State Park Closures Trip

CANDLESTICK POINT STATE RECREATION AREA: TRIP #26 OF 70

2012-03-03T00:06:00.003-08:00

In the 1960s and 70s I must have driven by Candlestick Point State Recreation Area a couple of hundred times on my way to a San Francisco Giants baseball game, never realizing there was a state park right across the street from the stadium.

Any outfielder who has ever been fooled by the direction of a high fly ball at Candlestick Park can vouch that the Point is known for its tricky winds. While the wind may be an outfielder's curse, it is what draws water sport enthusiasts to this point on the San Francisco Bay, especially windsurfers during the blustery late spring and summer months.

I felt an odd combination of excitement and nostalgia. I had just driven into the city over the Bay Bridge - yes - the same bridge that collapsed on the third day of the World Series between Oakland and San Francisco in the 1989 Loma Prieta Earthquake. The giddy feeling I get driving into San Francisco has been with me all my life, and I suppose at this point always will be. My nostalgia for those baseball days of Mays, McCovey and Marichal had already been reignited the night before when I coincidentally (or not) had watched the movie Money Ball.

No windsurfers were out today, but the park also offers hiking, jogging, bicycling, bird watching and picnicking. A one mile trail provides easy recreation. Folks can fish off of two long piers. Wooden shelters have information about local birds, and sur-round the tables to protect pic-nickers from the strong winds.

Candlestick Point was first born during World War II as 170 acres of landfill that was going to be used as a U.S. Navy shipyard. After the war, the landfill
remained, but without a purpose. Some of its neighbors found a purpose for it: an easy place to dump their garbage.

Other neighbors sought a different pur-pose. They wanted to turn it into a park with grass, trees, shrubs, flowers and habitat for migrating and seabirds. In 1973, the state legislature set aside $10 million to purchase the land. In 1977, the California Legislature voted to develop the land as the first urban state recreation area.

The late 1970s date explains why I never noticed the area as a state park. By that time my adult interests had changed. Excursions to the ballpark diminished, then disappeared. The San Francisco Giants were relegated to fond childhood memories.

Today on any given day, people come to exercise, fish, and just enjoy the experience of "getting away from it all." Candlestick Point is a treasured respite from city life. It is also valued as a community park with many frequent visitors from the nearby Bayview/Hunters Point neighorhoods.

Several office buildings and apartment complexes sit directly across the street. Unless chain link fencing is installed, I don't see how they can keep the casual pedestrian traffic out of Candlesitck if it closes. However, the simple barricading of the parking lot will be the singular thing that will make the park inaccessible to the rest of the public, save those few who have permits to park at nearby businesses. Private parking lots are only occasionally available at outrageous prices. San Francisco has never been a parking friendly town.

Roxy and I began our two mile, round trip walk around noon. We passed a row of cars parked on the street under "No Parking" signs. The cars were all occupied, no one being foolish enough to leave them unattended in an illegal zone. As we strolled by, the sweet smell of medicinal herb wafted from cracks in car windows. Ah, lunch break!

Our stroll took us around the cove and through a variety of newly blooming wildflowers. The trail offered a handful of exercise stations for those who want a little bit more than a walk for a workout.

The last portion of the path has been painted in happy crayon colors. Lumpy red mounds, lavender serpentine detours and a variety of patterned walkways didn't seem to serve any particular purpose other than... fun!

A strange little angular building marked the end of the trail. There was no information about this tall, slanted closet so it remains a mystery to me.

Roxy and I retraced our steps, walking the mile back to the car. And then I couldn't resist. Candlestick Park was sitting there empty. The Giants moved out a dozen or so years ago and now it is only used for the Forty-Niners football games in autumn. The stadium's emptiness drew me in. I found an open gate and drove through, but the whistle of a security guard called me to turn around.

"Hello," I smiled. "I was just feeling nostalgic. I used to come to baseball games here when I was a kid. My Dad's company had box seats behind home plate," I explained.

The guard smiled back. "Yeah," he said. "My Dad brought me to my first game here in 1965."

"1962 for me. The year they went to the World Series!" I added. He smiled again, nodded and stared. He wasn't going to let me in. Well nothing ventured...

I thanked him and headed to the Highway 101 on ramp, waiting for a Raven to finish munching on road kill before I could get onto the freeway.

I hope to see you at the State Parks.

Lucy

GARRAPATA STATE PARK: Trip #25 of 70

2012-02-25T13:49:00.002-08:00

The winter months of January and February have long been known to be the most beautiful time of the year for California's Central Coast beaches. And so it was the day after Valentine's Day at Garrapata State Park, ten miles south of Carmel. Clear skies, wild waves crashing on the rocks, a fresh water lagoon with wild calla lilies and a strong blustery wind graced the day. (More about the wind in a bit!)

Mother Nature had done her work and presented her full color spectrum for my viewing and photographing pleasure. No effort would be required on my part today to get a good picture. I just needed to point and shoot and something gorgeous would be recorded on my camera.

There was no clear indication as to where the park began. The State Park sign was placed behind hillside shrubbery on the westside of Highway 1, making it easy to miss. There was no official parking lot. Sharp eyes had to look for an occasional path down the cliffs to the beach in a turnout on the highway. I drove back and forth over a stretch of three miles, checking out the views and looking for walking paths along the cliffs or down to the beach.

I couldn't resist a small herd of Cows luxuriating in a grass pasture overlooking the ocean. Although they weren't singing or telling jokes (none that I was able to hear anyway), I was certain these must be some of the Real California Cheese Cows.

At another turnout I was able to keep my eye on a Redtail Hawk that flew in of front me, then settled on the bluff, meditating intently on its prey below.

Finally I spotted a trail that had a railing and a stairway leading down to the beach. I parked the car and Roxy and I commenced with our afternoon.

The cliffs were bursting with color. Spring flowers and beach succulents were in full bloom. The contrast with the deep turquoise ocean waters and the lightly clouded blue sky was breathtaking.

Of the parks I have visited to date, Garrapata is the most puzzling from the standpoint of the state budget woes. There was no official entrance that I could find as I followed the parks' own Google Map directions. There was no ranger hut, no pay station, no trash cans, no restrooms. No phone, no pool, no pets... Well actually dogs are allowed on Garrapata Beach! But where do the financial savings come from when this park is closed?

Once on the beach, Roxy and I climbed around on the rocks. But the occasional rogue wave brought the ocean foam a little too close to the edge of cliffs for Roxy's comfort. I could tell she was concerned about being hemmed in.

So, we strolled back to the southern end of the beach. There I leaned against the cliff. With my camera in front of my face I stood and waited for the ninth wave to come crashing over the rocks. The ninth wave came again and again. I found myself happily hypnotized, and remained there for some time.

I watched as a young family confidently hiked past the worrisome boulders and headed north. Clearly they had been here before. They seemed to be purposefully headed to a specific destination. Roxy was calmer now, so, she and I agreed we could make the 100 yard dash through Garrapata's Stonehenge to see what was on the other side.

I'm so glad we did! A most magical place greeted us. A small, freshwater stream flowed from the bluffs, through a ravine and into the ocean. We followed the creek upstream. Within a few yards we were surrounded by an enchanted garden of wild calla lilies. We hopped across small pools of clear trickling water. I swore I heard the faeries giggling!

A pair of young lovers from France (honeymoon perhaps?) strolled into the garden. They lingered for quite some time while he took romantic photos of his lady with the lilies.

A funky old staircase led out of the lilly ravine back up to the top of the bluffs. Here endless paths carry you along the edge of the cliffs through wildflowers or back to the highway. The red and green aloe-like plants, and the red, white and blue succulents presented holiday themed hues. Ceonothus shrubs (sometimes called California Lilac) were bursting with their pale blue blooms. I've often wished I could plant ceonothus at my house, but they wither during the mountain winters.

Roxy and I hiked the cliff trails for another hour or so, enjoying the spectacular aerial views of the sea and her surroundings.

The afternoon waned and we made our way back to the highway. I squeezed into my car. Yes, squeezed. I previously mentioned the high gusty winds. When we first arrived at Garrapata SP, I opened my car door just as a particularly strong gust blew by. It pushed my car door open farther than it was designed to go.

Now the hinge is bent, preventing the door from opening more than a few inches. I've since learned that this a common car ailment for those living on the coast. Well, it's good incentive to stay on my diet until it is fixed!

I can't imagine that a year from now this beach will be inaccessible. I plan to return next winter for more sea magic (good faeries willing.)

Until then, I hope to see you at the State Parks.

Lucy

FORT TEJON STATE HISTORIC PARK: Trip #24 of 70

2012-01-27T17:12:00.001-08:00

I highly recommend Fort Tejon State Historic Park for anyone traveling over the Grapevine on Interstate 5 and in need of a driving break or a place for a picnic lunch. It's located right off the highway about three miles north of Gorman (or thirty minutes north of Magic Mountain in case that's more familiar.)

Fort Tejon was first garrisoned by the US Army on August 10, 1854 and was abandoned ten years later. The fort's purported mission was to "protect and control the Indians who were living on the Sebastian Indian Reservation, and to protect both the Indians and white settlers from raids by the Paiutes, Chemeheui, Mojave, and other Indian groups of the desert regions to the south east."

My friends Rosey and Ernie joined me on a sunny January day for a drive through orange groves and a visit to the fort.

There is no ranger on duty at Fort Tejon, and as with many of the closing state parks, paying the day use fee is on the honor system. We all paid, of course. The tour begins by crossing a wooden bridge over the creek, and entering a small museum displaying a cannon, photographs and the chronology of the fort.

The discovery of gold in the 1850s brought confrontations between Native Americans, miners and land-hungry settlers. The US Government tried to ease the conflicts. In 1851 US Indian commissioners negotiated 18 treaties with California Indians, providing reservation lands in exchange for the remainder of the state. White Californians objected so strongly that the Senate refused to ratify the agreements. As Indian leaders had signed away other land in return for protection on reservations, they felt betrayed.

So, the first US Dragoons arrived in the summer of 1854 and began the construc-tion of more than forty buildings for this military outpost. A half dozen of these buildings and replicas remain for the tourist to view. Markers are placed at the sites of structures that no longer exist.

After viewing the small museum, my friends and I began the self guided "Dragoon Walk."

Two small identical buildings sit side by side; one a guard shack, one a crude jail. Army discipline was frequent and harsh. Minor offenses brought solitary confinement or loss of pay.

More serious crimes meant imprisonment with ball and chain or spiked iron collars, and hanging by the wrists or thumbs. In spite of the guard shack being right next door, many prisoners escaped.

Being a guard was no skate through the park either. Shifts were 24 hours and they were required to remain in uniform, even when sleeping. A wooden shelf for a bed in a poorly insulated shack was all the luxury afforded the jail keeper.

The frontier army attracted many immi-grants trying to make a life in the new world. First generation immigrants out-numbered other soldiers by two to one.

The grand Valley Oaks populate much of this flat plateau, some of them as old as 300 years. The usual California critters inhabit the area including songbirds, small mammals, raptors, large predators and of course the ever present rattlesnake. The majestic California Condor sometimes finds shelter in the parks' Valley Oaks. I have seen these magnificent birds before and always have hopes of seeing one again, but today it was mainly jays and woodpeckers. They make me happy too.

The Oaks also shelter the grave of one Peter Lebeck. In 1837, seventeen years before the settlement of the fort, his epitaph was engraved on one of the oaks, Apparently killed by a bear, his companions buried him here and moved on. Not much is known about him. Most likely he was a fur trapper. A group called The Foxtail Rangers placed a proper headstone on his grave in 1938. He remains Kern County's most famous mountain man.

The infamous 8.0 earthquake of 1857 in southern California is often referred to as the Fort Tejon Earthquake. In addition to leaving a surface rupture scar over 220 miles long on the San Andreas Fault, it toppled a number of the buildings at Ft Tejon.

The path led us to orderlies' quarters, officers' quarters, the quartermaster shops and the barracks. Each building displayed furnishings, clothing, weaponry and miscellaneous daily items used by the soldiers and their families.

The barracks also held costumes and weaponry that is currently used in historical re-enactments by The Fort Tejon Historical Society and/or the Student Living History Program , an overnight program geared toward fourth and fifth grade students. As no one is currently stepping up to the plate to bail out Fort Tejon SHP by closure date, these events are only scheduled through June at this time.

Roxy and I explored the Officers' Quarters, entering through an open back door. Captain John Gardiner occupied this building with his wife Annie and their infant son. Examples of furninshings, including a wolf-skin rug, are on display. As we stood in the hallway of their home on this calm, wind-free day, the back door suddenly slammed shut. Well hello there! We love ghosts!

Family sounds mingled with army life at Fort Tejon, giving the fort a small town flavor. Dances, dramas and musical productions were a part of the community.

One of the more unique group of residents at the fort was a herd of camels. The Army had started experimenting with camels for supply transport in the southwest. The camels proved ill suited to the terrain. In 1859 a civilian contractor turned over 28 camels to Ft. Tejon. The post quartermaster cared for the herd until 1861 when they were transferred to the LA Depot. The Camel Corps are mentioned in many writings, but with the possible exception of being used for messenger service once in 1860, they in fact were never used in military operations.

Our Ft Tejon tour was complete and we all wanted lunch. We took a chance on a mom & pop Mexican restaurant - Grullense Mexi-can Restaurant - in the town of Gorman. I had the best nopales y huevos ever! Ernie and Rosey thought their meal was terrific too. Twas the end of a great day, and we were sated with good food and new knowledge as we drove back home through the orange groves of the Santa Clarita valley.

Hope to see you at the parks.

Lucy

PROVIDENCE MOUNTAINS STATE RECREATION AREA: Trip #23 of 70

2012-01-23T13:43:00.000-08:00

I knew in advance of my visit to Providence Mountains State Recreation Area that it was already closed, and that in fact the gates to lock up this park were up even before the 70 parks on the closure list were announced last May. Nonetheless, I really do want to get to all 70 parks, and my travels through the desert brought me close enough to the Eastern Mojave to check it out.

Besides, I got the impression from the park's website that while Mitchell Caverns and the campsites were closed, there were still a couple of accessible short hikes.

So, I exited off of Interstate 40 and drove the desolate sixteen mile road toward the park. I did not pass a single vehicle en route. I passed the sign that said "Fee Area Ahead; Self Registration," which is what a number of the closing parks are currently doing. I had hope of a hike.

It was not to be. Right at the sixteenth mile, a gate blocked any further travel down the road. Any temptation to drive around the gate (through the cactus!) was hindered by wire fencing on both sides of the gate as far as the eye could see.

I parked the car in a small dirt turnout. A white sedan was parked there as well, with a fishing rod in the rear back window and a large black trash bag sitting next to it. It was a clear day, and while I couldn't see forever, I could see a long way, and no human being was in sight.

I walked around the gate. Roxy walked under it, stumbling on the grates of the cattle guard. Since I had allowed an hour or two to see what I could see, we began our trek, walking up the middle of the paved road. Obviously we didn't need to worry about traffic. Mountains lions, maybe. I kept Roxy close. Dogs have been known to be attractive, easy prey for the big kitties. As with bears, I enjoying knowing the cats are out there, but prefer not to get any closer than a good zoom lens shot!

The primary attraction at this state park is Mitchell Caverns. In 1932 during the depression, Jack Mitchell, his wife Ida and their three daughters escaped to the East Mojave desert when the bottom fell out of their Los Angeles real estate business. Jack decided to try prospecting, and staked his claim when he found silver deposits in the Providence Mountains. He also found caves.

When the silver deposits proved insufficient to support his family, Jack and Ida created a tourist attraction and campsite around the caves. The venture was a success. He constructed several stone buildings for lodging, one of which served as the park's visitor center until the recent closure. They provided food and guided tours of the caverns until 1954. By all accounts, Jack Mitchell was quite a yarn-spinner. Old-timers still remember his tall tales of ghosts, lost treasure and bottomless pits.

Visitors walked through the two main caves, El Pakiva (The Devil’s House) and Tecopa (after a Shoshonean chieftain) where they had close-up views of stalactites and stalagmites, cave ribbon, cave spaghetti and ﬂow stone. In the early days, tourists had to be nimble rock-climbers who waited for their tour leader to toss ﬂares into the darkness. Later on the caverns became equipped with stairs and special lighting.

I wouldn't be seeing any of that today, though. After walking about a mile, I could see the road curved up into the mountains. There was no sign of any stone buildings.

