Delicious Agaricus augustus bursting from the fog-drenched ground Read the rest of this entry »
Fire on Old Coast Road
August 3, 2010A small fire is burning in the Little Sur watershed this afternoon. Reports place it along the east side of Serra Grade on the Old Coast Rd. Serra Grade is the steep climb to the north from the Little Sur River. The fire is supposed to be backing down toward the river and may have burned about 20 acres so far. It may also have affected some power poles, as power is out in places and phone service is currently spotty along the northern Big Sur coast. Read the rest of this entry »
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Big Sur, Fire, Flood & Apocalypse, Santa Lucias | Tagged: Green Fire | 
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Posted by xasauan
“Extreme” Risk that Water Demand will Exceed Supply in Monterey County
July 31, 2010
“Food Grows Where Water Flows”
A new report analyzing the sustainability of water supplies for every county in the United States finds that the risk that water demand will exceed supply in Monterey County by 2050 is “high” if current climate patterns persist and “extreme” under expected climate change scenarios. With all major water basins in Monterey County already in overdraft, this finding is not exactly a surprise, but it does underscore the seriousness of the situation. Read the rest of this entry »
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Posted by xasauan
Watsonville Criterium 2010
July 17, 2010
The 33rd annual Watsonville Criterium snakes through tight, twisting streets… Read the rest of this entry »
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Posted by xasauan
Big Turnout at Monday Night Water Hearing
June 28, 2010
A big thank you to the more than 130 people who packed the Monterey City Council Chambers for the first of three Public Participation Hearings on the Regional Water Project. The testimony was, in most cases, well-reasoned and articulate, and the vast majority of those who spoke asked the PUC to fix the glaring problems with the current scheme for running the Regional Project. So many people were so well-informed and so well spoken, in fact, that we’ve rarely sat (or, in this case, stood) through a public hearing that gave us more hope for the future of direct democracy and effective community engagement. Read the rest of this entry »
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Posted by xasauan
Important Water Hearings Monday & Tuesday!
June 27, 2010WHAT: California Public Utility Commission Public Participation Hearings
WHEN: Monday, June 28, 2010 at 7:00 p.m. in the Monterey City Hall Council Chambers (580 Pacific St., Monterey) and Tuesday, June 29, 2010 at 1:30 p.m. & 5:00 p.m. at the Oldemeyer Center (968 Hilby Ave., Seaside).
These hearings will allow members of the public to “present comments and address issues related to the Regional Water Project, including costs.”
The reservoir impounded by the Los Padres Dam: The Regional Water Project is intended to replace water being illegally pumped from the Carmel River by Cal-Am, but the agreement controlling the Regional Project, as currently written, will not only rip-off the Cal-Am ratepayers and leave them without a say in how the Project is run, but could easily result in the Project failing to deliver enough water to offset the illegal diversions. The PUC can easily fix these problems, but they need to hear from the Cal-Am ratepayers that the community wants the problems fixed. The PUC’s record of doing the right thing on their own isn’t too good. Read the rest of this entry »
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Posted by xasauan
Butterfly Criterium
June 8, 2010Some photos from the June 6, 2010 Butterfly Criterium in Pacific Grove …
Waiting for the start of the Cat. 5 race Read the rest of this entry »
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Posted by xasauan
Bicycle Tour to Lake San Antonio and the Pinnacles
May 31, 2010
A beautiful day in the making Read the rest of this entry »
2 Comments | Big Sur, Coastal Development/Erosion, Cycling, Gabilans, Plants, Santa Lucias, Wildflowers | Permalink
Posted by xasauan
Above the Fog: Boronda Trail & Cisco Creek
May 16, 2010
The Boronda Trail begins next to this debris flow barrier about half a mile south of the Coast Gallery. Read the rest of this entry »
12 Comments | Big Sur, On Foot, Plants, Santa Lucias, Wildflowers | Tagged: Big Sur Trail, Coast Ridge, Cold Springs, Logwood Creek, Logwood Ridge, Timbertop | Permalink
Posted by xasauan
Mt. Carmel in May
May 9, 2010When we visited the summit of Mt. Carmel (AKA Boulder Mtn.) two years ago, it seemed that the place had been forgotten and that all traces of the trail were destined to disappear into the brush. It hasn’t happened. Today, the climb from Bottcher’s Gap to Mt. Carmel has emerged as one of the most popular day hikes in the Ventana Wilderness (something we can easily see in the ever-increasing number of unwary net surfers who stumble onto this site by searching for “Mt. Carmel” or “Bottcher’s Gap to Mt. Carmel”). A summit register has even appeared!
When we visited again yesterday (May 8, 2010) we found a virtual parade of hikers lining the trail between Bottcher’s Gap and the summit. The trip seems especially popular among couples – and couples ranging in age from early twenties to late sixties were sweating their way up the hill.
Here’s a little of what we saw along the way …
A Canyon Oak (Quercus chrysolepis) blooms near Bottcher’s Gap. Read the rest of this entry »
2 Comments | Big Sur, On Foot, Plants, Santa Lucias, Wildflowers | Permalink
Posted by xasauan
Xasáuan Today 