#Central Pacific Promontory Point

[intomore]

Andrew Joseph Russell,

Golden Spike Ceremony, Promontory Point, Utah May 10, 1869,

Completion of the First Transcontinental Railroad. At center left, Samuel S. Montague, Central Pacific Railroad, shakes hands with Grenville M. Dodge, Union Pacific Railroad (center right).

Albumen silver print, mounted on board,

Image/sheet: 9 x 121⁄4 in. (22.8 x 31.1 cm.)

Courtesy: Christie's

[railwayhistorical]

Elephant Rock at Monument Point

This can be found along the former roadbed of the Central Pacific. The timetable lists the locale simply as “Monument”. We are twenty-one miles from Promontory Summit here.

Image by Richard Koenig; taken September 7th 2013.

[news1latest]

Unveiling the Magic of Big Sur: A Coastal Paradise

Big Sur, a captivating stretch along California's central coast, is a place where nature's raw beauty takes center stage. With its dramatic cliffs, pristine beaches, and towering redwoods, Big Sur offers a breathtaking escape that feels like a slice of paradise. This coastal region has long been a favorite for travelers seeking both adventure and tranquility.

A Scenic Drive to Remember

The drive along Highway 1, also known as the Pacific Coast Highway, is nothing short of spectacular. Winding through rugged cliffs and overlooking the expansive Pacific Ocean, this route offers some of the most breathtaking views in the world. Each turn reveals a new vista, making it a journey as memorable as the destination itself.

Bixby Creek Bridge No trip to Big Sur is complete without stopping at Bixby Creek Bridge. This iconic bridge is one of the most photographed spots along the coast, and for good reason. Its elegant arch design set against the backdrop of the ocean and cliffs creates a stunning sight, especially at sunset.

McWay Falls

McWay Falls is one of Big Sur's most enchanting natural wonders. This 80-foot waterfall cascades directly onto a secluded beach, creating a postcard-perfect scene that feels almost surreal. Located within Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park, it's easily accessible and a must-see for visitors.

Pfeiffer Beach Pfeiffer Beach is a hidden gem known for its unique purple sands and striking rock formations. The beach's most famous feature, Keyhole Rock, creates a magical sight as the setting sun shines through its natural arch. This secluded spot offers a tranquil escape from the more crowded tourist areas.

Point Sur Lighthouse

Perched on a rocky promontory, the Point Sur Lighthouse has been guiding ships along the treacherous coast since the late 19th century. A visit to this historic site offers not only a glimpse into the life of a lighthouse keeper but also panoramic views of the rugged coastline and the vast ocean beyond.

Hiking Through Ancient Redwoods Big Sur is home to some of California's most magnificent redwood forests. Hiking trails like the Ewoldsen Trail take you deep into these ancient groves, where you can experience the peaceful majesty of trees that have stood for centuries. The forest trails provide a serene contrast to the dramatic coastal scenery.

Camping Under the Stars

For those who want to fully immerse themselves in Big Sur’s natural beauty, camping is an ideal option. Whether you choose a site within the towering redwoods or near the coast, camping in Big Sur allows you to experience the area’s tranquility and stargaze under a clear night sky.

Whale Watching and Tidepooling The waters off Big Sur are rich with marine life, making it a prime spot for whale watching. Depending on the season, you might see gray whales, humpback whales, or even blue whales as they migrate along the coast. The rocky shores also offer excellent opportunities for tidepooling, where you can discover a variety of colorful sea creatures.

Conclusion Big Sur is more than just a destination—it’s a journey into a world where nature’s beauty remains untamed and awe-inspiring. Whether you’re driving along the coast, hiking through ancient forests, or simply enjoying the serene beaches, Big Sur offers an unforgettable experience. This coastal paradise invites you to slow down, breathe deeply, and marvel at the wonders of the natural world.

[bobmccullochny]

History

May 10, 1869 - The newly constructed tracks of the Union Pacific and Central Pacific railways were first linked at Promontory Point, Utah. A golden spike was driven by Leland Stanford, president of the Central Pacific, to celebrate the linkage. It is said that he missed the spike on his first swing which brought roars of laughter from men who had driven thousands upon thousands of spikes themselves.

May 10, 1889 - A riot erupted outside the Astor Place Opera House in New York as British actor William Charles Macready performed inside. Angry crowds revolted against dress requirements for admission and against Macready's public statements on the vulgarity of American life. The mob then shattered theater windows. Troops were called out and ordered to fire, killing 22 and wounding 26.

May 10, 1994 - Former political prisoner Nelson Mandela was inaugurated as president of South Africa. Mandela had won the first free election in South Africa despite attempts by various political foes to deter the outcome.

[publicdomainbooks]

CHAPTER 37

THE MYSTERIOUS DAGGER

During this time, we had left the bright and transparent forest far behind us. We were mute with astonishment, overcome by a kind of feeling which was next door to apathy. We kept running in spite of ourselves. It was a perfect Right, which resembled one of those horrible sensations we sometimes meet with in our dreams.