Aside from a few cactus wrens flitting through the low growing plants, there was very little animal activity. Not as much as a buzzard or raven graced the desert skies. No chirps or caws. No growls or roars. No lizards darting out from under rocks. It was beautifully quiet. I love quiet!

Today I would be satisfied with seeing a goodly number of my cactus friends. Hah! Just I what I need, more photos of cactus. I already have hundreds.

In addition to the creosote - the staple of desert plant life - was plentiful white sage and tumbleweed. Red and golden barrel cactus and the leafy spanish dagger agave created dimension and gave color to the long dry valley. And finally, the jumping cholla cactus made its presence known as I walked further up the road. They had been absence from my desert travels of the past few weeks. They may be my favorite cactus. Often in the sunlight, and especially at dusk, they look as though they are outlined in electric lights. They are beautiful and over the years they've only bitten me once!

Off in the distance against the eastern mountains I spotted some evidence of life. What appeared to be a small clump of RVs rested at the end of a dusty road.

I couldn't decide if it the thought of living in an environment like that made me feel peacefully isolated, or if it just reminded me of an episode of Breaking Bad.

It was time to go. I had a 300 mile drive back to Ventura before days end. I would have surely loved to see those caverns. Who doesn't like to explore caves? If Providence Mountains State Recreation Area ever reopens I will most certainly return. The high desert is a favorite place of mine in the winter.

Over the past few months as I've talked with folks about my State Park travels, a number of people have commented how "they" can't really keep people out of the outdoor parks, even when gated. And while this is true, I would have had to walk at least a couple of more miles before getting to the official park entrance at Providence Mountains. The same applies to other parks I've visited, like Castle Crag and Palomar Mountain. You can park your car along the road and walk in, but it will generally add 4-6 miles of walking on pavement before getting to the hiking trails. I doubt the average day-tripper would be inclined to do so.

My vote is for no gates!

I hope to see you at the parks.

Lucy

SANTA CRUZ MISSION STATE HISTORIC PARK: Trip #22 of 70

2012-01-20T16:59:00.001-08:00

My sister Doreen and I followed the Mapquest directions right to the plaza on School Road. There - as promised - was Mission Santa Cruz. We parked on the street directly in front of the church. "But where," I wondered, "is the usual California State Park Emblem with the Grizzly Bear?" Hm. Curious.

Inside the museum/gift shop I made my usual inquiries about park closures. The lady be-hind the desk was confused. She knew nothing about closing Mission Santa Cruz. It quickly became apparent that this particular building is not the state park Mission. Rather, it is a replica of the original mission church that was destroyed in the 1857 earthquake. Mission Santa Cruz is not a state park. It belongs to the Catholic church.

However, Santa Cruz Mission State Historic Park was just a half block down the street. So, Mapquest had not steered us wrong after all. We decided to go ahead and tour the Mission Santa Cruz/Holy Cross Church since they had artifacts from the original mission.

This replica church was built in 1931 as a memorial to the original mission. It is half the size and is stucco rather than adobe. It sits about 200 feet southeast of the original site.

The funding for this project came from a wealthy Santa Cruz citizen named Gladys S. Doyle, While this memorial church resembles the original mission, it is understood that it is probably not a perfect replica, in that it had to be reconstructed from available pictures and stories.

An attached wing holds artifacts from the original Mission. Ornate, ceremonial vestments, crucifixes, chalices and decorations are displayed behind glass. A peaceful courtyard and garden inside the church walls has a fountain, a baptismal and of course, a statue of Junipero Serra, founder of the California Missions System.

Now, on to Santa Cruz Mission SHP, a two minute walk down the street. Sitting atop Mission Hill, it offers a patio, gardens, and excellent views of the city of Santa Cruz. The park features the only building - out of the original 32 buildings - left of the 12th California Mission. Founded by the Franciscans in 1791, it is an adobe building that was used for native family housing, called "The Home for New Citizens." (!) It is the oldest building in Santa Cruz County, built in 1824 by the Yokut natives. Exhibits inside tell the story of the mission through the lens of the experience of the Ohlone and Yokut people. Needless to say, it is not always a flattering picture of the early California Church.

The Mission history is de-picted differently now than when I was a fourth grader studying California history. Today many of the Missions tell of injustices toward Cali-fornia Native Americans. While the tone of the two organizations is different, both the State Parks and the Cath-olic Church acknowledge cruelty, slavery and forced conversions to the Indians.

Earnestly believing in their religion, Franciscan missionaries underwent severe hardships to bring Christianity to California natives. Food, clothing, shelter and religious instruction were given in exchange for labor and obedience. But all too often, the people the Spanish came to save suffered and died from European diseases for which they had no immunities. Unsanitary conditions, confinement and physical punishment further reduced the indigenous population. And although professing conversion to Christianity, many of the Ohlones would continue to practice their own religion in secret.

In 1821, Mexico won its eleven-year war for independence against Spain, which included California. In 1834, Mexico passed new laws that ended the Franciscan priests' control over the California missions. The missions were secularized. All of the land and animals that the missions had owned was to be divided up between the natives who had lived there and the nearby Californios. Unfortunately, very few of the natives ever received any of the property.

A local family named Rodriguez bought part of this adobe building in 1838, and began covering the adobe walls with wood. Although is wasn't their intention, their work helped to preserve the original adobe structure. A descendant of the Rodriguez family lived there until 1983, when she died at the age of 104.

Doreen and I ducked in and out of the various rooms in the long residential adobe, through doorways that were built at a time when people were less tall. Each room displayed living situations from various times during the adobe's existence. I was particular fascinated with a long sturdy ladder, held together with leather ties, that led to a loft in one of the rooms.

In 1850, California became The United States thirty-first state. A devastating earthquake in 1857 finished off the Mission Church. Roof beams and tiles, as well as foundation stones, were carried away for other uses and no trace of the original mission remained. President Buchanan returned Mission Santa Cruz to the Catholic Church in 1859.

Two hundred years after the founding of Mission Santa Cruz, this 175-year-old building became the head-quarters of Santa Cruz Mission State Historic Park. It took eight years to research, excavate, and restore the remaining seven rooms. The museum opened in 1991.

Outside in the garden, school children learn to make candles and cook handmade tortillas. I spotted a hummingbird on a vine that I thought looked a bit like one of the "El Camino Real" Missions bells along Highway 101. Flowers bloomed in the picnic area, and a Scrub Jay perched on a picnic table below an orange tree that overlooked the City of Santa Cruz.

Back at the car, the sun began to set behind the memorial church. For a fuller picture of this Mission, I recommend visiting both the State Park and the replica at Holy Cross Catholic Church. The prospects for this park remaining open are hopeful. Friends of Santa Cruz Parks are working to keep the four parks in their area open through a non-profit partnership.

Hope to see you at the parks.

Lucy

STANDISH-HICKEY STATE RECREATION AREA: Trip #21 of 70

2012-01-10T17:01:00.001-08:00

Whoops! The Standish-Hickey State Recreation Area almost slipped through a crack in my blog. My friend Patty and I visited the park for a few hours on a hot August day last summer.

Standish-Hickey began as a campground acquired by the Save-the-Redwoods League in 1922. In the late 1950’s, the Standish family donated over five hundred acres, and additional acquisitions through the years has increased the park’s total acreage.

The park was named to honor Edward Ritter Hickey, son of a local lumberman who died of influenza while caring for the victims of the epidemic of 1918, and of course for Mayflower Pilgrim Miles Standish and his descen-dants.

I always wonder how the families of those who donated acreage to the state (country, city, county) feel when those lands come up for closure. I would think sadness, anger and betrayal might be part of the emotions involved, as well as a caution to others before considering doing the same. That's how I would feel, anyway.

The area offered three campgrounds, picnicking, hiking, fishing, and swimming on the South Fork of the Eel River which winds through the park for almost two miles. The Redwood Campground has been closed for a couple of years already, and as of last Labor Day the remaining campgrounds are closed as well, although it is unclear from their website if this is a seasonal or a permanent closure.

Patty and I had hoped to hike the The Lookout Trail, a three mile loop with great views of the Eel River. But mostly what we wanted to see was the Miles Standish Giant Redwood, 1200 years old, 225-foot tall and 13 feet in diameter. But the gates were already up and the way blocked to that portion of the park.

There were only a couple of RVs in the campground today. Patty and I had a chat with a camper named Genny. "I'm so disappointed," she said. "I've been coming here every summer with my family since I was a little girl. I'm here this week with my kids and my grandchildren." Standish-Hickey does not have a full-time ranger, nor anyone collecting fees at the gate. Our Day-Use fee was on the honor system. After bemoaning the plight of the parks, we joined Genny and her family at a fabulous little swimming hole. The Eel River ﬂoods often, so its banks, bottom and swimming holes change each year. The footbridges are removed during the winter (and were still down on our visit), making most hiking trails inaccessible.

While I trudged down the trail to the water hole, my dog Roxy chose the water route, walking in the now shallow Eel. It was still running clear, and as she walked she drank and drank and drank until I was sure she would pop! No doubt the water had a refreshing taste that had been missing from her chlorinated Motel 6 water bowls of the past few days.

We played in the swimming hole and walked around for awhile, cooling off before the long drive home. I went into the water fully clothed, knowing it would only take a few minutes to dry in this inland heat.

Once refreshed we walked up the steep trail back to our car. Genny had informed us they enjoy coming here in the second half of August, because in Northern California all the kids are already back in school and they practically have the place - and the swimming hole - to themselves.

Next year if the park campground is open, I think I may just have to plop my tent there for a few days to swim, read, swim, walk, swim, nap, swim...

Hope to see you at the parks.

Lucy

SADDLEBACK BUTTE STATE PARK: Trip #20 of 70

2012-01-08T14:51:00.000-08:00

Although the hike to the peak of Saddleback Butte State Park is only 1.6 miles, the fact that I was 1) hiking alone and, 2) most of the 1,000 foot elevation gain was in the last half mile, had me a bit nervous. At the age of 57, I consider myself a moderately in shape hiker when it comes to stamina. But, when it comes to coordination and balance I find myself to be on the clumsy side.

When I arrived at the camp-ground, not a soul was in sight, not even the camp host. I parked my car under a lone Joshua Tree, the only shade in the entire campground.

Saddleback Butte is a granite mountaintop towering a thousand feet above the Antelope Valley floor at an elevation of 3,651, on the western edge of the Mojave Desert. The state park was created in 1960 to protect the butte (one of many similar land features in the Antelope Valley) and examples of Joshua Trees and other plants and animals that were once common throughout this high desert area.

I strolled around the campground, reading the information on the several available hikes. I decided to go for the three mile loop to the peak. What the heck. I gave myself permission to turn around if I felt the trail was exceeding my (solo) abilities.

I was relieved when after a few minutes another vehicle pulled in. Another "lone hiker" - a middle aged gentlemen - had arrived. And while he was courteous, his demeanor made it clear he didn't care to chat, and certainly didn't need an old lady hiking buddy (hah!). But, just knowing there was one more person in the park made me feel both safer and saner. He headed out 5-10 minutes in front of me, and for most of the hike he was in my view.

The trails begin on a mild slope through moderately loose sand among creosote bushes, Joshua trees, and tumbleweed. Brown posts with yellow tops marked the trail frequently, every 100 feet or so. I was given a beautiful day to hike. The skies were clear, and there was not even a hint of a breeze. Had I been a day later I would have had haze and Santa Ana winds.

A cottontail rabbit darted out of the creosote shrubs and disappeared into a hole. It was tempting to wait and see if I would be invited to a tea party, but as I did not see any "drink me" bottles lying around I accepted the fact that I was too large to follow. I stopped to empty the sand from my shoes and barely missed setting my stocking foot on a busy colony of red ants.

I reached the base of Saddleback Butte in about half an hour. So far twas a piece of cake, but then, I knew it would be up to this point. The climb now became significantly steeper, and boulders got in my way with increasing frequency.

While there may be hazards to hiking alone (...and yes, I DID see the movie 127 Hours...) there are also perks, such as going at my own pace and being able to do quirky things like stop every 64 steps and take 17 breaths. (Yes, I am a tad OCD, heh!)

The brown trail markers continued for awhile as the path became rockier. Eventually they were replaced by small stacks of stones that hikers use to mark confusing trails. And then they disappeared as well, just as the path became all boulders. I continued for a little bit, but quickly realized that I am not a good tracker. Combine that with a memory that's not as sharp as it once was and I decided to call it quits, even though I was only about 10-15 minutes from the peak. While age issues may have prevented me from reaching the top, maturity - and dare I say wisdom - left me content to have made it as far as I did, alone.

I stood now and enjoyed the 360 degree panoramic view of the Antelope Valley and Eastern Mojave Desert. A flock of Crows rejoiced with me, as well as some pesky desert flies. I swear the sky was bluer up near the top. Sadly, a grayish brown haze hovered on the horizon.

I began my way back down the mountain, making a couple of wrong turns and having to backtrack a bit before once again reaching the trail markers. Ah well, the gentleman hiker was now behind me in the event I still did something clumsy or stupid on the way down.

A colony of Black Ants demanded equal time from my camera, although their dark color made it difficult to distinguish them from their shadows.

Back at the parking lot, the camp host had returned and collected my day-use fee. She asked if I'd enjoyed my hike. I said I did, but that I could not imagine hiking here in the summer. The temperatures were in the high 60s today, and I'd gotten some good color on my skin, as well as working up a good sweat. She told me that almost no one came to this campground in the summer. I looked around. Since embarking on my hike, a single RV had pulled in, having their pick of any of the 50 spaces available. I wondered how it could possibly be less busy than it was on this perfect January day.

Saddleback Butte State Park does not currently have anyone preparing to step up to the plate to keep them open. There are donation jars at some of the other local parks to benefit Saddleback, but right now it looks like the gates will be going up at this park in six months.

In case you're wondering how close I got to the top, you can see a lesser peak in this photo, just to the right of the top. That's about where I ended up. I have no regrets.

Hope to see you at the parks.

Lucy

McGRATH STATE BEACH: Trip #19 of 70

2012-01-05T15:58:00.001-08:00

McGrath State Beach in Ventura is having a tough time. Named for theMcGrath family which had extensive coastal land holdings in Ventura dating back to 1874, this beach received enough funding last September to remain open an extra few months while they applied for grants to repair the rusted sewer system in the park.

So, when my friend Rosey and I tried to visit McGrath last October, we were surprised to find they had the gates locked and the closed sign up. We drove a few miles down the road to Ventura State Beach and inquired at the ranger station. It seems that an early rain storm brought floods and broken sewer pipes, damaging the campsite’s facilities, roads and infrastructure.

We decided to drive back and walk into the campgrounds, but parking is not allowed on Harbor Blvd, so we abandoned our autumn excursion.

A few days ago (January 3) we returned. Rosey’s husband Ernie dropped us off at the park entrance and we walked in. We hopped over the tire damaging spikes and strolled down the lane. The plan was to try to find a way to the beach and walk south a few miles. When we were done, we’d phone Ernie to pick us up. We were fully aware though, that the beach may not be accessible, depending on how severe the flooding, and that Ernie may be driving back sooner than he planned.

We only had to walk a few minutes before coming across what one might think, at a glance, was a lovely pond where both local and migrating birds were enjoying this sunny winter day. On closer examination, the picnic tables, trash cans and burn barrels in the middle of the “pond” made it clear that these were normally campsites.

We followed the road as it quickly disappeared into a stream. A sign that pointed to campsites and dump stations was a full fledged river.

After a few minutes we found one road that was open. Hoping it would lead to the beach we followed it, but it merely brought us to an area that held beach vehicles, porta potties and a half dozen housing units for park employees. A sign said “Authorized Personnel Only,” so of course we entered, hoping to attract attention to ourselves and get some information.

It worked.

After being told we weren’t supposed to be in the park and saying “we know,” and then being told we’d get a ticket for parking out on the street and saying “we were dropped off,” the “authorized personnel” gave up, and told us how to get out of the park and to the beach. We were cautioned to be aware of transient folks living under the bridge, and of two coyotes living in the brush. Coyotes! Hah! One of my favorite creatures. They are seldom a danger to humans, and when I run across them back at home I usually follow them with my camera. But anyway...

There is normally a nature trail with numbered signposts, but it was not accessible today. As we tried to make our way out of the park, we encountered several more flood obstacles, causing us to back track a few times. I found a picnic table that was not underwater and stood on it to get the only available glimpse of McGrath Lake. Even at a distance I could see it was covered with shorebirds.

