Duane's World

Gaurav's visit

2012-01-22T21:03:00.000-08:00

Gaurav arrived on 16 January. The next day we went for a hike in Garrapata State Park. Here's Gaurav resting up in Soberanes Canyon, getting ready for the big climb up Rocky Ridge...

2012-01-20T21:57:00.000-08:00

Starting our hike in Pinnacles in the early afternoon of January 18. It was a sunny but cool day after a cold start. The morning low at Pinnacles: 24

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Approaching the caves

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Gaurav at an overlook

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Large tree-like manzanita

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tunnel!

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Gaurav on the steepest part of the hike.

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Gaurav approaching a large hand-like rock.

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Negotiating a tight spot near the top of the high peaks trail.

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The Pinnacles in the late afternoon

Deck addition progress

2012-01-16T09:09:00.000-08:00

Most of the deck addition is complete. Only the hand railings need to be added.

Construction progress

2012-01-05T20:39:00.000-08:00

I've completed most of the frame for the new deck addition.

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2012-01-05T20:28:00.000-08:00

As I was taking photos of the deck construction, the daily sunset crow exodus took place. I've often wanted to capture this in photos.

2012-01-05T20:25:00.001-08:00

Nearly every late afternoon during the winter, crows will gather in large flocks in this part of Monterey. They will perch in trees and on utility wires and on rooftops until just before sunset when they will take flight simultaneously and fly north. I wonder if this is how Alfred Hitchcock got the idea for "The Birds"

Winter construction

2011-12-27T23:57:00.000-08:00

As someone who grew up in Minnesota, it seems a bit odd to be building an addition on the deck in winter. The dry weather has certainly helped, but the short days make for slow progress. I started on the frame today.

Deck addition progress

2011-12-18T21:24:00.000-08:00

Section of existing deck removed, footings put in and first support posts added

Christmas lights

2011-12-08T22:46:00.001-08:00

The moon was nearly full tonight as I took these pictures of the front yard with Christmas lights. This is a 2 second exposure.

2011-12-08T22:43:00.001-08:00

8 second exposure

Deck deconstruction

2011-11-30T22:28:00.000-08:00

I began a new project today. I removed a section of railing from the back deck. I plan to build steps off this newly opened section of the deck that will end at a narrow platform near the pond.

2011-11-30T22:27:00.000-08:00

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More open view of the garden from inside the house.

Sunset at Garrapata

2011-11-22T23:21:00.000-08:00

Late on Sunday afternoon I started a hike in the rain at Garrapata. But by the time I reached the top, the rain had stopped and the clouds had broken up. The view to the east.

2011-11-22T23:13:00.000-08:00

And the view to the west.

2011-11-22T18:03:00.000-08:00

Final kitchen addition

2011-11-19T09:23:00.000-08:00

My new kitchen table and chairs were delivered in early October. I'm finally getting around to posting some pictures.

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2011-11-19T09:15:00.000-08:00

Coast Guard Flight

2011-11-12T18:29:00.000-08:00

Thursday, November 10 was flying day at work. Two Coast Guard Air Auxiliary pilots took four National Weather Service employees, including myself, for a three hour ride in a Piper Cheyenne twin turboprop plane similar to the one pictured here.

2011-11-12T12:14:00.000-08:00

The passengers: Me and Jeff Kopps

2011-11-12T12:13:00.000-08:00

Matt Mehle and Carolina Walbrun

2011-11-12T12:12:00.000-08:00

Soon after taking off, I snapped a couple of photos of my neighborhood. My house is in the upper-left.

2011-11-12T12:10:00.001-08:00

Casanova-Oak Knoll neighborhood. My house is center-right

2011-11-12T12:09:00.000-08:00

Climbing out over Monterey Bay: Del Monte Beach

2011-11-12T12:07:00.000-08:00

Initially we flew south along the Big Sur Coast. I was on the ocean side of the plane during the first leg of the flight, so there were not allot of photo opportunities. The pilot turned the plane around at Morro Bay. Morro Bay and Morro Rock are pictured here.

2011-11-12T12:03:00.000-08:00

The pilot took a short inland detour along the San Luis Obispo county coast to fly around Hearst Castle.

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Point Sur

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Looking south at Point Sur

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Hurricane point

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Highway 1 along the Big Sur coast and Bixby Bridge

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Bixby bridge

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Point Lobos State Reserve

2011-11-12T11:05:00.000-08:00

Monterey and southern Monterey Bay

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Santa Cruz and northern Monterey Bay

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Santa Cruz

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Pillar Point

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Montara Mountain and the devil's slide section of highway 1 along the northern San Mateo county coast.

