Category Archives: the land

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?”

Wildlife Conservation: Huge owls need huge trees

Sometimes news about wildlife and habitat isn't surprising, but worth resposting anyhow, for its own sake, just as species are worth saving for their own sake. Here's an example, a news release today from the Wildlife Conservation Society: A study spearheaded by the Wildlife Conservation Society and the University of Minnesota has shown that theContinue reading “Wildlife Conservation: Huge owls need huge trees”

The Cheyenne vs. the white man’s theory of tornadoes

A spectacular NYTimes magazine story on Oklahoma's "weather god" of tornadoes, meteorologist and television forecaster Gary England, included this fascinating nugget from writer Sam Anderson:  I kept remembering something Gary England told me in his office. One big regret, he said, is that although he grew up surrounded by Cheyenne people in Seiling, he neverContinue reading “The Cheyenne vs. the white man’s theory of tornadoes”

The l970’s in one image: Tripper

At the National Archives is a selection of a jaw-dropping collection of photos of the l970's courtesy of, believe it or not, the Environmental Protection Agency. Yes, inspired by the famous WPA Farm Security Administration project, the EPA hired veteran photographers to document the agency, the nation, and the times, in the Documerica project (l971-1977).Continue reading “The l970’s in one image: Tripper”

How is it even possible to hike 42 miles a day on the PCT?

Un-freaking-believeable. This vegan athlete, Josh Garrett, is averaging 42 miles a day on the Pacific Crest Trail, and is expected to break the all-time record in the next couple of days. In an interview, he said: The current speed record is 64 days and eleven hours. I hope to finish in 63. That means IContinue reading “How is it even possible to hike 42 miles a day on the PCT?”

Alice Eastwood: I only go to the mountains for the flowers

Alice Eastwood, who wrote the first guidebook to the flowers of the Sierra Nevada, and was president of the Tamalpais Conservation Club, campaigned for the state park known in my home town of Mill Valley as Mt. Tam.   "I am not a true mountain climber as I go only for the flowers and forContinue reading “Alice Eastwood: I only go to the mountains for the flowers”

The healing tree that revived photographer Mark Hirsch

Mark Hirsch was a professional photographer and editor who suffered a couple of crippling blows in life; first, being laid off from a job he loved editing photos for an Iowa newspaper, and then being literally hit by a truck. For CBS News, he wrote:  After the crash, I was unable to work. I hadContinue reading “The healing tree that revived photographer Mark Hirsch”

Hailstones like lemon drops: Strange summer on the PCT

Mostly it's been dry, dry, dry this year in Southern California, but a week ago Monday, as I was on the Pacific Crest Trail in the Big Bear section, big old clouds came in and hung over the moon: Then Tuesday afternoon, heading over a ridge near Doble Springs, down came the hail.  Biggest hailContinue reading “Hailstones like lemon drops: Strange summer on the PCT”

NASA: Stellar womb gives birth to monster star

From an ALMA (ESO/NRAJ/NRAO)/NASA press release: Observations of the dark cloud SDC 335.579-0.292 using the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter array (ALMA) have given astronomers the best view yet of a monster star in the process of forming. A stellar womb with over 500 times the mass than the Sun has been found and appears as theContinue reading “NASA: Stellar womb gives birth to monster star”