Eventually we found a sandy trail that followed the lush banks of the Santa Clara River with it’s thick duck blinds and water fowl. But, we could not reach the beach for about a mile until finally the creek narrowed enough to cross. Along the way the dunes were showing signs of springtime life, with early blooms from iceplants and other local wildflowers.

We stopped for a break, sitting on a log and enjoying freshly picked oranges from Rosey’s neighbor’s tree. The beach was completely deserted, with the exception of a young fellow and his bicycle. He also knew how to walk into McGrath and follow the path to the ocean. He carried his bike the mile to the beach. Like us, he did not know where he was headed, nor how far he had to go to get back to the road, but like us, he said he was “on an adventure.”

We walked on the hard, packed sand by the water for awhile. Here and there teepees and other “structures” made from driftwood still stood. Another mile brought us to the Edison Power Plant where... oh dear... we encountered another stream. This time the water was rushing out of the power plant and feeding into the ocean. The current was swift and the water rough. It didn’t seem safe to cross even at the narrowest points. We feared that we would have to turn back. It appeared the power plant had fenced off any further beach access, but we were happy to discover they left a break in the fence for us to continue on.

Our last mile of hiking brought us increasingly closer to civilization where we gradually began seeing other humans and dogs, until we reached Oxnard Beach. I have to say, I hope when I am 76 years old like Rosey, that I will still be able to enjoy a four mile beach walk!

We phoned Ernie. He picked us up and we went to The Lookout Bar at Channel Islands Harbor for Bloody Mary's made with pepper flavored vodka.

The good news: McGrath has been saved for a second time. $500,000 has been raised from public and private sources to fix the flooding situation, including a $250,000 federal grant. This month two projects will begin to remove and replace old sewer lines, pumps and lift stations. It is hoped that the park will be able to re-open by summer, right around the time other parks on the closure list will be putting up their gates.

As much as I enjoy having a beach to myself, I look forward to visiting McGrath State Beach again soon, without being a scofflaw. After all, it's there for all of us to enjoy.

Hope to see you at the parks.

Lucy

MORRO STRAND STATE BEACH: Trip #18 of 70

2011-12-31T13:55:00.001-08:00

Six months into my State Park trips I finally made it to one of the State Beaches on the closure list. Morro Strand State Beach is a mile and a half stretch of pristine, swimming and surfing beach, with the south end of the beach ending at the iconic Morro Rock.

The beach can’t actually be
closed of course, especially since there is another non-state park entrance at Morro Rock. The affects of closure at this beach will be the shutdown of the campground, the elimination of ranger services, restrooms and trash cans. People will still have access to the beach. The concerns are – as usual – vandalism, garbage, drug use and fire.

At a recent town hall meeting in Nevada City about the closure of South Yuba River, the question was posed, “Without Park Services, how long do you think it would take before `South Yuba becomes an undesirable place to take your family?” A member of the audience shouted out, “One weekend.” Sadly, this is probably true.

Roxy and I strolled through the campground and chatted briefly with the camp host. He relayed stories he’d heard of a State Park that had recently closed up in my neck of the woods, and that the results were disastrous. I wonder which park he was referring to. Although the campground was sparsely populated on this gorgeous holiday week, he assured me that in the summertime it was always full. I have no doubts that is true. This stretch of beach is gorgeous.

As with many patches of central coast beaches, the habitat includes nesting grounds for the endangered shorebird, the snowy plover. Thus, dogs are not allowed on this stretch of beach. The path down to the water was postered with children’s drawings urging the public to “save the snowy plover.”

Wintering birds were a-plenty today. Black Brants (small geese from Northern Canada) munched on shrubbery while Curlews stuck their long bills into the sand looking for food. There was the usual variety of gulls (many of which were hatched at Mono Lake,) terns, grebes and of course the Snowy Plovers darting in and out of the foliage, quickly sprinting across the sand.

The grand focal point at this beach is course, Morro Rock. The roundtrip walk to “the rock” and back is 3.2 miles. The sand was wet and packed hard and flat, so the walking was easy. The beach was exceptionally clean, not just of trash, but also of shells, seaweed, driftwood and other ocean generated spew.

When explorer Juan Cabrillo first saw Morro Rock back in 1542, it was a much greater, rounded dome than the slim rock we see today. It was also an island, located about 1,000 feet offshore. In the late 1800s, harbor builders expanded Morro Bay’s entrance. Sand shoals piled up between the rock and the beach, creating what geographers call a tombolo, a sand split that connects and island to the mainland.

Although the sun was out, the temperature was only around sixty degrees, and the breeze was cool. This, however, did not keep away a few dedicated and/or youthful belly boarders, surfers and wind surfers. That would have been me as a kid. It was never too cold to go swimming. The last quarter mile of the beach – right at “the rock” – allows dogs if you enter from the town of Morro Bay. I guess the Snowy Plovers have no habitat in that little stretch. Two energetic canines gleefully chased their “kids” through the surf.

Directly across from the rock is the Morro Bay Power Plant, drawing almost as much visual attention as the rock itself. The hillsides beyond the beachfront have several clumps of houses. Whenever I see hillside villages like these, it always reminds me of ancient Greece, or other Mediterranean hillside habitats. My mind wandered, as I wondered if in another 1,000 years, humankind will be curiously digging the rubble of these hillside homes, searching for clues of how life was lived in 21st century California.

The Central Coast Natural History Association provides park programs, lectures and school tours. I was one day late for a talk on Peregrine Falcons. Rats!

I returned from my walk and shared a snack with Roxy. We then hopped into the car and drove to the beach entrance by the rock, where Roxy was allowed to run and play while we watched the sunset,. Both Venus and a crescent moon hovered directly over Morro Rock, giving us a sparkling view to end our day. And then, on to our next adventure.

Hope to see you at the parks.

Lucy

WEAVERVILLE JOSS HOUSE STATE HISTORIC PARK: Trip # 17 of 70

2011-12-15T09:07:00.001-08:00

Curved pathways and double doors were built at the Weaverville Joss House State Historic Park with the belief that they would confuse the evil spirits and keep them out of the Taoist Temple of the Forest Beneath the Clouds. We can only hope this methodology works and that the dark forces that would have this Joss House closed can be kept at bay.

The Weaverville Joss House is located in the town of Weaverville, fifty miles west of Redding, right on Highway 299. They are currently open two days per week - Thursdays and Saturdays - sharing some of the park services with Shasta State Historic Park down the road.

Prior to California's gold rush, the Native Wintu people had occupied the local lands for about 4,000 years. With the arrival of thousands of fortune seekers, their indigenous ways were forever changed. In addition to the "gold fever bug," the new residents brought with them many diseases to which the original people had no immunity, decimating three quarters of them. Today Wintu descendants are reviving their languages, crafts and traditions.

In addition to Americans and Europeans flocking to the gold fields, a large number of the miners were from China, particularly from the economically challenged southern province of Guangdong. Hard working, many were able to send their earnings back to their families in China. Sadly, many others were unable to survive the new, harsh environment and went to early, unmarked graves. Still others chose to open small businesses such as grocery stores, barbershops, bakeries and restaurants. Weaverville had an opera house and puppet theatre to accommodate traveling troupes of Chinese entertainers.

Patty and I visited in August. Yellow yarrow in full bloom lined the parking lot. The Visitor Center/Museum was straight ahead, displaying Lion Dancer costumes, historical charts and artifacts. Our ticket from our earlier visit to Shasta SHP also entitled us to entry at the Joss House.

Tours were on the hour and as with many historic sites, we were only allowed into the building with a guide. An ornate red bridge crosses a creek to the temple, with lush plant life, carvings and statuary along the way.

The first temple on this site was built in 1853 and burned down in 1861. Local Chinese resi-dents built a second temple which was once again swept away by flames in 1873, as was the entire town in this heavily forested part of the state. The temple was once again rebuilt in 1874. This time, sitting atop the roof of the temple, are two Chow Win Dragon Fish,
believed to keep wooden struc-tures safe from fire. It would seem these fish have been adequately doing their job for the past 137 years. I myself live in an area where forest fires are the most common natural hazard, and thought perhaps I would like to get a couple of these for my roof.

Our tour guide, Paula, led a half dozen of us to the gates of the temple. The blue color on the front of the building represents the sky, the symbol of Heaven, with white lines resembling tile work of similar temples in China, and now giving it a "blue brick" appearance. Ornate Chinese lettering and paintings decorate the outside of the temple. A double screen door serves as a final barrier to any evil spirits who may have managed to navigate the curvy pathway. It was believed that evil spirits were unable to travel over barriers or around corners. So far, so good.

By 1880 the population of Trinity County had decreased to less than 2000. As gold dwindled, many left to work on the railroads. By 1931 only sixteen Chinese residents were left in Weaverville. The Joss House was robbed of many of it's furnishings. The abandoned dwelling seemed unable to keep the evil spirits away.

Weaverville resident Moon Lim Lee was appointed trustee of the Joss House in 1938, and many of the pilfered items were recovered. For the next twenty years he promoted the temple as a jewel that should be preserved for all Californians. The deities - no doubt happy to have their domain restored - were perhaps instrumental in the Joss House becoming a State Park in 1956. Now, as we entered the temple, we were honored to view the treasures of Mr. Lee's tireless efforts.

Inside is a magnificent, colorful display. Three ornately carved spirit houses hold clay statues of male and female deities. Bright red banners hang from the ceiling. An altar table holds candles, incense, wine cups, stone urns and many other ceremonial artifacts. The side walls of the temple store banners, drums and gongs that are used on Chinese New Year and other celebratory occasions.

Prior to visiting the Joss House, I had read that it is still an active temple. Taoist ceremonies are still presented. “To us, the Joss House represents a direct link back to our honored ancestors” says Rev. Jefferson Lee, chief priest of San Francisco’s Ching Chung Taoist Association.

One of the docents remarked that a local resident - upon hearing that the Joss House was on the State Park closure list - wondered, "How can they close my church?" I instantly replied, "All the more reason to keep church and state separate." And as I said these words, I wondered how in fact that all worked in this situation. I am exploring some of that history now, and hope to have more information when I write about Mission Santa Cruz in a couple of weeks.

A sparsely furnished living quarters for the temple attendant is attached to the Joss House. Relatives of Weaverville's nineteenth century residents who were living in China were nonetheless obligated to financially support the temple. On the walls are hundreds of crumbling red papers with the names of contributors and the amount of their "donation."

Back at the museum I chatted with park workers about the closure list. As at all of the parks I’ve visited, there is concern and dismay about the situation, but it is usually accompanied by hope and a positive attitude. I was sensing something a little different here. Agitation? Anger?

Some suggest that the parks should be privatized. I personally am opposed to this idea, although it would not be the end of the world if it occurred. There are, however, laws in place preventing this. Today one of the park workers expressed support for commercialization and how they would love for the Joss House to be the first to have vending machines or other products. Well, we’re all entitled to our opinions.

What I heard next did not set well with me at all. It was suggested that the Joss House go to the Chinese Embassy and request a large donation. Not only would that keep the temple open, but it would “embarrass the State of California.”

Wow! Really?

My hackles were raised. China support the Joss House? China doesn’t even support temples in their own land. In Tibet alone, the majority of temples and monasteries have been destroyed in the last fifty years. And while religion in general has begun to creep back into Chinese culture, it must often be done privately and behind closed doors. To my mind it would seem the only reason China would want to support California’s temple would be to embarrass us.

Citing a “precedent”, I was informed that recently Fort Ross SHP and it’s Russian legacy received a million dollars when they went to the Russian Embassy and warned of their possible closure. My research found this to be not completely accurate. It is true that a very complicated and detailed arrangement was worked out with Governor Schwarzenegger, Park Administrator Ruth Coleman, and the Parks Department maintaining jurisdiction over Ft. Ross with the Renova Group, a Russian asset management corporation that is currently being investigated in Switzerland for criminal activities with one conviction already handed down. Can evil spirits take the form of hostility and half truths?

Since my visit, the supporting non-profit Weaverville Joss House Association has launched a campaign with the support of the park, volunteers and local politicians, to raise the $250,000 needed by May 2012 to keep the park open.

Guan Gong, one of the presiding deities at the Joss House, has a “world-awakening prayer” that curses for those who cheat the gods. But, this same prayer offers “prosperity and longevity to those who respect Heaven and Earth, and are kind to your neighbors and amass merit through anonymous good deeds.” Perhaps this would be the best route to keep the evil spirits away.

I hope to see you at the parks.

Lucy

FORT HUMBOLDT STATE HISTORIC PARK: Trip #16 of 70

2011-12-10T16:06:00.000-08:00

It was a typical overcast day when Patty and I visited Fort Humboldt State Historic Park in the Northern California town of Eureka. Sitting on a bluff overlooking the rugged Humboldt Bay, (California's second largest bay port,) Fort Humboldt is two parks in one, a historic fort, and a logging and railroad museum .

The original fort was estab-lished in 1853 to assist in conflict resolution between Native Americans and the increasing number of gold miners flooding into the area.

We visited the Railroad portion first. It was August Steam-Up Day at the park and free train rides were being given by the volunteers. Ft. Humboldt's two small operating gypsy loco-motives are the only remaining examples of locomotives manufactured by Marshutz and Cantrell. We hopped aboard and were taken for a short ride, fifty yards at the most. But the crew was jolly and the riders were having a genuinely enjoyable time.

When the gold rush went bust, logging and timber became the primary industry in Humboldt County. The non-profit organization The Timber Heritage Association (THA) has been collecting artifacts for the logging exhibit and working to preserve the local logging history since 1977.

The most notable of these artifacts is the steam donkey. Invented in 1881 by John Dolbeer, a founding partner in the Dolbeer and Carson Lumber Company in Eureka, the steam donkey got it's name from "donkey" engines used in sailing ships to load and unload cargo.

In the simplest setting, a line-horse carried a cable to the felled timber. The cable was attached to the log and on signal, the steam donkey's engi-neer would open the regulator, allowing the steam donkey to drag the log towards it. It was then taken either to a mill or to a landing where the log would be shipped by rail or river. If a donkey was to be moved, one of its cables was attached to a tree, stump or other strong anchor, and the machine would drag itself overland to the next yarding location.

There was to have been a steam donkey demonstration at the park today, but it didn't happen due to a mixup with volunteers. Nontheless there was plenty of interesting equipment and logs to view before heading over to the abandoned fort. One of the THA's concerns about the state park budget cutbacks is the lack of funds for proper maintenance for many of the already deteriorating museum pieces.

I won't deny that my "inner tree-hugger" didn't gasp at some of the early photos of the downed majestic, old-growth giants. But, my own little house was built in 1945 with redwood. I won't even pretend that I have any ideas as to acheiving some sort of balance between homes, jobs and the environment. I hope someone smarter than me figures it out though, and leaves us with some old-growth forests for posterity.

The hospital is the only remaining structure from the original fourteen buildings at the Fort. For some time is has been a historical museum dedicated to telling the story of the Fort and the Native American groups, including the Wiyot, Hoopa and Yurok of this region. In the 1980's the Surgeon’s Quarters was reconstructed and there are plans for its establishment as a period house museum. In 2001 an historic herb and vegetable garden was recreated adjacent to the Hospital.

Unfortunately, the hospital museum was damaged extensively by an earthquake in January 2010. Signs on the building indicated closure for an indefinite period.

Peering through the windows we could see much plaster and debris from the earthquake.

Behind the building a piece of chimney lay on the ground. A ladder lying on the roof seemed to indicate that some repair had been attempted, but the amount of moss growing on the ladder lead us to believe it had been awhile since any efforts had been made. No doubt with the park on the closure list, there is hesitation to continue with repair.

The remainder of the park was an open field with an empty flagpole. Signposts marked the sites where buildings once stood, although some of the signposts had deteriorated to a point of illegibility.

The most notable of Fort Humboldt's occupants was the young General Ulysses S. Grant. After being decorated for bravery in the Mexican-American war, he was posted to Fort Humboldt for about five months in 1854. He found his post at the fort boring and isolating and felt his Army career was going nowhere. The Fort Commander was his bitter rival Lt. Col. Robert Buchannon. Buchannon accused Grant of being drunk on duty, contributing to the myth of Grant as a hard-drinking man. Grant was forced to either resign his post or be court martialed. He returned to his home in Missouri to farm until the Civil War returned him to his military status in 1861. Fort Humboldt was formally abandoned in 1870 and rapidly fell into decay.

