Tag: Big Sur

Big Fat Moon, Cinco de Mayo, and Sam Farr…not necessarily in that order

What a glorious afternoon and evening!

Rock Knocker and I spent a few hours this afternoon at the wonderful home of Kenny and Mary Wright for Cinco de Mayo and a fund raiser for Sam Farr. Sam has a heartfelt connection to this coast, having been raised here, and it is evident whenever I see him here. His face lights up and he is clearly at peace.

He showed up in his truck with some small white PVC pipe. “Going to Point 16 from here?” I asked. “Yes,” he said. “I need to work in my garden to stay sane,” he answered. When I left, I congratulated him for keeping his balance with Mother Nature, considering the Washington politics he has to deal with.

Besides seeing Sam, and other wonderful people, like Helen Morganwrath, who came to Big Sur when I was 2 days old – which was a l-o-n-g time ago, and the Wright house, the other highlight of the afternoon was seeing Michael Jones, of Cachauga Store (i tried to inset a link, but was not successful, so see the links to the right, under odds ‘n ends) whom I consider a friend, even though we had never met before. We met on line during the Basin Fire, and I have followed his adventures (and misadventures) ever since. He and his crew catered the event, and oh, my what a treat THAT was! He is a gastronomical artiste. There is just no other way to describe him, unless one is describing his intellect or wit … Then lots of other adjectives come to mind. I love you, Michael, more than my solar panels, or almost, at least.

HipNic was also going on, and considering the HUGE numbers of cars parked at Fernwood and on the highway, this Fourth version seemed to be an amazing event. Maybe next year I will be so retired that I can attend some of those magical 3 days. I’d like that. Anneleise Agren of Coast Road ( also listed in my links under Odds ‘n Ends) offered me her second ticket, but with the solar system yesterday, the gathering at the Wright’s today, and a brief due Monday that I have to write tomorrow, there just wasn’t enough of me to go around! That’s why next year I will try to make it a priority.

Then, to top off the day, I climbed my mountain under the fatest moon of the year! Now, you tell me. Does it get any better than this?

The Sun and it’s power

The power of the sun, we all know, can be harnessed and used for household power. It provides the source of life for growing gardens, it can majorly affect moods, mine in particular.

The more I get in touch with Mother Nature, the more I get in touch with myself. I have learned I am severely affected by the weather. Gray gloomy days make me gray and gloomy. Bright sunny days make me bright and sunny. Stormy days are dramatic, and so am I.

And sunsets take my breathe away. Like this one from the other night.

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Finally got my solar system up and running. Thus, the free flowing, stream-of-conscience post. I’ll write more about it later, but must say, clean, quiet, 24 hour power is a thing of beauty!

Rocky Creek Viaduct

Cal -Trans made a very informative presentation of the proposed Rocky Creek Viaduct at Friday’s BSMAAC meeting. I’ ve suggested they put the presentation up on their website, and when they do, I will let you know.

The most relevant points for most of us in the Big Sur Community and the traveling public are:

Construction to start after Labor Day; 24 overnight closures anticipated between October 2012 and February 2013; the contractors are to give Cal-Trans 24 hour notice of the intended closures, and the PIO will notify the current list of media and relevant organizations, including this blog; The closures are limited on Monday-Thursday to 9 pm-7am, midnight to 7am on Friday, none on Saturday, and 9pm to midnight on Sunday (when presumably Monday kicks in until 7am). As is currently the case with all road closures, provisions are being made for emergency vehicles. Of course, this all is dependent on the cooperation of Mother Nature.

I will keep you all posted as the anticipated construction time gets closer.

Editor’s note: I am glad that Cal-Trans has shortened the closure from the 8pm deadline the South Coast experienced lately.

(This is a test of the publishing capabilities of bigsurkate from home via iPad. If you see this, it worked! (My, what interesting word combos the autocorrect came up with for bigsurkate!)

Today was a soaker

Today was what Rock Knocker used to call a soaker – slow, steady, consistent rain. It is the type of rain that sets up slides, particularly mud slides, and I noticed a couple likely candidates just north of Pitkins Curve, south of The Hermitage. I think that one is called Paul’s Slide – you know the gray stuff. I’ve only gotten 3/4s of an inch, so far today, but it’s been steady every where I went.

I had to go to Monterey and Salinas for appts I have had to reschedule until today. I got to drive in all this rain all over the county. What fun. An amazing amount of tourists out and about taking photos in the rain, coming back from Garrapata Beach under an umbrellas and the like. An amazing number of large RVs of every type.

My road was the bad, the very bad, and the gawd awful. Thank goodness only some of it is clay.

I am enjoying the sound of the rain on my metal roof, the crackle of a fire in the wood stove, and the smell of wet dogs at my feet.

