Tag: Big Sur

Don’t make me thread the needle.

You are right, Big Surians. The fu**ers are trying to kill us … And themselves. I have been reading all the horror stories about the traffic and tourists and crazies, so I kept putting off running down to Cambria. Finally wanted fresh veggies, so I went today. Oh, joy …

On the way home, I went to pass the car in front of me, car #1. Legal passing area. Plenty of room and time to get between him and the car in front of him, car #2, before the SB car, car #3, came to us. Well, there would have been, had car #2 not panicked, or decided he did not want me behind him, or whatever the hell his pea brain was thinking. I got along side car #1 when I watched car#2 slam on his brakes and watched the space between the two cars rapidly dwindle. I had no choice but to “thread the needle” that is squeeze between car # 2 heading north and car #3 heading south, as the car behind me had now moved up closer to car #1. I hope someone recorded that … I certainly didn’t have time to.

Yes, they wanted to kill me and themselves … But … Not today.

Traffic Conditions, heading north to town

6:30 pm – as of 15 minutes ago, The CHP website is reporting that NB traffic into Carmel is backed up all the way to Mal Paso Creek, which is the southern boundary for the Carmel Highlands. I have been hearing stories about how bad traffic has been this holiday season, particularly in that direction. Avoid if you can wait.

Road Work Christmas Weekend

Today’s Date: Wednesday, December 24, 2014
District: 05 – Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo, Monterey, San Benito and Santa
Cruz Counties
Contact: Susana Z Cruz (bilingual) or Colin Jones
Phone: (805) 549-3138 or 549-3189
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
*Update*
DRAINAGE CULVERT REPAIR ON HIGHWAY 1 AT VENTANA/POST RANCH IS UNDERWAY

MONTEREY COUNTY– An emergency culvert repair project on Highway 1 at Ventana/Post Ranch, two miles south of the Big Sur Park/Campgrounds began on Monday, Dec. 22 and continues this weekend, Caltrans officials have announced.

Roadwork hours are from 7 am to 5 pm weekdays under one-way traffic control with flaggers. In order to expedite the repairs, crews will also be working this Saturday and Sunday from 7 am until 4 pm (no roadwork on Christmas Day). Motorists can expect a delay not to exceed 15 minutes. Electronic message signs have been activated to alert motorists.

The purpose of this emergency project is to repair the damaged culvert and embankment erosion from the recent storms. Roadwork is necessary to ensure that all maintenance needs of the coast highway are met, and will be completed by Wednesday, Dec. 31, weather permitting.

NOTE: Access to businesses will remain open via Highway 1.

The contractor for this $300,000 project is John Madonna Construction of San Luis Obispo.

Photo to follow when Cellular Internet will let me upload.

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Winter Solstice

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Thank goodness. These last couple weeks with very little sun have been a time for hibernation for me. Looking forward to getting out a bit the next few weeks! Happy Solstice.

Road work from Co line to Gorda this weekend

Today’s Date: Friday, December 19, 2014

MONTEREY COUNTY– A maintenance project to remove slide material and perform drainage work will take place on a 10-mile section of Highway 1 between the Monterey/San Luis Obispo County line and Gorda tomorrow, Saturday, Dec. 20 and Sunday, Dec. 21, Caltrans officials have announced.

Work hours are from 7 am to 3 pm both days under one-way traffic control with flaggers. Motorists can expect a delay not to exceed 15 minutes. Electronic Message Boards will be activated to alert motorists.

The purpose of this two-day emergency project is to clean up after the recent batch of storms and will be performed by the Willow Springs and Templeton North maintenance crews. This emergency roadwork is necessary to ensure all of the maintenance needs of the coast highway area are met. Work will be completed on Sunday afternoon, Dec. 21, weather permitting.

NOTE: Access to businesses will remain open via Hwy. 1 between Ragged Point and Big Sur.

Foto Friday, 12/19/14

It has been a few weeks, but … Here are a couple I took this week out my window during breaks in our storms.

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Atmospheric River takes aim at the South Coast of Big Sur

For the first time in recent history (probably ever) The Weather Channel specifically mentions Lucia, Gorda, and Cambria, the biggest town – of a whopping 6,000 – being Cambria. It is because this is where this next big storm is expected to come ashore. This will find us late tonight or early tomorrow. The last one took aim at Santa Cruz and Big Sur Valley. Now it is our turn. I am as ready as I can be. Take advantage of this break, as the next one is not due until Thursday.

Take a look at the info I added to the last post, The Calm Before the Storm, for some good info and links about this Atmospheric River.

Calm Before the Next Storm

Actually, it is a series of storms, progged to hit us every day this week but Thursday, starting late tonight/early tomorrow.

And this gorgeous shot is by Lisa Kleissner.

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Thanks for sharing, Lisa!

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Atmospheric River

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Graphic and great article from Scientific American blog

The flow pattern of the atmospheric river now battering the West Coast is classic. The University of Wisconsin at Madison maintains a terrific Web site that shows the flows in real time, updated every five minutes. A snapshot from last night is below. The dark red swath across the equator is the tropical rain band that is usually present; the atmospheric river is the sweeping jet of water vapor (blue in the image) that shoots off towards the U.S.

University of Wisconsin website

Warnings and Watches

By now, the whole state is aware this big storm is coming, so I won’t belabor the point, but be aware and pay particular attention to weather watches and warnings, prepare, and I will be getting ready myself for tomorrow, and watching the storm come in from my Plaskett Perch.

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Alder Creek Rock Slide Wednesday Night

Cleared by 7:00 am by Greg DeAlba and crew, Willow Springs Staion.

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