Big Bear Chili Cookoff
Saturday, July 11th
10:00am – 5:00pm
Bartlett Street Parking Lot
Chili Tasting Kits: $5.00
This is an official International Chili Society sanctioned event. If you can get here, GET HERE!
As a member of a number of different groups, I sometimes notice stupid people with internet testicles getting their dander up over a supposed wrong that someone else did to them while driving in the mountains. Here’s the latest:
This was publicly posted by some chick:
Hello big bear residents,
Today we were driving down the 38 around 12:30ish and we encountered a very rude and inconsiderate driver. He was riding our tail ,swerving,honking his horn and giving us the finger. We finally pulled over to let him pass. He did the same thing to the driver in front of him until we passed the Yucaipa turn off. I took a picture of his car and license plate and we started to flip me off again as we approach him to tell him to pull over this driver cut us off and took off down lugonia driving like a total jerk. This man with long white hair was driving like a total A.. and could of caused a major accident and he didn’t care. I believe this person is a big bear local with several stickers on his gray Nissan rogue. You are an inconsiderate driver and your behavior was uncalled for!!
I responded with:
So … you didn’t pull over to let him pass, you chased him, and you tried to pull him over.
Are you the police? If you’re not, then use the turn outs, don’t chase people, and don’t try to pull them over. That’s how accidents and road rage incidents happen.
Leave the actual policing to law enforcement.
When you visit an OC Park, you’re greeted by Park Rangers and members of the Ranger Reserves. They’re special group of men and women who serve our county and help visitors enjoy our beautiful spaces. One aspect of the Park Ranger uniform is the unique badge that identifies the individual.
Throughout the history of the Orange County Ranger program, there has only been on official department issued badge. It is a gold-tone solid-back “pinched” shield with a reverse blue ribbon cloisonne across the top with the words “PARK RANGER” in raised letters. Below that, the county seal appears in reverse cloisonne, and a reverse blue ribbon with the words “PARKS – BEACHES” below that. There is a small raised square to engrave the badge number. If the number is proceeded by an “R” the badge was issued to a Reserve Park Ranger. The back of the badge is hallmarked “Entenmann-Rovin.”
The Sacramento Bee is reporting that the CHP has rescued a “hiker” from the Pacific Crest Trail. The guy they rescued was only 12 hours into his hike when young Dartagnan ran out of water “due to the drought” and became lost.
There are a number of things that I find questionable about this story. Not that the guy wandering around was named Dartagnan, not the silliness about the drought causing him to run out of water, and not even that he became lost after 12 hours of hiking (at night) on a part of the trail that is fairly easy to see.
From the article:
“He scampered into the open beyond the tree line where pilot Souza was able to make a landing at the edge of a cliff.”
Just so that we’re clear: Hikers hike. They don’t “scamper.” Ever.
You can read the whole strange tale HERE.
I dearly love the State of California; it is one of the most picturesque places in all of the world, with many varied and extraordinary landscapes and vistas. It truly does have something for everyone.
I grew up, primarily, at the beach. I saw many a sunset. Oddly, though, I’ve never really cared for ’em. I’ve never found them particularly romantic. Maybe I’ve seen too many of them, or maybe I just don’t like to throw anything away. And that’s what a sunset is. Sunset is the end of a friendship you had with the day. It’s – as I’ve written before – “the part of the relationship where all the little things you thought were cute grate on you like fingers down a chalkboard and you can’t wait for it to be over so you can go back inside.”
Personally, I believe I’ve got the soul of a cowboy. To this day I love all the great westerns; the panoramas, the wide open spaces. And – even though two of my most favorite cowboy films (Silverado and Tombstone) weren’t filmed there – I’ve had a deep and abiding love for the Sierra Nevadas. I love Yosemite, Kings Canyon, the John Muir and Pacific Crest Trails, Death Valley and Mount Whitney. Being alone in the open cathedrals made of forests, rock, light, water, and stone makes me feel at peace within the magnificent machine built by our great Creator. I am a solitary wayfarer experiencing a world created just for me.