2011-11-12T10:36:00.000-08:00

Looking south at devil's slide

2011-11-12T02:02:00.000-08:00

Looking through the aircraft windshield at a jet taking off from SFO. San Francisco is just ahead, with the Golden Gate Bridge in the hazy distance.

2011-11-12T01:50:00.000-08:00

Milagra Ridge County Park (below, center), San Andreas Lake (middle, right) and San Francisco Airport (distance, center)

2011-11-12T01:47:00.000-08:00

San Francisco

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The Golden Gate

2011-11-11T22:07:00.000-08:00

Bolinas Bay and Bolinas Lagoon

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Approaching Point Reyes

2011-11-11T12:22:00.000-08:00

Drake's Bay just south of Point Reyes

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Point Reyes

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Point Reyes Lighthouse

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Passing Point Reyes

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Looking south at Point Reyes

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Bodega Bay

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Looking south along the rugged Sonoma county coast.

2011-11-11T09:57:00.000-08:00

Buddist temple "odiyan" on a forested hilltop in northwest Sonoma County.

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Approaching Pt Arena

2011-11-11T09:30:00.000-08:00

Pt Arena Lighthouse

2011-11-11T09:28:00.000-08:00

After stopping at the Concord Airport to refuel and stretch our legs, we were off again, flying over a windmill farm in the delta.

2011-11-11T09:26:00.000-08:00

2011-11-11T09:24:00.001-08:00

Mt. Diablo rising above the early afternoon haze.

2011-11-11T09:15:00.000-08:00

We didn't fly very close to the radar, so I had to zoom quite a bit to get this hazy image of our office's radar tower and dome atop McQueen's Ridge on Mt. Umunhum in the Santa Cruz mountains.

2011-11-11T09:11:00.000-08:00

Approaching the Monterey Peninsula

2011-11-11T09:08:00.000-08:00

Coming in for a landing at Monterey Airport

Hollywood Trip

2011-10-24T09:41:00.000-07:00

I spent a few days in Hollywood from October 18-21. On the drive down I camped one night at El Capitan State Beach near Santa Barbara.

2011-10-24T09:39:00.000-07:00

Sunset photos from near my campsite.

2011-10-24T09:36:00.000-07:00

Setting sun from down on the beach.

2011-10-24T09:33:00.000-07:00

Late on the afternoon of my first full day in Hollywood I decided to hike the Hollyridge Trail up to the Hollywood sign,

2011-10-24T09:32:00.000-07:00

View from near the trail head, looking up towards the sign a few miles away.

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Getting close...

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The trail ends on a ridge a little above and behind the Hollywood sign.

2011-10-24T09:23:00.000-07:00

Even though a gate in the fence surrounding the Hollywood sign was open, it didn't seem like a good idea to try to get any closer given this posted warning.

2011-10-24T09:21:00.000-07:00

2011-10-24T09:16:00.000-07:00

From atop the ridge above the Hollywood sign, just before sunset. The low light and smog made for some eerie photographs.

2011-10-24T09:10:00.000-07:00

Sun setting over smoggy Hollywood hills.

2011-10-24T09:03:00.000-07:00

Setting sun and utility pole.

2011-10-24T09:02:00.000-07:00

During my stay in Hollywood I rented a studio apartment on Vine Street. Here's the courtyard of the apartment building.

2011-10-24T09:00:00.001-07:00

One afternoon I drove up Topanga Canyon Road to Topanga Park. I hiked the Eagle Rock Trail. Here are some deer in Topanga Park.

2011-10-24T08:59:00.001-07:00

Eagle Rock

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Approaching Eagle Rock.

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Views from atop Eagle Rock.

2011-10-24T08:47:00.000-07:00

I attended a concert at the Walt Disney Concert Hall. The LA Philharmonic played Prokofiev's Fifth Symphony.

2011-10-24T08:40:00.000-07:00

Before leaving LA the next day, I stopped at Beverly Gardens Park along Santa Monica Blvd.

October 5?

2011-10-05T23:24:00.000-07:00

Cumulonimbus southeast of Monterey late this afternoon after a unseasonably strong cold front moved through last night. The weather today felt more like February than early October.

Picasso at the de Young

2011-10-03T09:30:00.000-07:00

On September 27 I went to the de Young museum in San Francisco to see the Picasso exhibition.

2011-10-03T09:29:00.000-07:00

Some of the highlights of the exhibition: "Two women running on the beach."

2011-10-03T09:28:00.002-07:00

Village dance.

2011-10-03T09:28:00.001-07:00

Reclining nude.

2011-10-03T09:27:00.002-07:00

Self portrait in straw hat.

2011-10-03T09:27:00.001-07:00

Death of the bullfighter.