Glenn's Underground Cabin Update

[glenn kangiser]

We went to the China Station  Cafe tonight after the hike....   Such a wonderful group of kids.   I got to meet and hike with many more of them today as well as have dinner and visit with a total of 9 of us at the table.

Will try to get some more pix up soon.

[Tickhill]

Glenn & Sassy, ya"ll are America's greatest Ambassadors, thanks. You guys are impacting in ways that no government program could, you care.

[glenn kangiser]

Thanks, Tickhill.    

I hope our love for these students and the people who help make these events possible is enough to counteract some of our government programs.... like the unmanned drone program for instance.....or the totally portable war on terror.....

When these students arrive they don't know most of us from Adam.  

A few have been here before but most have not.  When they leave, we actually consider them part of our family.... extended world family but family none the less.  We had multiple invitations to come and stay in their homes in China and other countries this week....not just saying it to be polite... they mean it.  We feel the love and sense of family from all sides.  They also invited us to visit them in LA before they leave.  They brought us gifts of appreciation too, though they were not required.   Sounds kinda silly, eh?...but that is just the way it is.  [ouch]

Many of them will stay in touch via e-mail or Facebook, etc.

Here is the group that stayed with is at the breakfast Sassy mentioned.  I did a short video to introduce them to you and to share with others later.  (Brought my camera in from the cold and fogged the pix a little - sorry bout that)

Click the pix for a short video.



We hope to spread the knowledge that there is a good side of America, one that really cares and does not just view the rest of the world as lesser humans and someone eligible to become collateral damage.....

We got our group together in my old '81 Jeep Cherokee Chief in case we needed 4 wheel drive in the snow.  Our husband and wife guests got the front.

I was also privileged to have Bob, A director for Bridges International along for the trip.  He is one of people who help make this possible for the students.





Wendy (the wife)  was always smiling, and if she was not smiling, she was happy but would break out into a full smile every time I started singing the Beach Boys, Wendy to her.... She had never heard it and I had to look it up on YouTube for her to play it for her when we got home...Now she calls it her song...

Click the Pix for the Beach Boys, Wendy and sing along.....



As they were getting ready to leave this afternoon I sang her a verse in the parking lot just kidding her a bit... all the people standing around started clapping and cheering... I got a standing ovation... hmm ... must have sang a little too loud.  I have such a hard time convincing people I'm not really crazy...

More of the things we enjoy in life because of the Underground Cabin to come...

[Ernest T. Bass]

We need you in our band with that voice of yours, Glenn.

[glenn kangiser]

I'm not really as good as the Beach Boys... or Mr Rogers either, Andrew.....but I used to pick a few tunes and wail like a little fat pig stuck under a fence.....

[glenn kangiser]

These guys are always ready to pose again.... no wasting the adventure.. Many are near 30 or so going for their masters, but they are still half as old as me so I still call them kids....

Posing for a shot along the trail...



Hopping skipping and jumping... having fun, these kids did not realize we had bag eating trees in the park.  One tossed their backpack into the air only to have it snatched and swallowed by a hungry tree.

That is where we come in.  A couple of our younger volunteers retrieved the backpack from the hungry mouth of the tree so we could continue on our way.




Another student thought our volunteer said, "Hey, I'm a pinata," and started beating the tree and bag with his walking stick, but we discouraged that, the bag was retrieved and we went on our merry way.




Many of these students have never seen snow before and few people are aware of the dangers of even a simple hike in the snow in Yosemite in the winter.  The water is likely below freezing and the only thing that is stopping it from freezing solid is the fact that it is moving so swiftly that it can't.  

Anyone who falls in there for over a few minutes is usually a goner.  We try to prevent unsafe practices rather than retrieve the body. [ouch]

The frigid Merced River as it makes it's way down through the park.



We also drive them up in our cars so they don't have to drive.  More than one tourist has run off the road looking at the sights rather than where they are going.  That frees them up to just take pictures and enjoy the sights.

The kids stop to improve the quality of a snowman.  A very short video



and.. a pose with it afterward.



