ON TO NORTHERN CALIFORNIA

... where I was born and raised. Now I live about 40 miles south of the City.

San Francisco is one of the top tourist destinations in the world, and is renowned 

for its cool summers, fog, steep rolling hills, eclectic mix of architecture, and landmarks 

including the Golden Gate Bridge, cable cars, the former prison on Alcatraz Island, and its 

Chinatown district. It is also a primary banking and finance center. 

That’s the Giant’s baseball park in the foreground.

These two photos are in San Francisco’s Golden Gate Park.

Muir Woods National Monument is a unit of the National Park Service  The star 

attraction of the Muir Woods is the Coast Redwood.  These relatives of the Giant 

Sequoia are known for their height. While redwoods can grow to nearly 380 feet, the 

tallest tree in Muir Woods is 258 feet. The trees come from a seed no bigger than that 

of a tomato's. The average age of the redwoods are between 500 and 800 years old 

with the oldest being at least 1,200 years old.

Standing above Muir Woods is Mount Tamalpais, the highest peak in the Marin Hills, 

which are part of the Northern California Coast Ranges. The elevation at the East Peak, 

its highest point, is 2,574 feet.

Napa Valley is widely considered one of the top American Viticultural Areas in the 

United States, with a history dating back to the early nineteenth century. By the end 

of the nineteenth century there were more than one hundred and forty wineries in the 

area. Of those original wineries, several still exist in the valley including 

Charles Krug Winery, Shramsburg, Chateau Montelena, Nichelini and Beringer.

The Redwood Trees are the tallest trees on earth. These giants can live 2000 years, may weigh 

up to 500 tons, and reach over 350 feet in height. The name "redwood" comes from the 

appearance of the "heartwood" than the color of it's bark. The thick bark, however, contains 

tannin which provides protection against fire, fungus, and other harsh conditions. The bark 

can grow to one foot in thickness, which gives the trees its hollowish apprearance.

 Eureka is located adjacent to Humboldt Bay 270 miles north of San Francisco.  As a 

port city, its facilities include marinas and industrial docking facilities, making 

it the largest deep water port between San Francisco and Coos Bay, Oregon.

 Mount Shasta is an extinct volcano and is located at the southern end of the Cascade 

Range in California. At 14,179 feet it is the second highest 

peak in the Cascades and the fifth highest in California.

 Shasta Dam across the Sacramento River is in northern California, at the north end of

 the Sacramento Valley. The dam mainly serves long-term water storage and flood control 

in its reservoir, Shasta Lake, and also generates hydroelectric power. At 602 feet 

high, it is the ninth-tallest dam in the United States and forms the largest reservoir in California.

Manzanita Lake is a lake located in Lassen Volcanic National Park. It is located near the 

park entrance, and is open for fishing for rainbow, brown and brook trout. Manzanita Lake 

was formed when Manzanita Creek was dammed 300 years ago by a rock avalanche.

Lake Tahoe is a major tourist attraction in both Nevada and California. It is home to a number 

of ski resorts, summer outdoor recreation, and tourist attractions. Snow and skiing are a 

significant part of the area's economy and reputation.  Mountain and lake scenery are 

attractions throughout the year. The Nevada side also includes large casinos.  

Lake Tahoe is the largest alpine lake in North America.

Emerald Bay State Park is a California state park. The park contains the only island in Lake Tahoe, 

Fannette Island.  Emerald Bay is one of Lake Tahoe's most photographed and popular locations.

Yosemite National Park is located in the central Sierra Nevada of California. The 

1,189 square mile park is roughly the size of Rhode Island and contains thousands 

of lakes and ponds, 1,600 miles of streams, 800 miles of hiking trails, and 

350 miles of roads.  Annual park visitation exceeds 3.5 million.

Humor --

MANY N0N-LIVING THINGS  HAVE A GENDER

1) Ziploc Bags are Male, because they hold everything in, but you can see right through them.

2) Copiers are Female, because once turned off; it takes a while to warm them up again. It's an effective reproductive device if the right buttons are pushed, but can wreak havoc if the wrong buttons are pushed.

3) A Tire is Male, because it goes bald and it's often over-inflated.

4) A Hot Air Balloon is Male, because, to get it to go anywhere, you have to light a fire under it, and of course, there's the hot air part.

5) Sponges are Female, because they're soft, squeezable and retain water.