All things Great and Small, originally uploaded by wind_dancer.
What can I say, that Mother Nature hasn’t said better?
All things Great and Small
Year: 2009
State Park & Bridge Update, 4/18/09
Bidding for the installation of a temporary Bailey Bridge closed yesterday, 4/17. Part of the required bidding process was a guarantee that the installation would be completed within 30 days of the awarding of the contract.
Current speculation regarding how camping reservations will be handled for the summer traffic at the Big Sur State Park is that it will be on a first-come, first-serve basis, starting the day the bridge opens. The Bailey Bridge will be one lane, controlled by a signal light.
The closure of the State Park is putting a burden on the remaining campsites, which down here on the South Coast are filled *beyond* capacity. That, in turn, is leading to camping in undeveloped areas of the forest. As XT points out, the closure of much of USFS (and state) lands in Big Sur, due to the 2008 fires, has lead to additional stress on the unburned and highly vulnerable areas of the Los Padres National Forest. This is a lose-lose situation.
And more wildflowers
I tried. I really tried to narrow down my wildflower photos, but darn, they are just going off, right now. Particularly the blue bonnet lupine – you know the short little ones that are so bright, they almost hurt one’s eyes? Yeah, those ones. I still haven’t finished posting my others, and here I am with new ones!!
Oh, you see a lowly poppy here, as well as the popcorn flower (I really must learn its botanical name) as well as the lovely legume, vetch. Yup, that is the ocean in the background.
You’ll probably be tired of bright blue lupines (aka blue bonnets) when I am finished with this post. Probably, but not me. They are around such a relatively short time, and this way, we can look at them all year!
It used to take me only 1/2 an hour to get down to the highway. I cannot do it in less than an hour, now-a-days. Gee, I wonder why?
Isn’t that one of the most gorgeous things you’ve ever seen? And why are we surprised that all the city folk want to come here? Where else can they see something like this? Now, if we could teach them that those fields they want to tear up with their 4×4 when there are no flowers could all look like this if they stayed on the road, we’d make some progress! This one used to get torn up, but the USFS set up a ditch and a berm to prevent off-roading, which is not allowed up here.
Okay, I have more, but I guess I will change hues. Don’t want you getting bored. Here is some clover, not owl’s clover, which I’ve seen, but not much of.
Some of these are not as clear as they could be, as it was a VERY windy day when I took these. They were in a relatively sheltered area, or none of them would have been clear.
Okay, and how about the lovely Flannel Bush? Yellow goes well with blue, don’t you think? This one is located at Pacific Valley School, in Gail’s front garden. I’ve asked for seeds, but, as I recall (I’ll have to look it up) this may be one of the seeds that I have to put in a tray and set fire too for it to germinate. See, fire does play a roll.
I think that is all for tonight. Tomorrow, I have off. I am meeting friends for a variety of activities throughout the day. This weekend, I’ll be putting up “No trespassing” signs so that people can have fun tearing them down. It’s what they do, up here in the wilds of Big Sur. I guess they think nobody has the right to be as lucky as I am.
Sorry, I could not help myself. I so love these lupines! Promise, this is the last one, at least, today.
Trespassers & Threats
After seeing the hikers on Easter come up through my property, I posted this on the Ventana Wilderness Alliance Forum:
“Because Ventana Wilderness is closed, the Silver Peak Wilderness has increased numbers of hikers, campers, and other users, as it should. Some of these users are not respectful of private property. I had 4 hikers come up Home Ridge on Easter which lets out right by my spring road, who hiked through my property without my permission. They were greeted by my four guard dogs, who fortunately did not attack. Trespassers are fair game to my pack. I’m not implying that these trespassers are members of VWA by posting here, I do not know. But I do know that other hikers also read this forum, as well.
All I ask is that when you hike an area, please find out where the private property is located, and do NOT hike it without the owner’s permission. Do not assume that the owner, living on the edge of the Silver Peak Wilderness, will not mind. We do. Just stop by the PV station and ask. Many people do not seem to know (or care) that there is private property here. On Home Ridge alone, there are at least five parcels besides my own, which is at the top, two of whom also complained about the hikers. Hike the Prewitt Loop. Home Ridge is not a trail, but a dozer cut left from the Chalk Fire. Please. I won’t be as nice with the next trespassers.”
I got a very nice response from Boon, with a positive suggestion on how to prevent this. But I also received this threat from an anonymous poster:
“Re: Private Property & Silver Peak Wilderness
by guest on Thu Apr 16, 2009 7:46 am
Oh.. An arms race.
