Archive for August 2013
It’s not like you to go the Redwood National Park, drive through the entrance, and you’re there. It’s not like that. It’s most like the road to Hanna … which is a wonderful thing. If you haven’t seen that post, take a moment and ride along with me … it’s about the journey.
The north coast of California is a large forest of coast redwoods. There’s a hopscotch of national and state parks that are jointly managed spread around a 50-mile stretch of highway … and you get to explore the parks to your heart’s content. Don’t be concerned with whether you’re in a state or national park … no one cares. It is pretty, and enjoy every second.
The Big Tree was once thought to be the tallest tree in the world … and then they found another grove of redwoods that are taller. Now, it’s just rather uncreatively named.
Big Tree, 304′ tall
Klamath River
We had fog everywhere we went this day!
In 1964, the heaviest rain ever recorded in the area knocked down the 40-year old Douglas Memorial bridge, leaving a bear behind.
The difficult to find southern visitor’s center.
I don’t know why there are signs memoralizing various “XXX Family Grove” redwoods … but there are several of these signs on the highway.
Finding the wild elk herd is a fun thing to do on your adventure through the redwood parks.
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Lady Bird Johnson Grove
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My first real job was working for a handyman in Skidmore, MO. Wayne was mainly an exterior house painter, but he did all sorts of projects around the houses of his clients. I was 16.
It was my first exposure to up-to-the-elbows home repair.
Wayne taught me that a plumber only needed to know 2 things.
1. Know what floats down hill.
2. Payday is on Friday.
I learned a third thing: I hate plumbing.
Today’s home repair job was replacing the flap valve in the downstairs toilet.
I hate plumbing.
And why is it that flap valves can’t be made to last? They have to be replaced every … year? … and when you replace them, they have always degenerated into mush? They always leave black rubber stuff all over your hands, every time.
We can put a man on the moon, but we can’t make a flap valve to last.
I hate plumbing.
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The History of the Flush Toilet
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Where Is It: 225 miles north of Los Angeles; 250 miles southeast of San Francisco
The Birth: After years of struggles with entrepreneurs seeking to exploit the resources in the area, Sequoia National Park was founded in 1890 to protect the largest trees on earth. In 1916, the US Congress appropriated $50,000 for the purchase of private lands in the Giant Forest; the National Geographic Society contributed $20,000. The park has been expanded several times … most recently in 1978. That was the result of an effort led by the Sierra Club to deny the Walt Disney Corporation the land to build a ski resort. That annexation became known as Mineral King.
SNP, one of 8 National parks in California, is the oldest of the bunch.
The Park: The Sequoia National Park is adjacent to the Kings Canyon National Park, and they are operated together by the National Park Service (which was originally begun in 1944 as a wartime economy measure). Other National Park Service units that are contiguous are the Sequoia National Forest and the Giant Sequoia National Monument. The two National Parks are divided into 5 areas; 3 of them are in the SNP: Giant Forest, Mineral King and Foothills.
It Happened Here: In 1920, the last private holdings in Giant Forest were acquired by the Park Service. Bear Hill, the park garbage dump at Giant Forest, became a regular evening attraction and bleachers were erected for visitors to congregate and watch black bears forage through the trash.
Size: 864,411 acres
# Visitors: 1,106,584 in 2012. August has the highest attendance; December the lowest.
Plants: There are 1,530 documented plant species, including 22 deciduous & 26 evergreen tree species
Animals: SNP is the home of two endangered species: the Sierra Nevada bighorn sheep and the California Condor. There is also one threatened species, the Little Kern golden trout.
Choices: There are 2 entrances to Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Parks:
Big Stump entrance, accessible on California 180 from Fresno. I prefer this entrance; from Los Angeles I exit at the 198, but then go through Dinuba to get to the 180 and go up the mountain.
Ash Mountain entrance, Accessible on California 198 from Visalia. This entrance enters the Park at a lower elevation, and has a very twisty turny road to get to SNP.
Fees: $20 for each car entering the Sequoia/Kings Canyon area.
Staying There: There are multiple hotels between the entrances of the Parks, which are largely on non-park owned property. They are easily accessible, here. Campsites are available in multiple locations; fees are currently $18 daily for single campsites and $35 daily for group sites. Running water is available near most sites; flush toilets are available as well.
Contact Info:
By Mail:
Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks
47050 Generals Highway
Three Rivers, CA 93271-9700
By Phone:
559-565-3341
For 24-hour recorded information.
Speak with park staff from 8:15 a.m.-4:15 p.m., weekdays only.
Current Issues: SNP has the worst air pollution of any National Park. That is causing problems for pine and sequoia trees, as they cope with air the same quality as in Los Angeles. This year, a drought has resulted in the closure of several campgrounds, though the park is still open and continues to see high visitation.
