The Author Purchases a Mysterious "Villa di Lago" C.Proietto Original Oil Painting - 2012

 

The Author Purchases a Mysterious "Villa di Lago" C.Proietto Original Oil Painting

In June 2012, I acquired a previously unknown oil painting by the Italian artist, Costantino Proietto (1910–1979). As soon as my new painting arrived, I shared pictures and descriptions of it on this website. The painting is of the Tiber River and St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome, Italy. Angled gracefully into the scene are the Castel Sant’Angelo and its attendant bridge, the Ponte Sant’Angelo. In addition, a statue of Archangel Michael unsheathes his mighty sword atop the castle.
 
Soon after publishing that article, I received an email from yet another owner of a C.Proietto painting. Mr. Craig Casey of San Diego had acquired his painting at a friend's moving sale. From images of both the front and back, I was able to study the Casey painting. Although the age of the painting soon became apparent, I could not determine the scene’s geographical location. Knowing that the artist painted real scenes, I searched both my C.Proietto archives and internet photos of Swiss and Italian lakeside villages.
 
During my search, I found only one C.Proietto image similar to the Casey painting. Both paintings featured large, wide-angle views of lakeside villages. The archive painting has a handwritten label, perhaps by the artist. It reads, “Lago di Lugano Gandria”, which translates in English to, “Gandria Village, Lake Lugano”, Switzerland.

After viewing hundreds of Gandria Village photos on the internet, I found that the Casey "Villa di Lago" painting was not a match. Although the artist had painted scenes of Lago di Como, Lago Maggiore and Lago di Lugano, I could not place the Casey painting at any such location. Here, I ask for help from any reader who recognizes this lakeside scene. Please comment below or send an email with geographical candidates for this C.Proietto painting. I will be happy to credit whoever first helps to solve my C. Proietto location mystery.
 
The Casey C.Proietto is a moderately large example of the artist’s work. Most C.Proietto paintings have an aspect ratio of 4:3. Not surprisingly, that ratio is close to that of 35-mm film (4.11:3), from which the artist worked. Originally, the Casey painting was 40” x 20”. During an earlier reconditioning of the piece, someone used shorter, 38” Grumbacher stretcher bars. That action reduced the visible width of the painting by almost two inches, partially obscuring the “C” in the artist’s “C.Proietto” signature.
 
This wide aspect ratio is a clue to the age of the Casey C.Proietto. By 1956, Cinemascope and Panavision lenses, with aspect ratios of almost 2:1 had influenced all the visual arts. Instead of tall, boxy layouts, new paintings, live stages and movies began retooling toward wider, horizontal formats. During his 1957 visit to Southern California, the artist may have viewed wide-screen movies and other examples of this trend. In addition to its wide angle view, the entire composition has a left-standing perspective. Rather than a vanishing point in the center of the scene, we look from left to right and then to the far shore to see the painting as the artist intended.
 
By mid-century, C.Proietto had painted hundreds, if not thousands of original compositions. Thanks to Mr. Casey’s clear photography, we can see many details of the artist’s work. As testament to the Proietto’s technique, many flourishes of his palette knife still stand in raised relief. Over one half century after creation, small waves of paint still curl and shine. After World War II, the reintroduction of foreign trade brought brighter, more durable paints to Proietto’s studio in Stuttgart, Germany. The high quality paint in this piece again indicates a late 1950’s date of origin.
 
On the back of the canvas is another clue to the age of this painting. Still showing traces of the artist’s wax seal, a printed tag adheres to the back of the canvas. First utilized by the artist in the 1950’s, printed tags, seals and the occasional “Certificate of Authenticity” point again to a date of 1957 or later.
 
Translated from German to English, the printed tag reads: “Proietto, Costantino, born in Catania, Sicily, was pupil of Prof. Fernando Cappuccio of the Academy of Florence, has had exhibitions in Palermo, Naples, Rome, Lugano, Stockholm, Stuttgart, Dresden, Los Angeles, Hollywood and New York.”
 
In 1957, Costantino Proietto visited the U.S., spending time with American cousins on either coast. During that trip, he completed his U.S. gallery representation, including exhibitions in New York, Los Angeles and Hollywood. With its mention of Los Angeles and Hollywood, this tag points to a date of origin in 1957, or later.
 
On all of his printed tags, Proietto gave credit to his teacher, “Prof. Fernando Cappuccio” of the Academy of Art, in Florence, Italy.

