Winter on the Causeway

Winter on the Causeway has been fun.  I typically catch the 7:40 train from Sacramento.  At this hour, the sun is rising over the eastern skyline, casting all sorts of fun morning light.  The causeway is either flooded or marshy, and there are hundreds of birds in the morning.  There are flying V's of geese, there are chatty bunches of ducks clustered in the water.  There are swarms of tiny birds zipping about in clusters.  And standing egrets, their beaks jutting out like a signpost. 

Another thing that happens a lot in the winter is the fog.  The causeway will be steeped in fog, visibility becoming completely blocked just about one city block away.  It's beautiful and mysterious.  much fun to watch out the window.

Another thing I notice is the sections - the way in which the countryside is sectioned.  The fog will sometimes follow these patterns.  For example, there is a slough running alongside the train tracks, and there are trees lining the water.  On very foggy days, the trees poke out through the fog, which help to orient me in space, but also draw a line seperating visibility from invisibility.  The trees are partially obscured.  Beyond the trees - invisible.

In contrast - one of the more delightful experiences is the perfectly clear day.  Usually after a rain, or fog, the sun will shine brightly on the coastal ranges, and visibility will go on for what seems like forever.  On days like these, I love to watch the line of the mountains as it moves north, wondering how far inland these mountains are moving, or if it is an optical illusion that seems to cause them to cradle the valley.  Two of the northernmost coastal mountains have had snow on them in January.

To the south, Mount Diablo is where my eye always focuses on a clear day.  It's also fun to watch as we pass up cars on the freeway, heading west.

The biggest drawback to riding the Capitol Corridor in the winter is that it is dark at night and there is nothing to see.   I can't wait until the days get longer and the Sierra Nevadas are highlighted by the setting sun when I return.  I anticipate that during the summer the air will be too dirty to really get a good view of the mountains.  But during the rainy days of spring, the view should be ideal.  I hope I am still riding during that time, which means I will need to be working in Davis.  But I hope I've gotten a new job by then.