Vivian is working on Business Administration studies and hopes to get a job in the private sector.  Had to get a shot of her with the Snowman.  We hiked for nearly 2 miles through the snow uphill and she and another student wanted to rest a bit.  Keep in mind that these are city college students.. many had tennis shoes and wet socks after hiking over 4 hours.  Our volunteers at the resource center try to keep extra boots and coats available but many choose to just wear their own shoes.



Along the trail, I asked ...I am pretty sure it was Jessica, "How are your feet...cold and wet?....do you want to go back?"  Her reply was, we just spent 7 hours driving so we want to keep hiking and see as much as we can.  



We talked at one of the switchbacks and while two were worn out, and all were tired and wet, a few wanted to continue on, but they said they would do whatever I recommended.  I suggested that they continue on for 10 to 15 minutes and we would wait for their return.  We make sure we account for all of them and don't want to lose anybody or abandon them to freeze to death.  Many times we have to wait or some go back to gather up tired stragglers.

Our goal was Vernal Falls shown here through my longest telephoto on the Lumix, but in the winter the Mist Stair along the river is much too dangerous so only a few of the most energetic make it up along the high switchback trail detour.  The group I was with went about as far as we would have if the shorter trail was open.



The most energetic group made it to the top but were about 45 minutes late returning to the cars.  We have limited cell phone use up there so are able to get some messages and locations through as we wait.  The ones of us that are back earlier check on the cars in the trail parking lot and make sure none need to be pulled out of the snow with the 4x4's. Heads counts are taken making sure we account for all of our passengers in each car or truck.

I guess that is enough blather for now.... maybe a bit more later...

[glenn kangiser]

From our Indigenous Housing topic, many years ago, John, a Professor in Xiamen told me of historic round buildings in Fujian.  Annie, one of our students sent me more info.

For our current student guests who may look here but were not aware of these buildings I am including a picture and link to the topic.



These are Tolous - historic indigenous earth built multi-story, multi family buildings...more info... http://countryplans.com/smf/index.php?topic=1014.msg112566#msg112566

We did have one student from Inner Mongolia who was aware of the round yurt tents used to follow along with the grazing herds of sheep, I think it was.  He grew up in that area.  I'm sure he said he was Han, and the Mongolian people are noted for their honesty, courtesy and hospitality. More info http://www.chinaculture.org/gb/en_curiosity/2003-09/24/content_29639.htm

[John Raabe]

I wonder how buildings like this would do in a major earthquake? I don't think there are any such historic structures in Japan.

[glenn kangiser]

I think they may survive and some have been there for hundreds and hundreds of years.  The rounded earth structures are pretty strong.

From our other thread....

As I was studying up on the subject a bit I found that these earthen homes worked as a home for family clans but also as a fortress against groups of armed bandits -sometimes up to 10000 of them and even an army cannon firing 19 rounds against the wall but only making a small dent.

More good info.  http://www.hereischina.com/Features/tulou/

I did a search on Fujian earthquakes and found that they are considered earthquake proof.

http://www.google.com/search?client=firefox-a&rls=org.mozilla%3Aen-US%3Aofficial&channel=s&hl=en&source=hp&biw=1260&bih=598&q=fujian+earthquakes+timeline&btnG=Google+Search#q=fujian+earthquakes+timeline&hl=en&safe=off&client=firefox-a&hs=m3O&sa=G&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&channel=s&biw=1260&bih=598&tbs=tl:1,tl_num:20&prmd=ivns&ei=P4qHTZORJoO6sQPLtrz7AQ&ved=0CHEQywEoAg&fp=a6775898116d9335

Feb 23, 2011 - The end result is a well-lit, well-ventilated, windproof and earthquake-proof building that is warm in winter and cool in summer. Yongding County, located in the west of Xiamen, is the hometown of Fujian Hakka Tulou. Hakka Yongding is also known as the "Kingdom of Earth Buildings" ...

The reference was not there from Google but found more links to the original quote..

http://www.google.com/search?client=firefox-a&rls=org.mozilla%3Aen-US%3Aofficial&channel=s&hl=en&source=hp&biw=1260&bih=598&q=fujian+earthquakes+timeline&btnG=Google+Search#hl=en&safe=off&client=firefox-a&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&channel=s&biw=1260&bih=598&q=2011+World+Heritage+Fujian+Hakka+Tulou+New+Popular+Destination&sa=X&ei=wYuHTebMDpG6sQOKvZ34AQ&ved=0CGAQzgEwCQ&fp=fd73167239fbd6c0

[glenn kangiser]

Just got a call from Bob as I had called him earlier and received no answer.  The storm was outrageous around here yesterday and I was afraid they would be stuck in the snow.