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By James McGillis at 05:19 PM | Fine Art | Comments (0) | Link

Santa Monica Bay - Now At Higher Risk of a "Stealth Tsunami" - 2012

 

Santa Monica Bay - Now At Higher Risk of a "Stealth Tsunami"

In the 1950’s, prior to the California surfing craze, riding an inflatable raft in Pacific Ocean surf was more fun than anything else I could imagine. However, growing up in Burbank, California at that time implied a landlocked existence. Luckily, our own natural water park, at Sorrento Beach in Santa Monica was only an hour away by car. Several times each week of summer vacation, my mother drove us to the shore of that crescent shaped bay.

In later years, polluted runoff entering Santa Monica Bay contributed to rising cancer rates among L.A. County Lifeguards. The statistics were enough to deter swimming at Southern California beaches. Even though my visits to the shore were rare, I often dreamed about Santa Monica Bay. In those dreams, I stood ashore as an unseen tsunami approached from the west. After the Indian Ocean Tsunami in December 2004, I wondered about the tsunami threat in Santa Monica Bay. When the March 2011 tsunami hit the east coast of Japan, some of the heaviest damage occurred in and near Sendai.

Sendai, Japan stands at the head of a crescent shaped bay similar to Santa Monica Bay. While reviewing maps and pictures, I could see a tsunamical signature in the creation of Matsushima Bay, just north of Sendai. That “bay within a bay” is an archipelago of small, but towering islands, most having little or no beach. Lost in prehistory, a cataclysmic tsunami struck the coast at Matsushima. That huge series of waves quickly inundated and eroded the land, sweeping most of it out to sea. Today, those small, towering islands are all that remains of headlands that once overlooked the Pacific Ocean.

Earth scientists have long known that crescent shaped bays amplify wave action by focusing it at the head of such landforms. Within the city limits of Crescent City, California, Crescent Bay is one of half a dozen crescent shaped inlets. From the Great Alaskan Earthquake of 1964 to the Japanese Earthquake and Tsunami of 2011, Crescent City often takes the brunt of Northern California tsunami activity. According to researchers at nearby Humboldt State University, the city experienced tsunami conditions more than thirty times between 1933 and 2011.

With the help of satellite mapping and paleo-flood surveys, there is sufficient data to prove that crescent shaped bays do more than amplify tsunami. It is my thesis that tsunami help to create crescent shaped bays, both large and small. As sea levels rise annually at a rate between 1.7 mm and 3.3 mm, the threat of destructive tsunami also rises. Each cubic foot of water weighs over sixty-two pounds. Even a small rise in sea level places staggering extra inertia behind waves concentrated by a crescent bay. In Japanese, tsunami means, “harbor wave”.

Reflecting on my dreams of Santa Monica Bay tsunami, I now pay closer attention to crescent shaped bays that I visit. Three of my favorite Pacific Ocean bays are Natewa Bay, Catalina Harbor and Hanalei Bay. Each of the three bays is unique and beautiful. Their common heritage includes both tsunamical creation and vulnerability to future tsunami.

In 2001, I visited Natewa Bay, Vanua Levu, Fiji. Immediately, I was struck by its size. Throughout the South Pacific, it is second in size only to Subic Bay in the Philippines. Our buree at Lomalagi Resort overlooked the head of Natewa Bay. Each day, we watched as the tides emptied and then refilled the bay. Stripped down to old coral and bedrock, the long, narrowing bay magnifies any tidal action. If not actually created by tsunami, Natewa Bay appears to have hosted many such events. Around 2005, some development wags proposed building human made islands in the upper reaches of Natewa Bay. Although the development website still exists, we see no sign of actual development. With high tsunami risk at Natewa Bay, near shore development makes no sense.

The small town of Two Harbors is located at Isthmus Cove, Santa Catalina Island, California. Facing the Southern California coast, Isthmus Cove is a reliable anchorage for pleasure craft. On the far side of the isthmus is Catalina Harbor. Similar to Natewa Bay, “Cat Harbor”, features a south facing underwater canyon. The isthmus, a gently tapered mound of earth, rises only sixty-two at its high point. If a thirty-foot tsunami arrived from the south, the isthmus at Two Harbors could easily become a “tsunami sweep”. It is easy to visualize a tsunami-induced flood topping the low isthmus and spilling into Isthmus Cove, on the far side.

