Tag: Big Sur

July 5th 2008

On this date, bigsurkate was born (the blog, not the person). Thanks to all my readers for your comments, your contact, and for making this so much fun!!

Last year on July 4th, Big Sur was on lock down — a ghost town. This year, Big Sur was packed. Events were held at almost every venue. Cars lined the highway at Esalen, HML, Nepenthe, Spirit Garden, River Inn. Every where one went, crowds were enjoying music, food, drink.

What a difference a year makes.

YAY! I reached 100K “hits” today for my 1 year anniversary, with no small help from my son, Brendon Shave, and thanks to all of you this past year.

July 4, 2008

July 4, 2008 – I cannot find my notes, and I did not write in my journal for much of July, as I was far too busy, but I started my blog one year ago tomorrow, so some of the story about last Independence Day was reported then. I am recreating the day, based primarily on a memory with holes in it – swiss cheese holes – a moth-eaten sweater. I also have no photographs taken that day, at least that I can find. The road was closed, as previously posted.

When I first got a copy of the 409.5 memo on 7/4, I called OES (Office of Emergency Services), and they had a Commander Teter of the MCSO call me back. When I got no satisfactory explanation about the issuance of the memo, other than it was to “educate” the Big Sur community about the power the MCSO had, I was furious. The MCSO was flexing its muscles and declaring a police-state in Big Sur, and fully intended on arresting who ever got in their way.

It was a holiday. Everything was closed. What could I do? The only places open were newsrooms. Having lived and worked in Monterey County, much of that in the justice system, I knew I needed to go outside of the county. I called the LA Times newsroom and the SF Chronicle newsroom. I posted something on surfire2008.org. Before my post was removed from surfire2008, Deborah Schoch, a staff reporter from the LA Times called. After speaking with her for some time, I got her phone numbers, and said I’d pass it on to a member of the Curtis family who was not in Big Sur, and if they wanted, they could pass it on to Micah and Ross. This resulted in more phone calls, and more long conversations with Curtis family members and LA Times reporter, Eric Bailey. Only a few days later, he and Deborah Schoch published a 3-page article about the police state in Big Sur. It is still accessible at:
http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-backfire7-2008jul07,0,3314737.story

This was the start of the battle between Big Sur Locals and the Mike Kanalakis, Sheriff of Monterey County. Kanalakis also made the mistake of taking on Cachagua in Carmel Valley. Both were big mistakes.

Thanks to Jim Kimball for archiving posts from surfire2008 and other sources, we have an excellent record of all that happened on this day last year. It was a busy day, with reports from locals coming in up and down the coast all day long. Let’s not forget what it was like to live in this police state from July 3, 2008 to July 8, 2008, when the road opened to locals and their employees, and July 11, 2008 when the road opened completely.

Go to this link, and scroll down. It is arranged as all blogs tend to be, with the older posts first, or backwards chronology. Just scroll down to July 4th and start reading. It is fascinating:

http://www.surcoast.com/Info_Update_OLD.html

July 3, 2008

July 3rd, 2008, one year ago today, the MCSO issued its infamous memo.

sheriffevacinfo

All our representative’s offices were closed for the long week-end. I am convinced to this day that the timing was purposeful. Can’t call Dave Potter’s office, can’t call Sam Farr’s office. Who can I connect to change this newly created “police state” in Big Sur. LA Times & San Fran Chronicle both come to mind. So, I call them. I provided the same story, but the LA Times was the most interested. Then, Ross Curtis got arrested.
(To be continued tomorrow.)

July 2, 2008

The Basin Fire started 11 days before this date one year ago today. One year ago, today, Highway One was closed due to the fire. Today, I start a retrospective for the next few days.

Today’s story and photo is by Dave Egbert, of http://www.firesafegardens.com, a BSVFB member:

That morning, I had hung out the Flag as I always do each July. Then I left Big Sur for SF to do an appearance on KGO’s View from the Bay, ironically talking about fire safe plants and my experiences as a firefighter. While I was gone, the fire met several “trigger” points in the gorge and atop Mt. Manuel. I was on my way home when I got the news that the highway was being closed at 7pm.
When I rounded the corner at the lighthouse, I saw the extent of the fire. Pico Blanco was fully ablaze and other fires were working down the Golden Staircase in Molera. Heavy smokes spouted from Cielo Prieto and Mt. Manuel. I was the only truck heading south and was waved by from CHP and Sheriff. When I reached Front Hill, the last residents were scrambling off the hill wild eyed and dusty.
I was scattered and alone on the ranch.
The dogs paced and fussed and the smoke was dropping down with the sunset. I went out on the atv to scope the now nearly empty ridges. I shot this photo of the house with the flag moving slowly in the sunset. The house looked so vulnerable, unable to stop the angry orange smoke.

