On Friday, September 20, we headed up the hill. The Park restrictions were still in place, so we made sure we were on the road during the permitted hours, which were quite illogical. Whatever. They are in charge; we are not. We only met 3 vehicles, all part of a construction crew on a cabin. […]
News on Four Topics
Painting I finished these two oil paintings, to be held in reserve for when the Mural Gallery in Exeter needs to be resupplied with citrus paintings. Mineral King The Mineral King road and recreation restrictions were scheduled to be lifted on Saturday, September 21. By now people who need to know will know for sure […]
Fix ’em Up, Make ’em Better Than Before
Yesterday I told you that the paintings retrieved from Silver City will be heading to Exeter’s Mural Gallery, which reopens September 19 (TOMORROW!) after a summer-long renovation. (I don’t think they have a website, but their physical address is 121 So. E Street (next door to the former Wildflower Cafe, at the edge of Mixter […]
Mineral King: Clear in the Morning, Smoky Later
With the Coffeepot Fire about 10-15 miles down the road from the Mineral King valley, the smoke blows up each day, anywhere from 9:30 until noon. Sometimes it clears up a bit in the afternoon or early evening, then it blows back down the canyon at night. Trail Guy took these clear morning photos for […]
Mineral King: Weekend of Uncertainty, Chapter 6
After wondering all weekend if we would be evacuated from Mineral King, a Park employee came by our cabins on Monday morning around 8, telling us to be at the Conifer gate (7.5 miles below our cabins) to be escorted out. If we didn’t want to go, that was fine, but then we’d be unable […]
Mineral King: Weekend of Uncertainty, Chapter 5
Our weekend of uncertainty in Mineral King began each day with clear skies, and hope that the clarity would remain for as long as possible. We headed down the road for a walk one morning, not quite as early as hoped, and were also delayed by conversation with fellow cabin folks. Everyone was in that […]
Mineral King: Weekend of Uncertainty, Chapter 4
What does one do in Mineral King when it is too smoky out for any real exertion or appreciation of the scenery? Sometimes one sits inside with a friend and draws. Sometimes one does chores, anticipating an early closing due to uncertainty. That uncertainty chased us all weekend along. We contacted cabin neighbors who were […]
Mineral King: Weekend of Uncertainty, Chapter 3
After a harrowing intense drive, an hour longer than normal, we made it to Mineral King. It was smoky when we arrived, not worth any photos. We gathered with neighbors in the early evening to share snacks, stories, and speculations on what the uncertain weekend might hold for us. One member of our little group […]
Mineral King: Weekend of Uncertainty, Chapter 2
My regular posts are postponed while I tell you of our weekend of uncertainty in Mineral King. I went up the hill with a friend/cabin neighbor on Friday morning. She picked me up at 10:30, and we did not arrive at our cabins until 1 p.m. I used the word “harrowing” to describe the drive, […]
Clear Morning in Smoky Mineral King
The Coffeepot Fire started on August 3, from lightning about 15 miles down the road from Mineral King. Each evening, the down-canyon breezes start clearing smoke out of the valley. The next morning we get clear air until 9 or 10. I went for a walk on one of those mornings. It was a difficult […]