Instinctively we made our way towards the Central Sea, and I cannot now tell what wild thoughts passed through my mind, nor of what follies I might have been guilty, but for a very serious preoccupation which brought me back to practical life.

Though I was aware that we were treading on a soil quite new to us, I, however, every now and then noticed certain aggregations of rock, the shape of which forcibly reminded me of those near Port Gretchen.

This confirmed, moreover, the indications of the compass and our extraordinary and unlooked-for, as well as involuntary, return to the north of this great Central Sea. It was so like our starting point, that I could scarcely doubt the reality of our position. Streams and cascades fell in hundreds over the numerous projections of the rocks.

I actually thought I could see our faithful and monotonous Hans and the wonderful grotto in which I had come back to life after my tremendous fall.

Then, as we advanced still farther, the position of the cliffs, the appearance of a stream, the unexpected profile of a rock, threw me again into a state of bewildering doubt.

After some time, I explained my state of mental indecision to my uncle. He confessed to a similar feeling of hesitation. He was totally unable to make up his mind in the midst of this extraordinary but uniform panorama.

"There can be no doubt," I insisted, "that we have not landed exactly at the place whence we first took our departure; but the tempest has brought us above our starting point. I think, therefore, that if we follow the coast we shall once more find Port Gretchen."

"In that case," cried my uncle, "it is useless to continue our exploration. The very best thing we can do is to make our way back to the raft. Are you quite sure, Harry, that you are not mistaken?"

"It is difficult," was my reply, "to come to any decision, for all these rocks are exactly alike. There is no marked difference between them. At the same time, the impression on my mind is that I recognize the promontory at the foot of which our worthy Hans constructed the raft. We are, I am nearly convinced, near the little port: if this be not it," I added, carefully examining a creek which appeared singularly familiar to my mind.

"My dear Harry—if this were the case, we should find traces of our own footsteps, some signs of our passage; and I can really see nothing to indicate our having passed this way."

"But I see something," I cried, in an impetuous tone of voice, as I rushed forward and eagerly picked up something which shone in the sand under my feet.

"What is it?" cried the astonished and bewildered Professor.

"This," was my reply.

And I handed to my startled relative a rusty dagger, of singular shape.

"What made you bring with you so useless a weapon?" he exclaimed. "It was needlessly hampering yourself."

"I bring it? It is quite new to me. I never saw it before—are you sure it is not out of your collection?"

"Not that I know of," said the Professor, puzzled. "I have no recollection of the circumstance. It was never my property."

"This is very extraordinary," I said, musing over the novel and singular incident.

"Not at all. There is a very simple explanation, Harry. The Icelanders are known to keep up the use of these antiquated weapons, and this must have belonged to Hans, who has let it fall without knowing it."

I shook my head. That dagger had never been in the possession of the pacific and taciturn Hans. I knew him and his habits too well.

"Then what can it be—unless it be the weapon of some antediluvian warrior," I continued, "of some living man, a contemporary of that mighty shepherd from whom we have just escaped? But no—mystery upon mystery—this is no weapon of the stony epoch, nor even of the bronze period. It is made of excellent steel—"

Ere I could finish my sentence, my uncle stopped me short from entering upon a whole train of theories, and spoke in his most cold and decided tone of voice.

"Calm yourself, my dear boy, and endeavor to use your reason. This weapon, upon which we have fallen so unexpectedly, is a true dague, one of those worn by gentlemen in their belts during the sixteenth century. Its use was to give the coup de grace, the final blow, to the foe who would not surrender. It is clearly of Spanish workmanship. It belongs neither to you, nor to me, nor the eider-down hunter, nor to any of the living beings who may still exist so marvelously in the interior of the earth."

"What can you mean, Uncle?" I said, now lost in a host of surmises.

"Look closely at it," he continued; "these jagged edges were never made by the resistance of human blood and bone. The blade is covered with a regular coating of iron mold and rust, which is not a day old, not a year old, not a century old, but much more—"

The Professor began to get quite excited, according to custom, and was allowing himself to be carried away by his fertile imagination. I could have said something. He stopped me.

"Harry," he cried, "we are now on the verge of a great discovery. This blade of a dagger you have so marvelously discovered, after being abandoned upon the sand for more than a hundred, two hundred, even three hundred years, has been indented by someone endeavoring to carve an inscription on these rocks."

"But this poniard never got here of itself," I exclaimed, "it could not have twisted itself. Someone, therefore, must have preceded us upon the shores of this extraordinary sea."

"Yes, a man."

"But what man has been sufficiently desperate to do such a thing?"

"A man who has somewhere written his name with this very dagger—a man who has endeavored once more to indicate the right road to the interior of the earth. Let us look around, my boy. You know not the importance of your singular and happy discovery."

Prodigiously interested, we walked along the wall of rock, examining the smallest fissures, which might finally expand into the much wished—for gully or shaft.

