There is a very old Redwood Tree on Plaskett Ridge Road, maybe the oldest here, that has developed in an unusual way, due to losing its top. Old Redwood
From a distance, it looks like two trees, growing closely together. Redwood #2
but a closer look reveals it is a branch, from which a vertical branch has grown. Redwood #3
An even closer look reveals the junction. Redwood #4
A different perspective.
For some reason, I have always thought of these ancient redwoods as “the grandfathers.” The Quercus lobatas (Valley Oaks) I think of as “the grandmothers.” They teach me whatever I am willing to learn, and are very patient with me.
First, the voting on the new Spring Header photo is going great! Keep it up. This tells me I need to see about doing these more than twice a year, and am strongly considering that option. We love seeing the work of all sorts of photographers of our beloved coast. Voting continues until March 19th at midnight, so make your voice heard!
Second, after 19 months since the creation of this blog, I have finally added a new author, my friend, fellow blogger, and long-time Big Surian, Avis Latone, aka bigsurwoman. She has agreed to come on board to assist me if I find myself out for a while, for whatever reason. She is a very busy woman, running the store at Lucia Lodge, doing her own photography, and her own blog, so I don’t expect her to post often, but I AM hoping that she will chime in occasionally with her own perspective on the news, events, and what it means to live here in God’s country. It might be fun for her to create a new page about working the tourist trade – it can be funny, sometimes. Like the questions they ask. “Does this road ever straighten out?” “Are we above sea level?” Welcome, Avis!
Lastly, I finally completed the History Spotlight for April, and it will be posted on April 1st (and no, not as an April Fool’s Day joke). It is different than what I have offered in the past, but I think you will enjoy it. I have two more in the works, but they both require extensive in-person research, so this feature may have to be bi-monthly.
If you have any suggestions, requests, admonitions, please feel free to post them in the comments below, or send me a private email at kwnovoa@mac.com.
It is unbelievably beautiful up here this afternoon, and so, I am going to sit on my sunny, warm, back deck. Maybe take photos, and enjoy this wonderous place where I live. Perhaps, some photos after sunset … but maybe I will be too busy living it to record it.
After sunset. I lived it, and I recorded it, and as soon as I find my A/B cord, I will download then upload some shots of the beauty of where I am blessed to call home.
This is my deck. It is only 8 ft. wide, so I plan on expanding it.
It’s is not much of a deck, yet, but it makes up for it in views.
This is what I see all day, every evening, and every sunset. Am I blessed or what?
And the sunsets can’t be beat! That is a Big Leaf Maple, getting ready to bud out. Spring is almost here!
Yesterday, Rock Knocker climbed Mud Creek (about a mile north of Alder Creek Slide) to make sure it wasn’t backing up. (Yes, he IS retired, and no, he does NOT have to do this, but he is a curious fellow.) Normally, these are not the type of photos I would post, as some people are not interested in this type of thing. But I thought some of you might like to see how slides can happen (it is not backing up, therefore no slide is imminent) and get a different perspective on the hills and rocks that come down ON the road! I’ve even included some photos of the road from a perspective most of us are not likely to ever see. Definitely a unique perspective! RK took 104 photos, I’ve narrowed them down considerably, but I still have quite a few I want to share, so will be adding to this throughout the evening. Thanks so much, Rock Knocker! Climbing up Mud Creek, by Rock Knocker
That’s Highway One, down below.
WARNING – DO NOT TRY THIS YOURSELF. Rock Knocker is a professional rock climber, and has been to the Cal-Trans climbing school each year for over 20+ years. In fact, he has been invited back again, even though he is retired. Across the rockfall of Mud Creek, by Rock Knocker
One can see a sliver of Highway One in the distance on the right. Looking down the rock fall, by Rock Knocker
I am afraid of heights. Even looking at a photo like this makes me queasy. Good thing he doesn’t have video! Even higher still, by Rock Knocker
I can’t even BEGIN to describe what looking at this one does to my stomach! This is the one time I am “almost” – not quite – glad to Pampas Grass holding the hillside in place! A tree grows ... by Rock Knocker
Amazing to see on this barren slope, a tree tenaciously growing out of rock. Roots in Rock, by Rock Knocker
The close-up The Coastline, by Rock Knocker
If one looks closely, one can see the CT cone, and the sliver of road in front of it. Highway One - a different perspective, by Rock Knocker
Right behind where that front ridge and the highway intersect is the Alder Creek Slide. One can also see the recently rebuilt seawall at Shale Point. Going down? by Rock Knocker
There is his truck, parked on the side of the road. And that ends the photo story of the climb up Mud Creek.
