Happy Halloween

Happy Halloween (Osaka) - Japan  2016

Halloween Toenails - San Francisco  2018

Trick or treat! Alas, our street has hardly any trick or treaters.

Top: Osaka, October 2016.

Next: Hanna's Halloween toenails, October 2018.

Below: Unique Halloween tableau in Brooklyn, also October 2018:

Halloween Tableau (Brooklyn) - New York  2018

San Francisco Sightems - 1

Apartments, High Rise - San Francisco  2018

Brick Wall - San Francisco  2018

Some shots taken in the Fillmore area with the Canon G5X last quarter.

Monday Gull Blogging

Heermans Gulls - Point Reyes  2018

Gulls Taking Off - Point Reyes  2018

It was getting pretty dark for the bottom photo . . . ISO got set to 1600. So there's digital noise if overly enlarged. The Olympus combo of E-M1II and 14-150 zoom lens used.

Coast Camp - Stream End 2012

Stream End - Point Reyes  2012

While looking at the Coast Camp photos I had taken in 2012, I came across this one. Nice.

New Big Agnes Tent

Tent Poles (BA Tent) - Point Reyes  2018

Tent without Tent Fly (BA Tent) - Point Reyes  2018

A Big Agnes Tiger Wall UL 2 (ultralight 2-person).

Has zippered doors on either side of the tent, with some nice storage space under the tent fly. The most interesting feature to me is the little rod on top that pushes the sides of the tent out. Roomier than my old tent, but I wonder if two people could really use it.

Pricey, BTW.

Tent with Tent Fly (BA Tent) - Point Reyes  2018

Morning Waves

Approaching Wave 1 - Point Reyes  2018

Approaching Wave 2 - Point Reyes  2018

OK, so not quite as spectacular as the Pismo Beach waves in 2012.

Coast Camp - Early Morning Beach

Beach, Fog - Point Reyes  2018

Sand Patterns, Surf - Point Reyes  2018

Nobody else was there.

Coast Camp Eucalyptus

Eucalyptus in Fog - Point Reyes  2018

Eucalyptus and Moon - Point Reyes  2012

Top photo taken this year with an Olympus top-end camera, the OMD EM-1II.

Next photo taken in 2012 with my first m43 camera, a very low-end EPL-1 using a kit lens.

Coast Camp - Sunset, Early Morning - Autumn

Eucalyptus, Sunset - Point Reyes  2018

Boiling Water for Coffee - Point Reyes  2018

The overcast lifted briefly just before sunset. Then, darkness and into the tent. For some reason, my thin backpacking Thermarest is not as comfortable as it used to be, 15 years ago. It's a mystery.

So, I put off getting up as late as possible, but finally had to, if you know what I mean. Pitch black! A head lamp was required for morning coffee making.

Then, a walk down to the beach.

Monday Deer Blogging

Deer - Point Reyes  2018

In a repeat of a 2014 backpack, I arrived at my Coast Camp site only to find my entry blocked.

For a while.

Coast Camp Fog

Grass, Coyote Brush, Spider Webs (Coast Camp) - Point Reyes  2018

As I had thought, there was plenty of fog at the coast, desaturating the colors.

Point Reyes Backpack

Trail - Point Reyes  2018

Alders - Point Reyes  2018

After visiting Pierce Ranch I drove back to Point Reyes HQ to pick up my campground reservation. Nice and overcast at the trailhead, with the promise of much more fog at the campground.

I wanted one more backpack for the year, inasmuch as the Sierra backpack didn't work out. Also I needed to try out my new Big Agnes tent, gotten to replace the Marmot tent.

Last year I shot a video of the trail on a clear, windy day.

Ranch Buildings

Ranch Building, Fence - Point Reyes  2018

Ranch Building - Point Reyes  2018

I remember paying a visit to the place in 2011 with a Nikon D90 and being able to see some blue sky!

These photos taken with an Olympus E-M1II.

Pierce Ranch

House, Fence - Point Reyes  2018

Fence, Flowers - Point Reyes  2018

Old whitewashed ranch buildings, now maintained by the Park Service.

Point Reyes Fog

Dirt Road, Fog - Point Reyes  2018

Cattle Chute Posts - Point Reyes  2018

Driving out to Pierce Ranch.

West Marin Fog

Fennel, Field - Marin County  2018

Blackberries, Field - Marin County  2018

Foggy scenes at a pullout just before the highway 1 intersection.

Monday Coyote Blogging

Coyote on Road - Point Reyes  2018

I spent some time last month taking some photos out in the far reaches of Point Reyes, driving to Pierce Ranch, then off to Coast Camp for an overnight backpack.

Nonexistent traffic, so I could come to a stop once I spotted the coyote and use the Olympus 14-150mm zoom lens for this photo taken through the front window.

Lake Lagunitas - 4

Fog, Trees, Reflections - Lake Lagunitas  2018

Reeds, Trees, Reflections - Marin County  2018

Looks very peaceful. However, there were two coyotes up the hill being very noisy.

Lake Lagunitas - 3

Branches and Leaves, Fog - Marin County  2018

Reeds, Trees, Fog - Marin County  2018

My next jaunt around the lake took place in the fog. Nice!

Lake Lagunitas - 2

Ferns, Reeds - Marin County  2018

Reeds - Marin County  2018

So, the first set of pictures were taken on a nice, clear September morning.

Lake Lagunitas - 1

Redwoods, Ferns - Marin County  2018

Reeds, Redwood Reflections - Marin County  2018

Some recent photos taken on a couple of hikes around Lake Lagunitas in the Marin County Water District. I used an Olympus E-M1II and an Olympus 14-150mm zoom lens for the pictures.

More Sausalito Agaves

Agave - Sausalito  2018

Agave - Sausalito  2018

Agaves in black and white . . . it's the law! Taken last month.

Modesto Sightems

Burnt End - Modesto  2018

Redeemer - Modesto  2018

A few quick photos taken in Modesto, then Mike was on his way home.

Chain Link Fence - Modesto  2018

Monday Horse Blogging

Tuffy - Marin County  2014

What a horse! Great for babies, too:

Tuffy, Hanna - Marin County  2013

Modesto

Modesto Sign - Modesto  2018

After quite a bit of driving back and forth in Yosemite (see yesterday's post: the highway through El Portal was unexpectedly closed, even though the sign up at Crane Flat said it was open) Mike was glad that he had had Hali make a Best Western reservation for him in Modesto. Yes, he could have ground out the remaining miles to Fairfax, but he thought best not to, all things considered.

Ferguson, Rim Fires

Ferguson Fire Smoke - Yosemite  2018

Wires, Rim Fire - Sierra Nevada  2018

Top photo taken from an outlook off of highway 120 approaching Yosemite Valley. Alas, the road going through El Portal to Mariposa was unexpectedly closed, so Mike had to turn around and drive past Crane Flat and out of the park. But that route gave him the opportunity to take some updated photos of the Rim Fire area.

Burnt Tree, Rim Fire - Sierra Nevada  2018