Critical Mass, San Francisco, October 27, 2006
October is my favorite month in the Bay Area, because of the clear weather, the splendid colors of the liquidambar trees, and of course Halloween. Here are a few photos from fun things I did this October (and early November).
Critical Mass | Nimitz Trail, Tilden Park | Grandparents' houses
Pictures are already full-size, but you can click on a picture to see it separately.
Critical Mass, San Francisco, October 27, 2006 | |
Critical Mass is a huge anarchical bike ride that happens in San Francisco on the last Friday of every month. At the October Critical Mass, Halloween costumes are strongly encouraged. This year some ERG colleagues (Christian, Lindsey, Will and I) joined the fun. Photos cannot fully capture the feeling of exhilarating mayhem created by a parade of 5,000 cyclists in costume careening down Market Street!
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Cyclists departing Embarcadero Plaza, with the Ferry Building in the background.
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Is that Jesus next to the girl with a red wig?
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We're about to join the fray. From L: Amber (San from "Princess Mononoke"), Lindsey (ladybug), Christian (ghost), and Will (Dirty Old Man).
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After an hour or so of riding, we pause in the median strip for costume adjustment.
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Look! Ghosts!
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Nimitz Trail in Tilden Park, Berkeley, October 28, 2006 | |
Tilden Park, the "jewel of the East Bay Regional Parks," encompasses a large part of the East Bay hills. Despite Tilden's proximity to campus, I don't get up there as often as I should! On a beautiful Saturday evening in October, my road bike Will Scarlet and I explored the Nimitz Trail, a hiking / cycling trail that follows the ridgetop south from Inspiration Point. Although the trail is paved, it goes many miles into the wilderness, and allowed Will Scarlet to pretend that he was a mountain bike.
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Sunset over Monterey pines.
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San Pablo Reservoir at dusk, with Mount Diablo on the horizon.
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Mooooo! Parts of Tilden are used for cattle grazing. These cows and their calves had congregated on the trail - enjoying the sunset, perhaps? Eventually they ambled out of the way to let me pass.
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Sunset with Mount Tamalpias and bat-house. (The bat-houses seem to be working - I did, in fact, see a small bat shortly thereafter.)
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Self-portait at arm's length with bicycle. This gate marks the end of the paved section, so Will Scarlet and I had to turn back. It was a glorious ride!
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My grandparents' houses | |
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View of San Elijo Lagoon and Highway 1 from Grandmother's house in Solana Beach, north of San Diego.
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View of the San Francisco Bay from Grandma's house in El Cerrito. (Click for larger version.)
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Last updated November 9, 2006.