At Pier 40 and City Kayak

A " pretend" SF tourist adventure. Leaving the phone behind. More pics later.

Note: This turned into more of an adventure that we expected. Should have noted that City Kayak considers the Moonlight Kayak to be an "intermediate" kayak outing.

The SF Chron weighs in on Sharp Park

Excellent editorial on the Sharp Park Golf Course controversy in the San Francisco Chronicle this morning:

Let golfers play through on Sharp Park course
Thursday, September 3, 2009

Golfers teeing off Sharp Park course in Pacifica have more to worry about than a slice or hook. The beachside course, run by San Francisco's parks system, is home to a colorful snake and bug-eyed frog whose advocates want the 18-hole muni course sharply altered, if not eliminated.

Both duffers and environmentalists are waiting on a study before the next round, which could be a court fight over federal protections involving the San Francisco garter snake and red-legged frog, whose numbers have plummeted to danger levels because of development. City leaders also may pull a lifeline subsidy for the money-losing course.

Before the battle gets that far, San Francisco officials should consider a compromise that would let both golfers and nature lovers co-exist. At issue are both a low-priced course ($24 for a weekend round) and habitat for two signature species. One idea: a nine-hole course with the remaining fairways restored to wetlands. Another option: Preserve the course's most historic holes.

So far, the arguments are building to a needless all-or-nothing showdown while the city prolongs its homework. An overdue study by the city Recreation and Park Department is weighing three options: Keeping the present course with extra mitigation steps, reducing the fairways by half, or ending all golf in favor of restored wetlands.

Sharp Park, the creation of famed course designer Alister MacKenzie, deserves to stay open. Along with its loyal users, the surrounding city of Pacifica wants to keep it. The course's low greens fee draws budget-minded players who can't afford other spots. Also, Sharp Park is one of the oldest around, dating the 1930s when it opened on land donated to San Francisco...

I posted this comment on the site:

"I am delighted to see a liberal application of common sense in this editorial. Kudos to the Chron. Now if we can only find the same on our board of supervisors. The liberal part is easy to find - the common sense? Not so much.

Rather than change the size of the historical course, mitigation could be as simple as closing the course for a month or two during the wettest season when frogs are laying eggs and there is lower golfer utilization on the course. This could both save money and help the frogs.

Other well managed public golf courses around the country close for months at a time due to a predictable weather condition called "winter". There is no reason golfers, the frog and snake cannot co-exist on this course as they have for over 70 years."

Neighborhood news

After a late night crash on the hill below our apartment last month, we said we would try to get some police and media attention on the neighborhood. When I say "we", of course I mean Mrs. MW:

'Hill Flying' A Dangerous Trend On SF Russian Hill
Reporting Joe Vazquez

SAN FRANCISCO (CBS 5) ― Forty-one years after the movie, "Bullitt," cars are still bouncing around Russian Hill. But a series of recent incidents have San Francisco Police worried that it could be getting more dangerous.

"It's called 'hill flying,'" said Lt. Victor Tsang of the San Francisco Police Department. Thrill seekers taking advantage of San Francisco's steep topography accelerate up to the crest of the hill and then soar through the air. Often the driver has an accomplice shooting video with a cell phone, and the video ends up on YouTube.

Sigrid Wallach, a Russian Hill resident, shot video of a car that lost control, then crashed and burned on Jones Street near Green on August 6th. She said hill flying is constant, at least once a week.

"They blow through the stop sign and go airborne over the crest of this hill," Wallach said. "I think it's an outrage that they would come to Russian hill and engage in this activity..."

The police have taken to leaving a cruiser parked at the top of the hill overnight, and we've noticed more patrols. Mission accomplished.

Hitler becomes a Bears fan

EDITOR'S NOTE: I am not sure why HDW posted this on my blog instead of his, but since it is here I'll take the opportunity to note a couple other interesting Favre reactions here and here. I'll further note that "pulling a Favre" is now officially part of the lexicon, with 39,000 google hits.

The NYT offers some yooper smoked fish suggestions.

We may have to track a couple of these spots down during the fall trip...

Now Entering Upper Michigan’s Smoked Fish Zone
By MICHELINE MAYNARD
PARADISE, Mich.

IN the time it takes most people to finish a cup of coffee, Tom Ryan Brown has cleaned, gutted and placed a whole whitefish in a barrel of brine, where it will rest for hours before it is stacked in a smoking shed outside.

A day later, that whitefish is for sale in the refrigerator case at The Fish House, a tiny restaurant and store in this one-stoplight town in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan.