Our little creek near a local business where we can normally drive across the dry driveway most of the year or a very small stream in the middle.



He said they were first on the Grapevine an hour from home about 7 PM- snow shut it down so they were able to backtrack back to Hwy 58 and try to go around through Lancaster.  Multiple truck wrecks shut it down near Tehachapi and after a few hours the truck wrecks were cleared and  miraculously they made it through by around 3AM.  The rest mostly had to find motels as they were farther behind.

I just wanted to bring this up to show the determination, work and sacrifice these students and volunteers have to go to to be able to see our World Heritage site, Yosemite.  

One of the Chinese students was aware that Yosemite was the true first ever Worlds First National Park.  Something I had not thought that much about until he brought it to my attention.

Although Yosemite National Park was designated a World Heritage site in 1984, its significance had been widely recognized and led to its protection even before a national park was created in 1890 on part of the present-day site. In 1864 (nearly eight years before Yellowstone was set aside as the world's first national park), Yosemite Valley and Mariposa Big Tree Grove were granted to the State of California by the United States Congress, 'for public use, resort and recreation', 'inalienable for all time.' In 1906, Congress accepted transfer of the Grant back to the United States and added it to the already established Yosemite National Park, managed – like other parks in the west – by the U.S. Army. Only later, following public debates over the cutting of giant sequoias in Yosemite and other simmering issues at national parks, did Congress establish a National Park Service.

http://www.friendsofworldheritage.org/wh-sites/yosemite-national-park.html

[glenn kangiser]

Regarding the storm, I read the local news website.  Lots of downed trees and electric lines.  Lots of people out of power.

Hmm .. I hadn't noticed.   

One of the times it's nice to be off grid.  Haven't had to start the generator this morning and currently charging at around 25.4 volts.  If there is no power, I'm the power company.  [ouch]

[John Raabe]

Is this nature's way of telling us to get prepared?

Glenn and a few others on this forum are a good model for this. Nice to know we have that kind of deep expertise.

[glenn kangiser]

Here is how I view it, John.

I am built into the earth so that is a pretty earthquake safe design for the main part of the house.  

I have my own electricity and 2 good water sources - one does not require power of any kind for safe water year around...the spring.  

Whenever I read another story with a US government representative saying we have no need to worry about Japan radioactivity or Potassium Iodide here in the states I go put a couple more drops of Lugol's Solution on ......

Here's thinking of our Japanese friends and hoping things go as well as possible for them too.  It is only 24901.55 miles (40075.16 km)  around the world.  About 5000 miles from Japan to us on the West Coast.  We are all in this place together.....

[John Raabe]

Right on!

Here's wishing the best to an island people who have for many centuries survived more than their share of hardship and then come back stronger and more resourceful.

[glenn kangiser]

The kids are writing back already.  A wonderful letter from Qinghua and Wendy thanking us again for hosting them and telling us of their long trip home and that they miss us-- delayed by the snow, they got a motel and arrived home today at 11:30AM.

We miss them already and I am still singing Wendy...

A couple of the animals posed to give the students a special treat.... a Yosemite Steller's Blue Jay first,



and ....a coyote dropped in at the parking lot at the end of the day for some nice telephoto shots.  He was about 100 feet away.  Many animals there are used to people but encounters close up can be dangerous for both people and the animal.



He heads for the snow pile.....









and one last pose before heading back to the woods.... no food?...enough of these humans then....






That's it for now....

[glenn kangiser]

By the way ... my buddy called me tonight and tells me Yosemite is being evacuated....  3 feet of snow yesterday on the valley floor and more on the way.

They figure if they don't get them out now they may not for a while...  I understand Red Cross is helping to set up shelters in local towns.

The students got their window and made it out perfectly.  A day later was too late - they closed to entering yesterday afternoon.

[Ernest T. Bass]

Oooh, wow! What great pics!!

