Month: July 2010

BSMAAC Meeting

As those of you who went know, I was unable to attend. For the first time in many years, I did not have another engagement, I was not out of state, I was not sick. I was just exhausted. I took two naps yesterday instead of attending the meeting. bigsurkate was mentioned as a way to get some information distributed, but two people I have communicated with couldn’t remember what it was I was supposed to communicate. In the mean time, I will stay abreast of all that I can, and post as appropriate.

Dancing with Fog …

Coming up from the coast, to my roost at the top, I get to experience all the subtleties that Big Sur offers.

I start with fog above me.

And then, I get into the fog. I am always amazed at how bright the greens are in the fog.

A little while later, I see the beginnings of the sun peeking through, but fog still settled over all.

Then … I get to the demarcation line. This is a very difficult spot for a photographer, and I haven’t gotten it down, yet. This tree sits right there, where the fog ends and the sun begins. On the left, you can see the fog, on the right, is the blue sky. Today, this tree marked the “spot.”

All photos taken this afternoon (7/29/10) going up Plaskett.

Do not forget. Tomorrow is the BSMAAC meeting, starting at 10 am.

7/30 BSMAAC Agenda

BIG SUR MULTI-AGENCY ADVISORY COUNCIL
Congressman Sam Farr and Supervisor Dave Potter, Co-Chairs
FRIDAY, July 30, 2010 10:00 A.M.
Pfeiffer Big Sur Lodge Conference Center, Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park, Big Sur
AGENDA

10:00 a.m. I. CALL TO ORDER Supervisor Dave Potter
II. ROLL CALL AND INTRODUCTIONS
III. APPROVE MINUTES OF April 30, 2010
10:15 IV. PUBLIC COMMENT ON NON-AGENDA ITEMS
10:25 V. OLD BUSINESS
VI. NEW BUSINESS
1. Anderson Peak Telescope Presentation Pat Barthalow
2. Presentation on Sanctuary Foundation’s Proposal to Jane Delay
Install an Interpretive Sign at Big Creek pullout

11:00 VII. REPORTS FROM MEMBER AGENCIES
(please bring written report)

Big Sur Resident Member
Big Sur Chamber of Commerce
Coast Property Owners’ Association
Monterey County Planning Department
Monterey County Board of Supervisors
Monterey Peninsula Regional Park District
California Coastal Commission
Caltrans
State Parks and Recreation
Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary
United States Forest Service
27th District, State Assembly
15th District, State Senate
United States Congress

12:30 p.m. VIII. REPORTS FROM OTHER AGENCIES

1:00 IX. NEXT MEETING ON October 22, 2010

1:05 X. ADJOURNMENT

“Thank you to the Big Sur Lodge for their donation of beverages, food and
use of Lodge meeting space.”

Smoky Sunset Haze

9:30 pm – heard from someone who drove through Stoney Valley earlier this evening and said it was a slow burn that was putting out a LOT of smoke! Thanks for that clarification. As I expected.

8:30 pm – There is a smoky haze laying up over the fog layer on the coast, toward the north, coming in from the east. Clearly, this is smoke. There is also a smoke layer on the other side of the Santa Lucia Mountains.

I know about the control burn which FHL started about 10 am in Stoney Valley, and I know of the fast moving Bull Wildfire up in Kern County, in the Sequoia NF by Kernville and Riverkern. (That one really took off this afternoon, and is getting resources from all over the state.) As of 9:30 pm – 4500 acres and 6 homes have burned.

While Stoney Valley might explain our smoke, I doubt the Bull Fire does. If I hear of anything to explain what I am seeing, I will post later.

Citizen Fire Watch, Continues

So, on the way back up the hill on a Saturday night, I found more campers. This is what I saw:

Wait a minute, that’s firewood?

Yep, that’s what it is. There is no one in the camp, so I drive on down the road, and come across an older guy, and a younger gal. The guy is nice – to begin with, but the girl? She has a serious attitude problem. I speak with them, but she’s got a real problem, so I follow them back to their camp.

She doesn’t like to be photographed.

And she ca me toward me in my Jeep with her camera.

Oh, yeah, serious ATTITUDE. Trust me, I am doing nothing, saying nothing, other than photographing her. She does NOT like that! She keeps coming …

I have stayed in my Jeep, and yet she still keeps coming …

That’s some serious ATTITUDE, lady. Then she grabs my camera, and shoves it back in my face. Damn, that’s a battery. Now, remember, I haven’t gotten out of my Jeep, and I have said nothing to her, I’ve only photographed her.

Cute gal, with a serious problem! Then her “dad” had to step into the action, again at my driver’s window.

Man, these two REALLY did not want their photos taken! But “dad” when he stepped up to my window, looked in the back of my Jeep, and said, “This is your car?” Duh, I thought, and then he said, “You live up there?”
“Yeah,” I said. “Everyone knows me.”
Then “dad” said, “We will come find you.”
Oh, really, I thought. Okay, I’ve got two normal looking crazies coming up to find me. R-i-i-i-ght. Past a locked gate, 4 guard dogs, and to back it all up, a .357 S&W? I don’t think so.

Just a normal Saturday night in wild fire land. I just normally avoid these situations.

Citizen Fire Watch

I really hate that I have to “patrol” my area for yahoos, but I am beginning to realize it is part and parcel of living up here, and if I don’t want to face a fire this year, I have to keep an eye on the yahoos. I had several opportunities today.

First, I headed down the hill, and spotted this:

I was only mildly upset, because they had driven through my favorite meadow, and totally screwed up the wildflowers for next year, despite the signs.

And then I saw this – look into the center, and see the hatchet and wood for a fire.

Then I had to stop and tell them that a fire was a no-no, and what the consequences would be. I also stopped by the USFS, and showed them the photos. They promised to go up and speak with the campers, and I am sure they did. Thank you USFS!

Even though they were still camped in the meadow, they did not have any evidence of wood and hatchets, around. But that is not the end of the story of Citizen Fire Watch. More tomorrow.

Interpretive Feasibility Study Released

Today, David Kupfer released the long-awaited interpretive feasibility study commissioned by the Self Reliance Foundation and the San Luis Obispo Council on Governments that was sponsored by the Federal Highway Administration’s Scenic Byway Program. It is 117 pages long. While I read all of the sections which addressed Big Sur, it may require more study. At first blush, it appears that he addressed most, if not all, of our local concerns. Of considerable surprise to me was that the Hispanic community does not see or use Big Sur as a “destination” and we have few Hispanic visitors (as opposed to workers), per a number of sources cited in the study. That would seem to negate the entire reason for bilingual interpretive services, the whole purpose of the study.

In any event, I cannot discern a way to post the study to my blog, but will try to send it to you, if you are interested and did not receive it. Perhaps Jack Ellwanger can send it out through his WildBigSur email list? I am sure he got a copy as well.