Halloween

 

Halloween Display (Fairfax) - Marin County  2020

Yay! (From last year.)

Monterey Downtown

 

Doorway, Two Plants (Monterey) - Monterey County  2021

Doorway, Two Trees (Monterey) - Monterey County  2021

After checking in, I drove a few blocks to the downtown area and wandered around with the largish (to me, anyway) Nikon Z5.

Two Plants, Self-Portrait (Monterey) - Monterey County  2021

Monterey Succulents

 

Succulents, Agaves (Monterey) - Monterey County  2021

Succulents (Monterey) - Monterey County  2021

Top photo taken near the Monterey Plaza, bottom plants found in a planted box downtown. I used a Nikon Z5.

Monterey Residential

 

Statue, House (Monterey) - Monterey County  2021

Bougainvillea, Mexican Sage (Monterey) - Monterey County  2021

Two photos taken within easy walking distance of my motel on Munras in Monterey. Nice subjects, many previous photos taken, but nothing ever posted to the blog. 

Fort Ord Buildings

 

Ice Plant, Old Building - Monterey County  2021

Old Building - Monterey County  2021

I was stationed at Fort Ord during the months of January through March in 1964 for Army Basic Training.

Quite a while ago! So, I don't know - just guessing, actually - the true history of these buildings. But I'm going to say that they're all that remains of Fort Ord's military past. 

Fort Ord

 

340th Support Battalion - Monterey County  2021

Tree - Monterey County  2021

Always fun to drive up into the former Army base to see if any relics remain of its former role.

From an earlier 2013 post:

Mike used to stand of an evening at the barracks' 2nd-story window, the sound of the Beatles in the background, gazing at the lights of Monterey and the twilight view of Monterey Bay. At the time he was somewhat older than most of the recruits and was able to use the serene view to transcend the inevitable basic training Army doldrums.

Hollister Sightems

 

Welcome Riders (Hollister) - San Benito  County  2021

Mural (Hollister) - San Benito County  2021

All of the Hollister photos were taken with an iPhone 7 Plus. Wanted to be discreet.

Monday Seal Blogging

 

Seal, Gull - Monterey County  2021

Monterey Bay. The creature was definitely checking out the photographer in between looking for goodies.

Hollister Art

 

Hollister City Limit (Hollister) - San Benito County  2021

Johnny's Art (Hollister) - San Benito County  2021

A motorcycle-friendly town, for sure. "The city is intermittently the site of an annual motorcycle rally around July Fourth. The riot at the original 1947 event was the basis for the 1953 film The Wild One."

Pay Phone / Parking Garage / Death Valley

 

Pay Phone (Gilroy) - Santa Clara County  2021

Vacant Lot, Parking Garage (Hollister) - San Benito County  2021

Alas, the actual phone is missing from the pay phone booth. When was the last time I actually used a pay phone? Maybe in 2010? Maybe.

Oh . . . speaking of pay phones. I don't think I've ever posted a photo of the phone in Death Valley that was a favorite of my brother Joe and myself. So here ya go:

Joe, Telephone - Death Valley  1975

Hollister

 

Church (Hollister) - San Benito County  2021

City Hall (Hollister) - San Benito County  2021

I decided to take a small side trip over to Hollister on my way down to Monterey. 

"Hollister is a city in and the county seat of San Benito County, California, in Central California. With a 2010 census population of 34,928, Hollister is one of the largest cities in the Monterey Bay Area and a member of the Association of Monterey Bay Area Governments. The city is an agricultural town known primarily for its local Blenheim apricots, olive oil, vineyards, pomegranates, and chocolate."

San Francisco Street

Lawton - San Francisco  2021

Lawton and 17th - San Francisco  2021

I often drive by this spot when we're going to the grandkids' house . . . always want to stop for some photos. Here was an opportunity! I used a Canon G5XII for these.

This was my last stop in San Francisco before resuming my journey south.

Legion of Honor, Fog

 

Statue at Legion of Honor - San Francisco  2021

Pool, Legion of Honor - San Francisco  2021

Can't remember who's depicted in the statue. I last visited here in June, with full sun.

San Francisco Fog

 

Bicyclist, Fog - San Francisco  2021

Cypresses, Fog - San Francisco  2021

I made a short visit to Monterey last month. Usually to get there I drive down highway 880 through the East Bay, but I've recently become somewhat skeptical of that route. The benefit is that it's quicker, though that advantage is offset by its congestion and general dreariness. 

So this time I went down highway 280. Longer but much nicer: less traffic and better scenery. So: down highway 101 and over the Golden Gate Bridge, thence down 19th Avenue to the freeway. 

But the fog! I couldn't pass that up, so I did a slight detour through the old presidio over to the Legion of Honor, taking photos along the way.

Monday Cat Blogging

 

Cat (Fairfax) - Marin County  2021

Cat (Fairfax) - Marin County  2021

Neighborhood cats, seen before on the blog.

Willis Evans Trail

 

Bay, Redwoods (San Geronimo Valley) - Marin County  2021

Buckeye (San Geronimo Valley) - Marin County  2021

Hiking up the Willis Evans trail in the Gary Giacomini Open Space Preserve.

Fenceposts / Poison Oak

 

Fenceposts, Lichen (San Geronimo Valley) - Marin County  2021

Fence, Poison Oak (San Geronimo Valley) - Marin County  2021

Going for a walk, seeing these sightems opposite my parked car on the other side of the street.

White Truck / Tacos

 

White Truck, Tree - San Rafael  2021

Tacos El Tucan - San Rafael  2021

The taqueria is going into what used to be Pier 15 - one of our favorite hamburger places. Oh well!

[UPDATE: Apparently the new restaurant is going to be a big deal. "Later this year, El Tucán, one of the East Bay’s very best taquerias, will open a new outpost on the San Rafael waterfront that’s larger and even more ambitious than its original Richmond location."]

Valley Wagonworks / Window

Valley Wagonworks - San Rafael  2021

 

Window - San Rafael  2021

Photos taken on a weekend afternoon with an iPhone. 

44 Harbor / Japan Auto

 

Door, 44 Harbor - San Rafael  2021

Japan Auto Repair - San Rafael  2021

I used to take our Toyotas to Japan Auto for maintenance and repairs. But then, Kenso, the owner, retired, alas. Now I'm back to the dealership.

Ducati / Front Street

 

Ducati - San Rafael  2021

Front Street - San Rafael  2021

Some photos taken during a recent walk-around in San Rafael's Canal District.

Monday Dog Blogging

 

Dog, Walker - Pismo Beach  2021

Dog Under Bench -Pismo Beach  2021

Pismo dogs.

Pismo Sunsets

 

Sunset, Ocean, Fog Bank - Pismo Beach  2021

Sunset, Ocean, Clouds - Pismo Beach  2021

Photos taken with the Nikon Z5. The Nikon's sensor is larger than the ones on my usual Olympus cameras, so theoretically I could make some billboard-sized prints of these photos.

We'll see.

Ripples / Rocks

 

Ripples in Sand - Pismo Beach  2021

Rocks, Seaweed, Sand - Pismo Beach  2021

Walking around down at the tidepools with the Nikon Z5.

Pismo Art

 

Clam Festival Art - Pismo Beach  2021

Pismo Art - Pismo Beach  2021

Overcast weather . . . nice colors.