In 1989 the Loma Prieta Earthquake wiped out the Cypress Structure freeway in Oakland killing 42 people who were crushed when it pancacked upon itself. It took almost 10 years to rebuild that section of the freeway. The MacArthur Maze is the system of interchanges just east of the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge and one of the connectors leads to the Cypress Structure (now the new Cypress Freeway with a single-level design).

In early 1999 I was just getting into VR Photography. Shortly after the completion of the new Cypress I was driving from the Cypress north towards Berkeley. That route takes one on the highest overpass in the Maze. I was just coming from a shoot and couldn't resist pulling over for a quick panorama. I jumped on top of my truck with my tripod and pano gear and went as quick as possible. That panorama has been on many iterations of my website ever since. It wasn't very well stitched and a very low resolution.

On an early Sunday morning, 29 April 2007, a fuel tanker truck overturned while heading towards the Cypress. It happened to overturn and burn directly underneath another connector in this Maze. The fire burned so hot that it caused the freeway above it to melt and collapse. The driver was burned, but no one else was hurt. Traffic in the Bay Area will be affected for many months to come.

So I dug out the original scans of that long-ago panorama and restitched and corrected the panorama. I also annotated it to point out the freeway section that collapsed and added a photo that was taken by CalTrans of the damage (Lots of info available at the Caltrans Maze Damage site).

You can see the original unannotated panorama from the top of the Maze on my main site.


>>Fullscreen Panorama
The MacArthur Maze
Oakland, California
January 1999

On Sunday, 30 April 2006, a broad coalition of groups organized a vigil at the Golden Gate Bridge in order to raise awareness about the ongoing genocide in the Darfur region of Sudan. The idea was to raise this issue in the news, increasing public awareness, and nudging our public leaders to do more to help the victims. People formed a human chain across the span of the bridge and then continued on to a rally at the Presidio.

This panorama was captured with a Sigma 8mm lens on a monopod held over my head. The shutter was depressed with a pnumatic cable release. It came out alright with the blessed assistance of PTMac and Photoshop, but I could definitely do more to improve my technique. I've left the nadir in to show my shadow and as a reminder that I need to be more careful when photographing near railings. A very busy scene with people walking by, lots of cars, and CHP and Bridge Patrol riding bikes on the sidewalk keeping order.


>>Fullscreen Panorama
Day of Conscience for Darfur
Golden Gate Bridge, San Francisco, California
30 April 2006

One hundred years ago today at 5:12 in the morning the earth shook in the San Francisco Bay Area, and indeed much of California, with an earthquake that arguably started the scientific field of modern seismology. This is commemorated in downtown San Francisco at Lotta's Fountain every year with a wreath and a ceremony with the survivors of the Earthquake. Surprisingly enough even though this is the 100th anniversary, there were still several that turned out to be honored. There was even one lady who was 11 when it happened!

This panorama was taken near the end of the morning commemoration when the thousands gathered were led in a chorus of 'San Francisco'. Sound was captured with the movie function on a Coolpix 5400. Not the absolute best panorama I've ever done, but the ambiance is definitely there. Enjoy!



>>Fullscreen Panorama
Singing at Lotta Fountain - 100 years since the 1906 Earthquake and Fires
Downtown San Francisco, California
18 April 2006

I met Art Hayssen at the Santa Rosa Junior College when I took his great private pilot ground school. At that time he also owned a flight school at the local airport (KSTS). The next year I went out to the flight school, met an instructor that I got along with very well and got my pilot's license. Art teaches other classes at the SRJC as well and I thought it would be fun to take his Geography course. Now I'm a pilot and a graduate of UC Berkeley's Geography department. It's safe to say that Art has been a positive influence on my life and I'm happy to fly with him whenever I can.

For the past couple of year's he's been getting back into the flight training business with his new flight school: North Coast Air. They've recently acquired a 2004 Cessna 172SP and it is quite a sweet plane. I've very rarely had the chance to fly a Cessna that is younger than I am. While the planes I rent are in good shape, there's definitely something different about flying a new plane. Recently I took a flight in North Coast Air's new C-172SP and had a great time. If you're a pilot in the Santa Rosa area, you should definitely get checked out in this plane. If you're thinking of becoming a pilot, the classes at the SRJC and the instruction at North Coast Air can't come any more highly recommended.

In the mean time, have a seat in their C-172SP and take a look around. And while it may be capable of landing on dirt strips, you might want to get permission before going to the Alabama Hills. :)


>>Fullscreen Panorama
N21705 Cessna 172SP - North Coast Air
Charles M Schulz Sonoma County Airport, California
September 2005

The Pacific Coast Air Museum, based at Santa Rosa's Charles Schulz Airport hosts an annual air show called Wings Over Wine Country. The museum has quite a collection of static display aircraft including the F-14 featured in this panorama (This F-14 was actually used in the movie Top Gun). The air show regularly includes aerobatic performers including this one (yes, one, not 4 as it looks like in this composite image) as well as military fly-bys and other demonstrations.


