THAT WE MIGHT CELEBRATE

Some Gave All

Though we enjoy the 4th of July as a national holiday with all the summer fun we can muster, it is also a holiday that didn't come easy. Repeatedly men and women have given time (& often their lives) to preserve our freedoms. This memorial is in Oak Harbor, Washington, home to Whidbey Island Naval Station. It commemorates men who never returned from ship hunting and bombing patrols during WW II.

Oak Harbor was one such base for those who flew these patrol planes. Formally called PBY Catalina, they had several nicknames. Since it flew many night missions against Japanese shipping, it was called the "Black Cat". When used for rescue at sea, many crewmen called it "Flying Dumbo". Though the Navy retired these planes after WW II, many can still be found flying mail and supplies along the Amazon, used for fish tracking in the Pacific and all around the world as fire retardant bombers.

If the occasion arises today, thank a service man for helping to preserve those freedoms we celebrate today. Happy Fourth Of July to Colby VanCamp and his fellow Navy crewmen and women.

TIME

Never Stands Still

And like this old gas pump from the 50s where the price per gallon never needed to be expressed in anything more than "cents," everything changes.

Change is coming this way too. Blogging will be light for the next few weeks as I get things moved over to a new site. More news on that soon. 

THE CLOISTER

The Abbey of New Clairvaux

Though "out of bounds" for the general public, wildlife, like the monks of this Catholic order, get full run of the grounds. 

The Monastery is located in Vina, California. So small of a town, the odds are that you'll have to hit the link to find out where this is.

A portion of the land that the monastery occupies once belonged to Leland Stanford, founder of the university of that same name. Though many of the buildings (above) that Stanford erected are on the monastery grounds, it isn't Stanford that is more connected to the Monastery. It is William Randolph Hearst.

Years ago, as Hearst was building his empire and his legacy structures, he came across a decrepit 13th century Spanish Chapter House (another former Cistercian monastery). In 1931 he dismantled it and brought the stones to California, intending it for a grand estate near Shasta. The Depression overtook Hearst's ambition and the stones were used instead to pay the City of San Francisco in lieu of taxes owed. For 60 years they sat in Golden Gate park. In 1994 they were given to the Abbey of Clairvaux. It has been a long struggle by the Monastery to use the stones as intended (above).

Though Hearst made detailed notes when the buildings were taken apart, the instructions and the stones were in deteriorated condition when reclaimed. The stones are around 900 years old and there are few masons today that have the kind of knowledge of the masonry methods used in the Middle Ages. There is also the issue of money. Since I was here last, they have instituted a new program "Sacred Stones", which they hope will provide the energy and money to move the project along.

All around the grounds are a wide variety of flowers. It is a place of great natural beauty.

 In the year 2,000 the monks returned to Leland Stanford first use of the land: they planted their own vineyard and are working to produce several varieties of red and white wines. As Benjamin Franklin said: "Wine is constant proof that God loves and and wants to see us happy." Perhaps the good Cistercian monks of Clairvaux would say to that: "Amen!"

DUNCANS MILLS 1

Old California

First a part of a large Mexican land grant, the town was founded not long after Alexander Duncan arrived in 1877 to began a sawmill operation. By the 1880s there were two hotels, a saloon, a meat market, blacksmith and livery stables and this general store.

With the lumber mill came the railroad. Duncans Mills became the funnel through which hundreds of thousands of board feet of redwood lumber were loaded aboard trains that followed the hills and creek beds down to waiting ships in San Francisco Bay.

For almost 60 years trains hauled freight (and passengers) to the the terminal in Sausalito. We sure don't think of Sausalito as being a railroad town, as trendy as it is now. The ledger in the foreground recorded the daily flow of rail traffic and the old fashioned phones at left kept the stationmasters in touch with each other and the outside world. It had to be a pretty busy place with three telephones.

