Tourist Terrorists

Wow was this am a big mess. Icy roads and crazy tourists made the commute to the south shore a trecherous journey. Spin outs were common and locals every where were chatting about their narrow escapes and long commutes.

In the village, the sidewalks had been shoveled but berms kept the water from the melting rooftops on the sidewalks so that any tourists would have to wade through the cold water to get into a store…and so that water would seep under the doors of those establishments. Drains were strategically piled up with snow so the water would not drain off the roadway and speeding vehicles could splash other ambling guests and locals with the dirty, cold water. Is this karma for all those bad mannered drivers visiting up here?

On Big Bear Boulevard, inadequate plowing strategies left large ribbons of slush and ice in the middle of the roadways and big ruts alongside the frontage walkways. Driveways resembled deep trenches waiting to devour any unsuspecting vehicles. If that wasn’t bad enough, those driving uphill on ice stopped dead so that the vehicles behind them were put at risk. Even I had to do some fast thinking and steering to get off the road and away from the threat of oncoming traffic.

On the north shore thin ribbons of iced road remain in many places. The morning is going to be an icy and dangerous place…be sure to use caution. I moved my morning appointments into the afternoon and will spend more time at the keyboard instead of tackling the hazardous roads.

Fawnskin Angel
There is nothing worse than coming home to your parking area and finding a large berm across the access path that you spent hours clearing. The worse part is when the berm is composed of those very large ice boulders. They are the reason I carry a shovel in the back of my pickup truck. As I was chopping at the boulders and shoveling the wet, heavy mass of melting snow, an angel appeared.

This angel showed up last year, too. The guy’s name is Greg and he has contracts with some of the private home rentals here. He yelled out the window, “Hey, you are working way to hard. Move out of the way.” And I did. And the great, generous guy moved the berm and most of the really heavy ice boulders forming the fortress walls in front of my parking pad completely to the side. All I can say is, thanks a million Greg. I’ll be opening a tab for you at Eastside since I know you hang out there!

NSIA
The NSIA potluck had a light turnout which was probably good because there was limited parking due to the snowstorm. I parked on Mohawk myself and hiked in. Just a few notes for those of you who could not make it:

Ermergency Evac/Help
Jim M. said that they are collecting the names of people who are handicapped or unable to get out in the event of an emergency. Sister Annette has been down and unable to get the snow removal program going like she had anticipated but they are still collecting names and looking for volunteers. Anyway, if you have anyone who should be on an emergency evacuation list or on a help list, please call Jim at 866-9447.

Caltrans Meeting
The Caltrans meeting regarding the bridge (dam closure) construction and redirection of traffic meeting is on March 30, 2006 from 4-8pm (at the MWD offices). The EIR study is at Fire Station 49 if you want to take a gander. You can also call Sue Crockett as she has a copy she wants to circulate. Please show up for the public commentary as there are many issues that need to be addressed.

Friends of Fawnskin
Sandy reported that the Moon Camp EIR (386 pages) is open for comment. A date has not been set for the related planning commission hearing. So far the positive changes include: Decrease of homes from 93 down to 50; the hwy will not be moved; the lakeside will remain open space. Concerns still include the unique pebble plain and other points not yet addressed. The Marina Point project is still in the hands of the judge–and no news yet.

Moose Lodge MS Walk
Mayor Emily (she was awarded her mayorial cap–a nice feminine pink) reported that the MS Walk pancake breakfast, graciously held at the Grizzly Manor, raised $1500. She also said they have exceeded their numbers of walkers compared to last year and still plan to hit $100,000. The walk is April 22.

Electronic Recycling
If you have any televisions, computer monitors or other electronics, the Discovery Center will have an electronic collection day on March 21, 2006 from 4-6pm. Head on over. The Sierra Club will also have a meeting following the effort at 6:30pm.

NSIA April Meeting
Don’t miss the April meeting since code enforcement will be there to answer any questions. NSIA is specifically targeting clean up of the town and you can learn about the procedures to take. Some of the topics that will be covered will include trash, lot clean up and weed abatement.

Mayor’s Feed
Finally, the Mayor’s Spaghetti Feed will be at the Moose Lodge on March 29, 2006 starting at 6pm. The Fawnskin Festival date is still unclear. ET said July 29th AND 30th. However the event is usually only one day–at least we know what weekend it is!



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