Mr. Brown is the third generation to work for a company founded by his grandfather, Tom Brown Sr., and now run by his father, Tom Brown Jr., known as Buddy. Each day, father and son smoke about 125 pounds of fish, caught just minutes away in Lake Superior.

Some of the smoked fish ends up in a tangy spread created by Cathy Brown, Tom Ryan Brown’s sister and the restaurant’s waitress. Other fresh fillets make up the “Lake Superior Fish Dinners” advertised by the neon sign in the cafe’s window.

The Browns are part of a small but vigorous family-dominated industry in the Upper Peninsula, where everyone, local and visitor alike, seems to have their favorite place for smoked fish.

Some favor Gustafson’s of Brevort, arguably the best-known source.

Others favor King’s in Naubinway, where they catch and smoke their own fish, while those farther west on the Keweenaw Peninsula swear by the fish from Peterson’s in Hancock.

“Smoked fish is in every camp and cabin in the woods,” said Nathan Mileski, the executive chef at Northern Michigan University in Marquette.

While smoked fish is available year-round, as long as it is safe for boats ply to ply the northern Great Lakes, business is at its peak in August, when waters abound with the summer’s first coho salmon, the fattest whitefish and flavorful lake trout.

After tourists go south after Labor Day, hunters arrive on the two-lane roads in this region where Ernest Hemingway once fished. Everyone, it seems, brakes for smoked fish, and if you can’t find it, you aren’t looking...

Not everyone is a fan, however.

“It’s cat food,” said Jeannie Rose, the owner of Jeannie’s Reach Cafe, which sits across from Gustafson’s in Brevort.

It’s true that the smoked fish made in the Upper Peninsula has little to do with the thinly sliced, silken kind sold by Zabar’s or served at Petrossian. While both are cured, the higher-end variety is cold-smoked (generally at a temperature of about 80 degrees) and sometimes not cooked at all....

Common Sense and the Sharp Park Golf Course

More dispatches from the Sharp Park front of the San Francisco Golf Wars.

Dispatch #1: A new video from Save Sharp Park Golf:


Hat/Tip - Pacifica Riptide.

This video speaks directly to a lie promoted by the Tuscon eco-extremists, certain San Francisco supervisors, and others trying to close the course - to whit - they represent San Francisco public course golfers as elitist and they paint golf as the exclusive domain of rich old white guys (Interestingly - ROWG's are the only demographic that is politically correct to disparage and hate. Even I don't like them, and I'm one of them - well... except for the "rich" part).

This video is also a great counterpoint to the propaganda piece put out by the folks at Restore Sharp Park Destroy Sharp Park Golf. They repackaged and rehashed the half truths, distortions and outright lies to be found on their website into a YouTube video. As we've pointed out before , the "Restore Sharp Park" (RSP) Destroy Sharp Park Golf website and video are funded by The Center for Biological Diversity (CBD), a well funded Tucson based eco-activist organization with a reputation for intimidating municipalities through legal action in the service of an extremist agenda. From the FAQ on the RSP website:

"The Center for Biological Diversity and Nature in the City both support restoration at Sharp Park, and are primarily responsible for the existence of this website."

You can read more about CBD's radical worldview and dishonest intimidation tactics in this PDF. As with all extremists, they believe the end justifies the means and will do or say anything in the service of their radical agenda. Right now - destroying Sharp Park Golf is on their "To-Do" list.

Dispatch #2: The local ABC affiliate recently ran a good piece covering the story:Some interesting comments on the ABC website featuring this story can be found here.

Dispatch #3: I wrote a short opinion piece for the SF Chronicle arguing for the application of a little common sense in the controversy. They didn't publish it, so I'll post it here.

Common Sense and Sharp Park

The Chronicle recently reported that the San Francisco Recreation and Park Department missed a deadline for reporting on the status and potential plans for the Sharp Park Golf Course.

Among the reasons cited for the delay - the department is going to “clarify the longterm impacts of sea rise on the park”. This should come as an enormous relief to all Pacificans, San Franciscans as well as climatologists, policy makers, and leaders worldwide. Finally, the question of longterm impact of sea rise on low lying coastal areas is about to be clarified by the San Francisco Recreation and Parks Department.

Perhaps what we need is a little less clarification on global warming from the city Parks Department and a little more application of common sense from our civic leaders.

It is important for all interested residents to realize that the funding and driving force behind the effort to destroy Sharp Park Golf Course is coming from a well heeled out-of-state ecology organization with a reputation for intimidating municipalities with high power legal machinations. The question for us - Are we as San Francisco and Pacifica residents going to knuckle under to their legal threats or stand up to it and do what is right for our communities?

