Eastern Sierra at dusk (rough draft.)

This is my latest. It's a sunset in the Eastern Sierra. Right now it looks a bit like Mordor from Lord of the Rings, but hey, it's only a rough draft.

"Lowboy'' reading in Haight Ashbury bookstore (and long-overdue neighborhood clean-up news.)

If you happen to be in the neighborhood, John Wray will be reading from his acclaimed new book, Lowboy, at 7:30 p.m. at the Booksmith on 1664 Haight Street, San Francisco, this evening. (Friday, May 1.)


In other news, I hear that there is going to be a community cleanup and picnic on Saturday, May 9,from 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Meet at the northeast corner of Haight and Cole streets at 10. Residents, merchants, homeless youth organizations and their clients will band together to clean up the smelly litter and make the neighborhood sparkling clean, at least for a while. I am not involved with this event (and, unfortunately, won't be able to attend because I'll be down in San Jose) but if you are interested, the RSVP email is hopeinhaight@yahoo.com. They will supply the gloves, supplies, etc.

Miranda Weiss (read her book, watch her video)

Speaking of nature writing, my friend and former UWP colleague Miranda Weiss's book, Tide Feather Snow has just been published (and is making its way to bookstores as we speak). I've been reading her vivid and powerful nature writings for years. Check out her her idiosyncratic and darkly lit book promo video. This makes me wish I had filmed a YouTube spot for The Cactus Eaters, perhaps showing some dumb guy eating a cactus (although someone has already beaten me to it. As you probably know, there is a widely circulated video of a weirdo -- no relation to me -- eating a cactus after putting some kind of sauce all over it.)

Author's website coming soon ...

I'm finally getting around to it. Will post that link when I'm finished.

Through-hike the PMT

Considering that hiking season is just beginning, I just wanted to put in another plug for the PMT -- the Pine Mountain Trail, which took me through the wilds of Eastern Kentucky a few months back. Here's my story about my experience on the trail. This trail is magnificent (and, apparently, it is better marked these days.) If you have a chance to hike this thing, you should -- and afterwards, you should definitely stop over at Whitesburg, Kentucky. The people are very friendly out there (although I can't recommend the bourbon-flavored beer.)

Kara Levy in Narrative Magazine

Congratulations, Kara
(and here is her story.)

Zoe Ferraris/First Fiction book prize

Zoe just won the First Fiction Award from the LA Times for her excellent new book, "Finding Nouf.''

More writing and hiking in Santa Cruz

I thoroughly enjoyed the writing/hiking Pogonip exploration last week -- and, if you're interested, you have two more chances to write and hike in the woods. The writer Patricia Vecchione and the artist Tom Killion will soon lead hikes of their own into the forest. Check out Bookshop Santa Cruz's website for more details. Also, stay tuned to this blog for a few other observations and reading recommendations related to the Pogonip walk.

Cactuseaters readers in the news! (updated)

Here at long last is that digest I was talking about, highlighting you, the readers, your recent projects and your interests. I will continue to update this.-
Cactuseaters readers in the news, volume one:

One of our readers, William Jacobs, was just voted one of the "least powerful people in Seattle.''

Bill Jacobs also alerted me to the journalism, blogs and and recent books by Novella Carpenter, who runs an urban farm that I would like to visit someday. Carpenter is the author of Farm City: The Education of an Urban Farmer, which will be published by Penguin this June.


And this just in from reader Mike Orlando:, who is feeling the pull of altruism and reaching out to help others.

"How many lawyers get to spend their afternoons helping a 13 year old and his family raise money to build schools for Kenyan orphans? This is precisely the question I asked myself when Denise Lyon called me up last year and asked me to come to work for them in their Grove St. living room.

After law school, I had no desire to practice in the mindless world of Corporate Biglaw. Instead, after a somewhat transformative experience working at a summer camp in Santa Cruz, I started teaching sixth grade at a little progressive school. Flash forward seven years and many adventures later, an opportunity landed in my lap to combine both those skills, plus (as I've discovered) learn many more. Event planning, grantwriting, website design, contending with the media, as well as coaching a nervous kid in speaking before an audience of hundreds. It is certainly not easy, but I don't think I've had this much fun in quite a while.

We're working as hard as we can to raise enough money, even in this economy when nonprofits have it awfully hard, but good things seem to be landing our lap: we just got our official 501(c)(3) certification last week, and the donations continue to show up in fits and starts. We're planning on taking Stefan to Kenya this summer to see the concrete results of the work he's been doing.

My pearl of wisdom from this? Cool opportunites and even cooler people, ones you (or at least I) couldn't even make up in the wildest of fantasies, can just show up on your doorstep.

I am also passing on your book to a few other friends of mine. Thanks for telling this great story.

Be well,
Mike Orlando
http://www.stefanlyon.com

If you have an interesting bio or project that you are working on, shoot me an email here at cactus.eaters@yahoo.com and I will try to get you into a future edition of this news digest.

Wheezing my way across the Golden Gate Bridge ...

Don't be alarmed if you see a guy in a black Nike hat wheezing his way across the Golden Gate Bridge and up into the Marin Headlands tomorrow (unless I pass out along the way.) Every year I do some sort of outlandish and very long birthday trail run or hike, and this year will be no exception. This will also be my first significant training run before the San Francisco Marathon, which I am planning on running a second time. (By the way, please don't honk if you see me. I startle very easily.)

Extra certificates for hike survivors

Also --- one or two of you vanished out of the Pogonip before I could get you your "hike survivor'' certificates. (pictured above.) If so, shoot me an email and I will get you a hard copy one way or the other. I might send a small pile of them over to Bookshop Santa Cruz so you can just pick them up.

The Green Loop! (map coming soon.)

Also in honor of Earth Day, I wanted to talk about a great all-day hike that begins and ends in downtown Santa Cruz (or at the Harvey West industrial area) and will leave your calves sore for about a week. I guarantee that you will see redtail hawks, you will probably see bobcats and you might even catch a glimpse of a mountain lion. Various folks at our recent Pogonip "Write and Hike'' extravaganza asked about this so I will try to throw together a very rough map as soon as I can and put it up on the blog. Essentially it starts at the Pogonip, includes the open space area over UC Santa Cruz, crosses Highway 9, goes straight into the Gray Whale Ranch area, traverses through Wilder Ranch and finally winds up in downtown Santa Cruz. This is almost all woodlands and rolling hills, with only a few miles of urban hiking. I highly recommend it for marathon trainers as well as daytrippers. The one bummer is water. The hike is extremely dry so you might want someone to cache water for you or perhaps meet you with refreshments at the Highway 9 pull-off near Gray Whale.

Since today is Earth Day, I should also mention that sustainability and the environment were big concerns of my big brother, David, aka "Zooknoone.'' He always called me on Earth Day, which falls awfully close to my birthday, and he often took part in Earth Day-related activities. To honor his memory, this is a great year to make some Earth Day resolutions (driving and flying less, dragging out that fat-tire bike, etc.)

Writing and hiking in the Pogonip (updated.)

The Santa Cruz Sentinel ran an article about our recent writing/hiking adventure in the spectacular Pogonip -- an open-space area where nature is asserting itself after years of mistreatment. (These days, flourishing redwoods are kicking down the same lime kilns that burned through most of the old-growth timber in the area.) It was great to hear from so many talented people who described themselves as "non-writers'' but read breathtaking descriptions of the natural world. It was even more impressive when you think about the fact that they wrote these observations right on the spot while walking through the forest and the meadow. We didn't see any banana slugs or coyotes --or mountain lions -- but we crossed streams, meandered through ferns, climbed a hill, enjoyed ocean views and had a peaceful picnic near the old building where they filmed the climactic vampire battle in "The Lost Boys.''

