Anyway, an easy enough drive to San Pablo and then on to Solano, parking near the corner, the parade scheduled to start at ten, arriving just before nine. So far, so good.

A walk the length of the Stroll from the bottom at San Pablo to The Alameda, a distance (I'm guessing) of somewhat over a mile, as people were preparing the various booths, stages and rides along the way, the participants in the parade itself congregating on side streets near The Alameda (I know, seems an odd name for a street).

I realized I'd arrived too early by half an hour, but I always wonder if I'll be able to find street parking if I arrive too late. I've always found a parking spot at the place I parked this morning every time I've come in the past, but too early is too early, and by the time things were popping I was pooped.

Three hours of shooting. Overall I'd say my heart wasn't quite in it (I'm not sure why) and I didn't find much in the way of pictures. Last year produced four sections of photographs, today I managed but one. Such is a photographic life.

Halfway through, having walked the full length of the festival and back, I returned to the car and dropped off the camera with the long lens and my jacket to set out again with the single 24-120mm lens mounted camera in just the t-shirt. I was tired, but understood I'd not gotten enough pictures, hadn't waited near The Alameda for the parade to start and ultimately didn't want to start a habit of coming back empty handed.

Met the last half of the parade to take pictures, feeling sore but somehow better. The end of a long morning on what will be remembered as a long day. The traffic heavy on 580 driving home (people commute every day during the week in this??), but home finally to download the pictures and then head out to the morning restaurant for lunch.

Later. Well, definitely a section of photographs, some of them better than I first thought, some of them, well, we'll finish the section and see how it turns out.

No more sore muscles though. It was a long session this morning but it doesn't seem to have had other than short term effects. None of these outings seem to, so maybe I'm in better shape than I think. Walking every day, even when you're just walking to get outside the house rather than for exercise, seems to work. For the best. The few times I've joined a gym haven't been altogether fun, lasting at most something like six months (done back in the Pliocene, just after the first human-like creatures arrived).

Evening. Commissario Montalbano seems to have taken the Sunday night six o'clock slot, so no reading subtitles on Sundays with a guitar. Fine. Moyers& Company at eight (which will take us to nine) and then maybe we'll get to bed early again. A good day today, for all my talk of running out of steam at the Solano Stroll, so no complaints. It may help in getting a good night's sleep.