There is a common sense answer to the conundrum of Sharp Park Golf Course.

1. Local leaders need to commit to the continuation of the course. This means Mayors Newsom and Lancelle, and all SF Supervisors with last names that are not spelled Mirkarimi. We need to stop pretending that destroying the course is a realistic, reasonable or economically feasible option.

2. Implement procedures at the course to further protect the endangered snake and frog where they have co-existed with golfers for 70+ years. That mediation plan is all the Dept of Recs and Parks should be working on now. They can solve the global warming/sea rise issue some other time. If necessary, the plan could include closing the course for a month or two during flood season when the frogs are laying eggs. Other municipal courses around the country close for months at a time due to a weather condition called "winter". It is not a problem for a properly managed course. It is a reasonable compromise.

3. Federal stimulus money has already been allocated for a pipeline project to irrigate the course with recycled water. This infrastructure shovel-ready project will create 275 jobs, will help the local economy and will save water. It is either a perfect stimulus project as envisioned by President Obama - or - if Mirkarimi has his way, it is an incredibly wasteful boondoggle where millions in federal, state, and local funds will be spent on a “pipeline to nowhere”. Now what makes more sense? I say we proceed with the project and not waste the money.

4. Recruit our federal and state heavy hitters (Arnold, Diane, Barbara, Nancy) to find a way to inoculate Pacifica and San Francisco against abusive lawsuits from the eco-bullies in Tucson. Historical Landmark status for this Alister MacKenzie course (as is currently being considered by the Pacifica City Council) could be just the ticket.

This is not rocket science or even climate science.

This is not a hard problem to solve, unless... our San Francisco Supervisors make it one.

A liberal application of common sense is all that is required to solve this problem. The "liberal" part is easy to find in San Francisco City Hall. The "common sense" part? Not so much.

State creates network of marine reserves

Done Deal:

Peter Fimrite, Wyatt Buchanan,
SF Chronicle Staff Writers
Thursday, August 6, 2009

"The salty folks who like to hook rockfish, harvest kelp and dive for abalone will have to steer clear of several spots between Half Moon Bay and Mendocino County after a decision Wednesday by the state Fish and Game Commission to protect 85 square miles of California's ocean, including some of its most pristine habitat. The network of newly formed state marine reserves is part of a California initiative that conservationists say is the most ambitious coastal marine protection program in the world. It includes a permanent ban on fishing within 3 miles of the coast in selected areas where populations of rockfish, northern red abalone, seabirds, sea lions and other marine mammals live.

The network, approved by a 3-2 vote, will include Point Arena in Mendocino County, Bodega Head, Point Reyes, the Fitzgerald Marine Reserve near Half Moon Bay and the Farallon Islands. In those areas, restrictions on fishing and other activities like spearfishing would extend into the ocean for 3 miles.

The regulations come in the shadow of a collapse of the salmon fishery and a two-year ban on ocean fishing of chinook, but the regulations do not address salmon habitat. The plan is to resuscitate flagging populations of rockfish, a complex of bottom-dwelling fish that was once a mainstay of the state's commercial and sport fisheries.

Environmentalists insist that the reserves will also protect crucial habitat for everything from sea slugs to gray whales. In all, 22 areas will have some level of protection. Thirteen sites will be fully protected, covering 11 percent of state coastal waters between Half Moon Bay and Mendocino County. That means fishing and destruction of wildlife and habitat would be strictly prohibited in those areas."

11% of the Central California Coast is now protected marine reserve.

If I am reading the map right, my favorite abalone cove is not affected.

My take - On balance this a good thing, as some action needed to be taken to protect the fisheries. My limited understanding of the science is that this approach is sound. Large blocks of protected reserves are the best way to manage a healthy marine ecosystem.

There are problems - the political process of determining exact locations and rules governing these reserves was seriously flawed. Some small local commercial fishing operations on the coast will be decimated. I think this could have been managed with more consideration for these fishing operations as well as being less onerous to recreational fisherman and kelp harvesters.

The worst aspect of this plan - it is virtually unenforceable as constituted. The Department of Fish and Game is already understaffed, has no chance of getting additional funding from our bankrupt state, and no ability to provide enforcement for these reserves in a meaningful way.

As usual with government programs of this scope, it is the unintended and unanticipated consequences that always seems to bite us in the ass. We'll see how this goes. For now, I am cautiously optimistic.

A night in The City

So this was unusual.