Served by the North Pacific Coast Railroad and its unusually colored cabooses, the owners began building a narrow gauge steam line in 1874. It reached Duncans Mills not long after the mill opened. In 1902 new owners, at what must have been at great expense, transformed the track to standard gauge and installed powerlines to serve new electric engines. Redwood lumber remained the dominant item of freight. Since shutting down in in the 1930s, all of the right-of-way eventually became abandoned. The line stretched 93 miles to the Bay - what a wonderfully scenic journey it must have been as a passenger.

SCOTTY'S OTHER "CASTLE"

Where Legends Really Reside

A man's home is his castle, or so it is said. Not for Walter Scott, the "Scotty" in Scotty's Castle. When the gates were closed, Scotty didn't bunk down here if he could avoid it. For many years Scotty was whomever other people wanted him to be: a cowboy in Buffalo Bill's Wild West Show; a huckster, verging on the criminal, for low-grade mines and finally, entertainer for eccentric Albert Johnson's guests. It was Johnson's vision and money that built Scotty's Castle. The real Scotty was an ornament.

In some respects Albert Johnson was an honorable man and more than likely became one of Scotty's few real friends. Johnson built not only the Castle but also the house that Scotty got to live in and finally be himself.

Unusually plush for a simple desert structure, considering it was built in the late 1920s. It was constructed with 2x6 insulated walls and clad inside and out in redwood. Scotty's real home was truly his castle.

Here he could be himself. And that self was a slob, as this one of many historic photos indicates. The National Park Service has obviously cleaned things up. The tour is not often offered. Indeed there were only 3 of us that met the ranger for the mile hike to Scotty's home.

Both the Castle and the cabin share the same method of fencing that has been in place for almost 100 years. The wire fence has never had to be replaced as rust is held in check by the remarkably low humidity and lack of rain. The fence also surrounds both properties. The "S" & "J" stand for Scott and Johnson. From the hills behind that fence springs give up 420 gallons per minute. That's what the fence protected.

With the same fencing as mute evidence in the background, our guide, Ranger Scott Combs, shows how Albert Johnson defused the barricading of the water supply for those who once lived or ran animals in the area. He built the stone structure visible in both the photo and behind our guide. It was a catchbasin for a water pipe that delivered water to those outside the fence. That is Walter Scott and Albert Johnson by the cistern.

At one time, Johnson and Scott cleared a 5 acre plot and for one season planted and harvested alfalfa in order to meet government requirements for homesteading the land.

Characters and charlatans come and go, but what is almost ever present is the animal life that surrounds us, all the more remarkable in Death Valley. The National Park Service chooses not to use traditional bait (which may kill other critters) but rather the lure of a nesting material (cotton). Our guide told us that in three years giving this tour in the Park, he's never seen a trap sprung.

Tonopah

It's All Mine

With less than 3,000 people Tonopah ought not to have such a big town look. You can credit silver mining as the primary cause. A map of all the shafts and tunnels would show you an underground that looks like swiss cheese. Over 1.5 million in silver bullion was produced in the early 1900s. The town went bust during the depression but not before the downtown developed the character it has. As an indicator of its return to better economic health, the Mizpah hotel, at right, has been restored and turned into a very nice boutique hotel.

A new boom is on in mining and construction. This jumble of RVs and manufactured housing is mostly for all the new workers drawn to the area. The housing units come fully furnished. Many of those staying here work on the construction of a new solar array collector about 15 miles north of town. Others work at the Tonopah Test Range where the Navy has developed the F-117. Renewed interest in both gold and silver also continues to draw interest and investors.

Where once there were miners, there were also cattle and dairymen to supply them. Though this barn is nearly 100 years old, the dry air of the desert has helped preserve it.

The provenance of this roadside structure is unknown but with lumber being scarce, masons found good work in Tonopah. The town also benefits today by being the half way point between Reno and Las Vegas. The town has also one of the best mining museums found in the West.

