Hello everyone. Avis here again.
I managed to get out and about today. My first stop was at Lucia to see how everyone was doing. My timing was spot on when I ran into our local Park Ranger who offered to take me on a ride-a-long to get some pictures. The first shots are of the slides to the south of Lucia. The first one is as you head down the hill towards Limekiln. We call this spot Paul’s Slide.
They made a lot of progress today on the Limekiln Chimney Slide.
Before dark, they managed to get a hole poked through for about an hour and hundreds of cars went through. The cars were parked along the side of the road since last night. I spoke to some of the stranded people and some even slept in their cars last night. Many people missed flights, deadlines on car returns, meetings, conferences, and other reservations. But all in all, they were treated to Big Sur hospitality and we kept them safe, warm, dry and fed until they could slip out in that one hour window.
The Ranger & I headed down into Limekiln State Park. It’s so beautiful down there. If you have never been camping at Limekiln, I highly recommend it!
While I was there I wanted to check out the where the Limekiln Creek empties into the ocean. I always love where the fresh water meets the sea water.
The next two shots are to the North of Lucia on Highway 1.
It was a beautiful , sunny day here. Just what we all needed. And with the progress they made today it sounds like they may get the Chimney Slide closure open sometime tomorrow. I just want to say how much we all appreciate the highway workers. They all look so tired. They have been working long hard hours trying to get this road open again. Be safe, and thank you one and all!
Avis, sister of my heart – what an incredible tour! Your photographs are undeniably beautiful. Thank you so much for showing our readers the beauty of this part of Big Sur. You are a gem!
WHat incredible pictures and story to wake up yo.
Thank you both so much!
Admiration without bounds!
thank you so much Avis…what amazing photographs. And to everyone who is working so hard to get/keep the road open…my big thanks and gratitude.
Terrific show of this gorgeous home we have. These are mostly places I’ve never seen, and a real treat. Thank you, Avis. Great idea to have a ride through the places that thrill and challenge. Thursday night was all drama on the river here, incredible to see fifteen and twenty and thirty foot trees speeding down the center of Big Sur River, HUGE trees and branches, none isolated, never ending groups. Fabulous river did not log jam, which we were fearing, kept a good steady speed. By Friday they’d been pulled loose from moorings and banks and were gone. I saw a duck late at night by the flooded River Inn lawn, kind of on the side then off into the current. Worried a bit for it, but frankly it looked like it was up for the adventure. They can fly, didn’t look wounded. Grateful not to have seen any creatures/people in trouble. Fast massive trees would’ve meant death to go into. To see things so sizable being tossed and carried top speed like bathtub toys was awesome. This too shall end. The rain will eventually stop and we can use our clotheslines again and the waterlogged plants will dry out, head for sun, and bloom. It’s the way of the world.
I heartily agree with the above comments.
What a great essay in words and pictures.
Thanks Avis!
Mary Lu snuck out last night during the ‘window.’
Thanks CalTrans
and
Thank you Kate for this good blog.
Thanks, Avis. Good perspectives of my daily commute scenes I have been missing lately. In my memory are those same scenes from the perspective of out to sea in my fishing boat. So many hidden spots of beauty. Few know this, but from the sea, there are seven sea caves at the base of the massive monolith of Point 16. The largest cave in the center, according to Salinian legend goes all the way to the core of Cone Peak, to the underworld of the ancestral spirits. I entered one of the caves in my boat one day…but left quickly…sort of eerie. Finally…waterfalls are everywhere. Check Sand Dollar. It was a source of a number of haiku poems for our classes at school. Watch out for the large debris slide from the cliff at the middle of the beach.
With all the reference it’s getting recently, a little history of the chimney in question might be of interest. The chimney after which the Chimney Slide was named is known as Girard’s Chimney, and can be seen up on the ridge overlooking the ocean above Highway 1 when driving north, as well as by hikers of the lower Vicente Flat Trail. According to Stan and Irene Harlan by way of Jeff Norman via Monterey County Place Names, the chimney is all that’s left of “a wealthy man’s home” that “burned to the ground when an adjacent woodpile caught fire.” Monterey County records identify the “wealthy man” as one Victor Girard, an enterprising young Kentuckian who moved to Los Angeles at the turn of the 20th century to make his fortune, and is perhaps best known, in the southland at least, for developing the town of Woodlands Hills (at the time known as the town of Girard). While the Harlans put the date of the burnt home in the late 1800s, information gleaned from State Parks as well as recorded documents make it seem likely that the home burnt in the late 1920s or early 1930s. Either way, the chimney itself is an impressive monument to a bygone time, and is apparently now experiencing its “15 minutes of fame” so to speak.
Hey, Boone , thanks for the history. I had heard the house burned in the late 1920s or early 30s as well. I also heard it was built by the “wealthy” man as a hunting lodge. Local legends have some truth in them many times. 😉 I’ll have to remember to post a photo of the chimney
Fabulous pictures, fabulous resource. Many heartfelt thanks for the lifeline.
What was access like on sat march 26? I’m heading to big sur sun evening from Canada .. Will it be likely that I’ll get thru on Sunday evening?
Thanks for keeping us up to date. I’m hoping to drive into Deetjen’s from the south via N-F Road on Tuesday, along with Nico, to play our First Tuesday gig for Locals Night. Wonder what the chances are that the Limekiln slides will be open enough to get through? Nico is even talking about ‘coptering in!!Thanks everyone. We’ll ferry in some live music if we can get there!
Kate just let me know that the Highway at Limekiln is now ope as of Sunday evening. And, regarding my post above, I just remembered that the First Tuesday gig at Deetjen’s is not THIS Tuesday, but NEXT Tuesday (April 5). Looks like Locals night music will happen if the NF and southern Hwy 1 stay open!
Thanks for posting all your good info. What a blessing you are.
Im wondering if someone out there you might know could shed light on the subject of donating to the Big Sur people. I’m thinking Carmel, Monterey, Cambria, and Big Sur should all have donation Stations for food, gas cards, money etc.
As there anyone in charge of that? Who would I talk to? please let me know if you have any info 🙂
Im looking for Mary Lou Harlan, my name is tara Henley if anyone has any info for me please email me at TaraBorjaHenleytaraborja@outlook.com I know her from when I was young and I just want to know how she is doing thank you