Microblog

Picked up a week’s worth of mail from the mailroom downstairs. We’ve minimized snail mail to the point we don’t stop mail delivery when we travel. We’ve used DMAchoice, PaperKarma, CatalogChoice, and OptOutPreScreen. We’ve contacted senders directly to cancel mail and we give anonymously. The online USPS Informed Delivery service let’s us preview mail and… Continue reading Minimizing Paper Mail

Woke up to a view of wet tarmac and San Francisco SFO’s International Terminal A. After a week of blue skies, rain was pelting down. Soon, the EVA Air (green tail on the left) flight will depart for Taipei, the China Eastern flight (on the right) for Shanghai, and we’ll be en route to Minneapolis/St.… Continue reading Planespotting

Today’s hike was our longest yet, but with the least climbing. From Sausalito, we crossed the Golden Gate Bridge, then followed the bay to The Embarcadero. The BART whisked us to the airport, where we settled into the comfortable Grand Hyatt right there for the night. Our room has great views of plane movements, and… Continue reading Trail’s End

Our hike, today, was the longest and highest of this trip. Wonderful views kept us motivated: first the Pacific, then one tower of Golden Gate Bridge, then a glimpse of San Francisco’s skyline wedged between two hills. Here, we’re finally Bay-side, soon to descend towards Sausalito to check into a small hotel, shower off the… Continue reading Gradual Reveals

After a shorter hike than yesterday’s (it is a rest day) and a nutritious late lunch of “crisps” (potato chips) and IPA, we retired, here, to the snug with a pot of tea. It was then upstairs to our bedchamber for Kindle-time and naps.

We did a simple loop hike, ending up back at our inn. After a breakfast that included a tasty banger, headed down the coast towards the entrance to San Francisco Bay. In the distance a foghorn announced that visibility was limited.

Our bedchamber for the next three nights: note the step stool. Downstairs they serve great local microbrews along with classic British pub fare.

Hiked down into Muir Woods and then climbed out the other side of the valley, passing under the giant redwoods. (Yep, that’s me.) Back up top, we had wonderful views of the bay and the Pacific Ocean as we walked across meadows dotted with wildflowers to our home for the next three nights, a replica… Continue reading Redwoods and Meadows

Today we reacquainted ourselves with the massive redwoods of Muir Woods. Tonight we’re staying in a comfortable inn at the highest point on our multi-day hike with distant views of San Francisco Bay.

Tonight, our home is Sausalito, Marin County, CA. Here, a eucalyptus tree with plenty of stories to tell frames a distant view of downtown San Francisco, across the bay. Tomorrow, huge redwoods await us.

Loaded a San Francisco Bay Area Clipper transit card and a Delta boarding pass for a flight tomorrow onto my watch. We’ll hike from inn to inn in Marin County, ending up next Friday in downtown San Francisco via the Golden Gate Bridge. The watch is a fun addition, its main advantage over my phone… Continue reading Digital Travel Documents, Real-World Hike

On Thursdays we compare notes about our day at our local, Maxwell’s. This photo from Dwight’s day at the university greenhouse caught my eye with its unusual bulbous tuberous stem that looks like it should be covered in polite company. Apparently it’s Sinningia helleri (gloxinia) from South America, which leaves me none the wiser.

We’re slowly making our way through Shogun (2024). Tonight we watched episode 7 (of 10) with Dwight fast-forwarding through the commercials. I appreciate the show’s high production values, how it sheds light on events leading to Japan’s Edo period (in fictionalized form), and how it resists the white savior trope.

After a cuppa at Wise Owl Cafe in the University’s Walter Science and Engineering Library, discovered The Toaster, a room filled with freely available maker gear, including 3D printers, Cricuts and LEGO. Resisted the temptation then walked to the School of Architecture where students were presenting their portfolios displayed on large panels. It was then… Continue reading The Space Between

The opening of Sea Salt at Minnehaha Park for the season motivated me to cycle a loop that included Hiawatha LRT Trail, Midtown Greenway, Chain of Lakes, Minnehaha Creek, Minnehaha Park, and West River Parkway. The cooked-to-order fish tacos were undiminished and a bargain at $8.

Across the river from our home there’s an eagle’s nest. It was empty last year but on our walk this morning we spotted an eagle’s head peeking out. Sometimes one of the eagles swoops right past our apartment at eye level.