Drought And History At Santa Margarita Lake

Today, after an extended absence from taking day hike excursions out into the hinterlands of San Luis Obispo County, my brother by another mother, Mike and I finally got out for a trek on the east side of Santa Margarita Lake (Salinas Reservoir) off of River Road via Pozo Road. The last time we visited this location was over a month ago and around the general time-frame that California had its big December 2014. Consequently, it was a lot wetter then in contrast to today. I found it shockingly dry despite those rains last month. The only sign that rain even happened was all the germinated green grass mingled with even more brown, dry, dead grass. Most shocking was the complete absence of any glimpse of the waters of Santa Margarita Lake. Of second-most interest today was our discovery of some relics of earlier eras of human activity in what is now the area of the lake-bed.  

After getting off the beaten path I spotted this concrete structure which normally should be under the waters of the lake.

I hiked down to the concrete structure to investigate further and attempt to determine its former purpose.

Upon viewing it from the south I determined it was a bridge for the former Pozo Road before the lake was formed.

In a normal summer this lake is a great fire break. This year the lake-bed will invite fire across its surface.
Note: this is the old Salinas River-bed heavily silted up due to the existence of the lake here since 1941.

Mike and Oscar made a discovery on this eroded stone outcropping just above the aforementioned concrete bridge ruin.

Chumash bedrock mortars.

The choice of location for this bedrock mortar site is obvious given it is at the junction of the Salinas River and a tributary.

My little monster amidst these wildflowers. I fear this may be as vivid as wildflowers get this year in the North County.

The bed of the Salinas River is outlined as a swath down the middle of the dead reed-covered dry bed of the eastern end of Santa Margarita Lake.

We found the remains of an old park outhouse... again off the beaten path we usually take here.
All photos by Kim Patrick Noyes (all rights reserved).

Cal Tech Kim-Day

Today I did a "Kim Day." A "Kim Day", for those of you who don't know, is a day in which I pretty much ignore my phone, do not attend to any of my regular responsibilities, and I take a day trip somewhere to do something cool... cool to me anyway. My 1990's into much of the 2000's was one giant "Kim Day" so I don't do them much anymore having pretty much expended a lifetime's worth. In fact, nowadays, I do this less frequently than a blue or a blood moon.

I was born in Pasadena, CA. Pasadena is home. Pasadena has changed. I have changed. You can't go home again. I don't want to live in Pasadena again. However, I can visit Pasadena. I enjoy visiting Pasadena and reflecting. Then I find myself happy to leave and head back home to the Central Coast. While growing up I either lived in Pasadena-Altadena, lived in a nearby city (Monrovia or Temple City), or visited Pasadena-Altadena from the Central Coast where I have lived since 1982 when I was age 11 turning 12. While growing up on the Central Coast my family commuted to Pasadena almost every weekend after my dad died in 1985.

Earthquakes have been an integral part of my entire life... a recurring theme and a common thread connecting so much of it. Also part of my reality has been the California Institute of Technology a.k.a. Cal Tech. Being in Pasadena, living or visiting, it has been a regular presence in my life, just like earthquakes. Added to that propinquity with Cal Tech, earthquakes in Southern California made Cal Tech a regular part of my earthquake experience as it has been for all Southern Californians since the days of Dr. Charles F. Richter. The public face of Cal Tech, earthquake-wise, has been Dr. Kate Hutton for 37 years. Whenever there has been a significant earthquake, she walked us through it emotionally more than anything else, by answering our questions. She was and is not just our seismologist, but also our quake mommy whom we run to for comfort after a scary earthquake. I feel like I grew up with her even though I never met her until more recently. I first encountered Kate online on California's Earthquake Forum and a bit later on California Disasters. She is good people and, despite her celebrity, remained a regular person which is more than can be said for many people who become famous. I later met Kate in person in 2009 at the Los Angeles County Arboretum when I did the Monrovia Rockhound's 46th annual rock show. 