Don’t Miss This: There are so many things you must see!
- General Sherman Tree, the largest living thing on earth
- Moro Rock, a granite dome with a 1/4 mile, 300′ elevation gain staircase to the top
- Congress Trail, taking you by some of the most spectacular sequoia groves in the park
- Crystal Cave, a cave tour that is so popular you must buy advance tickets at the Lodgepole or Foothills Visitor’s Centers.
If you’re camping, all food must be kept in the bear boxes that are in each campsite.
Bears are in the area, and their claws are sharp!
Sequoias live in a pyrrhic ecosystem – fires clear out other species to make room for sequoias, and the fire also opens the cones to allow sequoias to germinate.
The General Sherman tree – the world’s largest tree – is a highlight to any visit to the Sequoia National Park.ee – is a highli
It’s difficult to appreciate the size of a sequoia … in a forest of giants, it’s difficult to get a good perspective.
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The Congress Trail
National Park Service: Sequoia & Kings Canyon NP
NationalParks[AndMore]: Sequioia National Park (In Winter)
San Francisco Chronicle: Air Pollution
One Cool Thing Every Weekend: Tokopah Falls Hike In SNP
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The US Department of the Interior runs the National Park Service, which is currently charged with protecting our National Parks, National Monuments, National Historical Sites … and a whole lot of other national places. Here’s how Wikipedia describes them:
As of 2012, there are 401 units of the National Park System. However, this number is somewhat misleading. For example: Denali National Park and Preserve is counted as two units, whereas Fort Moultrie is not counted as a unit because it is considered a feature of the Fort Sumter National Monument.
It’s a complex puzzle, with National Preserves sometimes overlapping other areas — like National Parks or National Monuments. State Parks sometimes overlap National Parks. A rose by any other name … may still be a very pretty place. The National Park Service exists to protect and preserve some of our most beautiful, most significant, or most unusual national assets … so here’s a list of the different designations for the, uh, National Places.
International Historical Site: There’s just one, which is St Croix Island, located in Maine.
National Battlefield: The first of four designations for sites where historic battles were fought on American soil during the armed conflicts that shaped the growth and development of the United States. There are 11 of these.
National Battlefield Park: The second of four designations for sites of domestic American battles … there are four of these. They are Kennesaw Mountain NBP, Manassas NBP, Richmond NBP and River Raisin NBP.
National Battlefield Site: The third of four designations for sites of domestic American battles … Brices Cross Roads National Battlefield Site is very small, and the only area so designated.
National Historical Park: There are 46 of these historical sites, which feature more than the single building or feature that are called National Historical Site.
National Historical Reserve: There’s just one of these, Ebey’s Landing in Washington.
National Historic Site: These usually contain a single historical feature. Sites are owned and operated by the federal government. There are currently 90 of these.
National Lakeshore: There are four, located in Michigan, Indiana, and Wisconsin.
National Monument: There are 108 NMs, 80 of which are operated by the National Park Service.
National Military Park: The final of four designations for sites of domestic American battles … there are nine of these. The word “park” is used with the larger sites, it seems.
National Memorial: There are 28 NMs, plus five affiliated NMs that are not operated by the National Park Service.
National Park: There are 59 NPs. Ken Burns said it best: “America’s Best Idea.”
National Preserve: There are 18 National Preserves, which are very similar to National Parks. However, “resource extraction” is allowed from the National Preserves. That would include logging and mining, for example.
National River: Of the 15 rivers that are designated as units by the National Park Service, two have the simple designation of National River.
National Recreation Area: There are 18 NRAs.
National Recreational River: Of the 15 rivers that are designated as units by the National Park Service, two have the designation of National Recreational River.
National Reserve: There are three NRs. The first, designated in 1978, is New Jersey’s Pinelands National Reserve. It includes portions of seven counties. It includes over one million acres of farms, forests and wetlands. 56 communities – from hamlets to suburbs – with over 700,000 permanent residents.
National Seashore: There are 10 of these.
National Scenic River or Riverway: Of the 15 rivers that are designated as units by the National Park Service, four have the designation of National Scenic River and two have the designation of National Scenic Riverway.
National Scenic Trail: There are three Trails that are a part of the National Park Service system. There are 18 Historic Trails that are not a part of the National Park Service System. All 21 are a part of the National Trails System.
Parkway: There are six National Parkways, and an additional four affiliated areas.
Scenic & Recreational River: Of the 15 rivers that are designated as units by the National Park Service, two have the designation of Scenic & Recreational River.
Wild & Scenic River: Of the 15 rivers that are designated as units by the National Park Service, three have the designation of Wild & Scenic River.
