek", on the northern watershed of my beloved Mount Tamalpais.

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And for sheer might and power--this is part of Cataract Falls. After passing through two reservoirs this water will join up with San Geronimo Creek to form the mighty Lagunitas. The water's journey is completed 15 miles northwest where the Lagunitas flows into Tomales Bay, and the Pacific Ocean beyond.

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And back to the tour--this is the prettiest spot, I'm pretty sure, on "Kinney Creek". So pretty, perhaps, I've often thought about selling tickets. Pretty tickets, perhaps, for a pretty price. Of course I'd let YOU see it for free.

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it rained so I visited Cataract Falls

2012-01-25T04:34:00.000-08:00

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Pinch me. See if I'm dreaming. What a job. What a place. Cataract Falls--I usually call it "Cardiac" Falls because the trail is so steep.

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As close to Zen as I ever get, sometimes I start wondering if the log has consciousness of it's predicament.

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Water willing to flow. It's a gravitational thing, I guess. And there seems to be a great sense of urgency.

Gotta go... Hasta la Vista...

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Memory -- Computer History Museum, part 2 of 2

2012-01-24T04:32:00.000-08:00

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photo by Donald Kinney

As one might expect, the first exhibit at Computer History Museum is about recorded memory. Every thing from ancient incised clay tablets to the modern miniature flash memory that I use in my camera.

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Building short and long-term memory with more capacity and speed, yet physically smaller, has always been the challenge. Transistors, diodes, resistors, capacitors, and resonant coils have shrunk in size, while power requirements have diminished as well.

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A book of functions for calculating, perhaps, the variables of a curve. Or the change in velocity of an object. Or maybe calculations on the rising and setting of the sun. Working it all out by hand was a very arduous task.

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The Jacquard loom is a mechanical loom, invented by Joseph Marie Jacquard in 1801. The loom is controlled by punched cards with punched holes, each row of which corresponds to one row of the design. Multiple rows of holes are punched on each card and the many cards that compose the design of the textile are strung together in order.
(((source: Wikipedia)))

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And now, back home from Computer History Museum... That's the spinning memory I use for backup. It sits on top of my 4-3/4 year old MacPro. They're MercuryElite 1-TB external hard-drives in a mirrored RAID configuration.

The calendar is by one of my favorite photographers--Marty Knapp of Point Reyes Station. And yes, I probably should get his new calendar because I seem to be stuck on October of last year. (I've shown the calendar out of focus to avoid copyright issues)

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Computer History Museum -- part 1 of 2

2012-01-23T04:37:00.000-08:00

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UNIVAC console at Computer History Museum.

UNIVAC-1 was the first commercial computer made in the United States. The main memory consisted of tanks of liquid mercury implementing delay line memory, arranged in 1000 words of 12 alphanumeric characters each. The first machine was delivered on 31 March 1951.

UNIVAC is the name of a business unit and division of the Remington Rand company formed in 1950. In 1955 Remington Rand merged with Sperry Corporation. UNIVAC is an acronym for UNIVersal Automatic Computer.

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Machines need our input as variables, and we need a method to decipher their calculations and logic. And what could be more fun than reading rows and rows of counters that look like clocks, day after day...

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Tape. Yes I remember tape. My Spanish lessons in high-school were tangled in Scotch magnetic tape. Didn't make my life much easier. I still don't speak much Spanish--not to imply that tape was the culprit.

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The MITS Altair 8800 was a microcomputer design from 1975 based on the Intel 8080 CPU and sold by mail order through advertisements in Popular Electronics, Radio-Electronics and other hobbyist magazines. The designers hoped to sell only a few hundred build-it-yourself kits to hobbyists, and were surprised when they sold thousands in the first month.

The Altair also appealed to individuals and businesses who just wanted a computer and purchased the assembled version. Today the Altair is widely recognized as the spark that led to the microcomputer revolution of the next few years: The computer bus designed for the Altair was to become a de facto standard in the form of the S-100 bus, and the first programming language for the machine was Microsoft's founding product, Altair BASIC.
(((source: Wikipedia)))

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In the 1970s Commodore was one of many electronics companies selling calculators designed around Dallas-based Texas Instruments (TI) CPU chips. However, in 1975 TI increased the price of these components to the point where the chip set cost more than an entire TI calculator, and the industry that had built up around it was frozen out of the market.

Commodore responded to this by searching for a chip set they could purchase outright. They quickly found MOS Technology, who were in the process of bringing their 6502 microprocessor design to market, and with whom came Chuck Peddle's KIM-1 design, a small computer kit based on the 6502. At Commodore, Peddle convinced Jack Tramiel that calculators were a dead-end. In September 1976 Peddle got a demonstration of Jobs and Wozniak's Apple II prototype, when Jobs was offering to sell it to Commodore, but Commodore considered Job's offer too expensive. Tramiel demanded that Peddle, Bill Seiler, and John Feagans create a computer in time for the June 1977 Consumer Electronics Show, and gave them six months to do it. Tramiel's son, Leonard, helped design the PETSCII graphic characters and acted as quality control. The result was the first all-in-one home computer, the PET, the first model of which was the PET 2001. Its 6502 processor controlled the screen, keyboard, cassette tape recorders and any peripherals connected to one of the computer's several expansion ports. The PET 2001 included either 4 KB (2001-4) or 8 KB (2001-8) of 8-bit RAM, and was essentially a single-board computer with discrete logic, driving a small built-in monochrome monitor with 40×25 character graphics. Designed on an appliance computer philosophy similar to the original Macintosh the machine also included a built-in Datassette for data storage located on the front of the case, which left little room for the keyboard. The data transfer rate to cassette tape was 1500 baud, duplicated for safety, giving an effective rate of 750 baud. The computer's main board carried four expansion ports: extra memory, a second cassette tape recorder interface, a parallel port and an IEEE-488 port.

The PET 2001 was announced at the Winter CES in January 1977 and the first 100 units were shipped later that year in October. However, the PET was back-ordered for months and to ease deliveries, early in 1978 Commodore decided to cancel the 4 kB version.

Although the machine was fairly successful, there were frequent complaints about the tiny calculator-like keyboard, often referred to as a "chiclet keyboard" because the keys resembled the gum candy. This was addressed in upgraded "dash N" and "dash B" versions of the 2001, which put the cassette tape recorder outside the case, and included a much larger keyboard with a full stroke motion. Internally a newer motherboard was used, along with an upgrade from static RAM to dynamic RAM and 8, 16, or 32 KB, known as the 2001-N-8, 2001-N-16 or 2001-N-32, respectively.

Sales of the newer machines were strong, and Commodore then introduced the models to Europe. The result was the CBM 3000 series ('CBM' standing for Commodore Business Machines), which included the 3008, 3016 and 3032 models. Like the 2001-N-8, the 3008 was quickly dropped.
(((source: Wikipedia)))

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Bemont, California -- along El Camino Real

2012-01-22T05:12:00.000-08:00

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I was headed to the ComputerHistoryMuseum but I had a whole lot of time to kill before it opened. I had more than enough time to take my camera for a walk along the El Camino Real. A rather funky stretch of this long, long thoroughfare runs through Belmont, California, several miles south of San Francisco.

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A Friday morning but not much was going on down at the former filling station. And not a mechanic in sight.

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Lord knows, what might go on behind those doors. Tsk, tsk. Wink, wink.

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Some joker messing with the sign again. I'm betting alcohol was somehow involved in this bit of creative word-play.

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Oh yeah, God bless America.

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let it rain

2012-01-21T04:32:00.000-08:00

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photo by Donald Kinney

Oh wouldn't you know you'd find me out at my beloved China Camp on a rainy day. Those are my finely feathered friends in the background.

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And if I've shot this scene once, I've shot it a million times. It has a variety of moods. The structure is a hunter's blind--beware, duckies!

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So, here's the reverse of the first image, looking northwest. This is China Camp on San Pablo Bay (the northern "thumb" of San Francisco Bay).

We're just over the hill from busy San Rafael, CA. In my mind it's a million miles away. A great escape for a slacker like me.

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Nothing prettier than a wet Madrone. A breed of tree with a lot of character.

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Sunrise -- it's a different animal

2012-01-20T02:29:00.000-08:00

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Yesterday it was a sunset but today I have the sunrise. A vast difference in the quality of light in my opinion. Sunrise comes blaring and bright, while sunset is such a sad event.

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Some of the best colors of a sunrise are before the blazing ball arrives.

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Us ducks LOVE it.

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like a moth to a candle

2012-01-19T04:54:00.000-08:00

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The sign reads "Point Bonita Lighthouse--Scenic Route" and it isn't kidding. This road is within "spitting distance" of the Golden Gate Bridge. And true to form, just like "Pavlov's dogs", the closer I get, and as more beauty is revealed; the more I start salivating.

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The view to the south-west. See the tiny blip of light on the left? Those are cars on the "Great Highway" in San Francisco.