Housefireevening

Fire Restrictions

I did not get an “official” notice from the USFS, but signs were posted down here in the Silver Peak Wilderness Area today. It has been incredibly hot, very low humidity, so I am not surprised.
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And now, for tonight’s sunset:
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That’s the long view. Here’s the close up:
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Have a blessed week, everyone!

Early June weather

Just a heads-up for those under the fog who haven’t noticed the increased cloud cover. Starting tonight, Tuesday, June 2nd, there is a 20% chance of showers, increasing to 50% by Thursday night through Friday. Would be nice to cut through some of this dust, and give some of our thirsty hills a drink. Let’s hope, anyway.

Big Sur State Park update

As promised, Big Sur State Park opened in time for Memorial Day Weekend. On Friday, May 22nd, at approximately 1:30 pm, a ribbon cutting ceremony launched the opening of the Bailey Bridge to a crowd of dignitaries, local residents, and anxious visitors. 90 minutes after the State Park opened, all campsites were filled for the weekend, and by the end of the day, over 1000 reservations were made for this summer.

 Camping reservations began Friday and can be made through Reserve America at www.reserveamerica.com or by calling (800) 444-PARK (444 7275).

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On another note, from KION-TV, residents should not be alarmed to witness a low-flying airplane over parts of the west-central California Coast, part of the Los Padres National Forest, and an area east of Greenfield starting around May 22. 

For about two months, an airplane operated under contract to the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) will be making low-level flights. The survey will cover the cities of Big Sur, Soledad, Greenfield, and numerous other towns in the area with the purpose of collecting and recording geologic measurements. 

This survey is designed to remotely study geologic and hydrologic units that lie below land surface. It is part of an ongoing USGS program to identify features such as changes in rock types, ultimately providing a better understanding of the geology and hydrology of the area.

Big Sur Summer

Memorial Day Weekend marks the beginning of the summer tourist season in Big Sur. But residents are “spoiled” by the closures experienced this past year. This weekend’s significant influx of visitors, while greatly appreciated, has brought many hospitality workers back to the reality of living and working here — the crowds that keep us alive.

“After a festive ribbon-cutting ceremony, visitors poured in Friday. Every Memorial Day weekend site was sold out in 90 minutes. Another 1,000 reservations have already been booked for the rest of summer,” reported the Monterey Herald.

Several of my visitor-serving friends were on overload on Saturday, dealing with the sudden rise in population here in Big Sur. They had been inundated. Usually, our hospitality industry gets a couple of dry runs before the big opening day, and workers have the opportunity to get ready for the flood of tourists. This could not happen this year, due to closures of the Los Padres National Forest and the State Parks essentially since June of last year. Now, we are on a fast track to catch up with lost revenues and to get used to the large crowds. We got spoiled, and we got lazy, without our visitors.

Welcome back, everyone. Let’s keep this a safe and sane (by Big Sur standards) summer.

(Just flew back last night and I have a lot to catch up on. Being “unplugged” for 16 days was great — no phones, no internet, no news. Will write about my adventures on slow “news” days in the coming weeks. Also looking to post another Random Big Sur Photo for identification soon.)

May Day

Beltane is the second principal Celtic festival (the other being Samhain). Celebrated approximately halfway between Vernal (spring) equinox and the midsummer (Summer Solstice). Beltane traditionally marked the arrival if summer in ancient times.

At Beltane the Pleiades star cluster rises just before sunrise on the morning horizon, whereas winter (Samhain) begins when the Pleiades rises at sunset. The Pleiades is a cluster of seven closely placed stars, the seven sisters, in the constellation of Taurus, near his shoulder. When looking for the Pleiades with the naked eye, remember it looks like a tiny dipper-shaped pattern of six moderately bright stars (the seventh can be seen on very dark nights) in the constellation of Taurus. It stands very low in the east-northeast sky for just a few minutes before sunrise.

Beltane, and its counterpart Samhain, divide the year into its two primary seasons, winter (Dark Part) and summer (Light Part). As Samhain is about honoring Death, Beltane, its counter part, is about honoring Life. It is the time when the sun is fully released from his bondage of winter and able to rule over summer and life once again. (from witchvox.com)

The beginning of May was a very popular feast time for the Romans. It was devoted primarily to the worship of Flora, the goddess of flowers. It was in her honor a five day celebration, called the Floralia, was held. The five day festival would start from April 28 and end on May 2. The Romans brought in the rituals of the Floralia festival in the British Isles. And gradually the rituals of the Floralia were added to those of the Beltane. And many of today’s customs on the May Day bear a stark similarity with those combined traditions. (from theholidayspot.com)

Here are the flowers for Flora. Sorry, not up to a photograph of the Pleiades (if I could even do that). I am a prisoner in my own cottage, playing nursemaid to my dog.

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Big Sur International Marathon

The leaders may have already made the finish line, and the road should be almost back to normal by around noon. CONGRATULATIONS to ALL the runners! For any additional information, see the link under non-profits.

My son ran a couple years ago, and is running again next year.