Scooter will crawl up your leg if you aren't watching. Cyclists have the tastiest snacks?
Sunday, September 30, 2012
Saturday Ride 09/29/2012
Bill rode his new bike Salsa Vaya Ti bike. Disc Brakes. Mountain Bike sized wheels.
Scooter will crawl up your leg if you aren't watching. Cyclists have the tastiest snacks?
Scooter will crawl up your leg if you aren't watching. Cyclists have the tastiest snacks?
Sunday, September 23, 2012
Walk along the ridge 09/23/2012
Spectacular morning to take a different walk along the Glendora Ridge. It was worth the view.
Bill does a nice job on the post processing.
Friday, September 21, 2012
Thursday, September 20, 2012
From Mile Marker 7
It was a beautiful morning as I drove to work. Bill who is retired likes to demonstrate the joy of riding any time.
Click on the image to get more details. Shot with a Sony RX100 in panorama mode for instant stitching of multiple images.
Click on the image to get more details. Shot with a Sony RX100 in panorama mode for instant stitching of multiple images.
Wednesday, September 19, 2012
Wednesday 09/19/2012
Glendora Mountain Road is open 09/19/2012. Last checked 7:10 pm
MIA was back on the road. It's been 11 weeks since I rode on a Wednesday evening. I had some Tuesday and Thursday evenings along the way, but wow it is gooooood to be back. Folks were greeting me and shouting hellos. So HELLO back to all of you. I recognized Francis from Adobovelo.com and Wayne a friend of Bicyclefriends.com and a couple of others. Happiness ensues.
MIA was back on the road. It's been 11 weeks since I rode on a Wednesday evening. I had some Tuesday and Thursday evenings along the way, but wow it is gooooood to be back. Folks were greeting me and shouting hellos. So HELLO back to all of you. I recognized Francis from Adobovelo.com and Wayne a friend of Bicyclefriends.com and a couple of others. Happiness ensues.
Tuesday, September 11, 2012
Williams Fire 2012 - 09/11/2012
Updated 09/11/2012 6:45 pm
Current Situation
| Total Personnel | 315 |
|---|---|
| Size | 4,192 acres |
| Percent Contained | 100% |
| Estimated Containment Date | Thursday September 13th, 2012 approx. 12:00 AM |
| Fuels Involved | Medium to Heavy Brush. Mostly Chaparral, brush and mixed conifers. Fuels are approximately 15 to 20 years old. |
| Fire Behavior | Little to no activity was observed. |
| Significant Events | The San Gabriel Canyon will remain closed until further notice. Highway 39 to Glendora Mountain and Glendora Ridge Road remain closed. San Gabriel Canyon is closed to the public, including recreational visitors and only opened to permanent residents. Resources include 0 Air Tanker, 5 Helicopters, 3 engines,0 dozer, 6 hand crews and 7 water tenders. |
Sunday, September 9, 2012
Williams Fire 2012 - 09/09/2012
Update as of 7:00 pm
Firefighters pulled due to lightening and flash flood warnings.
Firefighters pulled due to lightening and flash flood warnings.
Current Situation
| Total Personnel | 505 |
|---|---|
| Size | 4,192 acres |
| Percent Contained | 83% |
| Estimated Containment Date | Thursday September 13th, 2012 approx. 12:00 AM |
| Fuels Involved | Medium to Heavy Brush. Mostly Chaparral, brush and mixed conifers. Fuels are approximately 15 to 20 years old. |
| Fire Behavior | Pockets of heat remain predominantly in the drainages. Smoldering and flare ups continue to occur with the wind gusts. |
| Significant Events | A slow moving weather system with potential for lightning, flash floods and 45 mph winds was predicted to repeat itself after a similar system yesterday that produced multiple lightning strikes near the fire. A decision was made to pull all resources off the hill this morning until the current weather system has passed the fire area. The wetting rain and lightning was determined to be nsafe for crews to workd in safely. The situation was monitored throughout the day. The infrared flight that took place yesterday, indicated several areas of heat remain. Evacuations of the San Gabriel Canyon are still in effect. Highway 39 remains closed. Resources include 0 Air Tanker, 9 Helicopters, 3 engines,7 dozer, 15 hand crews and 7 water tenders. |
Saturday, September 8, 2012
Williams Fire 2012 - 09/08/2012
Glendora Mountain Road and Glendora Ridge Road closed to non-fire personnel for the weekend. A Forest Ranger spoke to us and stated this was a new development as of 11:00 am.