Also: during the talk, I asked the writers to avoid using the word "magnificent'' in their nature descriptions. "Instead, try to choose evocative and descriptive words that will make the reader see that it is magnificent.'' And then, after offering up that rule, I proceeded to use the word "magnificent'' again and again and again while describing all the things we were seeing. ("Wow. Isn't that redwood tree magnificent!!! Isn't that ocean view magnificent??") It was mortifying.

Everyone -- please bring comfortable shoes

To everyone who is coming along on the Nature Walk this Saturday in Santa Cruz:(organized under the auspices of Bookshop Santa Cruz.)

First of all, greetings to all of you. Looking forward to meeting you in person (and I've already met a few of you on my past travels, so hello again.) I wanted to let you know that we are in for one medium-grade undulating hill early on in the walk and one short but somewhat steeper hill. Overall, I would call this walk moderate, with quite a few easy sections (flat or downhill). Just bring comfortable walking shoes or boots with good traction for that steeper hill because it has a bit of loose gravel on it. Here is how this will work: we will talk about 'voice,' the narrator and the places where memoir and nature writing intersect. We will talk a bit about the lovely greenbelt property where we will be hiking, and take breaks in a forest, and on a meadow, so you can work on your 'memoir' and nature writing sketches. And of course I will try to answer any questions you have about my project, publishing or anything you have in mind.

Canada Rocks, updated

I just want to take this opportunity to thank the entire country of Canada. A couple of days ago, I received two inspiring and uplifting messages from the first-ever Canadian to write into my blog. Ever! In light of these recent messages, I want to take this moment to emphasize that Cactuseaters.blogspot is a Canada-friendly zone and let you know that I, too, was offended by the recent Billy Bob Thornton comments. It helps to remember that Billy Bob has also said some peculiar things about the Statue of Liberty and antique shops, among other things. If I ever have the chance to go on a book tour throughout Canada, I promise to never compare your fans to Thanksgiving foodstuffs. By the way, I am soliciting contributions to "stuff you probably don't know about Canada.'' Feel free to send in at any time, and I'll turn it, eventually, into a continually updated column, available only here on Cactuseaters.blogspot

Redwood hike/talk in Santa Cruz

Thanks so much to everyone who signed up for the Bookshop Santa Cruz hike/talk in the woods; looking forward to seeing you out in the redwoods on Saturday.

I also want to thank readers so much for your very moving messages about testimonials about David; I am getting so many great stories and messages about him, and I will add them continuously to this blog as they come in. Also, make sure to check out my brother Phil's blog, Pawprints, listed below.

Your resolution for the month: Adopt a "shelter'' animal

I'm getting quite a few emails from people asking me if "Zook'' had any favorite charity, and if they can donate to it in his name. I still need to pin down the details with his family -- but in the meantime, I can safely say that he was a true champion of animal adoption; his household was filled with creatures (two dogs, two cats) and every one of those animals is either a stray or a shelter animal. He took great care of the animals, and hated to leave them in kennels for any length of time when he was away. So ... one great way to honor David is to give a good home to a dog or cat that you find in a shelter. In my case, I eliminated the middleman and just adopted a cat right off the street some years back when I was living in Pleasure Point, a so-called "Surf Ghetto'' in Santa Cruz County near Portola Drive. He was all bones when I adopted him. Now, Robert Earl (a short-haired tabby cat) is so humongous that he crushes my chest at night when I'm trying to sleep.)

"Match Day'' tonight in Palo Alto

My friend Brian Eule will be speaking tonight at 7:30 p.m. at Kepler's Books in Menlo Park. He will be reading from his much-praised new nonfiction book, "Match Day.''

My brother Phil's blog

My oldest brother has just launched his blog, PawPrints. Stay tuned for regular postings. His first piece of writing is a lovely tribute to Zooknoone.

Eastern Sierra stormfront

Reposting this image in memory of Zooknoone, who passed away on March 27, 2009. Thank you for your remembrances and messages, and feel free to send in again.

Remembering Zooknoone in Carson City

Thank you to everyone who paid tribute to my brother David, alias "Zooknoone,'' in Carson City on Thursday and Friday (and also today -- a drumming circle/life celebration has been scheduled in town.)"Zook,'' my big brother, a musician, writer, and field adjuster by trade, passed away on March 27 after emergency open-heart surgery. All of us miss him terribly. (please see remembrances below, and thank you so much for your kind words about my brother. I will continue to update this and file your messages about him as they come in.) My brother Phil -- who is a very gifted writer -- read a tribute, I shared a few words of my own, and we spent time with UCSD pals of Zooknoone, including John and Youndy. My mother and father made the trip out from southern California. A storm blew up over the Sierra Nevada almost immediately after the gathering. It was enough to powder up the mountains, almost blow the yarmulke (skullcap) off my father's head, and force drivers to put chains on all four tires up on Highway 80 over Donner Pass, but we were able to punch through on the 50. David thrived in the Eastern Sierra landscape, especially in spring when the weather warmed up but occasional flurries still lit up the mountains. He would have loved the way the land looked on Friday morning.

I expect the blog to sreturn to relative normal -- if you can call this blog 'normal -- very soon, but thank you for your continuing emails, tributes and messages.

Thursday

Looking forward to remembering with all of Zook's family and friends in Carson City tomorrow. I'm bringing a DVD of a great Zook performance of a Randy Newman song from his rock opera, "Faust,' along with a few words about him. Feel free to pitch in by email if there are any anecdotes you want me to include (but send in as soon as you see this email. I'm taking off for Nevada really soon.)By the way, I want to extend a heartfelt thanks to everyone in the Cactus community and your kind words of support.

Writings and video clips for "Zooknoone"

I am putting together some of David's video clips and writings as a tribute to him. (I should have pointed out to his various fans that David is perhaps best known for his performing and songwriting nicknames, "Zook'' or "Zooknoone,'' which date back to his college years at UC San Diego. For the life of me, I can't remember how he picked up those monikers. If you knew him from UCSD, you can set me straight on that.) If you send me an email in a couple of weeks or so, I will try to send you links to these things so you can enjoy them and share them. For various reasons, I don't feel comfortable posting all of these materials directly on the blog. I want to thank everyone for your words of encouragement and support. That's all for now.


(P.S. -- friends and family will probably recognize this particular tree -- and its signficance)

In loving memory of David Gordon White, September 19, 1965-March 27, 2009

I am planning an online celebration of my big brother, David, a humorist, excellent writer, folksinger and family man who died on Friday after open heart surgery. He was only 43. My family and I raced up Highway 50 toward Carson City to be by his side, but it was already too late by the time we got there. On Thursday, dozens of his friends and colleagues will be joining my family to celebrate the life of David. Many of you who check this blog on a regular basis already know about his hilarious YouTube and MySpace videos --- and the stunning final video that he shot just before his surgery. All of us miss him terribly. There is so much more to say about him, but for now, I just want to send my prayers for David and good wishes to his family.

Last call!! (UPDATED)

Wow. After asking the 'lookie-loos' to send in their bios to my "Cactuseaters readers in the news digest,'' I received an absolute inundation of emailed submissions -- so many of them that I am wondering how I'm going to squeeze them all into the next column. Thanks for stepping up, everyone. I've got at least enough material for two digest columns. I'll start putting them together next week.

First wilderness excursion!