For some time I have been wanting to take a tour of the seismo-lab at Cal Tech. In 2006 I did the USGS Menlo Park tour on the 100th anniversary of the 1906 "San Francisco" Earthquake. Heading into the holidays this year I felt it was time to take a Cal Tech tour. This year thematically for me as been a year of not holding back and trying new things and when necessary, stepping outside of my comfort zone. I mentioned to Kate my desire to drop in on Cal Tech and she graciously agreed to indulge me. Despite my car's mechanical integrity in question I decided to "damn the torpedoes" and go down to Pasadena today and trust God to keep me safe and my car roadworthy... which He did. Initially I hoped my mother would share the experience, but she was unable to attend.  Therefore, today turned into a "Kim Day."

The cherry on top for me was the fact a Santa Ana Wind event was setting up across Southern California today. On this day, I first encountered them on the south side of the Cuesta Grade where I was buffeted by down-slope winds at about 5 a.m. When I broke out onto Gaviota Coast on Highway 101 at about 6 a.m. I was greeted by about the most magical scene I have ever witnessed. The first light of dawn was turning the waters of the Santa Barbara Channel a dark blue to almost black upon which mysterious-looking but beautiful lights on oil platforms and ships twinkled. The sky was starting to low-glow in the east and illuminate just enough of the landscape of the Channel Islands beyond and on the Santa Ynez Mountains onshore to create a spectacularly beautiful sight. I did not feel like stopping to take photos (except one) and I'm not sure many a photo taken from the 101 Freeway corridor would have done the sight due justice. At the Ventura River I encountered the first current of strong Santa Ana Winds since the Cuesta Grade earlier. I could see its footprint on the sea-surface which was rippled by the winds where just north of there the sea-surface was smooth as glass. By the time I reached the Los Angeles Basin the winds were still in the process of clearing out the haze but the north wind could be seen pushing it ocean-ward. Below are some images of the highlights of my day.

Dawn over the Santa Barbara Channel.

This the the following images were taken from the top of Lake Avenue in Altadena, CA.

Verdugo Hills and Crescenta Valley

Downtown Pasadena, CA.

Downtown Los Angeles, CA with Palos Verdes Peninsula at left in distance.

Crescenta Valley with the Jet Propulsion Laboratory's campus visible at center in middle distance.

Jet Propulsion Laboratory in La Canada-Flintridge.

Lake Avenue headed down the hill towards downtown Pasadena, CA.

Downtown Pasadena, CA.

Downtown Los Angeles, CA, with the Rose Bowl superstructure at right in the foreground.

Where you see hills, think earthquakes because that is how these hills were built up over geologic time.

Santa Catalina Island is in the distance, then Palos Verdes Peninsula in middle distance.

Whittier Hills and Orange County beyond.

Santa Ana Mountains in the distance.

Whittier Hills and Puente Hills

I saw this CERT class advertisement on a sign on Lake Avenue.

Dr. and Mrs. McGee's old house at 1285 Woodbury Drive in Altadena, CA.
To me it always was and remains "The Folk's House."

The new owners have really fixed it up nice.

The charming but destructive ivy is all gone in front but the wonderful trees are still there.

The late Dr. Lois Groth's old home now stands abandoned and looks like a haunted house across the street from "The Folk's House." This used to be the tidiest and neatest property on all of Woodbury Drive from east to west.

A beautiful Santa Ana Windy day in Pasadena... these are the most beautiful days of the year at the base of the San Gabriel Mountains. To me this is a quintessential Santa Ana Wind scene in this neighborhood that conjures many fond memories from my childhood.

I love this campus... I'm just not smart enough to attend school there.

Perhaps the most interesting map on the wall this day at Cal Tech's seismo-lab.

The media room at the seismo-lab at Cal Tech.

Kate firing up the big screen.

This was a simulation of the earthquake early warning system.

Each media outlet has its own feed connection.

