Sculpted clay tiles form beautiful mosaics that were created by artist Betsy Schulz. This is a red-tailed hawk.
On Sunday I walked the length of Solana Beach’s Coastal Rail Trail, which runs along the east side of Highway 101.
I was delighted to observe all sorts of colorful public art, beautiful flowers and trees, and even some unexpected poetry!
My walk was from south to north: from Via de la Valle up to a spot just beyond Ocean Street, where the trail through Solana Beach ends.
The pathway is extremely easy and flat. I saw many families riding bikes along it, and walkers and joggers, too.
Come along with me and read the photo captions.
Two arches by artist Betsy Schulz welcome walkers and riders to Solana Beach’s Coastal Rail Trail at Highway 101 and Via de la Valle.Wild nature on one amazing arch.Local history depicted on both arches includes the native Kumeyaay, who have lived in the region for thousands of years.The arrival of Spanish missionaries is depicted.The history of Solana Beach includes great upheavals and transformations, including the coming of the railroad.Scenes of Solana Beach in the early 20th century.More scenes of Solana Beach in the early 20th century.The City of Solana Beach was incorporated in 1986.Surfing on the timeless Pacific Ocean.
You can see more public art by Betsy Schulz by clicking here and here.
As I continued north on the Coastal Rail Trail, I noticed what appeared to be a crescent moon on the pathway, with a moon poem by Walter de la Mare.A bit farther on I found another glistening moon. This one includes a poem by Emily Dickinson.I then came upon this colorful stained glass sunburst, standing between the pathway and nearby Highway 101!Sunburst of Color, by artist Amber Irwin, 2005. Amber Irwin is a founding member of the Solana Beach Art Association.A small garden beside the Coastal Rail Trail was bright on a late summer day with flowers.An electrical box with painted artwork.Looking over a fence, I saw a Coaster rumbling up the train tracks that run parallel to the trail.Then I stumbled upon a third crescent moon, and a mysterious hat! This poem is also by Emily Dickinson.A water fountain near steps to the Dahlia Drive pedestrian bridge that spans the train tracks. The fountain stands above colorful mosaics.This mosaic is a love gift from the Solana Beach Presbyterian Church.A local youth group made these many cheerful ceramic leaves and flowers.Across the train track I spotted the huge, eye-catching mural by artist Lindu Prasekti. It’s titled Myths at Play.
You can learn more about this very cool mural by clicking here.
I’m passed by bicyclists who are also heading north.Sea life mosaics decorate concrete benches at the bus stop across from the Solana Beach train station. By artist Michelle Griffoul.
You can learn more about these eleven benches and see up close images of the sea life tiles by clicking here.
I’ve come to some steps leading down to the Solana Beach train station platform. Lots of passengers are waiting below.The visually interesting Solana Beach train station was designed by architect Rob Wellington Quigley, and was built in 1994.Another photo of people on a train platform below the Coastal Rail Trail in Solana Beach.Some more colorful art on another electrical box beside the pathway.Red bougainvillea and the Cliff Street bridge over train tracks.A City of Solana Beach plaque on the CLIFF STREET BICYCLE/PEDESTRIAN BRIDGE.As I approached the northern end of Solana Beach, I saw a sign that reads RAIL TRAIL ENDS 500 FT. (At this time the trail doesn’t continue into Cardiff-by-the-Sea.)In addition to the distant ocean, I see something interesting ahead.A monument with a plaque stands near an observation platform beside a small grove of Torrey Pine trees.Some sculptural Torrey Pine artwork on the side of the monument.The plaque explains the history of these few transplanted Torrey Pine trees. Figuring in that complicated history are billboards along the highway and the installation of train tracks.More beautiful artwork, at the north end of Solana Beach’s Coastal Rail Trail.
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I live in downtown San Diego and love to walk around with my camera! You can follow Cool San Diego Sights via Facebook or Twitter!
You can easily explore Cool San Diego Sights by using the search box on my blog’s sidebar. Or click a tag! There are thousands upon thousands of photos for you to enjoy!
Small sea creatures made of ceramic swim about a tile mosaic bench at a bus station in Solana Beach.
Check out these colorful benches at a Solana Beach bus station on Pacific Coast Highway!
Passengers waiting for a North County Transit BREEZE bus at this station are surrounded by all sorts of sea creatures in the form of ceramic tiles. You can find the public art just north of Lomas Santa Fe Drive, on the west side of the Solana Beach train station. Bicyclists heading down Solana Beach’s Coastal Rail Trail can also pause to enjoy the artwork.
The fun mosaics, decorating 11 concrete benches, were created by artist Michelle Griffoul.
Here are photos from several benches that you might enjoy!
Two of eleven concrete benches decorated with images of marine life on Pacific Coast Highway, just north of Lomas Santa Fe Drive.A colorful fish, shell and seahorse among small blue tiles.Sit here and you can ride a dolphin that is swimming among abundant sea life.More fun public artwork at a Solana Beach bus station.Butterflies! It appears that not all of the images concern aquatic life.More fish in their watery element.More beautiful artwork at the bus station.A bike rider rolls past public art. This station is part of the Coastal Rail Trail in San Diego’s North County.So much sea life it seems we’re somewhere out in the nearby Pacific Ocean.A small school of beautiful fish swimming in blue tiles.Enjoy The Path.The sun is shining atop this bench.I’ve spotted a whale!