Yesterday, in the middle of my spring break, I revisited the Forest of Nisene Marks outside Santa Cruz with J., the newest family member. We saw three unicyclists, thousands of ferns, a dead star-nosed mole, dozens of dogs on leashes, and second-growth redwoods reaching to the sky. J. slept through about 90 percent of the outing, but she had her eyes wide open for about five minutes, taking it all in.




(I am still technically hibernating. This entry doesn't count.)

The blog is in a brief hibernation (but not the author!!)

Cactuseaters blog will be asleep for a very brief spell, but feel free to keep leaving emails etc. I will still check every couple of days or so. Thanks, by the way, for the great submissions to the "Cactuseaters readers in the news'' digest. I need two more to achieve a critical mass so don't be bashful.

In other news, I saw this article about the fate of a Chappaqua, New York neighborhood bookstore in the Sunday Times. It's a sad story -- but I was inspired by that paragraph about a group of local residents in New Canaan, Conn., who put up money to extend the life of Elm Street Books, "more as a civic gesture than an entrepreneurial one.''


(By the way, I wanted to include a photo credit and copywrite info on this photo but couldn't find it in the web. If you took this picture, let me know.)

Commiserate with nature!

One of my students once wrote that every American needs to take more time out of his busy schedule "to commiserate with nature.'' I couldn't agree more! Here are sketches from two recent adventures, at Muir Woods in Marin County, and Wilder Ranch in Santa Cruz.

Desert still life with vulture

Lately I've been spending some of my time outside doing nature sketches to train my "eye'' for future projects that involve landscape description and nature writing. Here is one of them, although it's not "from life.'' We'll definitely talk about some of this stuff during the walk/hike in Santa Cruz on April 18th. (see earlier blurb below.)

Coming soon: The ultimate list of disgusting backcountry camping "treats"

All of us have fond memories of those backcountry delicacies we love to hate the most: space-age freeze dried ice cream in a bag, sulfurous logs of "summer sausage,'' Squeeze Cheez and boiling cauldrons of Hot Tang. Very soon, I will give you the ultimate list of backcountry camping "treats" from today and yesteryear. If any of you have suggestions for this list, please send them to cactus.eaters@yahoo.com as soon as you can.

Cheap Thrills in Neighborhood Bookstores, Part One: "A Swinger's Club For Books'' at the Booksmith!

I have several close friends who have joined the Witness Protection Program just to escape their awful book groups. That's why the Booksmith's new "Found in Translation'' reading group is such a welcome new development. "It's like a book club but without the commitment,'' says Constance of the Booksmith. "Think of it as a swinger's club for books.''
But that's not the only reason why the Booksmith's reading group -- which kicks off tomorrow with Senselessness by Horacio Castellanos Moya -- is a nice change of pace. The reading group is also unusual in the sense that it features contemporary translated literature. Christin Evans, co-owner of the Booksmith, explains that the group emphasizes "a certain category of books that get overshadowed, amazing writers who are published in translation and don't get a lot of publicity from American publishers.''
Moya -- the first featured author -- was born in Honduras, grew up in El Salvador, and has lived in Canada, Costa Rica and Mexico. His book was hailed by Russell Banks as a "brilliantly crafted moral fable, as if Kafka had gone to Latin America for his source materials.''
The Found in Translation Reading Group meeting takes place this coming Thursday, March 19th at 630 p.m. at the Booksmith, 1644 Haight Street, San Francisco, Ca. (415-863-8688.) And there's still time to read the book if you haven't done so already. It's really skinny.

Cheap thrills at neighborhood bookstores!

I'm starting a new feature, profiling neighborhood bookstores and some of the interesting, unusual book discussion groups and events that they are organizing this year. The idea is to emphasize the fact that bookstores -- and books --- are cheap, sustainable forms of entertainment and enrichment in these utterly wretched economic times. The first featured bookstore in the series will be The Booksmith in San Francisco. Stay tuned. And if you are the owner -- or an employee of -- a neighborhood bookstore that is putting on an interesting, unusual event, anywhere in America or in the world at large, shoot me an email at some point and I'll try to get you into the 'cheap thrills' column at some point.

Recession hits Haight-Ashbury drug dealers

Things are tough all over. Everyone is downscaling, even drug-dealing scalawags. Today, while walking towards my watercolor class, I saw a desperate Haight Ashbury pusher, frantically attempting to sell a single pill!! He was standing there, fidgeting, near Golden Gate Park, failing to stir up any interest from passersby. "Pill for sale!'' he exclaimed. "Pill! Pill! Pill!''

Cactuseaters blog readers in the news

I get tons of messages into this blog from readers doing all kinds of interesting things: writing and publishing books, working on farms, starting their own businesses, traveling all over the world, etc. I'm hoping to (eventually) put together a quick little "digest column'' in which I will put the spotlight on you, the readers. If you want to take part in this, send me a little bio and a brief, colorful description of what you are up to. If I get a sufficient number of participants, I will put this column together at some point next month.

Thanks for the good wishes

Many thanks for yesterday's email avalanche. Will make sure to get back to all of you as soon as I can!

Very Big News!!

Family and friends: (I know you check this blog pretty regularly.) send me an email and call me when you see this. We have great news. (I'm sure you all know what it is by now, but the Big Day has arrived!)

Cactus Eaters/Bookshop Santa Cruz hike and write in the woods

It's official; On April 18th, I will lead a hike through Santa Cruz's beautiful Pogonip meadow, with stops for memoir and nature-writing exercises, in a special "Hike and Write" event sponsored by Bookshop Santa Cruz.A bunch of you contacted me in advance about this. If you would like to join me, make sure to register in advance through Bookshop Santa Cruz. There are a limited number of spaces. When you are registering, Bookshop will give you all the additional information you need, including the specific time and directions to the meeting place. Looking forward to meeting and walking with you (and, of course, seeing and hearing your writing)

Advice for travel writers, part four: "O Grunge Queen, Why Won't You Tidy Up?''

A few months back, we talked about the importance of bringing a high-quality leak-proof pen with smear-proof, water-resistant ink and a good journal with thick, absorbent paper for travel writers. In fact, you might even consider bringing a pencil instead of a pen because pencil lead won't run, and you can even write in pouring rain. Well, here's my latest piece of advice: make sure to store all your travel notes in a very safe place, even if you won't be using them for a long while. I learned this lesson the hard way when I stored two notebooks containing Pacific Crest Trail notes about Oregon and Washington. Absentmindedly, I decided to store them in a leaky shed out in Santa Cruz during the El Nino storm year -- and the water dripped all over them!!! Now, dozens of pages of trail notes about Oregon and Washington are covered with horrible, absolutely unreadable smears. On certain pages, only a few words survive, and now I have no idea what they mean. For example, one page has only one readable line of text, which says: "O Grunge Queen, Why Won't You Tidy Up?'' Now I have no idea what I meant by this. Who is this mysterious 'grunge queen' I was talking about? Where did this grunge-queen incident happen? Anyhow, don't make this silly mistake. Store those journals somewhere dry and safe. You never know when you'll need to use them for reference-- now or 15 years from now.

Watch out for these authors!

Today I want to congratulate my friends Brian Eule and Miranda Weiss, two talented non-fiction writers whose books will be available imminently. Brian Eule just received a starred Kirkus review for his book, Match Day, , an in-depth look at the lives of three medical couples. Miranda Weiss is an excellent nature writer whose book, Tide, Feather, Snow,, is an intimate portrait of Alaska. This story of survival and adaptation includes an unforgettable scene about the skinning of a sea otter. The writer Edward Hoagland described her book as "a lovely, feathery book indeed—a labor of love and a pleasure to read." Get these books -- and see Brian and Miranda in person when they head out on the road very soon.

