Downtown San Francisco

Anca Gheorghe and myself took the BART to the Embarcadero station in downtown San Francisco, and then explored the waterfront between Farmers Market and the Bay Bridge. Farmers Market is full of high-end produce, baked goods, and artisan products...we could have bought it all. Anca and I then walked to EPIC Steak house, but debated eating at the Waterbar. We picked EPIC, though either would have been a winner based on the menu. We admired the view across the bay to Oakland while dinning on lobster bisque, shrimp, and broccolinis. The highlight of the night was probably the black cherry sundae I ate at Ghirardelli's...1000 calories of chocolate and ice cream...a once in a lifetime desert, but still completely worth it.

BART on the way to the Embarcadero station.

View of California Street.

The Bay Bridge.

Downtown San Francisco.

The Bay Bridge.

EPIC Steakhouse; San Francisco.

Downtown San Francisco.

Downtown San Francisco.

Point Reyes, California

Anca Gheorghe and myself explored Point Reyes, a peninsula that extends 10-15 miles west into the surrounding Pacific Ocean. Point Reyes was once part of the southern Sierra Nevada Mountains near Los Angeles, but was transported north as part of the Pacific Plate, and now resides north of San Francisco. This area is a wild wind swept landscape covered by green grass that feeds a plethora of cattle and deer. Tall steep cliffs fall dramatically to the ocean below. Ranching homesteads dot the treeless landscape, and Drakes Bay provides a sheltered harbor for ships.

Anca and I first explored the Cypress Tree Tunnel that leads to an old RCA signal outpost...now long abandoned. We then drove to the lighthouse located at the tip of the point, which unfortunately was closed the day we were present. Next, we hiked out to Chimney Rock, which wasn't all that dramatic, but I appreciated the windy scenery nonetheless.

Cypress Tree Tunnel; Point Reyes, CA. 

Cypress Tree Tunnel; Point Reyes, CA.

Old RCA building; Point Reyes, CA.

North shore of Point Reyes, CA.

Point Reyes, CA lighthouse.

Point Reyes, CA.

Point Reyes, CA.

Point Reyes, CA.

Point Reyes, CA.

Point Reyes, CA.

Northern California in December

Anca Gheorghe and I explored the coast and redwood forests of northern California during early-mid December. We stopped briefly at a beach located due south of the Redwood National Park visitor center and watched tall waves crash onto shore. We then hiked the Prairie Creek and Zigzag trail in the Prairie Creek Redwood State Park. Later, we hiked to Strawberry Rock near Trinidad, CA. The ascent up the rock was a bit hazardous due to recent rains, but we made it to the top and had a nice picnic overlooking the Pacific coast. We concluded the day at a beach in beautiful Trinidad.

Beach located near the Redwood National Park visitor center.

Prairie Creek; Prairie Creek Redwood State Park.

Prairie Creek Redwood State Park.

Prairie Creek Redwood State Park.

Strawberry Rock, near Trinidad, CA.

Strawberry Rock near Trinidad, CA.

Strawberry Rock near Trinidad, CA.

Strawberry Rock near Trinidad, CA.

Strawberry Rock near Trinidad, CA.

Strawberry Rock near Trinidad, CA.

Prairie Creek Redwood State Park.

Trinidad, CA.

Strawberry Rock near Trinidad, CA.

Trinidad, CA.

Strawberry Rock near Trinidad, CA.

Kansas City, MO; Lawrence, KS; Lansing, KS

I attended a week-long leadership training class at the National Weather Service Training Center in Kansas City, MO during early December. The class was an outstanding experience; my trainers were awesome; and I met a lot of cool people who I'm glad to say are my colleagues. A large group of us went to Q39 in Midtown KC one evening halfway through the class. The BBQ at Q39 is out of this world. I also got the chance to visit family in Lansing, KS; and also attended a Kansas basketball game in Lawrence, KS with Anca Gheorghe. KU looks really good this year, and though the game I attended was a blowout, the atmosphere in Allen Fieldhouse was somewhat subdued...perhaps due to the start of the holiday break? Anca and I also went shopping in the Country Club Plaza district in Kansas City, and ate sushi at Kona Grill, which is another spot I'd recommend. Miscellaneous pictures from my trip are posted below.

Allen Fieldhouse; University of Kansas.

Allen Fieldhouse; University of Kansas

BBQ plater at Q39 in Midtown Kansas City.

Anca and Baycon; Lansing, KS.

House of cards, built during a team exercise at the Field Operations Management course at the National Weather Service Training Center in Kansas City, MO.

Convection over San Francisco International Airport.

Kansas City International Airport.

Salmon Mountain - Orleans, CA

I took advantage of another warm dry northern California November day and did a quick easy hike up Salmon Mountain. Nothing too interesting to report--pictures are below:

Random Pictures: 2017 and 2018