Big Sur Information

•July 21, 2018 • 95 Comments

Header Photo, by bigsurkate

IMPORTANT, READ THIS FIRST!!

For the most thorough and complete guide to Big Sur on the internet see:

Big Sur Visitor’s Guide

Everything you need to know about visiting Big Sur all in one location – what to see, where to go, where to stay, where to eat, where to find a bathroom, and how to get along with locals. Bookmark it for your next trip. You will be glad you did.

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Interactive Highway Map with Mile Markers and slide names is to the right, under “Pages” first one *Big Sur Interactive Maps... if the following link doesn’t work. *Big Sur Interactive Slide Maps will answer any questions you may have about where something is in relation to something else.

MY DIRECT EMAIL IS: kwnovoa@mac.com

(Size for any header photos you may wish to submit it is 760×151 pixels.)

Posted in Misc, Photography
Tags: , , , ,

In case you may be wondering…

•December 13, 2018 • 10 Comments

I haven’t been online much this week, as I have been on the road, taking care of things all week, so far.

Monday, I met Rock Knocker in Nipomo Mesa, where he was taking his Motorhome. I had planned on coming to SLO to see about winter tires – the best for my new MBZ Sprinter Van. This one:

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(Yeah, that pink license plate holder has GOT to go! Clashes with the Aqua Green. Purple, yeah. Red, yeah. But pink? Nah.) Anyway, after meeting Rock Knocker, I went to get a camping spot for the night.

It is a gorgeous van, and my son built me a bed to go in it. Looked like this, but I have already changed it.

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My first overnight (except when I brought it home) was to Morro Bay. Tonight, I am back there, but this time, unintended.

My road is a mess. People tearing it up because it is fun to get muddy! (Their parents must have denied them the opportunity when younger.) And the storms, and clay, and I couldn’t take my new van out unless I got good mud tires. I had done my research and knew that BF Goodrich All Terrain KO2s were the best (per owners) for the MBZ Sprinter. I did some more research, and found out that I should get some black rhino wheels, and I settled on the Warlords. I found the best tire shop around (and no, I am not going to tell you which one that is. It is already way too busy!) I called them on Tuesday. They ordered them for me, to be in on Thursday. I had reserved my campsite for 3 nites, so all was good.

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This was my campsite. I can tell you this because unless you are retired military or 100% disabled vet, you can’t camp there. It is $5/nite for no hook-ups. Camp San Luis.

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This is the drive to the campsite.

Wednesday morning the tire store called me, and they were delivered a day early, so I ran right down. I had had one cup of coffee, so I was good to go.

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These are the final tires and rims. They are gorgeous and should really help during the winter months. I kept the “old” tires and rims as they only had 500 miles on them, and I can use them in the dry months and extend the life of these mud tires.

Alas, on the way home, I hit a significant size rock and limped into Gorda with 14 PSI to spare, only to find my son there. There were some major issues with the jack, the lug  nut tire iron, as the new ones were a different size, etc. but still, he got it changed, and missed the School’s Christmas Show in order to help me. Sorry, everyone. I then drove down here to Morro Bay for yet another night. Just couldn’t drive the rest of the way at night. I was beat.

So, I was out of there before I could get a photo, this am. But I was on the beach at the Strand, being lulled by the waves. I went by the tire place and dropped off the damaged tire, ordered a new one, had them tighten the lug nuts once more time, just to be safe, and now I am hanging in town until the tire comes in. Another night at Camp San Luis. Since I did not stay there last night, and my card had already been charged, they aren’t going to charge me for tonight. Finally, the universe is going my direction. Now, I get to play “tourist” in SLO.

 

 

Posted in Photography, Travel

Photo Sunday, 12/9/18

•December 9, 2018 • 17 Comments

I found this sweet book I want to share with you. It is full of historical photos of the South Coast. It was written by Stanley Harlan, younger brother of Don Harlan, the original road warrior. Stanley is now 91 and living in Monterey. It is available on Amazon.com

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Posted in Classic Big Sur, History Spotlight, Photography
Tags: , , , ,

Today’s Rain Forecast Map v. Current Rain Received Map

•December 5, 2018 • 3 Comments

So far, we have received almost double what was called for, so look for issues on the roads – rocks, etc. Compare these two – first, rain predicted, and second, rain received.

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Posted in 2018 Fire Season

Tourist Tuesdays – Dutch Hit Back, 12/4/18

•December 4, 2018 • 11 Comments

“Nineteen windmills occupy the village of Kinderdijk near Rotterdam. A quintessential structure of Dutch iconography, this is one of the most photographed destinations in the Netherlands.

Filing out into the misty rain, the tourists pop open their scarlet umbrellas expectantly and a tour guide brandishes a red marker sign in the drizzle, explaining the significance of this unique Unesco-recognised site.

