SOMETHING IN THE WATER

BLURRING THE WATER

     (Naples Fl)  Normally the water on the Gulf Coast Beaches is crystal clear this time

of year, but something is afoul.

      As you can see, the azure blue fades to a kind of tea color near the shore.  This is 

not normal.

        The murky, tea color is the result of an outbreak of two forms of algae-a dinoflagellate and a diatom.  On the northern beaches of Collier County it has resulted
in a fish kill.  In these waters, further south, it has merely turned the crystal clear to a kind of muddy murk.

      Though not as clear as normal, it is not so cloudy that you can not see the ray lurking

in the shallow water.  It is still clear, but has gained a kind of tea color.

      It poses no health problems, other than to some species of fish because the algae chokes the oxygen out of the water.  It is another one of those natural mysteries-no one is sure why it develops, where it comes from or when it will leave.  So much for being masters of nature huh?

      It is not so bad as to ruin a day at the beach-but it is a hitch.

      See you down the trail.

MOUNTAIN MEADOWS

CONTRASTING PASTURES

     The 10 thousand foot Mt Lassen Peak, still showing signs of the devastation brought on by the eruption in 1915, is a rugged visage.  This southern most volcano in the Cascade Range that runs into Canada, is the center piece of the beautiful Lassen Volcanic National Park.
      Tucked in valleys on the slopes of Lassen and neighboring mountains are pockets of green, Alpine meadows and pastures.

       I find mountain meadows to be almost hypnotically tranquilizing.  They are peaceful, serene and exude a quiet relaxation that seems to suspend time.

       Tucked in the south east entrance to the park is a jewel, Drakesbad.  Edward Drake
settled in the valley in 1880 offering hospitality to campers including hot springs baths.
The Alexander Sifford family camped there, got to know Drake and convinced him to make the area a rustic spa.  Eventually the Sifford family owned and operated what they called
Drakesbad until the 1960's.  It is still a guest ranch, in the national park and offers
one of the most serene and beautiful meadows in the mountains.  Hiking trails abound.

     In some of the meadows you can see large rocks, placed there by volcanic activity.

      Some of the meadow scenes seem to define the word idyllic. 

     I was surprised to Cama Lilly or wild Hyacinthe in bloom.  In the Midwest local tribes would sometimes fight over the tuber.  They were a special medicine and/or a food. In the Lassen area mountain Maidu made their summer camps in these meadows.  I wonder if they too valued the beautiful spring bloom?

         Another healthy "crop" in the Drakesbad area is Corn Lilly.  Spring is still blooming even in July in the Lassen area and no where is it more vibrant than in the mountain meadows.

If you get to Lassen, make a point to spend time at Drakesbad. Some of the
guest ranch patrons are veterans of annual trips. 
At least, have a meal and enjoy the beautiful meadows.
See you down the trail.

HOT MOMMA EARTH

SHE IS STILL COOKING

      From a distance, Mt. Lassen's serene beauty hides its explosive history and active

volcanic life. Lassen Peak is one of the ring of fire and resides in the Cascade Range in Northern California.  In the frame above you can see a vestige of ancestral Brokeoff

Volcano that was active 400,000 to 600,000 years ago.  Lassen blew it's top less than 100 years ago.  It was extraordinarily active from 1915 through 1916.  It is the world's largest plug dome volcano and rises to an elevation of 10,457 feet and is still alive.

   Visitors to Lassen Volcanic National Park, can get to areas where you see evidence of

a still "cooking mother earth."  There are several places hydrothermal activity is obvious.

Bumpass Hell, Little Hot Springs, Boiling Springs Lake, Devils Kitchen and Sulphur Works are self descriptive.  This is from Sulfur works, where a sulfur steam boils up and jets into the air.

      The areas are well posted as dangerous. The steam escaping the vents can exceed 300 degrees.

     There are places where the earth boils in a thick gooey clay like substance.      

       At Devils Kitchen, the escaping sulfur steam sounds like a humming engine. This area is reachable by a beautiful hike starting at Drakesbad near southeastern entrance to the park.

       It is astounding to hear the boiling away. It is a bit intimidating, standing so close to such power under pressure.

     Walking over this little stream of hot sulfur water was like stepping through a sauna.

