San Francisco and family

Today we went to San Francisco from Sacramento and a reminder of the East Coast TOLLS Yuck!


Across one bridge and then the Bay Bridge


We were greeted with smiles from "Retired Bowler" who was greeted with a picture from "Dyed in the Wool Cowboy".


I really liked library/web design studio at "Retired Bowler and Postal Woman's house
I enjoyed taking a picture of "Cowboy" in the mirror --oops and me to

We were on tourist time so we first drove to Twin Peaks overlooking San Francisco and the Bay and beyond. That IS Alcatraz in the bay.

...and there is the Golden Gate Bridge


\\\Tourists at work///


A really, really twisted tree in Golden Gate Park


Oh and of course American Bison -------- Yikes Buffalo


Then it was the Queen Wilhelmina Tulip Garden, named in 1962 for the late queen of the Netherlands. Set against the Dutch Windmill, this garden offers visitors a wide variety of tulips and other annuals. Best viewing time occurs in early spring. Located on John F. Kennedy Drive, near Great Highway.

The Dutch Windmill was built in 1902 and was designed to pump irrigation water to a reservoir on Strawberry Hill. The windmill had fallen into disrepair until funds were raised and it was restored in 1981. No longer needed for irrigation, the windmill stands as a remembrance of the past.


There were no Tulips today but the site was beautiful with yellows renuculas standing in for the spring tulips.


Golden Gate Park is a great place to take a nice walk with someone you enjoy having in your life - well I had some of my family today.

The renuculas were a good substitute for the tulips.


Then it was lunch at the Beach Chalet Brewery.

The Beach Chalet opened to the public in 1925 with a lounge and changing rooms on the first floor, and a restaurant on the second providing diners with a beautiful view of the Pacific Ocean. It was designed by the famous San Francisco architect Willis Polk. The beautiful murals, mosiacs and wood carvings were completed in 1936 as part of a federal works program. A few years later it was used as barracks for troops operating a nearby service station. Today, the building and it's art treasures welcome visitors from around the world to explore Golden Gate Park.

The Beach Chalet still serves it's original purpose as a public relations and dining facility. Heller Manus developed a renovation program for the landmark building. The ground floor visitor's center helps to orient visitors and demonstrate all that Golden Gate Park has to offer, as well as host the City Store,a nonprofit organization that sells unique San Francisco memorabilia. You will also be able to view an interpretive exhibit of the fresco murals, by Lucien Labault, which contain scenes of San Francisco during the Great Depression. They contain scenes familiar to San Francisco including The Embarcadrero, Fisherman's wharf, Baker Beach, Golden Gate Park, Land's End, the Marina, Downtown, and Chinatown. The woodcarvings, created by Michael Von Meyer, consist of an intricate balustrade with octopus newel posts, a sea monster, mermaids, hard hat divers, and old ships in honey colored magnolia. Upstairs handcrafted beer and American Bistro cuisine can be enjoyed with a magnificent view of the Pacific Ocean.

The Visitors center was great with this sculpted handrail.

this marvelous (one of many fresco murals mentioned above)


I loved this tile image of the brave shooting the arrow in the direction of the rest rooms.


The entrance was a lovely blend of Early Spanish Architecture and Modern Bike Racks.

Oh yes and you can see the top of the Windmill from their parking lot.

Don't ask me about why these ocean rocks are white on the top, ask the birds that roost there.


Next we went to the Fisherman's Wharf and a closer view of Alcatraz


Of course there is the new "Oldtime Pier" shops


And a great view of two of San Francisco Landmarks Coit Tower and the Transamerica Building.

Coit Tower
Lillie Hitchcock Coit, philanthropist and admirer of the fire fighters at the 1906 earthquake fire, left funds to The City for beautification of San Francisco.

Those funds were used for the construction of the 210 ft. tall art deco Coit Tower at the top of Telegraph Hill. The towerÂ’s design is reminiscent of a fire hose nozzle and was quite controversial. The Golden Gate Bridge is another San Francisco landmark with an art deco design.

Transamerica Pyramid
The Transamerica Pyramid is the tallest and most recognizable skyscraper in the San Francisco skyline.

Built on the location of the historic Montgomery Block, it has a structural height of 260 meters (853 feet) and contains 48 stories of retail and office space. Construction began in 1969 and finished in 1972.

Although it no longer houses the headquarters of the Transamerica Corporation, it is still strongly associated with the company and is depicted in the company's logo. The building is evocative of San Francisco and has become one of the many symbols of the city. Designed by architect William Pereira.

From Fisherman's Wharf the view of the bay was spactacular.


Then one last look at Alcatraz which I think looks like a huge ship cruising the Bay.


or is this the ship cruising the bay with the Golden Gate Bridge in the background.


Well I'm sleepy goodnight and don't forget to click the pictures for a larger view.