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And yes, the small feature on the right is one of the Farallon Islands. Wikipedia is back up and running today so I have this information:

The Farallon Islands, or Farallones (from the Spanish farallón meaning "pillar" or "sea cliff"), are a group of islands and sea stacks in the Gulf of the Farallones, off the coast of San Francisco, California, USA. They lie 27 miles (43 km) outside the Golden Gate and 20 miles (32 km) south of Point Reyes, and are visible from the mainland on clear days. The islands are officially part of the City and County of San Francisco, California. The only inhabited portion of the islands is on Southeast Farallon Islands (SEFI), where research residents (PRBO) stay.

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And yes, that's the Point Bonita lighthouse that has been helping guide ships through the risky entrance to the Golden Gate since 1877. Prior to 1877 the lighthouse was located at a higher elevation but it was found that by positioning the light lower it would be less obscured by fog.

Oh what would my humble little blog do without Wikipedia? You can read a bit more about the Point Bonita Light by clicking here.

And if you would like to see a closer image of the lighthouse--one I shot almost exactly three years ago--click here.

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a Eucalyptus stump kind of morning

2012-01-18T05:09:00.000-08:00

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photo by Donald Kinney

As I was huffing and puffing up a steep ridge at China Camp on Sunday I wasn't quite sure I would find anything to photograph or not.

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But sometimes I just like to take my HEAVY camera out for a walk. And with the sun taking the chill off of a frigid morning it couldn't have been any nicer of a day.

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Eucalyptus was brought to California from Australia over a century ago and was planted far and wide throughout the State, mainly to serve as windbreaks for farmer's fields. It grew straight and without many knots so at first it was thought it would make great wood for construction, but a few years down the road it was realized that Eucalyptus cracked and split so easily that it was totally unsuitable as a building material. Today it has a bad reputation as a fire hazard and has caused major problems, as it did in the major Oakland Hills fire-storm of 1991.

Being a non-native species, and the fact that few native plants choose to grow beneath it, efforts to eradicate Eucalyptus have intensified over the years. These stumps remain from when these trees were cut about 15 years ago--notice the splitting and cracking that has taken place in just that short period of time.

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adios, Taylor State Parik

2012-01-17T05:09:00.000-08:00

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Come July 1, our Governor, "Moonbeam" Jerry Brown will shut about 70 of California's 280 state parks. Taylor State Park (formerly known as Samuel P. Taylor State Park) will be closed until California can work itself out of a budget crisis.

In November 2010, voters rejected a plan to keep all the parks open when they turned down Proposition 21, which would have raised vehicle license fees $18 a year. "Moonbeam" Brown's mantra has been "let the people decide" -- he may as well have been saying; "let them eat cake".

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It's pretty difficult to padlock a creek. Or a ripple, reflection, or tree. After all, Taylor State Park belongs to the people and critters of California, and not just "Moonbeam" Jerry Brown.

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The fact is that shutting down a quarter of California's century-old state park system will save only $22 million -- two-tenths of 1 percent of California's $9.2 billion deficit. Attempts at closing parks in other states have resulted in costly vandalism. Some also point out that closing the parks will actually cost the state millions of dollars in lost taxes from tourism.
(source: San Jose Mercury News)

So why do it?

Seeing beloved beaches, campsites and redwood forests padlocked during the summer could help persuade recalcitrant California residents that the state's budget problems are real -- and make them more likely to vote for Brown's tax-hike initiative in November, political experts say.

Thank you, NOT, Governor "Moonbeam" Jerry Brown for playing politics with my ripples, reflections, and trees.

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afternoon visit to Roy's Redwoods

2012-01-16T05:52:00.000-08:00

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Saturday afternoon I realized it had been way too long since I had visited one of my favorite places here in Marin County, Roy's Redwoods. The Roy family settled here way back in the 1860's.

I found this deer skull sitting on top of a signpost. Initially I was a bit creeped out, since it was pretty much in this condition that I finally found my beloved cat, Kitty, a few months ago. But with this deer skull I could see the beauty of the construction and engineering that goes into a life-form--it was about as close to spirituality as I usually come.

But this skull didn't look quite so presentable until I made some adjustments and gave it a new background with the aid of Photoshop. Click here to see what I started with.

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photo by Donald Kinney

Roy's Redwoods is part of Marin County's public open space, preserved for posterity and shielded from development. It's a bit "low key"--many local residents don't know it even exists. Without much of a sign to announce what is beyond, a person can drive right by the entrance and never know this Redwood studded gem was there.

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Sad fact is that starting in the late 1800's Marin County's Redwoods were largely cut down; clear-cut to satisfy San Francisco's insatiable need for lumber. "Old growth" trees are now far and few between and most Redwoods we see today have sprouted from the roots of trees felled over 100 years ago. Life goes on, as I'm sure the progeny of that deer has also.

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Groovie !

2012-01-15T04:53:00.000-08:00

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photo by Donald Kinney

Some photographers--some of the greatest--work with people. And not that I have ANYTHING against photographing people, I feel more at home sleuthing around the banks of my beloved Lagunitas Creek seeking out ripples and reflections. In a term that dates back to the 1960's, I think they're groovie.

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Okay. The preceding groovie-water image is new, but I shot this sign and the yellow vinyl record below in November of 2008. (((I always let you know when I use an old image)))

For years I did a little website of my own design called the "Daily-Duo", where each day I would try to come up with a pairing of images--one square and the other rectangular. I had great fun with the site, but it never gained much popularity. Interested? You can check out the July 22, 2009 edition of the Daily-Duo here.

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Oh yeah, I suppose you need some information... "Grooves" is a vinyl record store on upper Market Street in San Francisco. This "record" and many others hang in the window, and I did a blog post on "Grooves" November 19, 2008, which you can see here.

But before you go off exploring that link, maybe I should first explain what a "vinyl record" is--I think this may explain the origins of the word "groovie".

As I remember, grooves containing microscopic hills and valleys were stamped on a flat vinyl disc in one long and continuous spiral fashion. The needle of a "record player" was then used to track vibrations produced by minor variations in these grooves -- and THAT is where I believe is where the expression "groovie" originated. Roughly translated, "groovie" means "cool" and "interesting". "Far out" would also be synonymous with groovie. In the form of a sentence; "I hope you're having a groovie day".

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reflective beauty of the Lagunitas Creek

2012-01-14T06:23:00.000-08:00

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photo by Donald Kinney

Not having seen any Coho Salmon spawning in my beloved Lagunitas Creek for several days now, I've had to return to shooting what I know best--the abstract beauty of the creek on it's reflective surface.

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...

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...

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really, these are my roots

2012-01-13T06:08:00.000-08:00

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photo by Donald Kinney

It was really early and really cold, and even though my tripod is really heavy and I really hate to carry it, I thought I should really stop by Phoenix Lake and photograph my favorite roots on a really stable platform so I could take a really long exposure at a really small f-stop so I could get some really extended depth-of-field.

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photo by Donald Kinney

But in reality, I just don't use my tripod as much as I really should. But as I mentioned it's really heavy, and really, it really isn't difficult, usually, really, to find something that I can brace the camera on for steadiness. A tree, rock, fencepost, or even my knee. Combined with the image stabilization of my lens, I think my bracing technique works really well. Unless, of course if it's a really long exposure--this one required a full 30 seconds at f-22 (ISO-100), really.

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And it's probably really obvious that shooting in the middle of a blackberry patch can be problematic. Those stickers can really stick and scratch. But for a really colorful photo, I suppose I really don't mind.

Really glad you could stop by today. Have a really really nice day. Really!

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Don't fiddle with the controls, Donald

2012-01-12T05:33:00.000-08:00

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photo by Donald Kinney

On Tuesday morning prospects for sunrise photographs didn't look good, so I tuned in to my old standby--Alpine Lake and Dam--it's not far away, but a million miles away in a distant galaxy, if you know what I mean.

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photo by Donald Kinney

I don't know where I got this idea, but I decided to heave a large rock out into the water to see what would develop. To my amazement I think I caught a bit of static on Channel44.

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photo by Donald Kinney

I turned a few knobs and pushed a few sliders...

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photo by Donald Kinney

...and pointed the camera towards my beloved Mount Tamalpais.
Lets all say it together; "Tam - al - pie' - us. There--I think you've got it.
Zowie! Ka-bam! Pow! Tune in tomorrow. Same time, same Bat-channel.

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San Francisco's NorthBeach, early morning

2012-01-11T04:59:00.000-08:00

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photo by Donald Kinney

Now, THIS doggie illustration is what I call "art". It comes from the soul of the neighborhood, and of course, the artist. A far-cry and a sight-better, in my opinion, than what is offered in San Francisco's stuffy museums and galleries.

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photo by Donald Kinney

And I bet I could also call this scene "art", if I knew the right people. But I don't, and so I won't. Only a few people, I'm afraid, will ever see MY photographs--welcome to the club. Admission is always free.

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photo by Donald Kinney

There's some great curio shops on upper Grant Street in NorthBeach. That's a photo of Kenneth Rexroth belting out poetry to the beat of a jazz trio.
Now, I'm as "old-as-dirt" but the whole "beat" scene happened a bit before my time.

