Fleet Week, San Francisco

It was Fleet Week in San Francisco last week, so we took our trusty Boston Whaler out on the Bay to join the hoards of other boaters and sailors to check out the fleet and marvel at the air show. The weather could not have been nicer; the skies were a bit hazy from the day's acrobatic stunts in the air, but the temps were warm and the water relatively calm. Perfect conditions for an adventure on the bay. Come along for a ride on Tranquility Base...

Approaching San Francisco from the south...

Along the Embarcadero, near the ferry building...

Heading toward the show area...

Waiting patiently for the show to begin...

Gawkers on a tugboat...

The first performance we caught...MV-22 Osprey...

The Canadian Snowbirds at their best...

I "heart" you...

Here comes a loud one...

Super Hornet...

United Airlines 747 did some flyovers...

The old Hornblower making the rounds...

The Marines...

There go the Blue Angels, the stars of the show...

Unfortunately a fog banked rolled in

and the Blue Angels had to CANCEL their show...Bummer!

So we headed toward the Bay Bridge...

And the fog disappeared...

That's the cool lighthouse on Yerba Buena Island...

And here's the LONGEST construction project ever....

the new eastern span of the Bay Bridge

(the old span was rendered unsafe in the 1989 earthquake)...

A great day in spite of the Blue Angels' short performance. Hopefully the bridge will be done the next time I float under it...

Port Costa, CA

Port Costa, founded in 1879 as the landing for the railroad ferries Solano and Contra Costa, was once one of the busiest wheat shipping ports in the nation and a thriving waterfront community.

Today it's a sleepy enclave of 190 residents, but on the weekends that number swells as visitors, especially bikers, brave the twisting, narrow country roads to get to this quirky town nestled between rolling hills and the Carquinez Strait.

Here's the beginning of the road...it narrows much more as it approaches Port Costa...

Welcome!

Walking through the small commercial district is like taking a stroll back in time. You'll see colorful vintage buildings, touches of artistry, and remnants of the glory days...

If you're in the mood for an ice cold beer after strolling around Port Costa's "downtown", be sure to stop in at the rustic Warehouse Cafe where you can choose from a large selection of brews and admire the giant stuffed polar bear that keeps a watchful eye over patrons.

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.