To protect myself, from being attacked if I wander off a trail and onto private property, I will naturally not want to be hurt by dogs. I will now need to carry my 9mm ruger, and have my protective pit-bulls with me. They and I are quite harmless unless an aggressive dog or gun-toting pot-grower happens my way. ( Not that all or even most protective land owners are pot-growers)”
I see this person as an aberation, and certainly not indicative of the vast majority of the VWA members. But he has certainly given me pause for thought about how I handle trespassers in the future. I’m not going to get into “an arms race” with this jerk, but if I am not nice to trespassers this year, you have this idiot to thank for it. I don’t know who he is, so any trespasser could be him — carrying a 9 mm Ruger. Nice, huh?
You can see the entire thread here:
Living in the Wilderness pet peeves
With spring break being both before and after Easter, and the increased users here, due to the continuing closures elsewhere, it is time for me to address my two biggest pet peeves about users to the Forest surrounding my home.
The first is trespassers. I don’t know where some users get the idea that because I live in the Wilderness, I won’t mind hikers, bikers, motorcycles, and even the occasional vehicle, if someone cuts the lock off my gate. I do mind. My dogs mind. I had four hikers come through on Easter, like they were entitled. Actually, they were lucky my pack of four dogs did not bite them. Find out where the private property is when you go hiking, and hike around, not through it. Please. As the season progresses, and my patience is tried, I will no longer be nice about it.
The second is, of course, campfires. As of April 10th, permits are now required for all areas outside developed campgrounds or day use areas, which on the South Coast are Mill Creek Day Use, Sand Dollar Day use, and Willow Creek Day use. The only two campgrounds open are Plaskett Creek and Kirk Creek. EVERY where else, a permit is required for a fire or a stove, as of April 10, 2009. And remember, that permit is only good IF campfires are allowed at all. One yahoo thought it meant he could use it, even though campfires had been completely banned. Also, do not have a fire unless you have BOTH water and a shovel with you. Make sure you clear the area well and completely, AND make sure it is completely and totally out when you leave.
Plaskett Ridge Rd. has been devastated by Sudden Oak Death, and it will not take much this season to set her off. I don’t know how I could handle another fire after last year, but I imagine I will. This year’s rain totals have been extremely low, and winds are drying out the vegetation earlier. I suspect a campfire ban may go into effect earlier than usual, and the USFS may have to close the forest completely at some point, to minimize the fire danger.
My plea is to respect private property, and to be fire safe this year, please. Thank you.
Random Big Sur Photo #4
Where am I?
This one should be an easy one.
Temporary Bridge for State Park?
Article in Today’s Monterey Herald indicates that the state MAY be erecting a temporary bridge so that it can open for Memorial Day weekend. This is part of that article:
“It’s only temporary, but Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park could have a new bridge in time for the influx of summer campers.
The temporary structure is similar to the one that provided temporary crossing over the Carmel River in 1995 when heavy rains caused the permanent Highway 1 bridge to wash out, said Ken Gray, services manager for States Parks Monterey district.
‘Our goal is to get the campground open by Memorial Day,’ Gray said. ‘We are still doing the planning for (the temporary bridge). There’s no guarantees, but that’s our goal.'”
Sounds like the temporary solution, a “Bailey” bridge, is one that Sam Farr has been pushing. Let’s hope it is in place next month. It will only be one lane, and therefore subject to traffic control, but it is better than what is there now — nothing. This could be good news for the Big Sur business community. It is not a done deal, yet, but hopefully heading in that direction.
Happy Easter …
… to you and your families. Beautiful weather up here, a great spring day.
Look for a random Big Sur photograph sometime this week.
CT News Release, South Coast
Today’s Date: Friday, April 10, 2009
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
DRAINAGE IMPROVEMENT ON HWY. 1 JUST SOUTH OF LIMEKILN CREEK BRIDGE
BIG SUR – The project consists of a drainage improvement on Hwy. 1, just south of Limekiln Creek Bridge for two weeks starting Monday, April 13, Caltrans officials today announced.
Work consists of one-way reversing traffic control with flaggers and work hours are Mondays through Thursdays from 8 am to 4 pm and from 8 am to 2 pm on Fridays. Up to 15 minute delays can be anticipated. Work is scheduled to be complete in early May, weather permitting.
An existing drainage cross culvert, which outlets over the bluff, will be abandoned and a new replacement system is to be installed, draining in a more suitable location.
Back to the Wildflowers
Some sun up here today, and I understand good weather for the weekend and next week, prolonging the wildflower displays, I venture to guess.
