Monday Morning Fence Fun

The sun cleared the coastal hills at 6:30 this morning. Time to start studying the Fences of Fort Bragg.




Redwood can sometimes grow with a genitic problem and stakes will split out like these.


A sign like this sure raises questions in my mind!! I really get the urge to peek.

Environmental Disaster?

I decided to walk over to Glass Beach today, mainly to look at the G-P property from the north end for more photo opportunities. I got to a ledge above the beach and was distracted by dark streaks on the beach. Oh oh! I’m thinking oil spill! Looked like heavy crude.

I worked my way down to the beach to take a closer look.

I felt some of the stuff. It wasn’t oily.

And then I knew what it was. It was those little blue jelly fish thingies with sails.

Thousands and thousands of them! Washed up on the beach!

When I got home I Googled them.

Sure enough. I found them, (aren’t search engines wonderful!).

Velellas! Read all about them here.

As for my G-P photo? This was the old dynamite storage shed.

All that seperates Fort Bragg from the ocean

I recently received a notice from the Department of Toxic Substance Control. I took these photos this morning to accompany the text.

"Work Notice. Field Activities.

"Field work is scheduled to begin the week of April 15th, 2007 on the former Georgia-Pacific mill site.

"Sampling/investigations: Soil, groundwater, and surface water throughout the G-P site will be sampled over the 2007 spring and summer.

"Pilot test: Petroleum-impacted soil from the former mobile equipment shop area will be dug up and spread over a sealed concrete pad on the site. Soil nutrients will be mixed into the soil to test the effectiveness of this method for treating/cleaning up the soil.

"Geophysical anomaly test pit investigation: Previous investigations detected buried metal debris at various onsite locations. Test pits will be dug in the locations of the detected metal to see what is buried.

"Building demolition: Several buildings on the G-P site will be demolished as part of a permitted activity through the City of Fort Bragg and the Coastal Commission. The buildings slated for demolition are: the machine shop, plant supply, covered shed, storage shed, mobile equipment shop, tire shop, wash-down building, and the fuel storage and dispenser building.

"Surface debris removal: Debris such as pieces of metal, wire, girders, wood, etc. will be removed from the coastal/beach areas on the G-P site."

You can view more documents here

Woo Hoo!

I took this photo last Friday of the horse and buggy tie-down, in front of Racine's, that is missing it's ring.

Today I walked by and by golly, it has been marked for saving!

Perfect!

Looking south on Franklin from Laurel Street. The sidewalk on the west side of Franklin Street is being removed. The "half ring" is straight across the street.

Stay tuned!!

Pictographs by Age Group

I find it interesting how my morning walk can sometimes develop a theme.

I started out with no intention of ending up with what we have here but during my walk this sequence of images appeared and pictographs came to mind.
I guess I could call this series, The Young, The Oldler, and the Restless.

Otis R. Johnson Park

I happened to notice on Google Maps that E. Laurel Street continues east of Otis R. Johnson Park. I didn’t think so. This morning my walk was to find out. Long story short, it doesn’t. Sanderson Way comes to a dead end.

On my way back to the real E. Laurel Street…

I took a short-cut through Otis R. Johnson Park. I entered at the Cedar Street entrance and took the staircase down into the park.

Most of Fort Bragg is flat and level but this little park is in a gulch with a stream, lots of greenery, large redwood trees and larger redwood stumps. The Skunk Train tracks define the northern boundary. Walking through this park one is immediately transported into deep woods and wilderness and yet Fort Bragg is with-in a block in most every direction!

This is beside the exit (or entrance) to Otis R. Johnson Park from the east end of the REAL

East Laurel Street!

Good News

During our week of Spring Break vacation I found myself! Turns out I was about ten miles south of Goffs, California! (traveloge)

When I returned home I had an e-mail waiting for me…

“The City has found a way to preserve the rings in their current locations while making certain the City provides a hazard-free walkway. The plan calls for removing the rings, when necessary but designing the new sidewalk so the rings can be replaced at a lower level – thus avoiding a tripping hazard.”

*****

I thank you fellow bloggers and local friends who sent comments. As my fellow Tie-down ring enthusiast and guiding light said, “It’s wonderful to see the city council and staff are also interested in preserving the bits of our historical identity”.

So, rested and re-inspired I hit the streets this morning looking for any tie-down rings I may have missed. I found one and a half!!

This one, the “half”, is missing its ring and is located on Franklin in front of Racine’s Art and Office Supply. Hopefully we can add a ring when it gets replaced.

This one was a total surprise! I found it on the south side of Oak Street near Main Street. This is my first Red One!!

6:58 AM

Sunrise through the rising structure of the "Sigrid & Harry Spath Aquatic Center" at the east end of Maple. This swimming facility will replace the aging Aquatic Center on Laurel Street.

Nearby, the sun begins to shine on the Madonna at the Catholic Church.

Today is the start of our 18th Annual Spring Break. Two VW Vanagons heading for the desert.

I will be back the 20th of April. I hate to leave right when the Tie-down rings are on the front burner but Johanna is attending a meeting at the city council today and will inform them of our concerns.

