San Francisco Bay Area Photo Blog

17 May 2015

San Francisco's Bay to Breakers foot race: 17 May 2015

I have previously participated in the San Francisco Bay to Breakers foot race. I have included photo galleries taken during the 2002, 2003, and 2004 races.

The 17 May 2015 race started at 8:00 am, and the official estimate is that approximately 50,000 registered and unregistered people entered the race. The weather was overcast and cool. This was the 104th year that the race was held.

Click on an image to view the full-size photograph.

A view looking back down Howard Street. This location is approximately 1.5 miles into the race.

The route of the 104th edition of the San Francisco Bay to Breakers foot race. The race started in downtown San Francisco, and it finished on the Great Highway, adjacent to the Pacific Ocean and Golden Gate Park. The approximate distance traveled as tracked by GPS was 7.7 miles. The approximate cumulative elevation gain was 366 feet. Mile markers are shown on the route's track.

This graph shows the elevation changes encountered during the Bay to Breakers.

This is as close as I am going to get to the starting line before the race begins.

And we are off! The race has begun, and the runners are heading up Howard Street.

We are heading up Hayes Street. The building is the Louise M. Davies Symphony Hall. This location is approximately 2 miles into the race.

Ahead is the Hayes Street Hill, the biggest climb of the race.

We continue to climb Hayes Street hill.

We reached the top of Hayes Street, and there is now a short downhill before we turn left onto Divisadero Street. This location is approximately 3 miles into the race.

On John F. Kennedy Drive in Golden Gate Park, we are heading to the Pacific Ocean. This location is approximately 4.5 miles into the race.

We are now on Martin Luther King Jr. Drive in Golden Gate Park. In the distance on the horizon is the Pacific Ocean, and just ahead is a large sand dune which indicates that the ocean... and the finish, are just ahead. This location is approximately 7.2 miles into the race.

The finish line of the 104th running of the San Francisco Bay to Breakers foot race. Another great public event which was put on with the cooperation and support of the City of San Francisco.

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"A camera is a tool for learning how to see without a camera.” Dorothea Lange

"Photography has not changed since its origin except in its technical aspects, which for me are not important." Henri Carter-Bresson

"There are always two people in every picture: the photographer and the viewer." Ansel Adams

"The important thing is not the camera but the eye." Alfred Eisenstaedt

The first volume of the San Francisco Bay Area Photo Blog contains galleries of photographs that were posted on the Internet between 2002 and 2011. Click Here to view those photos.

Question or comment? I may be reached at neil@mishalov.com

10 May 2015

San Francisco, from West Portal to the Mission District: 10 May 2015

A ramble from the West Portal Muni Metro Station to La Taqueria Restaurante in The Mission: 10 May 2015.

It's a jungle at 1079 Church Street. Click on the image to see the full-size photo.

A view of Hill Street. Click on the image to see the full-size photograph.

A view of 3804 23rd Street. Click on the image to see the full-size photo.

1162 Church Street. Click on the image to see the full-size photograph.

Looking east down 23rd Street. Click on the image to see the full-size photo.

A section of Valencia Street was closed to vehicular traffic on Sunday 10 May. Click on the image to see the full-size photograph.

A counterman hard at work at La Taqueria Mexican Restaurante at 2889 Mission Street. Click on the image to see the full-size photo.

A view of downtown San Francisco as seen from Pier 14. Seen on the right side of the photograph is Telegraph Hill with Coit Tower on its summit. This picture was taken on 9 May. Click on the image to see the full-size photograph.

Click on the image to see the full-size map.

“A camera is a tool for learning how to see without a camera.”-Dorothea Lange

You are welcome to visit my primary website www.mishalov.com

03 May 2015

San Francisco, from downtown to the Asian Art Museum and a Taiwanese "Fancy Animal Carnival": 3 May 2015

I visited the Asian Art Museum and viewed the outdoor exhibit, "Fancy Animal Carnival" by Taiwanese artist Hung Yi.

The "Fancy Animal Carnival" by acclaimed Taiwanese artist Hung Yi was on outdoor display at San Francisco's Civic Center Plaza from 19 April to 2 May. We arrived at the site on 3 May, a day after the exhibit concluded. Fortunately, many of the whimsical sculptures were still viewable.

The route. The approximate distance traveled as tracked by GPS was 9.0 miles. The approximate cumulative elevation gain was 911 feet. Mile markers are shown on the route’s track.

The graph shows the elevation changes encountered during the ramble.

One Embarcadero Center.

The Hyatt Regency Hotel.

The cruise ship Norwegian Jewel is docked in San Francisco.

Julius Castle is San Francisco Landmark #121; it is perched near the summit of Telegraph Hill. Julius Castle is now closed, and its future is unsure.

Inside the San Francisco Cable Car Powerhouse and Museum.

San Francisco's City Hall, as seen from the rear of the building.

We went to the Asian Art Museum of San Francisco, where we viewed "Seduction: Japan's Floating World."

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"A camera is a tool for learning how to see without a camera.” Dorothea Lange

"Photography has not changed since its origin except in its technical aspects, which for me are not important." Henri Carter-Bresson

"There are always two people in every picture: the photographer and the viewer." Ansel Adams

"The important thing is not the camera but the eye." Alfred Eisenstaedt

The first volume of the San Francisco Bay Area Photo Blog contains galleries of photographs posted on the Internet between 2002 and 2011. Click Here to view those photos.