The scorched earth is black with streaks of lighter coloring. Reminders of chemicals dropped to squelch the active flames. The burn area covers the middle range of the mountain. The grey streaks on top of the blackened earth stand out along the ridge. The normal road carve outs will lead your eye up the mountain side. This is the most eastern portion of the burn area. The area extends to the far left. The East Fork Road is the most impacted. The small hill in front has growing vegetation untouched by the flames. Some ridges survive with their ground cover in tact. Helicopters monitor the site from above. It is hot and the winds blow. There is another eight weeks of summer weather to ride out before the promise of cooler temperatures. Click on the image to get the a more detailed view.
I looked through my panoramas and this one shows the same area dark and green on April 26, 2009:
As of 7:00 am
The scorched earth is black with streaks of lighter coloring. Reminders of chemicals dropped to squelch the active flames. The burn area covers the middle range of the mountain. The grey streaks on top of the blackened earth stand out along the ridge. The normal road carve outs will lead your eye up the mountain side. This is the most eastern portion of the burn area. The area extends to the far left. The East Fork Road is the most impacted. The small hill in front has growing vegetation untouched by the flames. Some ridges survive with their ground cover in tact. Helicopters monitor the site from above. It is hot and the winds blow. There is another eight weeks of summer weather to ride out before the promise of cooler temperatures. Click on the image to get the a more detailed view.
I looked through my panoramas and this one shows the same area dark and green on April 26, 2009:
As of 7:00 am
Current Situation
| Total Personnel | 603 |
|---|---|
| Size | 4,180 acres |
| Percent Contained | 78% |
| Estimated Containment Date | Thursday September 13th, 2012 approx. 12:00 AM |
| Fuels Involved | Medium to Heavy Brush. Mostly Chaparral, brush and mixed conifers. Fuels are approximately 15 to 20 years old. |
| Fire Behavior | Little to no open flame was observed over night but several areas of heat are still smoldering. Role out and snags continue to be a concern. |
| Significant Events | Crews have been very successful in line construction, given the topography in which they are working in. The evacuation order for the campgrounds and San Gabriel Canyon are still in effect. Highway 39 remains closed. Resources include 0 Air Tanker,9 Helicopters, 20 engines,8 dozer, 15 hand crews and 0 water tenders. |
Outlook
| Planned Actions | The northern portion of the fire remains the concentration point for line construction and improvement. The rest of the fire is in patrol, mop-up and rehabilitation status where necessary. |
|---|
Friday, September 7, 2012
Williams Fire 2012 - 09/07/2012
Current Situation
| Total Personnel | 765 |
|---|---|
| Size | 4,180 acres |
| Percent Contained | 78% |
| Estimated Containment Date | Thursday September 13th, 2012 approx. 12:00 AM |
| Fuels Involved | Medium to Heavy Brush. Mostly Chaparral, brush and mixed conifers. Fuels are approximately 15 to 20 years old. |
| Fire Behavior | Several areas of heat continue to smolder. Role out and snags continue to be a concern. |
| Significant Events | Crews have been very successful in line construction, given the topography in which they are working in. The evacuation order for the campgrounds and San Gabriel Canyon are still in effect. Highway 39 remains closed. Resources include 0 Air Tanker, 0 Helicopters, 20 engines,8 dozer, 24 hand crews and 10 water tenders. |
Outlook
| Planned Actions | Today, the northern portion of the fire remained the concentration point with hand crews and air support. The rest of the fire is in patrol, mop-up and rehabilitation status where necessary. |
|---|
Thursday, September 6, 2012
Williams Fire 2012 - 09/06/2012
| Update as of 09/06/2012 7:20 pm |
|---|
| James Smith |
Current Situation