We at last reached a spot where the shore became extremely narrow. The sea almost bathed the foot of the rocks, which were here very lofty and steep. There was scarcely a path wider than two yards at any point. At last, under a huge over-hanging rock, we discovered the entrance of a dark and gloomy tunnel.

There, on a square tablet of granite, which had been smoothed by rubbing it with another stone, we could see two mysterious, and much worn letters, the two initials of the bold and extraordinary traveler who had preceded us on our adventurous journey.

"A. S.!" cried my uncle. "You see, I was right. Arne Saknussemm, always Arne Saknussemm!"

[trainphilos]

More on the Golden Spike events in Utah. Let's call this Part 2.

More on the Golden Spike events in Utah. Let’s call this Part 2.

My last blog entry has been a while ago. I have just not been able to find time to do a “Part 2” to the original blog post regarding the Golden Spike events. (In case anybody needs a refresher regarding Part 1, here is a link) Anyway, it has been hectic around these parts: with what company from Australia, kitchen renovation, electric vehicle chargers that blow up and other assorted distractions!…

[ice-to-orange-blossoms]

Okay 20 questions, tagged by @transette

1: Name?

Laura Agatha Billings

2: Nicknames?

Lo or Lolo

3: Zodiac?

Taurus

4: Height?

5’8”

5: Languages?

English only

6: Nationality?

United States

7: Favourite season?

Winter! I love the cold!

8: Favourite flower?

Ooh difficult. I do love roses though

9: Favourite scent?

Smoke! After that baking cookies, then the scent of electric heat

10: Favourite colour?

Overall? Brunswick Green, but maroon and gold are an amazing duo and maroon is in a close second place overall. Third, a nice rich pink.

11: Favourite animal?

Cats!

12: Favourite fictional characters?

Ooh tough. I’d go Laura and Carmilla from the Carmilla Webseries, “Doc” Emmet Brown from Back to the Future

13: Coffee, tea, or hot chocolate?

I’d go hot chocolate hands down, but as a daily drinker that’s easy to brew, tea, English Breakfast. Don’t like the coffee taste.

14: Average sleep?

Usually around midnight to ~8am

15: Dog or cat person?

Cat! I’ve 4 cats now, and I’ve had two more in the past. Always had cats and dogs overwhelm my senses and are much too loud and excitable. I enjoy dogs in short bursts, unless they’re small, then I don’t really care for them at all.

16: Number of blankets?

Sheet, two comforters (one down) and a blanket, all year round. In the winter the sheet will be fleece.

17: Dream trip?

A train trip with my girlfriend. I want to take her on the trip I was on at the time I met her, which is a train trip to Yellowstone, Yosemite, and the Grand Canyon. Or a train trip on the Canadian, because it still runs with old equipment and dome cars.

18: Blog established?

Probably 2014-2015?

19: Number of followers?

In total, 400 exactly. 312 on this main blog.

20: Random fact?

The famous picture of the completion of the Transcontinental Railroad was almost completely different. Neither locomotive was the original locomotive pulling the train bringing the presidents of the railroad to Promontory. Union Pacific’s original locomotive was lost because a bridge washed out and the engineer didn’t want to take the engine across, so he pushed the passenger cars across the bridge, and Union Pacific No. 119 was sent to collect and complete the journey. Central Pacific’s original locomotive, the Antelope, has even worse luck. It had followed closely behind a regularly scheduled train pulled by locomotive No. 60 Jupiter. However, at one point the two trains were to go through a valley where a logging camp resided atop the hill. Apparently, either the Jupiter did not wear the proper flag to designate an extra train following close behind, or the workers had failed to notice the flag. As a result, once the Jupiter passed, the workers rolled a large log down the mountain, which struck the Antelope, derailing it. The train sent a message to the station ahead, and Jupiter was sent back to collect the train.

Okay, who to tag? @captain-snack-pack @paigeaday @the-stalwart-system @bitchbutchwitchwutch @homosexuallmost

[route22ny]

The lavish Nob Hill home of Mark Hopkins, one of the principals in the formation of the Central Pacific Railroad.  Hopkins was one of a handful of ambitious and visionary businessmen whose efforts resulted in the establishment of a railroad line from Sacramento over the Sierra Nevada to a historic meeting with the tracks of the Union Pacific at Promontory Point, Utah in 1869.

These railroad pioneers became scions of the Gilded Age; accordingly they adopted the architectural sense of style favored by the rich & famous of the Victorian era.  Sadly the Hopkins mansion did not survive the San Francisco earthquake and fire of 1906. The mansion’s ostentatious appearance wasn’t universally appreciated during its lifetime but its loss is still tragic.

The top photo is a circa 1880 photo (from the collection of the Bancroft Library) of the front of the mansion; the second photo (unattributed public domain via wikipedia) is a circa 1890 view of the rear as seen from Pine Street.

The site is now home of the 1926 Mark Hopkins Hotel.

Thanks to @railwayhistorical whose recommendation of The Old Iron Road led to my learning about this building--and much more--relating to the era of the transcontinental railroad’s construction and America’s westward expansion. With hardly a pause for breath I’ve undertaken Empire Express by the same author, David Haward Bain.