Question or comment? I may be reached at neil@mishalov.com.

23 April 2015

San Francisco from the Pacific Ocean to the Mission District: 23 April 2015

I started this adventure about 75 yards east of the Pacific Ocean and a couple of blocks south of Golden Gate Park. I arrived at the starting point by taking an outward bound N Judah Muni Metro light rail to the end of its route. My destination was the 16th & Mission BART Station. All of the photographs are shown in the sequential order of the ramble.

Click on an image to view the full-size photograph.

The ramble started in the Outer Sunset District at Judah Street and the Great Highway. The Pacific Ocean is about 50 yards west of the sand dune rising behind the middle of the N Judah Muni Metro light rail.

The approximate distance traveled as tracked by GPS was 10.2 miles. The approximate cumulative elevation gain was 1,381 feet. Mile markers are shown on the route’s track.

This graph shows the elevation changes encountered during the ramble.

1587 35th Avenue is located in the Central Sunset District.

1643 35th Avenue is also located in the Central Sunset District.

On the left is 1871 35th Avenue, and on the right is 1867 35th Avenue. They are in the Central Sunset District.

San Francisco Fire Department Station 18, is located in the Central Sunset District at 1935 32nd Avenue.

A view of the Sunset Reservoir. It is the largest water reservoir in the city; located the Central Sunset District at 24th Avenue between Quintara Street and Ortega Street. The city recently installed 25,000 solar panels on the roof of the reservoir. The solar project opened in December 2010; it is the largest solar installation within the city. The Golden Gate Bridge is visible in the background.

646 Quintara Street is located in the Inner Sunset District. This section of Quintara Street is quite steep.

I am standing on 14th Avenue in the Golden Gate Heights neighborhood and am looking south. Visible is Arden Wood a French Chateau style residential care facility built in 1929 as a Christian Science Sanatorium. Also visible is St. Cecelia Catholic Elementary School; located in the West Portal neighborhood. In the distance is a portion of Daly City, which with a population of approximately 105,000 people, is the largest city in San Mateo County.

An inviting home entryway located at 101 St Francis Boulevard in the St Francis Wood Neighborhood.

A lovely late Nineteenth Century duplex located in the Mission District at 1078-80 Dolores Street.
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"A camera is a tool for learning how to see without a camera.” Dorothea Lange

"Photography has not changed since its origin except in its technical aspects, which for me are not important." Henri Carter-Bresson

"There are always two people in every picture: the photographer and the viewer." Ansel Adams

"The important thing is not the camera but the eye." Alfred Eisenstaedt

The first volume of the San Francisco Bay Area Photo Blog contains galleries of photographs posted on the Internet between 2002 and 2011. Click Here to view those photos.

Question or comment? I may be reached at neil@mishalov.com.

28 March 2015

San Francisco, from Golden Gate Park to Downtown: 28 March 2015

It was another lovely, sunny, and balmy day in the Bay Area. I must say, however, that I would really like to have some significant rainfall before the rainy season ends.

Click on an image to view the full-size photograph.

Some of the many birds that are currently residing at Stow Lake, in Golden Gate Park.

A map of the route. The approximate distance traveled as tracked by GPS was 7.6 miles. The approximate cumulative elevation gain was 546 feet. Mile markers are shown on the track.

This chart shows the elevation changes encountered during the ramble.

You don't see many flying buttresses in the United States. They're common in Europe, especially England, France, and Italy, but not in the US. So, it is always pleasant to view the flying buttresses that are an integral part of the architectural design of St. Dominic's Church.

The Carnegie Library is located at 351 9th Avenue in the Richmond District of San Francisco. It was opened to the public in 1912 and it was updated in 2009.

A view of the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency's Presidio Avenue electric bus maintenance yard.

No flying buttresses here! This is a detail of the entryway to a duplex located at 2107-09 Pine Street.

The Tadich Grill has been in business since 1849. It is located on California Street in the Financial District.

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"A camera is a tool for learning how to see without a camera.” Dorothea Lange

"Photography has not changed since its origin except in its technical aspects, which for me are not important." Henri Carter-Bresson

"There are always two people in every picture: the photographer and the viewer." Ansel Adams

"The important thing is not the camera but the eye." Alfred Eisenstaedt

The first volume of the San Francisco Bay Area Photo Blog contains galleries of photographs that were posted on the Internet between 2002 and 2011. Click Here to view those photos.

Question or comment? I may be reached at neil@mishalov.com

26 March 2015

A ramble from the North Berkeley BART Station to the Orinda BART Station: 26 March 2015

It was a glorious day in the Bay Area. The temperature in Berkeley was in the low 80s, and the sky was clear. Donna joined me on this ramble. We walked through the University of California campus. It is now Spring Break, and there were few people on campus. We then cranked up the Berkeley Hills, and after catching our breath, we dropped down the east side of the Berkeley Hills concluding the ramble at the Orinda BART Station... lovely.

The route of the 26 March ramble. The approximate distance traveled as tracked by GPS was 9.6 miles. The approximate cumulative elevation gain was 1,951 feet. Mile markers are shown on the route’s track.