| Total Personnel | 1,107 |
|---|---|
| Size | 4,180 acres |
| Percent Contained | 69% |
| Estimated Containment Date | Thursday September 13th, 2012 approx. 12:00 AM |
| Fuels Involved | Medium to Heavy Brush. Mostly Chaparral, brush and mixed conifers. Fuels are approximately 15 to 20 years old. |
| Fire Behavior | Limited fire activity with smoldering and small runs were observed but suppressed with the help of cooler temperatures and higher humidity. The area is expected to return to a more normal summer pattern with higher temperatures and lower humidities. |
| Significant Events | Infrared flights will continue nightly, concentrating on hot spots, until conditions change. This morning at 9:00am, the evacuation order was modified for the Camp Williams area. Residence with proper identification were allowed to return to their homes.The evacuation order for the campgrounds and San Gabriel Canyon are still in effect. Highway 39 remains closed. Resources include 0 Air Tanker, 10 Helicopters,43 engines,8 dozer, 35 hand crews and 11 water tenders. |
Current Situation
| Total Personnel | 1,108 |
|---|---|
| Size | 4,180 acres |
| Percent Contained | 44% |
| Estimated Containment Date | Thursday September 13th, 2012 approx. 12:00 AM |
| Fuels Involved | Medium to Heavy Brush. Mostly Chaparral, brush and mixed conifers. Fuels are approximately 15 to 20 years old. |
| Fire Behavior | Little fire activity was observed today. Smoldering fire behavior was suppressed by cooler temperatures and higher humidities. |
| Significant Events | Infrared flights will continue nightly until conditions change. A significant change in weather over the last 24 hours, provided cooler temperatures, higher humidity and some limited precipitation in the fire area. The evacuation order for the campgrounds and San Gabriel Canyon are still in effect. Highway 39 remains closed. Resources include 0 Air Tanker, 10 Helicopters,43 engines,8 dozer, 35 hand crews and 11 water tenders. |
Outlook
| Planned Actions | Crews spiked out overnight to take advantage of favorable weather conditions and to continue construction and improvement of the fire line. |
|---|---|
| Terrain Difficulty | Very Steep. 30% to 80% slope. |
| Remarks | Origin of Fire is about half-way between Camp Williams and the Shooting Range along East Fork Road in San Gabriel Canyon, North of Azusa about 3 1/2 miles east of Highway 39. *NOTE - SAN GABRIEL CANYON IS CLOSED. Fire size changed due to more precise mapping. The Williams Fire is under unified command with the LA County Sheriff's Department. ******Press conferences will be held daily at 4:00 p.m. at the ICP.************ |
Current Weather
| Wind Conditions | 5 mph S | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temperature | 66 degrees | ||||||
| Humidity | 40% |
Wednesday, September 5, 2012
Williams Fire 2012 - 09/05/2012
Current Situation
| Total Personnel | 1,275 |
|---|---|
| Size | 3,806 acres |
| Percent Contained | 24% |
| Estimated Containment Date | Thursday September 13th, 2012 approx. 12:00 AM |
| Fuels Involved | Medium to Heavy Brush. Mostly Chaparral, brush and mixed conifers. Fuels are approximately 15 to 20 years old. |
| Fire Behavior | The fire continued active ovnierght while continuing to back down hill in the south and western portions of the of the fire. Slow to moderate activity was observed in the northern and eastern portions. |
| Significant Events | Continued line construction and reinforecement. Burnout operations were successful. The infrared flight last night will provide additional perimeter information and will confirm active areas on the fire. The evacuation order for the campgrounds and San Gabriel Canyon are still in effect. Highway 39 remains closed. Resources include 8 Air Tanker, 10 Helicopters.68 engines,8 dozer, 46 hand crews and 11 water tenders. |
Tuesday, September 4, 2012
Williams Fire 2012 - 09/04/2012
FIRE Update 7:45 PM
Bill rode around Bonelli and took this panorama. Click on picture to get a full view of the panorama.
