Category: Classic Big Sur

Spring Break

Monday Morning Plaskett Campground was full … Already. The over flow was creeping up Plaskett. By the weekend most flat spots will be filled. Before they are I got some more spring flowers. On Friday, they were almost all gone! I suspect that will change by this afternoon, when I head back home.

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Douglas Iris

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Ceanothus, blue and white on my property.

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Western Columbine

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Owl’s clover.

Tomorrow, I have another post ready to go, of shots taken on a back road I love to travel a couple times a year.

Trail Committee Meeting Summary

Great Summary by CPOA President, Butch Kronlund. BTW, as the season of “doings” and events in Big Sur approaches, I am getting more and more requests to post information on upcoming events, which I am happy to do. In order to cover all that my readers are interested in, it will soon be time to move these event notices to the announcement page, as I have had to do in the past.

“Many of you have requested to be kept informed of the progress of developments on the California Coastal Trail planning process. Here’s a re-cap of the most recent meeting. As this process moves forward, CPOA will issue further updates.

On Saturday March 16th, State Senator Bill Monning, in partnership with the Big Sur, Coast Property Owners Association, conducted a public meeting at the Pfeiffer Big Sur Lodge Conference Center. The purpose of the meeting was to gauge local support for a process that allows for, and relies heavily on, Big Sur residents and property owners, in conjunction with Agency land owners, the responsibility of creating the alignment of the Big Sur segment of the mandated California Coastal Trail. Included in the process document are conditions affecting the creation of the trail such as establishing who maintains it, polices it and monitors it for environmental degradation from over use. The scoping area that the plan covers runs from the Carmel River to the north, down to San Carpoforo Creek to the south and east to the prominent ridges that define the Big Sur planning area.

67 residents and and property owners ranging from the South Coast of Big Sur through to the Carmel Highlands engaged in a spirited question and answer session throughout an informative power point presentation. The presentation outlined the legislative history of the California Coastal Trail enactment as well as highlights of the process document which will serve as a template for community involvement in the trail’s creation. Near the conclusion of the meeting, a show of hands was solicited and the response was 90% of those attending were in support of the community based process, 0% were against and 10% felt they needed more time to digest what they had learned or to dig further into the issue. To download the completed process document with accompanying maps and organizational chart, click on the following link or type tinyurl.com/c2sqn75 into the address bar of your web browser and hit enter.

Several long time locals spoke from the heart regarding the need for our community to stay engaged and when given the choice, strive to shape the outcomes that challenge us as stewards of our lands. Alan Purlmutter said it best when he provided the bottom line to the CCT issue. And I paraphrase, “The state legislature has passed a law that there will be a coastal trail running the length of California, going through Big Sur. The question before us is not whether there will be a segment of the trail going through Big Sur. The question is whether we want a contractor with no ties to Big Sur designing the trail or if we want to do the job ourselves”.

The last words on this subject came from Marty Hartman, a 60 year resident of Big Sur who eloquently spoke of her love of this place and our joint responsibility in protecting and nurturing this precious resource.

Thanks go to the CCT working group for devoting so much time and energy to creating a process for local involvement and to our elected representative State Senator Bill Monning for his unflagging support in seeing a local planning effort get traction.

Not to be forgotten, thank you Alan and Marty for breaking this issue down to what is really important which is Big Sur people exerting their right to self-determination, knowing it is our responsibility to protect and nurture this place we are so lucky to call home.

Butch Kronlund
CPOA”

Well done, all!

Watershed Council Meeting

Next Big Sur River Watershed Planning Meeting is March 28th!

The next meeting to discuss the Big Sur Watershed Management Plan is set for Thursday March 28th from 3 to 5 pm at the Big Sur Station MAF conference room. The group has been meeting every other month since last September to discuss the preparation of a plan that will look at the health of the watershed. If you live in and/or work in the Big Sur River watershed, or use water from the Big Sur River, your participation is extremely valuable. The focus of this meeting will be to discuss factors, which may be limiting the steelhead population; we will also start to gather historical knowledge about how the Big Sur River has changed over time. If you have family stories or pictures that show the river or activities on the river, please let us know or bring them along.

Development of the plan is being coordinated by the Resource Conservation District of Monterey County with assistance from the Garrapata Watershed Council. For more information, please call Ken Ekelund at (831) 625-9621.

Bigsurkate and other updates

I got back home just before sunset last night, to find my solar power system unresponsive. I relied on the gennie last night, and tried to get the solar online. No luck. Someone had turned the PV switch off, and my gennie was not charging it today. Tomorrow, I have to run to town to replace groceries eaten by my dog sitter, propane for my appliances, restock on critter food, and all the usual, so I won’t get a chance to figure out what is wrong with the solar … Means I better get gas for the gennie back-up, as well, until I can read the manual, call my power guy, or otherwise become brilliant in solar power. I know, but it MIGHT happen!