There are 11 other National Park Service units of various designations, notably including the Capitol Mall and the President’s Park adjacent to the White House.
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These 3 performance rights organizations collect fees from the businesses that play music for you … and then pays the writers of that music. If the writers have sold their ownership, then the new owners of the rights are paid. Famously, Michael Jackson bought the rights to most of the Beatles catalog and was paid those performance royalties for many years.
How do you pay for your music?
Do you buy electronic files? Good, you’re covered. The performers and writers get an extremely small payday every time you buy their music.
Do you buy CDs? Good, you’re covered (and you must be old, like me). The performers and writers get a very small payday every time you buy their CD.
Do you hear live music performed? Good, you’re covered. The place where you hear the music — whether it’s at a bar or a stadium featuring a college marching band — pays for the right to host the performance you’re hearing. The writers get a payday. The performers … well, they get paid whatever the venue pays them.
Do you listen to music recordings in your exercise class? Good, you’re covered. Your instructor, or the host establishment, has to pay for the privilege of playing music that you hear … and pay for the privilege of hearing in their establishment. You pay, so they pay.
Do you stream music? Good, you’re covered. The performers and writers get a payday every time you hear their record. That’s true whether you stream your music through YouTube, your favorite radio station website, Pandora, Spotify or Jango.
Do you listen to the radio? Good, you’re covered. The writers get a payday … but according to US law, the performers do not. The longstanding legal situation is that radio pays the writers for performance rights … but pays nothing to the performers. Those performers benefit from the promotion of their music, and that has been true for a very long time. Radio airplay drives sales, and drives concert ticket sales, too.
Why do streamers pay money to the performers, but radio does not? Because that’s the law.
Sound fair? You’ll get different answers depending on who you favor … performers lobby congress to change the law so they get more money (doesn’t everyone want that?). Streamers (like Pandora) lobby congress to lower their rates. Radio stations … keep pointing out that airplay is a promotional benefit for performers, and they shouldn’t have to pay a dime. And so far, that’s holding. Every year, the record labels get their congressional buddies to submit legislation that would change this, and every year radio knocks it down. Because that’s the way it’s always been.
So, how do you get your music? Do you download your music for free? Download it from a website without paying for it? Copy it to your iPod so you can play it whenever you want? That means you are not paying for your music.
That means you are a thief.
Don’t be a thief. Support the arts. Pay for your music.
More
Business Week: Should Pandora Pay Less In Music Royalties?
USA Today: Pink Floyd’s Pandora Editorial
How Music Licensing Works
The Evolution of Online Music
Radio Music License Committee
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This short loop hike is a signature trail in the Redwood National Park. Do not miss this!
The Grove was dedicated to Lady Bird Johnson on August 27, 1969, by President Richard Nixon. The plaque unveiled at the event says:
In recognition of her devoted service
to the cause of preserving and enhancing
America’s natural beauty for the enjoyment
of all the people.
Redwood National Park, Lady Bird Johnson Grove. 2013.
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We hit the gate when it opened … so we could hike in the cool of the morning. This is not a park to visit in the heat of July! We stopped by the Visitor’s Center (you were supposed to pay there on the way in) … but it was closed. Just the yearlings and the wild turkey to keep up company!
We drove on and parked at the Moses Spring Trailhead. We took the Old Pinnacles Trail across the dry stream bed, and then crossed the bridge to take the trail towards the Bench. We walked a couple of hours; we didn’t do the big climb. I think you’ll agree that the hike was a good thing, though!
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Poison Oak
Acorn Woodpecker
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My love of mushrooms is well documented, and on our last vacation we found a wonderful treat at the Brick & Fire Bistro in Eureka, CA. Their Mushroom Cobbler is a definite must if you ever find yourself hungry in Eureka.
Velda put the flavor analyzer to work … and has crafted a recipe for you to enjoy this homage even if you aren’t Eureka-bound.
Ingredients
- 1 ounce dried porcini mushrooms, or any dried mushroom of choice
- 1/2 red onion
- 2-3 medium shallots
- 2 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 1/2 tablespoons butter
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1/4 pound fresh crimini mushrooms
- 1/4 pound fresh oyster mushrooms
- 1/4 pound white mushrooms
- 2 cloves garlic, chopped
- pinch of dried thyme
- pinch of cayenne pepper
- 1/4 tsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1/2 cup San Antonio madeira or red wine
- 1 package Sprouts mushroom sauce (optional)
- 2 tablespoons flour
- 1/2 cup cream or evaporated milk
Biscuit topping
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 4 tablespoons chilled butter
- 1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
- 1 1/3 cups buttermilk
Instructions
Pour 1 1/2 cups boiling water over the porcini mushrooms to cover them. Let soak for at least 30 minutes.