Hanalei Bay, on Kauai, Hawaii is a classic tsunamical bay. Lying at the foot of the Hanalei River Valley, there is no deep canyon beneath the bay. The mouth of the almost circular bay opens to the northwest. Rather than sediment from the river extending into the Pacific Ocean as a delta, exposure to tsunami and other extreme wave action has carved out a semicircular bay. Within the gentle sloping river valley, great tracts of farmland remain vulnerable to future tsunami.

In my recurring tsunami dream about Santa Monica Bay, I stand onshore. As I look out to sea, the ocean water recedes. Then, with no warning, I see a large tsunami racing toward me. I turn, as if to run from the approaching wave. As the towering tsunami overwhelms me, I find that it is made of cloudy foam. At the time of my inundation, the great wave evaporates and whisks away like a fog. In my dreams, the Great Tsunami of Santa Monica Bay causes no harm. In our real world of rising seas and continued earthquake activity, we may not be so lucky.

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By James McGillis at 05:52 PM | Environment | Comments (0) | Link

"Moab Native" and Moab Jim Debate the Moab Potash Conundrum - 2012

 

"Moab Native" and Moab Jim Debate the Moab Potash Conundrum

Near Moab, Utah, the Intrepid Potash Cane Creek Facility overlooks the Colorado River. With its in-situ mine and settling ponds resting so close to the river, I wondered about safety. If the earthen dams that impound so much brine were to fail, what environmental damage might ensue? In August 2009, I began writing about potash production near Moab and later regarding newly planned mines near Holbrook, Arizona.

With over two hundred thirty-five articles on this website, I am always happy to see a reader comment on my work. Before publishing, I always research my articles to the best of my ability. Even so, I enjoy constructive criticism and do my best to correct errors in fact. By putting my name on every article, I put my own integrity on the line every day.

It was with a spirit of enthusiasm that I read a comment by one “Moab Native” regarding my August 21, 2009 article titled, “A Place Called Potash”. Although I did not agree with everything Moab Native wrote, until his final sentence I was encouraged by his thoughts. In his parting words, Moab Native elected to call me “ignorant”. Here are “Moab Native’s” comments, typos and all, followed by my responses to his supposed “facts”.

Moab Native – “There are actually numerous errors in this blog. Potash is not calcium carbonate, not potassium carbonate, but potassium chloride (KCl).”

Moab Jim – According to the Encyclopedia Britannica, the definition of potash is “Various potassium compounds, chiefly crude potassium carbonate”. According to Wikipedia, “potash refers to potassium compounds and potassium-bearing materials, the most common being potassium chloride (KCl).” I cannot say which website is correct, but these two authoritative sources disagree on the chemical formula for potash.

Moab Native – “Also, the Moab facility does not produce "industrial grade fertilizer" that can spoil the Colorado, but farm grade fertilizer.”

Moab Jim – According to the “Industrial Products” page on the Intrepid Potash website, the company sells eleven different industrial products. How many of these come from the Cane Creek Facility is not mentioned. On the Moab, Utah page of the same website, the only product listed is “Muriate of Potash”, an archaic or technical reference to potassium chloride (KCL). According to the same webpage, “The potash and salt are then dried, sorted, and processed into various agricultural, feed, and industrial products”.

Moab Native – Also, the reason the facility is categorized as low risk, is that NaCl and KCl are naturally occuring minerals in the Colorado river watershed.

Moab Jim – According the Salt Lake Tribune article titled, “Dam Safety in Utah”, the Moab Salt (now Intrepid Potash) Stockpile Dam has a “hazard level” of “significant”. That dam has a height of seventy feet, can retain up to 1200-acre-feet of brine and drains an area of three square miles. The safety rating of any facility is only as strong as its weakest link. Since the predecessors to Intrepid Potash completed the Stockpile Dam prior to the requirement for environmental impact statements (EIS), no one knows if local precipitation could fill, over-top or breach the stockpile dam.

Moab Native – “The actual amount of dissolved salts in the system at any given time is dependent upon the runoff up stream. If all of the ponds were to breach at one time (only an act of sabotage could cause this) the amount of salts introduced would still be negligible.”

Moab Jim – If the “Monkey Wrench Gang” were to ride again, breaching of some or all the retention ponds would be possible. Moab Native claims that even a catastrophic failure of all the dams would produce "negligible impact" on the Colorado River. In his comment, he produces no evidence to back his assertion.

