Geotagging is ruining natural landscapes

Starting with this Tourist Tuesday report, I am looking to only post ideas for dealing with the issues we face. We know what the problems are. We now know it is a world-wide problem, so we need to look at approaches and ideas. There is no one solution, there are only steps we can take to minimize the impacts. Being mindful of geo-tagging is one.

From a NY Times article by Laura M. Holson in the Travel Section on Sunday (thanks Ken Wright):

“Sorry, Instagrammers. You are ruining Wyoming.

Last week, the Jackson Hole Travel & Tourism Board asked visitors to stop geotagging photographs on social media in an effort to protect the state’s pristine forests and remote lakes. Explaining the campaign, Brian Modena, a tourism-board member, suggested the landscape was under threat from visitors drawn by the beautiful vistas on Instagram.”

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A few years ago, one or two hikers a day would make the nine-mile trek up to Delta Lake. Now, he said, as many as 145 people are hiking there each day to shoot engagement photos and hawk health supplements. Little-known trails are heavily trafficked and eroding in some places, taxing park resources.

“We want people to have a real connection to nature,” Mr. Modena said, “not just a page with a pin on it.”

….

Six months ago, Colorado-based Leave No Trace, an organization that promotes ethical use of public lands, published new social media guidelines that discourage geotagging. In Jackson Hole, the tourism board has suggested that visitors use the generic location tag, “Tag Responsibly, Keep Jackson Hole Wild.”

This is just a beginning, but we must get the message out. New Zealand has adopted one program which I urge MCCVB, Visit California, and See California to also adopt, spending some of the millions of dollars of advertising monies on plans and programs to ensure the survival of the natural areas in California – particularly in Big Sur. I will post about one thing New Zealand does which we can easily adapt here next Tuesday,

Fire Restrictions still in effect, slightly downgraded

Note: There are still NO campfires allowed in the dispersed camping sites – only in developed campgrounds (I.e. where you pay a fee to camp.)

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Storm Waves…

29E2512E-6C93-4971-BE5E-5B0DDCE437B3I will be interested in seeing how the predicted storm waves of today will impact the sea wall at Mud Creek.

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The water you see above (shiny spot) is from waves pounding OVER the sea wall. The sea wall has taken a beating, even before this storm and today’s monster waves! Love to see it tomorrow.

Incoming Storm System, 12/15/18

From NOAA Forecast Discussion - button up!
(new editing format by WP is resulting in formatting issues. 
I hate when wp decides to change what works for something that doesn’t)
”Unlike previous storm system this one will have plenty of moisture to work with. 
Latest TPW imagery puts values of 1-1.5" or 150-200% percent of normal. 
Simply put there is moisture to work with. 
Atmospheric River guidance has been rather consistent 
for several days now indicating IVT over 500 kg/m/s, 
which would fall into the moderate category 
and be one of the stronger ARs of the 2018 season. 

Once the upper level TROUGH arrives Sunday afternoon it will 
help to push the FRONT through the region. 
Additionally, the upper level TROUGH will increase upper level support and increase overall INSTABILITY.
Model guidance shows rather decent surface and mid- level INSTABILITY Sunday afternoon through early Monday. 
Decided to add a 15-20% CHC of thunderstorms with the FROPA. 
It should be noted that the Storm Prediction Center 
has a large portion of CA in a general mention 
of thunder Sunday into Monday. 
Given the landfalling AR and convective potential 
there could be a brief period of moderate to heavy rainfall 
leading to minor flooding/ponding on roads and urban areas.  
A more showery regime will set up late Sunday night over northern areas behind the FRONT and then slowly spread S and E Monday afternoon. 
Rainfall totals tonight through Monday will be greatest over the North Bay and coastal mountains 1-3" - locally 3+" North Bay Peaks and Santa Lucias.” 
Repeat: Locally, over 3” in the Santa Lucias.

In case you may be wondering…

I haven’t been online much this week, as I have been on the road, taking care of things all week, so far.

Monday, I met Rock Knocker in Nipomo Mesa, where he was taking his Motorhome. I had planned on coming to SLO to see about winter tires – the best for my new MBZ Sprinter Van. This one:

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(Yeah, that pink license plate holder has GOT to go! Clashes with the Aqua Green. Purple, yeah. Red, yeah. But pink? Nah.) Anyway, after meeting Rock Knocker, I went to get a camping spot for the night.

It is a gorgeous van, and my son built me a bed to go in it. Looked like this, but I have already changed it.

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My first overnight (except when I brought it home) was to Morro Bay. Tonight, I am back there, but this time, unintended.

