Sacred Alpine Wonderland on Shasta

The wildflowers of Mt. Shasta are outstanding. One of the meadow's I went to had a native american cross that showed how important and religiously significant the place was (see below). 

 This one looks very alien, I was surprised to see such a vibrant coloration on it

Looks desolate, but these are ancient little plants, each more than 50 years old. 

Then came the mossy, tiny-planted, wet, alpine marsh/bog/meadow (this part was dry, for contrast)

Budding out 

 Indian paintbrush (that's not very PC of me, wasn't sure what else to call it)

Like a flame 

 The moss was 6 inches thick! Some of those are sundew carnivorous plants

The water was so crystal clear 

The trees struggle to make inroads into the area, likely due to acidic soils 

But leads to fun, twisted shapes 

 

Careful where you walk, it could be a very important, very old stone or plant with great meaning. 

Peace.

Trip to LA and SD: Hit and Miss

I just got back from two weeks of travel. First, a drive to and from LA. Second, a very pretty San Diego.

Almonds were blooming on my way down

These are the mountains on the west side of the valley 

I stopped for gas and this fallow field was so vividly green I had to take a shot against the eroded wood in the foreground

From the courthouse roof downtown, the view was great. You can see the LA Times building and over on the left is dodger stadium. Of course, a helicopter completes the scene

 City hall is a very tall, very old building (1920's, built with the first oil boom)

The downtown skyline is so much taller than any other city in the state

And they have gotten some new architecture in this concert hall. I've had lunch in the gardens 10 stories up from the street 

This is a church abutting US 101, with the stadium again in the background 

When in LA, you have to get some salvadorean food, I love papusas, tortillas filled with beans or meat and cheese

 

I found more green on the way back

Going

Gone. The almonds had dropped their petals and the beehives stacked for transport back to their homes 

It had snowed in the higher mountains of San Benito county, on the eastern side of the coast range 

There is very interesting geology here, from asbestos to cinnabar/mercury to our state gem, brilliant blue benitoite; the area even houses centuries-old hot springs

See the layers of earth, red, black, greys and tan 

They have recently renovated, very nice hotsprings 

 I took a private bath, since it was raining when I arrived

The tile floor stands out here 

And I appreciated the stone work, the water was very nice, not smelly, and a little carbonated 

 The 1800's-era bathhouse is now the office

 This tree was huge and at least a hundred years old

San Diego is full of contrasts, I don't think they really have land use regulations

The churches stood out  

 As did the victorians

 The downtown skyline was full

 And the neighborhoods full of modern, eclectic buildings 

 A pirate ship?

No, just the coolest offices ever 

Is that a beach shack 4 floors up? 

I stayed in this beautiful part of town 

I mean, how typically San Diego does it get? 

No cocoanuts though

 And the food!

More pirates 

Sunsets for days