Moab Native – In the more likely case of a single breach, the cause woud be excess precepitation. The precipitation would act to dissolve the KCl and NaCl to bring the event to a null introduction to the river. Also, to a common sense viewer, it can be seen that the ponds depths do not exceed 6".

Moab Jim – Moab Native's assumption that only precipitation could cause a single dam breach is disingenuous. If sabotage could breach all of the dams, could it not breach one or two? Without a cleansing rainstorm to help neutralize the salts, concentrated brine could easily reach the river. The Salt Lake City Tribune article shows retention dam heights of twelve feet. The Intrepid Potash website mentions that “400 acres of shallow evaporation ponds”, but gives no depths. I consider myself a “common sense viewer”, but only someone with access to the retention ponds would know that each twelve-foot high dam retains only six inches of brine.

Moab Native – Regarding seismic activity. The canyonlands region has never recorded any seismic activity (allowing the existence of arches). The reason for this is due to the plastic flow tendency of the 7000 foot thick salt deposits underfoot. The layer of potash mined has already been filled in with plastic flow.”

Moab Jim – "Never" is a long time. When popular Wall Arch collapsed in August 2008, no one could say why. The USGS database shows that there is a 1.062% chance of a 5.0 or greater magnitude earthquake within 50 kilometers of Moab, Utah within the next 50 years. The largest recorded earthquake within 100 miles of Moab was a 5.3 magnitude e3vent in 1988. Even if Moab Native’s theory of "plastic flow" is correct, an earthquake originating outside of the immediate area could still affect the facility. Although excess precipitation or sabotage is more likely than an earthquake, there is no EIS to tell us what the various dams could withstand.

Moab Native – Regarding state inspection: inspections are conducted on a regular basis by the state. This includes runoff water testing and inspection of all the liquid holding earthen damns.

Moab Jim – The state may be conducting inspections of the ongoing operations at the Cane Creek Facility, but that does not mean that the facility is benign. Since the current retention ponds went into operation in 1970, they were and are exempt from ongoing environmental scrutiny. In the event of a future disaster, Intrepid Potash would surely use the “Moab Native” defense. I can hear them saying, “We did everything that we were required to do by law. If the dams broke, it was an Act of God” The term, “Act of God” is an insurance industry invention. It means, “We are not responsible for this disaster, God is”.

Moab Native – “Because ignorance is not bliss, ignorance is just ignorance.”

Moab Jim – Ignorance is a state of being uninformed (lack of knowledge). If any one of us has knowledge that others may require, it is our duty to share that knowledge. Having learned several new facts from Moab Native, I thank him and share his thoughts here. I agree that ignorance is not bliss. However, denigrating and denying the research and reporting of others can lead to a self-imposed, ignorant form of bliss known as self-righteousness.

Regardless of whether any dams at Potash break or not, a drive through the Cane Creek Facility is an environmental revelation. In recent years, Intrepid Potash has taken many environmental shortcuts, including uncontrolled flooding from the in-situ mining sites to their retention ponds. The only life that can survive in such a degraded environment is bacteria. Just because it is technically legal to inundate natural creek beds within the facility does not make it right. If state or federal regulators conducted an independent EIS at the Cane Creek Facility today, major changes in environmental management would surely be required.

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By James McGillis at 01:30 PM | | Comments (0) | Link

Costantino Proietto Paints the Timeless Glory of Rome - 2012

 

 

Costantino Proietto Paints the Timeless Glory of Rome

In April 2012, Kelli Malone of Lindale, Texas wrote to me about an oil painting that she had recently purchased at a garage sale in her area. Kelli wrote, “East Texas has many flea markets, garage sales and trades days, which I love to attend. My husband and I were out one Saturday, looking for unique things that people have to sell. It was getting late, but I convinced my husband that we should stop at one more garage sale.
 
I spotted the painting right off and just loved it. It was not a typical oil painting but had texture and a beautiful scene of buildings alongside the water. I purchased the painting and then found your website while researching the artist, C.Proietto. I would appreciate any information you can give me about the painting, including if it is an original C.Proietto.”
 
According to Nunzio LoCastro, the first cousin of Costantino Proietto, the artist was prolific. On his business card, he listed his German title as “Kunstmaler”, which translates into English as “production painter”. While stationed in Germany with the U.S. Army between 1951 and 1953, LoCastro regularly visited his Cousin “Tino” in Stuttgart.
 