[rabbitcruiser]

Great Salt Lake State Park, UT (No. 2)

The Great Salt Lake is a remnant of a much larger prehistoric lake called Lake Bonneville. At its greatest extent, Lake Bonneville spanned 22,400 square miles (58,000 km2), nearly as large as present-day Lake Michigan, and roughly ten times the area of the Great Salt Lake today. Bonneville reached 923 ft (281 m) at its deepest point, and covered much of present-day Utah and small portions of Idaho and Nevada during the ice ages of the Pleistocene Epoch.

Lake Bonneville existed until about 16,800 years ago, when a large portion of the lake was released through the Red Rock Pass in Idaho. With the warming climate, the remaining lake began to dry, leaving the Great Salt Lake, Utah Lake, Sevier Lake, and Rush Lake behind.

The Great Salt Lake lends its name to Salt Lake City, originally named "Great Salt Lake City" by the president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) Brigham Young, who led a group of Mormon pioneers to the Salt Lake Valley southeast of the lake on July 24, 1847.

The lake lies in parts of five counties: Box Elder, Davis, Tooele, Weber, and Salt Lake. Salt Lake City and its suburbs are located to the south-east and east of the lake, between the lake and the Wasatch Mountains, but land around the north and west shores are almost uninhabited. The Bonneville Salt Flats are to the west, and the Oquirrh and Stansbury Mountains rise to the south.

The Great Salt Lake is fed by three major rivers and several minor streams. The three major rivers are each fed directly or indirectly from the Uinta Mountain range in northeastern Utah. The Bear River starts on the north slope of the Uintas and flows north past Bear Lake, into which some of Bear River's waters have been diverted via a man-made canal into the lake, but later empty back into the river by means of the Bear Lake Outlet. The river then turns south in southern Idaho and eventually flows into the northeast arm of the Great Salt Lake. The Weber River also starts on the north slope of the Uinta Mountains and flows into the east edge of the lake. The Jordan River does not receive its water directly from the Uintas, rather it flows from freshwater Utah Lake, which itself is fed primarily by the Provo River; the Provo River does originate in the Uintas, a few miles from the Weber and Bear. The Jordan flows from the north part of Utah Lake into the south-east corner of the Great Salt Lake.

Due to its shallowness, the water level can fall dramatically in dry years and rise during high-precipitation years, thereby reflecting prolonged drought or wet periods. The change in the level of lake level is strongly modulated by the Pacific Ocean through atmospheric circulations that fluctuate at low frequency. By capturing these climate oscillations while using tree-ring reconstruction of lake level, the lake level fluctuation could be predicted onward for 5–8 years. The Utah Climate Center provides prediction of the Great Salt Lake's annual lake level. This forecast uses central tropical Pacific Ocean temperature, watershed precipitation, tree-ring data of 750+ years, and the lake level itself.

A railroad line – the Lucin Cutoff – runs across the lake, crossing the southern end of Promontory Peninsula. The mostly solid causeway supporting the railway divides the lake into three portions: the north-east arm, north-west arm, and southern. The causeway obstructed the normal mixing of the waters of the lake because there were only three 100-foot (30 m) breaches. Because no rivers, except a few minor streams, flow directly into the north-west arm, Gunnison Bay, it is substantially saltier than the rest of the lake. This saltier environment promotes different types of algae than those growing in the southern part of the lake, leading to a marked color difference on the two sides of the causeway. On December 1, 2016, the opening of new 180-foot-long (55 m) bridge allowed water to flow from the southern arm of the lake into the north-west arm. At the time of opening of the causeway the north-west arm was nearly 3 feet (90 cm) lower than the southern arm. By April 2017, the levels of both arms of the lake had risen due to spring runoff, and the north-western arm was within 1 foot (30 cm) of the southern arm.

Source: Wikipedia

[railwayhistorical]

Eastbound at North Bend

Pictured above is an eastbound coal train at North Bend, Nebraska. The name of the town refers to a feature of the nearby Platte River. This segment of the Union Pacific mainline coincides with the original route of the first transcontinental railroad that would be known as the Overland Route.

The Union Pacific Railroad got to this point very early in the year 1866, having made it to Fremont by the end of the previous year’s building season. We are but 62 miles west of the starting point of Omaha, Nebraska; the railroad will have to build 1024 more miles before it will meet up with the Central Pacific Railroad at what will be known as Promontory Summit, Utah Territory.

Contemporary Views Along the First Transcontinental Railroad—Text and images © Richard Koenig.

[yourboatholiday]

Visit Panama: Discover the country between two oceans and two worlds with a boat charter tour!

A meeting point of two continents and a thin line of land that separates two oceans, Panama is not only the crossroads of the Americas but is also a country rich in culture, history, and biodiversity. As if that were not enough, along its more than 1000 miles of coastline you will find pristine beaches, postcard landscapes, and a calm sea in which to sail. The right combination to make it a perfect rental boat trip destination.

