FRAMED BY LIGHT

ON SIMPLY BEING

    Some times a scene presents itself and leaves me awed by the wonder of it.

     This morning two fawns, spotted still, only days old, were bounding through the open space north of our house on the ridge.  They seemed to hop and leap on all four hoofs  as though flubber had been attached. I was so amused by  their fascination with near flight I didn't want to leave to grab a camera. They were like kids on a trampoline. I don't know a whit about cognition in deer, but it sure looked like joy.

SUN SET AT MORRO BAY

REEL THOUGHTS

THE LONE RANGER

     Note to critics-What do you expect?  The first and last thing you need to know is, it is after all, THE LONE RANGER!

     Director Gore Verbinski and Johnny Depp have worked together so often, and so effectively when Depp is animating a costume with a character of his creation, it had to be good even if it was bad.  But it is not bad. 

     It is grand telling of American Iconography.  The big west, is BIG and gorgeous.  The action is big, huge and on a scale that could set the standard of western action scenes. The villains are classic renderings-sinister, nasty, vicious and BIG. In a way, they are the mold for such characters, despite that such tales have been around since the Lone Ranger rode on the radio.  There is an honesty too.  Big business hustlers riding rough shod, controlling land, abusing Chinese workers, lying and cheating to Indians, and using the Army for their own venal purpose. Ooops, how did some real history get so cleverly laid into this big, almost comic book entertainment?

     Arnie Hammer's Lone Ranger has that same "good guy" nobility of Clayton Moore's portrayal, though more human, quirky and real.  

    Depp's Tonto is indeed a masterpiece. Strong, not a subordinate or side kick, clever, witty and with his own tortured tale that makes his "back story" such a powerful motivation.  Without giving up too much, the scenes of the old Tonto are powerful. Depp took the icon to a complex, rich and proud new strength and standard.

     It's the Lone Ranger-true to form, as you may remember it from kid hood. But better, because it is more funny, more action packed, more beautiful cinema graphically, more nuanced, more honest, more political and BIGGER!

ROUNDING OUT THE EVENING

  See you down the trail.

TREASURES DESTROYED & THE REAL DEAL

IDIOTS OF THE PERNICIOUS SORT

    A New York Times piece by Felicity Barringer got my blood boiling.  She detailed the work of vandals in National Parks, Monuments and other priceless settings. Perhaps before we knew better we carved our initials in a tree or on an old log. While it may have been a bit destructive, it is nothing like the senseless or stupid desecration of wilderness done by spray painting or cutting, or malicious damage. Shame on the idiots and their friends or family who condone it.  

      Warning!  If I see you up to this pernicious behavior, you will be confronted.  A couple of years ago, in the height of fire season, I saw an Hawaiian shirt bedecked German tourist wandering off the path, despite warning signs, collecting pine cones, despite prohibition warnings, his hands and arms full while a cigarette dangled from his lip. Though I speak no German, he understood my castigation, the look on his face revealed that.  Impishly I smile a bit about that fool's wandering from the path in his shorts and flip flops as he waded through a healthy patch of poison oak!

THE REAL DEAL IN MORRO BAY

     Authentic California fishing village scenes still play out in Morro Bay.

   Fewer boats operate out of the town, landmarked by the Morro Rock, than when we first wandered into the water front for a supply of fresh sea food many years ago.

  But it is still an operating fishing port and I'm fascinated by the work and activity there.

  Tourists who flock to the embarcadero as well as locals have some great choices for fresh sea food and dining. Giovanni's and Tognazzini's are both sure bets.

   On an ancient trip up the coast, when we were still mid-westerners, I thought the "stacks" at the power plant were a blight on the sea front.  Now that we've been out here for several years, we've adopted the attitude of most of the locals and natives, they are part of the land and sea scape-a kind of marker on the coast.

  See you down the trail.

SUCK IT IN

 THE FUTURE IS NOT CHEAP

     Sometimes vision comes with a price and acrimony.  

     The US is overdue in brining rail trail into modernity. Other nations put us to shame and our transportation matrix suffers by lack of high speed trains.  This week the California legislature will vote on Governor Jerry Brown's attempt to build the nation's first high speed line. 

      Many criticize the plan, saying it is too expensive, we can't afford it in a recession, that the opening leg is on a non crucial route.

      Governor Brown is quoted as saying "Suck it in.  We've got to build, we got do it right."

       I agree.  There is probably never a time we can "afford" to undertake a leap into the future, so it is easy to put it off and as time passes it never happens.  Exactly why the US is a pathetic player when it comes to rail travel.

       There is a Chinese wisdom, from LaoTsu, that says "a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step."  This is California's opportunity to start the US on that journey. It will cost more later, it is already seriously delayed and it will be good for future generations.  
      Jerry Brown's father, Governor Pat Brown authored the California State Water Plan and helped push the Golden State into the future. There was acrimony over his idea, but the flourishing of the Central Valley agriculture, the water resources in Southern California and other measures have proven to be the positive outcome of a visionary plan.  In this case it is "like father, like son." 

      High speed rail has proven itself in Germany, Japan, France and other nations.  
     It's time to "suck it up" and get on with the future.

