Buttermilk Road

Rabbitbrush - Owens Valley  2025

Dust Hazard (Buttermilk Road) - Owens Valley  2025

I parked at the intersection, got out the Sony RX100, and walked down Buttermilk Road for some photos.

So now I'm thinking that I should actually drive down there some day. I have an AWD vehicle after all.

Moon / Aspens

Moon, Mountains - Sierra Nevada  2025

Aspens - Sierra Nevada  2025

Noticed the moon on my way up to the aspens, so used the Sony RX100 for a quick shot before it disappeared.

Vertical photo taken with a Nikon Z7II. Alas, it probably looks OK on the blog, but it's not sharp enough for printing.

Aspens - 2

Aspen Trunks - Sierra Nevada  2025

Aspens - Sierra Nevada  2025

The other photographers were all using tripods, of course. Not me. I was relying on my Nikon's "vibration reduction" tech. Alas, it wasn't nearly as effective as the image stabilization tech in my Olympus cameras. The Nikon's sensor is much larger though, so probably can't keep up with my shaky hands, especially in the cold.

Photos taken with a Nikon Z7II.

Turkeys in the Fog

Turkeys, Fog - Lake Lagunitas  2025

Taken last January, probably out the car window.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Aspens - 1

Aspens, Granite - Sierra Nevada  2025

East of Bishop, on the road to South Lake. I had been up here in 2023, so this was another chance for some aspen photos. Of course, others were there as well . . . very cold!

iPhone photos.

Photographers - Sierra Nevada  2025

Bishop Morning

Alpenglow - Bishop  2025

Taken during an early morning walk around Bishop. I passed by a large vacant lot featuring some large cottonwood trees, then I noticed the Los Angeles sign.

I've seen those L.A. signs before.

City of Los Angeles Property - Bishop  2025

 

Monday Horse Blogging

Horses - Bishop  2025

Relaxing in the shade. An iPhone 13 photo taken from the car.

Bishop Evening

Bowl - Bishop  2025

White Mountains - Bishop  2025

It's a long drive from Fairfax to Bishop! Takes me at least 8 hours, what with photography and driving pretty slow, to be honest. Checked in at the motel, then went for a short walk.

Highway 395 / Mt. Tom / Pine Trees

Junction, Hwy 395 - Mono County  2025

Mt. Tom, Cows - Owens Valley  2025

Through Yosemite to the junction with highway 395, then south past Mt. Tom to Bishop.

Some nice pine trees at the rest stop:

Pine Trees - Sierra Nevada  2025

Yosemite - 2

Unicorn Peak - Yosemite  2025

Tuolumne River - Yosemite  2025

I took a short break by parking at the Lembert Dome parking area and walking over to the bridge over the Tuolumne River. Very nice! 

Photos taken with a Nikon Z7II.

Yosemite - 1

Mt. Dana - Yosemite  2025

Clouds Rest - Yosemite  2025

Views seen while driving through Yosemite in early October. This was during the government shutdown, so there weren't any lines at the entrance station. Not that much traffic, either.

Mike was once visited by a marmot at the top of Mt. Dana.

I always call this sight "Clouds Rest" but I'm not sure if that's accurate.

Chinese Camp

Fire Debris Removal (Chinese Camp) - Tuolumne County  2025

Fire Damage (Chinese Camp) - Tuolumne County  2025

"Chinese Camp is the remnant of a notable California Gold Rush mining town. Between 1849 and 1882, thousands of Chinese immigrants arrived in the area to look for good fortune on the legendary 'Gold Mountain.'"

"The TCU September Lightning Complex included more than 20 lightning-sparked wildfires in four counties that spanned the foothills of the central Sierra Nevada, east of Modesto. All told, the complex has burned nearly 14,000 acres. Some fires were less than an acre, while others grew to thousands. 

"In the swirl of so many fires that consumed the Sierra Nevada foothills all at once, Chinese Camp burned to the ground in what felt like a blip. Another California town gone, claimed by wildfire, forever lost. This one had history dating back to the Gold Rush, when thousands of Chinese immigrants lived here, mining for gold or working as servants for American miners. The town’s first post office was established in 1854, and the town grew into a hub for stage coach lines with travelers passing through."