 CONTACT US FOR YOUR BOAT CHARTER IN PANAMA

If we have intrigued you, follow us in this short article where we will give you some more information to organize your boat tour in this beautiful exotic country!

Why choose Panama as your next boat charter destination?

Often just associated with its canal or with high finance, Panama is actually a country that has a lot more to offer and is experiencing exponential growth in the tourism sector.

Panama is best known for its stunning natural landscapes. In fact, within a few hundred kilometers it is possible to go from one ocean to another, immerse yourself in the rainforest, meet indigenous cultures and visit authentic tropical paradises such as San Blas, an endless archipelago made of white sand beaches and crystal clear sea.

It is, therefore, no coincidence that almost 30% of the Panama territory is protected by national parks. The biodiversity present in its ecosystem is unique and characterized by vast flora and fauna.

GET INSTANT QUOTE FOR CHARTER IN PANAMA

Where is Panama located?

Panama is a thin strip of land or, better, an isthmus S-shaped that connects North America with South America. It is in fact the southernmost country of the nations that populate Central America and separates the two continents, bordering Costa Rica to the north and Colombia to the south.

The country’s east coast is washed by the Caribbean Sea while the west coast by the Pacific Ocean.

Since 1920, the year of its inauguration, the famous Panama Canal has cut the isthmus in two at its narrowest point, allowing ships to pass from one side of the country to the other.

What climate awaits us?

Despite being a tropical country, Panama is certainly a country that can be visited throughout the year. In fact, it remains distant from the Caribbean currents responsible for typhoons and hurricanes.

Obviously, there are months when it rains more and the humidity rises but normally the rains are concentrated within a few hours during the afternoon.

The dry season runs from the end of December to the end of April. During this period the blue skies characterize most of the days, especially along the coast overlooking the Pacific.

The rainy season, which runs from May to December, is more pronounced in the mountainous regions and on the Caribbean coast, while along the Pacific coast the rainfall, although frequent and intense, rarely lasts more than a few hours.

Along the Caribbean coast, however, the two seasons are less pronounced and thunderstorms can occur even during the dry season. However, never too intense.

Which port to start your charter from?

Depending on whether you decide to set sail from the Caribbean or the Pacific coast, the marina from which it is convenient to lift anchor changes significantly.

The best port on the east coast is, in our opinion, the Shelter Bay Marina in Colon. Located a short distance from the east entrance of the Panama Canal, it offers a safe shelter for boats over 90 meters in length and excellent quality services.

On the Pacific side, it is worth setting sail from Panama City, the country’s capital and major economic center. Among the available marinas, we point out the Ocean Reef Island Marina.

What to see on the east coast?

The Caribbean coast of Panama is ideal for navigation as it is not very exposed to strong winds and is almost unrelated to hurricanes.

Those looking for Caribbean beaches, green islands, and atolls will be spoiled for choice. Among the many destinations, we point out the Boca del Toro province and the San Blas archipelago:

Boca del Toro

It is an archipelago consisting of six islands covered with dense forests, a myriad of uninhabited islets, and the Parque Nacional Marino Isla Bastimentos, the first marine park established in the country.

On the mainland, home of Chiquita bananas, there is also the Parque Internacional La Amistad, established with Costa Rica. This reserve protects a large number of species of wildlife, such as the jaguar.

San Blas

San Blas Islands are an archipelago made of 365 islands inhabited by the indigenous Kuna Indians.

During the navigation you will be delighted by the beauty of these places, you will enjoy fabulous beaches and you will appreciate the local cuisine, consisting essentially of rice, fruit, and shellfish.

If you are a snorkeler you will love Isla Perro Chico whose waters are home to a myriad of colorful fish and a shipwreck that can now be easily visited

If, on the other hand, you are a fan of the “La casa de Papel” series, don’t miss a visit to Isla Pelicano, famous for having been the set of some of its scenes.

What to see on the west coast?

After crossing the Panama Canal, itself a tourist attraction rich in history, we arrive in Panama City, a cosmopolitan and modern city that deserves at least a one-day visit. Setting sail from Panama City, the Pacific Ocean opens up before you.

The side of Panama facing the ocean is characterized by large natural and lush beaches. Here are some points of interest:

Santa Clara

it is a long and splendid white sand beach not far from Panama City, it can be reached in a short navigation time. It stretches for miles without interruption and it is easy to find areas to be in peace, away from everything. The sea here is calm, with a gently sloping seabed. Nearby there are accommodations and restaurants to alternate moments in the sun with breaks for refreshment.

Santa Catalina

Among the most beautiful beaches in Panama, there is certainly that one of Santa Catalina. It is located in front of Cébaco Island and Coiba Island. It is surrounded by hundreds of kilometers of wild forest that covers the coast promontories.

Venao

Venao Beach is located in the Península de Azuero, between the Parque Nacional Cerro Canajagua, the Reserva Forestal La Tronosa and the Refugio vida silvestre Isla Cañas. It is therefore surrounded by unspoiled nature.

