Valley View Loop, San Pedro Valley Park

Yet another winning hike from bahiker.com!  We've been feeling a little lazy lately so opted for a 2-miler. The deer were so tame here and at one point they walked right up to us.  

1/1600, f/5, ISO 800

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Besties

It took several weeks for Snape to warm up to having a new kitten in the house, but now they are rarely more than a few feet apart from each other at all times.  I come home at the end of every workday to find them canoodling in a nest of blankets, grooming each other. It is pretty much the cutest thing I've ever seen.

1/40, f/3.5, ISO 800

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Sam of Sutro Baths

Apparently I didn't have to go to Big Sur to see otters.  Or rather, otter.  Sam is a river otter who somehow made his way to the Sutro Baths and has taken up residence.  After hearing about this amazing creature I decided I absolutely had to see him. Since I live in the neighborhood, I popped over one evening to catch the sunset, hoping to see Sam!  No otter, but the sunset was beautiful!

1/320, f/9, ISO 1250

1/400,  f/14, ISO 320 

1/320, f/10, ISO 1250

Luckily my friend Christine was in town the next weekend visiting from Hawaii, so I took her on the Land's End Trail, starting near the Legion of Honor with gorgeous views of the Golden Gate Bridge and around the point to Sutro Baths.  And there was Sam! 

1/400, f/5.6, ISO 320

1/400, f/5.6, ISO 320

After watching Sam frolic across the pool for a bit, we climbed up the hill for the aerial view and ate our sandwiches.  We noticed a hawk lurking low in the sky...

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 And the next thing we knew, a poor rat was was being carried off into the wind.

1/400, f/5.6, ISO 320

California coastline

Our Big Sur destination was about a 4 hour drive south of San Francisco.  What with the after-work traffic, then the coiling, treacherous roads in the dark, the drive down was a nightmare.  The drive back home was a million times better!

We stopped to check out McWay Falls, just a short walk off the highway.

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 Did another short but steep hike down to see another falls...

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 And, of course, couldn't help but stop a few more times to take pics. It was so beautiful!

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1/400, f/10, ISO 200

Big Sur Wildlife

I had been hoping to spot some otters while in Big Sur, but I was in no way prepared for the incredible amount of wildlife we encountered.  While eating breakfast one morning at Treebones Resort we counted at least 5 whales and 3 packs (pods?) of seals. 

1/160, f/6.3, ISO 200

Over the weekend we also saw dolphins, a lone otter, countless hawks and other birds, tons of monarch butterflies...

1/50, f/13, ISO 200

And elephant seals! It was Loud, Smelly, all around Obnoxious pupping season at Piedras Blancas Roookery:

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Treebones

One of my favorite birthday gift traditions is my dream weekend getaway.  I get to plan my ideal destination, lodging, and itinerary and cash it in sometime in January.  It is the perfect way to launch the new year.  This year I chose to go yurting at Treebones Resort in Big Sur, CA.

It's about 4 hours south of San Francisco, so we arrived in the dark.  It was so much fun to stargaze from our balcony!

20 sec, f/4, ISO 400

1/15, f/25, ISO 250

1/125, f/5.6, ISO 320

I woke up early and caught the sunrise!

1/160, f/6.3, ISO 800

1/80, f/22, ISO 160

We spent an amazing day driving and hiking around Big Sur and saw a TON of wildlife (more pics to come!). Back to home base in time for sunset and more stargazing.

1/15, f/22, ISO 160

1/30, f/7.1, ISO 320

Surf 'n Seals

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I was thrilled to spend my birthday weekend at Moss Beach, watching the surf and the seals. I could stare at the ocean forever.

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