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curious vegetation

2012-01-10T04:41:00.000-08:00

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photo by Donald Kinney

I should probably give this idea a few more minutes in the oven, but perhaps you've heard my half-baked theory that the stranger the plant, the farther out in space that particular vegetation originated.

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photo by Donald Kinney

But there's the problem--I suppose I'm trying to find answers to the question of beauty. Maybe I should just absorb beauty and let it work it's miracle.

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photo by Donald Kinney

...

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photo by Donald Kinney

...

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Coho Salmon now spawning in Lagunitas Creek

2012-01-09T04:23:00.000-08:00

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photo by Donald Kinney

This is my creek. The mighty and beautiful, and mighty-beautiful Lagunitas. "La-goo-ni'-tas" -- the word means "little lagoons" in Spanish, so I'm told.

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photo by Donald Kinney

For the past few days I've been watching "Mom" here, dressed smartly in red and gold, guarding eggs that she has deposited in the gravel creek-bed.

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photo by Donald Kinney

And here she is again, watching her beau kick up a little sediment as he goes about the important business of fertilizing her eggs.

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photo by Donald Kinney

So, after depositing 2500 to 5000 eggs, and after "Jack" has had his day, "Mom" here will have completed her three year life cycle and die. A year in the creek as a juvenile, and two years at sea--always able to "sniff out" the particular stream or tributary of her birth.

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views from Marin Headlands

2012-01-08T04:50:00.000-08:00

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photo by Donald Kinney

I'm not sure self-proclaimed titles are worth the paper they're printed on, but as Marin County's unofficial "Local Tourist" it's my duty to visit all of the local hotspots and places of interest. That's the Golden Gate Bridge in the foreground, and the suspension span of the Bay Bridge in the background.

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photo by Donald Kinney

From Hawk Hill, the tallest peak in the area, it's a steep descent on a twisty one-way road to Black Sands Beach.

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photo by Donald Kinney

The movement of the glistening surf on the dark sand captivates me.

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photo by Donald Kinney

And the ocean calls...

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early morning dreams

2012-01-07T04:56:00.000-08:00

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photo by Donald Kinney

About four years I can remember most of us being caught up in a fervent hope that with change we could make a difference. But once again, it's the old story of the wolf being dressed in sheep's clothing. Drat! Fooled again!

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photo by Donald Kinney

So, I'll just have to settle, I suppose, for a different kind of peace. My own.

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photo by Donald Kinney

I will continue to find peace in my own little early morning world. An extraordinarily nice time of the day. A time of day that any type of war seems inconceivable. Oh, I am such a dreamer...

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Donald Kinney, local tourist

2012-01-06T04:00:00.000-08:00

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photo by Donald Kinney

The great thing about living near San Francisco is that I get to play the role of tourist without having to venture far from home.

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photo by Donald Kinney

Sometimes it's a big adventure...

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photo by Donald Kinney

and sometimes it's small.

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photo by Donald Kinney

But it's not difficult to find a place for a delightful early-morning walk-around in San Francisco. The trick is to get to these places, like like Fisherman's Wharf and Pier39, before the hordes of genuine tourists arrive.

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Cypress trees in fog, Land's End

2012-01-05T05:00:00.000-08:00

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photo by Donald Kinney

Tuesday morning a thick blanket of fog covered my entire world.

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photo by Donald Kinney

So I tried to make the best of it.

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photo by Donald Kinney

I visited some Cypress trees I know, at their home--Land's End in San Francisco.

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early visit to Ghirardelli Chocolates

2012-01-04T04:54:00.000-08:00

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photo by Donald Kinney

Well, only half of this image is mine--I'll let you guess which half.

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photo by Donald Kinney

May I be the first to wish you a very happy "GH".

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photo by Donald Kinney

Now, this and the next are not new photos, but first appeared on the September 15, 2011 edition of AphotoAday. This Ghirardelli barn sign is in the town of Petaluma, about 40 miles north of San Francisco.

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photo by Donald Kinney

And I'll say it again; wishing you a very happy "GH".

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Point Reyes, mostly black and white

2012-01-03T03:44:00.000-08:00

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photo by Donald Kinney

In the 1970's the Federal Government established Point Reyes National Seashore, a huge area of surf, plateaus, and salty oyster laden lagoons. Working dairy and cattle ranches remain as part of the history of the area.

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photo by Donald Kinney

Point Reyes Lighthouse, in the far distance, about half-way down that rock. The "thing" with lighthouses is that they need to be located low enough so the fog, sometimes only a short distance above the water, doesn't obscure the light.

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photo by Donald Kinney

Abbott's Lagoon... There's a long but splendid walk out to the ocean.

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photo by Donald Kinney

One of my favorite places at Point Reyes is the historic Strauss Dairy, at the north end of Point Reyes, just above McClure's Beach. In the late 1800's milk produced here at Strauss Dairy was being turned into cheese and butter, then delivered on boats to a hungry San Francisco, 40 miles to the south.

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incense smoke

2012-01-02T02:24:00.000-08:00

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photo by Donald Kinney

The original "Don" is long gone, but near where I live is an old funky corner grocery named "Don's Market". The other day I stopped by and bought some smoke in the form of incense from India.

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photo by Donald Kinney

I didn't quite know what to expect, but I gave it a whirl.

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photo by Donald Kinney

Momentary sculptures. Scroll-work carved ever so briefly.

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high and dry at China Camp

2012-01-01T04:57:00.000-08:00

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photo by Donald Kinney

The way I see it, problems for China Camp go way beyond California's massive budget problem which will probably force closure of this State Park near San Rafael some time next year.

San Pablo Bay (the upper thumb of San Francisco Bay), is connected via the Sacramento Delta to two of California's two major rivers, the Sacramento and San Joaquin, and over the years Mercury and Cyanide used in the gold refining process has leached into tributaries of the Sacramento and San Joaquin.

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photo by Donald Kinney

The other problem is that salinity levels in San Pablo Bay have risen over the years to the point where Bay Shrimp no longer thrive. Frank Quan nets a meager catch today compared to the tons that were pulled out a century ago.

Diversion of fresh water for irrigation of Central Valley farms through the California Aqueduct has cut the amount of fresh water eventually entering San Pablo Bay. Prior to water diversion, San Pablo Bay would flush itself out, keeping it's salinity low--a more conducive environment for Bay Shrimp.

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photo by Donald Kinney

It's a pile of beached boats. I don't know the proper term. If they were in the water they could be called a flotilla. Perhaps it is what it is--just a pile.

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photo by Donald Kinney

This project has been sitting here a full year now--Frank was fiber-glassing a dinghy but this is as far as he's gotten. A bit of sanding and a few coats of marine paint and this baby is going to be good as new.

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China Camp on San Pablo Bay

2011-12-31T03:04:00.000-08:00

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photo by Donald Kinney

A Chinese shrimp-fishing village thrived on the northern shores of San Francisco Bay (this is San Pablo Bay to the east of San Rafael) in the 1880s. Nearly 500 people, originally from Canton, China, lived here in its heyday.

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photo by Donald Kinney

Chinese immigrants found employment building mines, railroads, tunnels, levies, and generally doing the heavy-lifting "White Man" didn't want to do. But work ran out and by the 1880's the Chinese found themselves without jobs--needing other employment. Discrimination against these foreign workers was rampant, however netting Bay-Shrimp was one industry left open to Chinese.

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photo by Donald Kinney

Today the fishing village is maintained by the Park Service, with the help of Frank Quan who lives here, a descendent of one of the original residents.

Sadly and with regrets, China Camp State Park is scheduled to be closed due to budget constraints sometime next year. Frank's future is unclear at this point.

I'll have more photos from China Camp tomorrow...

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trees at China Camp, Marin County, California

2011-12-30T05:29:00.000-08:00

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photo by Donald Kinney

This image started out and remained a hopeless mess in Photoshop until I decided to take one last desperate move--to "posterize" the tones into a handful of hues.

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photo by Donald Kinney

Another posterized image. China Camp is looked after by the impoverished Califonia State Parks, but is on the list to close next year--I don't know the exact date. (((See my Facebook page today for the full list)))

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photo by Donald Kinney

And I don't know the extent of the State Park closure. It would be difficult to keep everybody out. China Camp is a popular get-away for runners, hikers, and bicyclers--and Don has his camera...

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Chinatown -- "give me a second chance"

2011-12-29T00:20:00.000-08:00

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photo by Donald Kinney on September 6, 2010

With your permission, I'm pulling a "switcheroo" today--I've tossed the image I was using as the header yesterday and found some older photos--three of them--shot 14, 15, and 17 months ago in San Francisco's Chinatown.

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photo by Donald Kinney on October 31, 2010

Again, these first three photos are a not new. I think this snap is a gem.

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photo by Donald Kinney on July 25, 2010

The vegetable stalls, meat markets, and delicatessens of Chinatown are
operated on a local level. Enterprise flourishes. The nearest Safeway is miles away.

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photo by Donald Kinney (recent image)

I'll have to send my buddy Diane Liu a note asking if she can translate this. Anybody else want to take a crack at it? It's in the window of a restaurant and bar on Waverly Place.

