Oak at the Top

Drove through–or, is it “over”–Pacheco Pass this week when I stopped to take a shot of a few windswept, weather beaten oak trees on a hill. There is a lot behind this photo, mostly my private thoughts. I”ll break it down quickly. First, the downhill portion of this two-lane drive is treacherous, especially at speeds over 65. When you add in semis,  your pulse increases. While the scenery is poetically inspiring, it isn’t wise to pull over in most places, consequently, the scenery remains just that–something to glimpse at, and I do mean glimpse(keep those eyes on the road). Anyway, I rarely stop, but this time I wanted to capture the “loneliness” of one oak at the top. It appears that each hill has one tree at the top. There must be a reason for this and the fact that half the trees appear to be dead. Regardless, I usually enjoy the 25 minutes it takes to negotiate the pass.(Pacheco Pass connects California’s Central Valley with the coast. )