Phoenix - March 2015

Normally, March is an excellent time to leave the wet and gray Sacramento winters and head to Phoenix, AZ for a warm, sunny week of baseball. Our winter has been dry and sunny, so the baseball is still the main reason to pack the bags for a quick vacation to the Valley of the Sun for Spring Training baseball. Thousands of other people have the same idea, so be prepared to pay a lot of money and deal with massive crowds, especially when cheering on the 2014 World Champion San Francisco Giants!

On this trip, the weather in Phoenix was surprisingly cool and wet. The desert always smells great after a fresh rain, and the cooler temperatures made baseball much easier. The rain stayed away from my games and eventually receded. This made the desert come alive in spring colors and blooms unique to any other place in the world.

I decided to start my day with a nice day baseball game in Phoenix with my Giants playing the Milwaukee Brewers. The Brewers play at the Maryvale Baseball Park in West Phoenix. The stadium is very nice, but they quickly become overwhelmed with extremely long lines inside the park and difficult parking.

The neighborhood is not the prettiest or richest, so it does scare off some of those who cannot stand looking at reality on their vacations. After a few home runs and a sausage race, the Giants pulled off a 3-2 victory, and it was time to head off to meet friends and continue my quest.

The Phoenix Coyotes are now the Arizona Coyotes which now makes sense since the team has been playing in Glendale for many years. Maybe the San Francisco 49ers will take over the Golden State 49ers name if and when the Warriors become a San Francisco team?

The Gila River Arena is a beautiful place to watch a hockey game - probably among the best in the NHL - and should be a top spot for any visiting fans. Unfortunately, the Coyotes have been struggling for the past few seasons, and the Colorado Avalanche defeated us 5-2. And there was no fight. Boo!

With a day of sports out of the day, it was time to hit some museums and restaurants to complete the experience. I was staying in the northern part of Phoenix, so it was easy to pop over to the Musical Instrument Museum. This world-class museum is nestled in the desert of North Phoenix and is not only gorgeous, but houses an expansive collection of musical instruments from around the world and across all time.

The admission is steep, but includes an audio guide that syncs with the displays to allow you to hear the instruments being played. It is like a continuous concert and can easily suck you in for hours. They also have a section where you can play instruments yourself and many concerts. Always an amazing place.

I have been dreaming of a fry bread taco for several weeks. Fortunately, I was able to make the drive to the Fry Bread House to indulge. Above is a Combination Taco with New Mexico red chili beef, refried beans, cheese, and lettuce. The fry bread is tender, flaky, and perfect. Yum! They are moving in a few weeks, but find them. You will not be sorry, except if you forget your Zantac.

This trip was extra special in that I got to see one of my college friend's successful glass business in action. He operates Recast Glass online and at the Phoenix Open Air Market and recycles and repurposes wine and liquor bottles into many cool and interesting things. Make sure to check him out before they are all gone! The market is also really nice and a good option for anybody in Phoenix on a Saturday morning.

Vacations always end, but fortunately the Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport is always a nice place to begin and end your journey. Terminal 4 - where US Airways & Southwest operate - is the newest and nicest terminal with lots of public art and interesting shops and restaurants. The above mural decorates the hallway linking the terminal to the light rail station and other destinations. If you are ever stuck here, you can get a nice workout walking all the moving walkways around the terminal or exit security for a nice little art museum in the central area.

It is always a nice trip to see my old neighborhood and friends in Phoenix. Please enjoy the rest of my pictures below.

Winter at Lake Tahoe - February 2015

If you have not heard, California is experiencing a severe drought with snow and rain levels far below normal. These are normal occurrences, but due to our increased carbon emissions, climate change is happening and is making these events more severe. Fortunately, there is still some snow around, so I was able to drive up the hill - in my hybrid of course - and take some pictures of this year's limited snowfall in and around Lake Tahoe.

Taking pictures of snow in Lake Tahoe is always complicated. I remember during college in Arizona that snow is very unpredictable with gray skies and whiteout conditions common during winter. Now I have to deal with the problem of scheduling nice days for the weekends to avoid making my boss angry with too many sick days! This day was a bit of a problem due to lots of high cirrus clouds which reduces the ambient light and washes out the sky. This is why I made a lot of the photos black & white to show the great contrast. The video above was shot near Lake Tahoe in Tahoe Meadows. It is a popular meadow with lots of great slopes for free sledding and snow activity. You have to walk carefully to avoid stepping 2-3 feet down in the snow.

This trip was also an excuse to visit the new Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Stateline, NV. The old Del Webb and Horizon Casino have been scrubbed down and modernized into the Hard Rock format. Interesting fact, the High Sierra Format for CD-ROM was developed by a group of manufacturers meeting at the Del Webb High Sierra. One of the treats is the extensive use of local crayfish from Tahoe Lobster. The crayfish population in Lake Tahoe is overpopulated which leads to environmental problems, so the company is trying to promote them as food to solve several problems. They are very tasty problems with a clean taste due to the lack of pesticides and runoff in Lake Tahoe compared to other crayfish operations. Highly recommended!