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world behind glass

2011-12-28T01:52:00.000-08:00

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photo by Donald Kinney

My good buddy Jan Bell emailed me yesterday suggesting I adjust the color of the tablecloth--my camera's white-balance settings didn't match the conditions. I shot through a heavy glass window with a color of it's own. Click to see uncorrected version from yesterday
This is looking into the window (in pre-dawn darkness) of the new and very elegant looking Epic RoastHouse, within spitting distance of the Bay Bridge.

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photo by Donald Kinney

Fashion, through a closed store window.

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photo by Donald Kinney

Finery that is WAY beyond MY pay-grade...

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photo by Donald Kinney

Wedding dress in Chinatown. A captive subject for the camera.

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birds of a feather

2011-12-27T05:34:00.000-08:00

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photo by Donald Kinney

Being somewhat of a hermit, perhaps what I enjoy most about Christmas morning is it's solitude--I have the whole world to myself--and the birds.

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photo by Donald Kinney

...

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photo by Donald Kinney

...

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designs from Outer Space

2011-12-26T05:19:00.000-08:00

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photo by Donald Kinney

I've always maintained a theory that odd and unusual looking plants somehow arrived here on Earth from the deepest depths of Outer Space.

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photo by Donald Kinney

And no, I haven't quite deciphered the message, but they have apparently brought with them a written language filled with cursive frills and flourishes.

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photo by Donald Kinney

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the gift of a new day

2011-12-25T04:56:00.000-08:00

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photo by Donald Kinney

The way I see it, a sunrise is like colorful wrapping paper...

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photo by Donald Kinney

The sunrise surrounds the gift of a new day.

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photo by Donald Kinney

Yesterday I did a little walk-around in San Francisco. First I explored a bit of the waterfront area, then moved up to Chinatown, finally taking a hike over to the Union Square area to see if I could get into the spirit of the holiday.

All the time I was thinking of YOU, my friend. I appreciate the old, and I have met SO many new friends this year. Really, I am quite a lucky guy. Merry Christmas to you and yours!

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Splish, splash, I was taking a bath

2011-12-24T05:21:00.000-08:00

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photo by Donald Kinney

Splish splash, I was taking a bath
Long about a Saturday night
A rub dub, just relaxing in the tub
Thinking everything was alright

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photo by Donald Kinney

Well, I stepped out the tub, put my feet on the floor
I wrapped the towel around me
And I opened the door, and then
Splish, splash! I jumped back in the bath
Well how was I to know there was a party going on

They was a-splishing and a-splashing, reelin' with the feelin'
Moving and a-grooving, rocking and a-rolling, yeah

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early morning in West Marin

2011-12-23T05:09:00.000-08:00

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photo by Donald Kinney

Sometimes it seems like an epic struggle... The steamy fog coming off the lake at Nicasio vs. the early morning sun.

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photo by Donald Kinney

After careful consideration, the steamy fog usually concedes defeat, deciding to cooperate. The result, I think, can often be rather beautiful.

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photo by Donald Kinney

Canada Geese form groups and fly. Cooperation is essential. One for all and all for one. Move out of line and someone might just get crapped on...

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Golden Gate at Point Bonita

2011-12-22T05:08:00.000-08:00

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photo by Donald Kinney

I'm sure I drove my parents close to distraction... Every time we crossed over the Golden Gate Bridge in our 1947 Pontiac I would ask why the bridge was painted orange instead of gold, as advertised.

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photo by Donald Kinney

But of course, the Golden Gate was the gateway to the Gold-Country, a hundred miles or so to the east. Folks had been calling this area the Golden Gate 89 years (1848 to 1937) before the bridge was even built.

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photo by Donald Kinney

And that little feature in the distance is Point Bonita Lighthouse. Fog in the area is treacherous and during the Gold Rush, before the lighthouse was built, 300 boats were reported to have run aground trying to find the actual but rather narrow entrance to San Francisco Bay, a mile or two to the east.

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Lagunitas Creek -- familiar territory

2011-12-21T04:39:00.000-08:00

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photo by Donald Kinney

It's the middle of December now and most Californians are scratching our collective heads about the general lack of precipitation.

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photo by Donald Kinney

The creek is rather peaceful now, but when the storms finally arrive my beloved Lagunitas is guaranteed to turn into a raging torrent.

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photo by Donald Kinney

Trees will fall in howling winds. Gravel bars will be swallowed up and rearranged to who knows where. The trail will continue to get narrower in spots--perhaps this will be the year that parts of the trail completely vanish.

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photo by Donald Kinney

And with all this rearranging going on, next year I will probably find new favorite rippled and reflective spots along my beloved Lagunitas.

Lets all say it together--"La-goo-ni'-tas". It means "little lagoons" in Spanish.

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my world, this time of year

2011-12-20T04:48:00.000-08:00

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photo by Donald Kinney

Wildflower seeds and rootstocks are safely tucked away. Just a bit of durable color remains.

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photo by Donald Kinney

Fowl fly. Temperatures dip low.

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photo by Donald Kinney

For most, morning will come all too early.

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photo by Donald Kinney

Sitting here wondering just how "far-out" sunrise might be this morning.

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adventure on a Saturday morning

2011-12-19T04:46:00.000-08:00

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photo by Donald Kinney

Saturday held great promise. She shined a vivid light on the day.

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photo by Donald Kinney

But the days of the week are pretty much a blur. It's been a long time since pay-day so specific days seem to matter little to me anymore. The sun will rise--obscured or bold--and I will do my best, regardless of the day, to be there and to vacuum up the colors, if any. Really, I am a lucky guy!

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photo by Donald Kinney

And when the colors seem to need just a little bit more, I'm there with a bag of tricks. The sky had a pinkish tone, but yes, I am easily amused...

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early morning adventure

2011-12-18T04:29:00.000-08:00

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photo by Donald Kinney

Looks like I might have a new favorite spot under Highway One-Oh-One on the shores of Richardson Bay. Location; roughly between Mill Valley and Sausalito. Stand-by, because there are fine views of "The City" in this area also.

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photo by Donald Kinney

I suppose this fellow would say that the only way to see Richardson Bay is to paddle it's perimeter in a kayak. Richardson Bay is a quiet fingerling of San Francisco Bay.

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photo by Donald Kinney

Earlier Friday morning I had been visiting another favorite spot at Fort Baker, south of Sausalito. I'm sometimes a busy little beaver in the morning...

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looking out over the Pacific Ocean

2011-12-17T05:53:00.000-08:00

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photo by Donald Kinney

I think it should be an Olympic sport... "High Promontory Ocean Observing", or in more friendly terms; "looking out over the Pacific Ocean".

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photo by Donald Kinney

Blue skies, black skies--whatever you want--the Pacific Ocean has 'em all.

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photo by Donald Kinney

Happy birds. A short trip to the supermarket. Time for a picnic.

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vantage point on Petaluma to Marshall Road

2011-12-16T05:04:00.000-08:00

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photo by Donald Kinney

When we are just too socked-in with fog here in Marin County, my newest trick is to check on the fog in Sonoma County from a vantage point on Petaluma to Marshall Road.

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photo by Donald Kinney

And gosh, I think I like this example even better. That critter (and the fog) was being exceptionally obliging for my camera.

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photo by Donald Kinney

Marin and Sonoma Counties. Here we are again looking down on the obscured county dividing lines.

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photo by Donald Kinney

Reflective trees at "The Cheese Factory" in West Marin on the return trip.

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the sun knows a few good tricks

2011-12-15T04:50:00.000-08:00

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photo by Donald Kinney

Late Tuesday afternoon I wondered if I could find any more gold at the far end of Rodeo beach.

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photo by Donald Kinney

I came home with some "gold" in my shoes, only to find the next morning that it wasn't gold at all, but mere sand.

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photo by Donald Kinney

Same beach. From 180 degrees in the other direction the view is golden.
I guess it's all in the way we look at it...

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photo by Donald Kinney

And if we were looking for answers, we probably could ask this surfer dude.

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Pigeon Point Lighthouse, once again

2011-12-14T04:00:00.000-08:00

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photo by Donald Kinney

My new pet project is photographing Pigeon Point Lighthouse, a two hour drive south on a dark and winding Highway One.

See an earlier post I did on Pigeon Point Lighthouse

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photo by Donald Kinney

I left Marin County at 4AM, figuring it would still be pretty dark at 6AM, especially on a drizzly day. I'll have to give it another try when there is a bit of fog. No shortage of fog in this location, roughly half way between San Francisco and Santa Cruz.

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photo by Donald Kinney

When I get near Pigeon Point Lighthouse I usually think of how many hundreds of time I've passed by. My family would take this route on our frequent trips to visit "Grandma" who lived here in Marin County, so I've got bragging rights on how many times I've traveled up and down Highway One from Marin County to the Monterey Peninsula. (I grew up in Pacific Grove)

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morning view from Stawberry

2011-12-13T04:46:00.000-08:00

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photo by Donald Kinney

I've got to thank Vlad who emailed yesterday with a suggestion to crop two large black beams off the right side of this image. They weren't adding anything. Much better this way. Click on image to see un-cropped version (yesterday's banner).