...and this just in from Etude: New Voices in Literary Nonfiction

Here is the latest review, in Etude, the literary nonfiction journal. (thanks to another sharp-eyed reader for emailing me this link today.) Basically they liked it but think my behavior at the time was not very intelligent.. Guilty as charged. In other news, it looks like I'll be adding at least one new event in the spring in addition to the talking about writing/hiking in the woods event in Santa Cruz. I'll post the updates when I get them.

Video of a guy eating a cactus online ...

I just wanted to thank the reader who sent me a video file showing a guy slowly consuming a cactus, bite by agonizing bite (after adding sauce on top of it!) I had a link to that Stupidity.com video on my blog today but felt that it was a little too offensive (and disgusting) for a general audience, so I removed it. However, if you put "cactus eater video'' or 'video of a guy eating a cactus' into any major search engine, you should have no trouble finding it online. I admire the guy's high capacity for pain.

A date for the new Cactus event! (updated.)

I will be leading a writing discussion/walk in the redwoods on Saturday, April 18, in a special event sponsored by Bookshop Santa Cruz. I will post the weblink to the event as soon as we nail down a few more details. Meanwhile, feel free to shoot me an email if you would like to take part, and I'll forward your contact info to Bookshop. This just in: it's likely that we will have the nature hike in Pogonip Meadow in Santa Cruz -- but we need to do a trial run first to pick the best route -- and the latest round of rainstorms and mud is making that rather difficult!

Cactus Eaters and Synchronized Chaos

This just in: an essay about The Cactus Eaters in the online Synchronized Chaos literary magazine.

Cactus Eaters in National Geographic Weekend

One of my readers just sent me this audio link to an interview I did a while back. This is probably the only time in my life in which I will appear in the same program roster as Chuck D of Public Enemy. Cool. (I just so happen to have Chuck D's autograph, dating back to the "Apocalypse '91, the Enemy Strikes Back'' tour. I still have that autograph somewhere in storage. It's on a napkin.)

Knock back a beer (or a glass of wine) at your local independent bookstore

Stay tuned for my special report on independent bookstores and what they are doing to stay afloat in this rotten economy -- (including, in one case, adding a full beer and wine list!)

Leah Garchik column in SF Chronicle

One of my recent post-Cactus Eaters stories was mentioned in this recent column by The SF Chronicle's Leah Garchik (who I read religiously.) Lately I've been getting a spate of new emails about the unfortunate "other Dan White'' name coincidence.

The Cactus Eaters: now available in paperback!

I am very pleased to announce that the Cactus Eaters is available in the paperback format at your local bookstore. Literal minded people will point out that the book was already out in paperback, but let's just set that aside for the time being. In other news, it looks like the book will go into another printing soon -- and I want my Cactuseaters blog readers to know that I've been incorporating their emailed suggestions, though I will not be able to include color photos, at least for now.

An enduring puzzle: the Golden Gate Park spear (updated report.)

As I mentioned in a recent blog posting, I discovered what appeared to be a spear point in Golden Gate Park, not far from the Shakespeare Garden, and turned it over to the deYoung Museum, who in turn handed it over to the California Academy Of Sciences. An expert from the Academy's Department of Anthropology has weighed in on the finding -- and there are many more questions than answers.


While the expert has declared that the obsidian object is "likely a spear tip or knife -- it looks too robust to have served as an arrow tip,'' its provenance is murky. There is some chance that the object was buried before the park was created in the late 19th century, and that a burrowing rodent pushed it up to the surface. But very often, gophers and other creatures actually bury artifacts deeper into the ground, rather than pushing them up -- and there's always a chance that someone brought the object from somewhere else and dropped it into the park. "In short, it is virtually impossible to determine from where and when the item originated, if it is an indigenous piece or a reproduction.''

Is there some hope that this puzzle will solved some day? Perhaps. Otherwise, the scientist would have said "flat-out impossible'' instead of "virtually impossible.''
Until then I'll just have to let the mystery be. By the way, the artifact will soon be on display somewhere in the park. Details to follow.

The mystery of the Golden Gate Park spear, continued....

Stay tuned. I will provide a full report on Tuesday, with all the latest information ...

Mary Magazine, featuring Cactus Eaters deleted scene and interview

This just in. Mary Magazine -- a literary magazine with headquarters at Saint Mary's College of California in Moraga -- has published an interview by the writer Jillian Kurvers, along with a very brief deleted section of The Cactus Eaters. And one more thing: While Cactuseaters is a family-friendly blog, there are a couple of impolite words in the deleted section. Just so you know.
Also, make sure to check out the college's upcoming series of readings, featuring the talented fiction writer Lysley Tenorio and many others.

$1.6 million needed to save SF bookstore

I stopped by Stacey's bookstore on Market Street here in SF and asked if there was anything I could do to help the bookstore and prevent it from closing. One of the employees said yes, I could write them a check for $1.6 million!! Apparently that is what it would take to save the store, which (according to the employee) is paying 65K in rent each month!! So I guess the news is final after all. On the bright side, I can take some comfort in the fact that two top-notch bookstores (Alexander's, just down the block, and a branch of Book Passage, several blocks away overlooking the water) are still going strong.

The vanishing mural of Haight-Ashbury (where has it gone?)

One of my favorite pieces of local street art has vanished. Every day, when I'm going on my appointed rounds or marathon-training runs, I pass this color-splashed mural with anthropomorphic smiling faces (some of them with lolling tongues.) I witnessed this project take shape from start to finish. Tourists are always posing in front of it. Locals stop to stare and admire it. And now, boom, it's gone beneath a fresh coating of off-white paint. There might be a rational explanation (perhaps it was meant to be a temporary installation. I'll ask around the block and see what I can find out.) Meanwhile, if you've never seen the mural, here are some photos that I took on pure impulse a couple of weeks back. By the way, there is a great mural on Cole Street near the Haight intersection; it's an 'evolutionary rainbow' featuring fish, reptiles and other creatures. Make sure to check it out.

I found a spear in Golden Gate Park!

Yes, you read that correctly; I found a spear -- or, to be more specific, a rocky spear point -- in the park not too long ago, while running through the park on a rare, sunny day. GGP -- long before it was turned into a pleasure garden -- was just one more section of scrubby plants and sand dunes marching out toward the Pacific Ocean. Human habitation has a long history in what is now San Francisco -- reaching back to at least 3,000 years B.C. But this doesn't (necessarily) mean that the relic that I found -- and duly turned over to the de Young Museum, which transferred the item to the California Academy of Sciences, after I provided specific coordinates of where I found this 'surface relic -- is the real deal. Sometimes it takes careful examination to determine whether something like this is authentic or merely a discarded tsoschke from a gift shop somewhere. Stay tuned to this blog --- and I'll give you more answers within the week.

Save Stacey's Bookstore!

Yet another great independent bookstore is shutting its doors. The SF Chronicle reported yesterday that Stacey's Books -- which has been on Market Street for 85 years, including a half-century at its current address -- is closing down in March. If you've never been there, this is a beautiful, airy, multi-level bright spot in the Financial District. They're good about supporting local authors and they are very responsive to the clientele, who help them stock a "local favorites'' shelf. The Chronicle reports that Stacey's, like other independents, has been harmed by the "the rise of national chains...and Web-based booksellers,'' compounded by the lousy economy. Still, the story gave me a small glimmer of hope when it mentioned the campaign to save Kepler's Books in Menlo Park. These independents are more than just booksellers. They are also salons, meeting places and entertainment venues, with free readings by local and national authors. The economy will rebound eventually, but I'm worried that all my favorite stores will be gone from the landscape by then.