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This blog now features thousands of photos around San Diego! Are you curious? There’s lots of cool stuff to check out!
Here’s the Cool San Diego Sights main page, where you can read the most current blog posts. If you’re using a phone or small mobile device, click those three parallel lines up at the top–that opens up my website’s sidebar, where you’ll see the most popular posts, a search box, and more!
To enjoy future posts, you can also “like” Cool San Diego Sights on Facebook or follow me on Twitter.
Biking north along the east side of Mission Bay, heading toward De Anza Cove.
On Saturday I walked slowly along the east side of Mission Bay on my way to the Shaka Fest. Many were out enjoying the sunshine.
This is living in San Diego.
Resting in the shade of a tree.Shooting hoops outdoors with friends.Chasing a Frisbee.Walking near the De Anza Cove boat launching ramp.Some boaters come in from a pleasant Saturday out on the water.A sailboat in a corner of gentle blue Mission Bay, the largest man-made aquatic park in the United States.Enjoying the grass.The magic of Mission Bay.Heading down a path with the dog.Plaque on a park bench. In memory of Bettelu who love the walk (thru life).Enjoying another day of San Diego sunshine.
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I live in downtown San Diego and love to walk around with my camera! You can follow Cool San Diego Sights via Facebook or Twitter!
A clean, beautiful city by San Diego Bay, painted on the side of a building in Little Italy.
Yesterday morning, as I walked through Little Italy to photograph that cool Mona Lisa freeway on-ramp mural (my previous blog post), I discovered some additional artwork in the vicinity of State Street and Fir Street.
The large mural on the side of a residential building is clearly seen by motorists heading down Interstate 5. It contains a positive message. Colorful scenes encourage people to get out of their cars and jump on a bicycle or public transit.
A large, dynamic mural on a building that can be seen from nearby Interstate 5. Images convey an environmental message, encouraging bike riding and public transit.Mural on side of Porto Vista Hotel shows reflections of sailboat masts in blue water.A big eyeball near the entrance of the Landscape Architecture business Environs.Riding a bicycle with a dog in the active city.
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I live in downtown San Diego and love to walk around with my camera! You can follow Cool San Diego Sights via Facebook or Twitter!
Stepping from the Penny Pines parking area on Sunrise Highway to the Nobel Canyon trailhead.
This morning I went on a walk in the Laguna Mountains. The pine-covered Lagunas, about an hour’s drive east of downtown San Diego, reach just over 6000 feet in elevation.
After parking at the Penny Pines area on Sunrise Highway, I began west down the Noble Canyon Trail, then turned south onto Big Laguna Trail.
A morning walk in the mountains is so quiet and beautiful.
Come along with me! In these photos we’ll be heading a couple miles or so to Big Laguna Lake, a temporary body of water that appears in the winter and lingers until summer.
During my walk I saw many broken trees and stumps, victims over the years of bark beetles and periodic wildfires. At first the air was very chilly, but as the sun slowly rose its warmth felt good on my face. I heard plenty of birdsong, knocking woodpeckers, and the soft mountain breeze in branches. I smelled new green grass and the towering pine trees.
My eyes noted many signs of early spring.
Part of a posted Map of Laguna Mountain Recreation Area. Big Laguna Lake forms during rainy season in Laguna Meadow.Horses sometimes share the trail with hikers and mountain bikers.Many fallen tree limbs and trunks were along the trail. Victims of wildfires, beetles, and violent mountain storms.We’ve turned left onto Big Laguna Trail. Many of the hiking trails on Mount Laguna connect to the famous Pacific Crest Trail, which stretches from Mexico to Canada.A swinging gate on the trail. Sometimes cattle are herded up in these mountains.A beautiful early morning. The sun is still low and obscured by clouds and hills.I saw a few small flowers along the trail scattered by spring’s fingers.The jumbled broken trunks often appeared like abstract works of art.Inner beauty exposed.Wild and delicate.
Moving forward.A tale of many seasons.Winter’s remnant.Many elements.I’m about to enter the edge of Laguna Meadow. Around here a small group of Red-winged Blackbirds were jumping about tree branches and cheerfully talking to each other.
Some collected rain and snowmelt have formed a small green pond in the meadow.
I spy Big Laguna Lake ahead.Turning my camera to the right, looking backward a bit.
A friendly mountain biker approaches.Like a silver dream on the mountain.
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I live in downtown San Diego and love to walk around with my camera! You can follow Cool San Diego Sights via Facebook or Twitter!
You can easily explore Cool San Diego Sights by using the search box on my blog’s sidebar. Or click a tag! There are thousands upon thousands of photos for you to enjoy!
People play on the sandy volleyball courts at South Mission Beach, north of the jetty.
Yesterday I walked through South Mission Beach near the jetty. I got lots of fun, sunny photos for you to enjoy!
