October 27 - Turning to the Light

Up early,

although not as early as hoped (some perceptual problem re "quarter of six" vs 6:45am),

nevertheless down the

freeway

in a reasonable

time

to head out

from

San Jose Mineta International Airport.

Transitioning from parking to

terminal,

running the gauntlet of security,

catching up on the

news,

there's a window seat adjacent to pleasant female company --

over the

Coast Ranges,

San Luis Reservoir, San Joaquin Valley,

the Sierras,

Tehachapi, Mojave (town, Desert, and National Park),

the Colorado River, the Wickenburg cut-off,

the Sonoran

Desert,

to

Phoenix. 

Ridiculously quick transition, then the flight towards Philadelphia, wedged between friendly folks but large folks (tall window man, beautiful aisle woman (Bible opened to Zephaniah, somewhat in the spirit of Old Bull Lee's Tibetan Book of the Dead)... burley shaved-head guy reclining seat directly in front.  When a standing passenger takes a handhold directly above, subway style, it's definitely time to get up and stretch the legs.  At other intervals, finish Ptolemy's The Almagest and begin Nicolaus Copernicus's On the Revolutions of Heavenly Spheres, part of the Britannica Great Books, Volume 16 -- appropriate, given the presentation of movements originally from Suite ("Sol[ar]") two days from now.  Less serendipitously, realize that the pdf work occurring aloft is finishing the Offertorium of Aerial Requiem, but, mercifully, touch down with no incidents.

Great to be back, staying with George and Bette, with late night local cuisine including several of the major Philadelphia food groups:

soft pretzels, Utz and Herrs chips, and Breyer's ice cream.

January 17 - Above It All

Day three of the fog, but at least Harriet's home, and another quiet time of catch-up, including the editing of Diabolic: XXIV, beginning draft of the Alex Shapiro article for The New Grove Dictionary of American Music, and producing a video for



A Walk Through California: Riverside (Oak Glen Road).

January 8 - Paradise Loosed

Further

north,

but

first

slightly

southwest

along

the

beach

and

back

up

the

Wilmar

Stairs

to

street

level

and

car,

then up the coast past Shell

Beach,

San

Luis

Obispo,

the Nine Sisters (including Islay Hill,

Cerro San Luis, 

Bishop and

Chumash Peaks,

Cerro Romualdo,

Hollister Peak,

Cerro Cabrillo, Black Hill, and

Morro Rock),

Cayucos,

Harmony,

Cambria

(Pines),

San

Simeon

and

Hearst Castle,

Elephant

Seal

Beach,

Piedras

Blancas,

Ragged

Point

approaching the

Santa

Lucias,

Salmon

Creek,

Redwood

Gulch,

Gorda,

and

Lime

Kiln

Canyon

State

Park,

to

lunch

at

Lucia

(restful

scene

of numerous challeges -- today, road construction just to the south; last time here, fire further).

Big

Creek

Bridge

Canyon

and

Viewpoints,

The

Esalen

Institute,

Julia

Pfeiffer

Burns

McWay

Falls

Beach,

Torre Canyon,

Coast

Gallery,

Lafler

and

Grimes Canyons,

Deetjen's

Inn,

Henry Miller Library,

and

Nepenthe

lead

to

a

drink

at

Ventana

Inn

Restaurant,

where

the

fog

looms

to

the north.

There's nothing to be done but descend

 
into

Big Sur Valley,

with views of

Mt.

Manuel,

followed by the

blaze out into

Andrew Molera,

where the cloud cover covers the Lighthouse,

to

Little

Sur

River,

Hurricane

Point,

Bixby

and

Rocky Creek Bridges,

Notley's Landing, and

Garapata Beach.

Civilization re-intrudes at Malpaso Creek, with a Carmelized landscape of Highlands and

Bay, to Monterey's

Sand City

of beach

and

fading sun.



San Mateo (a hit-and-run rear-ends the car in Santa Cruz, but, mercifully virtually no damage is done -- except to the nerves), San Francisco, Marin, Sonoma, and Solano in the dark to a video of A Walk Through California: San Luis Obispo (Elephant Seals).