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photo by Donald Kinney

Location: Strawberry underpass, Highway One-Oh-One, southern Marin County, looking towards Sausalito, Oakland, and San Francisco.

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photo by Donald Kinney

Birds in the water, Sausalito, the City, sky.
Seems like a logical progression.

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a steamy reservoir at Nicasio

2011-12-12T03:19:00.000-08:00

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photo by Donald Kinney

I'm a tenderfoot when it comes to cold weather, but when temperatures dip to freezing on the shores of Nicasio Reservoir, magic can happen.

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photo by Donald Kinney

It's a monumental struggle between the sun and stubborn fog. Usually, the sun eventually wins.

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photo by Donald Kinney

Residents and visiting waterfowl tend be just a little bit camera shy. These birds saw me coming.

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photo by Donald Kinney

On my way back from Nicasio I stopped by Lagunitas Creek, and yes, it was doing the same steamy kind of thing. Make mine a cup of coffee...

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San Francisco's Chinatown

2011-12-11T04:53:00.000-08:00

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photo by Donald Kinney

I was trolling up Chinatown's Ross Alley, perhaps a bit later than I normally do, when a parade of youngsters came marching down the street, flailing their arms in foreful poses. Martial arts students--boys and girls--I think that's great!

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photo by Donald Kinney

I'll tell you, in Chinatown shoppers go through each and every leaf they buy.

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photo by Donald Kinney

I've put a whole lot of miles on hand-trucks, so I had to stop and admire this fellow as he coordinated his load. Chinatown does it differently than Safeway. Deliveries come in off the street. It's a busy jumble of incoming freight, people on the sidewalk, and daily specials displayed outside the stores.

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photo by Donald Kinney

I am always astounded by the amount of food that goes on sale in Chinatown. But it IS a very densely populated area. Most residents buy their food each each day--most families lack refrigeration.

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photo by Donald Kinney

Lets go home and eat!

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I enjoy a colorful sunrise

2011-12-10T04:44:00.000-08:00

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photo by Donald Kinney

My last job was working as an indentured slave in the depths of a salt mine, and although I was required to show up for work very early in the morning I rarely caught a glimpse of the sunrise.

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photo by Donald Kinney

I had no idea sunrises could be so entertaining, or so extraordinarily beautiful, or so wonderfully quiet.
This is San Pablo Bay, which is the upper "thumb" of San Francisco Bay.

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photo by Donald Kinney

But now I know what the birds know--all those years of being called a "birdbrain" now seem less of an insult.

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photo by Donald Kinney

So there you go, a glimpse of what you may have missed this morning. Thanks for stopping by, tell your friends, and I hope you have a great day!

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California gold

2011-12-09T04:48:00.000-08:00

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photo by Donald Kinney

For me, photographing is a bit like fishing. I never know what I might catch, or if I'm going to catch anything at all.

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photo by Donald Kinney

But Tuesday afternoon I had a plan. I would go down to the far end of Rodeo Beach and photograph, once again, the yellow cliff reflections in the shaded wet sand.

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photo by Donald Kinney

Perhaps most of you know that I an old self-centered bachelor who has never taken-the-plunge, so it's probably fitting that I have never understood why so many jewelry stores are located in the tourist areas of San Francisco. I mean, these tourists are on vacation--shouldn't they be doing more touristy kinds of things other than shopping for jewelry? I fail to understand. I just don't get it. Makes absolutely no sense to me. But yeah, I suppose that's why I'm still single. Praise the Lord--and you can probably thank your Lucky-Stars that you aren't or were never married to ME!

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steamy lake at Nicasio

2011-12-08T04:34:00.000-08:00

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photo by Donald Kinney

Compared to the rest of the Nation, I suppose our weather out here in California must seem just a bit boring. Usually it's just some variation on clouds, sun, and maybe--just maybe--rain.

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photo by Donald Kinney

So when a California guy like me sees steam coming off a lake, it's quite a novelty.

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photo by Donald Kinney

Here comes the sun...

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once upon a creek

2011-12-07T04:42:00.000-08:00

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photo by Donald Kinney

Truth be told, it's been getting getting more difficult recently finding images in my beloved Lagunitas Creek. The water level has been changing, canceling out some of my favorite spots.

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photo by Donald Kinney

But in some spots it's the same old quiet designs,

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photo by Donald Kinney

and, yes, they still DO soothe my deep and dark little soul.

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photo by Donald Kinney

Well gosh, I don't think I've ever reported on the golf-balls of Lagunitas Creek. But yes, each year I find a few at my favorite location on the creek. I've never found them at any other spot. The San Geronimo Golf Course is five miles upstream, bordering one of Lagunitas Creek's tributaries--the San Geronimo Creek. Some errant golfer didn't realize his flub would eventually turn out to be a hold-in-one.

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Changing of the Guard

2011-12-06T05:43:00.000-08:00

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photo by Donald Kinney

Sinbad's Dad has provided a great title for this composite image--"Changing of the Guard". But I'm not exactly sure of the dynamics of the changing process going on here. To me it looked like bird "B" was being more than a little bit rude about muscling-in on bird "A"'s territory.

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photo by Donald Kinney

Bird "A". Proudly guarding the sunrise--about two minutes before bird "B" arrived.

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photo by Donald Kinney

Now, I can't exactly tell which bird this is. Could be "M" or maybe even "T".
I just don't know... So difficult to tell at a distance.

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but I'll settle for a leaf

2011-12-05T04:41:00.000-08:00

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photo by Donald Kinney

Photographically, I suppose I am motivated by by the promise of something new or unexpected, or bold or glorious,

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photo by Donald Kinney

but I'll settle for a leaf.

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photo by Donald Kinney

And give due respect for snagging stickers on a blackberry bush that I have been oh-so-carefully been ducking-under and going-around since Spring.

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The Lagunitas Creek - where Coho Salmon spawn

2011-12-04T05:21:00.000-08:00

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photo by Donald Kinney

Recently there has been more water flowing in my beloved Lagunitas Creek. Partially because of the smattering of rain we had a week ago, but largely because of Federally mandated water releases from upstream reservoirs to keep the endangered Coho Salmon happy and in a mood to spawn.

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photo by Donald Kinney

Some of the first returning Coho Salmon were spotted a few days ago, but the majority will wait until the heavy rains in early January. No need to rush the process--death follows shortly after spawning. Sad, but true.

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photo by Donald Kinney

Stories from the late 1800's report a creek swollen with returning fishies. But today, experts estimate that less than 200 Coho Salmon will complete the cycle this year. I'll keep my eyes open again this year but it's been three years now since I've spotted even one Coho. They are elusive. Wish me luck.

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Rodeo Beach in the fog

2011-12-03T04:36:00.000-08:00

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photo by Donald Kinney

Even when Rodeo Beach is pretty much thoroughly fogged in...

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photo by Donald Kinney

...in a departing glance I sometimes am able to find a colorful sunset.

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photo by Donald Kinney

Splash! Where I had been earlier. Just me and that gull. Pretty much...

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Fall, going out with a gust

2011-12-02T05:29:00.000-08:00

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photo by Donald Kinney

You know what some say--California has no real discernible seasons, but I beg to differ. We always have a splendid Fall, and it just fell.

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photo by Donald Kinney

Always a few hangers-on. But not for long.

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photo by Donald Kinney

And when all the leaves have dropped we have the opportunity to purchase colorful flowers. Is this not a great world, or what?

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Marin County, evening and morning

2011-12-01T05:12:00.000-08:00

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photo by Donald Kinney

An evening shot towards my beloved Mount Tamalpais (Tam-al-pie'-us).

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photo by Donald Kinney

A morning misty and rosy shot of my beloved mountain--we usually just refer to her as Mt. Tam. A Goddess named Tamalpa, and several Indian spirits live under the veil. No foolin'.

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photo by Donald Kinney

Takes a while for China Camp Village to wake up in the morning. Yawn.

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photo by Donald Kinney

And there's a few good reasons for driving across the San Rafael-to-Richmond Bridge, but one of the best is to see it in the morning sky.

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splish, splash, I was taking a bath

2011-11-30T05:33:00.000-08:00

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photo by Donald Kinney

Splish, splash, I was taking a bath.

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photo by Donald Kinney

Tiny Bubbles.

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photo by Donald Kinney

Give Peace a Chance.

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a stop at the lake

2011-11-29T04:59:00.000-08:00

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photo by Donald Kinney

With more rain Nicasio Reservoir will soon fill to maximum level.

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photo by Donald Kinney

Curious how the cold mornings never seem to run out of fog.

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photo by Donald Kinney

Some folks fish. I sometimes try hooking the sun.

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photo by Donald Kinney
Here's for ducks! With luck, the pesky photographer will leave.

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Lagunitas Creek - Arts and Trades

2011-11-28T05:33:00.000-08:00

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photo by Donald Kinney

For the young but talented Lagunitas, it was either take up a career in music, or concentrate on the art for which she had such a fluid inclination.

