Wednesday, April 3, 2002

BWAIN (Blog Without An Interesting Name)

It's late on Wednesday night - about a quarter to eleven - and Debs and I are being just about as yuppie-like as it's possible to be. I'm blogging on my laptop on this side of the table and she's editing and captioning photos for the web site on her laptop on her side of the table. And no, for those of you who've asked, we don't instant-message one another across the table. E-mail's far more efficient ...

Today we took one more step in the lengthy, complex and expensive process of getting ourselves, our dog and our cat home. Just after 2pm we visited the vet for what seemed like the hundredth time but which was, in reality, probably only the sixth or seventh; more vaccinations, more blood tests, more appointments. Today though was the last time we'll accompany Mitzi and Astra to the vet. The next visit - the final one unless Mitzi fails today's blood test - will take place after we've left on our circuitous journey home, and Mitzi and Astra will be collected by someone from our vet's who are, conveniently, located just a couple of doors down from where they're being boarded.

It's probably best that we won't be there for their final visit to the vet. Quarantine regulations require that both animals be treated for external parasites and this means a bath for Astra, our cat. Astra has an aversion to water akin to Mitzi's aversion to bathing, with the important exception that Astra is willing to make her displeasure manifest during the bathing process by burying her claws in the nearest available fleshy object. Were bathing Astra to be my job, I'd be urgently confirming the currency of my medical premiums and I'd be wearing chainmail for the duration. Definitely a job for the experts.

So then, to our most recent trip:

Mt. Tamalpais and Muir Woods - 28 March 2002

Mt. Tamalpais

A little over an hour from us, north across the Golden Gate Bridge, is Mt. Tamalpais. It's the kind of mountain that, were it to attend some sort of mountains' reunion, would be huddled over in a corner, alone, gnawing nervously on a chicken bone, pretending to be oblivious to its surroundings, whilst the other mountains would be casting sidelong, derisory glances in its direction. Mt. Tamalpais rises a mere 2600ft (800m) above sea level, barely enough to earn it the "mountain" title, though it does, it should be noted, provide stunning, panoramic views.

Mountain Theater

About half-way to the summit, in a clearing, there's an area called the Mountain Theater, depicted at left. As you can see, it comprises a few hundred stone seats, accessed by a series of stone steps and overlooking a large-ish staging area. The stage is a couple of hundred feet away from the back row of seats. The theatre looks spectacular, as I hope the photo suggests, but I do wonder about its practical value. I wouldn't leap at the opportunity to spend a few hours in the open air with my rear-end nearest a cold and unforgiving rock, peering at a distant stage. But, of course, that's just me ...

View from Mt. Tamalpais I mentioned earlier that Mt. Tamalpais offers stunning views of its surrounds. Well, the photo at right is an example of one such view, taken at the 'summit'. In a curious example of US "authority-think", a wooden structure atop Mt. Tamalpais that would provide even more stunning views carries signs proclaiming that it is "not for public access", a sentiment reinforced by the skin-tearing razor wire that surrounds it. Further inspection reveals that it's a building designed to serve as a fire lookout, clearly an important role, but surely not one that should preclude its use by the general public on the 364 days a year that fires are not raging in the vicinity. Anyway, it did at least provide some shade from which to take photographs in relative comfort.

Muir Beach Overlook

View from Muir Beach Overlook Heading further across the mountain enroute to Muir Woods, we stopped at Muir Beach Overlook, where a windswept but elevated point afforded wonderful views of the coast and nearby beaches. It had, to me, a very Scottish feel, though I've never been to Scotland and so am probably ill-qualified to make the comparison. Anyway, those of you who have been to Scotland can take a look at the photo on the right and make up your own minds.

Muir Woods

From the Overlook we headed for nearby Muir Woods, about 30 minutes distant via a winding and, in parts, quite steep roadway. At some time in its not-too-distant past, I'm sure that Muir Woods was a place of tranquility and solitude, and I think that this is the vision that Debbie and I shared as we made our way to the Woods. But tranquility and solitude are, of course, highly desirable and sought after qualities in a public space, and so they tend to attract attention and, in due course, visitors. On the day we visited Muir Woods, there must have been a few hundred of us, each intent on experiencing the tranquility and solitude that we collectively made sure none of us did.

Our first clue that our choice of venue was a popular one was the "Lot Full" signs on the carparks and the vehicles parked, Paris-style, in spaces barely fit for the purpose. We were fortunate to pull into a parking lot just as a vacancy arose, and Debbie deftly grabbed the only parking spot within a comfortable walking distance of the entrance to the Woods.

Perhaps in deference to previous grandma-impersonating wolves, no picnic baskets or picnicking was permitted within the Woods, so Debbie and I resigned ourselves to eating lunch in the carpark on our return.

View from Mt. Tamalpais

We queued, paid our money, received our complimentary map and ventured into the Woods. Within a few metres of the entrance (come to think of it, who ever heard of Woods with an entrance!?), the Wood's famous attractions were clearly visible : unbelievably tall, straight and thin redwoods. Muir Woods comprises just over 500 acres of mostly west coast redwoods, some as tall as 260ft (80m) and as old as 1000 years.

Within a further couple of hundred metres of the entrance, we came upon a crowd of visitors listening to one of the park rangers lecture on the history of the Woods. He was good, exceptionally good, and clearly trained in how to project to a crowd of people and make each crowd-member feel involved. And, in a nice juxtaposition to the surrounding trees, he was short and he was round.

What especially fascinated me though was the reaction he got when he finished his monologue and invited people to stay and ask questions. In Australia, such a request would generally see people scurrying from the scene, head bowed, intent on being somewhere else. Here though, people firstly applauded and then queued to ask questions.This isn't the first time Debbie and I have witnessed this behaviour here, and it hints I think at a healthy desire amongst Americans to become informed, in sharp contrast with the desire of many Australian's to not appear ill-informed or, at the very least, to not ask questions.

Debs and I spent a pleasant couple of hours walking on tracks inside the Woods. Parts of the forest had been so obviously put "on display" that I half-expected a lizard to slink over, pen in hand, offering to sign genuine Muir Woods memorabilia. But, the sheer beauty of the place overcame all attempts to commercialise and showcase it.

As we left, I took a photo of a sign that is one of the quirkiest and most perplexing that I've ever seen. It's just outside the entrance to the Woods, near some public toilets, and it reads :

This area has been set aside for individuals or groups exercising their constitutional first amendment rights. The National Park Service neither encourages nor discourages, or otherwise endorses, these activities and receives no funds in relation to these activities.

As an Australian, I don't think I'll ever quite get this. If free speech is a constitutional right, then why do you need to set an area aside for it? And why near the public toliets? And if you don't encourage something, how could you "otherwise endorse" it?

Originally posted by TC

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