Wild waters

At this fairly isolated spot just across the river from the fish hatchery, a small island blocks the view of the main stream of the American River. Still, I thought the current looked pretty boisterous when I visited Sailor Bar two weeks ago — but on today’s visit I found the rocky shore where I stood that day is now […]

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View from the hill

Hiking up the Dorn Nature Trail at Clear Lake State Park two months ago was one of my most enjoyable outings this year. I had the trail nearly to myself, and while the sun frequently vanished behind clouds, leaving behind a chilly wind, I was able to take things at my own pace and spend time just listening to the […]

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Two creeks, one lake

On my way home from Clear Lake in March of this year I paused alongside Highway 128 to shoot a few photos of the lower part of Putah Creek, where it exits Lake Berryessa (I published more images of Putah Creek in April, seen here). The landscape on both banks was lush and green, making it a tempting spot to […]

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Tackle box

I’ve forgotten how and when I became the proud owner of this vintage aluminum tackle box — complete with a previous owner’s fishing license and a decal from the State of Oregon. I’m sure I had some idea of cleaning it up and using it to store some of my own doodads. But instead it’s been just sitting around my […]

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Lost cars

Why — and how — do random cars always seem to end up in the bottom of an otherwise attractive ravine? The sight of this abandoned wreck of a pickup truck in Roseville a couple of weeks ago instantly brought back to mind a similar eyesore that rested in Orangevale’s Snipes Ravine for many years (although I suspect it may […]

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On the Dorn Nature Trail

One day during our stay in Nice last month, the Big Guy suggested that I drive around to the opposite side of Clear Lake and explore the trails at Clear Lake State Park. I’d been to the state park a few times in the past but only to launch the boat and go fishing. He was convinced that I’d find […]

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