Susan Valot
@susanvalot.bsky.social
Public radio reporter. Podcast producer/host (Quanta magazine). Professor. Hockey player. Globe trekker. Hiker. Work has been heard on KCRW, NPR's "Only A Game," KPCC. I’m also a freelance audio editor for podcasts. www.susanvalot.com
It last rained a while ago, but holy cow, the adobe clay parts of the trail were sticky! And a cowboy Christmas! (To get to the trail, you have to take a fire road through a stable area. The goats there are hilarious!)
December 13, 2025 at 12:40 AM
It last rained a while ago, but holy cow, the adobe clay parts of the trail were sticky! And a cowboy Christmas! (To get to the trail, you have to take a fire road through a stable area. The goats there are hilarious!)
Pretty view from tonight’s Sierra Club walk in Palos Verdes.
December 12, 2025 at 6:18 AM
Pretty view from tonight’s Sierra Club walk in Palos Verdes.
Saw a fireball meteor tonight over Altadena. The Geminids. Pretty amazing to see so clearly over a city. Also, Christmas Tree Lane.
December 11, 2025 at 6:26 AM
Saw a fireball meteor tonight over Altadena. The Geminids. Pretty amazing to see so clearly over a city. Also, Christmas Tree Lane.
Took me 1 1/2 hours to get from South Bay to Pasadena/Altadena. Standstill traffic thru downtown LA. (So I could take a photo.) I’ve been working with my editor since 2012/2013 & tonight’s the 1st time we’ll ever meet in person. (Dinner with a couple of us who’ve been working on post-fire stories.)
December 11, 2025 at 12:35 AM
Took me 1 1/2 hours to get from South Bay to Pasadena/Altadena. Standstill traffic thru downtown LA. (So I could take a photo.) I’ve been working with my editor since 2012/2013 & tonight’s the 1st time we’ll ever meet in person. (Dinner with a couple of us who’ve been working on post-fire stories.)
Also a nice evening for a sunset walk, with both Santa Barbara and San Nicolas islands visible on the horizon. It’s not often that you can see the flatter one that’s further out.
December 9, 2025 at 5:11 AM
Also a nice evening for a sunset walk, with both Santa Barbara and San Nicolas islands visible on the horizon. It’s not often that you can see the flatter one that’s further out.
Not my gumdrop buttons!! Also, Halloween for Christmas.
December 9, 2025 at 5:07 AM
Not my gumdrop buttons!! Also, Halloween for Christmas.
We happened to run into Santa.
December 9, 2025 at 5:07 AM
We happened to run into Santa.
Nothing says Christmas like Star Wars.
December 9, 2025 at 5:07 AM
Nothing says Christmas like Star Wars.
Took a friend visiting from Maine to Sleepy Hollow in Torrance tonight. Best time to go is early in the season, on a weeknight. Not too crowded!
December 9, 2025 at 5:07 AM
Took a friend visiting from Maine to Sleepy Hollow in Torrance tonight. Best time to go is early in the season, on a weeknight. Not too crowded!
Still a bit muddy out, but nice view of downtown LA with just a slight layer of haze.
December 8, 2025 at 12:44 AM
Still a bit muddy out, but nice view of downtown LA with just a slight layer of haze.
Someone forgot to tell the refinery that Halloween is over.
December 8, 2025 at 12:20 AM
Someone forgot to tell the refinery that Halloween is over.
Saw some protestors out yesterday in Orange County.
December 7, 2025 at 7:31 PM
Saw some protestors out yesterday in Orange County.
My Saturday. A working Saturday.
December 6, 2025 at 8:49 PM
My Saturday. A working Saturday.
And then I look out the window and this guy gets up on his/her hind legs, giving me flashbacks to the raccoon gang when I was camping near Big Sur in October. Big animal night here! (Raccoons are at least easy to scare off, if needed.) Watch out for coyotes, little dude!
December 6, 2025 at 8:59 AM
And then I look out the window and this guy gets up on his/her hind legs, giving me flashbacks to the raccoon gang when I was camping near Big Sur in October. Big animal night here! (Raccoons are at least easy to scare off, if needed.) Watch out for coyotes, little dude!
Came home from hockey to find two coyotes in the yard for the first time ever, even in the time my mom grew up here. They weren’t bothered by me yelling at them. The ones on the trails are more skittish. Took me longer to get in the house. And now I’ve got to get up early tomorrow. Ugh. Late games!
December 6, 2025 at 8:38 AM
Came home from hockey to find two coyotes in the yard for the first time ever, even in the time my mom grew up here. They weren’t bothered by me yelling at them. The ones on the trails are more skittish. Took me longer to get in the house. And now I’ve got to get up early tomorrow. Ugh. Late games!
I’m ready for the upcoming year! :)
December 2, 2025 at 5:12 AM
I’m ready for the upcoming year! :)
Tuzigoot National Monument in Arizona. This was a “village” of Native Americans, but more like apartments, going back to something like 1100AD. They were farmers and hunter-gatherers. About 250 people lived in this complex, with a family in each tiny room. Hard to imagine life at that point in time.
December 1, 2025 at 10:45 PM
Tuzigoot National Monument in Arizona. This was a “village” of Native Americans, but more like apartments, going back to something like 1100AD. They were farmers and hunter-gatherers. About 250 people lived in this complex, with a family in each tiny room. Hard to imagine life at that point in time.
Six-mile loop to Devil’s Bridge with my cousin. We picked up a lot of trash, but beautiful views.
November 30, 2025 at 11:12 PM
Six-mile loop to Devil’s Bridge with my cousin. We picked up a lot of trash, but beautiful views.
From the neighbor’s deck, where we went to a “bring your leftovers” gathering. Sedona, AZ.
November 30, 2025 at 5:25 AM
From the neighbor’s deck, where we went to a “bring your leftovers” gathering. Sedona, AZ.
Not a bad view for getting some grading done.
November 28, 2025 at 8:27 PM
Not a bad view for getting some grading done.
My car’s first road trip! Making a stop. Only about an hour to go.
November 27, 2025 at 12:56 AM
My car’s first road trip! Making a stop. Only about an hour to go.
Finally have another photo of me playing on the USC women’s hockey team. (Alumni and staff can play, so it’s about half students and half alumni/staff.) I think this is from our Friday night game when we got pummeled. Note to self: Bend knees more.
November 24, 2025 at 7:51 AM
Finally have another photo of me playing on the USC women’s hockey team. (Alumni and staff can play, so it’s about half students and half alumni/staff.) I think this is from our Friday night game when we got pummeled. Note to self: Bend knees more.
Caught the sunset on McBride Trail (again) today. Sunset is the best time of day. The Palos Verdes reserve trails are still closed due to mud and movement. Wished they were open because I could really use longer hikes these days for my mental health. They’re great thinking places.
November 24, 2025 at 1:33 AM
Caught the sunset on McBride Trail (again) today. Sunset is the best time of day. The Palos Verdes reserve trails are still closed due to mud and movement. Wished they were open because I could really use longer hikes these days for my mental health. They’re great thinking places.
Everything is so green and pretty. Had to do the non-muddy ridge trail in Palos Verdes, which was open. Feels like you can reach out and touch Catalina. I’m not sure their trail closed sign is super effective for people who might just walk around it.
November 23, 2025 at 1:20 AM
Everything is so green and pretty. Had to do the non-muddy ridge trail in Palos Verdes, which was open. Feels like you can reach out and touch Catalina. I’m not sure their trail closed sign is super effective for people who might just walk around it.