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photo by Donald Kinney

A pallet of colors from which to choose, but not much time to perfect her technique. It's a yearly process. Seasons pass quickly. Lots needs to be accomplished.

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photo by Donald Kinney

Leaves are part of the overall scheme. Lucky leaves often float on her length for long distances. Some pause at every opportunity.

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photo by Donald Kinney

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upside down

2011-11-27T05:24:00.000-08:00

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photo by Donald Kinney

Under just the right circumstances the world will appear upside down.

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photo by Donald Kinney

As you know, generally, the heavens are supposed to float on top.

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photo by Donald Kinney

Curious stripes...

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photo by Donald Kinney

...curious quackers.

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It's been gloomy outside

2011-11-26T04:52:00.000-08:00

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photo by Donald Kinney

It's been gloomy outside. The sun has been trying to peek through.

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photo by Donald Kinney

A puzzle for the foliage.

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photo by Donald Kinney

But the birds don't seem to mind.

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it's been raining

2011-11-25T04:49:00.000-08:00

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photo by Donald Kinney

It's been raining and it's going to rain some more. It's going to rain a whole lot more.

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photo by Donald Kinney

On Wednesday morning I went on a splendid steep hike in Cataract Canyon. The trail is SO demanding that I renamed it "Cardiac" Canyon long ago.

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photo by Donald Kinney

Cataract Creek flows all year, although it does slow to a trickle during Summer. A beautiful eyeful now, but after our next really substantial rains Cataract Creek will become a gushing torrent. I can promise you some nice waterfalls.

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an alpine setting on Mt. Tamalpais

2011-11-24T04:22:00.000-08:00

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photo by Donald Kinney

No shortage of fog recently. Here it is wrapping the shoulders of my beloved Mount Tamalpais.

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photo by Donald Kinney

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photo by Donald Kinney

Alpine Lake lays nestled in the folds of the valley. It's not a natural lake, but it does have a bit of the character of an alpine lake.

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after the rain

2011-11-23T04:35:00.000-08:00

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photo by Donald Kinney

It's been raining. The moss and ferns have perked up.

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photo by Donald Kinney

Leaves have been putting on quite a show this year.

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photo by Donald Kinney

The California version of a New England Fall...

On my Mac I did what I think is a cool screensaver with these three images as a slideshow. It has some motion to it, drawing you in to the picture and then reversing direction in the next image. I believe this works on a Windows machine too. I'm not much of a slideshow or screensaver guy, but I found this combination of today's photos, with today's foggy header shot, looks pretty cool as a screensaver. It's a four image slideshow.

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views from Covello Point

2011-11-22T04:50:00.000-08:00

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photo by Donald Kinney

Yesterday's poll on this image surprised me, so thank you very much. I am the WORST when it comes to evaluating my own work. Some stuck-up photographers would NEVER even consider shooting the Golden Gate Bridge.

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photo by Donald Kinney

Mainly, I am at odds with the official photo-policy of the Golden Gate Bridge, prohibiting commercial photography (offering photographs for sale) taken while standing anywhere on Bridge District property unless a $2000 per day permit is secured. The problem is determining what is and what is not Bridge property--it's a rather gerrymandered layout that includes the full length of Alexander Avenue, an extremely dangerous road that many bicycling tourists use on their way to and from Sausalito.

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photo by Donald Kinney

But back to one of my favorite spots--Covello Point--to which the overpaid and underworked Bridge Board of Directors have no claim. This is my favorite vantage point to view and shoot the City.

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photo by Donald Kinney

Covello Point also has a splendid view of Angel Island. I don't own a wide-angle lens so I had to "stitch" together three images in Photoshop for this panoramic view.

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an abbreviated visit to Rodeo Beach

2011-11-21T05:03:00.000-08:00

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photo by Donald Kinney

It's a drippy and dark relic left over from WW2, but the tunnel from Sausalito to my beloved Rodeo Beach is always an adventure. It's only wide enough for one lane of traffic, so it's generally a five minute wait while the traffic coming the other direction finishes coming through.

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photo by Donald Kinney

So, on Saturday I headed out through the tunnel--I had a suspicion there would be some cool waves at Rodeo Beach, which turned out to be spectacularly true. The storm moving through the area had the waves whipped up into a state of fury, and an opposing wind was blowing spindrift in the most beautiful manner.

I was remarking to myself what a remarkable morning it was going to be. Freezing cold and windy, but the waves were putting on quite a show. My mood changed when I realized I had been SO distracted that I failed to notice a foamy encroaching wave that soaked me half-way up to my knees. Letting out a string of obscenities, I decided to cut my visit short. At my advanced age it is probably better if I don't flirt with hypothermia. There will be other days with even bigger more sneaky waves. I can't wait...

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along the way...

2011-11-20T05:08:00.000-08:00

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photo by Donald Kinney

Believe me, with vague memories of a lifetime of doing nothing much of anything other than going-to-work-and-doing-meaningless-tasks-that-nobody-really-appreciated, I think it's quite a novelty these days that I can spend my mornings independently, chasing down a whim.

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photo by Donald Kinney

I wanted to explore the vast bay tidal lands that lie to the east of Highway One-Oh-One near Corte Madera and Larkspur. I parked in a small shopping center and began my trek, only to notice glassware on display in the window of our local Bev-Mo. I couldn't resist.

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photo by Donald Kinney

Finally, I was able to tear myself away from civilization and head out into the tidal lands where I found this Egret busily searching for breakfast...

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photo by Donald Kinney

...and the warmth of the sun.

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far, far removed -- the outer limits of Marin County

2011-11-19T04:35:00.000-08:00

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photo by Donald Kinney

Plan "A" was a short trip out to the lake at Nicasio to photograph the morning fog, but when I arrived there was more fog than lake and the chances of getting any photos seemed slim.

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photo by Donald Kinney

Plan "B" was to head over the hill to Hicks Valley and Cheleno Valley--rural parts of Marin County so far removed from civilization that only a rancher or some farm animal would be able to call home.

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photo by Donald Kinney

A tiny creek, the San Antonio, is the dividing line between Marin County and it's neighbor, Sonoma County. Dividing the territory up; the lower part of this photo is in Marin County and the upper part of this photo is Sonoma County, with the city of Petaluma just beyond.

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photo by Donald Kinney

Along the way I stopped to chat with some cattle. Fine animals, peaceful and "outstanding in their field"...

Starting back in the 1960's, the local milk producer, Clover-Storneta Farms, introduced a new advertising campaign featuring their mascot, "Clo the Cow". Lee Levenger started an ad campaign that continues to this day, using a simple but clever (clover) play-on-words to get the message out.

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reflections at Alpine Dam

2011-11-18T04:41:00.000-08:00

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photo by Donald Kinney

By now you probably know how much I enjoy shooting the reflections in my beloved Lagunitas Creek, but I've been finding them other places as well. These images are from Alpine Dam, which WOULD be part of Lagunitas Creek if the damn dam wasn't in the way.

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photo by Donald Kinney

A golden hillside mixed with a blue sky. It probably doesn't get any more "California" than this.

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photo by Donald Kinney

Ah yes, reflections. Powerful enough to turn a landscape on it's head.

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Fall, at Lilly Lake, Mt. Tamalpais watershed

2011-11-17T04:51:00.001-08:00

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photo by Donald Kinney

Now, Lilly Lake isn't large, and I'm not even certain it has an official name.

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photo by Donald Kinney

But to me it's always been Lilly Lake. In Summer months frogs play here, but they are elusive.

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photo by Donald Kinney

Currently, leaves are dropping. Painting a picture, of sorts. Not intended for a stuffy gallery with price-tags or to jive with decor on someone's wall, but right where art belongs--where it is. Patiently waiting to be seen. Not really caring if it is or not.

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Surfers at Rodeo Beach

2011-11-16T04:34:00.000-08:00

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photo by Donald Kinney

Normally, I avoid shooting during the middle of the day due to the harsh lighting conditions, but on Monday I thought I would give it a go anyway.

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photo by Donald Kinney

Only two surfers were in the water, and the surf wasn't all that dramatic. I think they call these "bunny" waves.

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photo by Donald Kinney

Now, this isn't a recent shot--I always tell you when an image isn't new.

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photo by Donald Kinney

And here's another surfer shot that isn't new. I pulled it from the California Coast set on what I call my "big" site.

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photo by Donald Kinney

Bubbles, ah bubbles... I'm still searching for the true non-scientific meaning of bubbles, but right now I haven't got a clue.

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San Francisco -- on a grand scale

2011-11-15T04:45:00.000-08:00

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photo by Donald Kinney

I see it as sort of a spiritual mission--to bring knowledge of the sunrise to the unconvinced masses. Perhaps it's been a while since you've seen the sunrise--sunsets are much more convenient--but I insist that there is a vast difference between the two. As vivid of a difference as birth is to death.

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photo by Donald Kinney

It's been 40 years since I've taken the boat over to Angel Island. Maybe on my next visit I'll ask how Angel Island got it's name. I am SUCH a bad reporter--ten points and a gold star to anyone who can give the explanation.

