The birds in Google's backyard
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The birds in Google's backyard
Acres and acres of marshland and not an algorithm in sight
As you’ve heard me say several times, one of the great things about a Photowalk is getting out, meeting people and seeing new things. Especially when they want to take you somewhere you had no idea existed.
Like the San Francisco Bay Trail, described by officials as a “500 mile trail around the Bay.”
It covers a lot of ground (“Say, you cover a lot of ground yourself. You better beat it. I hear they’re going to tear you down and put up an office building where you’re standing.”* Who gets it? The quote fits, as you’ll soon see.)
The trail goes from the city of San Francisco and then some, through Brisbane, Oakland, San Leandro, and for the purposes of today’s Photowalk, Palo Alto and Mountain View.
My friend Chris MacAskill, who runs the online forum Cake.co and Adventure Rider forums, invited me to see the “Baylands,” for an early morning Photowalk. (He took the above photo. He’s one amazing photographer.)
Here’s what you need to know: the Baylands are directly behind the massive Google campus in Mountain View. Just a few steps from the “Googleplex,” and all those red, green and blue and yellow letters that dot the signage on the campus, is this haven for birds.
We parked in Lot E, and then walked a block or so to what’s called the Stevens Creek Shoreline Nature Study.
From there, we saw ducks, egrets, geese and many other birds whose names I couldn’t state.
I encourage you to watch the above video and check out the trail with us. And remember that as special as this Northern California collection of trails is, we all have some pretty amazing sights in our backyard. All we have to do is leave the house and check them out.
So what are you waiting for?
*Yes, that was a Groucho quote. From what movie my friends?
Tweet of the week.
When you post an image like this, and your mother and wife both respond with a “Buy it now,” urge, you know you’ve hit a chord.
RSA
I attended the RSA Security convention this week. Many of the presentations were in Klingon (hardcore, hard to decipher language) but it cracked me up that the convention floor was full of things we could all understand. Funny costumes, cuddly characters, loud outfits and the like. I submit:
Mornin’ time in Manhattan Beach
After Hawaii, Big Sur, Cayucos, Morro Bay, San Francisco, Mountain View and Seattle in the space of four weeks, it’s nice to be back home again. So on that, I leave you with two amazing dawn shots from at the Pier. Both were taken at the exact same time, 24 hours apart, 6:15 a.m. on Thursday and Friday. What a difference, huh?
Enjoyed today’s newsletter? Let me know with a HEART or a reply. In the meantime, thanks as always for reading, watching and listening.