But, of course you are here looking for pictures of Lake Tahoe. I cannot disappoint my fans! This was a fun shot with the iconic rocks and pine trees against the massive lake with a tiny boat chugging along. You can see the ripples in the lake and the light snow in the far background. The view is from Logan Point - just north of Cave Rock on the eastern shore of Lake Tahoe.

I have taken many photos of Lake Tahoe, including many photos with lots of snow this time of year. It was very nice to walk around and play in some, but the snow is very bad this year. My skier friends are very disappointed, and this summer will likely find us with far more drought restrictions due to a lack of snow this year. Nevertheless, the lake is always impressive, and it is hard to complain about a very nice day in the Sierras. Please enjoy the rest of my pictures below.

Christmas in Sacramento - December 2014

It is finally Christmas in Sacramento. While everyone is enjoying their day in their own special way, I thought I would post a few of my favorite pictures from Sacramento during the holiday season. I wish you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year wherever you may be. Please enjoy my special holiday photos below.

Christmas Lights and Clear Sky

Folsom & 58th on Christmas Day Morning

Discarded Trader Joe's Liquor Bag

Rare Daytime Shot of Costco Gas Station without a Line

Arden Fair Mall on Christmas Morning

Land Park Streetlight

Old Sacramento Decorations

Old Sacramento Christmas Tree

Christmas Costumes at Evangeline's

Conductor and Hobo at the Polar Express

Polar Express Engineer on Break

State of California Christmas Tree and Menorah

Black & White Holiday Sunset

Christmas Tree Ornament Detail

Sacramento Family Enjoying a Holiday Walk

Midtown Sacramento Christmas Lights

Christmas Light Tree at East Lawn Cemetary

Tree Decoration in East Sacramento

Christmas Light Detail

Reflected Christmas Lights

Christmas Decorations in the Fab 40's Neighborhood

Overhead Christmas Lights in East Sacramento

Star Light Path in East Sacramento

State Christmas Tree with Lights

Alcatraz Island Night Tour - December 2014

Alcatraz Island in Black & White

The last time I visited "the Rock" was back during college with some friends during a summer trip to San Francisco. Over a decade later, I decided it was time to return, but this time I took a special night tour of Alcatraz Island during the winter when there was more darkness. The clouds had returned by the time we arrived, but I felt that seeing the historic prison in black & white seems even better.

Alcatraz Clipper Ferry

This is the only way to visit the island. Fortunately, handcuffs and chains are optional on the trip. The ferry takes passengers on the short trip in relative comfort on a very green ship. The cruise operator worked with the Bay Area Air Quality Management District to install exhaust after treatment and electric shore power on the boat. Combined with on-board solar panels and windmills, the system emits 80% less ozone-forming pollution and burns 20% less diesel fuel.

Old Guard Tower and Historic Truck

The ferry disembarks at the main docks where you meet your tour guide and head up the hill to the main prison. The United States government has used Alcatraz Island for many years as a military base, military prison, and federal penitentiary. Early military prisoners enjoyed a cell that was 3 feet wide, 5 feet long, and 5 feet high. Later prisoners would enjoy much nicer accommodations.

Prison Shower

Time for a shower. The line for audio tours snakes around the communal shower that makes most dorm showers look like a five-star spa. Inmates were allowed two showers per week. Most of the tourists could use one too.

During the night tour, there are various special tours and demonstrations. Above is a video of the cell doors opening and closing. They did not use keys to unlock the doors. Remote mechanical releases would allow the guards to access the cells. I also had the opportunity to take a night walking tour around the island which was pretty awesome on a still, clear night. The guide told us about several escape attempts while a buoy bell tolled in the distance. That and the amazingly awesome San Francisco night skyline all lit up for the holidays!

Prison Dining Room

Most of my fellow "inmates" throughly enjoyed their sentence on Alcatraz. After the audio tour, you can move freely around the prison and even buy a few souvenir tin cups. Alcatraz was a prison for prisoners which meant you had to break the rules while in prison to end up here. Inmates had a mixed life playing baseball one minute and under lockdown the next. The facility has a unique history and is a fun trip for anyone living in or visiting Northern California.

The ferry back to San Francisco was quick, but gorgeous. The San Francisco skyline is always impressive, but at night it truly shines. Unfortunately, the camera cannot do this place justice. The above video attempts to capture the essence of the voyage, but you really need to do this in person to catch the true feeling.

Christmas Tree at Pier 39

The night tour returns to Pier 33 around 7:00 PM which is perfect timing for shopping and dinner at nearby Pier 39. This tourist trap is open nightly with a huge sparking tree visible from Alcatraz and made a perfect ending to a long day. Please enjoy the rest of my pictures below.

Alcatraz Island with San Francisco Skyline

Prison Powerhouse with Graffiti

Main Dock at Alcatraz

"Welcome" Sign with Graffiti from Native American Occupation

Original Prison Building

Main Prison Entrance

Interior Cellblock

Solitary Confinement Cell on D Block

Recreation Yard

Interior of Main Cell with Typical Personal Effects

Entrance to Administration Building

Walkway between C & D Block - Seedy (C-D) Street

Main Prison Building at Night

Interior Cellblock at Night

Prison Cells with Escape Mannequins

Prison Guardhouse with Light