28 September 2012

Microclimates

The San Francisco Bay Area is well-known for its fog. In fact, this was the scene yesterday as I began the 8-minute drive to my running place after dropping my daughter off at preschool...


It got worse as I got closer to my destination...


I was getting kind of excited about running in the fog. It's simultaneously eerie and spectral and soothing. When I got to the top of the hill before descending into a local regional park, the fog became bright, blinding white. And then...BOOM...it was gone!

When I got to the trailhead, I parked my car in the shade because it was super sunny...go figure. Microclimates in action.

Instead of running in a thick blanket of fog, it looked like this...

Mid-morning sun streaming in over a dried up creek-crossing at the start.

Mid-morning sun streaming over a dried up meadow a little further along.

Mid-morning sun hitting the hills with the fog visible in the distance 
(you have to kind of squint).


Mid-morning sun filtered by beautiful arching trees perfectly framing a really stinky trashcan.

Same place from the trashcan's point of view.

And even though I had been looking forward to a foggy run, my super sexy shadow was thrilled it was sunny...



...and we had a lovely, 4.5-mile run :)




16 comments:

  1. I love the micro-climates here too, although it doesn't get as warm as the Bay Area does.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Wow, what a huge difference. I think I'd be bummed to have to be in the bright light after the prospect of fog. Although fog on the trails might be a bit creepy.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Your shadow could go run in Muir Woods. If you take pics of it doing so I will be almost insane with jealousy.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Such a pretty trail you got to run on - FUN!

    ReplyDelete
  5. I was in Half Moon Bay today and the fog was ridiculous!!!! I thought it was supposed to be in the 80s today!

    ReplyDelete
  6. That trail is flipping beautiful!

    ReplyDelete
  7. what pretty views! love the sun and the fog ones. and of course, your shadow. :) hope it was a pain free 4.5!

    ReplyDelete
  8. Continued to be awed and impressed by your athleticism despite injury. Just so we're clear, I'm pretty sure I could run 4.5 miles too if I had such beautiful scenery....oh who we kiddin'...

    ReplyDelete
  9. Beautiful pictures! My one complaint about here: not enough shade and too much sun. With winter coming, though, we'll get plenty of variety in the weather!

    ReplyDelete
  10. I shall do my first Bay Area morning run on Wednesday...fog, sun, whatever. What will be awesome is that I am told it will be fairly cool.

    ReplyDelete
  11. A foggy run would be a great way to start off October, but the pictures of the sunlight on the trail are beautiful!

    ReplyDelete
  12. I love the stream trail! In fact, that is one of my favorite parks! I love the tree cover; it makes for a lot less hot of a run!

    ReplyDelete
  13. I was impressed by the foggy photos.It maybe good for a less hot run.

    ReplyDelete

we *heart* comments!

LinkWithin

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...