Purisima Creek Redwoods (PC03 Gate),
Tunitas Creek Rd, Highway 1 Ocean View,
Windy Hill Open Space Preserve (WH05 Gate)


San Mateo County, California

Sunday, July 21, 2013

By Peter Y. Chou
WisdomPortal.com



Preface: On Sunday July 21, 2013, my friend planned going to Cowell Ranch Beach for a 3-mile hike since we couldn't find a parking space there last week. Unfortunately, I forgot to bring my distance glasses, so we changed our plans going first to Eastern Purisima Creek Redwoods (PC 03 Gate). We came here five years ago (September 14, 2008). After a short 20-minutes stay (2:33-2:53 pm), we headed west on Tunitas Creek Road. From the car, photographed two mountain bikers coming and going. At the junction of Lobitos & Tunitas Creek Road, there were many Yellow Lotus on the roadside as well as Farewell to Spring (Clarkia amoena). After 35 minutes on Tunitas Creek Road, we arrived on Highway 1 for scenic views of the Pacific Ocean (3:54-4:23 pm). It was surprising to find a piano on the seaside cliff. A man with an official Half Moon Bay T-shirt tells us that this is a music project, Sunset Piano Opus 2 for Twelve Pianos by Mauro Ffortissimo. Twelve pianos were installed along San Mateo Half Moon Bay coastline for July 7-21 (Mercury News, 7-14-2013). Anyone can sit at one of these pianos and play "songs for whales migrating along the coast". Nine of the pianos were already removed, with the last three removed tomorrow. After my friend took a photo of me at the piano, we stopped by San Gregorio State Beach before heading for Windy Hill Open Space Preserve. entering the WH05 gate (5:11 pm). There was a giant gnarly oak on the Betsy Crowder Trail. No ducks or coots were swimming in Sausal Pond. However a hawk flew overhead on the Spring Ridge Trail that I was lucky to photograph. We left Windy Hill at 5:45 pm and my friend drove me home. I got my distance glasses and caught the 6:40 pm Bus #22 which arrived at Palo Alto Train Depot at 7:05 pm. Went to the Stanford Theatre and saw two films of Spencer Tracy & Katherine Hepburn Adam's Rib (1950) and Desk Set (1957).


Purisima Creek Info Boards (PC03 Gate)

"Step Throne" Redwood Stump

"Cavern" Redwood Stump

PC03 Redwood Trailhead

Sunflare through Two Redwoods

"Three Graces" Redwoods

Bluebell (Hyacinthoides)

Driving West on Tunitas Creek Road

Star Hill Road Signpost

Trees along Tunitas Creek Road

Mountain Bikers Coming & Going

Lobitos & Tunitas Creek Road Signpost

Yellow Lotus (Nelumbo lutea)

Farewell to Spring (Clarkia amoena)

Clarkia amoena on Tunitas Creek Road

Ocean View on Highway 1

Yellow Lotus on Roadside

Lobitos & Tunitas Creek Road

Piano on Coastal Cliff

Golden Yarrow & Ocean Cliffs

Ocean Waves & Cliffs

Sunset Piano Opus 2 for Twelve Pianos

Steep Descent to the Beach

Incoming Waves on the Beach

Peter Playing at the Piano

Golden Yarrow (Eriophyllum confertiflorum)

San Gregorio State Beach Sign

Highway 1 Uphill by San Gregorio Beach

Geese, Ducks, Seagulls at Beach

San Gregorio State Beach

Birds & Picnic at San Gregorio Beach

Hills & Farm Fields on Highway 84

Vista of Hills on Highway 84

Hills & Farm Fields from Car on Hwy 84

Windmill on La Honda Road

Windy Hill Info Boards (WH05 Gate)

Spring Ridge Trail Signpost

Betsy Crowder Trail Signpost

Spring Ridge Trailhead

Tall Eucalyptus Tree

Gnarly Oak Tree

Sculpturesque Oak Tree

Fallen Oak on Betsy Crowder Trail

Gnarly Oak on Betsy Crowder Trail

Sausal Pond Sign "Critical Wildlife Habitat"

Edge of Sausal Pond

Tall Reeds in Sausal Pond

Verbena (Verbena bonariensis)

Trees Around Sausal Pond

Hawk Flying Overhead Closeup

"Three Witches" Eucalyptus Stumps

View Across Sausal Pond

Hawk Flying Overhead

Teasel (Dipsacus fullonum)

Eyes in Y-Oak Tree

Broken Eucalyptus Stumps

Bench by Sausal Pond

Stanford Theatre Marquee (7-21-2013)


— Photographs by Peter Y. Chou, July 21, 2013



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© Peter Y. Chou, Wisdom Portal
P.O. Box 390707, Mountain View, CA 94039
email: (7-23-2013)