ATT Pebble Beach Open Practice Rounds

Looking at the extended forecast around Carmel the past few days Tuesday appeared be the best day to make a visit. The rest of the week shows rain and more rain. However each morning I look outside in Santa Cruz the sun has been shining including today. The only nasty day so far has been Sunday. Carmel is about 38 miles south along the coast.

Cameras are allowed until the first day of the tournament and yesterday proved to be a great day for pics. I guess if I hung around the putting green I would have seen more celebs but I wanted more to get out on the course in case the weather changed. Ya never know up here it seems. Predicting weather looks to be more luck than anything. I may go one day later this week if it holds out. The 17th green bleachers would be my first choice for viewing.

More pics before the golf. Passing through artichoke country. Had breakfast at the Moss Landing Cafe where options include oysters or squid in the morning omelet. Sorry, not for me. But I did choose the local dish that offered artichokes, Italian sausage, cheese, and mushrooms.

Moss Landing Marina....

So now you know how artichokes are grown.... kind of looks like small pineapples on a leafy bush.

Lousy Weather - Pebble Beach

Oh well, I've had some great weather most of this trip. Low to mid 70's in Arizona. Even Vegas had was nice, but this central California weather ain't much fun when it rains and temps hover around 50. Add in the wind and I'm not too excited about doing anything. Considering I've already seen some pro golf in Scottsdale two weeks ago, the actual Pebble Beach Pro Am is not a priority.

Seeing and walking the course is what it's all about. Today it's practice rounds and the Bridies For Charity Shootout where cameras are permitted. Weather expected to be in the mid 50's with sun. Heck, yesterday hail interrupted some of the early birds sharpening their game for the weekend.

More on todays events...

Birdies for Charity Shoot-Out: Along with more practice rounds, today's action will include the Birdies for Charity Shoot-Out at 1:30 p.m. at Pebble Beach. In the Shoot-Out, eight PGA Tour pros (four two-man teams) representing four charities compete in a "Scotch" format over five holes (1, 2, 3, 17, 18) for a purse of $40,000. The charities are Hospice of Santa Cruz County, Jacob's Heart Children's Cancer Support Services, Beacon House and SPCA of Monterey County.

Players:

Jonathan Byrd
Charles Warren
Brad Faxon
Scott McCarron
Steve Lowery
Parker McLachlin
J.J. Henry
Hunter Mahan

Sure, I'll put together another video.

The Giant Sequioas - California Redwoods

Story has it, a fella bought three parcels of redwoods in this area over 100 years ago and planned on making a sizeable pile of cash by taking down all these giants...until his wife intervened claiming they must be protected. So as it goes, the giant Redwoods in Felton California on the central coast. Quite impressive, but pictures or video don't show the real thing.

Shivering since the trip up the mountain. Supposed to rain today, but it looks like sunshine from my hotel room...for now.

I may head down to Carmel and check out the practice rounds if the weather holds out. Pics and video above done with same Sony camera. Not as clear as the previous Santa Cruz video because of the format I uploaded it with. I gotta write those settings down!

Santa Cruz Wharf & Boardwalk

Better picture quality if you click on the HQ icon, bottom right of screen when initiated.

Why not some video instead of pics? More to see. All this was done with my small Sony DSC-H9 camera. No, not the mini I snuck into the Phoenix Open. Nor is it the larger one I got for Christmas. Staying at the Santa Cruz Beach Inn.

On my way to see some giant Sequoias today in Felton CA. Weather very good yesterday. Looks bleak for the Pebble Beach golf tournament.

Geeky Convention

Ah, found something I've been looking for. I didn't realize this was happening but I will be checking out the SMX Convention in Santa Clara next week. I haven't been to one of these events since Orlando in February of 2004. What did I learn there? Hard to say because it's been so long ago.

Actually most of what I learned about the web and making a living from it came from Webmasterworld (WW)...back in the days when many professionals weren't so tight lipped about how the web works and how to get a site ranked. At WW you can still pick up tips but it takes quite a bit of work wading through the noise. And like I tell many, if you want to learn the web you need the passion, followed by hard work. For me it's easier because I love the stuff. It's not like work.

Times have changed. Many shakers no longer visit WW. But these guys do the convention circuit as speakers. Many have very successful businesses as well. What I'm particularly interested in is where the internet is headed. It's constantly evolving. As I write some experiments at Google have folks shaken up, but I see it as a plus for those that have sites with good information and not those that build 1,000 sites on every topic they know nothing about.

http://www.webmasterworld.com/google/3841736.htm

You may know the type. It looks good when searching, but you click on the site and all that is seen are a few sentences of repititous garbage you've already seen. Better yet, the information isn't visible on the page until you scroll down. Instead, these rocket scientists want you to click and ad that is plastered in your face.

Okay, so you probably don't follow me. Things are changing for the better the way I look at it.

Oh, my California traveling schedule has changed. I'm currently in Santa Cruz and plan to be in the general area until February 14. Wharf (pier) pic below. I didn't take it, but will have some of my own pics.