Constituting a masterpiece in water management, the mills once drained the water from the land, preventing flooding since around 1740.
But this is not a museum, the mills are full of life.”…

“I have many, many bad experiences with the tourists,” says Johan Velthuizen, a 56-year-old robot programmer. He’s lived in Kinderdijk his whole life and runs the “liveability” local action group that’s been petitioning the mayor to better manage the mass tourism.
“They run through my garden with their whole families. We’re sitting drinking tea in the sunshine, then we look up and there’s a Chinese family trampling through my flowers.”

“I produce some coffee mugs and coasters for a hobby,” Mr Velthuizen complains. “But the tourists are just coming to take photos not to spend anything; they get all their food on the cruise ships.”

For all his frustration, he disagrees with a recent initiative by local millers to hand out postcards to tourists that suggest their presence is part of the problem. The postcards convey a a simple message:

We’ve lived here for centuries. We get 600,000 tourists a year and there are 60 of us. Ratio 10,000:1 #overtourism”

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Although intended to be posted to friends to ward off other potential visitors, the postcards are perhaps more likely they will be kept as souvenirs.
Local miller and Instagram enthusiast Peter Paul Klapwijk makes the point: “It’s a world heritage site, not Disneyland. And it should be treated as such.”
And yet, it costs €20,000 (£17,000; $23,000) a year to keep a mill turning so the tourism income that comes from the Kinderdijk heritage foundation that runs the site is a vital source of funding.
“We are part of the heritage,” says Mr Klapwijk. “We don’t hate tourists but the heritage foundation treats us like the goose that laid the golden egg.”

For the rest of the article, see: ‘Not Disneyland’: Dutch hit back at ‘over-tourism’ http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-46194330

Posted in Tourism Tuesday

Photo Sunday – Rain Dragon

•December 2, 2018 • 9 Comments

This is a commissioned piece by Phoebe Palmer. It was about 10′ long and about 1500 pounds with over 10,000 3 color glazed and shaped  ceramic tiles. We delivered it to the client in Cayucos. (From Peter Fels)

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Posted in 2018-2019 El Niño, Art

Weather Forecast, 12/1/18

•December 1, 2018 • 5 Comments

Welcome to December! Here is John Lindsay’s weather forecast from yesterday:

“A low-pressure system and cold front will produce increasing southerly winds and will spread rain across the Central Coast later on Tuesday into Wednesday with rain showers on Thursday. Total rainfall amounts with this system should range between 1.00 and 2.50 inches. Snow elevations are expected to raise to 5,000 feet.

The long-range models are indicating wet and unsettled weather continuing through the first part of December. In fact, the long-range models are advertising a potentially stronger system moving into the Central Coast next weekend.”

From this morning’s NOAA forecast discussion:

“The last few GFS and Canadian runs have given up on rain chances for next weekend but the latest ECMWF still shows a chance of rain. Longer range guidance still honing in on additional systems around Dec 10-11th. The active and wet start to rainy season looks to continue.”

Posted in 2018-2019 El Niño

Community Fuel Break work to begin next year.

•November 30, 2018 • 1 Comment

Los Padres signs Big Sur Community Fuelbreak Record of Decision

 GOLETA, Calif.— Los Padres National Forest Supervisor Kevin Elliott signed a Record of Decision on Nov. 13 for the Strategic Community Fuelbreak Improvement project Environmental Impact Statement. The project is on the Monterey Ranger District near the communities of Big Sur, Palo Colorado, Cachagua, and Jamesburg.

The purpose of the Strategic Community Fuelbreak Improvement project is to re-establish and maintain a series of fuelbreaks to enhance protection for at-risk communities and firefighting resources, preserve wilderness character, and reduce suppression costs. These historically-used and effective strategic fuelbreaks extend in and out of the Ventana Wilderness.

This project is a result of collaborative engagement at the community level and will improve effectiveness and efficiency in protecting communities from wildfire. The project will also minimize future impacts to wilderness. Wilderness character is diminished when fuelbreaks are re-opened by bulldozers during emergency suppression of wildfires. By proactively designing and establishing strategic fuelbreaks during a non-emergency environment, the Forest Service can reduce the reliance on mechanized equipment and subsequently reduce the adverse fire suppression impacts on the wilderness landscape.

A notice of intent to prepare an EIS was published in the Federal Register on December 28, 2012. Public scoping and an “analysis of comments” was completed. A Draft EIS was then prepared and scoped for public comment in January 2017 and two public open houses were held in February 2017.

Work on this project will begin next year.

For more information, please contact District Ranger Tim Short at (831) 385-5434 or attshort@fs.fed.us or visit https://www.fs.usda.gov/project/?project=40713.

Excellent Work for all the people who helped, contributed, and collaborated on this.

Posted in Living in the Wilderness, MCCWPP, USFS, Wilderness Designation

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