BS: The merrier gods redecorate my road home

Subject: RE: BS: The merrier gods redecorate my road home
From: fat B****rd
Date: 02 Apr 11 - 02:33 PM

Wot KT said.

Subject: RE: BS: The merrier gods redecorate my road home
From: KT
Date: 02 Apr 11 - 12:22 PM

Wow, Claire! I've just now seen this thread. How scary! I wonder about the destabilization of the rest of the hillside as a result of that slide. And I admire your attitude tremendously!

Subject: RE: BS: The merrier gods redecorate my road home
From: ClaireBear
Date: 02 Apr 11 - 11:59 AM

The temporary gravel road through our backyard will be ready for limited driving sometime today. Emergency vehicles will be able to get through, which will be good. Not sure I want to drive my Mini on it right away, but I don't so much mind the walk through the woods.

It will be months, at least, before we can use our actual road again.

Story here.

We are grateful to the merrier gods for their jest, which hurt no one, damaged almost nothing, strengthened our community, and allowed us to develop a great working relationship with county government.

Subject: RE: BS: The merrier gods redecorate my road home
From: Bill D
Date: 30 Mar 11 - 10:28 PM

Obviously...(he said with feigned expertise).. the only real solution is to just gradually dig that &#$@%*^ hillside back far enuf till it cain't slide over the road no more.....like maybe a couple hundred yards... ☺

Or maybe that concrete stuff they spray on walls inside tunnels.

Subject: RE: BS: The merrier gods redecorate my road home
From: jacqui.c
Date: 30 Mar 11 - 09:40 PM

Good to hear - we need to talk about your shawl......

Subject: RE: BS: The merrier gods redecorate my road home
From: ClaireBear
Date: 30 Mar 11 - 08:30 PM

Santa Cruz County Department of Public Works has posted on YouTube the whole video of the slide converting from a wee bother to a major dust-up.
It is here. Some of the language is a tad on the blue side, but I imagine you can understand why. Apparently even the sheriff's department people were running for their lives towards the end.

In other news, we may have our temporary road in place by EOD Friday. Hurrah!, say I, even though it will be startling to look out my bathroom window and see cars rolling by where the only traffic used to be squirrels and hummingbirds.

Geologists have not yet ventured to speculate as to when it might be safe to begin excavating the slide. (Was that enough waffle words?) I am not holding my breath.

But we're still all fine, and a little slogging through the mud hasn't hurt us. Moreover there's been no rain since Sunday, so the mud is drying up quickly, leaving a path that, were it not for the poison oak, might be quite pleasant.

Cheers, all.
Claire

Subject: RE: BS: The merrier gods redecorate my road home
From: ClaireBear
Date: 27 Mar 11 - 01:10 AM

Bill, yeah, it's WAYYYY too big for a fence ... the current slide is 200' x 40' high. And the way-backwoods part of our road was never really "developed," per se -- our farm has been there since mid 19th century. Houses newer than that, way out there, are pretty much built by folks who don't play well with other children, if you get my drift.

Subject: RE: BS: The merrier gods redecorate my road home
From: Bill D
Date: 26 Mar 11 - 10:34 PM

Claire... I looked it up on Google Earth using the article, and it looks like a blockage waiting to happen! Every year, we read about some California community having problems with nature & topographic awkwardness....fire, landslides, floods...etc.

I just wonder why, given the obvious situation, developers didn't anticipate that possible landslide and install some sort of barrier/fence like I've seen beside mountain roads to catch rocks....or was this too big for ANY fence? If so, I wonder what they'll do as they gradually dig it out and rebuild the road? Do you face one of these every few years?

Subject: RE: BS: The merrier gods redecorate my road home
From: ClaireBear
Date: 26 Mar 11 - 09:58 PM

No tsunamis yet...that was about 10 miles away, where Santa Cruz harbor had $20 million in damage.

Still waiting for the volcano...

Leenia, thanks for your concern. We are -- most of us, anyway -- educated people who know what we're about and understand what is happening. One or two of our neighbors, unfortunately the most quoted among us, are not.

