Coast to Coast

photographer: Nathan Acks
date: 2017-10-23

A combination of astute planning and sheer luck/misfortune saw me traveling from San Francisco, to Louisville, Kentucky, to Washington, DC over the course of two and a half weeks.

San Francisco

An orange spider sits in the middle of an orb web in the forest

A spider in Redwood Regional Park.

There were a surprising number of spiders in the park… And surprisingly few birds.

A redwood forest, seen through the narrow gap between two foreground trees

Taken in Redwood Regional Park during a hike with Len Montgomery, Nathaniel Manista, Stephen Ulrich, Mike, and Daniel (Mike and Daniel are two of Stephen Ulrich’s friends).

Looking east across San Francisco at night

The Moon rises over San Francisco Bay. Looking inland from Krista Stone-Manista and Nathaniel Manista’s condo. The San Francisco city core is just off-frame to the left.

A photograph, processed to look like a pastel painting, of five friends sitting on a couch, laughing and drinking wine

The San Francisco after dinner crew.

A spherical orrery made out of polished steal and stone at The Interval in San Francisco

The orrery at The Interval, which is run by The Long Now.

Runways and hangers at the San Francisco International Airport

Takeoff from SFO, en route to Louisville, Kentucky. The San Francisco Bay is in the background, and the shadow of my plane can be seen on the ground near center.

Maintenance hangers and planes at San Francisco International Airport as seen from the air

A view of part of SFO from the air, taken shortly after takeoff.

Louisville

Sunset over the American Midwest as seen from a plane

Clouds at sunset over the midwest.

A prominent domed building on the campus of the University of Louisville

The University of Louisville. Ryen Schimerman & Jasmine Chiang’s apartment, where I stayed while in Kentucky, was just a couple of blocks from the University.

A black-and-white photo of an old steel water tower

The old water tower on top of Ryen Schimerman & Jasmine Chiang’s apartment building, where I stayed while in Louisville.

A black-and-white photo of a weathered wooden deck

The deck on top of Ryen Schimerman & Jasmine Chiang’s apartment building, where I stayed while in Louisville. This particular photo makes for a rather nice phone wallpaper if you’re into textured photos.

An animated GIF of a black and yellow train approaching the camera obliquely

An animated GIF of a train pulling through the east side of the University of Louisville.

A black and yellow train approaches the camera obliquely

A train pulls through the east side of the University of Louisville.

A black-and-white photograph of the side of a freight train stretching obliquely from the right to left side of the frame

Detail of a train pulling through the east side of the University of Louisville.

A sign declaring "this car excess height" next to a ladder on the side of a train car

Detail of a train pulling through the east side of the University of Louisville.

A steel foot bridge over the Ohio River, seen just after dawn

The Big Four Bridge over the Ohio River. The far shore is Indiana.

A brutalist suspension bridge made of white steel and concrete pylons crosses the Ohio River between Kentucky and Indiana

The Abraham Lincoln (foreground) and John F. Kennedy Memorial (background) Bridges over the Ohio River. The far shore is Indiana.

An empty coal barge navigates west along the Ohio River at dawn, slightly closer to the Kentucky side of the river

An empty coal barge approaches the Big Four Bridge on the Ohio River. Indiana is on the left, Kentucky on the right.

The view directly down towards an empty coal barge traveling west along the Ohio River at dawn

An empty coal barge about to pass under the Big Four Bridge on the Ohio River. Indiana is on the left, Kentucky on the right.

An empty coal barge approaches downtown Louisville on the Ohio River

An empty coal barge passing under the Big Four Bridge across the Ohio River. The Abraham Lincoln (near) and John F. Kennedy Memorial (far) Bridges lie ahead.

An empty coal barge passes under a brutalist suspension bridge made of white steel and concrete pylons. In the distance, downtown Louisville

An empty coal barge passing under the Abraham Lincoln (foreground) and John F. Kennedy Memorial (background) Bridges. Downtown Louisville lies beyond.

A panorama taken near the center of the Ohio River looking east, just after dawn

Looking east across the Ohio River just after sunrise. The left-hand shore is Indiana, and the right-hand shore Kentucky.

Looking south towards Kentucky along a steel footbridge crossing the Ohio River

Looking south towards Kentucky from near the middle of the Big Four Bridge.

Looking north towards Indiana along a steel footbridge crossing the Ohio River

Looking north towards Indiana from near the middle of the Big Four Bridge.

A black-and-white photograph of a brutalist suspension bridge of white steel and concrete pylons crossing the Ohio River

The Abraham Lincoln (foreground) and John F. Kennedy Memorial (background) Bridges over the Ohio River. The far shore is Indiana.

A photograph of a brutalist suspension bridge of white steel and concrete pylons crossing the Ohio River, processed to look like an oil painting

The Abraham Lincoln (foreground) and John F. Kennedy Memorial (background) Bridges over the Ohio River, processed with Prisma.

The spiral pedestrian ramp leading on to a steel footbridge crossing the Ohio River

The pedestrian on-ramp to the Big Four Bridge in Louisville, Kentucky.

A photograph of a brutalist suspension bridge of white steel and concrete pylons crossing the Ohio River

The Abraham Lincoln Bridge over the Ohio River; the John F. Kennedy Memorial Bridge is just past it, and beyond that the Clark Memorial Bridge. The far shore is Indiana.

A photograph of a brutalist suspension bridge of white steel and concrete pylons crossing the Ohio River

The Abraham Lincoln Bridge over the Ohio River; the John F. Kennedy Memorial Bridge is just past it, and beyond that the Clark Memorial Bridge. The far shore is Indiana.

Looking towards Indiana across the Ohio River from underneath a bridge

Beneath the Abraham Lincoln Bridge over the Ohio River, looking towards Indiana. The John F. Kennedy Memorial Bridge can be seen at left.

Looking towards Indiana across the Ohio River from underneath a bridge

Beneath the Abraham Lincoln Bridge over the Ohio River, looking towards Indiana. The John F. Kennedy Memorial Bridge can be seen at left.

Washington, DC

A black-and-white photograph of the Library of Congress annex at night

The entrance to the Library of Congress’ James Madison Memorial Building at night.

An animated GIF of people walking towards the viewer at night with the US Capitol in the background

Pedestrians on the east side of the US Capitol.

A black-and-white photograph of the east side of the US Capitol

Morning on the east side of the US Capitol.

A black-and-white photograph of the entrance to the United States Supreme Court

The entrance to the Supreme Court of the United States.

The fountain in front of the Library of Congress' original building

The fountain in front of the Library of Congress.