Friday’s Pine Cone has an article by Kelly Nix re the bridges in Big Sur State Park. 

“PFEIFFER BRIDGE WORK STILL IN DOUBT DESPITE BUDGET AGREEMENT”

If interested, read the article, but here I offer you my take, after following this budget fiasco closely for the last month.

Despite the budget, there is real uncertainty about when payments will start up again for many of us state independent contractors. I have had a “mere” $7500 – that’s 2 and 1/2 months of expenses – sitting up in the controllers office for just a couple days shy of a month now, and despite the budget, there is no word on when I will get paid. Not only that, but in May, when some of the budget items must go to the  voters, yet another stalemate may ensue. 

So, at this time, there is no guarantee, and in fact, there is a significant possibility that the Big Sur State Park may NOT open for Memorial Day weekend. All we can do is contact our state legislators and make our voices heard, and I urge ALL of you to do so, particularly visitors who love this place as much as we do.

Kirk Gafill, the Big Sur Chamber of Commerce President is asking all local businesses to fill out a survey about how their businesses would be affected by this closure, and if you have not done so, please fill it out and send it to Kirk.

Those of you who normally stay in the park, if it is not open, come anyway. There are other campgrounds, private campgrounds that will be open, but I suggest you contact them NOW for your summer reservations, because if the state does not open its doors, the private campgrounds will fill up fast. Don’t forget, there are rooms that can be filled too, and if possible, consider a weekday trip, rather than weekend. If you don’t know where to stay, click on the Big Sur Chamber of Commerce link to the right under Big Sur non-profits, and they have links to all the visitor-serving businesses in Big Sur. Our local businesses really need your support after all the loss of income due to the Summer of Fire, 2008.

Now is the time to make your summer plans for your visit, especially if the State Park does not open in time for summer visitors.

7:30 pm – A good work day, today, as the weather, while crisp, provided a mixture of high thin clouds, condensation clouds, and blue sky – completely compatible with work. Tonight, the stars are out, but not the usual dazzling display She treats me to. And that crescent moon sunset tonight? Glorious. 

8:00 am – the ground is wet, but there is nothing measurable in the rain gauge. (BTW, Dakota finally felt secure enough to stay out with the others this morning, but only for 20 mins.)

5:00 am – the 4:30 am NOAA discussion has this to “say:” (Friday looks to be clear, so enjoy it)

THE PERIOD FROM SATURDAY AFTERNOON THROUGH TUESDAY 
EXPECTED TO BE MARKED BY PERIODS OF RAIN AND RAIN 
SHOWERS WITH TEMPERATURES DROPPING BELOW NORMAL DUE 
TO CLOUD COVER AND PRECIPITATION.

Dark 30 – very early in the am –
As far as I know, rain never came this far, at least so far, and as nothing much is approaching until Saturday night, I thought I would post a photograph instead. This was taken on Highway 46 on the way to Paso Robles a couple of weeks ago.