Red Devils Return to Pacifica #7 -- June 30, 2013

Pacifica is one of the two cities on the San Francisco peninsula that allow the sale of fireworks. The stands arrived last week and they were open today. This is the stand at the Ace Hardware in Pedro Point. Sales here benefit CYO. Coincidentally, we went to Tanforan today, which is in San Bruno, the other city which allows fireworks sales. There was a string of booths in a section of the parking lot.

I took the photo on 26-June-2013.

Speed Kings Who Look Death in the Face -- June 29, 2013

The 03-June-1915 edition of Motography promoted movies of the opening 500 mile race at Chicago's Speedway Park on 19-June-1915.  Dario Resta won the race driving a Peugeot.  Click on the image to see a larger version. 

The Lone Ranger -- June 28, 2013

Last night my wife came downtown to meet me after work.  Traffic was terrible as I walked up Market.  Officers were directing traffic at every corner.  At First, one was operating the traffic signals manually.  I met her at Fourth and we went to the San Francisco Center.  We had panini for dinner downstairs.  Then we walked around a bit before we went up to the movie theater. 

Visa was sponsoring a preview showing of The Lone Ranger.  The people at the podium got tired of being asked where to go.  After a while, they set up a line.  We were first.  The Visa people were late, so the theater manager gave us our tickets.  A security guy announced that they had to collect our cell phones.  We checked the phones going in, then a security guy scanned us for other electronic devices. 

I enjoyed the movie, but I thought it was a little long.  My wife thought they could have left out the framing story, which was set in San Francisco in 1933.  The background that showed the Golden Gate bridge seemed to show the deck too far along for 1933.  At the end, I thought the deck looked complete. 

Johnny Depp as Tonto and Silver the horse stole the show.  Armie Hammer was a big, good-looking Ranger, but he didn't have an authoritative voice. 

I liked the locations, but my wife thought everything was composed too much in the center of the frame, not using the whole vista that was available.  Perhaps it was framed for people who watch movies on smart phones. 

For the railroad scenes, Disney built a big loop in the desert and two reproduction locomotives, which were pushed by GPs at the ends of the trains.  Some of the passenger cars were obviously modeled on Virginia and Truckee cars.  I was disappointed that the first locomotive was a 4-6-0 rather than a 4-4-0.  The movie was set in 1869, but the trains had Janney couplers and air brakes.  Neither was in use in 1869.  The line being built was the TCRR (Transcontinental Railroad) through Texas, heading for Promontory Point.  Ugh. 

I couldn't figure out why they wanted to run the locomotive into the mine. 

My wife and I were laughing more than most of the audience, especially Johnny Depp performed Keaton-like bits. 

We took BART back to Daly City and drove home from there.

The BART unions gave 72-hour notice that they may strike on Monday. 

Yacht Ramona -- June 28, 2013

From the 05-September-1895 San Francisco Call. William A Coulter did many maritime drawings for the newspaper. Click on the image for a larger view. 

With the America's Cup and preliminary races coming to San Francisco Bay this year, I thought I would post pictures of some yachts on San Francisco Bay.  

CRUISING AMONG MEXICAN PORTS

Eugene McCarthy Has Started on the Yacht Ramona.

TO BE GONE TWO MONTHS

He Expects to Have Lots of Fun in Fishing and Hunting.

The fast yacht Ramona sailed for a cruise along the coast of Mexico last Thursday evening. Eugene McCarthy, brother of the owner, went out on her and as the craft is well supplied with guns and fishing tackle, he evidently intends having a good time. The Ramona is provisioned for a two months' cruise, but should her commander decide upon a longer voyage, fresh supplies will be taken aboard at some Central American port. Captain Fred Nelson and a crew of four men will man the yacht.

There was a lively scene at Sausalito when the Ramona weighed anchor. Quite a number of the Pacific and San Francisco yacht clubs' boats were at anchor in Richardsons Bay and every one of them fired a salute as the trim little schooner disappeared around the head of the bay. The unusual display drew quite a crowd to the waterfront, but when the news was given out everybody was satisfied that there was no fears of a foreign invasion.

Propelled By Cable -- June 27, 2013

A plaque dedicated to Andrew Hallidie and the Clay Street Hill Railroad. It was moved to the lower terrace of Portsmouth Square when the Square was remodeled in 2001. I took the photo in April 2002.

1929 Stutz Model M Town Car -- June 26, 2013

San Francisco's Academy of Art University has a fine collection of classic cars available for study by its design students. They shared the collection at the 2010 San Francisco International Auto Show.

The 8 cylinder 1929 Stutz Model M Town Car has a custom body by Le Baron.

It's Hard Work Being a Cat #72 -- June 25, 2013

I took the photo on 29-March-2007.