My dogs sitter may have messed up my solar (or someone else?) but he had a fire laid out for me to Light last night, all four dogs were good, as were two cats, he hauled in firewood for a few days, and with all else, I have been warm, thanks to him.

Blaze got the contract for the Partington Rd clean-up. I understand there was a meeting between Blaze, Cal-Trans, and the Partington Ridge Road Association this morning. Will keep you posted as I can.

Friday the BSMAAC meeting is to be held at the State Park Conference Center, starting at 10 am. I will be attending. Kathleen Lee promised an agenda by end of business today, but so far, it has yet to find my inbox.

We have one more month of overnight closures at Rocky Creek, and then life will get a little easier for all of Big Sur. NOTE – I did not say “normal” – ain’t no such thing in Big Sur.

Glad to be home, and back doin’ what I do.

Foragers Festival

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This next weekend would be a great weekend to plan a trip to Big Sur, spend a few nights, check out the locals event on Thursday, January 10th, Oceans Fronteirs by B-SAGE, and stay on for the Foragers Festival events on Friday and Saturday, January 11-12! Join us for some wonderful winter events!

FORAGERS FESTIVAL*
January 11 – 12, 2013

Enjoy A Culinary Exploration into the World of Wild Foods

A celebration of the amazing array of wild foods will be the centerpiece for a Big Sur weekend of gourmet food, world-class wine and beer, entertainment, expert-led foraging hikes, a chef competition and a very special dinner with Kory Stewart, a chef who Forages! All events are for the benefit of the Big Sur Health Center.

Friday night will feature dinners at local restaurants. The Big Sur Bakery will host “Forage with Friends” dinner. The River Inn will partner with Firestone Brewery for a “Foragers Beer Dinner” And many exciting dinners/specials venues.

Saturday morning kicks off with Wild Mushroom Walks and Talks led by expert foragers. These will be informative and entertaining strolls through Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park.

The Restaurant at Ventana will host two events on Saturday beginning with a chef competition featuring wild mushrooms. Titled “Fungus Face-Off”, the event will put participating chefs in friendly competition for “best” in numerous categories by noted judges, culminating in “People’s Choice”. The food and wine tastings also features a silent auction with many unique offerings. The Fungus Face-Off takes place from 1:00 pm to 4:00 pm.

Saturday evening, Truman Jones, executive chef at the Restaurant at Ventana and Kory Stewart, executive chef at Americano Restaurant located in San Francisco’s Hotel Vitale, will prepare the grand dinner beginning at 6:00 pm at the Restaurant at Ventana. The multi-course dinner, destined to be a memorable feast, will be paired with incredible wine selections.

Please visit our site: Big Sur Foragers Festival for more information including schedule, prices and ticket sales.
*The Chanterelle Festival has been discontinued.
******************************************************************

January Events – save these dates!

This would be a great weekend to plan a trip to Big Sur, spend a few nights, check out the locals event on Thursday, January 10th, and stay on for the Foragers Festival events on Friday and Saturday, January 11-12! Join us for some wonderful winter events!

FORAGERS FESTIVAL*
January 11 – 12, 2013

Enjoy A Culinary Exploration into the World of Wild Foods

A celebration of the amazing array of wild foods will be the centerpiece for a Big Sur weekend of gourmet food, world-class wine and beer, entertainment, expert-led foraging hikes, a chef competition and a very special dinner with Kory Stewart, a chef who Forages! All events are for the benefit of the Big Sur Health Center.

Friday night will feature dinners at local restaurants. The Big Sur Bakery will host “Forage with Friends” dinner. The River Inn will partner with Firestone Brewery for a “Foragers Beer Dinner”. More exciting dinners/specials will soon be announced.

Saturday morning kicks off with Wild Mushroom Walks and Talks led by expert foragers. These will be informative and entertaining strolls through Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park.

The Restaurant at Ventana will host two events on Saturday beginning with a chef competition featuring wild mushrooms. Titled “Fungus Face-Off”, the event will put participating chefs in friendly competition for “best” in numerous categories by noted judges, culminating in “People’s Choice”. The food and wine tastings also features a silent auction with many unique offerings. The Fungus Face-Off takes place from 1:00 pm to 4:00 pm.

Saturday evening, Truman Jones, executive chef at the Restaurant at Ventana and Kory Stewart, executive chef at Americano Restaurant located in San Francisco’s Hotel Vitale, will prepare the grand dinner beginning at 6:00 pm at the Restaurant at Ventana. The multi-course dinner, destined to be a memorable feast, will be paired with incredible wine selections.

