The coast live oak is a species of evergreen native to the central and southern coast of California. These craggy mossy giants are found plentifully in the hills east of the U.C. Berkeley campus, especially along the Berkeley Fire Trail. This is the road leading up along the UCB stadium, on the cool afternoon of December 5th.

The speed of light is 299,792,458 meters per second. Although the cars around Berkeley aren’t moving that quickly, it sometimes seems that way.

The UC Berkeley Campanile is a landmark that is frequently photographed by visitors to the East Bay, but today the tower seemed looming, perhaps even menacing against the turbulent sky. There is a lot of debate today about the future of higher education; perhaps this image says something about it.

The Berkeley Hills fall and rise in a way that is rather unconducive to bicycling, but very conducive to interesting views like this one. I ride a bicycle anyway.

The unusual weather of the Bay Area produces cloudscapes of a dream-like consistency. On November 30th I was treated to an unusual display.

Following University Avenue beyond the highway overpass leads to a peculiar remnant of history. The Berkeley Municipal Pier was originally constructed in 1926 for freight, and extended 3.5 miles into the bay. After more economical transportation was concocted, the pier was converted to recreational use, and largely left to decay. Now only the first half mile of the pier is maintained, and the remainder serves as a reminder of the past, and a sanctuary for sea-faring birds.

Walking around the downtown, it is striking how much our machines and technology influence, even control our experience. The flow of traffic through the streets turns our cities into a massive system of hydraulics; people are caught in the flow, trying not to get crushed. How long will it be before we can’t go far enough to escape the machines?

There are all kinds of peculiarities to be found around Berkeley. This one made me pause.

In the block between Walnut and Shattuck, in the midst of the urban thicket, is a green space. Doesn’t it make you just want to play in the dirt?

A surprising variety of wildlife can thrive even in the peculiarly unnatural environment of urban sprawl — deer, raccoons, mountain lions and so much more. On November 28th, I happened upon urban ducks.