[glenn kangiser]

Thanks, Andrew.  I was really happy I was able to get those shots.  The bird was easy, as he was probably used to getting black market snacks from the tourists.  The coyote was a bit more of a challenge and handheld on full telephoto makes it a little harder to get the good shots.  Thanks for the image stabilization on the Lumix, eh?

Our kids continue to write home...... Feng, our house guest on the left in the previous video sent a thanks and tale of their trip home... here are excerpts from his e-mail

Dear Glenn & Kathy,

Thank you very much for your warmest hosting, jokes, talks, and of
course your amazing palace. We already had a great fun together there.

We arrived in L.A. at 11:30am Monday safely(because of the huge snow,
we had to stay in Tehachapi city at Sunday night).

Hope everything will go smoothly around you.

BTW, Please forward us your photos.

--
Best Regards

Xue, Feng Ph.D.
Major in Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience

Psychology Department
University of Southern California

==============================================
National Key Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience and Learning
Beijing Normal University
Beijing, China.


These young people from all countries.... the best of the best, will help to carry the future of the the world as far as man is allowed to carry it.  From getting to know them I can only hope that their benevolence will overcome some of the greed, power-lust and disregard for the lives of the common people so rampant in our leadership today.  From talking to them I know they are aware of the problems.

Note that some of them also brought up an opinion that I have heard rumored and touched on here a bit..... the US economy may very likely get much worse very soon.  Many of them are world class economists and business majors working on their Masters or Ph.D.  Some have their Masters or Ph.D already and are working on another Masters or Ph.D in another line of study.

Not a scare tactic here.... a warning for our benefit.  Prepare to take care of ourselves even more at this time.  Build up an emergency food supply as we can afford it.  Work on that home garden.  Work toward becoming more self sufficient.

We may be violently and forcefully ripped from Big Brothers support and the infrastructure could rapidly fail.  No more sucking on the government tit because the old sow may just get up and walk off having no more nourishment or time to raise her squealing little piglets. This could apply to infrastructure too.

How many government or industry employees do you know that will or can afford to continue working without pay because society needs it?  Who will repair the grid if the check is not in the mail?  

No time to panic as they may drag it out to a slow and painful death, but it is a time to think about it and prepare as it may come.  Those who prepare a bit will be better off than those who believe all is well.

Take care of yourselves.    ... as much as possible.... continue to improve your position.... look beyond the hype and government reassurances to see what is really going on.

As a side note, before elected by the Unions, Gov. Brown promised he would not cut firefighters, police and many other gov. employees..... woops.... sorry boys...there is just no money to pay you.  Drastic cuts is my understanding.  Glad I got those cows out there eating the grass for summer fire protection... [ouch]

[glenn kangiser]

Jessica, a Business MBA candidate wanted to meet a Native American and my friend Ben is a Native American Interpreter for the National Park Service at the Museum in Yosemite Valley.

Sorry we didn't get to see him in person, Jessica, but here is a short video I put up here a few months ago when Cherry and Kyan came back down from Reno.






Jessica, meet my friend, Ben.  Click the pix to hear Ben play a native American song and a few of his flutes from his collection of flutes from around the world.




I know I posted him before but always nice to watch him with our new friends.

[angieb123]

Whenever I read another story with a US government representative saying we have no need to worry about Japan radioactivity or Potassium Iodide here in the states I go put a couple more drops of Lugol's Solution on ......

I just got my Organic Colloidal Iodine the other day, I took 4 drops = 120mg and had an asthma attack. So I think I will cut back to 2 drops instead and see how that works. Maybe an allergic reaction to the alfalfa??? After 2 pumps of the albuterol I was fine so no big deal. Also there is a common misinformation on people that are allergic to shellfish cannot take iodine. The iodine I take is made form Alfalfa and Sea Dulse (Red Seaweed). No shellfish in it.

http://allergies.about.com/od/faq/f/rcmshellfish.htm?nl=1

[glenn kangiser]

Looks like there is reason to use caution with it too then, Angie.  I posted a link that mentioned using the Lugols -putting it on the skin in a 3 inch patch - maybe a couple drops - do it again when it is absorbed and the color leaves - repeat as needed until the color stays for 12 , then 24 hours.  That will mean you are no longer short on it.  Check the link on the Japan topic in off topics I think.