Last Checked 6:00 am -- Gate is closed this morning. No surprises.
Current Situation
| Total Personnel | 1,142 |
|---|---|
| Size | 3,634 acres |
| Percent Contained | 24% |
| Estimated Containment Date | Thursday September 13th, 2012 approx. 12:00 AM |
| Fuels Involved | Medium to Heavy Brush. Mostly Chaparral, brush and mixed conifers. Fuels are approximately 15 to 20 years old. |
| Fire Behavior | During the last 48 hours, the fire has been in a predominatly downhill backing situation. As the fire comes into alignment with topography, significant flare-ups continue to occur. A burning operation to strengthen certain areas is the reason for the majority of visible fire activity during the day. The primary spread of the fire continues to the north and east. |
| Significant Events | Good fire line construction progress was made today and burnout operations were successful. The infrared flight from last night provided additional perimeter information and confirmed active areas on the fire. Highway 39 remains closed where rolling rocks are a safety issue. Evacuations of Camp Williams, East Fork Campground and San Gabriel Canyon are still in effect. Resources include 0 Air Tanker, 10 Helicopters.63 engines,8 dozer, 34 hand crews and 11 water tenders. |
Outlook
| Planned Actions | Firefighters will continue line construction, continue holding existing lines and strengthen the existing lines. Scouting areas for opportunities to engage will also continue as well as structure protection in the Camp Williams area. |
|---|
Last Checked 6:00 am -- Gate is closed this morning. No surprises.
Monday, September 3, 2012
Williams Fire 2012 - 9/3/2012
update 21:50
Wow They are throwing alot of resources at this fire. 11 tankers,, 762 personnel.
update 20:10 pm
Question: Where is the Williams fire compared to Glendora Mountain Road?
Answer: Based on the reports so far the Williams Fire 2012 burned northward above Highway 39 and away from Glendora Mountain Road. East Fork Road status is unknown. The forest is closed and therefore the GMR, GRR and Highway 39 are closed.
View Williams Fire in a larger map
Update from 6:50
More fire fighters. Size of damage is reduced to 3,600 acres.
Update from 1:30 pm: Only 1 tanker!!!
Update from 12:00 pm: Same equipment and status as of 7:30 am
I saw a new plume from San Dimas, but hard to spot from Glendora. The air quality in Glendora is quite good at the moment. The winds have blown the smoke to the north. A shot at 13:00 from the Mt Wilson Web Cam
From 7:45 am I just visited the gate on GMR. A highway patrol officer is stationed there. No entry to the forest. He lights up a cigarette as soon as he gets out of the car. The smoke from the fire is quite palpable. Matt is optimistic with the fire burning to the north. I am realistic and thinking long term and needing a rain to put things out. Estimated containment date is Sept 10, 2012. However the root systems burn for weeks afterwards.
Wow They are throwing alot of resources at this fire. 11 tankers,, 762 personnel.
