Death Valley. In anticipation I had it right. A chance for a few days of sun and no rain and warmth. And we had those things, just not as expected, travel being what it is. The first of which is that Nevada, true to the Spanish name, is snowy. Just look at the peaks approaching on State Highway 160. Apparently, anyone who is anyone knows that the mountains here are beautiful. Red Rock Canyon State Park being just one example. And there they were, tall snowy peaks, high enough to be above the Read more [...]

“Safety and Respect” is the official motto of the San Francisco Police. And I am all for both concepts. I stare at these words on the rear panel of a large SFPD cruiser, an SUV parked at the entrance to an alley between Valencia and Mission Streets. This cop car has managed to block the curb cut, obstructing wheelchair access on a very busy thoroughfare. The irony sings. Though I am not singing. I am fighting my way to the 16th St. BART station, trying to make it to cover before the next Read more [...]

When King Lear went stumbling around an undefined moor, well, he knew exactly what he was doing. Because if a storm doesn’t make you stumble, it’s not much of a storm, is it? Our recent version got off to a real meteorological bang. No, not thunder, although that was widely forecast. There was just an awful lot of rain in an awfully short period of time. And no one knew exactly what to do except tremble, fear and kvetch. My brother phoning from Palm Springs, assured me that the rain would be Read more [...]