Chew on this (cactus, desert and Joshua tree photos from the California hinterlands), plus a day hike recommendation.....

Here are some of the spiny monsters that I admired (but did not eat) during my recent trip into the California outback. Also --if you're out in the Joshua Tree area, I recommend the hike up to the top of Ryan Mountain, which is beautiful and windswept. Compared to the tallest peaks of the Sierra Nevada, this 5,461-foot crag is a bit of an anthill. However, the view from the top is magnificent. Bring shoes with decent arch support, and, of course, lots of water.

Nextbook and Brave New Traveler interviews

I've reposted these online magazine interview links for those who are new to the book and/or blog. They give an overview of Cactus and answer some FAQs. The authors/interviewers are (respectively) Adina Kay and Alexis Wolff.

Here is the Nextbook interview,

and here is the interview in Brave New Traveler magazine.

SF cactus chomper strikes again (shocking photos below.)

Here are two extreme close-up shots of the mutilated, bitten cactus that I talked about two blog entries ago. (as you can see, one of the photos includes a hand-drawn plea directed at the culprit.) I've been staking out the apartment area, looking for suspects. Nothing so far. Look closely at the second photo: I think you can see incisor marks.

"Darting Hummingbird Over a Waterfall''

Lately, I'm getting a lot of questions about my name, especially over the past few weeks. For the record, I am not related to that other Dan White. (I repeat -- absolutely no relation whatsoever.) A couple of people have asked if I am thinking of changing my name, in light of the publicity surrounding the new movie (nope - it's probably too late for that.) However, if I change my mind at some point and decide to alter my name, it's good to know that I have many options. Over the years, I have met, or learned about, many Bay Area or Central Coast residents who decided to give up their legal names and change them to something else. Here are a few of the actual names.

By the way, I swear that I'm not inventing or embellishing any of them. In fact, all of these are the actual, legal names of past and present Santa Cruz County residents. Imagine having some of these on your drivers' license -- especially when the cops pull you over!!!

*Eco
*Solar
*Rose Z
*Moonbeam Moonbeam.
*Darting Hummingbird Over A Waterfall
*Shalom Dreampeace Compost
*B. Modern
* Lord Earthworm II (later legally changed to Lord Nigel Featherston.)
* Chip (No Last Name)
*Climbing Sun.
* XXXXXXXXX X
* Moonwater
* Barbara Riverwoman
* Rainbow
* Sundancer Sweetpea
and, my personal favorite:
*D.God

Recommended winter reading for outdoor writing fans...

Here are some good books to read by the fire during the holidays.

Poet. Trapper. It's hard to imagine two less lucrative careers. But John Haines was a poet and a trapper for 25 years in the Alaskan outback, in the wild country east of Fairbanks, Alaska. He struggled to survive. At times, he froze his kishkas off, but he lived to tell a beautifully crafted story called The Stars, The Snow, The Fire: Twenty-Five Years in the Alaskan Wilderness. This book is told from the perspective of an outdoorsman who actually knows what he's doing out there. (cough, cough..) Here's a man who can skin a carcass, build a proper fire and make out the tracks of moose, wolf and marten in the snow. Better yet, he can describe all these things with sensory description that makes you feel like you're out there with him in the backcountry. Warning: some of the bone-crunching passages might make you squeamish. When you read about the trapping methods, you might find yourself eating wheat gluten and soy burgers for a couple of weeks.

I also enjoyed Mountains of the Mind by Robert Macfarlane. That touchy-feely sounding title threw me off, but the book is as far from New Age as you can get. Mountains of the Mind is all about the allure of high peaks and "the pursuit of fear.''

Robyn Davidson's Tracks is one of my favorite long-distance hiking narratives. Instead of just shlepping out across the Australian Outback, she ups the ante by dragging four recalcitrant camels with her. The descriptions of searing Outback heat will make you forget about this latest spell of freezing-cold weather.

Also, this year's Best American Essays is terrific. Vulture enthusiasts (I'm one of them) will connect with Lee Zacharias's "Buzzards'' (page 260.) If you have even a passing interest in long-distance running, you will be fascinated and thoroughly freaked out by Sam Shaw's "Run Like Fire Once More.'' (page 204.)

Some freak is eating my neighbor's cactus!

Some insensitive and apparently dehydrated person is stealing and possibly devouring my neighbor's outdoor cactus dispay, chunk by chunk, bit by bit, piece by piece. It is painful to watch. Every day, on my way up to my apartment, I examine the cactus, only to find that another hunk of it has been removed. To stop the cactus slaughter, my neighbor has put up a sign telling the thief to stop because he is trying to propogate his own cactus garden right here in San Francisco. Wait until you see the shocking photographs that I will soon upload on this blog. You can see the missing chunks of cactus -- and if you look carefully, you might even be able to see the teeth marks on it. I hope the cactus thief realizes that you can't get a whole lot of water out of a cactus. (Kit Carson figured out how to do it, but he was a skilled survivalist). As I once discovered, you would need to eat an entire acre of these things just to get one quart of water. Also, biting a cactus can be very bad for your health. In fact, one of the people at my most recent reading told me that practical joke product manufacturers make itching powder out of cactus spines. Who knew?

Proselytizing for the Pacific Crest Trail at the SF Library

(try saying that five times fast.) Thank you to the spirited group at yesterday's reading at the SF Library Mission Bay branch. The audience included a seasoned through-hiker named Matt, who completed the trail in one fell swoop, and quite a bit more recently than I did. In fact, he often averaged 26 miles a day. Last night, Matt, who lives right here in SF, actually convinced a fellow audience member to hike the PCT -- or, at the very least, the Oregon/Washington section of it. The convert, who is about 60, was already on the fence --- in fact, he's been dreaming of doing a chunk of the trail for a very long time --- but it is pretty clear that Matt pushed him over the edge on Wednesday. I think he's actually going to do it. How cool is that? This discussion was quite a bit more technical than my usual talk. I asked Matt why someone doesn't build a sturdy bridge over Bear Creek, one of the bigger hazards in the High Sierra, (at least as far as I'm concerned. It damned near drowned the Lois and Clark Expedition.) Matt explained that Bear Creek was probably worse than usual when I hiked it because it was late summer and quite warm, which meant that snowmelt was excessive and creeks were swollen. I should have known better. But then again, I did some pretty dumb things in the desert, too.

This Wednesday: Cactus reading at San Francisco Library's Mission Bay Branch (with directions)

(Hi everyone. This reading happened back in 2008, in case you're just checking this right now. I would like to read at this library again, but I'll wait until the next thing comes out.)

I'm very excited about this reading. It's from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. this coming Wednesday (December 10) in my adopted hometown of San Francisco.

Location: Mission Bay Branch, San Francisco Public Library.
Address: 960 4th St. (at Berry)

Here’s the link for directions to the branch (it’s right on the T-Line and near the Caltrain stop):

If you've never seen it before, this will also be a good chance for you to tour the brand new, $4 million library facility, five years in the making. It's the first SF branch library to open up in four decades. (I happen to live near the very oldest one, close to Golden Gate Park.) The library is part of a complex that also includes affordable housing, retail and an adult day health center. I've heard it even has views of Mission Creek.

To mark this occasion, I might even bring my trusty, trail-scarred backpack --- Big Mofo --- if I can figure out how to cram this mouse-bitten, trail-dust-coated thing into the trunk of my car (and muster the strength to drag it into the library building.)