A park worker in a golf cart buzzed by us to remind us that she would be locking the gate promptly in 30 minutes and that we'd best prepare to leave unless we wanted to spend the night.

At this writing the Fort Humboldt website states it is open daily from 8:00am to 5:00pm. However the phone number listed is no longer "monitored" as the answering machine says, I hope the information is up to date. There is much work needed at both the historic logging/train museum and the old Fort. I'm glad I made it up there for a visit before it closes.

Hope to see you at the parks.

Lucy

SUGARLOAF RIDGE STATE PARK: Trip #15 of 70

2011-12-03T11:48:00.001-08:00

When I originally planned my visit to Sugarloaf Ridge State Park, I had no idea it would involve a hike to the end of our Solar System. Sugarloaf Ridge is a 4900 acre park that offers camping, hiking and picnicking, as well as accom-modating horseback riders. A dozen hikes are available ranging from easy to stren-uous, from one to nine miles in length. Elevations rise and fall between 600 - 2700 feet.

The scenery changes around every bend. Open meadows, dank creeks, marshes, moss, sunny vineyards and high vistas assure a splendid variety of plantlife and color. I looked over the list of hikes, taking into consideration that darkness falls early this time of year.

But first, a visit to the Robert Ferguson Observatory!

The Ferguson Observatory (RFO) has a compli-cated relationship with Sugarloaf Ridge. While it is on State Park land, it is operated separately, sort of. It sits about a half mile into the park, so anyone wishing to visit the observatory must pay the park entrance fee. However, if the observatory is open on a day that the park is closed, you still pay your entry fee but are not allowed to hike on any of the trails, even though several of them begin right next to the telescopes. This can put the volunteers at the observatory in the awkward situation of having to police the paths, with no ranger on hand. I have to say though, no one was complaining. Twas just my own observation.

Today RFO had a small telescope set up with a sun filter where visitors could view sunspots. Downstairs is a classroom, a full kitchen, and the main observing room with a roll-back roof and a huge hand-made telescope for night viewing. RFO offers a 6-week astronomy course that repeats throughout the year. They hold regular Friday night "Star Parties" open to the public. You can also rent the observatory for private parties of up to 50 people, however you are required to pay the overnight park camping fees when you do so.

Sun gazing completed, I looked at the list of possible day hikes. "Why don't you take our planet walk," suggested the RFO docent. He pointed to a gate with a path. A "Planet Walk" was not listed on my information sheet. I was informed that the walk placed the planets proportionally along the trail. "Sure," I said. Seeing groups of families with kids on the walkway, I figured it was short and I'd still have time for one of the other hikes afteward. Planet Walk it is!

As I departed Earth for planets beyond, four horses stared at me. 'Perhaps," I thought, "they are representing the four winds and directions and blessing my journey." More than likely though, they just thought I was weird. Or more worrisome, perhaps they know something I don't. Hmmmmmmm.

It only took a few minutes to reach Mars as it was a mere football field length away. The foot-path was flat and manicured. The surrounding terrain included a large open meadow, although the rock formations on the distant mountainside looked strangely like dwellings of other-world creatures. A couple of children went tearing by me on their way to Jupiter.

I reached Jupiter in another five minutes. It is three times further than Mars from the Sun. I was informed by the sign that I was now amoungst the first of the "outer planets." The terrain changed subtly. Oak covered hilltops and bramble choked creeks now greeted my view.

The journey to Saturn took ten minutes, leading me into a more forested area. Here fallen Autumn leaves began covering the path and footbridge, making the trail a little more slippery, along with the cover of trees keeping the path moist and muddy.

Arrival at Uranus (hold the jokes; I've heard them all), fifteen minutes later gave me pause. The info at this outpost informed me that to get to the next planet - Neptune - was a mile, all uphill. I had anticipated this being a short "family walk," so I had not brought any water with me. I did however, have my purse slung over my shoulder, not realizing the length of the trek. To go on or not to go on. What the heck. It's only a mile... but then... how far to Pluto?

The elevation began to increase immediately. Halfway to Neptune I encountered a "serious" hiker heading downhill. He looked at me with my purse and commented, "I guess you're not in it for the long haul to the summit." "No," I replied. "I'm just going to the end of the Solar System." He looked alarmed and informed me that it would be a challenge to reach Pluto. And then he remembered, "But I think Pluto's not as far as it used to be." I specu-lated the reason for this was that Pluto had been downgraded from a planet to first a "dwarf planet" and later to a "fairly large rock." He chuckled and went on his way.

As I climbed I viewed vineyards below me, and came across the very Uraniun sight of a crop of solar panels out in the middle of nowhere. The sign at Neptune advised another mile to Pluto at the summit of Brushy Peak. Here the trail became very steep, covered in many places by loose rock. Well, I'd come this far, and although I was thirsty, decided to continue. As it turned out, Pluto was only fifteen minutes away, not at the summit. It had been moved.

I whizzed back through the solar system in 75 minutes, over the leaf covered trails and past dying sword ferns, arriving back on Planet Earth where water and lunch awaited. My little stroll had turned into a 5 mile hike, but it was worth it.

There was enough daylight time left to walk the one-mile Creekside Nature Trail. Now this truly is a nice family walk. It is right across from the main parking lot, next to the campground. As dusk set it, a herd of deer in a hilltop silhouette munched on the grasses, while the sound of chirping frogs took over the squawks and caws of scrub jays and ravens.Numbered signposts correspond with a brochure you can pick up at the Visitor's Center, identifying seventeen types of plant and mineral life.

Sugarloaf Ridge State Park is now closed through February. The observatory remains open. As with a number of the Sonoma area State Parks, the prospects of escaping closure are good. A partnership with a non-profit organization has been accepted in Sacramento, with poly-financial details still to be worked out.

Hope to see you at the parks.

Lucy

BALE GRIST MILL STATE HISTORIC PARK: Trip #14 of 70

2011-11-29T18:42:00.001-08:00

Bread is my favorite food group. My palette would be happy with a grains only diet. So what better park to visit on Thanksgiving weekend celebrating food, harvest and abundance, than Bale Grist Mill State Historic Park.

When the mill was first built by Dr. Edward Bale in 1844, grist mills were a cornerstone of American sustenance, both social and nutritional. Bale Grist Mill was for more than grind and storage. News, gossip, dances and other social events were integral parts of "hanging around the mill."

Thomas Jefferson once said, "There is no neighborhood in any part of the United States without a water grist mill for grinding the corn." The 1840 census showed 23,661 grist mills serving the USA population of 17 million. Prior to the construction of Bale's mill, the locals of what is now Sonoma County had to make a three-day journey to turn their wheat to flour. Bale's grist mill - and originally sawmill as well - were a welcome addition to this new community of pioneers.

Bale Grist Mill is right on Highway 29, halfway between the hot springs of Calistoga and the wineries of St. Helena. It is a compact but pleasant park, with a picnic area. After walking across the mill-creek, pumpkins, scarecrows and other harvest decor welcome you to the Visitor's Center and Museum.

A $3.00 entry fee entitles you to view the museum and to a 45-minute tour of the mill. The museum is filled with day-to-day items used back in the day. A dozen or so 4x8 foot flats tell the mill's story. As with many early pioneers, the history is colorful and not without it's ambiguities.

An English surgeon, Dr. Edward Bale attended several British medical schools, always leaving on the lam when he fell behind on his school fees. With debtors prison at his heels, he bailed on the British Isles and joined the whaling ship "Harriet" as its surgeon.

No one knows for certain if he jumped ship, or if the ship went down, but Dr. Bale appeared alone on the shores of Monterey (the capitol of then Mexican California), near death from hypothermia and claiming to be the sole survivor of a sinking ship.

At that time Mexico was awarding generous land grants in order to populate it's California territory and protect it from other nation invaders from the sea, and from pioneers now arriving from the eastern United States. Dr. Bale was hopeful of receiving a land grant, and set about meeting the three criteria Mexico required. First, through interviews, it was determined he was not a criminal. Second, he converted to Catholicism. And finally, he became a Mexican citizen by serving one year as a surgeon in the Mexican army. He and his new wife Maria - niece of General Vallejo - were awarded 18,000 acres in the area that now encompasses the towns of Calistoga to Rutherford.

The mill wheel we see today is not the original. The first was only a twenty foot wheel, using the often too soft granite rock for the stones, and as mills go was mediocre in its production. The current mill was redesigned by Maria, has a thirty-six foot wheel, and replaces the granite with the harder quarzite.

Today, many folks consider this "Maria's Mill" rather than Dr. Bale's. After bearing six children in six years, Maria got a break from both childbirth and from Dr. Bale's rascally behavior when he left for the gold fields in 1848. Gun fights and illegal sales of alcohol landed him in jail on more than one occasion. As with most, his dream of making a fortune in gold was never realized. He returned home, but become ill and died at the age of 38. Likely speculations as to the the cause of death include stomach cancer and cirrhosis of the liver.

Maria, now left with all of her husband's debt, rebuilt the mill to a higher standard with a 36 foot over-shot water wheel, and made her children's education a priority, sending them to the finest schools in Santa Clara, Boston and England. Eventually through hard work and creative financing, she paid off her debt, and willed the mill to her oldest daughter Isadora.

Over the next few decades the mill changed hands several times, with constant improvements, until in 1885 the last miller was let go. The growing California population now needed mills that produced a higher volume than the modest Bale Grist Mill. In 1905 the mill was closed for good.

Between 1988 and 2000 assorted repairs and restorations were made, and the mill is once again a functioning mill during the week, with tours on the weekend.

Our tour guide Scott showed us how the mill could be run by one individual, a competent miller, with the occasional assistance of apprentices known as "dusties." He adjusted gears, stripped ears of corn, and explained the origin of several phrases in the English language.

"Run of the mill" and "fair to midland" both originated in the milling environment referring to everyday grains and flours. The miller had to "keep his nose to the grindstone" to make certain the two large grindstones never touched, running only thousandths of an inch apart. The two wheels needed to balance perfectly, with the top wheel and it's "cock" sitting perfectly on the lower wheel's "eye." Thus, at one time, "cockeyed" meant perfectly balanced, quite the opposite of today.

The teeth of the gears are made of wood to prevent sparking. Flour dust is highly flammable and in the days before electric light, only natural light was allowed - no candles or gaslights - so as to prevent explosions.

Finally, the flour is produced, bagged and sold. Well, it used to be sold. Now it is available for a donation. As of 2011 the mill no longer meets state health requirements, so the bags of flour are marked "Not for Human Consumption." The problem? Not the milling process, but rather building code issues. Pristine, nonpourous floors and stainless steel appliances are not a part of this historic mill. So the flour can no longer be officially "sold." I gave a donation for a stoneground bag of spelt and one of polenta. This particular human fully intends to happily consume this "unsterile" product.

Although I lingered at Bale Grist Mill State Historic Park for nearly three hours, it can be fully seen in 60-90 minutes. It's an easy visit for anyone wine-tasting or mud-bathing in Calistoga. And the good news! The parks proposal for a partnership with a supporting non-profit organization has been accepted in Sacramento, and the chances are very good that this delightful park will remain open.

Now! Pass me a big old honkin' chunk of butter.

See you at the parks.

Lucy

RAILTOWN 1897 STATE HISTORIC PARK: TRIP #13 OF 70

2011-11-24T20:18:00.001-08:00

The trains at Railtown 1897 State Historic Park run on weekends from April through October, the steam train on Saturdays and the diesel train on Sundays. I squeaked in on the last Saturday in October - Halloween! - for a ride on the steam train with it's "skeleton crew." As it turns out, Santa's Starlight Express and the Santa Day Trains run on Thanksgiving weekend and the weekend before Christmas, so there's still a chance to spend a thoroughly enjoyable day at this State Park before they close for the winter.

It was a perfect day for the 90 mile drive to Jamestown, combining the clear blue skies of summer with autumn color and a hint of crispness in the air. My dog Roxy and her "aunties" Patty and Jeannie piled into my car. Driving through the quaint towns of Jackson, San Andreas, and Angels Camp, I had to fight the urge to stop and explore the many historic markers along the way. I vowed to rent a cabin in Calaveras County sometime in the future and spend a week visiting them all!

Once in Jamestown we stopped at a local mini-market to pick up a picnic lunch. In the spirit of the hallowed holiday, a buxom, matronly clerk with pink and yellow hair (and the proverbial "heart of gold") offered to apply colored hairspray to all who entered the store. I opted for a couple of blue streaks down the back of my long dark brown hair while Jeannie went for a few swatches of pink, filling the market with hairspray fumes and choking the other customers.

Lunch acquired, we drove the half mile to the park. Before eating, we purchased tickets for the 2:00pm train ride, as sometimes they sell out in advance. Tickets range in price from $6.00 - $13.00 depending on age and where you sit. The train runs on the hour with the last ride at 3:00pm. Ditto for the walking tour of the roundhouse.

The Sierra Railway Company was formed in 1897 by Thomas Bullock who had logging and mining interests in the area. Bullock owned three locomotives and several miles of track due to his failed railway in Arizona. With investment assistance from William Crocker and Crocker's brother-in-law Prince Andre Poniatowski, they developed this short-line railroad to Oakdale where they hooked up with the Southern Pacific Railroad to serve the growing Sacramento and San Francisco areas.

In 2010 the Sierra 3 Loco-motive was fully restored
(see video) and now whistled and rumbled in the background during our picnic. Our lunch was enhanced by the Oakdale Model A Club exhibiting their cars on this particular day. Roxy behaved, promising not to make the white walls yellow.

An impressive variety of loco-motives, passenger and freight cars are strewn about the park, awaiting restoration. Train parts and tools are everywhere. This is an active, working facility. While explor-ing the park, I had to frequently walk on or cross a railroad track. I noticed that even when that track was nonfuctioning or went nowhere, the fact that I could hear the train and sometimes feel it's rumble, made me want to nervously jump off the tracks. A lifetime of horror stories about getting stuck on railroad tracks (Mighty Mouse anyone?) are apparently deeply ingrained.

Since 1919 the Sierra Railroad has starred in more than 200 movies, TV shows and commercials. Its freight hauling days were ending, but the trains were still being used by Hollywood.
With everything from miles of tracks, a wealth of old trains and a rugged "old west" landscape, the motion picture industry helped keep the railway afloat during tough economic times and prevented the locomotives and cars from becoming wartime scrap metal.

Movie memorabilia is scattered about. There are old movie posters, John Wayne's handcar, and a screen backdrop for your own photo-op (or your dog's). I found myself wishing for some rope so that I could take a picture of myself tied up on the tracks.

The water tower from Petticoat Junction's Shady Rest Hotel sits at the back of the park amidst as lot of "train stuff." Clint Eastwood is one of this steam locomotive’s co-stars and supporters. Says Eastwood, “The Sierra No. 3 is like a treasured old friend. Early in my career, I rode Sierra No. 3 on the television series Rawhide. Over twenty years later, I returned to use No. 3 for my own productions Pale Rider and Unforgiven. Even in the business of ‘make believe,’ you can’t beat the real thing." A complete list of film and television appearances are at the end of the blog.

We boarded the Sierra 3 Movie Train for the 2:00pm ride. This being Halloween weekend we had a "skeleton crew." The train was decorated with orange and black spiders, skeletons and the like. Many children were in costume. A few Steam Punk folks were on board. Roxy was allowed to ride as well, although I would be remiss if I didn't say that the "official" policy is that only services dogs are allowed on the train.

The forty-five minute ride crosses the highway, rolls through the backyards of foothill homes as well as as rugged western landscapes, and ends at a quarry. Here the train stops while the engine is moved to the other end of the train for the return trip. There's a stop at the water tower to "refuel," and then back to the station where we embarked on our guided tour through the roundhouse.

The round house is of course, where the locomotives rest at night and where restoration and repair work occur. Grease, large holes in the ground for working on the train's undersides, metal shavings, machinery and tools of all kinds fill the building, including items that are no longer used but part of the history of the trains and how things were "in the old days." Our tour guide was both personable and knowledgable, allowing us to roam fairly freely while cautioning us when necessary. He was able to flag all of the questions from the more mechanical types (which doesn't include me.) I'm probably in the bottom 10 percent when it comes to mechanical aptitude, but I've always loved taking pictures of mechanical things. Their mere shape and power alone hold a fascination for me.

