Skeggs Pt Mtn Biking (Nov 13, 2010)

Went Mtn Biking at Skeggs Pt (El Corte De Madera) on Sat.  Like O'Doyle, that place rules!  Funk, Metres, Murphy, B-ral & Toro showed up for a 4 hour ride.  I think everyone pretty much bonked.  Good trails: Resolution (fun single track), leaf trails, Virginia Mill Trail (lots of little jumps), Methusela, Blue Blossom, Steam Donkey...

Maps and info:

http://mappery.com/maps/El-Corte-de-Madera-Open-Space-Preserve-Map.png

http://www.bikemapdude.com/skeggs.html

California Newts!

This is a pic from our Tilden Park night mtn bike ride.  

I noticed these guys while riding up South park drive in Tilden Park with Seth a few days before this pic... which is closed during their fall migration. http://www.ebparks.org/news/111708b

Note: Don't eat em!  ...as they're toxic... and they're newts... unless you are a garter snake... 

More info here:

http://www.sherrysknowledgequest.com/newt.htm

http://www.thefreequark.com/2010/02/the-great-newt-commute/

Moonset through the GG bridge (Nov 10, 2010)

I knew it wasn't gonna go through the middle of the bridge, but it was close enough for a cool sight.  Toro and I did some night riding at Tilden on Wed night then went down the hill to Indian Rock to catch this sight.  Funk & Sol were there with some Little Sumpin Wild waiting for us.

And this is why you get a DSLR... compare between mine (shot with a SD 890 with CHDK) and Toro's above

Rainbow!!!

Alas... not a double...

From the calpine look out.  You can see my time-lapse set up on the post to the right of the rainbow.  And maybe the others yelling at me, "it's YOUR turn!"

Lookout! Calpine (Nov 5-7, 2010)

Spent the weekend up at the Calpine Lookout with Smitty, D, Marian & Kimbo.  Since the weather was a bit iffy... and we're a bunch of gamers, we played a whole lot of Dominion and Settler's of Catan.  I think we got Smitty & D hooked.

The views were nice, and the stars were out... but the Taurids were quite weak this year.  Also the sunrise and sunsets weren't too memorable.  The best sunset of the weekend was while we were packing outside Smitty & D's place (first timelapse)... then looking north from the lookout on Sat, and another one looking south (cool clouds), at the top of Haskell Peak, and sunset on Sat, storms forming on Sun, rainbow,

Here's some articles on the place.
http://www.theunion.com/article/20060817/TODAYSFEATURE/108170118
http://travel.nytimes.com/2009/06/12/travel/escapes/12Lookout.html

And some beta:

• The place says it sleeps 4... but there are only 2 tiny beds.  So bring a pad.  If the weather is nice, you can sleep on the "catwalk."
• Reservation is 6 months in advance...
• Sierra Hot Springs is near by.

Scary Halloween...

  
On my way up Mt. Diablo with Jeff, Khalid, Moses & Omar on Halloween.  Beautiful Day.

Sunsets from the E. Bay...

Go right through the GG Bridge in the winter from Berkeley.  You just have to move along with the sun's ever changing azimuth angle.  This sunset was from the Berkeley Pier yesterday, as in the day the Giants won the WS!

Here's a page I made a few years back dedicated to this beautiful sight.
http://telek.smugmug.com/Photo-Phun/SUNSET-CALCULATOR/2189188_CKqkJ

And a map, some guy made.
http://www.acme.com/jef/ggs/