Wanderings through the San Joaquin Valley, part 2 of many … San Luis NWR, San Joaquin River, the Merced River and wherever …

On yet another trip headed north, this time in November, I decided the destination point would be the San Luis National Wildlife Refuge.  On the way up, I stop at the Dos Amigos Pumping Plant, a place I have stopped many times before.

Dos Amigos Pumping Plant Oct 2013 #10

Looking in the other direction …

Central Valley irrigation July 2013 #1

Here’s my own version of a selfie … sort of a cop-out selfie, I suppose …

Pumping Plant selfie Oct 2013I turn off the road and head towards the refuge, stopping along the way to shoot these agricultural fields.

Central Valley irrigation Nov 2013 #7 Central Valley irrigation Nov 2013 #5 Central Valley irrigation Nov 2013 #1 Central Valley field Nov 2013 #1Getting close to the refuge, I come across the infrastructure that brings it water …

Los Banos N#2 Los Banos N#9 Los Banos N#6 Los Banos N#4Closer to the refuge, I cross Salt Slough …

Salt Slough by San Luis NWR Nov 2013 #1

Counting fish here …Salt Slough fish counter Nov 2013 #1Outside the refuge are flooded cotton fields …

Flooded cotton field outside of San Luis NWR Nov 2013 #1The refuge has a nice new visitors center …

San Luis NWR Nov 2013 #4San Luis NWR Nov 2013 #7There’s not much happening on the refuge, and all I see are a few ducks, and none feel like posing for a photograph …

San Luis NWR Nov 2013 #10 San Luis NWR Nov 2013 #15And what do you know, on the way out, I cross the San Joaquin River again …

San Joaquin River Nov 2013 #2 San Joaquin River Nov 2013 #6And farther north, the Merced River …

Merced River Nov 2013 #5

Merced River Nov 2013 #1So long from the Central Valley!

More to come …