BACKROADS CALIFORNIA

Standish

It may not take much to realize the great truth in this sign.

But we are not lost, just a little off route and on our way to Death Valley via NE California and W Nevada. This 106 year old building (on the National Register) was once Neil's Mercantile Store. On the ground floor was a general store. Upstairs was where the cattlemen of the region had their meetings and social functions. 

As Neil's Mercantile looked in 1910. Later the peaked roof was added and the false front removed. That is the Reid Hotel at right, long since demolished. Image courtesy the Day's End RV park.

Though folks are living in this old building, its last commercial function was as a roller rink and dance hall. It was just down the street from the mercantile store. I could find out no more history on this well building log structure.

The colorful flare in the center of the sky is called a sun dog or mock sun or phantom sun. They are caused when the sun hits a collection of hexagonal ice crystals, called diamond dust. The resultant flare of light is scattered as when it passes through a prism.

EUREKA!

Carson Mansion

Eureka, California has bragging rights on one of the West's most stunning Victorian structures. Built by lumber baron William Carson in 1884, it took a visit to Wikipedia to learn that the style of this mansion is more than just simple Victorian: It is " Eastlake, Italianate, Queen Anne (primary), and Stick, depending on the expert." Who knew. The mansion is now a private club.

FERNANDINA BEACH, FLORIDA

Full Stop

After seeing so many beautiful homes over the last few weeks, I thought I'd be rather blasé over another raft of them on Amalie Island. 

Not so. This small town had quite the collection of very well maintained classics.

Another stunner - Queen Ann style.
One of the reasons that there are over 400 historically significant buildings is that the first cross-Florida railroad began here and then Fernandina beach became an important shipping terminal to the rest of the world.

Gingerbread detail from one of the smaller cottages. 

Appropriately, this is known as the Tabby House for the type of concrete used in the structure. I've come to the conclusion that as much as I love concrete as a building material, tabby concrete doesn't always please my eye especially when incorporated into some architectural designs.

The Bailey Mansion was, up until recently, a B & B but tightening building safety requirements forced the owners to sell.

This home typlifies what I think of as Southern style of architecture with wide two story verandas, storm shutters and lap siding. The flowering shrub in the foreground is called a shrimp flower plant. Camellias bloom at the edge of the picture.

Though our two week cruise has stretched into a two month travelog, things are far from over. Over the next few months the blog will focus on the sights closer to home, or at least the West. Stay tuned and thanks for traveling in the passenger seat. If you have comments you can leave them at the blogsite (ferrytrails.blogspot.com). Emails are always appreciated but if you are a subscriber do not reply to the blog post directly as it is a "no-reply" type of email; drop me a note directly (billatferry360dotcom).

SURROUNDING SAVANNAH

It's All Old

An early plantation on the outskirts of Savannah now in the hands of the Georgia State Parks Department, Wormsloe features this arcade lined entrance with live oaks. This image only hints at the length of the mile and a half driveway.

Savannah's oldest and largest Live Oak can be found at the edge of the "Magnificent Oaks" subdivision. 

It is over 300 years old and was growing before Georgia was named a British colony.

Fort Pulaski was deemed,"As strong as the Rocky Mountains" and completed in 1847 as a Federal stronghold designed against "foreign" invaders. The Fort fell into Confederate hands at the beginning of the Civil War.

With in months of the start of the Civil War, Fort Pulaski faced it's first test as a stronghold. After only a day and a half bombardment of the fort by Union forces, the Confederates raised the white flag. The Feds were successful in retaking the fort due to a new "rifled" big bore cannon which easily covered a greater distance and delivered a more accurately explosive shell. Rifling (the helical groves cut into the inside of a barrel) is now common in most every pistol and rifle.

Even young alligators look old

How old is Savannah? Let's just say it is still aging.

HAMPTON ROADS 2

More Than Just A Navy Town

These beautiful bricks lined a portion of the "Cannonball Trail", which is a meander through parts of old and new Norfolk. 