Slice the red onions and shallots thinly. In a large, non-stick skillet, heat a tablespoon of olive oil and a tablespoon of butter. Add the onions and shallots and cook over low to medium heat for about a half an hour to an hour, until the onions are carmelized.
Clean, trim, and slice the fresh mushrooms into smallish bite size pieces. Mushrooms shrink when cooked! When the dried porcinis are soft chop them into pieces that are small bite size. Reserve the soaking liquid, add water to equal 1 cup.
In another non-stick skillet(or wait til onion/shallot mixture has carmelized, remove them/set aside and use the same skillet), heat 1 1/2 tablespoons of olive oil and 1 tablespoon butter. Add the chopped garlic, stir for 30 seconds til fragrant then add the fresh mushrooms. Saute the mushrooms, stirring often, until they start to release their liquid. Add the chopped porcinis, a pinch of thyme, a pinch of cayenne, and keep cooking over medium heat until the excess liquid has cooked away and the mushrooms have changed color. Sprinkle the flour over mushrooms and stir for 1-2 minutes (the mixture will thicken)
Add the madeira and the soaking liquid from the dried mushrooms. Combine the mushrooms with the carmelized onions and simmer them all together for a few minutes until thickened, Add cream, stir, taste and adjust salt and pepper to taste
Pre-heat the oven to 400 degrees.
Pour the mushroom mixture, spreading evenly, into a large gratin dish coated with cooking spray.
Combine the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt in a bowl or use a food processor. Add the chilled butter, cut into chunks and cut in with pastry blender or do several pulses in food processor until the mixture has the texture of coarse meal. Add the parmesan cheese and process a few seconds.
Stir in the buttermilk, just until the dough forms. The dough will be thick and sticky. Do not over mix it.
Spoon the biscuit dough onto the mushrooms, distributing it more or less evenly over the top. Add salt pepper and more parmesan if desired. Bake the cobbler in a preheated 400 degree oven for about 25 minutes or until the biscuit topping is golden brown. ((Warning: will boil over and make your house smoky if baking dish is too small))
Can be baked in individual ramekins for appetizers or gratin dish as side dish.
Wild Mushroom Cobbler
Wild Mushroom Cobbler
Wild Mushroom Cobbler
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I work at home. I’m alone with the phone, smilin’ and dialin’. Most days, it’s a quiet house.
It was nearing the end of my Monday, and the sales meeting was over. Calls were done. I was setting up my CRM database for the next few weeks … scheduling activities for broadcasters in Idaho, actually. It’s quiet work.
I was home alone. Well, just me and 3 cats.
And then I heard the buzz from the bedroom. A growl. A noise. An unidentified noise. A very peculiar noise. A new noise.
Not a cat, mind you. This sound was more, uh, creepy. Couldn’t identify it. I walked towards the noise.
Why? Because I’m a homeowner. It doesn’t matter how weird the noise is … it’s in MY house, and I have to end the noise and regain my solitude. Even if it’s a scary noise.
So I walked towards the noise.
Master bedroom. Through the door, past the bed. It’s coming from the shower area.
I walked toward the noise. It was still creepy. I had no idea what it was.
Past the desk. The noise seemed to be coming from the bathroom vanity. Still couldn’t figure it out. Water leak? Wild killer bees? Floor collapsing? No clue.
I walked toward the noise.
Ninja ran past me. Ninja’s the stealth cat that probably had nothing to do with the noise. That I can prove.
I walked towards the noise. I hear it. It’s IN THE SINK.
I’m now 6′ from the sink, and I still can’t see what Spawn of Satan is making this horrid racket.
I have no choice. I walked towards the noise.
.
.
.
.
.
BUZZZZZZZZZ.
.
.
.
.
.
It’s Velda’s toothbrush. Beelzebub must have turned it on. My nemesis is laying in the bottom of the sink. Buzzing. Vibrating. Spinning. And annoying me.
I pick it up, and it will not turn off. Two buttons. They do nothing.
BUZZZZZZZZZ.
I had to call Velda to find out how to kill the monster. I couldn’t do it. Arthur C Clarke said it best: “Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic.” The toothbrush was magic. It had a mind of its own, until Velda told me how to kill it … by plugging it in (and if that’s not a paradoxical solution, I don’t know what is. You kill it by feeding it?).
Solitude returns.
I faced my fear. Another home owner crisis … averted.
Beelzebub as he appears in Shin Megami Tensei II. Artwork by Kazuma Kaneko.
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Pinnacles National Park – Old Pinnacles Trail
Poison Oak
Acorn Woodpecker
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