This happened 12:45 AM this morning. I was asleep or almost asleep when startled by the sound of a loud crash on the street below our high rise apartment. Out on the terrace I saw this car by itself on the other side of Jones halfway between Green and Union. This is the steepest part of Jones Street. The car appeared to be partially on the curb. Not sure how it got there or what it hit (but we have a theory*). Four or five people were getting out or milling about the car. One was lying in the road complaining about his back. They noticed that there was a small fire under the engine and got away from the car, including the person lying on the road. I called 911, but by the time I got through the cops had already arrived. The fire soon engulfed the hood of the car.

I grabbed my Olmypus 1030SW camera and took these pictures and video clips.

The firemen had it out in a few minutes.

I could see the fire burned through the hood when when they towed it away. I went back to bed not knowing what happened. Looked but couldn't find anything on the intertubes today. Just an odd episode in The City. I hope no one was hurt.

UPDATED:
*Apparently some among the younger set have decided it is cool to take the crest of hills in SF at speed, catching air if they go fast enough across a steep crest. Check out here, here, here and here. I'm guessing these idiots took the hill fast enough to pancake the bottom of their car, ripping it up and starting the fire. That's why the guy was complaining about his back, and there did not appear to be any other cars involved. Dangerous as hell. We are going to try and get some city and police attention on this intersection.

Dispatches from the Sharp Park front of the SF Golf Wars

You may recall from my previous screed on the subject, that we are awaiting a report from SF Recreation and Parks on the disposition of the Sharp Park Golf Course. Looks like we'll be waiting a little longer...

Rec and Park misses species study deadline
SF Chronicle - Corey Paul
"The Recreation and Park Department missed its July 31 deadline to finish a study on how Sharp Park Golf Course should protect two endangered species that live there. In a letter sent to Supervisor Ross Mirkarimi, who has supported restoration of the park, the department said it needs more time for three reasons: to explore financing for the restoration, to clarify the longterm impacts of sea rise on the park and to "develop a set of options for partnership opportunities with (Golden Gate National Recreation Area) and City of Pacifica." Rec and Park officials could not say what those opportunities were or provide a timeline for completion of the study. Sharp Park is home to the threatened red-legged frog and endangered San Francisco garter snake, and the city is legally liable for any harm to the animals. The study is reviewing three options for the park: keeping it as an 18-hole course while restoring some areas for the animals; cutting the course to nine holes; or closing Sharp Park to create a natural preserve."

I left a couple of comments on the article to disabuse readers of some of the patent nonsense in the comment thread.

In other news, the mayor of the city of Pacifica (which has the most to lose by the SF Supes actions) offered her personal perspective on the battle so far, as presented to local residents in the clubhouse of the golf course. She is fighting the good fight.

Mayor Julie Lancelle speaks about Sharp Park

As a San Francisco resident, I was amused by her reaction to her treatment at the hands of our Board of Supervisors. Don't feel bad Julie. That is exactly how they treat their constituents here in the City also.

A few days later the Pacifica City Planning Commission met to consider a resolution to seek landmark status for the historically significant Alister MacKenzie course. The commission decided to keep their powder dry, until it is determined what our Supes are going to do. From the Mercury News:

"The historic designation, if ultimately approved by City Council, would give the Planning Commission jurisdiction over the golf course and the ability to vote on any changes, irrespective of simple repairs, proposed to it during a public hearing. It would not preclude any investigation about habitat. Nevertheless, the owner of the golf course, the city and county of San Francisco, has indicated it is not subject to Pacifica's land-use designation, said Michael Crabtree, director of planning.

Proponents of the historic designation spoke about how the golf course meets many of the criteria set up to determine whether or not asite is such a landmark. Those criteria include that it reflects a significant element of the city's cultural, economic, political, aesthetic, engineering, architectural, geographical and social history. Other criteria call for the embodiment of architectural characteristics that are rare or the use of indigenous materials. The golf course was created by Alister MacKenzie, who went on to create many notable golf courses throughout the world."This meets many of the criteria for historical designation," Crabtree said. "This is a very important part of the city's social and cultural fabric. This is why we recommend moving it forward."

Bo Links, speaking on behalf of the city at Crabtree's request, said the Sharp Park Golf Course was the work of a master architect."It has historical significance. He built bunkers that look like clouds. The vast majority of his courses are private courses. This is the only public golf course built by the sea. He built a cultural landscape. Thirteen out of the 18 fairways are still in play. The course is crying out for restoration. This course is home to the most diverse group of golfers there is. The architect created something so unique that no one thought was possible. If you had that much of a studio where Monet worked, you wouldn't destroy it," he said."