Nunzio LoCastro tells us that Tino Proietto could finish a small painting in a day, while it might take two days to complete a larger work. After an eighteen-year, unpaid apprenticeship to an art restoration specialist in Randazzo, Sicily, Costantino Proietto settled in Germany before World War II. By the early 1950s, Tino had both an apartment and a separate atelier, where he painted. He produced paintings of “what people wanted to buy”, which included landscapes of well-known Italian and Swiss scenes.
 
Until Easter each year, Costantino Proietto painted six or seven days each week. In the early days, he would then load up his automobile and peddle unframed paintings to individuals and galleries throughout Germany. After his spring sales trip, Costantino would again paint daily until fall. He would then repeat the mobile sales process, with much of his fall collection sold to holiday shoppers.
 
From the 1940’s until the 1970’s, Tino Proietto kept up that pace. By the 1960’s, he joined exhibitions of framed art at various Allied military bases throughout West Germany. Although he died in 1979, Costantino Proietto continued to paint until at least the mid 1970’s. If C.Proietto painted only 100 pictures each year for forty years, that would bring his total to 4000 original oil paintings. My guess is that 4000 paintings would be a minimum, with the possible number of C.Proietto works at least twice that high.
 
The artist, who did not care about fame, priced his works within the reach of soldiers and citizens. According to Nunzio LoCastro, Cousin Tino was an energetic and dedicated artist who regretted nothing in his life. With each newly discovered C.Proietto painting, we learn more about the artist and the pleasure that he brought to so many people around the world.
 
In order to authenticate the Malone C.Proietto painting, I looked first at the signature. As is characteristic with all known C.Proietto paintings, he used a palette knife to execute his signature. Note the strong horizontal lines on the letter “C”. The “dot” is in line with the finishing stroke of the “C”. The “P” is larger than the “C”. The lower horizontal line within the “P” appears as an oval. The “i” is un-dotted. The crossing of the “tt” becomes an upward-rising slash. The bottoms of the letters in “Proietto” form a near-perfect horizontal line. Since these signature characteristics appear in all authentic C.Proietto paintings, I felt certain that the painting was genuine.
 
The content and style of the Malone C.Proietto are consistent with the artist’s other known works. The scene features both water and sky. It also contains strong architectural elements in the middle ground and background. The aspect ratio of the painting is similar to standard 35-mm photographic film. Using photographic prints as models C.Proietto almost always painted in his studio. If you observe the basilica and its outbuildings, you will see a masterful use of texture, color and form.
 
Convinced of its authenticity, I offered to purchase the painting from Kelli Malone. In mid-June, a UPS parcel containing my new C.Proietto masterpiece arrived. The only obvious flaws on the painted surface were a chip of missing paint below the bridge and some cracks in the painted sky. According to Nunzio LoCastro, the painter was a chain-smoker. To accelerate aging of his works and perhaps anticipating later smoke damage, Tino Proietto often mixed his cigarette ashes into the paints on his palate. This pre-aging appears around the Archangel Michael atop the castle.
 
Not recognizing the scene in the painting, I displayed it for guests at a recent dinner party. One individual immediately recognized the scene. In the foreground is the Tiber River, in Rome, Italy. The bridge is the Ponte Sant’Angelo, once the Aelian Bridge, completed in 134 AD, by the Emperor Hadrian. On the right bank of the river is the Mausoleum of Hadrian, completed in 139 AD, one year after the death of Hadrian, himself. Today, the imposing structure is the Castel Sant’Angelo, featuring a statue of the Archangel Michael by the 18th century Flemish sculptor Pieter Verschaffelt atop its ramparts. From the fourteenth century onward, various popes used the mausoleum as a fortress and castle. In the background of the painting is a timeless image of the grand dome of Basilica San Pietro, in Vatican City.
 
Costantino Proietto painted in a Stuttgart studio that featured large windows and northern light. As he painted, light would shine through the canvas from behind. Depending on the effect that the artist desired, he would leave some portions of the canvas almost free of paint. This technique allowed more or less light to shine through from behind.
 
Hoping to discover what Costantino Proietto intended while painting this iconic Roman scene, I placed a lamp behind the picture. Utilizing my crude backlighting technique, the original afternoon scene turned to dusk. The current of the Tiber River reflected back to me in fading light. Horizontal lines on the buildings and the bridge glowed, as if lit from within. Reflecting his genius as a master of the palate knife, alternate images may appear on a single C.Proietto canvas.
 