Interesting paleo-seismological exhibit.

The Cal Tech Earthquake Exhibit
All photos by Kim Patrick Noyes (all rights reserved).

My Mission, Indians, & Hacienda Jaunt

Today I accompanied my friend Marty on a short expedition to Fort Hunter Liggett to see Mission San Antonia de Padua and the Julia Morgan-designed Milpitas Ranchhouse a.k.a. "The Hacienda" as well as visit Indians on the Monterey District of the Los Padres National Forest all of which we accomplished. What follows is a photographic account of the high points of the endeavor which was my first visit to this area since prior to the 2008 Indians Fire which consumed 80,000 acres during which time the nearby twice-as-big 162,000-acre lightning-caused Big Basin Fire burned into it and they merged. There was evidence of this fire to be seen everywhere we were within the burn area. There was also notable evidence of recent wildfires from earlier this year which burned exclusively within the boundaries of FHL.
*Note: all day people in the area were telling me it was just called "The Hacienda" and not what I was calling it, to wit, "Milpitas Ranchhouse". A most cursory investigation online confirmed I was not losing my mind and both names are appropriate as are a couple of other variants.  

Front entrance to Mission San Antonia de Padua where a new traffic pattern was discovered and seismic retrofit construction fully underway now three weeks into a $15 million project.

My friend Marty trying to track down a roof tile memento... which he scored shortly after this image was captured.

View from the courtyard.

I had forgotten this fountain was here.

Despite the changes I found here the courtyard at least was unchanged.

The roses here gave off a wonderful fragrance which caused me to temporarily forget I don't especially like roses.

This fountain "makes" this courtyard.

This is located in front of the mission.

We visited the most excellent little museum located at the front of this mission.

As those who know me know this sort of thing is right up my alley.

These roof rain drain pipes are most cleverly-designed as noted by Marty.

Most Californians don't know the economy of the California region was once dominated by the hide and tallow trade.

Pre-electricity the only preservatives of note were cool, dry cellars and fermentation.

Note the notches on the wood beams.

Manos and matates are a common sight in the mission museum.

One of my favorite artifacts are these mano and matate combinations.

It is slightly jarring to first notice this symbol on these old pre-Third Reich baskets.

The second thought to come to mind seeing these swastikas with the eagle is some sort of pulp fiction serial storyline with Nazis going back in time and influencing ancient cultures.

I can't help myself from photographing these things.

The east wing of the main mission structure was never rebuilt and never will be, but makes an excellent archaeological site.

Salinan bedrock mortar in bedrock in Arroyo Seco headwaters creek.

Despite the severe drought there are vernal pools in the headwaters of the Arroyo Seco.

This is Indians and the open area here features a most desirable vibe and view.

View southeast from the probable camp or village site.

View west-northwest into the Ventana Wilderness Area of the Monterey District of the Los Padres National Forest. Note the bedrock mortars in the foreground. This was undoubtedly a Salinan camp or village site at some time.

I could easily imagine this overhang being used for shelter in conjunction with a lean-to.

Junipero Serra Peak behind the Indians meadow.

Me being the dork I am I always notice that white layer on the mountain in the background and wonder what formed it.

Closer view of the curious geologic feature on the nearby mountain and of the lean-to friendly overhangs in the foreground.

The fire lookout atop Junipero Serra Peak is no longer visible so I assume it burned in 2008.

The up-lifted sedimentary layers at Indians always give me pause to think about the earthquakes that are still uplifting them.

The Hacienda

In the summertime sunlight this building literally glows in a very Mediterranean-style fashion.

I fully intend to spend a night here someday... preferably in the company of a woman.

No, that is NOT an Islamic dome.

I love this hallway/corridor.

The restaurant no longer functions... the artwork on its walls was lovely and charming not to mention quite historical.

They just don't build things like this anymore... certainly not with the charm of places like this.

All photos by Kim Patrick Noyes (all rights reserved).