Northern California: A Trip to the Santa Cruz mountains (Redwood Forest in Loma Prieta) via Amtrak's Coast Starlight

On June 27 Warren and I departed for a Calorie Restriction Society get-together in Orinda, California (east of San Francisco) as well as much-needed vacation in the Santa Cruz mountains (specifically, Laurel Mill Lodge in the Loma Prieta region near Los Gatos, 12 miles south of San Jose...yup, the same Loma Prieta that was near the devastating epicenter of the infamous 1989 earthquake). We chose to travel via Amtrak, aboard the world-renowned Coast Starlight -- acclaimed as one of the most scenic train rides in the world. It was spectacular! These few images really do not do it justice!


above: Amtrak to San Jose 2004-06-27 (yyyy-dd-mm): Recent wildfire damage North of Santa Barbara.

above: More scenes of recent wildfire damage north of Santa Barbara, seen from north-bound Amtrak

above: Amtrak to San Jose 2004-06-27: Bird's (uh... Train's) Eye View north-of-San Luis Obispo

image: 2004-06-30: Panoramic view from the corner of San Jose Soquel Road (right) and Miller Hill Cutoff (behind camera) in Los Gatos, California. The camera is facing east. This panorma is comprised of five (5) separate images stitched together in Pano Tools Assembler and, then, touched up in Adobe Photoshop Elements

above: 2004-06-30: Click image for full size. Panoramic view from the corner of San Jose Soquel Road (right) and Miller Hill Cutoff (behind camera) in Los Gatos, California. The camera is facing east. This panorma is comprised of five (5) separate images stitched together in Pano Tools Assembler and, then, touched up in Adobe Photoshop Elements.


above: Los Gatos 2004-06-30: Blackberry Bush at 2000 ft in the Redwood Forest


above: Los Gatos 2004-06-30: More Blackberry Bush views at 2000 ft in the Redwood Forest


above: Los Gatos/Loma Prieta 2004-06-30: Looking North at 1800-feet in Redwood Forest


above: Los Gatos/Loma Prieta 2004-06-30: Looking North-East at 1200-feet in the Redwood Forest.


above: Los Gatos/Loma Prieta 2004-06-30: Lumberjack dwarfed by a Redwood tree


above: Los Gatos/Loma Prieta 2004-06-30: In the "fairy tale" Redwood Forest


above: LosGatos/Loma Prieta 2004-06-30: Wildflowers at 2000-feet


above: Los Gatos/Loma Prieta 2004-06-30: Our cabin Laurel Mill Lodge in middle of a Redwood Forest.


above: Laurel Mill Lodge looking South (elevation here is roughly 900-feet)


above: Laurel Mill Lodge kitty


above: Doe and her Fawn at Laurel Mill Lodge

above: San Jose 2004-07-03: Amtrak station: Our departure; the Coast Starlight is pulling in for a brief stop.

above: 20040703: North of San Luis Obispo from south-bound Amtrak Coast Starlight

above: 20040703 North-of-San-Luis-Obispo-2 Amtrak from San Jose

above: 20040703 Pacific Coast North of Santa Barbara Amtrak from San Jose

above: 2004-07-03: Pacific Coast North of Santa Barbara (another view)

above: 20040703 looking-East North of Santa Barbara from Amtrak Coast Starlight (en route from from San Jose to Los Angeles). The mountains in the background are part of the Los Padres National Forest. I visited LPNF in 2005.

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