Thanks Don and Canie for your insight Just in the short time I've been checking quake lists, it seem the San Andreas is pretty confounding (for me, they are all pretty confounding, but interesting. I'm really enjoying the learning experience I get on this website. Glad I got up enough nerve to post. I've been involved with computers and the internet for many years now and this is the first message board I've felt comfortable enough about to post a message.

By the way, I'm planning a visit to some relatives in the San Jose area. I will only have free day before flying back east. Can anyone recommend a nearby area of geologic interest I might want to vist?