A candid conversation with San Jose State University students

Thank you to all the students at the Visiting Authors Seminar for your very thought-provoking questions about nonfiction, Woody Allen, West Coast wildlife, NWA's "Straight Outta Compton,'' "Juno'' and many other issues. Feel free to send any other questions into the blog or to my email address. (One of the students actually brought in that classic NWA album some weeks back because the other students had read my references to it but hadn't heard the record.) I completely forgot to answer your question about my favorite California wildlife. I'd say that it is a tie between the black bear and the marmot. As far as creatures that I despise with all my heart, it's a dead heat between horse flies, skeeters, ticks and giardia.

A big time in Sebastopol

I had a very big time up in Sebastopol, California today. I spoke before a crowd of Rotarians, including a fellow whose son through-hiked the Pacific Crest Trail southbound and ate canola oil mixed with granola to keep his weight up. That may be the most impressively hard-core trail food story I've ever heard. (Apparently, canola oil has the most calories per volume of anything you can eat on the trail. Who knew? I guess the trick is choking it down. Peanut butter still works best for me.) At the end of my presentation, the Rotarians gave me an air-tight stainless steel sports bottle with a set of caribiners to make sure that I don't screw up and run out of water in the desert again. Thank you; I will use it in good health. Aside from meeting the Rotarians, I had a chance to explore this beautiful Sonoma County town, browse the aisles of Copperfield's book store, and eat an enormous amount of sweets at the Village Bakery. I couldn't decide between the pecan sticky bun and the lemon cake so I ate both, which was a bad move. Now I'm ready to keel over from eating all that sugar. But what a way to go.

Sebastopol, San Jose and San Francisco: more Cactus events

I will have quite a busy Cactus schedule for the next week and a half or so. In between freelance travel writinig and grading essays, I am preparing for events in Sebastopol, San Francisco and San Jose. Also, stay tuned for more urban hiking adventures and explorations, soon to appear in various publications. (I will be writing stories about some good places to visit close to home -- and when the weather warms up, I will be returning briefly to the Northeast for more travel writing.)

Here are the events so far, with a new event added to the list:

Sebastopol
Rotary Club of Sebastopol
Speaking from 100 to 130 p.m. (and signing.
Friday, December 5

San Jose
Visiting Authors Seminar (classroom visit)
3-415 p.m., San Jose State University
Tuesday, December 9

San Francisco Public Library
Wednesday, December 10, 2008
Event Time: 6:30 p.m. - 7:30 p.m.
Location: Mission Bay Branch
Address: 960 4th St. (at Berry)

Here’s the link for directions to the branch (it’s right on the T-Line and near the Caltrain stop):

Rotarians Rock ....

This message goes out to all Rotarians (of the Sebastopol area.) I am looking forward to meeting you in early December. I will read from the book, bring a few trail artifacts that I've never shown anyone before, and answer any questions that you might have. Feel free to shoot me any advance questions via email. Also -- thanks for resending me the directions to the meeting place.

My upcoming reading at the San Francisco public library

Click here for an "Upcoming'' online blurb for that event. It's on Wednesday, December 10 at 6:30 p.m. at the SF Public Library's Mission Bay branch. (The event, of course, is free.)Here’s the link for directions to the branch (it’s right on the T-Line and near the Caltrain stop):



Also -- here's a windswept photo of the John Muir Trail (near Muir Pass) in honor of three readers who have written in, proclaiming their intentions to conquer the JMT next summer. Have a great time out there, but bring bug spray or mosquito netting when you go. (The skeeters will ambush you, especially at log crossings when you have to use your arms to balance yourself and can't swat them away from your face and legs. Insects are smarter than you think!)

There is another book called "The Cactus Eaters''

I have just gotten a hold of other "The Cactus Eaters'' book, published 61 years ago. There are quite a few eerie similarities. For example, both books have two protagonists. In both books, the two of them leave their jobs and set off to a wild area in search of grand adventures. In the case of that first book, the explorers are two frustrated coffee growers (instead of frustrated journalists) who set off to explore the remote Goajira peninsula of northern Colombia and meet the Goajira people (instead of exploring the western states and meeting mile-bagging backpackers). The author is Julian Weston. Apparently, the book is recommended by the "Society for the History of Discoveries.'' Out of print and rare, the book includes monochrome photos and maps. I now have a copy, and am about a quarter finished with reading it.

A great marathon in Sacramento (in spite of road-rage incidents)

Well, I finished the marathon. In fact, I ran the entire thing non-stop, and finished a lot more quickly than I expected. The route, along the American River, from Folsom to Sacramento, was quite beautiful. I've run two other marathons but have never seen deer charge across the route, or Canada geese flying overhead while honking their heads off. If you've never seen this part of California, you really ought to check it out. In fact, this marathon was so enjoyable that at one point, I even thought to myself, "What a great time. I don't want this to end.'' The only bummer was the road-rage incidents that started coming up about ten miles into the course. Often, when there's a marathon, the organizers arrange to close off the course. For this reason, veteran runners get into the habit of spreading out and using the entire road. In this case, the marathon course was open to other use during the race,. Bicyclists love this pathway, and justifiably so; it's a smooth, scenic ride all the way from Folsom to Sacramento. The vast majority of the riders were just out there having a good time. Most were incredibly supportive and kind. But things got sketchy when a few rogue elephants on wheels decided to take out their aggression on the runners. After seeing another runner get screamed at for straying too far towards the right lane, I obeyed the rules and stuck very closely to the left shoulder of the road. The trouble is, aggro bicyclists started buzzing into the left side of the road, too. One of them shouted "WAKE UP!!!'' at me and some other runners -- right while we were hitting the wall at mile 24 or so, making it rather hard to "wake up.'' I also overheard two bicyclists screaming obscenities at other runners -- some who had strayed into the wrong lane, others who were running squarely on the left side of the road. I didn't feel like having an altercation in the middle of a marathon, so at one point I moved off the paved area and stuck to the dirt path to the left of the route --- only to get scolded by a man pushing a baby stroller and telling me to stick to the "bike path.'' This was quite confusing -- considering that the bike path was the appointed, official route of an inaugural marathon! I would guess (very strongly) that there is a rather intense, pre-existing 'use conflict' situation on that bike path that precedes the marathon. Anyhow, I managed to finish the race and had a great time anyhow. I just hope that runners and bicyclists can share roads in the future. There is enough division in this world without recreational sports enthusiasts bagging on each other.

Marathon: I've reached a compromise

I've decided to run this thing after all --- but I will definitely walk part of it, or waddle, crawl or stagger if that is what I need to do. From everything I hear, the route is quite scenic and flat along the American River, and part of the course actually goes downhill. (yippee!!) I'm resting up and carb-loading today.

Sacramento marathon: thinking of chickening out anyhow

The big event is only two days away. The other day I was driving toward work and started playing with the odometer. And I realized, "Wow. 26.2 miles is a really, really, really long way to run.'' There is still a small chance that I might turtle. More later.

Cactus events updated

On Saturday I will run the Run the River Marathon up in Folsom (and will run non-stop to Sacramento if I can, following the American River all the way.) The other day, my father asked me, "Why on earth are you running a third marathon?'' "Because I blogged about it,'' I explained. "Oh,'' he said, and that was the end of that. If you happen to be running this thing, and if you have a nice, slow pace, then look for me in the line-up. I'll be wearing a blue hat with a Nike swoosh.

This coming Monday, I will be going on the radio in the Atlanta area. I will be speaking with Ann Lombardi of "Travel Talk Escapes'' at 3 p.m. eastern standard time. The radio station is 1120 AM.