DAY FILE

THE SPIT & THE ROCK

     History abounds in this shot.  The Rock, at the end of the spit is the famed Morro Rock, a volcano plug and one of the "Nine Sisters" of volcanic and tectonic formed mountains that follow the central coast from Morro Bay, south to below San Luis Obispo.

     The "Rock" was named by the Portugese explorer Juan Cabrillo in 1542.  He thought the rock looked like a Moor, the North African people of whom the men wore turbans.

     The spit is naturally occurring, but augmented by breakwaters built by the army.  During WW II landing craft were housed in the harbor and the spit was used as part of

training exercises.  Some of the D-Day invaders practiced  "hitting the beach" from landing craft on the spit.  

     In December 1941 the Morro Rock was struck by shells fired from a Japanese U boat.  It was the same day the oil tanker Montebello was sunk by a Japanese submarine.

     Today the Spit offers a scenic and athletic hiking trail.

INTO THE SUNSET

Here are a couple of minutes of nature for you

See you down the trail.

HERE'S WHERE YOU WANT TO DRIVE

A SWEET ROAD

     You may have seen Turri Road between San Luis Obispo and Morro Bay, even if you've never been to California. It's been filmed for car commercials.  The good thing is, there's hardy ever any traffic. The other good thing is its beauty, especially when marigold fields are in bloom.

See you down the trail.

A REAL AMERICAN IDOL & SOMETHING NEW FROM THE WATERS

THE PASSING OF AN ICON

Photo courtesy of Getty Images

    In many ways Dick Clark was the curator of American pop culture as well as one of its progenitors. His boyish charm helped ease counter cultural influences of Rock into American mainstream life.  American Bandstand not only made stars and hit records, it made the connection between  boomers and music.

    Clark always seemed the cool and upbeat host and DJ, but he was also a skilled production executive and businessman.

He built an empire from his production of television specials, game shows and show business ownership.

     I met Clark a few times, first as he promoted Dick Clark's caravan of Stars, then later as he tended to his restaurant franchise business.  The last time was as the production company I was the head of did business with his giant company.  

      Of course, like Guy Lombardo before him, Clark is linked in many minds with New Year's Rockin Eve.  I had very mixed feelings about his staying on the air, after his debilitating  stroke.  It was difficult to see the smooth television persona struggle.  But it was also good for us, to see this determined and driven personality refuse to submit to a condition.  

     Clark pioneered much of contemporary American entertainment.  He remained a pioneer to the end.  Many

men of his age, wealth and condition would have simply backed away, but he stayed in the pop culture spot light he

helped illuminate.  

      This is not meant in an unkind way, but Ryan Seacrest is 

the likely heir to the role in Americana that Clark created. It

may also be that a Seacrest stardom would have been impossible without the pioneering of Dick Clark. He was an original.  Maybe even an American Idol.

WARNING

THIS IS NOT FOR THE SQUEAMISH

    I was fascinated to learn of a new catch coming from about 10 miles out from Morro Bay at a depth of about 130 fathoms.  

      Here, in less than a minute, is a video to tell you more.

See you down the trail

BEAUTIFUL DWARF PYGMYS & SHRINK CAMPAIGN $

GET THE BIG $ OUT OF POLITICS

     Frequent readers may recall my plea for getting big money out of campaigns.  Well, here's a great idea from writer Jim Worth.

DRONE FOLLOW UP

    Blogger Bob Christy posted this extraordinary story after

reading my post  about trying to get a drone into operation

in my news shop.

DAY BOOK

A PLACE FOR THE ANCIENTS

     This extraordinary creature is a 600-800 year old  dwarfed pygmy oak residing in the Los Osos Oaks State Reserve. The 85 acres of ancient sand dune is south of Morro Bay and just east of Los Osos off Los Osos Valley Road in San Luis Obispo County. Chumash Indians once lived where the historic trees have been saved. 

      It is a small reserve but has managed to protect living
links to the 11th century.  When these oaks were saplings, 

   European court society had not yet sent explorers toward
what they would call North America. The Chumash camped
on this land.  Some of the preserve is on a Chumash midden.

      Lace lichen streamers decorate some of the old stand. Historians say Chumash mothers used the lichen as wraps for their infants.

Three hiking trails take you beneath the old growth oaks. The eastern edge of the preserve runs along a stand of old sycamore, willow, laurel and cottonwood trees. Between Morro Bay and San Luis Obispo you can time travel.

See you down the trail.     

A WORLD APART

TORO CREEK ROAD

This new walk offers great vistas. You might find it hard to believe it is only a mile or so from the Pacific Ocean.

"It's the California I grew up in" was the comment from a

couple of hikers.

It's cowboy country to me, like scenes

from the old westerns.

You can find it off the Pacific Coast Highway

between Cayucos and Morro Bay.

Whatever you are dealing with today,

take this walk in a peaceful valley.

 Accompanied by the sound of birds, the creek and wind through the trees.

 Post card scenes of California that many do not know exists.

 Below, the sun splashes off Toro Creek.

 An old ranch homestead.

 A combination of cattle country and agriculture.

Below, old gourds wait to enrich the soil.

 Typical to ranch and farm country-a kind of museum of

old implements.

Probably some life left in this old boy.  Just waiting till it is needed again. 

 I particularly like the frame below.

Five layers of mother earth

including a fault line.

See you down the trail.