Supposedly there is no need for it, but we don't use Iodized salt so I thought it may be prudent anyway and have considered doing it for a couple years... this gave me an excuse and Sassy already had some.  Oh yeah.... and when the government tells us we need it, likely it will be too late in my experience..... let us never forget...Katrina....

[glenn kangiser]

From what I gather, there are around 8000 or so homes in the nearby areas - likely more, that are out of power and many will be until the weekend or later.  Yosemite valley is out of power.  Yosemite West (a housing development) water supply is out and no clue how or when it can be fixed.

The county told me 10 years ago that if the grid was available we had to hook up to it.  I walked away mumbling...yeah...over my dead body...

Dave Sparks summed it up in a message to me... He's off grid around the hill from me... "You should have seen all the power lines sparking on E Whitlock at 6:45AM.  It really makes me miss PG &E. big wink!"

Makes it all worthwhile to go to the trouble of being our own power company.

BTW, he has the Cadillac of power systems and is a real pro..... I have the '57 Dodge Pickup held together with bailing wire and duct tape, of power systems and I know what makes it tick.  Both of us have power while the reliable grid is down....

Actually ours is not pretty but we have around 5000 watts of panels and a 1kw wind generator.  Probably around 30 to 35 kwh to play with if needed per day.  Most of the time in the day time the panels cover all loads.  In the winter it is good to keep in mind that solar panels may only put out about 10% of capacity or less due to clouds..snow etc.

[glenn kangiser]

Power today during the storm was about 250 watts out of a possible 5000, but the wind generator was cranking out some pretty good power for a while... maybe 750 watts.  Still around 5000 people on grid without power and likely none for a few days.  Yosemite may get it by Saturday...at least the roads opened up and there are limited services there now.  Maybe our International Student guests for this week can see it after all.  Lots of snow now.....

I did something today that has needed to be done for a while...

Last year one of our student guests asked... "Ummmm, what is that shower made of...?" 



Well, it was just ugly old cement board and didn't look too nice I have to admit.... It was supposed to get slate about 8 years ago, but I didn't get in a rush to finish it.. the ugly cement board was working, but I did paint it after that.  Now the paint is getting a bit weathered, so I took a bunch of salvaged aluminum sheeting and paneled the entire shower with it.

Now Sassy says it looks like it fits the rest of the house. 

Turkeys were enjoying the pond yesterday.  It has been staying full to running over most of the winter.  The spillway onto the existing ground at the side has been working out great without eroding the side.  The sides have firmed up now and it is well sealed.



The turkeys headed down hill so I had to climb over the barb wire fence to get a picture of them ...pretty well full telephoto by the time I got to them. 

[glenn kangiser]

Sassy had mentioned to me that our old watch dog at our other place where she stays when she works, Gypsy, was not eating and doing very poorly as the person watching her had called about her.  Lonesome I guess.

I told Sassy she should bring her up here after work as if left down there she may continue not eating and kick the bucket.  She is so old she probably does not scare anyone anyway and there are younger dogs there to watch the place.

She is here now and has been for a couple days.  She sleeps on the porch on her pillow, and has all of the younger dogs buffaloed into thinking she is ferocious.  Two or three loud barks then turns around and stumbles trying to get back onto her pillow.  



She is around 14 years old, has cataracts and a broken ear, but still very loyal and protective and thinks she is a mean watchdog...




...and a force for the younger dogs to reckon with...

[Sassy]

She's always been so loyal.  We got her when she was 5 y/o from people who were moving & for some reason she adopted me & would bark at everyone else - she got to where Glenn could pet her & now she's fine w/him. 

She was still chasing cars up to a month ago...  our place isn't that far off from a busy country road so every tractor, semi & car - she had to chase.  We've had so many animals killed on the road but somehow, she's managed to stay alive.

I think she had a stroke a few months ago because she has weakness on one side & walks like she is drunk.  That was an abscess on her ear & now it flops down. 

She seems to be doing a lot better - eating, barking, able to get up & walk around rather wobbly...  doesn't seem to be in any pain.