Going South

Well I took off from home in the mini-muse-mobile at about 8:15am and actually had a very nice and comfortable 500 mile drive to a hotel just east of Sacramento arriving about 4:15. I didn't take many pictures since I was driving and wanted to arrive before the rush hour traffic. So here are a few pictures I took from the car - a little blurry but it's the best I could do today .

I took this on the drive down Siskiyou Pass the highest point on the drive.
Interstate 5 passes through the Siskiyous at Siskiyou Pass, located just north of the Oregon/California border, and just south of Ashland, Oregon. The pass is the highest part of Interstate 5 at 4,310 ft. (1,314 m). This pass is one of the most treacherous in the Interstate highway system. The California side has a more gradual ascent/descent, but the Oregon side of the pass (the side which is more hazardous), the freeway gains (loses) 2,300 feet (701 m) in altitude over a 7-mile stretch of freeway. In addition, the pass includes several hazardous curves, and is frequently hit with bad weather (including snow, ice, and fog) during winter storms. During winter, the highway is frequently closed by transportation authorities due to hazardous conditions.

Needless to say there was plenty of snow.



This picture is taken at California exit 6 on Interstate 5.


The slope was full of natures snowmen lined up and heavy with snow.


Finally Weed, CA and Mount Shasta. Unfortunately the peak was higher than the clouds.


Lenticular cloud – lenticularis

A lenticular cloud is a cloud that is shaped like a lentil seed, lenticularis is their correct name. They form along mountain ranges and in the standing waves on the lee side of mountain ranges. They usually have very well defined lens shaped outlines and may be quite long, like a long seat cushion.


On the flank of Mount Shasta is a lesser volcano named Shastina, which erupted after most of Shasta was built. On the flank of Shastina, down at its western base, is an even smaller volcano, Black Butte. It is noteworthy because it sits right next to Interstate 5 near the town of Mount Shasta. It last erupted at the beginning of Holocene time, less than 10,000 years ago. It should be considered dormant, not extinct.


Black Butte volcano from a little closer.


In Mount Shasta City there were several of these fires that were all controlled burns probably from brush cleanup.



Well it was a nice drive and it was great seeing my big sister (the real artist) and my brother-in-law the dyed in the wool cowboy. They both look great and have been missed. Tomorrow we visit my cousin Retired bowler and her dear friend Postal woman. Can't wait to see them.

Sisters, Sisters and more Sisters

Just east of Eugene is the town called Sisters. We were up there recently on the drive through the lava fields. Well it just happens that Scrabble Queen's sister "Equine Princess" came to town sooooooo we just had to drive to the town of Sisters again. So we loaded up everyone including "Super Putter" (Big Ed) into the Musemobile and headed east.

We arrived in the town with a big appetite and headed to "Bronco Billy's Ranch Grill & Saloon" for a quick meal. The entire building was originally the Hotel Sisters built in 1912.


Looking out from the front of Bronco Billy's we see a little of the western charm of the town complete with a cow mail box.


I really liked flower pot boot with a picture of Clint Eastwood (Star of the movie Bronco Billy) in the background.


This table in the grill reminded me of the scene where Wild Bill Hickok was shot in the back while holding Aces & Eights, the dead man's hand.


This poster from the Sisters Rodeo of 1999 was pretty cool and we all liked it immediately. Unfortunately we couldn't find one in stock in the entire town of Sisters or on E-Bay.


Well the Sisters decided to shop the main drag of the town so Super-Putter and I waited in the Saloon while they shopped and I snapped away with the camera.


I liked the bandana window coverings a lot. Just the right amount of light and a nice western touch.


Even the "Dancing Girls" mural added to the rugged mountain man feel of the saloon. Actually a couple of the dancers look a little like mountain men.


There is always some humor in western towns, a very little humor in this case.


So I got bored while the girls shopped and tried the sepia tone setting on my camera to get the tree amongst the clouds.


I also used the black & white setting for this rooftop vent.


I then went back to sepia for the "El Rancho Grande" Mexican Restaurant. I really liked the contrast in this one.


I finally had to bail out the happy shoppers from the Sisters Jailhouse imprisoned for shopping without a license.


On the way back we saw a little snow on the side of the road at Santiam Pass (4817 feet).


Sahalie Falls was on the way back so made a quick stop to take some pictures and for "Equine Princess" to get a chance to see them.


To view the falls there is an easy walk on a very well maintained trail.


The girls took off on a longer hike to the top of the falls while I lingered below.


Trying to be creative I took a shot from the walkway down to the falls.

I first though this was a decorated railing until I looked closer and realized it was a decoration from Mother Nature, a leaf stuck to the railing by the rain.


One last look at the falls.



Further down the mountain we stopped to get a shot at a farmers yard art.


Super-Putter though we might want to buy this old car. We all tried to guess the make and model but not one of us knew for sure. I was holding out for a Packard or a Hudson. Ok so I looked it up and I think it is a 1947 Hudson Commodore or at least part of one.


1947 Hudson Commodore

No Scrabble with company in town (that would be impolite)