THE WEEKENDER :) LIGHT

AN EXTRAORDINARILY BRIGHT IDEA

This is a powerful idea.  As we struggle 

with all the problems of energy, sustainability,

poverty and economics, here is a 

concept that represents both hope and

imagination.  It demonstrates that human

creativity and resourcefulness are powerful

tools.  Thanks to Beverly for sending 

this video.

Have a good weekend.

See you down the trail.

THE CABLE & THE ROCK WITH ICING

SERVICE WITH A SMILE
You've read earlier laments about an
interruption in phone or computer service.
Interruption is truly disruption of 
the flow of a day.  We've had frequent
Charter outages over the last couple of weeks.
The quality of assistance of the voice at the other end of
my cell phone has ranged from belligerent and nearly hostile to truly compassionate, helpful and friendly.
Generally the tech or service assistant has 
been pretty good.  It is more helpful when the other 
person is in the US.  I'm not a xenophobe, but over the
years I've learned more good things happen when 
the service rep is in the states. Speaking to a 
fellow citizen does not guarantee better service,
but the odds are better and I can understand what they say.  During our last outage-this afternoon-the young male rep was very helpful, apologetic and explained the problem
was with a "node" in the office and he was surprised
by how frequently the problem has occurred.
He was a pro. 
 Companies make mistakes
when they don't train and insist that service and 
sales representatives put the customer first.
We may not always be right, but it doesn't hurt to 
train the staff to at least make us feel that way.
One of the absolute best at doing this is
 IN AND OUT Burgers. There you get quality 
service with a smile.  Today's Charter
rep also gets a star. It is our money we pay,
for service we expect, and when things go awry
it helps if the "help we call" seems to 
understand that equation.


A ROCK WITH TOPPING
Morro Rock, looking like cupcake maybe.

See you down the trail.

GOOD MOON RISING & A GOOD FLICK

REEL THOUGHTS

IDES OF MARCH
One thing this film does extraordinarily well
is to put the viewer into the hubris and flow of a
a modern campaign organization.  Too many of the 
"low information" voters see only the candidate and
rarely give thought to the "industry and business" behind
the front man or woman.  I have known and covered
campaign consultants and staffers since the late 60's and 
frankly think many of them are more interesting than
the candidates for whom they worked.
The story line is engaging. The directing is superb. The acting is also top rate.  Ryan Gosling is the best of the lot
but Philip Seymour Hoffman, Paul Giamatti, George Clooney and Marisa Tomei all give you your money's worth.
Clooney, who directed, said when the film was 
originally scheduled, it was pulled because they thought it was too cynical.  It didn't "fit" with the incoming Obama 
administration.  Times have changed.  


HARVEST LIGHT OVER

THE SANTA LUCIAS

With apology to Creedence Clearwater Revival
I see a good moon risin'.
This presented itself as we sat at the dining room 
table the other night.
The Harvest Moon is the first full moon, closest to the autumnal equinox. It appears to have an orange glow and 
seems larger, because it is lower in the sky-in 
case you wondered.  
Regardless of science or astronomy,
there is something special in a Harvest Moon.
And as you have surmised, it is a Harvest Moon because
farmers could continue to work after sunset.
A great show!

Good light to you.
See you down the trail.

DIVING THE MONTEBELLO

SEARCHING THE DEEP

 Deep sea exploration begins today six miles off shore of

Cambria at the wreck of the Montebello.

The ship was was hit by a torpedo from a Japanese

U-boat on December 22, 1941, a couple of weeks after

the attack on Pearl Harbor.

 The tanker had taken on 3 million gallons of Santa Maria

crude oil at Port San Luis and was bound for a refinery.

Today the Montebello rests on the ocean floor, 900 feet 

below the surface. It is that oil and the condition

of the hold that is at the center of the exploration.

A remotely operated vehicle will take sediment samples,

and do a procedure called a hot tapping.  A small hole

will be drilled through the hull and samples from inside

will be pulled.  Scientists speculate the crude oil,

which has spent 70 years in the dark and 40 degree depth, will likely resemble peanut butter, but no one knows for sure.  When the hole is drilled, a valve will be attached to prevent leakage.  

The Coast Guard and California Department of Fish and Game hired Global Diving and Salvage based in Seattle.

I hope they have their act together. Drilling into an old ship at that depth is fraught with risk.

The objective is to determine what potential environmental risks are posed by the aging ship and the oil.

