In The Pinnacles

This national monument is a few miles "up-valley" from us. It is a strange place. It is one half of an ancient volcano. The othe other half is 300 miles south of here near Los Angeles... on the other side of the San Andreas Fault. Yep, that sucker moves okay. Happily, it took a few hundred thousand years to make the trip.

It also is one of the homes of the California condor, a h-u-g-e vulture like creature. I saw one once. A very large birdy indeed, about a 9' wing span I would guess.

Temperatures in this place can get pretty warm, 110 not being all that unusual this time of year. "But it's dry heat" goes the joke around here. So is an oven. It is amazing what a difference a few miles from the ocean can make.

The lava flows provide a seemingly endless variety of structures. It is a geologist's dream. Walking through the park is like a walk on the moon in many respects.

Photo:
Fuji 3000 digital
Polarizer
ISO 100


California Condor (not my photo).