Quincy, CA

On our way back home from Bucks Lake we stopped off in the quaint little mountain community of Quincy, which like many other mountain towns in the Sierra foothills was founded during the Gold Rush in the 1850's. Now it is home to the High Sierra Music Festival, logging, and a strong, thriving arts community. Quincy is the perfect weekend getaway from the San Francisco Bay Area. Come take a stroll through the enchanting downtown area...

Our faithful Volvo - still going strong with 265,000 miles...

Looking down the main street...

Some of the many colorful buildings in town...

Lots of colorful flowers line the downtown streets...

Here's a pleasant spot for an afternoon cup of coffee...

Another hanging basket of flowers

with the courthouse building in the background...

Quincy is also known for its murals...

One of the local churches...

An old schoolhouse...

A typical residence...

I hear that Quincy is even more spectacular in the fall when all the deciduous trees are displaying their autumn leaves. Maybe I'll just have to make another trip back up here in a couple of months.

Bucks Lake, CA

You have probably heard of Lake Tahoe and Lake Almanor, but have you ever heard of Bucks Lake? Just think of the best of Tahoe and Almanor and combine them into one and what you have is...Bucks Lake!

Bucks Lake is a hidden gem about a half hour drive from Quincy in Plumas County. The land around the lake is primarily owned by PG&E and the Forest Service, and a number of fortunate families have leased land and built cabins around the shoreline. Most of these cabins have been held in the same families for a couple of generations. Lucky for me, I have a friend who is part owner in one of them, and just as summer vacation was winding down and my hectic work schedule was about to begin, she invited me and F up to bask in the lazy days of summer's end.

Come along for a glimpse of life on beautiful Buck's Lake...

Early morning view from the deck of the cabin...

A reflection of the sunrise in one of the windows...

The deck and early morning glow...

There is lots of seating near the water...

Some local visitors begging for food...

Out on a hike...

One of the lakes nearby...

Another nearby lake...

Hiking along a desolate trail...

Our final destination...

Stopping along a road to check out the flowers and leaves...

Farewell sunset at Bucks Lake...

The next best thing to owning a cabin is knowing someone who does. Thanks Kath and Fred for your generosity. Hopefully we'll be invited back next year;)

Point Reyes National Seashore, CA

Living in the San Francisco Bay Area has many advantages. Just one of those is the close vicinity to so many varied and scenic places. What do you want to see - vibrant cities, pristine beaches, towering redwoods, charming vineyards, peaceful wetlands, rolling golden hills dotted with giant oaks? You name it, and we probably have it all here...just an hour or so away from most Bay Area neighborhoods.

So, with the first day of work rapidly approaching, three of my colleagues and I decided to take advantage of the wealth of sightseeing options available to us, and thus we set out to Point Reyes National Seashore to explore the coastline and enjoy the fresh ocean breeze.

Sunshine guided us all the way to the quaint little town of Point Reyes Station, but once we traveled the narrow, winding road leading to the Pt. Reyes Lighthouse, the sun disappeared and heavy fog started rolling in. Fortunately, as is usually the case, by early afternoon the fog lifted and blue skies and sunshine reappeared and brightened our visit.

Come take a look at some of the sights we enjoyed...

Tomales Bay...

Point Reyes Station...

Some scenes along the shoreline...

The lookout above the lighthouse...

Pt. Reyes Lighthouse...

unfortunately it was closed on the day we visited,

so we couldn't descend the narrow steps...

Looking northward along Point Reyes Beach...

Drake's Beach...

While living here in the SF Bay Area is very expensive and at times stressful, it's all worth it when you take the time to explore its beautiful natural environment. What more could you ask for?