Many thanks to Kelli Malone for helping to advance our knowledge of twentieth century impressionist master, Costantino Proietto.

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By James McGillis at 02:39 PM | Fine Art | Comments (0) | Link

Paul Geraghty's "Southern Run Cruise" from Los Angeles to Australia - 2012

 

Paul Geraghty's "Southern Run Cruise" from Los Angeles to Australia

“Do you come from the land down under? Where women glow and men plunder? – Lyrics from the song, “Down Under”, performed by Men at Work

Paul Geraghty, a world traveler and tour guide hails from that fabled land down under. Even if he claimed otherwise, Paul’s Aussie accent would give him away. To my untutored ear, his Scottish (or is it Scotch?) accent was good, as well. However, that was after sharing several hours and a couple of beers in the cockpit of his new boat. While sipping my beer, Paul explained that what we call a beer “koozie” in the U.S. is a “coldy holdy” in the Land of Oz (Oztralia?). It seems that the land down under is also the land of slang.

While looking to sell my own 1970 Ericson 35 Mk-II sloop, I had earlier met Paul online. Despite my low price, Paul demurred. Instead, he and his skipper agreed that an Islander 34 had the legs to sail all the way to his home port of Airlie Beach, Australia. Although Paul did not buy WindSong, my Southern California coastal cruiser, another person recently did purchase my boat.

Manufactured in Southern California, Paul’s “new” boat is one of only fourteen Islander 34’s ever made. Reflecting her 1964 design and 1974 build date, the sloop has a rugged, full-keel fiberglass hull. Her bulkheads, accoutrements and the interior are of wood construction. Named “Southern Run”, the boat is a good example of the transition from wooden boats to the now ubiquitous plastic models. With her full keel, the boat’s design emphasizes its cruising heritage. Slower than contemporary fin-keel hulls, a moderate offshore breeze will bring the Islander 34 up to a hull-speed of around five knots (5.75 mph/9.25 kph).

When I visited Paul at Ventura Harbor in Ventura County, California, he was already at home on his new boat. He had his Wi-Fi connections nailed down and using his "mobile" to negotiate with potential crew members in Idaho and Hawaii. Already, he had selected his skipper, AKA “Smith”, seldom seen far from Southern California boating for over forty years. In fact, Smith lives aboard a cruising boat under refurbishment in an adjacent slip. After a quick introduction, Smith departed by automobile for Long Beach, where he planned to buy a dinghy for their trip.

From L.A. there are two variations on the “Coconut Milk Run”, which is a nickname for the sailing course to the South Pacific. The more direct route starts with a leg from Los Angeles to Honolulu. Once there, the course turns south, towards Tahiti. From French Polynesia, the course is almost due west, island hopping to the northeast Australian Coast. An alternate course port-hops down the coast of Mexico. From Southern Mexico, the course heads for the Marquesas Islands, in mid-Pacific, south of the equator. From the Marquesas, the course is southwest, along much of the same route as the Hawaii-Tahiti-south variant.

In air miles alone, from Los Angeles, California to Melbourne, Australia is almost 8,000 miles (12,875 km). Choosing the Mexican Coconut Milk Run, the crew of Southern Run will sail over one-third the circumference of the Earth. At a hull speed of five knots, the full route will entail more than sixty days offshore. Allowing for time in ports-of-call and slower sailing near the equator, using any measure, this will be a long cruise.

With a full crew expected by early June 2012, Paul Geraghty’s “Southern Run Cruise” will soon begin. Sometime in June, I hope to be at Ventura Harbor, seeing the intrepid crew off for what will be the adventure of a lifetime. During their port calls on the Southern Run Cruise, Paul and his crew plan to send me email updates. If our communications plan is successful, I will post future cruising updates here at JamesMcGillis.com.

Author's Note, September 13, 2012: I heard from Aussie Paul via LinkedIn. He wrote, "Hiya Jim, yes its me. I am in Australia. I left the boat in Ensenada as I had too many crew problems and missed the weather window. I am going back at the end of Feb. 2013 to outfit her for the trip. I am bringing back my biz partner, who is a mariner, old school friend and a pro sailor. Chat soon, Paul".

Author's Note, November 1, 2013: I heard again from Aussie Paul via email. He wrote, "Hiya Jim,I just arrived in Oz with her in one piece;approx 9000 nm and all good; she went well. Chat soon, Paul".