Surprising  given the meager amount of water flowing in the narrow stream.

      Some of the thermal crust and stones show a coloring from the years of activity.

      There is a constant change underway on the mountain and in the park.  The US

Geological Survey and the National Parks service do continual monitoring and investigations.  The park is a laboratory in that way, a place where the volcanic life of this still growing planet earth can be observed. You can not observe these forces at work and be left unimpressed or in awe.

      See you down the trail.

WHERE AND HOW IT FLOWS-RIDDLES OF STREAMS AND POWER

UNTOUCHED AT THE TOP?

       I was fascinated by how the very top of a stone in the midst of a rushing stream

at Lassen Volcanic National Park was dry, untouched by the rapidly flowing water.

       And I am fascinated by the unraveling of leadership of Murdoch's News Corp as investigations widen.  Who will remain untouched by this is a good guessing game.

We should remember that in the UK this is also an investigation into police corruption-which ranking officers in what agencies sold information to the Murdoch organization? And

a political scandal in the making-how cozy were which British politicians with the Murdoch organization. There too is an American front.  Will Murdoch's US news outlets, including the Wall Street Journal and Fox News be implicated or somehow sullied?  And to what affect.

       THE IRONY IN THIS

          At a time when many news organizations were cutting back, eliminating foreign bureaus and coverage or reducing commitment to news, Murdoch's organization was

actually strengthening staff size and resources in some of his far flung media empire. That

was good.  But apparently some of that empire was not playing by accepted rules, codes, canons or even the law.  Where this goes, rushing like a snow melt filled mountain stream will be interesting to watch.

DAYBOOK

Watching the streams of Lassen flow

See you down the trail.

THE WEEKENDER :) CARMAGEDDON

SURVIVING IN LA

As you would expect the LA media is in a frenzy

over this weekend's shut down of a portion of the

405 Freeway.  "Carmageddon" has been the big story

in the run up and is now getting saturation coverage.

One station has assigned a crew to live in an RV

beside the freeway for continuing coverage.

Well, in the spirit of THE WEEKENDER :)

here is a video tribute found and forwarded

by my long time buddy, Bruce, in Prescott Valley Az.

Enjoy

See you down the trail.

SNOW IN JULY & A HOT PRESS

IT IS BUSTING PLOWS

       This will be the latest ever to open the road through the Lassen Volcanic

national park.

              "Did you see those busted Cal Trans graders, the big guys, on your way up?"

The young mechanic asked me when I inquired as to how the crew was dong in clearing

the last 4 miles of Highway 89 that transects the park.

              "That stuff is like steel" he said.

      

        At one time 18 feet of snow covered the roads through Lassen. Even with July

temperatures, the volume this year is large and so deep, much of the park is still showing signs of the record breaking snow fall of winter.

      The only way through on some of the trails was with snow shoes or snow boots.

       We drove several miles over a winter scarred and rough road to try to reach Juniper lake at 6,700 feet, only to be foiled by impassible snow.

       Other roads and trails were also snow covered.

      I know some of you had more snow and ice this winter than you'd like to recall, 

but after all it is July in California, even in the mountains.  You can see evidence

of impact on how trees grow in these conditions.

       A common scene around the park is the road closed sign.

      Getting out and hiking though offers some rare views.

      People in the area are used to snow in the winter.  It is a way of life.  Look closely at this sign.

Spring comes late, in July, with signs of irony.

Spring blooms next to a snow cave.  It will be a short summer and I would not be

surprised if much of the snow remains until the chill and cold of autumn and

the "delivery" of a new winter in the Cascades.

Still, there is much to see at Lassen Volcanic National Park.

More to come.
HOT PRESS
The resignations of Hinton and Brooks at Murdoch's News Corp is a sign of 
something larger.  I have no crystal ball on what is to come,
but Rupert is a media baron, maybe the most influential and for that
reason this story has legs.  And so will the investigations.
There were may times when I was doing investigative reporting
that I wished I could have the power of a subpoena or the
snooping powers of a spook.  We stayed within the codes
and canons ethical journalism and still produced significant work.
It appears Murdoch's organization went way beyond
propriety.  A fall is likely then, and appropriate.

See you down the trail.