A volcanic origin beach, it is characterized by a black sand bottom and is particularly loved by surfers.

Las Perlas archipelago

Considered to be among the most pristine islands in all South America, the Las Perlas is a large archipelago about 30 miles from the Panama Gulf coasts. The archipelago is made up of about 200 islands, islets, and nameless rocks, all united by wild nature, white sandy beaches, and deep blue waters.

Las Perlas is an extraordinary and very delicate ecosystem, a paradise for those who practice snorkeling and love to see tropical colored fish. Sometimes, going offshore it is also possible to spot whales swimming in these waters.

The name of Las Perlas derives from the abundant presence of large pearls that can be found in the surrounding waters.

Contact  now YBH Charter Brokers:

You can contact us by sending an email at ask@yourboatholiday.com or by phone, calling +39 33436 00997, available also on WhatsApp for both calls and texting.

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[architectnews]

Healthy Living House, Pacific Palisades

Hillside House for Healthy Living, Los Angeles Luxury Home, Californian Real Estate, LA Architecture Images

Hillside House for Healthy Living in Los Angeles

Feb 10, 2021

A Hillside House for Healthy Living

Design: Abramson Architects

Location: Pacific Palisades, Los Angeles, California, USA

An entrepreneurial family with a passion for healthy living requested a large home on their dramatically sloping 2-acre site. They wanted an informal layout woven into the topography. They also wished to enjoy as much of the site as possible, requiring the inclusion of steps and landscape pathways that lead to more distant parts of the steep site.

Situated on a promontory jutting into the canyon below the Hillside House for Healthy Living retreat boasts multiple vistas of the surrounding canyon and the Pacific Ocean beyond. However, local restrictions allowed for a single story above street level. Responding to these conditions, much of the home’s massing is located on a lower-level that daylights onto the downslope side of the house. This modest massing arrangement allows for neighboring properties to see over the roof of the home.

In three distinct locations, landscaped topography “fingers” heighten one’s awareness of the panoramic scenery. Bridges span over these fingers, extending the natural graded areas into the heart of the home. The design solution offers new perspectives for experiencing the owner’s prized views while providing a glimpse of the topography as it stood before the house was set upon it.

Key products used: The use of a simple color scheme and contemporary materials is central to the design philosophy. French manor oak flooring, white oak shiplap wall cladding, oil rubbed bronze wall panels, and painted steel show deference to the picturesque surroundings. Pebble and stone accents embrace the nearby mountains resulting in material palette that is modern, yet warm.

What was the brief? Situated on a promontory point, the Palisades House appears to emerge from below the surface of an otherwise undisturbed canyon rim. An entrepreneur and family with a passion for healthy living, the owners envisioned a large, but informal, home woven into the topography of their dramatically sloping 2-acre site.

A stepped roof plan reduces the 17,000 sqft dwelling’s perceived mass, creating the illusion of several interconnected structures. The efficient footprint occupies less than 19% of the property and preserves the site’s organic flow, including their neighbor’s views to the Santa Monica Mountains and the Pacific Ocean.

What are the sustainability features? Special measures were taken by the designers and concrete contractors to reduce the thermal bridging typically associated with reinforced concrete walls. Before the concrete was poured, 2” thick rigid insulation was placed into the center of the 14” thick concrete walls. This results in an increased R-value in the walls without sacrificing the look of a monolithic concrete wall. Custom stormwater retention system, hydronic in-floor radiant heating, and dedicated solar panels for heating the pool augment the home’s sustainable features.

What were the key challenges? The home’s location makes users susceptible to a daily wind pattern that picks up in the early afternoon and recedes during the early evening. A site-specific solution combines recessed track hardware originally designed as a convention center wall system with custom aluminum framed “windscreen” panels clad in perforated metal. Typically stacked against concrete columns when not in use the homeowner can quickly deploy the 4 feet wide top-hung panels into a series of pre-set positions to counteract the winds or mitigate heat gain.

During wildfire season the site is threatened by blazes capable of rushing up the canyon. As such, the residence’s cladding and landscaping elements consist of non-combustible and ignition resistant materials intended to reduce fuel for the fires.

What building methods were used? Meticulous craftsmanship and authentic building materials are recurring themes best exemplified by the widespread use of board-formed concrete walls, white oak shiplap cladding, and painted galvanized steel doors and windows. A datum of wall elevations was carefully laid out to align the joints of the seemingly random board-formed concrete with the adjacent wood boards that come in 3”, 4”, 5”, and 6” widths. Floors, ceilings, steps, lighting, speakers, keypad controls, and outlets were carefully placed so that no element interrupts a joint in the boards.

How is the project unique? Since covenants and restrictions allowed for only a single story above street level, many of the home’s rooms are located on a lower level which daylights on the downslope side of the house. The layered design caters to the homeowners’ need for a full-time residence and part-time wellness retreat. Supporting these goals, a “show garage” doubles as an open-air yoga studio and stepped pathways provide full access to distant parts of the steep site.