The Center for Biological Diversity out of Tucson funded the website and spearheaded the effort to destroy the course. They have a reputation for intimidating municipalities with legal machinations in the service of their often extreme eco-agenda. If it comes to it, the Historical Landmark designation will give Pacifica a fighting chance in court against these eco-bullies.

stay tuned...

UPDATE:
A new post on the topic with more videos, news, and your loyal blogger's latest effort to acquaint our San Francisco Supervisors with the concept of "common sense" can be found here.

Live at Shag Lake

Sister Robyn, brother-in-law Jeff, nephew Roy and niece Katie have taken a dramatic technological leap forward at our Shag lake cottage with Shag Cam! Live!

The live cam feed is currently located at the top of the sidebar on the right ===>

I took the feed and projected it on my big screen, so I could enjoy my morning coffee on the deck at Shag Lake (pictured above). So far the most exciting bit was watching Roy talk to his girlfriend on the cell phone looking for some privacy out on the deck.

In this screen shot, Roy is launching the canoe at the dock. The tin can is already floating and in the foreground it looks like the visitors are determined to clean up and use the paddle boat. I can't believe they are really going to use it. Surely this is simply an effort to slam the door on the Great Paddle Boat Debate.

Should be fun to watch over the next few weeks.

Only problem I've noticed so far... Due to the unfortunate choice of name for the Cam, the primary contextual pop-up advertisement is for "Love Guy Condoms". Ah well. Perhaps the name will drive traffic from the UK. For any Brits who stumble on this post, yes there really is a Shag Lake, and no, its not what you think.

Stimulus funds flow through a "Pipeline to Nowhere"

Graphic from the North Coast County Water District -
Water Recycling Project Plan

As promised,we are following up on an earlier post regarding the potential Pacifica "Pipeline to Nowhere." First, know that your loyal blogger fully understands that in the greater scheme of things, $2m of stimulus funds is less than a drop in the gigantic porkfest bucket that is the Obama Stimulus plan. But... having noticed a potential issue for a local project that has not received much attention, I feel I should try to ensure that at least this one little $2M drop of taxpayer funds does not get wasted.

Work with me here... this is going to be a deep dive into the weeds of this one stimulus project. I will make this as clear and concise as I can.

The Project
Here is the project as described on the Department of the Interior "Recovery Investments" website:

Pacifica Recycled Water Project - Pipeline, North Coast County Water District Pacifica, Calif. Reclamation ARRA Funding: $2,203,750 Total Project Cost: $8,815,000
Local Contact: Kevin O’Connell, Project Manager
Funding will be used to construct new facilities including 3.5 miles of pipeline, a 400,000-gallons storage tank and a new pump station. The project will provide recycled water to irrigation users that currently draw water from the Hetch Hetchy Regional Water System, and thereby reduce users’ dependence on existing potable water supplies.

So we have an $8.8 million water pipeline project, of which $2.2 million will come from stimulus funds. We learn from a San Mateo County Times article that the remaining cost will be split between the San Francisco Public Utilities commission and the North Coast Water District using low interest construction loans from the State of California. It should be noted that both municipalities, the county and the state are facing enormous budget shortfalls and have no money to waste. We also learn from the article that 78% of the water flowing through the pipeline will be used to irrigate the Sharp Park Golf Course. The course is currently being irrigated with water from the Hetch Hetchy reservoir with good potable water that can be better used elsewhere.

So far so good. Regardless of ones political posture on the stimulus package itself, and unlike a lot of the pork, waste and just plain stupid expenditures emerging from the Recovery.gov website, this project clearly meets the criteria of what the stimulus package was promoted to accomplish. It is an infrastructure construction project. It will create 275 jobs. It helps relieve the growing pressure on the San Francisco Bay area watershed. It's recycling water during a drought. It is a needed project. What's not to like?

The Problem
Sharp Park Golf course is located in Pacifica but owned by the city of San Francisco. Legislation has been introduced in San Francisco (Item 090329) to close Sharp Park and turn it into a nature preserve in order to protect an endangered garter snake and frog (both of which have lived in harmony on the course property for 70 years).

This legislation was submitted by San Francisco supervisor Ross Mirkarimi at the instigation of a well heeled out of state ecology organization with a reputation for intimidating municipalities with their high power legal machinations. They have funded a glossy website filled with half-truths promoting a phantasmagorical photoshopped vision of a "restored" Sharp Park. Nowhere in the website do they explain in detail where the money is going to come from to realize this wildly expensive and poorly thought out fantasy. The only organized opposition to this is an underfunded local grass roots organization of bay area golfers, preservationists and Pacifica residents who are fighting the good fight to save Sharp Park - a historically significant landmark golf course designed by Alister MacKenzie.