Please visit our site: Big Sur Foragers Festvalfor the more information including schedule, prices and ticket sales.
*The Chanterelle Festival has been discontinued.
******************************************************************

Award Winning Ocean Film Makes Big Sur Debut

Well known locals and others on a panel to discuss this film with the audience.

What would Big Sur be without the ocean and it’s creatures? From the stories of those who lived off the land and sea in years gone by to the present day when people from all over the world come to Big Sur for many reasons, especially it’s unique beauty, the ocean has played a huge role in who we are.

And now, we are very fortunate to be able to show the film “Ocean Frontiers” at our next B-SAGE/Grange event Thursday, January 10. This film, which premiered at the Blue Ocean Film Festival in Monterey a few months ago, is an inspiring voyage to seaports and watersheds across the country where we meet industrial shippers and whale biologists, farmers and wetland ecologists, commercial and sport fishermen, and reef snorkelers—all of them embarking on a new course of cooperation to sustain our oceans and the economies that rely on them. It highlights four cases where vastly different stakeholders came to the table and cooperatively made good decisions for the environment.

According to one participant, “Ocean Frontiers is a great film to share with the community because it is optimistic and positive, and shows successful approaches to the ocean stewardship issues we face today.” We are excited to bring this film to Big Sur.

The panel discussion immediately following the film showing will be moderated by the de facto mayor of Big Sur, retired Fire Chief, Frank Pinney. On the panel will be Laura Kasa, Executive Director of Save Our Shores, Biologist David Moen from Ventana Wildlife Society, Marcus Foster – surfer, Jess Mason – deep sea diver and Kirk Gafill, President of the Big Sur Chamber of Commerce. The panel will discuss the film and take questions and comments from the audience.

Thursday, January 10, 2013 at the Big Sur Grange.
Come for soup, salad and bread at 6.
Bring your own place setting.
Or, come just for the show at 6:30.
We plan to be prompt.

Santa and Caroling in Big Sur

Hello Big Sur!

To ring in the holidays Lisa Goettel brings us the traditional Christmas caroling throughout Big Sur and the Big Sur Volunteer Fire Brigade will be bringing special treats for all of the children of Big Sur. Read details below.

The Big Sur Fire Brigade has volunteered to escort Santa on his visit to Big Sur!

    This is on December 20th.

    This year Santa is bringing special treats for all of the children of Big Sur!!

    If you would like Santa to deliver a personal gift he would be honored to do so!!
    Here are the Instructions-
    · Wrap a gift for your child and label with name, pick up location and phone number
    · Deliver the gift to the Big Sur Library no later than December 19 during normal open hours.
    · Meet Santa at River Inn (5:45), Fernwood (6:10) Post Ranch Housing ( 6:30) or Nepenthe (6:50) and he will deliver your gift personally!!!
    · Questions? Call Meredith 667-2156

    Big Sur Caroling

    All are welcome to join us on Wednesday, Dec. 19th in Big Sur as we get in the spirit of the holidays and carol through the local restaurants.
    Supported by a core group of Big Sur singers who have been singing with Lisa every week – some for several years – we will share our voices through Big Sur. No experience or practice is required! If you would like to learn some of our special harmonies and practice some of the lesser-known carols, we encourage you to join us at some or all of the free Wednesday evening classes at the Big Sur Charter School in December, from 5:30-7pm http://thebirdsings.com/classes.html
    This year we are inviting kids to join us for caroling at the River Inn. Kids are invited to meet at 4:30pm at the River Inn on the 19th to practice, then sing with us there at 5:30.

    Schedule:
    4:30pm – Kids meet for practice at the Big Sur River Inn.
    5:00pm – Adults meet promptly at 5pm at the Big Sur River Inn. We will warm up in the administrative offices.
    5:30pm – River Inn – with kids caroling!
    6:15pm – Fernwood Resort
    6:45pm – Big Sur Bakery
    7:15pm – Nepenthe
    7:45pm – Deetjens Big Sur Inn (core group of regular Big Sur Singers only)

    If you are going to join the caroling you can print your own holiday songbook here:
    http://thebirdsings.com/caroling.html

    Spread the joy and have a safe and happy holiday!
    From the Big Sur Fire Brigade and the Big Sur Chamber of Commerce

    The Big Sur Singers on Wednesday December 19th at 5:30 pm as they carol for us building the Christmas spirit. This year the children of the Big Sur Charter School will also be joining the caroling.

    Then return to welcome the Big Sur Fire Brigade and Santa Claus on Thursday December 20th at 5:45 pm as the children of Big Sur receive a special holiday gift from Santa. Milk and cookies will be offered next to a roaring fire.

Kitty at Post Ranch

This was taken at the Post Ranch Inn on 12/3/12 by Jeanne Cowen. Isn’t she gorgeous?

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