Many people I know prefer hearth and home as the holiday season approaches, but the call of the open road is enough to make me pack my bags any time of the year. Besides – the weather gurus are calling for more snow in greater Vancouver in the next two weeks than I care to shovel.
My wife and I got out our well thumbed road atlas and chose a route that would take us quickly through Washington, Oregon and northern California in order for us to focus most of our attention on two areas in southern California.
About an hour north of SF the mists lifted and we saw rows of bare vines indicating we were in wine country. Taking an unmarked exit we found ourselves in a micro- environment of rolling hills. In this shot the bare branches of a California oak frame the barn. The mood is decidedly “off-season.”
About 90 minutes later the Golden Gate Bridge is right in front of us. Some people can’t resist a good sale; I can’t resist stopping to take a few pictures of the bridge. It’s drizzling and grey, giving a decidedly moody feel to the skyline.
Next day we’re on the Pacific Coast Highway/101 and travel to Malibu. Over the next 2 days we explore the coast and enjoy the sun. It’s cool for California (fleece jackets required for walking on the beach) but we’re not complaining. We found great retro-styled accommodations at the Malibu Motel. Our room overlooks the ocean and there’s an Italian restaurant that serves heaping plates of fettuccini alfredo. Does it get any better than that?
The Malibu pier is a short walk away, and I take a series of shots as the wind is crafting some great cloud formations.
On our second day we head high into the canyons in pursuit of a hike promising great ocean views. We opt for the “easy 3-mile” hike and thanks to a lack of signage manage to turn it into a 4 hour trek. The views were spectacular, but I was more intrigued by the bare and blackened California oak trees. You can see the beauty and texture of these twisted branches.
The die-hard kite boarders could be seen catching the surf in several places along the 101. We stopped to watch them, happy to be dry and warm, hot coffee in hand.
1 comments:
WOW...
these (and all of your shots) are so awsome.
You capture the beauty in everything you shoot.
I can't get enough of your pictures. I wish I had one of each of them hanging in my home, but of course i would need a very very large home and a very very large bank account.. lol
Keep up the GREAT work Craig.. your shots show how much you really love what you do.
Tell me what you think!