The SF Board of Supervisors is currently awaiting a study due at the end of the month, and will then decide the fate of Sharp Park. Common sense dictates that a simple plan be developed to insure the golf course continues to operate in harmony with the red leg frog and the garter snake. That would make perfect sense. But we are talking about the San Francisco Board of Supervisors, egged on by well funded extremist eco-bullies, so - no telling what will happen. They could very well close the course.

Here is the point. If the Supes decide to close the Sharp Park golf course, the approved stimulus water recycling project will literally be a "Pipeline to Nowhere. " There will be no reason to waste $2.2 million of stimulus funds and another $6 million of California funds on this project.

The Prescription
Common sense dictates that a pipeline project to irrigate a golf course should not proceed if the golf course is to be closed. If there is no commitment by local, state, and federal leaders to the continued operation of the beneficiary of the pipeline (the Sharp Park Golf Course) the stimulus funds should be redirected. Again, this pipeline project is a good project that will help the community, create jobs, save water, and is a good use of stimulus funds, if there is a commitment to the Sharp Park Golf Course. So - what will it take to get that commitment?

This blog has a limited (if loyal) readership. However, I will do what I can to put a spotlight on the potential of funding a "Pipeline to Nowhere." Faced with public embarrassment, public officials will generally take the path of least resistance. In this case that path is a simple rational common sense approach:

1. Commit to the continuation of the Sharp Park golf course.
2. Implement procedures at the course to further protect the snake and frog.
3. Build the pipeline to irrigate with recycled water.
4. Find a way to inoculate Pacifica and San Francisco against abusive lawsuits from the eco-bullies in Tucson.

For a change, why not try to solve this problem before the money is wasted? To that end, over the next 24 hours I will be forwarding versions of this message to the following officials and organizations:

Mayor Gavin Newsom of San Francisco
Mayor Julie Lancelle of Pacifica
Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger
Representative Nancy Pelosi (8th District)
Representative Jackie Speir (12th District)
Senator Diane Feinstein
Senator Barbara Boxer
Vice President Joe (Stimulus Sheriff) Biden
Government Accountability Office - Fraudnet
Department of Interior - Office of Inspector General
Anyone else who might shine some light on this project

Feel free to chime in. I'll also try to get some reporters, and other blogs interested.

To borrow a phrase from the Bravo Channel - let's see what happens.

x-posted from my other blog.

hmmmm...

When on the family Baraga County forest land in June, we observed a number of large wolf prints in the mud. After reading about this recent sighting, reported by Lon blogging at Phantoms and Monsters, I am wondering now if it was indeed a wolf:

'Michigan Dogman' Recently Sighted in Upper Peninsula

NOTE: the following emails were received yesterday in reference to at least 2 sightings of the supposed 'Michigan Dogman' in Baraga County, Upper Peninsula, Michigan. I have contacted the witness who seems very truthful and credible...Lon

Last fall, my son and I were driving on US-41/M-28 towards Three Lakes in Michigan's Upper Peninsula (where I live). The beast ran across the highway near Tioga Creek. I had not heard of this before reading Phantoms and Monsters, but this is exactly what we saw. We are familiar with all animals living here. Moose regularly cross in front of drivers, so we watch the sides of the roads carefully. We were very puzzled and thought it might be some mutant wolf and could not figure out what we witnessed. It ran fairly fast about 50 feet in front of our truck. It was so strange because the front of it was much higher up than the back, larger than a wolf. Very strange to see it on your website.

NOTE: I contacted the witness and asked for any further detail of the sighting. This is what I received:

It did not look exactly like the video or drawings I saw, but VERY close. The side view shape of the animal was almost like an ape shape, with the front legs longer than the back legs which made it run funny. It ran like a bear runs, with the exception of the back legs being shorter if you can picture that. The front, from the angle I saw, looked like it must of had a wide chest. The head appeared wolf-like, but it definitely was NOT a wolf. The color was brown and black mixed. The hair seemed med-long, like a wolf, and I remember thinking it might of had mange, must of had patches of hair missing.

