Category Archives: Guest Post

Geographic Insights about Big Bear Lake

Most visitors to Big Bear Lake come from the urban sprawl of Southern California, city dwellers at heart. Few have a real appreciation of the underlying geology or geography that circumscribes the place they visit for the rest and recreation found at Big Bear. They are exquisitely well positioned to appreciate the built environment, from the lakeside marinas to the range of lodging at Big Bear Lake. But the natural environment is not well understood.

There’s something really special about Big Bear and its environs. Nestled in the mountains, this 7 mile long alpine lake, which originally existed as a shallow lake and marsh (before the dam made it deeper), drains a watershed stretching from the high desert on the northwest (see California Tourist Guide for maps and info about Deserts and Inland Empire) to the Santa Ana river watershed to the east. It’s located at a high elevation (6,750 feet at lake level), which means that it stays cool/cold year round and thus explains the extended skiing season available for 6 months a year, even though it is near to balmy Los Angeles.

In fact, the elevation explains the heavy precipitation, too. Big Bear receives about 5 feet of snow a year, and some years can be almost double that. While that’s great for skiing, the principal value is feeding the fresh water of the lake itself, sustaining the fish population in the lake and the verdant flora along the entire watershed.

The fauna of the region have been distorted by human development so that what exists now is hardly what existed for so many years. While one can find the occasional coyote, you would be hard pressed to find a bear … and the original European settlers named the valley for a reason: in pursuit of some cattle thieves, Benjamin Wilson, an early pioneer, took 22 pairs of men into the canyon … and they came out with 22 bear hides. Needless to say, the population of California brown bears and grizzly bears has been severely reduce

The other feature of the natural environment worth mentioning is mining. After the gold rush in Northern California, several efforts were made to look for gold in the San Bernadino Mountains, starting in 1859. Bear Valley delivered some bear meat for the prospectors (those poor bears!), but the gold strike was found in Holcomb Valley, 5 miles to the north, not in Big Bear (Lucerne) Valley. That was probably best in the long run, as no significant ecological destruction occurred in Bear Valley, unless you count the extirpation of the Grizzly Bear in the early 1900s.

Gearing Up with Hunting Safety Vests

The onset of spring probably doesn’t strike you as the premier time for making sure that your hunting gear is up to snuff for the late Fall hunting season. However, the earlier you ensure that you have everything you need for a good and safe hunt, the more fun you’re going to have. You’re also going to be able to concentrate better as you track and hunt the white tails or black bears or turkeys.

There are three excellent reasons that your hunting preparations should include procuring and using high visibility vests or any other type of reflective clothing. All three of them have to do with your safety, not to mention the safety of those who are sharing the fields and forests with you.

First and foremost, even though it doesn’t happen very often, one of your goals is not be confused with an animal. That is, you don’t want an overexcited hunter to confuse your for a ten-point buck as it works its way through the brush. Wearing hunter’s orange – whether we’re talking about a hunting safety vest or a jacket or something as simple as a hat or cap – is the number one way to be sure that other hunters see you for what you are – a fellow hunter.

Second, these days your safety clothing will also protect you from cold temperatures and precipitation. And you need that – just because it’s sleeting or below zero doesn’t mean the deer aren’t out there. Most manufacturers of quality hunting clothes cater to this fact. When you buy a jacket that’s bright and reflective, it’s also going to be able to ward off the worst of any inclement weather you might face.

Last but not least, should you get hurt or lost, a high visibility piece of clothing will make it a lot easier to find you. You don’t want to dwell on it, but should you need rescuing, the people in search of you are going to be looking for that orange on your clothing. You really want to maximize your capacity to help them do their job.

So  yes – even though it’s not quite the season to hit the woods, you still want to take care of all your safety gear needs.

Madesimo is a Beautiful City at the Italian Lakes

Madesimo Italy is a ski resort village that resembles a boutique-like setting, and the resort is located near the Swiss border. This particular resort can be used by couples who are aspiring to go for an intimate vacation. During the weekdays visitors may enjoy ski lift and uncrowded slopes without undergoing the inconveniences which are associated with costly and overcrowded resort towns. You may also enjoy the Canalone slope which is the most sought-after and one of the toughest runs across all of Europe. Taking a midweek break, and extending it throughout the weekend for a vacation, is something worth enjoying.

During the weekends crowds from Milan and the surrounding towns come to enjoy themselves in the resort at the Italian lakes. The ambiance usually changes as a result of the party mood around and the Bollicine Ski Bar which brings in a new life and relaxation mood to the resort. Hotels such as Emet, Albergo La Soldanella, and Alpina begin to fill up towards their full capacity, but if you have arrived in mid-week you have already booked an accommodation and are settled. As a visitor you can take advantage of the huge number of people around and use this time to enjoy Italian literature, visit the library, or enjoy some movies at the cinema.