>>Fullscreen Panorama
Wings Over Wine Country Air Show
Charles Schulz Airport, California
August 2005

A week ago today I hiked up to the top of Mount Whitney - 14,495/14,496/14,491/14,497.61 feet, depending on your source. That was a long day. Starting the hike at 2:30 and finally making back to the trailhead at 23:00. 22 miles and over 6,000 feet of elevation gain. Did I mention that we did this in one day? I took along my monopod, D100, and 10.5mm fisheye for some panoramas.

I also made Kat promise that if I couldn't make it to the top, she'd take the equipment and do it for me - a promise I made her keep. Trail Crest (13,600 feet, 8 miles into the hike) was where I sat down and decided to stay. The altitude was getting to me, and had been since the night before. Even though I got in my sleeping bag at 8pm, I didn't sleep at all, and I had been experiencing a bit of tunnel vision since Mirror Lake at about 9,000 feet. But after an hour resting at Trail Crest, I decided to catch up to Kat and the camera. The summit is less than 1,000 feet higher and about 3 miles more (almost 2 hours at my pace).

Below are some panoramas from that trip. They also include Manzanar - the WWII Japanese-American Internment Camp - and the Alabama Hills - one of the favorite locations for movie and television commercials.


>>Fullscreen Panorama
The Cemetery at Manzanar
Manzanar Internment Camp, California
July 2005


>>Fullscreen Panorama
The Cemetery at Manzanar
Manzanar Internment Camp, California
July 2005


>>Fullscreen Panorama
Trail Meadow
Whitney Portal Trail, California
July 2005


>>Fullscreen Panorama
Trail Crest - 13,600 feet
Whitney Portal Trail, California
July 2005


>>Fullscreen Panorama
Highest Point in the 48 States - 14,495 feet
Mt Whitney, California
July 2005


>>Fullscreen Panorama
Highest Point in the 48 States - 14,495 feet
Mt Whitney, California
July 2005


>>Fullscreen Panorama
The Alabama Hills
Movie Flat, Near Lone Pine, California
August 2005


>>Fullscreen Panorama
The Alabama Hills
Movie Flat, Near Lone Pine, California
August 2005

In preparation for hiking up Mt Whitney (14,495 feet!) we've been doing quite a few hikes and I've been practicing with my hiking panorama set-up. I've got a hiking pole with a camera screw on the top, added a bogen tilt head and Kirk Photo quick release. Now with an L-bracket on the D100 I can take a pretty high-quality panorama with my 10.5 mm fisheye and a bubble level. Here's a couple panoramas of Alamere Falls out on Point Reyes (Marin County, California).


>>Fullscreen Panorama
Above Alamere Falls
Point Reyes National Seashore, California
July 2005


>>Fullscreen Panorama
On the Beach below Alamere Falls
Point Reyes National Seashore, California
July 2005

Still preparing to go up Mt Whitney in a couple months and trying to figure out how best to take panoramas while minimizing the weight that I'll be carrying with me. On this day Kat and I did a hike across Hood Mountain Regional Park. With our friends Ryan, Eve, and Annalise we parked a car at the Goodspeed Trailhead and then drove around to the Hood Mountain parking area at the north. The trail takes us on a hike of about 8 miles with an elevation gain of about 2000 feet. It offers great views of the Santa Rosa Plain and the surrounding coastal range.

It's one of the local parks that Kat and I mapped - you can order Sugarloaf/Hood Mountain maps direct from 360Geographics, or pick one up at REI or a number of local outfitters/bookstores/bikeshops.


>>Fullscreen Panorama
Hood Mountain Trail
Hood Mountain Regional Park, California
June 2005


>>Fullscreen Panorama
Crossing Santa Rosa Creek
Hood Mountain Regional Park, California
June 2005


>>Fullscreen Panorama
Lunch at Gunsight Rock
Hood Mountain Regional Park, California
June 2005


>>Fullscreen Panorama
The View with Friends from Gunsight Rock
Hood Mountain Regional Park, California
June 2005


>>Fullscreen Panorama
Hiking Down Nattkemper Trail
Hood Mountain Regional Park, California
June 2005

Petaluma has been without a movie theater for several years now. In 2001 the idea of renovating downtown Petaluma and creating the Theater District was born. In May of 2005 that idea came to life. This panorama was taken in the early morning hours of the opening day as the first theater-goers sat down to watch the last Star Wars episode.


>>Fullscreen Panorama
Opening Night at Boulevard Cinema
Downtown Petaluma, California
May 2005

A couple panoramas photographed for the Bridges World Wide Panorama in September 2004. My entry along with a narrative can be found here.


>>Fullscreen Panorama
Golden Gate Bridge at Night
San Francisco, California
September 2004


>>Fullscreen Panorama
Next to the North Tower, Golden Gate Bridge
San Francisco, California
September 2004


>>Fullscreen Panorama
On the Golden Gate Bridge
San Francisco, California
September 2004