A few of the walls had some markings from years gone by, noting the weather conditions on a given day. I love finding writings in old buildings from former inhabitants. It somehow makes history come alive.

The day's finale - and for me the most exciting part - was watching Sierra 3 brought back to the roundhouse. As she whistled and puffed back to her stable, I was allowed to stand within a few feet of the track as she passed by, a genuine thrill! The turntable was built in 1922, and she was given a full 360 degree spin for our viewing pleasure. Then, slowly, grandly and with great dignity, Sierra 3 was put to bed as the doors were closed behind her. Wow! Suddenly, I "got" the fascination with trains that so many people have.

There were only moments left now before the park closed, not nearly enough time to see the film, but perhaps enough time to gather a bit more information and hurriedly talk with some of the volunteers. I spoke with several folks who said that they weren't supposed to discuss politics (ie the park closure) but to a person no one at Railtown 1897 believes it's going to close. They are associated with the Sacramento Railroad Museum and have 150 volunteers donating over 29,000 hours annually. They all plan on the park taking it's winter break as per usual, and reopening - as per usual - in April.

I hope so. The trains were certainly full for every ride and the roundhouse tours were well attended. This park certainly does not suffer from lack of love. They are running the trains Thanksgiving weekend and the weekend before Christmas. It's a great place for a family outing, and then you can come home and watch Back to the Future III or one of the many other films shot here and say, "I was there!"

Hope to see you at the parks.

Lucy

PS - Remember to check the list of movies and TV shows below!

RAILTOWN 1897 MOVIE LIST:

1919 The Red Glove
1929 The Virginian
1930 The Texan
1932 The Conquerors
1934 The Lone Cowboy
1935 County Chairman
1936 Conflict
1937 North of the Rio Grande
1937 The Toast of New York
1938 In Old Chicago
1939 Dodge City
1940 My Little Chickadee
1940 Young Tom Edison
1940 When the Daltons Rode
1940 Return of Jessie James
1940 Wyoming
1940 Santa Fe Trail
1940 Go West
1946 Duel of the Sun
1949 Whispering Smith
1950 Wyoming Mail
1951 Sierra Passage
1951 The Great Missouri Raid
1951 The Texas Rangers
1951 Drums in the Deep South
1951 The Cimarron Kid
1952 High Noon
1953 Kansas Pacific
1953 The Moonlighter
1954 Apache
1955 Rage at Dawn
1955 Return of Jack Slade
1955 Texas Lady
1957 The Big Land
1958 Terror in Texas Town
1958 Man of the West
1959 Face of a Fugitive
1964 The Outrage
1965 The Great Race
1966 The Rare Breed
1968 The Perils of Pauline
1968 Finian’s Rainbow
1969 A Man Called Gannon
1969 The Great Man’s Whiskers
1971 Joe Hill
1971 Nichols
1972 Great Northfield Minnesota Raid
1972 No Place to Run
1972 Let Me Tell You a Song
1973 Slither
1973 Oklahoma Crude
1976 Bound for Glory
1976 Nickelodeon
1977 The World’s Greatest Lover
1978 The Last of His Tribe
1978 Last Ride of the Dalton Gang
1978 Fast Charlie, the Moonbeam Rider
1979 The Apple Dumpling Gang Rides Again
1980 The Long Riders
1980 The Gambler
1980 Sawyer and Finn
1982 Shadow Riders
1983 Gambler II
1984 Chattanooga Choo Choo
1987 Blood Red
1990 Back to the Future III
1992 Unforgiven
1994 Bad Birls
1995 Colors of a Brisk and Leaping Day
2001 Redemption of the Ghost

RAILTOWN 1897 TV LIST

1956 The Lone Ranger
1957 Tales of Wells Fargo
1957 Casey Jones
1960 Overland Trails
1960 Rawhide
1961-2 Lassie
1962 The Raiders
1965-6 Death Valley Days
1963-5 Petticoat Junction
1964-6 The Big Valley
1964 The Wild Wild West
1965-6 The Legend of Jesse James
1965 The F. B. I.
1965 Scalplock
1967 Cimarron Strip

DEL NORTE COAST REDWOODS STATE PARK: Trip #12 of 70

2011-10-09T23:29:00.000-07:00

Great News! Del Norte Coast Redwoods State Park - along with Tomales Bay and Samuel P. Taylor State Parks - have been removed from the closures list! In a press release last week, California State Parks announced that these three parks will remain open for an additional year on a trial basis in a partnership with the National Parks Service. And! Governor Jerry Brown has signed AB42 which allows some state parks to form partnerships with other non-profit organizations. Here's hoping a few more parks get a reprieve!

Del Norte Coast Redwoods SP is located six miles south of Crescent City - at the northern most part of the state - right on the ocean. Mist, moisture and fog envelope the old growth Redwood Trees, ferns, moss, mushrooms and other living things that enjoy a dense, dark habitat. Damnation Creek Trail - so named due to the "devil a time" early settlers had making their way through the thick forest - is a five mile round trip walk through the redwoods with a 1000 foot elevation gain. Even early trailblazer Jedediah Smith, (who has his own State Park named after him 15 miles up the road) had a dickens of a time in 1928 making his way through the foliage.

Having spent the past three days in Redding's triple digit heat, Patty, Roxy and I welcomed the drastic drop in temperature. Although we had only traveled 130 miles west, it was cooler by 40 to 50 degrees. Sweatshirts replaced tank tops, while gooey trees under gray skies hid the sun.

Damnation Creek Trail is actually about five miles south of the official state park entrance and campground, with only a small sign in a turnout right on Highway 101 that accommodates a half dozen cars. We whizzed right by it... and right by the state park as well, ending up in Crescent City. Luckily the large visitors center was open, so we popped in. I asked the friendly folks behind the counter for directions to Del Norte Redwoods, pronouncing the "e" at the end of the word "norte" as per Spanish pronunciation. But, before I could finish my question they both interrupted me and said firmly, "Del Nort!," eliminating the "e." Then they smiled and said, "We're just simple folk here." Alrighty then! When in Del Nort.....

The hike begins on a red earth path with ferns galore. The descent comes first on this trail, with lots of downhill switchbacks through virgin redwoods. If you visit in late spring, pink and purple rhododendron blossoms climb 30 feet overhead giving the impression of a tropical forest.

Just before reaching the cliffs above the beach, two "triangle bridges" cross Damnation Creek. The first bridge is in competition with the blackberry vines for dominance. The second bridge has a tree resting her heavy limb on it's apex. I could almost hear the tree sigh and the bridge moan in this enchanted forest.

The park brochure warns that the ﬁnal length down to the beach is a tricky descent on the sometimes muddy and slippery bluffs and should only be undertaken by those conﬁdent in their abilities. But somewhere along the way someone has built a crude staircase. That's the route I took! And thus we were rewarded for our efforts in hiking down Damnation Creek's sometimes slippery 2.5 mile trail with our destination of ... Damnation Cove!

A narrow rocky beach, tidepools, driftwood, succulents and climbing offer exploration while the tide is out.

Allow extra time going back since you'll be climbing 1000 feet on the 2.5 mile return. After crossing back over the triangle bridges I stopped here and there to appreciate some of the smaller life forms living in this majestic forest, such as wild oxalis and variety of mushrooms.

As we neared the end of our journey, a hint of sunlight poured through the redwoods. I was pooped, feeling a bit like the old Oak resting her branch on the bridge. A giant tree trunk seemed to be offering support, but it was still only mid-afternoon. Restaurants, a fantastic Indian Museum, and a giant blue ox awaited down the highway.

I must return in spring - now that the park is staying open - to see the rhododendrons. Until then, there's another 58 parks to visit.

Hope to see you there.

Lucy

CASTLE CRAGS STATE PARK: Trip #11 of 70

2011-10-05T09:00:00.000-07:00

A short hike with a huge pay-off is how I would summarize Castle Crags State Park. There are spectacular, gorgeous views and it's only five miles round trip.

We made our best efforts to get an early start so as to beat the August heat. Although it's only a 2-1/2 mile hike each way, it has a 2200 foot elevation gain. While Patty is a regular hiker, I hike only occasionally, so a cool morning climb seemed preferable. But I'm a night owl, so in spite of good intentions, we didn't arrive at the park until 9:00am... still the crack of dawn by my standards, and early enough to get one of only two parking places right at the trailhead.

The park is 40 miles north of Redding, right off Interstate 5. We could see the "crags" while driving, looming 3500-4000 feet overhead. "Look," I said to Patty. "That's where we're headed. Of course, we won't get all the way to the top." I assumed we would merely be hiking to a point that would give us a better view. Well, you know what they when you "assume,"...

We pulled up to the Ranger Station where the goofy grin of a taxidermied mountain lion greeted us through the glass.

“We’re hiking today,” I informed the ranger. “Anything we need to know?” She told us that a mama bear and two cubs had been spotted several times recently. But it shouldn’t be a problem. "Just stay out of their way if you see them,” she advised. Will do! An example of how not to store your food and ice chest in bear country was on display. Bears are common throughout forested Northern California, including right in my own home neighborhood. Nonetheless, I’d prefer not to get any closer than a good zoom lens shot.

Castle Crag State Park will officially close on November 30. A locked gate will be installed at the station. From there it is still a 2-1/2 mile drive uphill on a winding road to get to the trailhead, so while anyone who would like to walk into the park to hike will be able to do so, they will have to add this additional leg to their journey.

As I am only an occasional hiker, I was mentally bracing myself for the 2200 foot elevation gain. The hike began on a dirt trail that did not initially feel any more strenuous than hikes around my home in Pollock Pines. In fact, the path was clearer and more free of tree roots than some. A moderate uphill climb through the forest began soon into the walk, with only an occasional glimpse of the “crags” through the trees.

The granite crags were formed by volcanic activity some 200 million years ago, and for the last million years have been shaped by rain, ice, wind and a few small glaciers.

In 1855, the area below the Crags was the site of a battle between native people and settlers, chronicled by the controversial "poet of the High Sierra", Joaquin Miller. The locals, armed only with bows and arrows, were driven from the land. For the next 100 years, mining and logging were the primary industries in the area. During the 1920s and 1930s, conservationists circulated photographs of the beautiful crags and included them in their promotion of a comprehensive California state park system.

About an hour into the hike – as the trail became rockier - we rounded a bend and gasped! Suddenly we were there, right in the middle of the lower crags! It was breathtaking! We stopped here for water, a snack and photos. It seemed to be a favorite spot for hikers to take a break.

Here the hiking trail became rocky and steep, more akin to climbing stairs than hiking. I began making it a habit to stop every twenty steps or so to turn around and look at the view - and to catch my breath - as the elevation gain was significant enough in that amount of space to give the view a completely new perspective.

The trail on this perfect summer day was not overly crowded. The hikers we met ran the gamut. There were backpackers with full gear, obviously out for more than just the day. Castle Crags is part of the 2600 mile Pacific Crest Trail that runs from Southern California to Canada. It is unclear if or how the closure of the park will affect it. We ran into a solo hiker who carried nothing with him, not even water. He was a local fellow, and this was the equivalent of his daily walk. From him we learned of abuses already occurring in this under-staffed state park such as the illegal cutting of firewood and ATVs in areas where they are prohibited.

We continued our climb until both Mt. Shasta and the crags – which had both been high above our view only moments before – became closer to eye level, until finally all but the highest crags were below us. The views are nothing short of spectacular. Rising beside the spikey peaks is the rounded Castle Dome. Many mountain-eers liken it to Yosemite's Half Dome. This is the end of the trail. Rock climbing is at your own risk. Unlike Half Dome, there are no cables or other manmade means of assistance. Today there were no climbers, although a couple of hikers had “near death” stories about attempts to climb Castle Dome.

We headed back down the trail, stopping for more photos and water breaks. We arrived safely back at the trailhead after five hours. The bears had steered clear of us. Birds and an annoyed lizard were our only wildlife encounters today. Once back at the car, we took the quarter-mile walk through the campground to a lookout that is wheelchair accessible and offers very satisfying views of Mt Shasta and the Castle Crags for those who choose not to hike.

Recently I heard State Parks Director Ruth Coleman comment that putting up locked gates and giving the impression that the park is unattended is a sure fire way to attract undesirable activities such as meth labs. Yet, that was the plan du jour for Castle Crags. On the way out we stopped at the ranger station again, and complimented the park. A koi pond behind the hut seemed out of place, but was enjoyable nonetheless as it trickled into a welcome cool stream as the afternoon heat took hold.

This park has a huge pay-off for a relatively modest effort. If I – as a “once in awhile” hiker with foot problems – can do it, so can anyone in moderate shape. It’s very worthwhile, but it closes in less than two months. And, as I write this in early October, the snows are already on their way in the high country. Get there if you can. You won't regret it.

Hope to see you at the parks.

Lucy

SHASTA STATE HISTORIC PARK: Trip # 10 of 70

2011-09-11T00:03:00.001-07:00

Shasta State Historic Park is one of several ghost towns in California where I would take visitors who have never experienced the "romance" of California's gold rush era. This park has the complete picture. Located literally right on Highwy 299, a mere six miles west of Redding, it has the courthouse and the jail, the guns, gallows and graveyard, old brick storefronts, a working blacksmith shop, an art gallery, Native American history, scales for measuring gold and even a talking holographic ghost in one of the jail cells.

Before I continue, a brief word about the hours for this and other state parks. It is now after Labor Day and many of the parks, especially the ones on the closure list, have reduced hours that may not necessarily be reflected on their websites. Shasta will only be open now on Fridays and Sundays. When planning a visit to any state park, I advise calling in advance to confirm their hours of operation.

Shasta has a familiar California "boom to bust" gold rush story, with one of the largest strikes being in this area. Gold was discovered in Clear Creek in 1848, and within a year the town of Shasta became the commercial center of Northern California.

Patty and I began our tour at the Courthouse Museum, built in 1855 and restored to it's 1861 appearance. The $6.00 museum admission fee also entitles you to a tour of the Weaverville Joss House a few miles down the highway. You can't beat that! The docent led us down a long polished hallway where we passed offices formerly housing the sheriff, attorneys, the tax collector and the assayer. We took a seat on one of the pew-like wooden benches in the courtroom where we watched a short film about Shasta's history. Justice was swift back then, and a convicted criminal was immediately ushered either to the jail downstairs, or to gallows right outside the door. I asked if any famous or notorious figures were tried here, but the guide said no.

Following in the footsteps of past souls who had been convicted in this courthouse, we trotted downstairs to the jail. Here in the common dining area, cards were played and plans for escape were hatched. Today you can rent this room for private events - like your birthday - and celebrate with 13 of your BFFs, perhaps giving the word "forever" a slightly different connotation. Jail cells are on either side of the "dining room," and in one cell a ghost of convicts past makes himself known, telling his story at length, alternately boasting about his escapades and proclaiming his innonence. Fun! Especially for kids!

The jail door leading outside brought us to a lovely backyard area with a high wooden fence for privacy, a lawn for picnicing and the gallows for the less fortunate sons who would not be spending their next birthday with their 13 BFFs. The lyrics to a small portion of the song "Faded Flowers" are on a plaque next to the "tree." In 1874 convicted murderer John Baker was granted permission to sing this song prior to his hanging. The song had many verses and were sung with great feeling, prolonging his life for a portion of the afternoon.

Morbid curiosity satisfied, I went back upstairs to the museum. One room is filled with pistols, rifles and other weaponry of the era. The front of the museum contains much information about the local Native Americans, the gold rush, and how the two fared together. Truly, this afternoon did not allow me as much time as I would like at this historic state park. I would have loved to have read every pamphlet and article, as well as relish the art gallery at a more leisurely pace.

98 paintings by 71 artists depicting California's rich geographic and social diversity from 1850-1950, were collected and donated by Mae Helene Bacon Boggs. So much art, and so many artifacts in this museum. What is to become of them? My conversation with the docent at the front desk provided no more answers than my visits to previous parks. Vague plans to ship everything to storage in Sacramento was all anyone had heard. I learned that while there are very active historical organizations in the area, they were already on overload with commitments made to the museum at Shasta College, a commitment made prior to the announcement of the park closures. These northern California towns are sparsely populated, and while they love their history, they are spread thin as this part of the state as been disproportionately hit with a high number of park closures. Recently, art work comparable to pieces in the gallery had fetched handsome sums at auction. Would it be worthwhile or practical to sell a piece or two if it kept the park open?