Madesimo has numerous attractions that will ensure visitors are fully entertained during their stay. The resort has a high altitude with the winter season stretching from November to April each year, and the extreme altitudes provide amazing panoramic views not available at other resorts. You should not underestimate the enjoyment in the off-peak season, because during this time of the year there are marvelous experiences and breathtaking views of the plush green mountainsides. During autumn visitors can experience magnificent sunsets and beautiful colors that will instill memories for a lifetime. Even though Madesimo, Italy is a small resort it has a number of unique qualities that are not available anywhere else.

Meco Series 4100 Model 4106 Square Utility Charcoal Grill

There are many fancier barbecues on the market but the Meco Series 4100 is the little grill that will offer you an honest charcoal experience each time you use it. The sales of gas grills have risen dramatically in recent times, but that doesn’t mean there isn’t value in using more traditional cooking methods. Some people prefer to use charcoal anyways because it delivers a distinct flavor that can’t be replicated when using propane or natural gas. The Meco Series 4100 is the prototypical charcoal barbecue and it’s not going to break any boundaries in terms of features or design. In fact, it’s one of the most basic barbecues on the market but sometimes that fits with more traditional cooking styles.

The grill itself is sturdily constructed and many people have reported owning a barbecue in this series for at least five years. Construction is relatively simple as long as you follow the instructions that come with the barbecue itself. And once you have it up and running there won’t be any complaints in terms of grill space or the way the design funnels heat throughout the entire barbecue. You can get a really great oven effect by closing the heavy lid and using the bottom placed vents to ensure that the fire doesn’t die out. The grill can also be lowered or raised in three separate positions depending on what type of food you are cooking.

One of the most attractive features about this traditional charcoal grill is the price, and don’t be surprised if you find one for around $70. That’s a really great price for a long-lasting product that can potentially cook food that is just as delicious as anything prepared on a $500 grill. The Meco 4100 is also a better choice than the most basic Meco product in the line because it comes with two side tables that offer more space for you to work with. Overall, this is one of the simplest charcoal grills on the market and even though it is not exactly portable, it will do the job just fine if you are planning a great backyard barbecue.

The Role of Marshes in Ancient City Sustainability: Recent Findings & Modern Applications

Until current research brought the prevailing opinions of leading archaeologists into question, it was widely believed that ancient cities in Mesopotamia sprang up alongside rivers. The theory was that river proximity allowed ancient city inhabitants to irrigate the surrounding desert, thus making the land arable. It was thought that cities such as Ur, which is believed to have originated near the mouth of the Euphrates River sometime in the 25th century B.C., were able to sustain themselves because of their ability to irrigate the surrounding areas with river water.

New Ideas

Interestingly, Dr. Jennifer Pournelle of the University of South Carolina has been pursuing a different explanation for the connection between water and ancient cities. She posits that early urban areas in Iraq were sustainable because of their location in marshes, not beside rivers.

Marsh Arabs in a mashoofThis might seem like a technicality, but it’s an insightful observation that’s changing the way archaeologists perceive the origins of ancient urban areas. If Iraq’s ancient cities thrived in lowland marshes fed by rivers, their inhabitants used resources in different ways than they would have if they had relied on irrigation to provide them with a way to grow food from the land. Pournelle and her research team have reason to believe that Iraq’s ancient southern cities were successful because of their location in marshes that easily sustained rice crops.

Digging Deeper

Together with an archaeologist from Pennsylvania and a geologist from Missouri, the South Carolinian research assistant combined excavation records, archaeological site maps, and aerial and satellite images to recreate an accurate representation of the ancient environment in southern Iraq. Pournelle’s work differs from previous efforts to study the ancient urban characteristics of this area in several ways. First, her efforts are the most recent after a short burst of interest from 1900 to 1950. Additionally, her work includes a comprehensive study of flora and fauna where previous archaeologists focused mainly on objects and architecture. And with recent developments in technology, she’s been able to combine research strategies to reveal a more holistic view of the ancient cities that thrived in the marshes of southern Iraq.

According to Pournelle’s work, marsh resources, wildlife, and environmental conditions were vital to the process of sustaining cities. These same conditions are also integral to our understanding of these civilizations and how they were able to function. In an interview published in a physorg.com article, Pournelle confidently states that the key to these cities’ long-term survival, as compared with cities in other environments, was the wetlands. Marsh areas have their own distinct ecology, different from riverside environments, and those unique characteristics were vitally important to some of the oldest cities in the world.

Iraq and South Carolina

Connecting past and present, Pournelle points out some of the commonalities between ancient (and modern) Iraq and the current problems being faced in South Carolina. She thinks that the two  regions, which have  similar environmental characteristics, can inform us about important modern-day issues. Both Iraq and South Carolina are working to overcome problems with water resource management, pollution control, coastal and port development, and environmental management.

Pournelle plans to continue her research in Iraq, hoping to uncover ancient sustainability strategies that might have parallel applications in her own century and state.

Author

Maria Rainier is a freelance writer and blog junkie. She is currently a resident blogger at First in Education where she writes about education, online degrees, and what it takes to succeed as a student taking a bachelors degree program remotely from home. In her spare time, she enjoys square-foot gardening, swimming, and avoiding her laptop.