State Senator Sam Blakeslee has taken the lead in spurring federal and state officials to investigate and monitor the wreckage.  

A series of flights have been launched using a thermal spectral technology to measure the viscosity of sunlight on the Pacific in the area of the wreck.  If oil was leaking, the readings would indicate such.

At the time of the sinking, the War department tried to cover it up, buying up copies of San Francisco Newspapers.

They did not get the local San Luis Obispo Telegram Tribune

and though largely overshadowed by other war news,

the story remained in the minds of Central Coast Californians.

You can read an account and narrative of the event by

linking  here to the Cambria Historical Society.


So for the next couple of weeks,
modern technology reaches deep and
into history, to touch an artifact
of one of the rare shellings of the American
mainland. While the Japanese U-boat fired on the
crew of the Montebello as they scrambled in lifeboats, the survivors escaped their hostile action but
the primary target that night could still pose a threat.

Stay tuned.
See you down the trail.

AUTUMN IN BIG SUR

THE WORLD OF THE LIME KILNS

It is a heart link for us.
We were first enchanted by the area
when it was a private campground.

From that date in 1969 our lives were

 drawn again and again to

special moments in this Redwood Forest Canyon.

We've celebrated, mourned, camped, hiked,

and always gain respect for its reverie.

The light plays with shadows

in a fairy like way.

Textures abound.

 Up the canyon are the old Kilns, reverting to time's and the 
forests design for them.

The Rockland Lime and Lumber Company

built the kilns in 1887.

Crushed limestone and debris from a landslide

and from shallow hillside pits north east of the kilns were 

put on sleds for a trip down the slope.

An 1888 State Mineralogist report said the kilns were 

loaded from the top and had a capacity of 110 barrels a day.

The operation burned local redwood to heat

the stone to 600 degrees to breakdown the

limestone into quick lime or caustic lime.

The byproduct was was removed from the kiln, cooled and

then loaded on wagons to be taken out of the canyon.

 Down the canyon to steam powered pulleys to be loaded aboard steamships that carried the material north where it 
was used in cement and concrete to build San Francisco.

As our friend Jim, who first took us to Lime Kiln and Big Sur, always says "Big Sur never disappoints." 
See you down the trail.

BIG SUR JADE FEST

GOOD VIBES

A unique festival and one of the world's
most scenic settings offer a full sensory
celebration.
The Big Sur Jade Fest needs to be seen.

In many ways it is the cultural and emotional

descendant of the Big Sur Congregation

that Brian Wilson wrote and sang of in

California Saga. The lyrics are below.

Artistic excellence reigns. These carved

pieces are by Gary Gowdy, who

also happens to be our electrican.

There is work by other talented craftsmen.

It is a cultural weekend.

His naan bread is fantastic.

 Probably no where else will you find such a blend
sights, sound, aromas, art, culture and being free.
As Brian sang "The people there in the open air...One big family...and their new found liberty."
And unlike the old Big Sur Congregation with
Country Joe, this time-plans for hygiene!

The California Saga
Brian Wilson

On my way to sunny California
On my way to spend another sunny day

Water, water get yourself in the cool, clear, water
The sun shines brightly down on Penny's place
The sun shines brightly down on the bay
The air's so clean it'll just take your mind away
Take your mind away
Take your mind away

Have you ever been south of Monterey
Barrancas carve the coast line and the chaparral flows to the sea
'Neath waves of golden sunshine
And have you ever been north of Morro Bay
The south coast plows the sea
And the people there are of the breed
They don't need electricity
Water, water, cool cascades of clear, clear water
The sun dance final scene sets the hills ablaze.
Horizon edges quick up the mountain's way.

Have you ever been down Salinas way?
Where Steinbeck found the valley
And he wrote about it the way it was in his travelin's with Charley
And have you ever walked down through the sycamores
Where the farmhouse used to be
There the monarch's autumn journey ends
On a windswept cyprus tree

Water get water get yourself in that
Get yourself in that get yourself in that cool, clear, water
The sun shines brightly down on Penny's place
Get yourself in that water
The air's so clean that it just takes your mind away
Take your mind away
Take your mind away

Have you ever been to a festival, the Big Sur congregation?
Where Country Joe will do his show
And he'd sing about liberty
And the people there in the open air, one big family.
Yeah the people there love to sing and share
Their new found liberty

See you down the trail.