I was telling my son, who is 13, about what I had found on your site and asked him what he remembered. He gave the same description, how very strange and out of place it was. He said that this spring he saw the same type of thing on a logging road near our house (I do remember him telling me that at that time) and it was the same thing. He was riding his dirt bike (we live in an extremely remote area) and it ran across the trail. I know where he is talking about because I pick berries there and do get a weird feeling like something is watching me. A neighbor told me that area is "Bigfoot Central", which I did not know or believe. But after doing further research today, there are a lot of reports of strange creatures in this area that go back many, many years.

Who knows what it is, but as long as it's not hurting anything, I hope it is left alone. I am very familiar with the wildlife. I do hunt and know my tracks. I have not seen any strange tracks, but now will really keep my eyes open. Please keep me informed if you get any other reports from my area. Rhonda

UPDATE: 21-July-09
Ken the forester responds via e-mail after seeing this post...

Re the wolves out there. A forester friend of mine was going through on a trail in your south 40 and saw a pack of four black wolves. The first one he saw was only about 65 feet away from him. When it turned to go, the other three came off from the side the trail, joined the first one and they all trotted away.

Don't know about your "Dogman". It hasn't made the Marquette Mining Journal to my knowledge. - Ken

Not sure why Ken thinks The Mining Journal is a better source the Lon's blog. Speaking of Lon, he just posted a new, much more graphic version of this Michigan Dogman video. I suspect an internet marketing effort a la "Blair Witch Project" is underway. Watch for a soon to be released Michigan Dogman movie.

Death Ride 2009

This post is a shout out to Stan - a friend and fellow traveler on our recent Japan tour. He is taking on the Tour of the California Alps as I write this. The official banner says it all - 129 miles, 5 passes, and 15,000 feet of vertical climb. Or as I say - batshit insane.

At the moment I have my leg wrapped and on ice after getting the knee scoped yesterday. I am eating painkillers, and making my first efforts at restoring some range of motion to my knee post-surgery. I only mention this in order to point out that I'd still rather be me than Stan on a bike in the heat climbing those mountain passes today.

There are some news stories but not much real-time coverage of the event. This guy (cyclocore?) said he would try to tweet and YouTube along the way, but is apparently hampered by crappy ATT coverage. Hopefully I'll update this with pics and results after I hear from Stan.

Good luck and good riding my friend.

++++++
UPDATE: 12-July-09

Received this e-mail from Stan at 10:10 last night:

"Did the death ride - made it to the end."

Congrats Stan! One hell of an accomplishment.

I don't know when or if we'll see pictures from Stan, so I'll just embed a few videos I found from the "cyclocore" guys. To be clear, I have no idea who these guys are, but they are the only ones I could find on the intertubes who were trying to do some real-time posting of the event.

The start:



The finish:



An assessment of some scary weather at the finish - I suspect Stan ran into this:



It'll be interested in hearing how Stan "weathered" the end of the ride. Maybe I can talk him into a guest post.

UPDATE: Stan sent me this picture
Stan and Terry at 8,600 ft heading for the top of Ebbits pass. This is why I can't be a biker - well... besides the discipline and the hours of training and the dedication needed to do a ride like this... besides all that - you have to wear these outfits. That is one step over the line for me.

Stimulus dollars to irrigate a golf course that will be closed.

It looks like the Obama stimulus package that does not stimulate finally found a local "shovel ready" project to stimulate:

Pacifica golf course, parks to use recycled water
By Julia Scott
San Mateo County Times

"PACIFICA — A local water treatment plant will soon be piping 50 million gallons of treated, recycled water to the Sharp Park Golf Course and other sites in Pacifica thanks to a $2.2 million grant from the federal government. The North Coast County Water District, which serves potable water to Pacifica and part of San Bruno, got word last week that a shovel-ready project 10 years in the making had been greenlit by the grant, paid for by the federal stimulus package... The SFPUC will use 78 percent of the water to irrigate Sharp Park (the golf course is in Pacifica but owned by San Francisco) and therefore owes a larger part of the debt."

Just one little glitch. The city of San Francisco is hell bent on closing the course:

Snakes to inherit Sharp Park golf course
Bruce Balshone
San Mateo Public Policy Examiner

"Supervisor Ross Mirkarimi introduced legislation (see item 090329) aimed at turning the Sharp Park Golf Course in Pacifica into a biological reserve, much to the dismay of golfers and Pacifica city leaders. The venerable course, which opened in 1931 was designed by famed architect Alister Mackenzie and landscaped by John McLaren, is actually owned by the City and County of San Francisco despite sitting squarely within the City of Pacifica."

This is not a done deal. We are awaiting the results of a study designed to impartially validate and rationalize the pre-determined conclusion of the board of supervisors. To whit - demolishing a historic landmark to protect endangered species that have been quite happy living under the stewardship of the self-same golf course for the last 75+ years.