It is down to 37.6 degrees at 5:30 pm – and I need to update the weather/road post for today, March 9. 2010.
Thursday night, TreeBones Resort, owned by John & Corinne Handy held their second in the annual Big Sur Legends Series to raise money for Pacific Valley School.
TreeBones Resort
One entered the lobby, and there was the guest of honor, Don McQueen.
Further in, the items for the silent auction. This is just a few of the many items available to bid on.
The resort lobby and dining room was decked out for the occasion with lovely table settings, and tables that would eventually fill completely as dinner was served by the students of Pacific Valley School, all of whom were dressed in black. They looked so classy and did an incredible job of serving the 70 of us in attendance!
There were appetizers, Heller Estate donated wines that were poured by Mary Roos; a salad from the gardens of TreeBones; but the piéce de resistancé was the filet mignon with pomegranate demi glaze served over garlic mashed potatoes with steamed asparagus. I have never seen a filet that thick, 2 to 3 inches, or one that literally melted in one’s mouth like that one did. I am only sorry I did not think to take photos of the food. I see food — and I just want to eat! Chef Chris Watts
And I am informed that Chris won the People’s Choice award at the recent Chanterelle Cook-Off. Congratulations, Chris, and eating food you have prepared is such an honor!
Oh, and the dessert? It was created and donated by Margaret Graham Doyle. It was a wonderful date pudding with hot caramel sauce. Yum … when my student waitperson tried to take it away before I finished that last bite, she realized she would risk my wrath.
Throughout the evening we were treated to live music, some performed by the students themselves.
But the “fireside chat” between John Handy and Don McQueen was what most of us came to see and hear. Don McQueen, a Big Sur Legend, and one of our elders. Don McQueen John Handy
Don McQueen came to Big Sur in 1931 at the age of 11. His father was in charge of the highway. [Ed. note – Highway One was finished and opened in 1932.] When he got here, he thought the Pacific Ocean was ” … the biggest lake I’d ever seen.”
Don McQueen telling stories
Don started the Big Sur Campground in 1953 with Walter Trotter. Now, reservations for this icon are 18 years out. But the project in Big Sur that Don built that he is most proud of is Fernwood, and that project he did for free. Don on Firefighting
Don started fighting fires in 1947. He said of that time, “The most amazing thing was that people went out and put the fire out.”
During the Basin Complex Fire of 2008, Don called Caterpillar Company and order a $200,000 cat on credit. They delivered it to him in 16 hours and 15 minutes. I asked him about this, and he replied, “If I didn’t do that, I would have lost everything.” And from what I hear from his friends and neighbors, they also would have lost everything, but for Don and his cat. Don on Traffic
“We have too much traffic already.” I’m with you there, Don. Even the wagon trail that passes for a road up to my place gets crowded during the summer. Fortunately, every so often, Mother Nature, when she’s had enough, closes the highway.
Thank you, Don, for the stories, the sharing, and for being an elder in our community, and a Big Sur Legend!
What a great event John and Corrine Handy put on at TreeBones tonight! I wasn’t able to make the first one, but after attending the second in the Big Sur Legends Series, I will never miss another! The Handy’s are going to need to build a bigger room for all of us, in the next few years!
I cannot wait to tell you all about the unbelievable food, the Living Legend, Don McQueen, and the great community support for our sweet local public school, Pacific Valley! But it is 10 pm, I just got home, have groceries and sundries to put away, and I just ran out of gas for the gennie for the evening.
Join me late tomorrow for my report, it will take me a while to sort through the 100 photos I took just of Don. I took lots of other photos, too! It was so wonderful to see so much support from our North Coast neighbors!
I’ve always loved taking photographs in the fog. There is a mystery, the ghostliness, and the challenge of getting color amid the gray — sometimes, just the hint of color. Today, I took the opportunity to try photographing a different face of this place we call home.
Trees were barely visible on Plaskett Ridge Road … they appeared in the mist of gray that enveloped them …
almost ghosts … until I looked closely, and saw that the leaves were forming their buds, in preparation for Spring.
Photographing in fog brings out the layers of some objects, when the color is removed … particularly with the trees. Study the subtleties and shapes in the tree above, and note the layers the fog creates.
Our sentinels of quiet … a peaceful time to seek the silence of serenity.