Hillside House for Healthy Living in LA – Building Information

Design:Abramson Architects

Project size: 17000 ft2 Site size: 87120 ft2 Completion date: 2019 Building levels: 2

Photography: Roger Davies

A Hillside House for Healthy Living, Pacific Palisades images / information received 100221

Location: Los Angeles, Southern California, USA

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[bobmccullochny]

May History

May 10, 1869 - The newly constructed tracks of the Union Pacific and Central Pacific railways were first linked at Promontory Point, Utah. A golden spike was driven by Leland Stanford, president of the Central Pacific, to celebrate the linkage. It is said that he missed the spike on his first swing which brought roars of laughter from men who had driven thousands upon thousands of spikes themselves.

May 10, 1889 - A riot erupted outside the Astor Place Opera House in New York as British actor William Charles Macready performed inside. Angry crowds revolted against dress requirements for admission and against Macready's public statements on the vulgarity of American life. The mob then shattered theater windows. Troops were called out and ordered to fire, killing 22 and wounding 26.

May 10, 1994 - Former political prisoner Nelson Mandela was inaugurated as president of South Africa. Mandela had won the first free election in South Africa despite attempts by various political foes to deter the outcome.

[techcrunchappcom]

New Post has been published on https://techcrunchapp.com/after-wolves-rebound-across-us-west-future-up-to-voters-national-news/

After wolves rebound across US West, future up to voters | National News

YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK, Wyo. (AP) — The saucer-sized footprints in the mud around the bloody, disemboweled bison carcass were unmistakable: wolves.

A pack of 35 named after a nearby promontory, Junction Butte, now were snoozing on a snow-dusted hillside above the carcass. Tourists dressed against the weather watched the pack through spotting scopes from about a mile away.

“Wolves are my main thing. There’s something about their eyes — it’s mystifying,” said Ann Moore, who came from Ohio to fulfill a life-long wish to glimpse the animals.

Such encounters have become daily occurrences in Yellowstone after gray wolves rebounded in parts of the American West with remarkable speed following their reintroduction 25 years ago.

It started with a few dozen wolves brought in crates from Canada to Yellowstone and central Idaho. Others wandered down into northwest Montana. Thriving on big game herds, the population boomed to more than 300 packs comprising some 2,000 wolves, occupying territory that touches six states and stretches from the edge of the Great Plains to the forests of the Pacific Northwest.

Now the 2020 election offers an opportunity to jumpstart the wolf’s expansion southward into the heart of the Rocky Mountains. A Colorado ballot initiative would reintroduce wolves on the state’s Western Slope. It comes after the Trump administration on Thursday lifted protections for wolves across most of the U.S., including Colorado, putting their future in the hands of state wildlife agencies.

The Colorado effort, if successful, could fill a significant gap in the species’ historical range, creating a bridge between the Northern Rockies gray wolves and a small Mexican gray wolf population in Arizona and New Mexico.

“Colorado is the mother lode, the final piece,” said Mike Phillips, who led the Yellowstone reintroduction project and now serves in the Montana Senate.

WOLF FEARS IN COLORADO

Yet the prospect of wolves is riling Colorado livestock producers, who see the predators as a threat their forbears vanquished once from the high elevation forests where cattle graze public lands. Hunters worry they’ll decimate herds of elk and deer.

It’s a replay of animosity that broke out a quarter-century ago when federal wildlife officials released the first wolves into Yellowstone. The species had been annihilated across most of the contiguous U.S. in the early 1900s by government-sponsored poisoning, trapping and bounty hunting.

Initiative opponents have seized on sightings of a handful of wolves in recent years in northwestern Colorado as evidence the predator already has arrived and reintroduction isn’t necessary.

“We can live with a few wolves. It’s the massive amount that scares me,” said Janie VanWinkle, a rancher in Mesa County near Grand Junction, Colorado.

VanWinkle’s great grandparents shot wolves up until the early 1940s, she said, when the last wolves in Colorado were killed. The family runs cattle on two promontories with names from that era — Wolf Hill and Dead Horse Point, where VanWinkle said her great grandfather’s horse was killed by wolves while he was fixing a fence.

“I try to relate that to millennials: That would be like someone stealing your car,” she said. “He had to walk home 10, 15 miles in the dark, carrying his saddle, knowing there’s wolves out there. So of course they killed wolves on sight.”

Mesa County’s population has increased more than five-fold since wolves last roamed there, to more than 150,000, and VanWinkle sees little room for the animals among farms in the Colorado River valley and the growing crowds of backcountry recreationists on the Uncompahgre Plateau.

Colorado’s population is approaching 6 million — almost twice as much as Idaho, Montana and Wyoming combined — and is expected to surpass 8 million by 2040.

“Things have changed,” VanWinkle said.

The pack that showed up in northwest Colorado last year is believed to have come from the Northern Rockies through Wyoming, where wolves can be killed at will outside the Yellowstone region.

