Saturday, December 22, 2012
Sadie's in Town!
My second side trip of the week was to Santa Cruz. my daughter Victoria is there with her husband and my darling granddaughter Sadie visiting her in-laws. So I drove over to the coast to have a little visit!
We are looking forward to another visit next week!
I have been remiss in my postings here form Pinnacles! We have enjoyed the hiking and wildlife and getting settled in with our tasks as Camp Hosts.
I have taken a couple of side trip in the past week. Sunday the 14th I drove to Los Angeles to visit with my sister. It was my first chance to see her new home and to visit with some family as she was hosting a house warming/holiday get together.
I drove the beautiful and very winding Route 25 to Coalinga where I picked up I 5 and zipped into LA. The drive over 25 took its toll as poor Vinny was car sick. As a retired show dog he has spend a lot of time in a car and never fusses but the road was just too much!
Liza's loft it very cool and well suited to her. I arrived 90 mins before the scheduled arrival of guests - there were one or two tasks to be done: I vacuumed and tidied while Liza and I caught up with news.
Guests included my Niece Lelah and her adorable baby Truman and my cousin Barbara.
We had a fun time watching the Ukelele players performing christmas songs and Ukelele classics
The next morning Liza drove me over to shopping center so that I could stock up on See's Candy for the season. Then Liza, Lelah, Truman and I went on a "stair walk" there are lots of interesting neighborhoods in Los Angeles which is quite hilly so there are stairs to access some homes. Our walk took us past many barking dogs as well as a stretch of conservancy land that was beautiful and remote feeling.
I have taken a couple of side trip in the past week. Sunday the 14th I drove to Los Angeles to visit with my sister. It was my first chance to see her new home and to visit with some family as she was hosting a house warming/holiday get together.
I drove the beautiful and very winding Route 25 to Coalinga where I picked up I 5 and zipped into LA. The drive over 25 took its toll as poor Vinny was car sick. As a retired show dog he has spend a lot of time in a car and never fusses but the road was just too much!
Liza's loft it very cool and well suited to her. I arrived 90 mins before the scheduled arrival of guests - there were one or two tasks to be done: I vacuumed and tidied while Liza and I caught up with news.
Guests included my Niece Lelah and her adorable baby Truman and my cousin Barbara.
We had a fun time watching the Ukelele players performing christmas songs and Ukelele classics
The next morning Liza drove me over to shopping center so that I could stock up on See's Candy for the season. Then Liza, Lelah, Truman and I went on a "stair walk" there are lots of interesting neighborhoods in Los Angeles which is quite hilly so there are stairs to access some homes. Our walk took us past many barking dogs as well as a stretch of conservancy land that was beautiful and remote feeling.
Saturday, December 8, 2012
We arrived at Pinnacles National Monument on Wednesday, December 4. We have a nice site next to the brook and away from the main camping area, but next to the large day use area. the park had 134 sites. Some RV site (only electricity) but we have all conveniences: sewer, electricity and water plus a landline and DSL!
Our duties are pretty light: we toot around in the golf cart checking campsite and making sure they have receipts for their stays. We stop and chat, answer questions and tell everyone where we last saw a bobcat/condor/turkey/feral pig/ deer. The park is brimming with wildlife. Every night as we are drifting off to sleep we hear the coyotes howl and sing.
The campground is run by a concessioner so we "work" for him but the campground is within the National Park System so there are park rangers that operate the visitors center and patrol the park and do the "enforcement" (like rowdy campers) They seem to have a good working relationship with the concessionaires.
The park is the center of the Condor Project- this the home to the largest Condor population in the world. We have volunteered to help the rangers - which involves things like dragging a cow carcass up a mountain to the feeding station.
Today we went on our first hike. There are 30 miles of trails here in the park and we are keen to hike them all before the busy season starts in March.
So here are a bunch of photos:
Our duties are pretty light: we toot around in the golf cart checking campsite and making sure they have receipts for their stays. We stop and chat, answer questions and tell everyone where we last saw a bobcat/condor/turkey/feral pig/ deer. The park is brimming with wildlife. Every night as we are drifting off to sleep we hear the coyotes howl and sing.
The campground is run by a concessioner so we "work" for him but the campground is within the National Park System so there are park rangers that operate the visitors center and patrol the park and do the "enforcement" (like rowdy campers) They seem to have a good working relationship with the concessionaires.
The park is the center of the Condor Project- this the home to the largest Condor population in the world. We have volunteered to help the rangers - which involves things like dragging a cow carcass up a mountain to the feeding station.
Today we went on our first hike. There are 30 miles of trails here in the park and we are keen to hike them all before the busy season starts in March.
So here are a bunch of photos:
Sunday, December 2, 2012
Sunday in Fortuna
We are enjoying the SUN and watching the Patriots. One nice thing about the West Coast is that we can eat homemade buttermilk waffles for brunch while watching the game. As soon as the Patriots wrap this up we are going out on our bikes. Last night we had heavy rain and wind and there were many flood alerts for Northern California. We are safe and above the flooding in our current location. The skies cleared about 10 am and the sunshine is very welcome!
We hope to be able to pick up the Miata tomorrow and head towards Hollister CA - and our new assignment. We will be camp hosts at Pinnacles National Monument campground. We are excited to be in an area of outstanding beauty (and miles of hiking trails) and one that is historically drier than Oregon.
Pinnacles is know for huge spires of rock formed from ancient volcanic activity. It is also a Condor release location for the Condor project. It is home to the Townsend Long-earred bat (which breed in the large network of caves) and to over 400 species of bees. Happily the wild pigs have mostly been eradicated and a 26 miles boundary fence helps keep it that way.
The Park is about 30 minutes drive from Hollister, a town with a strong agriculture base, though I have been told it has become quite yuppified as it is considered a commutable distance to San Jose. Hollister is highly seismically active, as the Calaveras Fault, a branch of the San Andreas Fault, actually bisect the town. There are three faults that run through the Park: Chalone Creek, Miners Gulch and Pinnacle. Well it will make a change from flooding.....
Here is rising water full of debris on the Eel River
We are enjoying the SUN and watching the Patriots. One nice thing about the West Coast is that we can eat homemade buttermilk waffles for brunch while watching the game. As soon as the Patriots wrap this up we are going out on our bikes. Last night we had heavy rain and wind and there were many flood alerts for Northern California. We are safe and above the flooding in our current location. The skies cleared about 10 am and the sunshine is very welcome!
We hope to be able to pick up the Miata tomorrow and head towards Hollister CA - and our new assignment. We will be camp hosts at Pinnacles National Monument campground. We are excited to be in an area of outstanding beauty (and miles of hiking trails) and one that is historically drier than Oregon.
Pinnacles is know for huge spires of rock formed from ancient volcanic activity. It is also a Condor release location for the Condor project. It is home to the Townsend Long-earred bat (which breed in the large network of caves) and to over 400 species of bees. Happily the wild pigs have mostly been eradicated and a 26 miles boundary fence helps keep it that way.
The Park is about 30 minutes drive from Hollister, a town with a strong agriculture base, though I have been told it has become quite yuppified as it is considered a commutable distance to San Jose. Hollister is highly seismically active, as the Calaveras Fault, a branch of the San Andreas Fault, actually bisect the town. There are three faults that run through the Park: Chalone Creek, Miners Gulch and Pinnacle. Well it will make a change from flooding.....
Here is rising water full of debris on the Eel River
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