All our previous Spring Break trips can be found on the left side of this webpage: Travels

Help Save the Rings

I know this is a long blog but today I am asking for help. My friend Johanna and I are working on a self guided tour about Fort Bragg Oddities and realized three of the eight remaining horse and buggy tie-down rings could soon be lost. Johanna wrote the following letter:

********************

Dear Mr. Mayor and City Council Members,

Yesterday, while working on a project for the Fort Bragg Promotion Committee, I discovered we are about to lose a small, but important part of Fort Bragg’s history. I’m writing today to ask you to please “Save our Horse-and-Buggy Rings.”

My project is a self-guided walking tour of Fort Bragg. I’m collaborating with Ron Bloomquist, a Fort Bragg resident who walks Fort Bragg most early mornings, and documents interesting discoveries he finds on his Walking Fort Bragg blog.

One of his finds, the horse and buggy rings in the curbs around town, is an important part of the walking-tour. If you’ve never noticed the rings, it’s easy to see a good example as there’s one on the curb across from City Hall on North Franklin Street.

Ron realized the rings may be in danger as the North Franklin Street improvement projects progress. A quick conversation with city planner Sean O’Rourke led us to believe the city had not considered the historical significance of the rings, and had not planned to return them to their curbs.

I know the rings are a small feature, but they’re an important building block of our historical identity. The city’s design guidelines include an objective of promoting a clear identity and sense of place; the rings are unique and clearly communicate a sense of our community.

I believe removing the rings is simply an oversight, so I’m writing to bring the matter to your attention. In addition, I’m asking the council to create a two part policy. First, I’m hoping you will direct construction crews to safely extract, and replace, the horse-and-buggy rings whenever an improvement project requires their removal. I also request the policy include direction to preserve historical features in future improvement projects.

Finally, please be aware time is of the essence. I understand the rings on North Franklin Street curb will be removed within the next few weeks. I am happy to answer questions, attend sub-committee or planning meetings, or collaborate in whatever manner would be helpful.

Sincerely,
Johanna Jensen
I walked over and took some photos this morning of the ring across from City Hall and this one (one of two) just north of the First Baptist Church.

While I was taking these photos a man came walking by. I asked him, "Do you know these horse and buggy rings could soon be gone. His reply:

“Well, uh, nobody comes to town on a horse anymore.”

********************

I hope we can do better than that.

Here is the Fort Bragg City Council's e-mail address: citycouncil@fortbragg.com.

Please send them your thoughts.

Thanks.

I Did IT

I finished my Birthday Walk at the Square Pole on the corner of Laurel and Harrison. As you can see in the above photo I walked 6.6 miles celebrating my 66th birthday!

Several people commented earlier, via blog and phone, that they would love to accompany me on my Birthday Walk but I was starting too early (6:06 AM) or they had to work.

But my friend Ed told me he was up for it and met me at Wiggly Giggly Park in time for chin-ups. Then we walked past various Oddities on our way to the Put In Creek bridge and guess who was patiently waiting there to join in the walk? My friend Jim!!

We three walked out the Ten Mile Haul Road until my GPS read 3.3 miles, turned around and headed home. Walking and talking as we ambled along sure made it easy and fun.

During our walk Ed spotted a Pintail Duck at Virgin Creek.

And I’m sure I disappointed this California Buzzard by walking right past him. He is going to have to wait a few more years before he gets me!!

It was a beautiful morning and a wonderful walk. Thanks guys for joining me!

Route 6.6

I am inviting you to join me for a Birthday Walk next Tuesday, April 10th, 2007.

We can meet at the Square Pole at the southwest corner of Laurel and Harrison and do some stretching. This pole is one of only two remaining redwood power poles left from the days the Union Lumber company provided power to Fort Bragg.

Next, a couple of chin ups or pull ups at Wiggly Giggly Park for that upper body strength!

Maybe a peek in Understuff. Just for old times sake!

A drink from the water bottle as a toast to the Golden West Saloon; one of only two brick buildings that survived the 1906 earthquake.

Next, a stroll north to pay our respects to three of the eight remaining Horse and Buggy Tie-down rings. Hopefully these three on Franklin will survive the ongoing street and sidewalk improvements.I think a wee sit on the only remaining Stagecoach step in town to ponder my past and future would be nice.

Then we could head north out past the “Put In” Creek Trestle to the Ten Mile Haul Road and walk out past “Virgin Creek” (another remembrance of days gone by) until my GPS reads 3.3 miles. Then turn around and head back to the Square Pole for a total of 6.6 miles.

I think that would be perfect for my 66th birthday!! See you next Tuesday at the Square Pole. 6:06 AM. Sharp!

Strange

I had a strange walk during the waning of our recent full moon.

I decided to visit the Pudding Creek Trestle Bridge which seems to have come to a complete stop. These stumps of pilings are the reason. They are at the north end of the bridge, were found to be mostly rotten and removed. Now things are in limbo until a way to finish the bridge is figured out both physically and financially.

After my cemetery walk of yesterday I happened upon some headstones this morning that didn’t make the “cut”!! Evidently ordered and forgotten. Strange.

Continuing the strange theme I see the Episcopalians are tired of skateboarders.

And, I see someone found a way to ensure their security. Just wall up the front door! The orange barricade marker is a nice touch.

And here are the rays of today’s rising sun. All in all an interesting, strange walk.