Urban adventures

So, we're (that's Pep and myself) down to counting days now. That's right! It's only 11 days...That's less than two weeks, and E will be home! Back to the coffee-making, dog-walking mornings...the Chinatown eats...the consumer-related but non-consumer activities...oh so soon.

In the meantime, though, Leah came to SF for a post-Yosemite visit and totally made the week fly by. Her first few days here might have been restful, but as soon as I had the day off, I drug the poor girl on foot all over the Haight, Castro, Mission and SoMa. Yeah, I forgot that Market Street runs diagonally to the grid...how? I couldn't say...but we ended up about 15 blocks out of the way. Still, she got a good taste of what SF could be--that is, better on a bike! Oh, but I forget...the day before we opened the newly built Academy of Sciences...and practically closed it down. We wanted to be sure to get the coveted passes to the planetarium (the big ticket on my wish list for the day--space geek) and to make it into the reconstructed rainforest with the least painful line-waiting experience (Leah's big ticket on the wish list--bird geek); so, we got there just as the doors were opening that morning. Like veterans, we got the passes and walked right over to the rainforest and barely waited at all. Still, can't say that she wasn't chomping at the bit to get inside that ball of misty humidity! Check it... I thought she might push the little boys in front of us over!! ha ha...naw just kidding...but she was serious despite that deceptive calm look.



So, while Leah took to the birds and id'ing species...I took to the building. Pretty stinking cool. I have to give big props to ol' Renzo Piano for this one. Those tectonics (structure not plate) really paid off big time in this beauty.



This elegantly, swerving ramp glided up through the rainforest from the floor of the "forest" through the canopy. The end of the journey was a magic elevator ride down below the water into the aquarium. I don't know about the kids there...but I was about to pee my pants. This was exceptionally awesome.



And at one point we actually found time to head up to the living roof that is planted with native California wildflowers and grasses and undulates into seven peaks (recalling the mythic "seven peaks of San Francisco") that open to ventilate the spaces below. The two largest "hills" stretch over the domes of the planetarium and the rainforest spheres. She ain't so super-sly... those turtles totally saw her!

Then, on Leah's last day here...we headed north to the Headlands and Point Reyes. We trekked it all the way up to the point first where we caught some awesome views of dive-bombing pelicans and swarming elephant seals as well as the flush of birds that were feeding in the tidal flats and marshes along the way there. We even slammed on the brakes and caught a super close view of a turkey vulture on a post. Whoa... those suckers are big and ugly! Then we worked our way back south a little into the Marin Watershed (the only legal place Pep can roam...) for a not-so-quick, quick hike.

One of the most beautiful aspects of this area is the diversity and intensely wild plants that have no precedent in my working knowledge of the Mississippi delta and east of the Mississippi wildernesses. Every view is new and bizarre and well... just wild.


So, this type of tree, I realized in this different season is the same "butterscotch" trees that E and I saw on a hike back on a wet day in February. Here they're peeling and not plastic at all...but more nearly geometric...

And, thanks to Leah, I know that this lovely, delicate tree is a Hemlock (we decided it is not known to either of us if this the "hemlock" legendary to the end of Socrates). I especially loved their reaches and wispy folds that caught the sunlight.

And, all I got to say to this unidentified species is... The feather's magical! You CAN fly!!!

Rebel dog...swimming in the watershed reservoir... naughty but super cool. You can't blame a hot dog for heading toward those blue, blue waters!


And, the drive back along Hwy 1 down the coast proved to be just as different as it is every time. you can never tell how the fog will roll in... but here the ocean the sky fade together... it was quite ethereal... cheers to an urban-adventure-packed week to follow that real wilderness-packed week, Leah! good times :)

See more pics on Facebook...tried to keep this post somewhat calm... not so great at that...