I sure hope those endangered frog and garter snakes are real thirsty, because they are about to get a lot of very expensive water.

Hmmm.... one wonders if the stimulus bill watchdog - Joe Biden, knows that taxpayer stimulus dollars are being spent to irrigate a golf course that may soon not exist?

X-posted at my other blog.

19th hole

RE 99 6 skins
MW 105 7 skins
DH 109 skunked
DG 112 2 skins

Roy is responsible for this picture. He cut out Dan further aggravating his persecution complex. Not my fault.

Dan says he is never playing skins again.

I kiicked the anonymous golfer's ass. Even after they made me take 4 BS penalty strokes.

Nice out

Don with a brilliant shot out of the trap on 18 to a makeable 4 foot putt, 3 skins and avoiding a humiliating skunk. Only one problem...

he missed the putt.

Bringing it home on 18

Striped it.

Don out of jail on 16

While Roy ducks for cover.

Roy's par putt on 15...

...misses. So did everyone else. Except me. Par and skin.

At the turn

We are treated to Dan's home brew. "Mellow Menlo Golden Ale™"

RE 54
DG 54
DH 55

I have 4 skins at the turn. RE 4, DG 1

Roys 3rd to the 9th

"I pulled it!" he says. Ball lands 2 feet from the pin.

Suggested New Golf Rule: If a golfer complains about a golf shot in the air that turns out to be a great shot, said golfer is not allowed to keep that shot and must rehit from the original site of the ball.

In any case, he still missed the putt.

7th tee

Appropriately, Don is on his way to an 8 after losing a ball on a tin cup type of shot.

Off the sixth tee

You never know until you get down there and find the ball.

Don and I like to color coordinate.

No - really. We do it all the time.

Dan took it left on 5

Hard to imagine why with that follow through.

Roy has a good excuse

He is still numb from a visit to the dentist. Still - a 10 on 2... Some work to do.

Don is out of the trap

By six feet.

At 12:34:56 07-08-09 exactly...

... we are live-blogging Crystal Springs - a date and time that portends heavy numerological significance.

Don
Roy
Dan (I have no idea what he is doing in this picture)

Critters on the course

Juvenile raccoon rooting near the 9th green

No fear.

19th Hole

RZ 91
AZ 99
DG 99
MW 105

Amazingly, no blood on the skins - the only redeeming aspect of the day.

I note that some anonymous commenter is posting on today's activity. This cretin apparrently does not understanad that golf is a game for gentlemen. I apologise to the reader for his boorish behavior.

It all came down to this putt

Down 14-3 on skins I pressed on 18 and drained a five foot putt for my six.

Rick needed this putt it to halve the hole and save his skins:

Now I can afford a burger and a beer.

Rick corkscrews his 3rd shot behind the tree.

Desperate - I am pressing Z on 18

May the golf gods smile on their humble servant.

Dans approach on 15

Shortly before getting swarmed by the africanized bees in the tree marked off with police tape.

17th portrait.

My tee shot on 14...

Went right.

I am not really playing golf any more. Just practicing for the press on 18.

At the turn

No beer. No coffee. No Ibu. No cigar.

RZ 44 !!!!
AZ 47
DG 50
MW 53

My knee hurts..

The Z's are Kicking ass. Down 7 skins on mano a mano skins game with Rick. Just waiting for 18 now.

The golf gods steal Dan's slice...

And he hits a straight shot in the wrong direction. The golf gods disapprove of golfers who duck skins bets.

Adam bisects the 4th fairway.

To the top of the hill.

BTW. We all had par putts on 3. Ricks was the shortest. He was the only one to miss. Just sayin...

Rick tees off on 3

to just off the green and 24 feet. After a par on 2

Live Blogging Lincoln

Dan
Adam
Rick

Rick claims to have shot an 86 here two weeks ago. he wants to play skins.

Dan refuses to play skins. It was a terrible mistake putting him in front of Don..

Fourth of July fireworks from the terrace

We had a few friends over to watch the fireworks from the terrace. It's always a crapshoot in San Francisco as we have been fogged out more than once. Sometimes we get pastel colored fog with muffled explosions. Sometimes it is so thick we see nothing and can't even hear them. This year... it was all good.

Waiting and Eating and Drinking and Talking.

Fireworks preview?

It's about 25 hours until the fireworks. Not sure what to make of this fog formation. Absolutely clear at ground level, Impenetrable fog on the bay at 600 feet or so, directly over the firework barge locations. We'll see...