Current Situation
| Total Personnel | 762 |
|---|---|
| Size | 3,600 acres |
| Percent Contained | 5% |
| Estimated Containment Date | Thursday September 13th, 2012 approx. 12:00 AM |
| Fuels Involved | Medium to Heavy Brush. Mostly Chaparral, brush and mixed conifers. Fuels are approximately 15 to 20 years old. |
| Fire Behavior | Active fire behavior was observed today with significant burning of interior islands. The fire made runs starting at 3:00 pm today with behavior similar to yesterday's activities. Fire has the potential of making significant runs with high rates of spread with a spotting potential of 1/4 to 1/2 mile. |
| Significant Events | Central Coast Interagency Incident Management Team 7, Incident Commander, Jim Smith, took command today of the incident at 1200 noon. Base camp is being setup at Santa Fe Dam Recreational Area. Evacuations of Camp Williams and San Gabriel Canyon were completed today; however, 25 people have elected to stay in place regardless of the evacuation order. Significant air assets, including two drops from a DC-10 were used today with the objective of flanking the fire. Highway 39 remains closed. Resources include 11 Air Tanker, 10 Helicopters.40 engines,8 dozer, 24 hand crews and 5 water tenders. Camp Williams structures threatened. Evacuations of entire San Gabriel Canyon - including disbursed recreation along Highway 39, Crystal Lake, East and West Fork, OHV Area, Camp Williams,Camp Follows, Oaks picnic area. Approximate use 10,000 to 12,000 visitors during an average holiday weekend. |
Outlook
| Planned Actions | Firefighters will continue line construction and holding existing lines. Areas will be scouted for opportunities to engage. Structure protection in the Camp Williams area will also be conducted. |
|---|
update 20:10 pm
Answer: Based on the reports so far the Williams Fire 2012 burned northward above Highway 39 and away from Glendora Mountain Road. East Fork Road status is unknown. The forest is closed and therefore the GMR, GRR and Highway 39 are closed.
View Williams Fire in a larger map
Update from 6:50
More fire fighters. Size of damage is reduced to 3,600 acres.
Current Situation
| Total Personnel | 700 |
|---|---|
| Size | 3,600 acres |
| Percent Contained | 5% |
| Estimated Containment Date | Monday September 10th, 2012 approx. 12:00 AM |
| Fuels Involved | Medium to Heavy Brush. Mostly Chaparral. Fuels are approximately 15 to 20 years old. |
| Fire Behavior | Fire is pushing North towards Sheep Mountain Wilderness area. Fire moving slowly due to low winds in the higher elevations. |
| Significant Events | 1 Air Tanker, 6 Helicopters. 30 Engins,2 dozer. 48 hand crews. Camp Williams structures threatened. |
Current Situation
| Total Personnel | 400 |
|---|---|
| Size | 4,000 acres |
| Percent Contained | 5% |
| Estimated Containment Date | Monday September 10th, 2012 approx. 12:00 AM |
| Fuels Involved | Medium to Heavy Brush. Mostly Chaparral. Fuels are approximately 15 to 20 years old. |
| Fire Behavior | Fire is pushing North towards Sheep Mountain Wilderness area. |
| Significant Events | 1 Air Tanker, 6 Helicopters. 30 Engines,2 dozer. 48 hand crews. Camp Williams structures threatened. Evacuations of entire San Gabriel Canyon - including disbursed recreation along Highway 39, Crystal Lake, East and West Fork, OHV Area, Camp Williams,Camp Follows, Oaks picnic area. Approximate use 10,000 to 12,000 visitors during an average holiday weekend. |
Outlook
| Planned Actions | Firefighters will be working throughout the Day to continue to complete line construction, burn out and hold containment lines in an effort to stop the forward spread of the fire. Structure protection in the Camp Williams area. |
|---|
Update from 12:00 pm: Same equipment and status as of 7:30 am
I saw a new plume from San Dimas, but hard to spot from Glendora. The air quality in Glendora is quite good at the moment. The winds have blown the smoke to the north. A shot at 13:00 from the Mt Wilson Web Cam
From 7:45 am I just visited the gate on GMR. A highway patrol officer is stationed there. No entry to the forest. He lights up a cigarette as soon as he gets out of the car. The smoke from the fire is quite palpable. Matt is optimistic with the fire burning to the north. I am realistic and thinking long term and needing a rain to put things out. Estimated containment date is Sept 10, 2012. However the root systems burn for weeks afterwards.
