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Geisel Library, UCSD turns 50

UCSD’s Geisel Library turn 50 on September 29.

Named after Theodor Seuss “Ted” Geisel, better known as children’s book author Dr. Seuss, architect William Pereira designed the futuristic library on the University of California San Diego campus in the brutalist aesthetic. The library opened to students in September 1970.

Other examples of Pereira’s work that evokes the style of the library might include the Transamerica tower in San Francisco and the Pacific Life building in Newport Beach.

Today, the Geisel Library is considered among the top public research libraries in the nation.

Surfing The Wedge. Newport Beach

One of the most legendary of surf spots is certainly the Wedge in Newport Beach, California. The waves are also favorites with some of the world’s top bodyboarding and bodysurfing athletes.

During the summer (May – October), the City of Newport Beach generally restricts the use of “hard boards” at the Wedge from 10 am to 5 pm, but usually allows soft boards for the safety of body surfers and swimmers. The infamous “blackball” flag is flown by lifeguards when the restrictions are in place.

While surfing has been a popular sport in Newport Beach since the 1900s, the Wedge’s unique shore-breaking waves are formed with the help of the rock jetty created in 1936 as the entrance into Newport Harbor. When conditions are just right, especially during a south or south/southwest swell, The Wedge can occasionally produce monster waves up to 30 feet tall.

Morro Bay, California.

Morro Bay is located along the coast of Central California, roughly half-way between San Francisco and Los Angeles. This photograph was captured from the shores of Los Osos-Baywood Park.

Morro Rock is an ancient volcanic mound formed 23 million years by an ancient volcano. The rock sits 576′ tall within Morro Bay State Park, home to lagoons, trails and a bird-rich saltwater marsh. It’s a designated sanctuary for the peregrine falcon and other bird species.

North America’s Swift Fox

Once found across the vast prairies of the Canadian and American Great Plains, Swift foxes have experienced significant population declines.

Weighing just 5 to 7 lbs, fewer than a thousand Swift foxes are estimated to be in the wilds of Canada today, but up significantly since conservation efforts began in the 1980s.

This Swift Fox lives at The Living Desert near Palm Springs.

California’s Colorado Desert

California’s Colorado Desert is part of the larger Sonoran Desert, encompassing approximately 7 million acres.

The weather will be well over 100 degrees in the shade later today across most of California’s Colorado Desert. Fortunately for local hikers, it will be a most pleasant 76 degrees along the trail on their early morning walk.