My road is a mess. People tearing it up because it is fun to get muddy! (Their parents must have denied them the opportunity when younger.) And the storms, and clay, and I couldn’t take my new van out unless I got good mud tires. I had done my research and knew that BF Goodrich All Terrain KO2s were the best (per owners) for the MBZ Sprinter. I did some more research, and found out that I should get some black rhino wheels, and I settled on the Warlords. I found the best tire shop around (and no, I am not going to tell you which one that is. It is already way too busy!) I called them on Tuesday. They ordered them for me, to be in on Thursday. I had reserved my campsite for 3 nites, so all was good.

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This was my campsite. I can tell you this because unless you are retired military or 100% disabled vet, you can’t camp there. It is $5/nite for no hook-ups. Camp San Luis.

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This is the drive to the campsite.

Wednesday morning the tire store called me, and they were delivered a day early, so I ran right down. I had had one cup of coffee, so I was good to go.

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These are the final tires and rims. They are gorgeous and should really help during the winter months. I kept the “old” tires and rims as they only had 500 miles on them, and I can use them in the dry months and extend the life of these mud tires.

Alas, on the way home, I hit a significant size rock and limped into Gorda with 14 PSI to spare, only to find my son there. There were some major issues with the jack, the lug  nut tire iron, as the new ones were a different size, etc. but still, he got it changed, and missed the School’s Christmas Show in order to help me. Sorry, everyone. I then drove down here to Morro Bay for yet another night. Just couldn’t drive the rest of the way at night. I was beat.

So, I was out of there before I could get a photo, this am. But I was on the beach at the Strand, being lulled by the waves. I went by the tire place and dropped off the damaged tire, ordered a new one, had them tighten the lug nuts once more time, just to be safe, and now I am hanging in town until the tire comes in. Another night at Camp San Luis. Since I did not stay there last night, and my card had already been charged, they aren’t going to charge me for tonight. Finally, the universe is going my direction. Now, I get to play “tourist” in SLO.

 

 

Photo Sunday, 12/9/18

I found this sweet book I want to share with you. It is full of historical photos of the South Coast. It was written by Stanley Harlan, younger brother of Don Harlan, the original road warrior. Stanley is now 91 and living in Monterey. It is available on Amazon.com

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Today’s Rain Forecast Map v. Current Rain Received Map

So far, we have received almost double what was called for, so look for issues on the roads – rocks, etc. Compare these two – first, rain predicted, and second, rain received.

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Tourist Tuesdays – Dutch Hit Back, 12/4/18

“Nineteen windmills occupy the village of Kinderdijk near Rotterdam. A quintessential structure of Dutch iconography, this is one of the most photographed destinations in the Netherlands.

Filing out into the misty rain, the tourists pop open their scarlet umbrellas expectantly and a tour guide brandishes a red marker sign in the drizzle, explaining the significance of this unique Unesco-recognised site.

Constituting a masterpiece in water management, the mills once drained the water from the land, preventing flooding since around 1740.
But this is not a museum, the mills are full of life.”…

“I have many, many bad experiences with the tourists,” says Johan Velthuizen, a 56-year-old robot programmer. He’s lived in Kinderdijk his whole life and runs the “liveability” local action group that’s been petitioning the mayor to better manage the mass tourism.
“They run through my garden with their whole families. We’re sitting drinking tea in the sunshine, then we look up and there’s a Chinese family trampling through my flowers.”

“I produce some coffee mugs and coasters for a hobby,” Mr Velthuizen complains. “But the tourists are just coming to take photos not to spend anything; they get all their food on the cruise ships.”

For all his frustration, he disagrees with a recent initiative by local millers to hand out postcards to tourists that suggest their presence is part of the problem. The postcards convey a a simple message:

We’ve lived here for centuries. We get 600,000 tourists a year and there are 60 of us. Ratio 10,000:1 #overtourism”

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Although intended to be posted to friends to ward off other potential visitors, the postcards are perhaps more likely they will be kept as souvenirs.
Local miller and Instagram enthusiast Peter Paul Klapwijk makes the point: “It’s a world heritage site, not Disneyland. And it should be treated as such.”
And yet, it costs €20,000 (£17,000; $23,000) a year to keep a mill turning so the tourism income that comes from the Kinderdijk heritage foundation that runs the site is a vital source of funding.
“We are part of the heritage,” says Mr Klapwijk. “We don’t hate tourists but the heritage foundation treats us like the goose that laid the golden egg.”

For the rest of the article, see: ‘Not Disneyland’: Dutch hit back at ‘over-tourism’ http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-46194330

Photo Sunday – Rain Dragon

This is a commissioned piece by Phoebe Palmer. It was about 10′ long and about 1500 pounds with over 10,000 3 color glazed and shaped  ceramic tiles. We delivered it to the client in Cayucos. (From Peter Fels)

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