Most of my intentional community is far from the slide and in no danger...just mightily inconvenienced, which is a price we are willing to pay for our privacy and community-based lifestyle. We understand the nature of the mud stone that slid -- we always know it would, someday. This has been the wettest year in recorded history in our area. No surprises. We are just happy we can help get our uphill neighbors through this with less trauma.

Cheers,
Claire

Subject: RE: BS: The merrier gods redecorate my road home
From: SINSULL
Date: 26 Mar 11 - 01:03 PM

Hang in there Miss Bear. So far no sign of a tsunami?
Mary

Subject: RE: BS: The merrier gods redecorate my road home
From: pdq
Date: 26 Mar 11 - 12:43 PM

'this is the cost of living in a tranquil place'

Actually, that is a reasonable statement if you have ever been to the place she lives. Not cheap either.

Subject: RE: BS: The merrier gods redecorate my road home
From: GUEST,leeneia
Date: 26 Mar 11 - 12:38 PM

Here's a place to start.

http://www.conservation.ca.gov/cgs/geologic_hazards/landslides/Pages/index.aspx

Clairebear, that slide didn't 'just happen.' It occurred because the cracks in the rock, the slope of the bedding, and (possibly) a slick clay layer under them allowed thousands of tons of rock to slip downslope rapidly and violently. It could happen again.

You and your neighbors need to know where else this might happen and to make plans so you are not in the way.

Somebody said 'this is the cost of living in a tranquil place.' That is pure BS, you know.

Subject: RE: BS: The merrier gods redecorate my road home
From: ClaireBear
Date: 26 Mar 11 - 12:12 PM

Well, nothing's changed much -- I still have to hike through deep mud to get out to the car a quarter mile away. But the county has started laying culvert in the creek bed so our temporary road can be laid over it.

I ran out of good humor yesterday, but I am working on regaining it. A weekend making music with my brother and sister -- at my sister's house, not here -- should help tremendously.

Subject: RE: BS: The merrier gods redecorate my road home
From: katlaughing
Date: 25 Mar 11 - 11:51 AM

Reminds me of the makeshift ways we used to devise to get into/out of the ranchette in WY when drifted in by huge snowdrifts. Not nearly as solid or long lasting as what you face, though! Thanks for sharing...great Can-Do Neighbourhood!

Subject: RE: BS: The merrier gods redecorate my road home
From: GUEST,leeneia
Date: 25 Mar 11 - 08:49 AM

You and your neighbors should consult a geologist to make sure that no similar slide threatens a home, barn or other structure similar. Esp. a structure apt to have people in it.

Subject: RE: BS: The merrier gods redecorate my road home
From: gnu
Date: 25 Mar 11 - 06:09 AM

Good attitude... have fun with it.

Subject: RE: BS: The merrier gods redecorate my road home
From: Sandra in Sydney
Date: 25 Mar 11 - 05:59 AM

thanks for posting the story

Subject: RE: BS: The merrier gods redecorate my road home
From: Micca
Date: 24 Mar 11 - 01:09 PM

" and whoever will draw the road from the stones shall be King"

Subject: BS: The merrier gods redecorate my road home
From: ClaireBear
Date: 24 Mar 11 - 12:58 PM

Here's a heartwarming news story -- and it's about me! Or at least my friends and family...wage slave that I am, I was indoors working through most of the filming.

The settings: the once and future road (now covered by a 200-foot rockslide) out from the farm where I live, and the makeshift road we're putting -- literally -- in my backyard.

I think you'll like the story, or I wouldn't be sharing it. Maybe even songwriting fodder, hmmmm....

Not sure how long it will be up, but enjoy it while it's there: Mountain residents make do

Speaking of redecorating, I look quite festive this morning. I cleverly wore a leopard spotted top, the theory being that once my black skirt, tights, and boots were splattered with mud, everything would match. The look seems to be working for me.

Cheers,
Claire