Cloud Climbing

Twice a week I wake up earlier than usual and join my friend Mr. Marsh for a walk to the top of the Berkeley hills. It's something we talked about doing for at least a year before we actually started, mostly because we couldn't figure out when to fit it in with everything else in our lives. The early start time means it's not always yet light when we begin our ascent, but we're able to make it to the top and back home again before the rest of my family's day begins.

We try to move along at a good clip as we walk up the hill, passing one amazing house after another nestled in amongst the trees. With all the Mediterranean architecture and overgrown gardens I keep expecting Errol Flynn to appear on one of the balconies and reprise his role from "Don Juan."

Before we know it we're halfway, then most of the way, then all the way there. With all the stairways and other secret passages built into the hillside, it's not hard to get some altitude fairly quickly. The view from the ridge-line at the top of the hills affords us a look at most of the San Francisco Bay--except of course those parts obscured by the famous fog.

These illustrations are from Dromedary Press' first book, Castle in the Air. During those moments we're above the city, our early morning wandering through fog and forest are really like walking among those lofty towers. It is easy to find the space to see my dreams and taking the steps to reach them doesn't seem so hard.