I just paid a quick visit while driving over to Bishop. I found it a bit unusual that the area consists of rolling hills studded with oak trees. Not thickly forested! The wind must have been a main factor causing the fire damage.

There is still some structures remaining in the town; I'd hope that some residents will be able to return. 

Driving to Bishop

McDonalds - Pleasanton  2025

I spent a few days in October visiting Bishop in the Owens Valley for some Fall photos and a possible day hike. I had wanted to car camp there in late September but the Camp Fire produced so much smoke I had to cancel that plan. 

First stop: breakfast at the McDonalds in Pleasanton, then onwards through the small town of Escalon towards Oakdale.

Valley Inn - Escalon 2025

Monday Wood Duck Blogging

Wood Duck, Ripples - Lake Lagunitas  2025

Wood Ducks - Lake Lagunitas  2025

I first heard about the fabled wood duck from Dan, when we were on one of our birding trips. From that date to now: no sightings. 

Then they suddenly showed up this year at Lake Lagunitas! Wow! Haven't seen them recently though. (Top photo taken in August, next one in July.) Sometimes they're there, sometimes they're not.

For extra credit, a vertical shot below from July.

Wood Ducks - Lake Lagunitas  2025

Sausalito Sightems

Agave - Sausalito  2025

Kayaks, Bay Bridge - Sausalito  2025

One of last quarter's agave variants. 

I had thought that both photos were taken by the Sony RX100, but no, just the bottom one. Agave taken by an iPhone 13 Pro Max. Huh.

Mirror / Toyota Corolla

Mirror, Mike (Fairfax) - Marin County  2025

Corolla SUV (Fairfax) - Marin County  2025

Free mirror up at the end of the street. Cute smaller Toyota Corolla SUV parked over in the condos.

Pine Trees, Fog / Fennel

Pine Trees, Fog - Marin County  2025

Fennel - Marin County  2025

Top photo taken on a morning walk with the Sony RX100.

Bottom one taken near Costco with an iPhone 13.

Poison Oak

Poison Oak - Marin County  2025

Poison Oak, Oak Trunk - Marin County  2025

Morning walk, late summer sightems. 

California Buckeyes

California Buckeye - Marin County  2025

California Buckeye - Marin County  2025

Photos taken in September during our morning walks. Top one taken using a Sony RX100, next one using an iPhone 13 Pro Max.

Below, another September shot using a Nikon Z7II.

Buckeye Leaves - Marin County  2025

Fisherman, Blimp / Gulls, Palm Tree (Sausalito)

Fisherman, Skyline, Blimp - Sausalito  2025

Gulls, Palm Tree, Bay Bridge - Sausalito  2025

I never did find out anything about the blimp.

Monday Black-Necked Stilt, Egret Blogging

Black-Necked Stilt - Marin County  2025

Egrets - Marin County  2025

Top photo taken with an iPhone, somewhere back of the Civic Center.

Bottom one taken with an Olympus E-M1II with a 75-300mm zoom lens, in the Marin City shopping center on the way to Sausalito. Don't know what they were carrying on about.

Morning Buildings, Crows on Roofs

Building, Crow - Marin County  2025

Building, Crow - Marin County  2025

Top: iPhone 13 Pro Max.

Bottom: Olympus E-M1II, 14-150mm lens.

Cars

Mustang (Fairfax) - Marin County  2025

Thunderbird (Fairfax) - Marin County  2025

Cool cars! Morning walk sightems. 

Bird / Cattails - Lake Lagunitas

Bird (Lake Lagunitas) - Marin County  2025

Cattails, Ripples (Lake Lagunitas) - Marin County  2025

Don't know what kind of bird! Darn.

Lake Lagunitas - Ripples

Lake, Ripples, Cloud (Lake Lagunitas) - Marin County  2025

Lake, Ripples, Fog (Lake Lagunitas) - Marin County  2025

Two photos from last July.