I have been driving up to and down Highway 35 – better known as Skyline – my entire life. Well, at least as long as I haver been able to drive. While the State’s Highway 35 starts in San Francisco and runs down to Highway 17, along the spine of the San Francisco peninsula mountains,  between San Jose and Santa Cruz, my Skyline runs from Highway 92 between San Mateo and Half Moon Bay, to the Saratoga Gap. The first time I can remember going on this road was with my Grandfather when he took the machine out for a Sunday drive. Some of my most memorable drives were in my MG A, top down in the fog, wearing what was known at that time as a car coat.

As an aside, as an English car, a MG was designed to drive in fog, or cold damp conditions with the top down. The driver and pass anger could sort of snuggle deep down into the bowls, with the heater turned up to melt. An Italian car, like an Alfa Giulietta , was too open. Even with a heavy car coat. End aside.

A couple of days ago, on one of the clearest days we have had in awhile, I drove up to look at the view. After leaving 92 and driving up hill for a little bit , I looked back to see San Francisco in the distance, beyond Crystal Springs lakes, Highway 280, and the Bay. Looking the other way, I saw Highway 92 dropping towards Half Moon Bay.

My plan was to drive down 35 until I got to the old Skeggs Point View turnout and vista point to get some shots of the Peninsula below and the Bay beyond. When I got there, the view was gone.And – evidently – had been gone for a while.

So here is this great view that I remember all the way back to my childhood. It would appear that nobody has thought it worth while keeping the view spot clear enough to see much of anything below. I can understand that; the state is broke and, with what little money there is, I would rather feed homeless children or put it into schools. Except that somebody – I am going to guess the State Highway Department since this is a state highway – is spending money building a worthless new wall. Why not just trim back the bushes, shitcan the new wall and use the saved money on schools. What a shame.

Much of the road with a view, runs through oaks and, while it is pleasant, there is not much of a view.

Towards the end of the day, I came to Russian Ridge and went for a walk. The sun was getting soft and the haze was giving the hills a layered look that I love. here are some samples.