Enjoy our Spring rains – they will be with us most of this week.

March 2012 Photo Contest Finalists

Here they are, my picks for the top six. (I tried to limit it to five, and could not.) Please, take a few minutes, look at all of them, and write a comment about which you like best. If you can, share why you like it best and why you think it deserves to be my new header.

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Well, I missed it, but sometime today, this blog got its 500,000th visit. Thanks all of you for your support and encouragement.

Birdhouse Benefit

I have been trying to get these photos of River Inn‘s Birdhouse Benefit up for a week, but it has been a busy news week for the coast. Here they are at long last. Enjoy.

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Last night it took two hours to upload two photographs. Today, it took one hour to upload five photos. That is just the way internet works for me with cellular wifi. I am very portable, so during emergencies, if I have to, I go find a better signal.

Speaking of benefits, there is a benefit for Jeffrey “Wildman” Downs Saturday, March 24th, 2012 from 1 to 4 PM at Ripplewood. Jeffrey is the tenant from the Long House who got out with nothing but his dogs and the clothes he was wearing. Also, Jeffrey REALLY needs low-cost housing in Big Sur.

Fire Season, 2012

REMINDER: In 2008, before I ever even thought of blogging, our fire season started on April 17th, with a ten-acre fire just south of Esalen. My friend, and fellow blogger, Mike of firefighterblog wrote about it here.

This winter has produced little rain, and even with the rain expected this month, we are still considerably behind in our normal rainfall totals. That will translate to a very dangerous fire season, and one which starts earlier than usual. Remember, the Basin Fire started 6/21.

Even now, still in winter, we have experienced problems with “controlled” burns. Remember the one on 2/7 across the highway from Gorda Mountain? John sent me this photo, but it got lost in the shuffle, until now. Compare the height of the flames to the firefighter facing them. This started out as a controlled burn (on an extremely windy day – please take the time to read the guidelines at the end of this post regarding backyard burning).

Gorda Mountain Fire by John Galuszka

And Tuesday, when the Long House burned down? There was another incident of a controlled burn that was thought to be out on Lower Pfeiffer Ridge, but reignited two days later when the property owner had left. Fortunately a tenant was checking in on things up there. (As reported by Lee-Ann Acterberg.)

After the Long House fire, Cheryl, the Mid-Coast Fire Brigade chief sent out this reminder at the end of her report to residents in the area:

“Remember, the fire season is here … I can’t say it enough this is setting up to be a very long, very bad fire season … please do your fire clearance now … it’s too late when the fire is at your front door.”

Your Fire Chief
Cheryl Goetz

This was sent out at the beginning of the backyard burn season by the Mid-Coast Fire Brigade, so I’ve modified it slightly, but it serves as a good reminder until Fire Season officially opens, and ALL burns are banned:

Backyard Burn Season will end April 30, 2012 (if not before). As a reminder you must remember the following:

1. Burn ONLY on approved burn days. Call 800-225-BURN (2876) on the day that you would like to burn or after 3 PM the day before, to determine if it will be permissible to burn. Please call the fire brigade after you have determined that it is a permissive burn day.

2. As a courtesy to your neighbors notify them of your intent to burn.

3. Burn piles that are 4′ x 4′ x 4′ of dry material grown on your property, no manufactured, painted, or treated lumber, debris, plastics, garbage, tires, etc.

4. Clear a line down to mineral soil at least 18 inches around the entire pile. Have tools and water at hand while burning. You must be in attendance until the fire is out, and cold.

5. Burning Hours are 7 AM to 3 PM. Do not add any more material to your pile after 3 PM. The fire should be out before dark.

8. DON’T burn on windy days, even though it may be a burn day. If your fire escapes your control you will be responsible for suppression costs, damages, fines, and possibe civil liability lawsuits.

Long House Fire Photo

Sent to me by Tom Deyerle. He lives directly across the canyon and above the Long House, so he got an incredible view of the entire fire from start to finish. Thanks, Tom for sharing!

Long House Fire by Tom Deyerle

Here is a second one Tom took, one of the last.

Long House Fire #2 by Tom Deyerle

It’s Snowing!

5:30 pm update – It snowed several times today, but none of it stuck, so no photos. I’ll bet Cone Peak is beautiful, if I could see it. I also had slush up here, and last I checked, only about 1/2 an inch in the rain gauge. The wind has been gusting into the 30 mph plus range most of the day, and continues tonight.

Now, under the covers with four dogs to watch a DVD. No TV reception. I was lucky yesterday to have reception all evening, and that the Grammy’s were on the only station I get! S

And all I’m doing today is trying to stay warm! My heating systems are not functioning well, but I’m working on it!