Other upcoming events:

Sonoma County, CA
Dec. 5
private event (Rotarians)


San Francisco Public Library
Wednesday, December 10, 2008
Event Time: 6:30 p.m. - 7:30 p.m.
Location: Mission Bay Branch
Address: 960 4th St. (at Berry)

Here’s the link for directions to the branch (it’s right on the T-Line and near the Caltrain stop):



Also, I will lead a nature walk/writing class in the Santa Cruz area in early spring. Give me a heads-up if you want to be part of the list.

Squid-jiggin' in Seattle

During my whirlwind trip to Seattle, I explored neighborhoods I'd never seen before and met all kinds of interesting people. But I packed so much into three days that I missed out on a few things. One of them is the mysterious lost art of "Squid Jigging.''
"Squid jigging'' means catching live squid using a baited line while standing out on a pier on Puget Sound (or elsewhere) in the middle of the night. Chances are that you've never heard of this unusual sport, but as you will see, it even has its own hair-raising theme song, complete with a line about "poor Uncle Billy'' getting spattered with "squid-juice.''
I found out about squid jigging while visiting the friendly people at the Hostel Seattle in Ballard -- which must be one of the few lodging places in the world where squid-jigging is an optional activity for guests.
Hostel owner Lee Kendell explained how the whole thing worked.
“This is a squid jig,’’ he said, holding up a sparkly lure covered with barbs. In fact, it looked a little bit like my old nemesis, the prickly pear. “In the middle of the night, when the squid run in schools, you drop it in with a line and you go like this.’’
He lifted the line up and down to show me how it worked. “When the school of squid come by to attack, they catch on the barbs.’’
I did not have a chance to practice any squid jigging -- in part because I was overscheduled, and in part because I'm a little squeamish (even regular fishing freaks me out a little bit.) But if you're ever in Seattle, you can try it out yourself, so long as you buy yourself a fishing license for the day.

It's less than a week away! Running my third marathon (don't let me chicken out.)

I hope to see at least some of you at the Run The River Marathon and Ultramarathon along the American River next weekend. I'm mentioning this in my blog only because I want to be held accountable if I chicken out and don't do this. The last time I ran one of these road races, I had no clear goal in mind, except to beat Puffy's time in the New York Marathon. These days, I would be happy just to beat Simon Pegg's time in Run Fatboy Run. When I hit the wall at the mid-point, I will think of Bob Holtel, who completed the Pacific Crest Trail by running the equivalent of a marathon on it almost every freaking day. That should put this thing in perspective.

Thumbsmoker

I keep trying to wean myself from blogging about weird goings on in and around Golden Gate Park -- but I found it hard to resist this one. I was walking through the Haight on Halloween and saw some guy asking people to smoke his thumb. Indeed, when I looked closely, I could see a plume of smoke rising up from beneath his thumb. One person actually stopped and smoked it, and then the guy started smoking his own thumb. Apparently he'd wedged a tiny, still-burning roach in there somewhere. Eventually it burned down and singed the inside of his finger. "Ow,'' he said, and then the demonstration was over.

American Journeys: A Quirky Seattle That Won't Blend In (Vladimir Lenin, Hattie's Hat, and the Fremont Rocket Ship.)

Read about my latest adventure in the New York Times Escapes section.

I had a big time up in Seattle earlier this fall. I especially loved the neighborhoods of Ballard and Fremont. Ballard has a maritime theme, and Fremont looks like a psychedelic fever dream. (although I am not saying that from direct experience.)Click here for a Ballard/Fremont mini slide show.

By the way, I mentioned a seven-ton statue of Mr. Vladimir Lenin that was erected some years back right in the middle of Fremont. While in Seattle, I heard that the statue is on sale for approximately $250 K. Try to imagine how this might look in your front lawn. It's a lot more original than pink flamingos.
This is not the first time I've seen a controversial piece of public art or signage go up for sale. A few years back, while at the Santa Cruz Sentinel, I wrote about an attempt to auction off the city's kooky, oversized "WELCOME TO RIVER STREET'' sign, known to Santa Cruzans as "Signzilla.'' However, no one bit, and the sign is still there.

Stay tuned for more 'urban hiking' adventures. I've got another one coming up this winter.

New list of Cactus events -- with Career Day info...

Here is a partial list of the latest events.
I will fill in the blanks when more dates are confirmed.

I will be reading and signing along with Kate Evans, author of the brand-new fiction book, For The May Queen, on Wednesday, November 12 at San Jose State University. Kate and I will read from 12 to 12:40 p.m.. We will be there in support of SJSU's Poets and Writers' Coalition.

The event will be part of SJSU's Career Day. There will also be a great selection of work by other SJSU-affiliated writers and faculty members.

other upcoming events:

San Francisco Public Library
Mission Branch
San Francisco, Ca
Reading and signing
December 10 (NEW DATE!)
630 to 730 p.m

Sonoma County, CA
Dec. 5
private event (Rotarians)

Also, I will lead a nature walk/writing class in the Santa Cruz area in early spring. So far, two of the slots have already been taken. Give me a heads-up if you want to be part of the list.

These outdoor photos are not workplace friendly (they might make you quit your job and hike the Pacific Crest Trail.)

It could happen. The following nature photos are eerily similar to the ones I saw in a slideshow that influenced me to leave my stable employment in New England and hike the trail from Mexico to Canada. In fact, those very similar photographs led me to quit my job during a previous national recession/depression-by-any-other-name.

Yes -- it could happen to you too.


And don't worry. After walking the trail, I did find other meaningful work.


Eventually.



Joshua trees in the Antelope Valley.




Desert scene in the early morning.




Frolicking in suncups under Forester Pass.




Peaceful, alluring meadow under Mount Whatever.






Cascades in northern Oregon.












Cascades, adrift in clouds and fog.







Pasayten Wilderness assorted fungus

The California Academy of Sciences museum: Worth the Hype?

Monarch the Grizzly Bear: dead and in person at the Academy of Sciences


The crowd was already a quarter mile long at 8:45 a.m. It was a total mob scene; after all, this was the first "free Wednesday'' at a museum that normally costs almost two and a half sawbucks to get in. The people in the line were getting restive at about 9:15. Someone in front of me was trying to stay calm by practicing Tai Chi. People in back of me were glowering because they resented me for having a better place in line, while people in front of me were looking at me as if they feared I would try to steal their spot. A nervous-looking woman kept making calls from her cell phone: "Get here fast! Meet me at the Goethe-Schilling statue!"

But the actual museum -- when we finally got in -- was astonishing. We walked through a steaming tropical rainforest with blue morpho butterflies flapping all over the place and dark creatures slithering in the shallows below us. There were water chestnuts, bamboo palms, and live, dog-faced fruit bats hiding out in a slimy cave. So many butterflies were landing on visitors that a female staff member stood by the elevator and asked people to check their clothes. "Make sure that our butterflies haven't planted themselves on you anywhere,'' she said.

There is a place where gullible people can put their fingers on two pressure points and experience a mildly unpleasant electric shock (in honor of the electric eel, which floats in a tank nearby.) There is also a spot where museum-goers can gleefully spam their elected representatives with emails about Co2 emissions reductions (I sent a few emails myself...), and a creepy albino alligator with pink eyes. The place also has many features that will please younger visitors, including exhibits with creatures whose names sound vaguely like dirty words (Kirk's Dik Dik, and "Prince Berhhard's titi monkey,'' just for starters.)

The exhibits do not gloss over the many ways in which we have trashed and thrashed our delicate ecosystems here in the Golden State. It was hard not to feel outraged when I saw the mounted, stuffed form of "Monarch the Grizzly,'' one of the very last California grizzlies (the last of them was gunned down in 1922.) Monarch was one of the lucky ones, in the sense that the bear at least died of old age -- but the beast lived most of its life in capitivity, right here in Golden Gate Park...)

