Bumming not Blogging

No wi fi means no pix, but this blog ain't over yet. We have been bumming from one end of California to the other, from '49er mining towns to the glorious warm elegance of the Coronado Hotel in San Diego. Pictures to come!

El Comanchero heads East, finds more mountains.
Clementine heads for the coast
the Blogster finds old friends and wine tastings, forgets to take notes. She'll make them up later.

Totem at Stanford University

Stanford University is a beautiful place, but this huge totem standing in a grove of redwoods was simply haunting. Thunderbird on top, followed by Raven, A powerful man (shaman?) named Boo-quilla, who is Raven's most precious creation, standing on Killer Whale, who magically morphs into Wolf. 

Odd Shots

One more Bee . . . . . . 

End of the Race

We admit it, at the top of Alamo Hill we took a sharp right turn and finished the race, alone among the participants, at Ghiradelli Square instead of the Pacific Ocean.  

After recharging with Theobroma, we staggered out to Fisherman's Wharf and continued our winding route by Coit Tower, North Beach, the Financial District, and finally the Ferry.  Surely more than seven miles! And in only 8 hours!

We are the Champions, my friends!

More Elvii

You ain't nothin' but a houn'dog. ..

photo credits to Clementine

Bay to Breakers Race

Here at the Bay to Breakers race in downtown San Francisco, one can see and experience the unusual. Considering the 160,000+ racers, the equal number of tortillas thrown at the beginning of the race, the costumes - or lack of them - floats, kegs, champagne, sidewalk drinks, and people hanging out of apartment windows throwing  money at the crowds, is it any wonder? Here a host of Elvises encourages a racer in Hayes Valley. We saw at least a dozen Elvi at this site.  

Atop Alamo Park's hill, one bee in swarm takes a quiet moment to look out over her city. 

Taos

Sunday, I fed the multi-colored desert tortoise and the salamander, sat by the oasis pool while the robin-like phyloruxia and other birds had their baths and then roused myself and shopped at Albertson's. The diesel switch engine whooped on the grade above Arroyo Chamiso, which runs behind my friends' home, helping build the new Albuquerque-to-Santa Fe "Roadrunner" rapid transport line. After such a prosaic morning under bright azure NM skies, I drove up to Taos for a gallery opening. After that, I sat around under the cottonwoods behind the gallery with three Deneh, a genizaro and another comanchero. We talked of the Indi'ns' Buddhist faith, life on the road and a number of things that you, gentle reader, will just have to imagine for yourself. Today my friend and I are off to sell books to the Kit Carson House, Salman Ranch and maybe Las Vegas, N.M. La vida la continue buena. -- El Comanchero