… and even our brightly adorned landmarks, are subdued and resting, anticipating the time when the land is full with visitors, some experiencing the awe for the first time.
But for another month, the place we call home is quiet, and being reborn, again, for the first time. Just as we all are, as Spring approaches — getting ready to shed the chrysalis that has held us safely all winter long.
And don’t forget March’s Photography Contest. The link is posted above in the notice sticky note. Click on that for all the details.
Thank you for your notes, calls, and concerns everyone! It is soooo great to know you all care, and read this silly little blog. It is also nice to have internet again. I have a photo I prepared this weekend for your enjoyment, which I will post below. I also have February’s Wildflowers that I took today, and Dave Allen tells me that somewhere buried in my 350 emails, is one from him with shots of our stupendous waves. And if I can’t find that, Rock Knocker has some shots for me. And finally, of course, we have the incoming storm to track. So, bigsurkate will be very busy and very active for the next few days.
On Saturday, a gorgeous day in the 70’s, I had company. Rare company. I had Sarah from Ohio, Peter from Washington, Avis from Lucia, and the Rock Knocker from the next mountain over. RK left first, and after Sarah, Peter, and Avis left, I was visited by this sight. What a gorgeous day on the mountain!
I have mixed feelings about the project proposed below, and am trying to crystalize them before I render a response, but I thought others might be interested in doing so as well, so I quote from an email I received below:
Do forward this on to all interested folks, or get me their contacts, as we want no stone unturned in terms of seeking community input for this effort, even those who might be opposed to it!
Self Reliance Foundation 1201 Connecticut Ave, NW, Ste. 700, Washington, DC 20036, 202.496.6046
Self Reliance Foundation is conducting a feasibility study for new, innovative, user-friendly ways to explain the historical, cultural, and environmental values of the Big Sur Coast and State Highway Route One scenic byway, from Carmel to south of the Hearst Castle.
One of the aims of this effort is to solicit and incorporate ideas about both content about Highway 1, as well as the best systems for delivering it from people like yourself—community activists, businesses, and organizations who have a love and concern for the Big Sur/San Simeon region.
We’d like to learn from you and your membership about what sort of information you consider to be critical to visitors’ understanding of this region.
We’d also like your thoughts on the ideal way to convey information about the Highway 1 scenic corridor to travelers. Today the range of delivery systems varies from educational signs at Caltrans’ designated pullouts, Web pages, and paper maps, to GPS and phone delivered information, low-power short-distance radio transmissions, and other modalities.
Our initial ideas include a website modeled on the Big Sur Chamber of Commerce site that will allow visitors to plan trips from south-to-north and north-to-south, and that will have tabs for environment, history, culture, safety, and other features. We plan to produce content in English and Spanish to serve California’s diverse constituencies.
We will be exploring a range of systems. The website would allow visitors to download information to cell phones and automobile navigation devices. We also may recommend the installation of very small low-power radio transmitters at the northern and southern entrances to theRoute 1 Big Sur Coast Highway and Route 1 San Luis Obispo North Coast Byway so that drivers with older vehicles can also access information. (This would not require construction of any towers).
Please feel free to contact me with your thoughts on this venture at 415 /902 0019, or share your views via email, writing me at David.Kupfer@gmail.com. To gain your valuable perspective on these topic, I am available to meet with you or your organization in person or to speak with you over the phone.
Before I get to the rest of the Snoopy Airship photos and story, just a reminder regarding Cal-Trans closures and construction. Two new releases came in last night. They are posted on the Cal-Trans page to the right.
Conclusion – We come out on the coast again, Nepenthe is behind us, and look! Oh my heavens, he is heading right over us!
Now, remember, this is a race. No stopping, after Hurricane Point, so all these photographs are shot from a moving car — on Highway One — at high speeds. This is a race, after all. And we can’t straighten the road like Snoopy can!
Coming up on Partington Cove …
We are in the inside curve, and he, of course, is out over the ocean.
Coming up on the South Coast now, and the race is still neck-and-neck.
Then we hit the light and construction at Gamboa Point. No, the light turns fast, we’ll keep up!
But wait, there is more construction ahead, Pitkin’s Curve and Rain Rocks. Drat.
This stop is long enough that a neighbor (7 miles away) gets out of his car behind us, and comes up and talks with us for a good 10 minutes while we wait.
And the winner is … the airship.
Other stories for another time, as this one turned out longer than expected.