Current Situation 7:30 am
| Total Personnel | 400 |
|---|---|
| Size | 4,000 acres |
| Percent Contained | 5% |
| Estimated Containment Date | Monday September 10th, 2012 approx. 12:00 AM |
| Fuels Involved | Medium to Heavy Brush. Mostly Chaparral. Fuels are approximately 15 to 20 years old. |
| Fire Behavior | Fire is pushing North towards Sheep Mountain Wilderness area. |
| Significant Events | 6 Heavy Air Tankers, mixture of Federal, State and Local resources. 8 Helicopters. 30 Engines, 2 dozer. 25 hand crews. Camp Williams structures threatened. Evacuations of entire San Gabriel Canyon - including disbursed recreation along Highway 39, Crystal Lake, East and West Fork, OHV Area, Camp Williams,Camp Follows, Oaks picnic area. Approximate use 10,000 to 12,000 visitors during an average holiday weekend. |
Outlook
| Planned Actions | Firefighters will be working throughout the Day to complete containment line using both ground and air support to suppress the forward rate of spread. |
|---|---|
| Terrain Difficulty | Very Steep. 30% to 80% slope. |
| Remarks | Origin of Fire is about half-way between Camp Williams and the Shooting Range along East Fork Road in San Gabriel Canyon, North of Azusa about 3 1/2 miles east of Highway 39. *NOTE - SAN GABRIEL CANYON WILL BE CLOSED TOMORROW FOR LABOR DAY. |
Sunday, September 2, 2012
Williams Fire 2012
update 9/3/2012 5:50 http://wildfiretoday.com/ - Aerial shots for Tanker 10
update as of 8:55 pm
| Total Personnel | 300 |
|---|---|
| Size | 3,600 acres |
| Percent Contained | 5% |
| Fuels Involved | Medium to Heavy Brush. Mostly Chaparral. |
| Fire Behavior | Fire is pushing North towards Sheep Mountain Wilderness area. |
| Significant Events | 9 Air Tankers, mixture of Federal, State and Local resources. 4 Helicopters. 20 Engins,1 dozer. 12 hand crews. No structures threatened. Evacuations of entire San Gabriel Canyon - including disbursed recreation along Highway 39, Crystal Lake, East and West Fork, OHV Area, Camp Williams, Oaks picnic area. Approximate use 10,000 to 12,000 visitors during an average holiday weekend. |
Update as of 7:00 pm:
Total Personnel: 200
Size: 1,000 acres
Fuels Involved: Medium to Heavy Brush. All Chaparral.
Fire Behavior: Fire is pushing North.
8 Air Tankers, mixture of Federal, State and Local resources. Helicopters 5. Engines 20, one dozer. 12 hand crews. No structures threatened. Evacuations of entire San Gabriel Canyon - including disbursed recreation along Highway 39, Crystal Lake, East and West Fork, OHV Area, Camp Williams, Oaks picnic area. Approximate people to evacuate 10,000 to 12,000 on a average holiday weekend.
Planned Actions: Burning towards North wilderness area.
Terrain Difficulty: Very Steep.
Remarks:
Origin of Fire is about half-way between Camp Williams and Shooting Range on East Fork Road in San Gabriel Canyon, North of Azusa. 3 1/2 miles east of Highway 39.
New Fire
Bad news for everyone. This fire is completely different from the Iron Mountain smoke I viewed yesterday. This one is up close and personal. Glendora Patch has a report.
What this implies is that the forest will be closed to all activity.
Saturday, September 1, 2012
Glendora Mountain Road Closed
Surprise to me, the road was closed and very lightly ridden. Heaven to have pavement to yourself. Good riding.
Spotted a fire on the north side of Iron Mountain.
Group Beanz was without sag support and the day was hot. Yes, we did see the truck with the driver drinking all the beer waiting for you at the bottom.
