July 19, 2009

the road less travelled


click photo for full-size image
photo by Donald Kinney

I've been asked countless times why I always arrive late when I have to get places -- it's because I travel the road less travelled.

And I'll be the slowest guy on the road, but don't worry -- I'll pull over for you at the very next available spot -- I know at least YOU have some important place to go.   How's your boss treating you these days?   Ever have that time-clock bite you?   Here's a solution -- get on that cellphone and tell Mr. Biz that you're going to be late and just don't give a damn!   The guy from AphotoAday told you to slow down and enjoy the road less travelled.

So, where was that curvy road photo taken?   One of my favorite places, China Camp, along side of San Pablo Bay, the top portion of San Francisco Bay.   A very high tide will sometimes render the road impassable.



click photo for full-size image
photo by Donald Kinney

One of the stops along the way might be Roy's Redwoods.   No redwoods showing in this photo, but along with curvy roads comes curvy hills full of curvy trails.

For almost two years, each day I would go out to Roy's Redwoods, stroll across the meadow and past the towering redwoods, and then tackle the trail to the top of the hill -- oh, not the hill you see here, but a more wooded one studded with bays, laurels, firs, ferns, and more redwoods.   Sort of a steep jaunt, but I was trying to get back in shape.   My reward at the top would be a peaceful little grove of madrone trees.   Definitely the trail less travelled.



click photo for full-size image
photo by Donald Kinney

This is the old firehouse at a little town in West Marin called Nicasio.   Oh, the fire station has since moved up the road to more modern quarters, but that's about the only modern thing that has happened in Nicasio for about a century.   I like a tiny town who's largest feature is a baseball field right in the middle of town.   You've got to slow down and drive around it, on the road less travelled.



click photo for full-size image
photo by Donald Kinney

Stop and enjoy the leaves.   If you look closely you can see little roads and highways serving every single little cell with water and nutrients.   But it might take a little time for the water and nutrients to reach their destination, you see -- they take the road less travelled.


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3 comments:

Rhett Redelings said...

These are lovely. China Camp is one of my favorite places to shoot.

Want to go on a photo walk sometime? I mean, since we're both in Marin...

rhett {at} rhettredelings[dot] com

Louise said...

I love the road less traveled, and these photos obviously come from a great road. I love the second one. I need to be in a place like that sometimes.

Yesterday the first one intrigued me because as long as I can remember I've had dreams (nightmares?) about driving on a road, much like that one, that goes just above or even into the water. My dream isn't the same place because the water is dark blue around it, but the road is the same. I have never been anywhere that looks like my dream, and I wonder if I would be afraid if I did. (Because I'm not sure if it's a dream or a nightmare; it never lasts long enough to find out what happens.) This is as close as I've seen.

AphotoAday said...

HI RHETT -- Yep, you, me, Mindy Pines, and more, 'fer sure... I'll send you an e-mail on the photo-shoot idea...

AND HI LOUISE -- Your dream actually sounds like a painting, although I think you are saying it is a nightmare for you (I'll spare you mine)... We have a couple really high tides in the Winter that completely cover the road, but usually a very high tide will only cover one lane and you can make it through if you go slowly and make sure another car isn't coming the other direction... The green vegetation is Pickleweed, which has a very unique method of dealing with the salt water it is exposed to. --The roots act like a modern day sea-water desalinization plant (using a membrane) and any excess salt that gets through the membrane gets stored in the tips of the plant, which eventually die and fall off.

 
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