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By James McGillis at 05:16 PM | Travel | Comments (0) | Link

Interstate I-70 From Cove Fort to Crescent Junction, Utah - 2012

 

Interstate I-70 From Cove Fort to Crescent Junction, Utah

On the second day of my April 2012 tour of the Four Corners, I drove the 377 miles between Mesquite, Nevada and Moab, Utah. During the first leg of that journey, I traveled Interstate I-15 North for 163 miles between Mesquite and Fort Cove, Utah. As I drove north through St. George, Cedar City, Parowan and Beaver, the human population dwindled.

Through my right side-window, I could see snow squalls forming in the mountains to the east. As I proceeded, I saw intermittent snowfall in both the Dixie National Forest, and in the Fishlake National Forest. At almost 6000 feet in altitude, I felt nothing more than a rain shower near the town of Beaver. Knowing that Emigrant Pass on Interstate I-70 topped out at over 7500 feet, I feared that heavy snow could meet me at that altitude. With no other options for crossing the Wasatch Plateau, I continued.

Near historic Cove Fort, Interstate I-70 peels away on a broad arc to the east. With such an inconspicuous beginning for a 2200-mile long interstate highway, I almost missed the off-ramp. Had I stayed on I-15, from Cove Fort to Salt Lake City was 176 miles. Although I love to stop and see the sights, I had webcam business awaiting me in Moab. In the interest of time, I skipped the Cove Fort highway rest stop at, which is also the sole remaining nineteenth-century Mormon fort.

In 1867, Mormon prophet Brigham Young called Ira Hinckley and his family to come and direct the building and operations of Cove Fort. Even today, the place symbolizes rest and refreshment to travelers. Situated as it was at the confluence of the Mormon Trail (Salt Lake City to Rancho Santa Ana del Chino near Los Angeles) and the Old Spanish Trail (Santa Fe to Los Angeles), Cove Fort appeared to be a natural place for commerce to flourish. Sometimes, plans do not work out. Today, there is no development of any consequence near the old Cove Fort.

As I-70 East climbed up and on to the Wasatch Plateau, I watched as snowstorms formed in the mountains to my south. If I could make it to the farming town of Sevier, my first brush with mountain snows would be over. Still, another series of high passes waited between Salina and Fremont Junction. Only east of the junction would I be safe from spring snowstorms. As I continued through the high country on I-70 that day, the pavement remained dry. From that omen, I knew I could make it to Moab before dark.

As I drove past the Salt Wash Overlook, afternoon sunlight brought the appearance of lush greenery to that desolate valley. Such spring greenery may have fooled early Mormon emigrants as well. Although the area almost defines the term “hard scrabble”, early Mormon settlers briefly farmed the lower reaches of Salt Wash and valley. After several crop failures, wiser heads prevailed and the settlers moved on to greener pastures.

As I crossed the San Rafael Swell, I encountered a long series of steep grades. Pulling my travel trailer up and over the huge anticline, I could almost see needle on the gas gauge heading toward empty. If I opted for economy, I would have to drive less than forty miles per hour, which is unsafe on an interstate highway. If I opted for power, I might burn all of my fuel before reaching Green River, fifty miles east. Coaxing what economy I could from my Nissan Titan’s V-8 engine, I dropped the transmission into third gear and kept rolling at forty-five miles per hour.

After what seemed like an interminable number of climbs, I approached the top of the San Rafael Reef. The “reef”, a landform named for its appearance, is a geologic fold at the eastern edge of the San Rafael Swell. Before engineers blasted the I-70 roadbed through a narrow breach in the reef, a person could stand at the bottom and simultaneously touch each canyon wall. By my estimation, the current roadway often exceeds the interstate highway maximum of a six-percent grade. If you overload your vehicle or if you gain too much speed, descending through the reef on I-70 can be a harrowing experience. Unlike many descents, some of its tightest turns are near the bottom of the canyon, rather than the top. Until you are safely out on the flats, personal concentration and conservative speeds are essential.

Upon safe arrival at the bottom of the San Rafael Reef, it was only seventeen miles farther to the town of Green River, Utah. After another check of my fuel gauge, I skipped a stop in Green River, opting to fill up upon arrival in Moab. As I passed over the Green River highway bridge, afternoon sunlight hit the escarpment of the Book Cliffs. With time to spare, I decided to turn north at Crescent Junction for a visit to little known Brendel, Utah. Formerly comprised of not much more than a railroad siding, Brendel is now the location of what I call Moab Mountain. Although it is technically not a mountain, Brendel is the final repository for Cold War uranium tailings removed from the UMTRA Superfund Site, also called the Moab Pile.

