Tag: California

Landing in San Diego, California

Landing at San Diego International Airport. - photo by Joe Alexander
Landing at San Diego International Airport. – photo by Joe Alexander
The main runway at the San Diego International Airport runs roughly east and west. The airport itself is just off Interstate 5 and northwest of downtown.

Moments before landing from the east, I got a good look at downtown, San Diego Bay, the Coronado Bridge, a number of naval ships and we came in right over Interstate 5.

Flying west into southern California

View towards the U.S.-Mexico border while flying into southern California. - photo by Joe Alexander
View towards the U.S.-Mexico border while flying into southern California. – photo by Joe Alexander
Coming in to southern California from the east, I figured the last stretch of my flight was probably about parallel to the U.S.-Mexico border.

I was sitting on the left side of the plane. That gave me a good view of the south toward Mexico.

Not long before landing, I could see the desert, some mountains in the direction of Mexico and a couple of reservoirs that I wasn’t able to identify.

I’m guessing the dry looking areas I saw were part of the Sonoran Desert including the Colorado Desert. I might have even seen a little bit of the Anza-Borrego Desert State Park.

Lake Tahoe in late autumn

A view of Lake Tahoe from the southeast shore on the California side. - photo by Joe Alexander
A view of Lake Tahoe from the southeast shore on the California side. – photo by Joe Alexander
On the way home from Yosemite National Park, I drove north so I could fly out of the Reno airport. I made a brief stop on the south side of Lake Tahoe.

The two-lane winding road called Nevada Highway 207 over the mountain to the east shore of the lake at Stateline, Nevada was a drive to remember.

Yosemite Valley including El Capitan and Half Dome in late afternoon sunshine

The valley in Yosemite National Park and El Capitan in late afternoon. - photo by Joe Alexander
El Capitan in late afternoon. – photo by Joe Alexander
The valley in Yosemite National Park in late afternoon: El Capitan (above) and Half Dome.

Yosemite National Park is in eastern California, almost straight east across the state from San Francisco, and south of Reno, Nevada.

Official site: National Park Service: Yosemite

The valley in Yosemite National Park and Half Dome in late afternoon. - photo by Joe Alexander
Half Dome in late afternoon.
The valley in Yosemite National Park and Half Dome in late afternoon. - photo by Joe Alexander
The valley and Half Dome in late afternoon.

View of Yosemite Valley from Glacier Point

Glacier Point in Yosemite National Park offers one of the most popular viewpoints of the valley including Half Dome. - photo by Joe AlexanderGlacier Point in Yosemite National Park offers one of the most popular viewpoints of the valley including Half Dome.

Yosemite National Park is in eastern California, almost straight east across the state from San Francisco, and south of Reno, Nevada.

Official site: National Park Service: Yosemite

Glacier Point in Yosemite National Park offers one of the most popular viewpoints of the valley including Half Dome. - photo by Joe Alexander

Bridal Veil Falls in Yosemite National Park in late afternoon

Bridal Veil Falls is brought to light by full sunlight by late afternoon. Even at the end of autumn when the water levels in Yosemite Falls are lower, it is a an impressive sight. – photo by Joe AlexanderBridal Veil Falls is brought to light by full sunlight by late afternoon. Even at the end of autumn when the water levels in Yosemite Falls are lower, it is a an impressive sight.

Yosemite National Park is in eastern California, almost straight east across the state from San Francisco, and south of Reno, Nevada.

Official site: National Park Service: Yosemite

Bridal Veil Falls in Yosemite National Park in early afternoon

Bridal Veil Falls in Yosemite National Park. – photo by Joe Alexander
Bridal Veil Falls in Yosemite National Park. – photo by Joe Alexander
The sunshine in Yosemite National Park is barely making its way over the ledge at Bridal Veil Falls.

While I was standing there, the wind shifted and pushed the path of the falls to the left and creating a hint of a rainbow.

Yosemite National Park is in eastern California, almost straight east across the state from San Francisco and south of Reno, Nevada.

Official site: National Park Service: Yosemite

Half Dome in Yosemite National Park in late morning

Half Dome in Yosemite National Park on a sunny day in late October. - photo by Joe Alexander
Half Dome in Yosemite National Park on a sunny day in late October. – photo by Joe Alexander
The colors in Yosemite National Park take on different intensities as the day progresses.

The dark side of Half Dome in the morning will light up in the afternoon.

I found a spot on the edge of the Merced River where I could catch the reflection of Half Dome. The exact location where I stood, while a dry spot in late October, might have been six- or eight-feet deep in raging water at the peak of the snowmelt earlier in the year.

Yosemite National Park is in eastern California, almost straight east across the state from San Francisco and south of Reno, Nevada.

Official site: National Park Service: Yosemite

Yosemite Valley in late morning

Yosemite Valley in late October has a lot less visible snow. – photo by Joe Alexander
Yosemite Valley in late October has a lot less visible snow. – photo by Joe Alexander
By late October in Yosemite National Park, the previous winter’s snow has mostly melted away.

Yosemite Valley Falls is dry and there are lower water levels in the Merced River and at Bridal Veil Falls.

Yosemite National Park is in eastern California, almost straight east across the state from San Francisco, and south of Reno, Nevada.

Official site: National Park Service: Yosemite