Beach Power

I'm still catching up with posting photographs from some recent trips to the beach when we had a particularly warm week here.

One day we went to San Onofre State beach which is a more primitive beach (basic toilets and a rough road) than many in the area but it is loved by surfers.

It was low tide again so there were lots of interesting textures to see and a chance to walk in areas that are usually under the water.

Air holes made by critters living under the sand.

Seagulls and a Blue Heron checking out the surf.

As hubby was going to be out in the ocean for a while surfing, I decided to take a walk along an portion of beach I haven't been before. This took me past the nuclear plant at the end of the surf area.

I love how clear the reflections are in the picture below.

Wet sand can be golden or purple depending on the amount of water.

Fabulous textures.

Evidence of the patter of tiny feet.

The combination of some rocks, water, and sunlight turn an ordinary scene into something special.

Sunny Flowers

The more I look at this painting, the more I like it. Though small, it really lights up the area around it.

'Sunny Bouquet' 5" x 7" Oil on Canvas.

Road Trip 3

After heading out of Bodie we drive up to Highway 108 which took us back over the Sierra's. Although this road did not take us up quite as high as Tioga Pass did (around 9,300 feet compared with 9,943 feet) the climb was much steeper on Highway 108 which as a 26% grade.

We drove to Columbia where the the gold rush era buildings in the town are a State Park. All the buildings have been preserved and restored compared with Bodie Ghost Town.

This part of the town is pedestrian only so visitors can stroll along focusing on the buildings rather than the traffic.

 We booked to stay in one of the two hotels within the State Park area so we could wander around the streets after the day visitors had left for the day.

As well as museum exhibits, there are real shops open and run by people in period dress.

We stayed at the Fallon Hotel which has recently been rennovated.

 The lobby.

The corridor to our room.

The following day we drove up Highway 49 to another old town that was built around the place where gold was actually discovered at the Marshall Gold Discovery Site State Park Visitors Centre.

Here is a representation of the event.

A replica of Sutter's Mill which was near the discovery site.

This is the place where the discovery of gold set off the California Gold Rush.