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photo by Donald Kinney

So, it's early--still a roll-of-the-dice whether there will be much drama in the sky this morning. In any case, it's time to get out there and wish the birds a warm morning, a full stomach, and happy landings. Quack, quack, quack...

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one of those "OMG" moments

2011-11-14T05:38:00.000-08:00

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photo by Donald Kinney

Early last Saturday while up on the flanks of my beloved Mount Tamalpais, this scene provided me with one of those "OMG" moments. But it was a fleeting moment--a half-hour later the fog had mostly dissipated.

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photo by Donald Kinney

The other day I mentioned Ridgecrest Boulevard--the tiny road that takes me near the tip-top of my beloved mountain. I mentioned that the curvy road has been used as a backdrop in countless automobile commercials and motion-picture productions over the years.

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photo by Donald Kinney

The Bay Bridge, which celebrated it's 75th. birthday on Saturday.

My buddy, Bob Horowitz, a member of the AllCitySF photo team, recently posted a truly stellar image of the Bay Bridge, here.

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photo by Donald Kinney

And of course, this is the skyline of San Francisco, taken from across the bay at Covello Point.

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Lagunitas Creek -- once again

2011-11-13T05:28:00.000-08:00

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photo by Donald Kinney

And while this world continues to sink into the abyss,

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photo by Donald Kinney

I have found a place of peace--my beloved Lagunitas Creek.

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photo by Donald Kinney

And at first glance it would appear that this area has escaped the degradation of man, but that is not the case. For eons the mighty Lagunitas has been used as a spawning ground by Coho Salmon and Steelhead Trout, but over the past 130 or so years the populations of fishies has diminished from a plethora to a mere pittance. Overfishing and pollution in the Pacific Ocean is thought to be two of the major causes for the decline.

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gilding the lilly

2011-11-12T04:30:00.000-08:00

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photo by Donald Kinney

I don't want anyone to feel they are being short-changed, but today I'm going to live up to the actual title of this humble photo-blog; "A"photo-a-day. Just one image today, folks.

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photo by Donald Kinney

But no stopping me from messing around a bit with that one image. Here I've posterized it into 8 colors in Photoshop. Groovie, huh?

So where are we? On the northern flanks of my beloved Mount Tamalpais. On the other side of that farthest ridge is a steep 2000 foot drop to the Pacific Ocean.

And yes, there is a road way up there--appropriately named Ridgecrest Boulevard--which has been used as a backdrop in countless automobile commercials over the years.

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NorthBeach -- my secrets revealed

2011-11-11T04:20:00.000-08:00

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photo by Donald Kinney

Okay, since we're best friends now I guess it is okay that I reveal one of my little secrets--I have a "thing" for wedding dresses. Not that I get invited to a lot of weddings, and at age 64 it doesn't look like I'm EVER going to "take the plunge". Hey, no problem--it's probably better that I stay on the sidewalk--on the other side of the glass.

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photo by Donald Kinney

I am also fascinated by the restaurants of NorthBeach, which may not seem strange at all until I admit that my favorite time to visit is very, very early in the morning.

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photo by Donald Kinney

On the corner of Broadway and Columbus I usually pause to contemplate "The Language of the Birds".

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photo by Donald Kinney

And just up the street is the "Stinking Rose", a restaurant that reportedly serves dishes laced with enough garlic to keep an entire army of Vampires at bay. No need to wait for this garlic restaurant to open--the first course on the menu is the odor.

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the spirit of fog

2011-11-10T04:15:00.000-08:00

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photo by Donald Kinney

Just over the hill and a few miles to northwest is Spirit Rock--which was used for centuries by the local native population as a divine location. Thanks to the diseases and greed of the White Man no native Indians remain, but Spirit Rock today is regarded by the nearby Zen Center as it's own. Spirituality repurposed, I suppose...

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photo by Donald Kinney

Occasionally, simple and earthly things like trees and fog can slow down the progress of our sun.

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photo by Donald Kinney

But the sun usually manages to break through. Sometimes, I suppose, just to show who is in charge.

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Lagunitas Creek - mysterious and bubbly

2011-11-09T04:25:00.000-08:00

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photo by Donald Kinney

Many leaves will fall this season, and a few lucky individuals will finish their drop with a slow ride down the mighty Lagunitas. Some of the unfortunates will get stuck along the way. It all seems very mysterious to me.

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photo by Donald Kinney

And then we have the bubbles. Water will do this when it's expected to do something unusual, like suddenly dropping from one level to another.

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photo by Donald Kinney

And here's the concert-hall edition. I think (ahem) I hear music...

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far and near

2011-11-08T04:08:00.000-08:00

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photo by Donald Kinney

A few days ago the sun and sky were more than willing to put on an impressive show above our beloved Pacific Ocean. The black blob in the lower right corner is the tiny coastal village of Bolinas.

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photo by Donald Kinney

Impressive clouds floated over,

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photo by Donald Kinney

birds flew,

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photo by Donald Kinney

and ducks floated.

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Nicasio - a place where spiders dwell

2011-11-07T04:43:00.000-08:00

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photo by Donald Kinney

Oh, I suppose it's a job for Jimmy Olsen, but if I was a better reporter I would have an explanation of who or what "Nicasio" is or was.

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photo by Donald Kinney

For the time being, lets just go with "The Land of the Spiders", although I would probably expect that "Nicasio" was the name of an Indian chief or maybe a Spanish land owner in former days.

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photo by Donald Kinney

I'll have to ask a few questions.

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photo by Donald Kinney

Apparently, not everything is on the Internet...

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"Splish, splash, I was taking a bath"

2011-11-06T04:22:00.000-08:00

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photo by Donald Kinney

Not much chance of drowning or getting carried out to sea, but last Thursday I wagered the possibility of wet shoes and socks to snag this photo.

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photo by Donald Kinney

And yes, I lost the bet--but only one shoe and sock was dampened. It could have been worse.

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photo by Donald Kinney

In fact, the flat rock I was sitting on came dangerously close to being swamped. I came within about two inches from taking a cold bubble-bath in the swirling surf.

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Mount Tamalpais, a plethora of moods

2011-11-05T06:37:00.000-07:00

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photo by Donald Kinney

With the sun still on the other side and just rising, this is my beloved Mount Tamalpais in one of her darker moods.

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photo by Donald Kinney

And here she is, my Mount Tamalpais, proudly wrapped in a cool veil of fog.

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photo by Donald Kinney

Along the way I stopped at Alpine Lake to peer at a small part of my beloved Mountain, upside-down.

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photo by Donald Kinney

And passed by colorful Cone Flowers that definitely know which way is up.

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$hooting the Golden Gate Bridge

2011-11-04T05:12:00.000-07:00

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photo by Donald Kinney

Another one of those early morning assignments.
The Golden Gate Bridge in all it's glory.

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photo by Donald Kinney

Now, this doesn't effect the photographer making images for personal use, but if you didn't know, the Golden Gate Transit District will shamelessly attempt to shake-down any hapless "guy with a camera" if they think money is being made from a photograph taken from a vantage point on their property. They're nice about it, but the Bridge District will quickly point out that a $2400 per day license is required. I shot these from the bridge overlook (Ridge Battery) on Conzelman Road, which isn't Bridge property.

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photo by Donald Kinney

This photog's impressive display of lenses and equipment sent me into "drool" mode.

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photo by Donald Kinney

The fellow was busy so I didn't chat with him longer than to say what nice equipment he had. I've already forgotten his name (the ravages of old age on my memory) but gave him my card and told him to check AphotoAday in a few days.

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Eroded sandstone at Salt Point

2011-11-03T05:24:00.000-07:00

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photo by Donald Kinney

With all of the cool places I've been recently I feel like I may still be on vacation. Which reminds me of the time I asked my boss for my vacation, only to have him say no -- I had been on vacation since I arrived.

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photo by Donald Kinney

Best way to get to the fabulously shaped sandstone is to hike down to Stump Beach, cross the creek, hike up the cliff, and follow the bluff to the south.

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photo by Donald Kinney

A friend, D.P. who has since died, painted a masterful watercolor of this arch, which is how I got interested in actually going to the Salt Point area ten or so years ago. I've been to Salt Point a handful of times since.
I took the liberty of "posterizing" my image (above).

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photo by Donald Kinney

And this is the "brainy" sandstone at Salt Point. Curious rock, isn't it?

[ Source: Wikipedia ] The rocks of Salt Point are sedimentary, mainly sandstone. All of these rocks are tilted, exposing older rocks. The rocks at the north end of the park's coast are younger than the rocks at of the southern end. Salt Point is named for the tafoni where the ocean water crystallizes in the honeycomb like crevices. This tafoni is caused when the salt crystals interact with the sandstone making parts of the sandstone harden while other parts soften.

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Lighthouse at Pigeon Point

2011-11-02T05:03:00.000-07:00

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photo by Donald Kinney

When I was younger I used to drive down Highway1 to visit my parents who lived on the Monterey Peninsula, and the lighthouse at Pigeon Point marked, roughly, the half-way point between our abodes. And even before I moved to Marin County, when I was a kid, our family would frequently pass by Pigeon Point Lighthouse on our way up to this area to visit relatives. I've known Pigeon Point Lighthouse a long, long time. I am very, very old. "Creak", "moan", "groan"...