I was curious. What about the descendants of someone like Mae Helene Boggs. Surely they would not want the artwork shipped off. But oddly, as seems to be the case with so many of these historic figures, she had no descendants (as with William Ide, the Stanfords, the Bidwells...) With all that must be packed, shipped and stored, Is that truly more cost effective to close Shasta SHP than keep it open for two days a week?

I left the Courthouse Museum and stepped outside. Oh yes! There's still the entire outdoor portion of this park to explore! The remains of brick buildings from Shasta's boomtown days occupy a long block of Hwy 299. After the town burned down in both 1852 & 1853, brick became the preferred building material over wood. Some of Shasta's finer business establishments no longer exist, but signs mark the spots where they once proudly stood.

This part of the park will, by it's design, remain accessible to the public. You can walk along a sidewalk in front of the buildings, or take a brambly path behind the structures. Roxy and I had to forego the back path after we both got stickers in our paws. We returned to the car, waited for the bleeding to stop, swapped my sandals for tennies (Roxy stayed barefoot) and chose the safer sidewalk route.

The 1870s wood-fired oven at The Blumb Bakery, a working blacksmith shop and the Litsch General Merchandise Store continue - for the moment - to be part of the educational activities at Shasta SHP. I suspect that the wine cellar built into the hillside is off limits to the school kids.

Across the highway was a shaded picnic area and drinking fountains. Roxy seemed to prefer the shade of the restored stage coach in the barn to that of the oaks and pines.

We made a quick dash down the street to view the unkempt Pioneer Union Cemetary. I did not have a chance to see the schoolhouse, brewery, spring houses and general store. The late afternoon Redding heat was takng its toll. And speaking of Redding, when the Central Pacific Railroad chose to bypass the town of Shasta and place its terminal in Redding, merchants abandoned or relocated their businesses. In 1888 the county seat also moved from Shasta to Redding, and Shasta's brick buildings quickly fell into disrepair.

What a full, compact little State Park this is. It can easily fill an entire day, and the outside buildings are free to view until sunset. If you're traveling north on Interstate 5, it's just six miles west of Redding.

I hope to see you at the parks.

Lucy

WILLIAM B. IDE ADOBE STATE HISTORIC PARK: Trip #9 of 70

2011-09-04T12:21:00.001-07:00

Day two of our Northern California state park road trip found us at the William B. Ide Adobe State Historic Park in Red Bluff. Before I say any more about this absolutely charming park, I want to clarify that William Ide - the first and only "president" of California - actually never lived on this property, but rather a little further down the Sacramento River. For a few decades there was confusion on this matter, and in 1960 the restored adobe was dedicated as a state historic park in honor of Ide’s feisty contri-butions to California’s history, and his strong influence in the Red Bluff area. As the brochure states right at the top, this adobe was built by A. M. Dibble, and occupied through 1949, changing hands at least twenty times.

Patty, Roxy and I had a leisurely morning at the motel, knowing that William Ide SHP didn’t open until 10:00am. A mere one mile off of Interstate 5 made it a five minute trip.

The shaded picnic grounds right next to the Sacramento River were a welcome site as we pulled into the parking lot. We were after all, in Red Bluff, where summer shade has a high premium.

We entered thel visitor’s center/museum and were greeted by several friendly and very enthusiastic staff members. These people clearly adore their park and were more than happy to chat with us about each and every question we had, including our detailed inquiries about the local plant life. It was here we met the ranger who doubled her responsibilities with Woodson Bridge SRA. When we had visited Woodson Bridge the day before, there had been no ranger or brochures. She has to split her time between the two parks, a scenario we would find increasingly common in our travels. She happily photo-copied a brochure of Woodson Bridge and gave it to us. Nice!

The young staff member behind the counter was to be heading off to college shortly, but as a high school student, she had already written and acquired a grant for William B. Ide Adobe, enabling the park to purchase costumes for their frequest historic re-enactments.

Once we crossed the bridge, we were informed that we were entering the year of 1850. Here, costumed docents spend their days teaching fourth grade students skills for surviving the rigors of frontier life. Candles are made in a large cauldron, a grape press produces wine and adobe bricks are stomped out of the earth.

A garden of herbs and vegetables of the variety that were grown in 1850 adorn the front yard. Except for this year. With the park closing, no garden was planted. Only a few perennial herbs graced the padlocked enclosure. Is there anything sadder than a neglected garden? It was the only visible symptom of "dis-ease" here at William Ide. I wondered if the early warning sign would be heeded. I indulged in a moment of melodrama as the words of another mid-nineteenth century figure echoed in my mind: "If these shadows remain unaltered by the Future, the child will die."

The grandest landmark was the 400 year old Valley Oak. It was instrumental, of course, in deciding where to build the original adobe, back in the day when the tree was an adolescent at a mere 250 years. My oh my! What an amazing tree. Long may she stand!

A tilted water well is now the wishing well. Visitors are encouraged to toss a pebble or a penny into the well and make a wish. I wished for William B. Ide Adobe to stay open.

The inside of the one room adobe was momentarily stacked with tables and chairs as the park prepared for their annual Adobe Days celebration. I found myself thinking that I could easily live in this compact little house. Especially with it’s front porch view!

Steamboats moved up and down the river, stopping here to bring supplies. A ferry crossing was constructed in 1862. A small toolshed-blacksmith shop and general store were built to further accommodate the early pioneers. Sort of any early "one-stop shopping!"

There is much of the same plant and wildlife as at Woodson Bridge, twenty miles down the road. I would have loved to have seen a bald eagle, river otter or beaver. The wild grape found its way here as well.
Well gosh, I suppose I should say a little about William B. Ide himself, what with him being the first and only President of California. He and his family arrived by wagon train in 1845, when California was still a part of Mexico. The following winter, spurred on by a false rumor of possible eviction, Ide and about 30 other men, marched on the town of Sonoma, capturing General Vallejo without incident. Known as the "Bear Flag Revolt," Ide proclaimed the newly formed "California Republic" and served as it's president for 25 days, until Commodore Sloat raised the American Flag at Monterey making California part of the union. But that was just a brief period in Ide's history. He was a carpenter, merchant and helped develop much of the area along the Sacramento River.

William B. Ide Adobe SHP is a heavily used park, especially with it's school programs. It is surprising to hear of its closure. Hopes of staying open are high, but as always, nothing is certain, absolutely nothing. The schools are trying to keep it open, but of course we know schools have no money these days. The Kiwanis are trying to work with other local service organiza-tions to assist. But nothing is certain. They plan to stay open until May before packing up their artifacts and recently acquired costumes and shipping them to Sacramento.

So here's wishing...

Until then, I hope to see you all at the parks.

Lucy

WOODSON BRIDGE STATE RECREATION AREA: Trip #8 of 70

2011-08-31T22:49:00.000-07:00

After of mid-day visit to the Bidwell Mansion in Chico, Patty, Roxy and I headed thirty miles west for a short hike and possible swim at Woodson Bridge State Recreation Area, located halfway between Chico and Red Bluff. For anyone with a burning desire to see this park, you need to go this weekend (Labor Day) as it closes September 6!!!

On this day there was no ranger at the entrance, no brochures to be had. We left our day use fee in an envelope and drove into the park, looking for the nature trail and river access. It was hot. A swim wood be nice! Woodson Bridge SRA's 428 acres lie on both sides of the Sacramento River. The east bank is primarily a campground, offering an environment "close to nature." Oddly, there were manicured lawns being watered. A camp host was situated next to the public restrooms. On the day we visited, only two of the forty-six campsites were occupied.

The west bank is undeveloped and is on the main flyway between Mexico and Canada, so it is an excellent place for bird-watchers. Quail, owls, hawks, falcon, pheasant and songbirds reside in this riparian habitat. In winter it is a nesting site for Bald Eagles, in summer for the elusive Yellow Billed Cuckoo.

I parked the car near the river, looking for a trail down to the water. None was apparent. A path that paralleled the river was private property.
We found a portion of the Nature Trail. Blackberry vines were beginning to creep across the pathway. A dozen or so small numbered, wooden signs were apparently once markers for specific plant or animal life, but have now faded away.
Over one hundred plant species have been identified throughout the park; the most prominent is the large valley oak. The California black walnut, Oregon ash, black cottonwood, sycamore, and willow are also plentiful. There are seasonal wildflowers. Our mid-August visit found smatterings of pink Belladonnas (sometimes called Naked Ladies.) We munched on not quite ripe, mouth puckering blackberries, whose vines are either encroaching on or have already taken over pathways.

But the most striking plant of all was the California Wild Grapevine! It took me by surprise I must say. It was everywhere, appearing to be choking out the rest of the plantlife. But in fact, it provides an important food source for a variety of wild animals, especially birds, and the foliage provides thick cover. It is native to most of California. It is a deciduous vine which can grow to over 30 feet in length and is common along the banks of the Sacramento River. I've had personal experience with blackberries taking over my yard, and wisteria creeping into my house, and was initially concerned that this wild grapevine was destroying this lush habitat. But supposedly it's not. Nonetheless, where the plant is not native, or if it is planted
and allowed to thrive in small domestic gardens, it can take down large trees and has the capacity to become a noxious weed. Ooh Ooh I heard it through the grapevine...

Still hoping to find a way to the river for a swim, we were pleased to see a sign that said "beach access." We followed the narrow trail for a few hundred feet to find it not only closed, but hugely overgrown. Prickly, stinging plants covered the path knee-deep. In my lifetime I have been known to occasionally ignore warnings, but the additional signpost about rattlesnakes on the beach trail quickly halted any thoughts I may have had about marching through the stickers. Patty, Roxy and I made our way back to the car, hoping the rattlers would honor the sign and stay where it says there are.

We drove across the street and entered the 14 acre Tehama County River Park. Here we were finally able to dip our feet into the Sacramento River. The county park offers swimming, boat ramps, inner-tubing, hiking and picnic areas, but is strictly a day use facility. No camping.

Tehama County Park is where we found the "new" Woodson Bridge (which replaced the historic bridge that was there from 1920 - 1974), as well as historic markers and plaques commemorating the old bridge. We toyed with crossing the new bridge on foot, but traffic was heavy, there were no sidewalks, and we were hot and tired.

As we left the area, I found myself making peace with the closure of this particular park. True, when the gate goes up next week, the campsite will be closed. But attendance was low. The recreations once provided by this state recreation area are now primarily offered at the Tehama County Park, across the highway.

Yet, with the State of California still maintaining ownership of this luscious riparian habitat, the animal and plant life will continue to survive and thrive. So until such time (soon I hope) that California can keep all of it's parks open, my soul is happy that the land will still remain wild, free of fancy tourist resorts, and that the eagles, cuckoos and all of the other birds on the flyway can stop, rest, and ... munch on a few wild grapes. Take care, Woodson Bridge... until we meet again.

In the meantime, I hope to see you at the parks.

Lucy

BIDWELL MANSION STATE HISTORIC PARK: Trip #7 of 70

2011-08-25T18:53:00.000-07:00

It's pink! The Bidwell Mansion State Historic Park in Chico is pink! It's a beautiful, three-story, 12,000 square foot, 26 room Victorian House that stands as a memorial to John and Annie Bidwell. The overall style of the three-story brick structure is that of an Italian Villa, and cost around $60,000 at the time of construction. The exterior is finished with a pink tinted plaster.

In case you can't tell, it took me a few minutes to recover from it's pinkness. I guess pink houses and early California settlers have not gone hand in hand in my brain until now! My Mom would have loved it!

Wednesday, August 17, my friend Patty and I, along with my foster dog Roxy, set out for a six day road trip with the goal of visiting nine northern California state parks on the closure list. We left Placerville at 10:00am and headed to the Bidwell Mansion for our first stop. With tours on the hour, we had enough time to lug our ice chest and a blanket onto the front lawn near the pink gazebo and the Monkey Puzzle Tree, and enjoy a picnic lunch in the shade among the squirrels, woodpeckers and scrub jays.

Bidwell led one of the first wagon trains to California and founded the town of Chico, naming streets after trees that spell the town's name (Chestnut, Hazel, Ivy, Cherry, & Orange). Over the years he was many things - a pioneer, soldier, statesman, politician, philanthropist - but his first and foremost passion was always farming. His discovery of gold in the Feather River enabled him to purchase over 30,000 acres by 1850. In addition to his cherry orchard, he grew wheat which he ground at his own mill and baked his "up to the minute biscuits" on the same day. He developed varieties of almonds and olives, produced California's first raisin crop and aided in the development of the casaba melon. Novelty trees dot the mansion grounds including the Monkey Puzzle Tree, Gingko Biloba and Southern Magnolia. I found myself viewing him as kind of a farm nerd. Until his death in 1900, he continued to build his agricultural showcase.

I was pleased to see that there were about 20 of us for the 1:00pm tour. Once inside, the pinks of the exterior gave way to warm golds and browns. Our guide, Blair, asked us to refrain from touching anything inside and guaranteed us that in the first room someone would be caught leaning against the table. The first room is John Bidwell's office off to the left. I clumsily bumped into an end table, and saw Blair chuckle as I reprimanded myself for touching an artifact. And then as predicted, he asked one of the other tourists not to lean against the table! A portrait of General Sherman hangs over Bidwell's desk. Although good friends with the Bidwells - including attending their wedding in Washington DC - he only ever spent one night at the mansion. Mrs. Bidwell did not permit smoking, drinking or swearing in her home, so General Sherman spent most of his Chico visits at a nearby hotel.

Across the hall from the office is the living room. The original grand piano - a wedding gift from John to his beloved Annie - is still played. Blair invited anyone who knew how to play the piano to do so. One lady offered up a butchered version of Chopsticks. Then Patty pointed to me. A hymnal sat on the piano so I opened it at random and played a song that turned out to have the same melody as America the Beautiful. After a round of applause and an awkward bow on my part, the tour continued.

In addition to the piano, some of the chairs and other furnishings are original, but many of the pieces were bought long ago by private parties. So, as with the Stanford Mansion, the rest has been replicated as closely as possible from old photographs. I was curious if the American Flag drapery was a recent addition, but in fact the Bidwells hung such drapes for holidays and other festive occasions.

Side by side dining rooms were on either side of the hall. I chuckled, imagining dinner conversations with the likes of John Muir, Susan B. Anthony and Presidents Hayes and Grant, especially if they were all at the table at the same time. The Bidwells were long time proponents of both women's suffrage and prohibition. I suspect the table talk was quite lively at times. I found the openness of the rooms and lack of clutter refreshing. While the furnishings were of high quality, the mansion did not scream "look at me, I have money!" Art work was minimal, and much of what there was were gifts from friends. Instead, John Bidwell chose to install indoor plumbing, gas lighting and water systems. Every bedroom had a sink with running water. I found his pragmatism appealing.

Occasionally an item was found lying around the mansion that was not actually a part of the decor. So, I assumed the cheesy fake palm trees on the stair platforms must be from some recent private event. But in fact, they are part of the original furnishings. Our guide likened it to decor from the 1970s... fads that are now considered tacky but seemed fun at the time.

The second floor holds the master bedroom as well as several guest rooms. The third floor was originally to be a ballroom. John Bidwell built the mansion before meeting his beloved wife. Annie was deeply religious and a devout Presbyterian. Dancing was strictly forbidden. So it was converted Into space for the children of their guests. The Bidwells had no children of their own.

In 1880 the Bidwells donated eight acres of their cherry orchard for a teachers' college, originally called Chico State Normal School. Mrs. Bidwell - surviving her husband - willed her home to her church to be used as a school, but the Presbyterian Church was unable to fund it. The Normal School (now Chico State University) bought it for a dormitory.

The ever lively Chico college students had fun with the bell system set up for the servants, and enjoyed sliding down the banisters. Eventually the house was converted to classrooms and administrative offices - and finally - the polished wooden dance floor on the third story was used for its intended purpose with dance classes.

Before exiting the mansion to stroll the rest of the grounds - including the pink carriage house - we talked with Blair about the park closure. At this writing, the mansion will be closed July 1, 2012, with actual closure to the public a month or two prior to that in order to pack up the furnishings and ship them to a temperature controlled warehouse in Sacramento. Letter writing campaigns, meetings and hopes for fund raising and/or partnerships with non-profits are being looked into, but nothing is in place yet. Like many of California's historic sites, thousands of fourth graders studying California history parade through the mansion annually. Once again it is believed by some that to close the Bidwell Mansion will actually cost more in lost tax revenues than its actual operating expenses.