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By James McGillis at 04:25 PM | Travel | Comments (0) | Link

Mesquite, Nevada Squanders its Economic and Highway Heritage - 2012

 

Mesquite, Nevada Squanders its Economic and Highway Heritage

In May 2009, I visited Mesquite, Nevada and wrote about my experiences there. At the time, the U.S. appeared to be at the depths of its Great Recession. In the previous decade, the population of Mesquite had ballooned, from 9,000 to a reported 19,000. By 2009, it was on its way back down to a 2010 U.S. Census figure of 15,000. Although a Wal-Mart and other new shopping venues arose in North Mesquite, business activity south of Interstate I-15 on West Mesquite Blvd. looked anemic, at best. By 2009, at least one major golf course had closed and two major hotel/casinos stood empty.

Mormon settlers founded the old town of Mesquite, Nevada in 1880. By the 1960’s, Mesquite had become the largest town between Las Vegas and St. George, Utah, to the north. Although that stretch of Interstate Highway was complete by 1967, business-friendly politicians thwarted the I-15 bypass of Mesquite until scandalously late, in 1973. Until then, travelers endured a forced exit from the freeway at Mesquite. Whether they were ready for a break or not, an old-fashioned drive along West Mesquite Blvd. was part of the early I-15 travel experience.

After I-15 opened at Mesquite, the town no longer had a captive motoring audience. On the new freeway, it was a quick 122-mile trip between Las Vegas and St. George, Utah. Ever inventive, residents of the largely Mormon town did what they could to survive. First with legal gambling and later with master planned retirement communities, Mesquite attracted new residents and businesses. Almost any desert town will see cycles of boom and bust. After the boom peaked in 2007, there was an accelerating pace of economic decline in what once was known as “Mesquite Flats”.

Now, in 2012, it was time to make another assessment of the Mesquite, Nevada economy. Quickly I found that the economic message in Mesquite is mixed. Several planned communities in North Mesquite continue to grow, albeit much slower than before the 2007 peak. According to statistics, the recent unemployment rate in Mesquite was a whopping 13.3%, compared to the U.S. average of 9.1%. Some will prosper and some will fail, but the failure rate of South Mesquite businesses appears higher than in North Mesquite. On the old highway, I remembered a mattress store from before, but it was gone without a trace. Harley’s Garage and other iconic signs of Old U.S. Highway 91 stood empty, painted-over or crumbling. Even the Harley's Garage old hand painted "Ford Parts" sign had succumbed to rust.

In 2009, The Ranch Market, with its attractive mission revival style building thrived. During my visit to the market, I had found remains of an old pole barn at the rear of the property. Perhaps the pole barn was Mesquite's original ranch market. Although the barn appeared built nearly a century ago, its well trussed structure and a loose collection of roof boards remained intact. On my 2012 visit, The Ranch Market was closed. If such a nice market could not prosper in old Mesquite, I reasoned that the local economy still suffered.

In the 2006 Disney Pixar movie Cars, the loveable tow truck known as “Tow Mater” slept in a dilapidated barn or shed. Having recently watched the movie, I wanted to see how much the old Ranch Market Pole Barn might resemble Mater’s lair. After all, the Wigwam Village motel in Holbrook, Arizona rode to fame as the Cozy Cone Motel in the movie Cars. In the 1960’s, Interstate I-40 bypassed Seligman, Arizona. That old U.S. Route-66 town later became the model for Radiator Springs in the movie Cars. Today, the bypass of Seligman makes it a nostalgic detour from the sterile I-40. If highway nostalgia worked in Arizona, why not consider it in Mesquite, Nevada? When I took a closer look at the Ranch Market Pole Barn, I saw that it was at least a spiritual match with Tow Mater’s abode.

Today, Mesquite, Nevada cries out for economic development. Not unlike the economy of Mesquite Flats, the old pole barn appears ready to collapse of its own weight. A good first step would be to buy a rusted-out old tow truck, paint eyes on the windshield and park it in the old pole barn. Maybe it will never be another Seligman, but if Mesquite does not preserve its precious relics, its storied past will fade away.

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By James McGillis at 11:38 AM | Travel | Comments (0) | Link