Category Archives: the beta

The trail that goes under the freeway: Section D of the PCT

The fourth section of the Pacific Crest Trail, Section D, which I walked this past week, begins by passing under Interstate 15 (which goes from Los Angeles to Las Vegas), then turning north along a major rail arterial. It crosses the San Andreas Fault and then (literally) turns and heads for the hills.  It's aContinue reading “The trail that goes under the freeway: Section D of the PCT”

“Ridiculously Resilient Ridge” explains West Coast drought

That's the meteorological explanation: a ridge of high pressure over the West Coast that has been blocking weather from the Pacific, driving it north, leaving the entire West Coast in drought.  But what explains the so-called "Ridiculously Resilient Ridge?".  That we really don't know yet and the climatologists are loathe to speculate. One spot ofContinue reading ““Ridiculously Resilient Ridge” explains West Coast drought”

The lazy man’s guide to a classic roast chicken recipe

Both the LA Times and the San Francisco Chronicle gave Judy Rodgers of the Zuni Cafe a warm send-off and reprinted her classic roast chicken recipe, which has won big awards and international acclaim.  Here's the obituary/recipe, and here (below) is an easy version of the chicken recipe for lazy people that still comes outContinue reading “The lazy man’s guide to a classic roast chicken recipe”

Section F of the PCT: Park off Hwy 58 near Mojave…

While struggling to retrieve images from a balky memory card, here are the writerly version of some lost snapshots from a week ago, setting out on Section F of the Pacific Crest Trail: Section F of the Pacific Crest Trail for the northbound begins at an offramp at Cameron Road off Hwy 58 west ofContinue reading “Section F of the PCT: Park off Hwy 58 near Mojave…”

Los Angeles: Soon to be a walker’s paradise?

It's not true, as a Missing Person used to shriek back in l982, that nobody walks in L.A. In 2013, lots of people walk in L.A. For fun and exercise. Heck, Los Angeles could be "a walker's paradise!" Well, hasn't happened yet, but it actually could, and walking itself has become cool. In the nick ofContinue reading “Los Angeles: Soon to be a walker’s paradise?”

The Chumash cure for poison oak: USC Scientist

From my story in the Ojai Valley News: One of the most common shade plants in Southern California is mugwort, a rangy grey-green perennial with serrated leaves, which also turns out to be one of the plants most useful for healing in the Chumash tradition. That’s according to Jim Adams, a professor in pharmacology atContinue reading “The Chumash cure for poison oak: USC Scientist”

Starbucks reaches out to backpackers with VIA

Well, not exactly. Probably the giant corporation is thinking mostly of harrassed and weary office workers with nothing but a microwave to their name, when they launched their new line of instant powdered coffees. Nonetheless, on a recent backpack trip with the family, looking for a coffee to take backpacking that wouldn't be hideous andContinue reading “Starbucks reaches out to backpackers with VIA”

Best time to hike in the Sierra

For the underemployed — now. Right after Labor Day. The kids have gone back to school, the Austrians have gone home, the drones have returned to their cubicles — the trails are yours, if you so choose.  Here's a new loop I'm checking out, starting Tuesday, featuring Deadman's Canyon, which I have heard from reliableContinue reading “Best time to hike in the Sierra”