Reduced hours will commence sometime in autumn, as Chico prepares for the place that was the center of social activity for decades, to close. If you're in the area be sure to visit, but as with any of the State Parks, call first as the hours for many of them are in flux.

I hope to see you at the parks.

Lucy

MONO LAKE TUFA STATE NATURE RESERVE: Trip # 6 of 70

2011-08-19T21:01:00.000-07:00

When I first viewed the list of the 70 State Parks scheduled for closure, my biggest surprise was seeing Mono Lake Tufa State Nature Reserve on the list. Is it possible that after decades of effort to save California's second largest lake, that we may lose it to budget cuts to save $111,000? The Mono Lake Basin is a partnership between the California State Parks, the National Parks and the National Forest Service. So, finding out what part is affected by the state closure is a tricky business.

To the best of my knowledge, the state park preserves the spectacular tufa towers. It also protects the lake surface itself as well as the wetlands that provide habitat for between one and two million birds that feed and rest at Mono Lake annually. 80% of all California Seagulls are hatched at Mono Lake, feeding on the millions of alkali flies that rest on the surface of the water.
Articles by both the San Francisco Chronicle and the Mono Lake Committee estimate savings obtained by closing this park to be anywhere from $111,000 to... ZERO!

I have long wanted to explore this lake, so I indulged myself with an overnight trip and a 3 hour kayak tour with a local naturalist. I arrived in the tiny hamlet of Lee Vining mid afternoon. I stopped at the very large visitor center (which is run by the National Park Service, not the state, so it will be staying open) and gathered some information from the rangers. It was suggested that I might enjoy hiking around the rim of Panum Crater, which would also give me a slightly different view for photographing the lake and tufas.

Panum Crater is on the south side of the lake and is one of the youngest volcanos in the area, about 700 years old. A hike on the barren, sand & gravel trail around the rim takes about an hour and offers aerial views of both the inside of the crater and the South Tufa area.

When it came to taking photos I felt the same as when I was at the Grand Canyon. You know that hundreds of thousands have come before you and taken the same shots you're taking, but you've just got to do it! 300+ camera clicks later and I was a happy camper.

After Panum Crater I drove another couple of miles to South Tufa Park. This is where the most spectacular of the tufa formations are. If the State Park Closes, this will not affect South Tufa Park. But, it will eliminate the wide variety of guided tours offered. Our guide, Oliver, lead us on a 90 minute excursion. The path down to the water is wheelchair accessible.

Oliver described the primary vegetation on the south shore: sage, rabbit brush and greasewood being the primary plant life that thrives in the harsh soil around the lake. Paintbrush plants and a yellow lily like flower called Blazing Star add occasional color to the landscape.

Our tour brought us right up to the tufas on land and had us slogging through puddles filled with thousands of alkali flies. Small natural hot springs dot the marshier parts of the lakelands, some still in use.

Our guide flagged questions from the adults, engaged the kids, and assisted the photographers. To see the tiny, 1/4 inch long brine shrimp, just dip a cup into the water to come up with half a dozen. As with all lakes that are high in salinity, the 65 square mile Mono Lake has no outlet. Throughout its long existence, salts and minerals have washed into the lake from Eastern Sierra streams, but nothing flows out. It is about 2 1/2 times as salty as the ocean and very alkaline.

The lake is, of course, most famous for her tufa formations, calcium-carbonate spires and knobs formed by interaction of freshwater springs and alkaline lake water. This is the only place in the world where this occurs. Approaching them on land – and especially on water – felt like I was entering some weird combination of a sci-fi landscape and a Disneyland ride. A naturalist demonstrated how easily tufa are formed in Mono Lake by taking a jar of water, adding calcium and carbonate, and then pouring the contents into the lake. Within moments we could see small bits of tufa forming. Tufa are only formed underwater.

Sunday morning I took a three hour kayak tour with Caldera Kayaks. Our guide Stuart offered some excellent information about the ecology, environment and history of Mono Lake. When we stopped on shore for a break, he even read to us from Mark Twain's opinion of Mono Lake! We paddled up to Rush Creek, one of the lake's feeder streams. Where the fresh water combines with the salt, the fresh water sits several inches above the saline water and creates an interesting lens. Our kayak tour was skillfully led back to shore just as the afternoon winds began to kick up, so we only had to power paddle for about five minutes. Caldera Kayaks and other commercial boating groups will no longer be able to operate on the lake once the State Park closes.

I visited the Mono Lake Book Store, viewed a film on the history of the lake and signed a petition to keep the park open. The residents of the Eastern Sierras are determined to save their lake, and have a long history of doing so. Anyone living in Northern California from the late 70s on has seen the ever present "SAVE MONO LAKE" bumper stickers.

Mono Lake's existence is a modern environmental success story. It was saved, in dramatic fashion, by an unlikely coalition of trout fishermen, environmentalists and water-rights lawyers. Today, it’s recovering from 50 years of abuse. In 1941, the city of Los Angeles began diverting all of the lakes feeder streams for the city's drinking water. By the 1970s, the lake water level was reduced to half, thus increasing the salinity so that none of shrimp, flies, or birds that depended on the lake could survive. After years of legal wrangling, in 1994 a compromise was reached and half of the feeder streams were returned to the lake. The lake continues to recover, and in the meantime, Los Angeles has become one of the leading cities in water conservation! The photo of the long walkway is taken from the spot where the lake level was when water diversion began in 1941.

Now it’s one of 70 state parks being shuttered in hopes of saving $22 million. Mono Lake's boosters say closing the park won‘t save the state a dime, but rather will derail volunteer programs that have allowed the park to operate for years at minimal cost to the state.

About 250,000 people visit the park each year. A couple of years ago, budget cuts took away the park’s only state ranger. Now, a ranger from the state park of Bodie 20 miles away occasionally drops in on Mono Lake. The closure will sideline the interpretative programs, kayak tours and other activities that have been paid for by private donations and staffed by volunteers.
The committee is organizing a letter-writing campaign and exploring how to get off the "closure list." Closures are set for July, 2012, and the state is seeking partners who could operate parks that would otherwise be shut down.

Finally, before heading home, I stopped at the county park on the north end of the lake. This is where the official State Reserve is and therefore another area that will be shut down with state closure. There is a lovely, grassy picnic area, a wetlands, more tufa and a long planked walk way to the lake that is wheelchair accessible.

If nothing else, my tour guides wanted me to take away one thing. Mono Lake is a living lake, and not California's "Dead Sea." Oh yes, and it's pronounced Mo-No... the O is long. It is not pronounced like the kissing disease. The word Mono means "fly eater." The Paiute Indians traded the alkali fly eggs from the lake as a delicacy with their Yosemite neighbors.

SAVE MONO LAKE ! ! !

Hope to see you at the parks.

Lucy

Benicia State Capitol State Historic Park: Trip #5 of 70

2011-08-07T12:14:00.000-07:00

Before Sacramento became California's permanent state capitol in 1854, the honor was held briefly by four other cities.

Growing up in San Jose, I vividly recall learning in fourth grade California history class that my hometown was the first state capitol. In the mind of nine year-olds, being first was pretty darned important. I remember how my class mates and I were certain that we San Joseans had it all over Sacramento because we were first!

In addition to San Jose, San Francisco, Vallejo and Benicia were all briefly the seat of state government. Of these four short-lived capitols, only the building at Benicia State Capitol Sate Historic Park survives.

The town of Benicia - named after General Vallejo's wife - welcomed the legislature in February 1853. Benicia had grown rapidly due to an ordinance depot and a military post. The Capitol building is a two story brick building with two large rooms for the legislative chambers and many smaller committee rooms. Two large doric columns at the entrance welcome visitors in grand style.

Benicia State Capitol is located in one of Benicia's charming old neighborhoods, on a street lined with modest Victorian era homes. I was able to park right across the street and it's only a five minute detour from I-680, so it's simple to make a quick stop if you're driving through the area. Well, except for one thing. It is no longer open daily. A hand written sign is pasted over the old hours, indicating that Saturday and Sunday are now the only days it is open. I had almost made the mistake of driving to see it on a Thursday a couple of weeks earlier. So here I was - on a Sunday afternoon - and it was closed!

I tried the front door several times, and looked through keyholes and windows to see if there was any sign of life.I wondered if my information on the hours was incorrect or out of date, but I ran into a few other folks who came to see the old capitol and had the same info I did. Hm. Well, might as well see what we can see. Roxy and I strolled around the exterior perimeter of the building. I stood on some spongy slats and took a couple of photos through some windows. The large upstairs meeting room looks as though it is still used sometimes. But still no sign of anyone inside.

A pretty herb garden made a nice spot for pretty Roxy to have her picture taken. A small rose garden held a miniature replica of the Benicia Capitol Building. I wondered which would have the best chance of survival, the miniature, or the real thing.

Several plaques and monuments proclaiming various historic events surrounded a naked flagpole.

A garden path led away from the capitol building to the historic Fischer Halon House, also closed today. After about 45 minutes, I’d see all there was to see without being able to go inside. During that time I’d say at least a dozen other folks came by with the specific intent to tour the building. Like me, most were baffled that it was closed.

As I drove away I speculated as to what might have happened. I had a hunch that it was largely volunteer run. I know from experience that with volunteer situations, sometimes things come up at the last minute and replacements can’t be found.

The heyday of Benicia as the state capitol was short lived. The town was unable to adequately accommodate California’s lawmakers. Over 100 men had no place to sleep except in saloons. So, on February 25, 1854, Governor Bigler accepted Sacramento’s offer of a spacious courthouse and new capitol building. On that very day, the legislatures, governor and all baggage and furnishings were loaded onto a steamer for the voyage to Sacramento. The Benicia State Capitol was closed.

Last week men were seen at the building measuring the exterior of the windows. It seems they were getting the dimensions so as to purchase material to board them up. Apparently closure is once again imminent.

It’s tending to a look a little grim for Benicia, but the residents are far from throwing in the towel. A recent article the Benicia Herald writes of how the community is organizing to keep their beloved capitol building open.

Once back home, I left a voicemail for Benicia State Capitol, inquiring as to their hours and whether or not they were already closed. I received a call back. My suspicions were accurate. Volunteers had been unable to man the building on that particular Sunday. Replacements could not be obtained. Therefore it was left to the park ranger to keep the building open. But as this sole ranger has several area parks to oversee, he/she must lock the Capitol while they check on the other parks. Apparently I had arrived during the ranger's window of absence. I was encouraged to return on another weekend to see the interior. I drive to the bay area about once a month, so I hope to be able to do so. In the mean time...

65 more parks to visit.

Hope to see you there!

Lucy

South Yuba River State Park: Trip 4 of 70

2011-07-27T09:35:00.001-07:00

So charmed was I by this park and bridge that I had hoped to visit it again before blogging about it, but for now, time does not allow. South Yuba River State Park encompasses a large area. Patty, Roxy and I visited it on the same day as Malakoff Diggins. Believing the park closures to be slated for September 1, my original plan was to visit two parks in one day whenever possible. Now that I know we have a bit longer, I will only visit one park per day that involves lots of hiking and outdoors, because we missed a lot at South Yuba River by only spending 3-4 hours there. There are a dozen or so easy hiking trails, the most famous being Independence Trail (which unfortunately we didn't have time for.) Independence Trail is a 2.2 mile wheelchair accessible trail that follows old mining flumes and bridges. I hope to return to walk this before park closure. For photos of some of the trails we did not get to, here's a link to the South Yuba River Park Association.

The main entrance and Visitor's Center is at Bridgeport, where what is believed to be the world's longest single span covered bridge stands. This is a gorgeous park and I am in love with this bridge! It was built by Virginian David I. Wood who settled his family in the area during the gold rush and established a sawmill. He and his associates formed the Virginia Turnpike Co. to facilitate travel and commerce. The west coast floods of 1861 and 1862 wiped out five of the bridges on the river.

In 1862 David Wood oversaw the construction of this 229 foot long, covered bridge. It was built with Douglas fir trusses, wrought iron rods, and covered in sugar pine shakes.

We arrived at Bridgeport around 5:30pm, having spent the earlier part of the day just up the road at Malakoff Diggins If you are a sturdy hiker, the two parks border each other via a 20 mile hike. Activities at South Yuba River are seasonal. Spring offers wildflowers - although a few still dotted the landscape on this July afternoon.

Swimming and fishing are favored after the spring run-off when water flows and levels are safe. Hiking, birdwatching and gold panning are available year round. Leashed dogs are allowed on the trails. Lizards confidently teased Roxy, darting out in front of her knowing they couldn't be chased!

After a couple of laps around the bridge, we spent a few minutes at Family Beach, then set out on the Cemetery Loop Trail. Although only a 1/2 mile, there were times we were uncertain we were headed in the right direction. The path and rock walls became increasingly overgrown with weeds and prickly stickly things. At times in the dusky light, it seemed that nature's minions were guarding the trail to the deceased with increasingly ominous characters.
A gentle doe watched us with great interest and suspicion.

A sharp turn of the path brought us face to face with twisted wooden warriors.

And finally, a one-eyed buccaneer of a tree warned us that "dead man tells no tales." (We know how to amuse ourselves!) We haughtily proceeded until at last we could see the cemetery in the distance - but alas - the prickly stickly things were too abundant to complete our journey.

So... we turned around - passing the mocking one eyed tree, the wooden warriors and the doe - got in the car, and drove a quarter mile down the road to the cemetery. Hah!

The small Kneebone Family Cemetery continues to be maintained by the Kneebone family to this day. In 1849, Captain William Thompson arrived with his ship in San Francisco, where his crew promptly abandoned him for the gold fields. Thus, he settled in the Bridgeport area. His daughter married Andrew Kneebone, a reknowned teamster, and their descendants have farmed and ranched the area since then. The Cemetery contains graves from the gold rush days to the present, with one stone still awaiting a spouse.

Darkness was almost upon us now and it was time to head home. Roxy curled up in the back seat and crashed, having hiked and swam her way through the day. A quick note about the dog, Roxy. She will no doubt appear in some of my future posts, but she is not actually my dog. I am fostering her through Guardian Angels for Soldiers Pets, a nonprofit org that finds temporary homes for the pets of deployed military personnel. Her "mom" returns from Qatar in March. In the meantime, she's a real treat to have along on some of these excursions.

South Yuba River and other parks that encompass large geographic areas cannot be literally "closed" in the sense of keeping people out. Perhaps we can get a glimpse of what may happen from Minnesota's recent park closures. In just two weeks there was vandalism of the buildings, theft of historic items, trash, broken glass and human waste everywhere. In the long run, structures decay, trails become overgrown, fires are started. Safety becomes an issue.

Every October, the Tsi-Akim Maidu Tribe conduct their annual Calling Back the Salmon ceremony. This event celebrates the return of salmon to the river and the bounty they once provided the tribe, as far back as 2500 years. Today, Englebright Dam blocks salmon from reaching their historic spawning habitat in the South Yuba and Middle Yuba. The ceremony involves tribal members spearing a salmon below Englebright, and a group of “spirit runners” carrying the salmon 10 miles upriver to the ceremony site. Someday, salmon will be able to access this spot and the rest of their home waters without the help of spirit runners. As one observer of the spirit runners said, "Where there is hope there is spirit. Where there is spirit, anything is possible."

I have hope!

See you at the Parks.

Lucy

Leland Stanford Mansion State Historic Park: Trip 3 of 70

2011-07-22T23:41:00.000-07:00

The amount of money the State of California hopes to save by closing 70 State Parks is... $22 million dollars.

The Leland Stanford Mansion reopened in 2005 after a fourteen year renovation costing... $22 million dollars.

Well, you never know when or where you might find life's minor epiphanies and I certainly wouldn't have expected I'd have one while touring a billionaire's mansion.
My friends Jim, Geneva and I walked to the Stanford Mansion after a morning of touring The California Governor's Mansion, and lunch at Luna's Cafe. Still almost a block away, we could see the the elegance and affluence of this building was going to far outweigh that of the humble Victorian Governor's site. Both the grounds and the exterior dripped with wealth and "taste." The stairway and entrance to the home was particularly exquisite. We could feel the more formal atmosphere of this abode.

We purchased tickets for the 1:00pm tour, where unfortunately "formal" became "stuffy" at the front desk. I asked for information about the possible closure of the site. My query was met with brusqueness - borderline rudeness actually - and the reply that all I needed to know was in the Sacramento Bee Newspaper. But whatever the Bee had to say was not going to be forthcoming from this employee today. He went on to admonish anyone who would "speculate" about what was to happen, and that it was a waste of time to "speculate" and that he was not interested in "speculating."

