Monday, July 05, 2010

Bay Area at Sunrise

Waking up at 4.30 in the morning on a holiday to watch the sunrise is not something people even think of doing. Today, I did exactly that.

I was up before dawn and was on my way to Page Mill Road (off CA 280) to watch the Sun rise. This being my first time (waking up this early, I mean) I was unsure of where to go. So, I chose my regular hiking spots. I drove up Page Mill before Sun rise (5.50 AM) and was well on my way up the hills.

There was no one in sight. No bikers! Yay! I saw quite a few deer grazing next to the road and many hare/rabbits. It was peaceful, cool and smelled like wild flowers. I drove down Page mill, stopping at a few places to take pictures. At this hour, all the parks are still closed. Your best bet is to drive towards the end of Page Mill, beyond Montebello and even cross the CA 35 intersection. There is one area which leads to private property. You can pull over in front of the gate and take a few snaps quickly. It's a pity there aren't any vista points to park and enjoy the sun rise on Page Mill.

(Move your mouse over the images to see descriptions.)


Sun rise. View from Page mill road. Few miles before reaching Montebello preserve

Sun rise. View from Page mill road. Few miles before reaching Montebello preserve


Woodside and areas west of CA 280. Just a few minutes after sunrise

Sun rising. Almost the end of Page mill road

Sun rising. Almost the end of Page mill road

Then, when I reached CA 35, I continued down Page Mill for a few miles and then turned around. Went north again on CA 35. Just a mile or so from that intersection, there is a vista point overlooking the Bay Area. This is a nice spot. The sun had already risen by the time I got here.


Sun rise over the Bay Area

Sun rise over the Bay Area

It's not the ocean, it's the Bay Area!! Low level clouds

It's not the ocean, it's the Bay Area!! Low level clouds

Deja (rear) view? The future looks just like the past

Overall, it was worth it. I was back home by 8 AM! The Bay Area was still cloudy. It was a surprising discovery for me to see that the hills are actually clear of fog and clouds. It's only at sea level, where the early morning are gray and dull.

Back to CA 280. 7.30 AM and still cloudy at sea level

1 comments:

Sushma said...

Really beautiful pics..:) very soothing!!