My old friend Fernando, from Germany, was in Palo Alto for a month of work, teaching SAP workers how to use his software creations. I promised him a memorable weekend of kayaking and biking while we caught up on the last 10 years. It was an outstanding weekend! A rare treat for me to have someone I could discuss ideas with, as Fernando is studying philosophy in an effort to get a firmer understanding of what this life is really all about.
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The hostel used to be part of a ranch nearly a century ago. It's in a beautiful little valley far from civilization. |
Fernando plays acoustic guitar beautifully. |
Pt. Reyes is my favorite place to bring work which needs quiet and time to think, as this fellow hosteler has also discovered. |
In the kitchen. Fernando prepares some mango and other delicacies for breakfast |
First up was a bike ride, starting in Inverness at Chicken Ranch Beach. Fernando borrowed my mountain bike. |
Me shooting Fernando shooting me! |
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At a ranch before the last big hill. We then backtracked to Blue Waters Kayak and got Fernando outfitted with a rental boat. |
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Fernando's first 'yaking experience - quite fun! |
Pulling ashore at Heart's Desire Beach, where we had lunch and a long conversation about philosophy and life |
Re-launch |
A tidal lagoon at the next beach further north, paddling towards... |
...a pond at the end of the narrow, short, meandering channel |
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Exploring a sea cave. Note the fresh-picked seaweed on my spray skirt - tasty snacking for the paddle back |
A Hemingway'esque moment, as I valiantly do hand-to-hand (hand-to-shell?) battle with this ancient creature from the sea, at Drakes Bay Oyster Farm |
Fernando engages... |
Victory! |
Climbing Mt. OysterShell |
I'd forgotten to tie the kayak to the roof at the oyster farm - and off it came as we headed up to the lighthouse. Lucky it's a polyethylene body, not fiberglass. Here, I'm re-tying. |
Pt. Reyes itself, is the windiest place on the North American west coast - a fact born out today. For a summer day, the wind chill felt freezing. |
The coastline north of the point, rendered in black and white |
Driving back to Palo Alto, across the Golden Gate on a foggy early evening |