Even with protections under the Endangered Species Act, thousands of wolves were shot over the past two decades for preying on livestock and, more recently, by hunters.

YELLOWSTONE RECOVERY

But rancor that long defined wolf restoration in the region has faded somewhat since protections were lifted in recent years. Opponents were given the chance to legally hunt wolves, while advocates learned state wildlife officials weren’t bent on eliminating the animals from the landscape as some had feared.

“I’ve got a simple message: It’s not that bad,” said Yellowstone wolf biologist Doug Smith, who with Phillips brought the first wolves into the park in 1995 and has followed their impacts on the landscape perhaps as closely as anyone.

“I got yelled at, at public meetings,” he said. “I got phone calls: ‘They are going to kill all the elk and deer!’ Where are we 25 years in? We still have elk and deer.”

On a cold October morning, after examining remains of the bison eaten by the Junction Butte pack near a park road, Smith asked a co-worker to have the carcass dragged deeper into brush so it wouldn’t attract wolves and other scavengers that could be hit by a vehicle.

Later, as the sun struggled to break through cloud banks, he hiked up a trail in the park’s Lamar River valley to where the first wolves from Canada were released.

The animals initially were kept in a large outdoor pen to adjust to their new surroundings. The pen’s now in disrepair, sections of chain-link fence crushed by fallen trees. But Smith was able to show where wolf pups had once tried to dig their way out , and another spot outside the enclosure where some freed adult wolves had tried to dig back in.

All around were young stands of aspen trees. The area had been overgrazed by elk during the years when wolves and most grizzly bears and cougars were absent — direct evidence, Smith said, of the profound ecological impact from the predators’ return.

EUROPE DEBATES WOLF RETURN

Yellowstone’s experience with wolves has spurred debate among European scientists over whether a gradual comeback of wolves on the continent could also revitalize landscapes there, and be welcomed or at least tolerated by local people, said Frans Schepers, with Rewilding Europe, which works to restore ecosystems in multiple countries. There have been no European wolf reintroductions to date, but land-use changes coupled with fewer hunting and poisoning campaigns have allowed populations to begin rebounding naturally in several countries.

Since 2015, wolf packs that traveled over the Baltics have established three or four packs in the Netherlands and packs in neighboring Germany and Belgium. Government programs provide money for Dutch farmers to erect fences to deter wolves.

In the British Isles, where the last wolves were exterminated in the 1700s, a wilderness reserve in Scotland is seeking permission to bring wolves to about 78 square miles (200 square kilometers) of fenced enclosure to help control a runway deer population and draw tourists.

Alladale Wilderness Reserve owner Paul Lister views Yellowstone, where wolves controlled elk numbers, as a model.

“All the native predators are gone,” Lister said of the Scottish reserve.

THE BALLOT BATTLE

In Colorado, hunting outfitter Dean Billington foresees economic disaster if the 2020 wolf initiative passes. His Kremmling-based Bull Basin Guides & Outfitters is ideally situated for one of the state’s largest trophy elk herds, the White River elk herd. He estimates his firm alone spends more than $250,000 a year for hunting leases on ranches.

“They’re land wealthy and day-to-day poor,” Billington said of ranch owners. “This income keeps the western ranching guys afloat.”

The initiative calls for initially introducing 10 wolves annually by Dec. 31, 2023, with a goal of 250 wolves within a decade.

“You’re putting wolves in my backyard,” Billington said of supporters of the reintroduction initiative. “They say they’ll compensate for lost cattle and sheep, but how would it feel for these people in Denver if their dog in the back yard was mauled to death by the wolf and someone throws a few bucks at you to make you feel better?”

Rob Edward with the Rocky Mountain Wolf Action Fund, the group behind the initiative, sees reintroduction as a national rather than state issue since it involves public lands that account for 70% of western Colorado.

“Colorado’s public lands are diminished without wolves,” he said.

The Yellowstone experience is key to his group’s arguments: Reintroduction restores balance to the ecosystem, improves wildlife habitat and will benefit hunters by thinning out weaker prey.

Standing in the decaying pen where Yellowstone’s wolves got their start, Smith said that if the Colorado reintroduction initiative passes, success ultimately rests more on human tolerance than the animals’ proven biological resiliency.

“Don’t recover wolves unless there’s areas where you can leave them alone,” he said.

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Anderson reported from Denver and Larson from Washington, D.C..

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On Twitter follow Brown: @MatthewBrownAP; Anderson: @jandersonAP, and Larson: @larsonchristina

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The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Department of Science Education. The AP is solely responsible for all content.

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[trainphilos]

The Golden Spike or the joining of two railroads. (Part 1)

The Golden Spike or the joining of two railroads. (Part 1)

Just recently, the 2019 NRHS (National Railway Historical Society) convention was held in Salt Lake City, Utah. For quite some years Brad and I had decided not to attend these annual conventions. I shall be polite here and only say that these yearly gatherings just were not us.

However this year was just a bit different. The 2019 shindig was going to coincide with the 150th anniversary of the…