fstopandsee

This area used to be primarily orchards. Now it is mostly offices and condos, but this orchard still exists. A recent storm passing through created great light to give contrast to the new living buds and the dormant trees.

The western span of the Bay Bridge doesn’t always get the respect it deserves. Always in the shadow of the Golden Gate Bridge, sustaining earthquake damage, and generally being viewed as a mere form of transportation can’t make for an easy life. The Bay Lights changed all that, bringing the bridge to life every night for the last few years. After I learned the lights are coming down temporarily, I decided to post this recent night photo as a way to keep them around.

I was expecting a view of San Francisco from here, but I wasn’t expecting the dramatic layer of fog below me. It really separated the elevations, and completely blocked out the ocean for most of this hike.

I’ve driven through the tunnel on Yerba Buena Island many times, but never stopped to check it out. When I finally did, I learned there really isn’t that much there except a lot of “No Trespassing” signs and abandoned buildings. I did find this vantage point in a precarious spot overlooking the Bay Bridge. It wasn’t easy to hang out there very long, but the view of San Francisco was worth it!

A nice view and a great walk down. Heading back up was a bit more work.

An interesting pattern of sediment flowing into the San Francisco Bay. It might not be so pretty when you are in the water, but from up in the air it made a multicolor design.

An empty pier at night. Clear, cold and serene. In the summer this would be a very busy place, but this time of year even the water is frozen and still.

The city of San Francisco from above. This probably isn’t the view you think of when you hear the words San Francisco, but you’ll find some very typical San Francisco elements in this photograph. There is Market Street (curved in the center) the Castro Theater, and of course the San Francisco Bay itself.

There is an incredibly scenic and little known viewpoint in San Francisco called Tank Hill. This particular view just after sunset really highlights St. Ignatius Church, but I happen to like the layering of the San Francisco Bay and hills in the background. If you look close enough, you can even see the south tower of the Golden Gate Bridge on the left.

A view of Coit Tower in San Francisco from the water. I snapped this on my way into the city on the ferry. It looks fairly calm, but it was hard to get a steady shot the way that the boat was rocking!