A Mix Of Old & New

One stop along the historic walk was at this Civil War monument. Apparently Norfolk was also the site of the annual reunion of veterans. The plaque on this face of the obelisk dated 1951 commemorated the "The 61st and Final Reunion of the UCV". UCV were the United Confederate Veterans. 

The Hunter House Museum. Built in 1894 by James Wilson Hunter. He came to this city as an orphan and built a small empire. None of his 3 children married and so the last one deeded the family home to the city to be operated as a "as a museum and example of American Victorian Architecture". All furnishing and fixtures were left intact.

This is a portion of St. Paul's Episcopal Church. Besides the building being notable for being the only colonial era building that has survived the many sieges laid on the city, it is also the final resting place of a cannonball fired in 1776 during the Revolutionary War. It is easily visible in this image.

Looking like an artistic accent, this mermaid is actually one of many that we spotted along our walk. 1999 a local attorney started "Mermaids On Parade" it was a big hit with the whole community.

Norfolk's mermaids all have names. This one is called Lola. 

The sun was never much in view while in port so this sunrise color was nearly all we got. The large white shape towards the left of the picture moved very quickly. It overtook us as we came into Norfolk and docked before we arrived. It was the Norwegian Dawn.

On The Water

Baltimore & South

No, not our cruise ship but rather the USS Constellation. Built in 1854, it was the last "sail only" warship built by the Navy. During the Civil War, the Constellation spent much of it's time in European waters as a deterrent to Confederate raiders sent to hijack cargoes to the south. While I was there a contingent of midshipmen from nearby Annapolis were visiting the ship.

Our cruise ship, the American Star, is only partially visible as the bow area is peeking out from behind the old sailing ship

Not quite a view from the bridge, this is the lounge where we'll be spending a fair amount of time over the next few weeks. We have a historian/naturalist on board who will be giving multiple talks throughout our days on board. Every evening about 5:30 there is a forced march to this lounge for cocktail hour.

This is the dry bulk ship "Alpha" unloading raw sugar at the Domino sugar factory.

Upon reflection I shouldn't have been surprised by the industrial strength of Baltimore's spacious port but I was. Due to the extreme protection afforded from the tidal reach and winds of Chesapeake Bay, this is where our cruise ship took shelter during Hurricane Sandy. We heard there was lots of cutthroat bingo that went on during their forced layover. We're praying for better weather the next few weeks.

Though we are over 100 miles away from Norfolk and the navy base there, scattered throughout out the Chesapeake area are any number of the Navy's Merchant Marine Fleet. These two, with several others nearby, seemed semipermanently moored. Others down in Norfolk were in a more active area of docks. The two above are called "Roll On, Roll Off" freighters. The huge apparatus at the stern of each ship are ramps that can be positioned to load most any kind of mobile military vehicle from jeeps to tanks and anything in between.

The Chesapeake Bay Bridge has a longer, politically connected name but we aren't going to introduce any more politicians, dead or alive, to you especially so close to the election. Suffice it to say that this is one of the worlds longest over-water spans at almost 4.5 miles in length. When the original single span bridge was opened in 1952, heavy traffic was an almost immediate problem. Also suffice it to say that the politicians had to explain that they hadn't counted on so many people wanting to use it. The second span was added in 1973. Like the Golden Gate Bridge, this bridge is under constant upkeep, which accounts for all the scaffolding and shrouds on the original span at left as they maintain all that weather beaten steel.

Looking like heavy traffic of a different kind, this was the sight that greeted us as we exited the Baltimore sound area for the larger Chesapeake. Though several ships are underway, all the craft that are sitting with their bows pointed into the wind are anchored. The speculation was that Hurricane Sandy had so delayed the normal arrival and departure of these big behemoths in and out of Washington and Baltimore, that these ships had nowhere to go for awhile.