I decided not mention my blog! I speculated that it would not be well received.

We were told that a ten minute film would be shown prior to the tour. We strolled the beautiful grounds, and a few minutes before 1:00, we returned to the office for the film. Apparently we had all misunderstood. The film had to be shown ten minutes prior to the top of the hour. We were too late. A crisp apology was offered. We were then informed that our tour would be starting a few minutes late.

Oh! Can we see the film then? We were perfectly willing to abandon the film when the tour was ready to begin. The response was "no." Instead they showed a 2 minute film on railroads... still no tour guide... we again asked if they could just start the film so that we could view as much as possible before the tour. Sorry, no. Our attention was directed elsewhere whenever we asked to see the film. In spite of our persistence we were told that we could see it after the tour. The tour started fifteen minutes late. By this time our backs were up just a little.

We received a friendly greeting from our tour guide, Phil. His attire included a navy blue blazer, white shirt and red tie, again a contrast to the polo shirt & walking shoes of the Governor's Mansion. Interior photos were forbidden. Sigh.

As we began the tour, my lifelong discomfort with material excess kicked in. The emphasis on Stanford's wealth and importance added to my building cynicism about this site. Right or wrong, I tend to look an extravagance and speculate how many charitable organizations could be helped for the same amount of money. On the other hand though, I do appreciate fine art and craftmanship so...

Leland Stanford made his millions (billions by today's standards) building the western portion of the trans-continental railroad. He was governor of California from 1862 - 1863 (back when a term of office was only two years.) He used his position to put forward legislation that would benefit his business interests, something which of course is no longer legal today.

Stanford's love of early photography has left the mansion with large black and white photos of both the family and their home. During the recent renovation, the photographs were used to help replicate rugs and other decor. Much of the original furnishings have survived. The design of some of the custom furniture was inspired by trains, such as the hutch in the formal dining room, shaped like the front of a locomotive.

Since California no longer has an official Governor's residence, the elegant and very large formal dining room is currently used for official state dinners when entertaining visiting and foreign dignitaries. Another room in the mansion is used for formal meetings of the same nature. My mind speculates about the closing of this mansion, and moving the state dinners to a banquet room at the Holiday Inn. The State Capitol was not yet built in 1862, so a small Governor's office was added to the 19,000 square foot mansion. This office is still used by the governor when at the mansion for formal events.

Before too much time had passed, the volunteer docent, Phil, was winning me over. His warmth, love of history, and of the mansion itself shone through. As we continued our tour, the Stanford family history became front and center, overshadowing the house itself. In 1884, Leland and Jane Stanford's only child - 15 year old Leland Stanford Jr., - died of typhoid fever while on a trip to Europe, in spite of the excellent care received by The Sisters of Mercy in Florence Italy. As anyone knows, the death of child is especially devastating. It's just the wrong order of things.

Since they could no longer educate their son, they built Leland Stanford Jr. University in Palo Alto, California, in his honor, a co-ed school free of tuition to those who attended. They supported children's charities generously, adopting "California's Children" as their own.

In 1900, Jane Stanford - now a widow of seven years - donated the entire mansion and it's furnishings to the Catholic Bishop of Sacramento to be used as an orphanage. The Sisters of Mercy and later the Sisters of Social Service adapted the building to their needs while keeping the essential features of the mansion in tact. It remained an orphanage until 1987 when the Stanford Home for Children moved to a new facility.

The chip on my shoulder had fallen off somewhere along the way - maybe in the large dining room. It was nice to be able to "get over myself" as Geneva said. Things aren't always what they seem.

Rooms from all eras of the mansion use have been preserved for our viewing pleasure, including the orphanage era. There's lots to see and for only $5.00 most definately worth a stroll through. But hurry, before they have to move all the official dinners to the Holiday Inn. (Just kidding!)

But seriously, if this closes, what about the $22 million used for the renovation? Does that just go down the tubes? Anyone care to speculate?

See you at the Parks.

Lucy

California Governor's Mansion State Historic Park: Trip 2 of 70

2011-07-18T23:11:00.001-07:00

I lived in San Jose for the first 27 years of my life and finally visited the Winchester Mystery House last summer. I suppose that set the precedent for living in the greater Sacramento area for 30 years and only now seeing the Governor's Mansion for the first time. And isn't that how it so often goes? We ignore what's in our own backyards until we're on the verge of losing it. On Friday my friends Jim, Geneva and I took the Light Rail out of Folsom to downtown Sacramento to see both the California Governor's Mansion and the Leland Stanford Mansion, two historic state parks on the closure list. It was a perfect summer day. The weather topped out around 80 degrees rather than the not uncommon central valley triple digit July heat. A light breeze made the walks between the train and the mansions very comfortable. Nine short blocks got us from the train to the California Governor's Mansion on the corner of 16th & H Streets. The mansion sits in an ordinary neighborhood at this very busy intersection. No doubt I've driven or walked by it many times over the years in search of a free parking spot for an event at the Community Center.Tours are offered hourly.
We arrived at 10am sharp, but were advised that we'd probably be happier waiting until 11am as there were already 50 people (who were late) booked for the 10 o'clock tour. Indeed, moments later we saw the bus arrive with the "tourists," and agreed that waiting was a good idea.

Strolling around the outside of the building, and the gardens, I was surprised at the small size of the backyard. Where does the Dog get to play? The only fencing was the wrought iron around the side and front of the house, a barrier insufficient to keep out a panhandler who wanted my spare change, never my keeping in a pooch. I was reminded that when it was originally built in 1877 that neither traffic from the road nor close neighbors or businesses were an issue.

While perusing the museum and shop - located in the old carriage house - the docent informed us that they are hopeful the Governor's Mansion will escape closure. The possibility of a sponsorship and a potential partnership with a nonprofit organization are in the works. Raley's/Bel Air has a program where they will donate a nickel for every reusable shopping bag - paper, plastic or cloth - to the State Parks, beginning with the Governor's Mansion. So optimistic are they, that they are moving forward with plans to restore - and eventually offer for public use - the swimming pool that was built for Gov. Pat Brown.

An amusing tale goes along with the creation of Governor Brown's pool. It seems that he loved to swim, but alas, there was no pool at the mansion. So, he made it a habit to go for swims at a nearby hotel. Then one day he was photographed by a journalist leaving said hotel in his bathrobe, allowing the public to make a variety of innuendos from the picture. At that point, First Lady Bernice Brown made it a priority to raise the $6,000 needed to build the governor his own swimming pool!

California's executive mansion was built in 1877 for Albert and Clemenza Gallatin at a cost of $75,000 (at a time when the average Sacramento home was built for around $700). Albert was a partner in the Sacramento hardware store of Huntington & Hopkins. The State of California purchased the house from Joseph and Louisa Steffens to use as a home for California's first families in 1903 for $32,500. Victorian architecture was somewhat out of style by then, but the house was suitably impressive, conveniently located, and comfortable. Governor George Pardee, his wife Helen and four daughters were the first residents of the "new" Governor's Mansion. During the next 64 years it was home to the families of 12 other governors. Among these were Nina and Earl Warren (who later became Chief Justice of the Supreme Courts) with six children, Bernice and Pat Brown with four children, and briefly, Nancy and Ronald Reagan with their two children.

The Reagans only occupied the mansion for three months. Nancy believed both the house and the neighborhood to be unsafe, and they rented a home in Sacramento's "Fabulous Forties" neighborhood for most of the eight years in office. Nancy Reagan took quite a bit of flack for what was often perceived as a snub to the mansion.

But in truth, the location of the house at the busy intersection was becoming a security risk, and the fire department deemed the mansion a fire trap. Harassment from passing cars, kidnapping threats, and windows lit with pretty Victorian lamps that were literally only a stones throw away from the sidewalk, made it an unsafe place for a governor and his family to live. The Reagans built a new "mansion" in the Carmichael area of Sacramento. It was completed just before he left office. When the new Governor, Jerry Brown, refused to live there, the state sold it. Since then, California no longer provides an official residence for it's governor.

The clock struck eleven and our tour guide waved us toward the mansion along with a small group of Finnish tourists wearing yellow sneakers. Happily for me, non-flash photos are allowed inside the mansion.

Today's guests see marble fireplaces from Italy, gold framed mirrors from France, and exquisitely handcrafted hinges and doorknobs, all of which are reminders of the Gallatins and the Victorian era. Samples of dishware and gowns selected by the various First Ladies are on display, as well as many of the original chandeliers.

The first piece of furniture every acquired for the mansion was a Steinway piano. Good choice!

Here and there some "borrowed" items decorate the abode. Several pieces of statuary have graced the entry hall since 1930, courtesy of the De Young Museum. About a year ago, the De Young became aware of the "loan"... so soon our little alabaster friends will be traveling back to San Francisco!

There are both formal and informal dining rooms, and bedrooms for the children. The third floor is currently closed for renovation, but includes a ballroom and game room. And much much more...

I have to admit that I'm not a huge fan of the Victorian era, so my personal enjoyment of the tour (and it truly was enjoyable) had more to do with the history than the decor. A 1950s era kitchen - complete with one of the first air conditioners ever - completed the tour.

Today's tour brought back a memory of something I had forgotten for over 40 years. Twas 1969 when I was a freshman in high school. Our history teacher had assigned everyone in the class specific topics for oral reports, and mine was to be on Governor Edmund "Pat" Brown. He had just recently finished his terms as governor. Not knowing where to get any info on him, I wrote directly to the governors office and within a couple of weeks - in plenty of time for my report - I received a personal biography signed by Governor Brown himself (and got an "A" on my report.) But that was a different time. I was 14 years old and living 50 miles south of Haight Ashbury. Not even even a personal note from the former governor could impress a youngster absorbed in The Jefferson Airplane, Donovan and the Beatles. Fun memory though...

Jim, Geneva and I walked a few block to Luna's Cafe for a delicious vegetarian lunch (except for the bacon on Jim's sandwich), and then walked another eight blocks for a tour of the Leland Stanford Mansion, which was to be a completely different experience... but that's for the next blog. I want each of the 70 parks to have it's own page (besides which, this blog is long enough!)

See you at the Parks.

Lucy

All posts, opinions and photos are by Lucy D'Mot and are available to all for reposting/reprinting, so as to raise awareness of the California State Parks on the closure list, and encourage others to visit.

Malakoff Diggins State Historic Park: Trip 1 of 70

2011-07-12T02:43:00.001-07:00

This past Friday, July 8, I began my quest to visit all 70 State Parks on the closure list, by starting with Malakoff Diggins State Historic Park. It was fabulous!

But before I rave about this park I want to relay a bit more info I learned about the closure schedule. After talking with a couple of park rangers, it seems I am able to extend my goal of visiting all 70 parks until at least the end of the year (rather than September 1.) Whew! The "hard" date for closure of all 70 parks is July 1, 2012. Some will close before that, and many are already on very limited schedules.

My goal is now January, which still has me visiting an average of two parks a week. One ranger suggested that I should try to get to the high country parks before summer is over, as many of them close after Labor Day annually, and those that do so this year may not open again...ever...

Original plans were to visit the two historic mansions in Sacramento, (now postponed to this Friday, July 15), then plans changed to go to Benicia to see the old State Capitol. At 11:00pm the night before, I learned that the Benicia Capitol is only open on Saturdays and Sundays, apparently already a casualty of cutbacks.

So, when I met Patty in Placerville on Friday morning for our trip to Benicia, we quickly altered our plans to Nevada County. Malakoff Diggins allows dogs on some of the trails so Roxy got to go too.

Malakoff Diggins is the site of California's largest "hydraulic" or "placer" gold mine. We arrived around 11:00am and checked in at the small museum at the Town Site.

We had a picnic lunch and then embarked on a two mile round trip hike through manzanita to an overlook of the mining area. On the way we passed a historic cemetery with graves from the pioneer days to the present, although even the new graves are marked with rock borders and wooden crosses rather than with elaborate gravestones.

Arriving at the overlook, we viewed huge, colorful, man-made cliffs. Mother Nature would take many millennia to create the likes of these - but here they were carved in just a few decades by streams of water shot from powerful water cannons, disgarding dirt and gravel in piles on the stream bank or washed downstream as silt.

During the 1860s flumes and ditch systems carried water to wash away the ore at a capacity as high as 100,000 tons of gravel per day.

They built a 7,847 foot drainage tunnel that was dug through the bedrock serving as a drain. This resulted in the washing away of entire mountains. Legal battles between mine owners and downstream farmers ended this method through the courts and the legislature in 1884, but not before the destruction of much farmland and the severe flooding of the town of Marysville.

Today scientists continue to study the possible long term affects of the mercury that was consequently introduced into the ecosystem and water. 125 years since the cessation of the mining, very little life has grown back on those water-blasted mountains. The gouged hillsides and choked streambeds will be visible long into the future... as hopefully will be some of the wonderful wildflowers we saw.

Patty is great at identifying wildflowers. Shown here are Orange Paintbrush,, Sierra Sunflowerflower, Harlequin Lupine and Sierra Onion.

We followed this up with a 2.5 mile roundtrip hike to a waterfall. There were more wildflowers along the way, as well as strange, orange colored murky ponds, with frightened critters plopping into the muck every time they heard us approach.

At the waterfall we cooled our feet in the stream, took more pictures, explored a cave and relaxed for awhile. We hiked back and had another short "picnic" on the trunk of the car. Patty's homemade pesto got us through the day in gourmet style.
As we were leaving just after 5:00 pm we caught up with the ranger and discussed what may happen to Malakoff Diggins when it closes. The buildings and grounds will no longer be maintained, and very possibly vandalized. The trails will become overgrown. Malakoff is off the grid. There is no electricity there and all facilities and maintenance is handled with generators. Although it was a perfect summer day - in the mid 80s and sunny - we only saw about six vehicles at the park. At $8.00 a car, well,... do the math.

The natural landscape of this park is beautiful, though it's history includes some devastation. While it will be sad to lose the beauty and history of any State Park, it's seems especially poignant to me to lose one that contains lessons in shortsightedness and greed. With the closure of Malakoff Diggins, the ecological devastation can be neatly tucked away, out of sight, out of mind.

July 4th Idea: Trips to Closing State Parks

2011-07-06T00:00:00.001-07:00

So, I'm sitting around on the morning of July 4th doing my usual internet stuff, and I see a post on my Facebook page about the further woes of the California State Parks and the budget deficits. 70 of our 278 parks are scheduled to close around September 1. Specifically I'm reading at article about a fellow who is driving around the state placing white donation buckets at these 70 Parks.

And I says to myself, "Self. What a nice July 4th gesture it would be to donate a few bucks to each park." But that would require an entire month's income. And then one of those wild hairs took hold of my gray matter.

I've spent a chunk of the past 48 hours assembling a list the 70 parks scheduled for closure. I've organized and categorized them geographically. And while my "research" is far from complete - I've decided to go for it.

I'm going to see how many of these 70 state parks I can visit in the next two months and write this blog about my trips.

Of the 70, I've only visited one official park site: Twin Lakes Beach in Santa Cruz.

In fact I was just there a few weeks ago having dinner at the Crow's Nest and walking out to the lighthouse. I wasn't even aware it was a state park! In addition, I have been to the Salton Sea, but not to the formal park site.

The state anticipates full closure to drag on into mid-year 2012, but a couple of the parks are already closed, and many are already operating under reduced hours.

It is unlikely I will get to all 70 parks by September. Time, money and stamina may fall short. I will have to resist the temptation to visit other sites of interest nearby the parks. I plan to always pack my meals and not spend time at restaurants or souvenir shops.

Two of my personal rules on these trips will be to photograph an official park sign, and to post a link to information about helping each particular park (if available.)

I welcome friends to join me on one or more excursions if you have the time and interest. Note that my car does NOT have air conditioning and depending on the destination, I will have a dog in the back seat.

I begin my excursions this Friday to two State Historic Parks in Sacramento: The Governor's Mansion and the Leland Stanford Mansion, both in downtown Sacramento.

I'm excited! I've often said that a traveler can be long satisfied without ever leaving the state of California. It's time to check out a few - maybe 70 or so - of those spots!

Here's a link to view the parks scheduled for closure.

http://www.parks.ca.gov/pages/712/files/2011ParkClosures_attachments20110513.pdf

See you at the parks.

Lucy