Riding a bike through South Mission Beach on a perfect San Diego day.The Mission Beach boardwalk, which passes many small colorful houses and condos, is popular with bicyclists and pedestrians.One of the cool beachfront properties on South Mission Beach. Many are available as vacation rentals.A row of lifeguard towers. It’s winter in San Diego. During the summer these lookouts will be arranged at intervals along the beach.Heading south along the path, approaching palm trees and the parking lot at the jetty.A beautiful day for a bike ride.These people have paused to look at the nearby grass.Guys play in the sun at the basketball court.On the beach, a lifeguard building with flag flapping in the sea breeze. Pacific Beach and La Jolla rise to the north.Families walk and play on the shore. The surf is gentle today.A seagull hangs out on a dune as surfers come in. The South Mission Beach jetty juts into the Pacific Ocean.Someone approaches the foot of the rock jetty, which guards the channel into Mission Bay. This cape is called Point Medanos.I stopped at the lifeguard emergency sign. Halfway down the jetty stands an old, abandoned bait shack, which appears like an arch that is covered with graffiti.Gulls wheel over the entrance channel as a boat comes into Mission Bay.Beyond this sailboat I see the long Ocean Beach Pier.Point Loma rises beyond a second jetty that juts from Hospitality Point, separating the Mission Bay entrance channel from the San Diego River.People are also out and about in Ocean Beach enjoying the sunny day. I see a few pooches running freely about Dog Beach.Several fishermen were casting into the blue water from the rocks.Now I’m circling back on North Jetty Road heading for the boardwalk. A cool windblown tree and flowers in the sand.Like paradise on Earth.I love this place!
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This blog now features thousands of photos around San Diego! Are you curious? There’s lots of cool stuff to check out!
Here’s the Cool San Diego Sights main page, where you can read the most current blog posts. If you’re using a phone or small mobile device, click those three parallel lines up at the top–that opens up my website’s sidebar, where you’ll see the most popular posts, a search box, and more!
To enjoy future posts, you can also “like” Cool San Diego Sights on Facebook or follow me on Twitter.
Bright new LimeBike smart bicycles have suddenly appeared in downtown San Diego!
Look what I discovered as I walked down Cedar Street to the Little Italy trolley station this morning. A bunch of identical lime green bicycles were waiting in a row on the sidewalk!
Upon closer inspection, I saw these bikes can be rented simply by unlocking them with a smartphone. And riders pay only one dollar per half hour! Very affordable!
LimeBike has just announced the introduction of their smart pedal bikes into downtown San Diego. That must explain why I’ve never them before.
In the future, I’ve learned they intend to introduce a fleet of Lime-E electric assist bikes and Lime-S scooters. Sounds like a great idea to me!
The 1st ride of a LimeBike is free! Renting one of these smart bikes costs only $1 per half hour.Instructions on a LimeBike show how to scan the QR code to unlock the bicycle.I found more LimeBikes parked on the sidewalk at the Little Italy trolley station!
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I live in downtown San Diego and love to walk around with my camera! You can follow Cool San Diego Sights via Facebook or Twitter!
I spent another New Year’s Day by sparkling San Diego Bay. My feet seemed drawn to the water, as predictably as the Earth orbits the Sun. The rippling water and sea breeze always makes me feel reborn.
Today I walked from the Hilton San Diego Bayfront to a spot north of the Grape Street Pier, not quite as far as the Coast Guard Station.
Come along and we will relive the journey. Even on a relatively quiet New Year’s Day, we’ll observe fishermen, boaters, bicyclists, musicians, artists, friends and families. We will move through life.
One forward step leads to another.
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I live in downtown San Diego and love to walk around with my camera! You can follow Cool San Diego Sights via Facebook or Twitter!
A bicyclist passes reflections on the glassy two-level ballroom of the Marriott Marquis.
Here are two magical photos. Bright reflections of nearby high-rises were captured by my camera as I walked past the new ballroom expansion of the Marriott Marquis. I love San Diego’s beautiful waterfront.
Optical magic on glass windows.
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I live in downtown San Diego and love to walk around with my camera! You can follow Cool San Diego Sights via Facebook or Twitter!
Someone rides a bicycle along B Street during San Diego’s Bike to Work Day.
This morning, on my way to catch the trolley downtown, I saw lots of people heading to work by bicycle. Today was Bike to Work Day in San Diego!
I snapped a few photos just for the fun of it. I also took a photo of a cool map showing designated places to bike in San Diego’s downtown and uptown areas. Make copies of it for your own use if you’d like!
The Donut Bar had a Bike to Work Day pit stop in downtown San Diego. Many morning riders swung on by.There were tables full of goodies for those who commuted to work by bike.Another pit stop at Civic Center Plaza. The City of San Diego has a special program that encourages bicycling.A map of the San Diego downtown and uptown bike loop. (Click image to enlarge.)Even a blogger who is more into walking received big smiles!
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I live in downtown San Diego and love to walk around with my camera! You can follow Cool San Diego Sights via Facebook or Twitter!
Cool San Diego Sights! 