Off Highway 4

Highway 4 that runs from Hercules, California, through Martinez, and

connecting back onto Highway 680, which veers off to the right to San

Jose through Walnut Creek, and to the left to Sacramento, used to,

until a few years ago, enjoy a reputation as the most dangerous road in

the United States, not in the least bit because it was one lane either

way for long stretches, with heavy fog along most of it in the morning,

with sudden, abrupt curves and twisting turns. For a road that wound its

way up a steep hill with sheer drops on either side, this was a bad

combination.

The road has since been widened to cut down on some of the fatalities,

but it still has sheer drops off high cliff faces for long stretches. However,

off Highway 4, on the way to Richmond, if you make a left turn off the

exit to Port Costa, you will chance upon this sideroad, along which you

will find this quaint farm. After your detour, if you followed this road back

up the hill, you will end back up on the freeway, none the worse for

wear, and not without a pang of joy in the realization that on this day,

even though you passed through the valley of the Highway of Death,

you did manage to exercise your right to live a little. As usual, thanks

for your time.

Love it. You put yourself in a great spot to capture this scene. It has that old west spirit to it and the detail is excellent. I like how you lined the fg bush diagonally with the barn. Super work my friend. P.S. I enjoyed the bg info. I'm not that familiar with the highway system there but my brother lives in Scotts Valley and previously lived in San Jose so maybe I have traveled the highway of death.

Thanks, Joe, I am often on the road from one courthouse to another. I don't always have the time to detour, but I sometimes can't resist. This was not that easy an image to make. There is a barbed wire fence in the foreground, and I had to set up my tripod with the lens through the barbed wire. My wide angle Sigma is my workhore lens on landscapes, and it came in handy here. As usual, I shot at f22, which allowed maximum DOF. Thanks for the ringing endorsement. I hope all is well with you.

Great Landscape Image, Emmanuel.... full of textures and mood... Merry, Merry Christmas-Happy Holidays to You and Yours

Story is as good as image...

Compliments, Emmanuel. Great presentation - including the story. Regards, El

This is excellent composition and work, my friend.

 

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!!!

 

Alberto

Excellent shot!, great treatment....MERRY XMAS AND HAPPY NEW YEAR from Italy

I thoroughly enjoyed your narrative as you are so good at it. I've traveled a lot of backroads in California, but I don't recall this particular one. But then again my memory isn't so great. Nice tone on the image and Merry Christmas to you and your family.

Happy Holidays and Bountiful New Year!

Very well done! Nice composition and tones! Regards.