We joined a docent from a local nature conservancy for a birding walk. They are a small non-profit that has purchased a section of wetlands and developed trails and give guided walks. It is very nicely done. We have actually seen quite a bit of this action as we have traveled. It was an enjoyable walk even though it was a little overcast and chilly.
A little local produce at the farmers market. Cauliflower and broccoli are what is ready in this area right now. Lots of dried fruit from previous seasons as well as wine and walnuts.

If you stick with the saying, “if you don’t get it into the boat, you didn’t catch it”, then we didn’t catch a thing. Kent had a nice bass and a big crappie on the hook. He really did, I saw them too, but couldn’t get them into the boat. Everything is busy spawning and not biting on any bait very had. There was a chilly wind but enough sun to make it a great day on the water. We had pork chops for dinner.

Geothermal power from a subterranean magma field that creates 425F steam using recycled water from local community treatment plant injected underground. I don’t think that I would actually call that a naturally renewable resource but that is their spin. We checked out their visitors’ center. It is an interesting approach and seems to be working here at least for now. I can’t help but wonder about the long term affects.
Our plan to check out some other state parks hit a brick wall. We encountered another budget driven park closure. I guess they are making cuts where the average citizen will notice right away. It is working. It is annoying.

We put the boat in the water at Clear Lake. We are an hour or so north of San Francisco. It has been a bright sunny day in the 70s so just about perfect for floating around. We were bird watching. I love watching the Western Grebes courtship dances. It is just like I have seen on wildlife films. They face off, go through a whole series of head bobbing maneuvers then simultaneously push themselves clear up out of the water and run high speed until they tire. They rest a few then do it again. Some times as many as 3 pair go through this sequence at once. No fishing today. The regulars say it isn’t so great this week but we might try tomorrow anyway. We will see.

In the late 1800s, 19 Hopi Indian men were imprisoned at Alcatraz because they refused to send their children to government mandated boarding schools. Schools that were not designed to teach but to purge them of their native identity and create leverage to control the parents while they held their kids. Man, another yucky part of American history.

We were on the island a couple hours. You could easily spend a couple more if you want to read everything, hear all the talks, and take in all the views. Something to do again sometime.

The sounds of Alcatraz. The mechanism that operates the cell doors was state of the art in 1934. Opening and closing a cellblock required a series of lever pulls and pushes and creates a sequence of sounds that just imprint on your brain. I can definitely can see how that became the signature sound of Alcatraz. (you can hear it in the movie “The Rock” and probably lots of other prison movies made over time.)

Fortunately, the Dramamine wasn’t really necessary. It was windy and a little rough but the cruise out to the “Rock” wasn’t as bad as we feared. The evening tour gave us great night views of the city and a chance for a little different look at Alcatraz. In the audio cellblock tour we heard the voices of actual inmates describe their time at the Rock. Cells were small. Solitary was cold and damp. The greatest punishment was to be able to see what they were missing everyday just a little over a mile away across the bay.

We watched and laughed at the seals on Pier 39. Did a little shopping. Made a trip to The Ferry Building were we found a really unique food court. Gourmet butcher shops, a fungus shop (shrooms of every type), Artesian cheeses, organic coffee shops, casein/gluten free donuts, organic chocolates, and local wines. Marvelous and great fun to window shop.

As I type, I can hear nothing but revving engines. It seems that the Contra Costa Fairgrounds, in addition to be home for the traveling circus, is the home of a dirt track. There is a race tonight at 7PM. It is now 5:15 and they are well into the practice runs and time trials. Gonna be a loooooong evening. Maybe we will just go to the race.

This, mind you, is on top of the Latino music festival that was held on the adjacent school grounds since about 10AM. It really sounded a lot like Karaoke or at least little known local performers. Quality was really hit or miss but volume was reliably loud. Especially the bass. The concurrent flea market and farmers market here on the grounds was tranquil in comparison, even with its ambulance run.

It has been a unique experience to say the least. I am pouring a glass of wine.

Point Reyes NP, Tomales Point. First two small groups of cows and their calves enjoying a quiet afternoon in a sheltered valley out of the roaring winds. They are calving right now so some were very young. I am pretty sure I saw one that was likely hours old. Then, we found the bulls. Off on their own just chilling out, beautiful racks and all. They don’t look much different than other elks we have seen. Supposedly a little smaller but it is hard to tell at binocular distance.