At 9:30 this evening there were reports of rain in Santa Cruz, and accidents at the Summit of 17. If true, it is arriving early, but a very welcome guest that we’d like to stick around!
All systems go!
Got a phone call last night, and the phone rang! Let it go to voicemail and I got that right away. FB, twitter, email, and browsers all working well. I spent the day gathering up pre-cut firewood from my property and filling up both my inside and outside boxes. I was going to take a photo of my boxes to post here, but my friend, Rose, sent me one she took at sunrise this morning on the Petaluma River, and decided y’all would enjoy that more, even if it isn’t Big Sur.
BSK, checking in
Super Bowl Sunday, around noon, my systems went wacky. They are still not up to normal … even for up here in the wilderness, so I am writing from Cambria. While I have and had 4-5 bars, everything was connected, up and “running” – the phone didn’t ring, and people who tried to call were directed straight to voicemail, which then did not show up for 18 hours. I couldn’t get email, twitter, FB, OR TV. Wonderfully isolated from the world with my critters, a fire, and a book.
I have had a fire going constantly since Sunday morning – or was it Saturday? Time has not mattered. It stood still for me. I stayed warm and comfortable. This morning, heavy frost covered everything, causing the dogs to slip and slide as they escaped thru the front door. I had to go out in it to keep an eye on my blind dog as his now-absent scents could not guide him, but I stoked up the fire when we came back inside.
The photo below was taken Monday morning when SOME the clouds cleared for a few moments. Yes, snow at the higher elevations although I heard from a north-facing neighbor at 3000′ that they had snow. Not me.
If I don’t post tomorrow, know I am preparing for the next rounds of showers (varying reports on those) and keeping warm, puzzled by my systems.
Los Burros Mine, 1958
Gerald A. Doyle (front) and James B. Pauley at the Los Burros mine in southern Monterey County in the Los Padres National Forest. James B. Pauley and Gerald A. Doyle were prospecting the mine for gold. Photo: Peter Breinig, 3/4/58 (From The Herald Archives) While this is labeled as being The Los Burros Mine, it might be mislabeled and might actually be the Kinder Mine, which Doyle owned about this time. I know the current owner, so will try to verify. The Kinder Mine is in the Los Burros Mining District.
Per the current owner of the Kinder:
“Hi Kate…. No.. that is over on the Ancona on ______… Those two had a great thing going… Too bad they had to give it up…. Some of their ore was fantastic… ” Mining is no longer allowed in the Silver Peak Wilderness, EXCEPT for valid claims that existed BEFORE the creation of the wilderness and which have been kept up.
Rain Reports on Super Bowl Sunday
10:15 am – snow being reported by a neighbor on the other side of the ridge north of me. WOW! None here, but up to .25″ of glorious wet stuff!
8:15 am – it started here! Real, honest-to-goodness rain! Couldn’t be happier!
At 8:00 am, rain is being reported from Elkhorn Slough to Ventana. None here yet, but it is dark, damp, and stormy. Now, if it was just night we would have a literary clique. All 5 dogs went outside at 7 am, but now, they are happy to be inside. Have only 33 degrees with wind chill factored in. This am’s weather report from NOAA says we could get up to 5″ of snow in the higher elevations of the Santa Lucia Mountains. I am not expected to experience any. Also, thunderstorms are very possible this afternoon. Could be a very fun day!
Sunday Rain
May the gods and goddesses make it be true!
OES DROUGHT INFO
I, bigsurkate, decided to edit out the entire article from the CA OES … it is too depressing, and just bring you the links so that those of you who want to track this 500 year drought can do so. I was going to forgo a garden this year, but I am thinking that the availability of produce may be curtailed, and the prices astronomical, so I might want and need to plant a garden. I want to make an accurate spring 24-hour delivery determination, first.
Snow Surveyors Find Sparse Snowpack, Drought Retains Grip on California
by Brad Alexander on January 30, 2014
If I was an alarmist, or a Prepper, this last sentence of this report would be cause for concern “… In May 2013, Governor Brown issued an Executive Order to direct state water officials to expedite the review and processing of voluntary transfers of water and water rights.”
Electronic snowpack readings are available on the Internet at:
http://cdec.water.ca.gov/snow/current/snow/index.html
Reservoir conditions are found here:
http://cdec.water.ca.gov/cgi-progs/reservoirs/RES
For a broader snapshot of current and historical weather conditions, see DWR’s “Water Conditions” and “Drought” pages: Water Conditions Page
http://www.water.ca.gov/waterconditions/
Drought Page
FOTO Friday 11
Road Closures – Ft. Hunter Liggett
From Fort Hunter Liggett Facebook
https://www.facebook.com/FortHunterLiggett
Road closures begin TOMORROW – Friday, Jan. 31 – in support of training in progress involving the 2nd Battalion of The 75th Ranger Regiment, The 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment, and the 446th Airlift Wing of the Air Force Reserve.
Where:
Mission Road at Jolon Road, in the old main gate area, and Nacimiento-Fergusson Road to Big Sur, California. See the map for details – all roads indicated between the letter points will be closed, as well as all training areas and dirt roads adjacent to them.
When:
Two closures a day: Jan. 31 and Feb. 1, 3 and 5. The first one each day will be between noon and 1:30 p.m. and the second between 5:30 and 7:30 p.m. The closures could be as long as 45 minutes each but will be limited to the minimum time needed to maintain safety for the operations.
NO THROUGH TRAFFIC will be allowed during the closures, including access to and from Highway 1, the Los Padres National Forest, and into or out of the Fort Hunter Liggett cantonment area. Anyone arriving during the closure will be held in the old main gate area on Mission Road at Jolon Road or at the bridge which marks the installation’s western boundary on Nacimiento-Fergusson Road. Fort Hunter Liggett’s commuter buses to Salinas and Paso Robles will not be affected by the closures. Employees, visitors and others should be aware of the possibility of delay during these times.
New Drought Category
A new drought category has been created. It is called, “exceptional drought.” It is the Category Five of droughts. The coastal portion of Big Sur is not yet in this category, but the mountain/eastern portions are. Including me. Coastal areas are in “extreme drought” or Category 4 conditions. As we all know, this is not good. It is even more surreal to write this as I watch the news of Atlanta recover from a little bit OS snow.
My rain gauge measured absolutely zilch today. I thought maybe when I moved it a few weeks ago I might not have gotten it straight, but considering that seems to be the consensus in other areas that showed some wetness, but no measurable rain, it probably is fine. I did get some dampness up here, but mostly under trees and on window screens. Certainly could not call it rain under anyone’s definition.
I am a native Californian. I have lived in this state all my life. I am going to be 65. I have never experienced anything like this. Extreme measures are in the works and necessary. Conserve, be aware, and educate those who aren’t.