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photo by Donald Kinney

The most difficult part of this photo was getting my tired old bones in the car at 3AM. But somehow, by 5AM I was at the base of Pigeon Point Lighthouse setting up my tripod, old Mr. Stickey, who has a few complaints of his own...

Data on top photo: 2.5sec, f2.8, ISO-6400, 70mm, cropped slightly.
Data on lower photo: 1.6sec, f2.8, ISO-6400, 70mm, not cropped.

Looks like I struck it rich in the "wow" department with the top photo. But I've got to go back and try again--always some room for improvement. I'm using what seems to be too high of an ISO (6400), but I think need a short exposure time so as to avoid just a blur of the sweeping light. Trial and error will eventually produce a less noisy image, and that should make possible a good print.

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Occupy the Space Between my Ears

2011-11-01T05:02:00.000-07:00

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photo by Donald Kinney

I've dropped in on the OccupySF people twice now. They have a colorful presence at the foot of Market Street and in front of the Federal Building.

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photo by Donald Kinney

Found stenciled along Montgomery Street in the deepest depths of San Francisco's Financial District.

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photo by Donald Kinney

Today, I'd be a bit nervous if I saw my bank spending too much on frill.

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photo by Donald Kinney

Well, the Direct Action Work Group at 2PM sounded like it might be a lively event, but I missed it. Couldn't stick around. Had to go occupy the space between my ears.

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steamy visit to the lake at Nicasio

2011-10-31T01:43:00.000-07:00

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photo by Donald Kinney

Welcome to Nicasio Reservoir. Here, a warm lake is bathed in cool air on a frigid morning. Poof--fog--it can be amazing. Vapors of the gods...

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photo by Donald Kinney

And of course, the obligatory Beatles: Here comes the sun

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photo by Donald Kinney

A slice of lake, with fog as a topping.

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photo by Donald Kinney

And fog that will shortly vanish into a clear day. Start of another one.

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morning; drama and splendor

2011-10-30T03:47:00.000-07:00

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photo by Donald Kinney

morning;

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photo by Donald Kinney

drama

[ image above originally appeared on AphotoAday September 13, 2011 ]

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photo by Donald Kinney

and splendor

[ image above originally appeared on AphotoAday September 13, 2011 ]

early morning in San Francisco

2011-10-29T06:41:00.000-07:00

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photo by Donald Kinney

Although I live about 20 miles to the north in Marin County, I consider San Francisco to be my own. I like to visit very, very early in the morning...

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photo by Donald Kinney

When loose books are still flying...

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photo by Donald Kinney

And flashing on and off...

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photo by Donald Kinney

Where I can squeeze off a few shots in the narrow alleys of NorthBeach...

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photo by Donald Kinney

And peek into the shops of Chinatown to feel about 8000 miles away.

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sunset reflections at Rodeo Beach

2011-10-28T05:27:00.000-07:00

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photo by Donald Kinney

And although my abode couldn't be any lonelier now that my beloved Kitty isn't around anymore, it's great to be back home. Once again I have the sunrise on the bayside and the sunset on the oceanside, and of course, a whole lot of empty space between my ears...

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photo by Donald Kinney

So, late Wednesday afternoon I bundled up, geared up, and got my tired old bones down to one of my favorite places, Rodeo Beach in the Marin Headlands--it's within spitting-distance of the Golden Gate Bridge.

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photo by Donald Kinney

The sun was going down fast, and of course this time of year it sinks into the ocean a little bit earlier each day.

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photo by Donald Kinney

Nos vemos más tarde, el sol.

נתראה אחר כך, שמש.

A plus tard, dim.

再见，太阳。

Eesay ouyay aterlay, unsay.

See you later, sun.

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perhaps a message from God

2011-10-27T04:57:00.000-07:00

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photo by Donald Kinney

The weather turned nasty while I was in the middle of my trip. Snow and high winds forced me down to the lower elevations. I'm going to have to return next year--perhaps a bit earlier in the year--to pay my respects to two of my favorite places, Bristlecone Pines in the White Mountains and Death Valley.

But as I got closer and closer towards home I could see some interesting clouds dancing across the top of my beloved Mount Tamalpais. And although I am not a very religious person, I took it as a sign from God that I was home and this is the place I belong. Amen...

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photo by Donald Kinney

I had intended to return home via Tioga Pass and Yosemite so it wasn't my idea, because of the weather, that I had to make the long and somewhat uninteresting trip around the southern end of the Sierra and over towards Bakersfield so I could start on the long, long way home.

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photo by Donald Kinney

But I was rewarded with some rather dramatic cloud formations, which kept my spirits up.

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photo by Donald Kinney

And it's nice to be home, although I can't wait to go back next year, Lord willing. Like I mentioned, I am not a terribly religious person, but when I see clouds like this I sometimes begin to wonder...

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Mount Whitney and Lone Pine Peak

2011-10-26T05:06:00.000-07:00

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photo by Donald Kinney

Yesterday I was showing Ansel Adams' gnarly rocks that had eluded me for so many years, but this image was taken in the same spot--I just panned the camera 90 degrees to the right.

Lone Pine Peak is on the right, and Mount Whitney is just barely visible in this image towards the left.

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photo by Donald Kinney

Late afternoon in the Sierra. That's Mount Whitney on the left. The dark rocks are part of the Alabama Hills in the Tuttle Creek area.

Going back 50 years ago when I was a mere whipper-snapper of 14, I was privileged to join my aunt and uncle on a Mount Whitney backpacking adventure. Unfortunately we were prevented in reaching the summit of Mount Whitney--14,191 feet and the highest spot in the Continental United States--due to a horrendous storm that unleashed it's fury on us during our night stay at Whitney Outpost Camp at about 11,000 feet.

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photo by Donald Kinney

A better view, perhaps, of Mount Whitney.

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photo by Donald Kinney

And again, a shot of Lone Pine Peak, which is often confused with Mount Whitney itself. As I mentioned yesterday, this area has appeared as a backdrop in hundreds of wild-west movies and shorts. Bang-bang, you're dead!

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Alabama Hills, Owens Valley, eastern California

2011-10-25T06:03:00.000-07:00

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photo by Donald Kinney

If you've already read my biography on what I call my "big" site, then you know that I was extremely fortunate in being able to meet with Ansel Adams 48 years ago when I was a mere lad of 16.

I owned most of Ansel Adams' books and was in awe of his compositions and marvelous handling of black and white tones, so when his rendering of these same exact rocks in the photo above appeared in an article he had written for PopularPhotography Magazine I knew I had to find these dramatic rocks--I thought it would be an easy task, but it wasn't.

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photo by Donald Kinney

Over the years I visited the Alabama Hills a handful of times, always searching for these specific rocks but they had always eluded me until this latest trip when I finally decided to check out Tuttle Creek Road, a road which branches out to the left off of Whitney Portal Road, just to the west of the small town of Lone Pine. Tuttle Creek Road doesn't connect with any of the other roads in the Alabama Hills which may explain why I had such a difficult time finding this particular rock formation.

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photo by Donald Kinney

You may not have heard of the Alabama Hills, but they've been used as a backdrop in hundreds of cowboy movies and short features over the years. The main (dirt) road that winds it way through the Alabama Hills is appropriately named "Movie Road". At any moment one might expect Hop-A-Long Cassidy to peek from around one of the rounded boulders and empty his revolver at the bad-guys.

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photo by Donald Kinney

The Alabama Hills is nestled below the Whitney Range which looms several thousand feet overhead to the west.

[source: Wikipedia] The rounded contours of the Alabamas contrast with the sharp ridges of the Sierra Nevada to the west. Though this might suggest that they formed from a different orogeny, the Alabamas are the same age as the nearby Sierras. The difference in wear can be accounted for by different patterns of erosion.

Mount Whitney, the tallest mountain in the contiguous United States, towers several thousand feet above this low range, which itself is 1,500 feet (460 m) above the floor of Owens Valley. However, gravity surveys indicate that the Owens Valley is filled with about 10,000 feet (3,000 m) of sediment and that the Alabamas are the tip of a very steep escarpment. This feature may have been created by many earthquakes similar to the 1872 Lone Pine earthquake which, in a single event, caused a vertical displacement of 15–20 feet.

There are two main types of rock exposed at Alabama Hills. One is an orange, drab weathered metamorphosed volcanic rock that is 150-200 million years old. The other type of rock exposed here is 90 million year old granite which weathers to potato-shaped large boulders, many of which stand on end due to spheroidal weathering acting on many nearly vertical joints in the rock.

Dozens of natural arches are among the main attractions at the Alabama Hills. They can be accessed by short hikes from the Whitney Portal Road, the Movie Flat Road and the Horseshoe Meadows Road. Among the notable features of the area are: Mobius Arch, Lathe Arch, the Eye of Alabama and Whitney Portal Arch.

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