So the answer to the above question is a resounding yes. It is absolutely worth the hype, and I will be back next month to check out the planetarium.

World's youngest pot dealer?

As you already know, I always see a lot of strange goings-on in Golden Gate Park when I'm in training. I mentioned the young couple I saw last month, trying to light up an enormous spliff with a magnifying glass. Well, it happened again during a recent training loop through the park. It seemed like every person in all of the park's eastern side was trying to sell me something exotic -- "sticky green bud", ''skunk," "pre-rolled fatties,'' etc. These offers surprised me, because these are the kinds of products that you normally don't try to sell to someone who is running right past you at six miles per hour in marathon-training gear, and is obviously in the middle of a big, sweaty workout. Anyhow, I made my way up to the famous Hippie Hill, and there, at the very top, sat a little boy, about 25 feet from two people whom I assumed were his parents. He was probably five years old or so -- no older than six -- and had a peaceful demeanor. I said, "Hey, kid, how ya doing?'' and waved hello.

"Fat nuggs?'' he replied.


(I swear I'm not making this up, although, in retrospect, I have a very strong suspicion that he was just imitating what the people around him were saying, and was not actually a pot dealer!...)

Stink-off: Quantifying and comparing foul odors

This article attempts to quantify the human smell, and compare it to the smells of other smelly creatures -- namely stink bugs and skunks. A selection from this piece appears on page 238 of The Cactus Eaters, but some of you asked to see the article in full.

WHO SMELLS THE WORST? A skunk, a stinkbug, or a Pacific Crest Trail Through Hiker

SKUNK (yes, I drew this field sketch. What can I say? Skunks are hard to draw.)





MEPHITIS MEPHITIS

POTENCY Noxious spray can render dogs temporarily blind

There's a compelling reason why Pepé Le Pew is condemned to a life of celibacy. The chemicals in a skunk's spray are so potent that one of them-3-methyl-1-butane-thiol-is on the EPA's hazardous substances list. A natural-born sharpshooter, the skunk can nail predators-or you-from an anal gland with surprising accuracy from 10 feet away. Similar to tear gas, skunk spray is one of the most effective defense systems in the animal kingdom; only the great horned owl is savage enough to prey on the stinky polecat once it unleashes its pungent potion. Bobcats, coyotes, and pumas hunt this nocturnal animal only if other prey is scarce. Even in death, the skunk's vile, sewerlike odor doesn't let up. Its gas sac often leaks fumes postmortem, creating-for the unwitting taxidermist-the mother of all occupational hazards.

STINK BUG

PENTATOMIDAE FAMILY

POTENCY Bitter ooze can leave humans nauseous




This diminutive insect recently made the Discovery Channel's short list of the foulest-smelling animals on the planet, beating out such also-rans as the beaver. Like the skunk, this shield-shaped insect defends itself by excreting a noxious liquid from slits under its body that repels snakes, birds, and other insects. If a predator somehow gets past the sharp, acidic smell and eats a stink bug, it immediately spits it out because the nasty liquid tastes as foul as it smells. If a spider finds a stink bug in its web, it will cut it free instead of eating it. No wonder. Chemically speaking, the stink bug's spew contains tridecane, a compound found in gases and some cigarettes. What's worse, the stink bug is everywhere-more than 300 species are found in the front and backcountry across the United States .

TYPICAL SMELLY THRU-HIKER

PACIFIC CREST TRAIL











POTENCY Ripe odor can clear a coffee shop

He climbs in the front seat beside you. Politeness stops you from turning away and pinching your nose. Yet you momentarily consider using that tree-shaped air freshener as a gas mask. What possessed you to give this thru-hiker a ride? After 3 weeks in the chaparral foothills of California , he now smells like the rhino enclosure at the San Diego Zoo. His suffocating reek comes not from sweat itself but from the bacteria that feed on the amino acids, fats, and oils found in human perspiration. The bacteria emit a putrid blend of chemical compounds including ammonia and methylbutanoic acid that cling to the clothes and body-and multiply with each passing day. Opening the car windows will only help so much, but at least it spreads the misery. Depending on wind conditions, someone could pick up this hiker's aroma from 100 feet away.

THE VERDICT

A shower and a load of laundry will quickly freshen up the thru-hiker. And a stink bug's nasty odor lasts a mere 60 seconds-nothing compared to the multiple days a skunk's stench could cling to your clothes if you don't wash them with bleach (the surest cure we've found). Smelliest goes to the skunk.

Outdoor tortures, part II: deafening, snoring tentmates

Have you ever tried to sleep in a tent with someone who snores just like a foghorn? Have you ever wondered how one unconscious human could make such a racket? A while back, I wrote a magazine piece in which I tried to quantify -- and compare -- the loudness of snoring backpackers to the hideous noises made by cicadas and loud, shrieking barred owls, using scientific methods. The results appear below ...

Showdown: Who’s the Loudest? Backpacker versus cicada versus barred owl.

CICADA
Latin name: Magicicada Septendecim
Sound and fury: Can drown out the roar of a revving power mower
There's a very special place in hell for the male periodical cicada. Its screeching "song" may be irresistible to potential mates, but it's pure torture for humans. This nectar-sucking bug owes its distinction as one of the noisiest insects to its tymbals, ribbed vibrating membranes that stretch along its abdominal cavities. These hollow chambers act like built-in megaphones, amplifying a metallic screech that can be heard 440 yards away. Populations lie dormant for more than a dozen years before bursting into the wild with a collective scream that registers in excess of 100 decibels, roughly the volume of a Green Day concert. Now imagine if you stumbled into camp only to find what scientists discovered in 1969: 1.5 million singing cicadas in a single acre. No wonder entomologists wear earplugs while studying the bug.

BARRED OWL
Latin name: Strix Varia
Sound and fury: can do a dead-on impression of a shrieking monkey
It sounds like the beginning of a bad horror movie in the tree above your campsite. A crazy woman cackles; a dog barks frantically; and an owl belts out a surprisingly loud and penetrating "who cooks for you." But the head-rattling cries are not sound effects; they're part of the barred owl's headache-inducing vocal repertoire used to mark territory, signal aggression, and attract mates. Amazingly, the owl makes all this racket without any vocal cords. Its voice box produces low-frequency sound waves that carry over great distances in forested terrain, fooling you into thinking the bird can cackle in your ear. The volume intensifies when the barred owl rallies other birds to song. Frightened by its laugh, wild turkeys will break into a chorus of demented gobbling. Reach for the Excedrin. It's going to be a long night.

SNORING TENTMATE
Latin name: Unconscious Obnoxicus
Sound and fury: Can damage his own hearing.
You wiggle down into your bag and are about to say "good night" when a series of loud snorts halts your reverie. You brace yourself for the inevitable: a long, rising, relationship-threatening snore. For the rest of the night, his labored breaths cause his palate, throat, and uvula to vibrate, producing a wet rattling noise that makes you bury your head under your makeshift pillow. Unfortunately, the wine you two enjoyed at dinner relaxed the soft tissue in the back of his throat. The result: a deeper, more amplified snore. Add his allergies, which demand that he breathe more forcefully, and suddenly the tent is equipped with surround sound. You try nudging him, then kicking him. It's no use; he snores in every position. Spongy earplugs only help so much. After all, the world's loudest snores measure 93 decibels, rivaling the rumble of a bulldozer.

THE VERDICT
Sure, the cicada is deafening, but it only raises the roof every 15 years or so. The snoring tentmate? You can always push for a trip to the doctor. But a nocturnal noisemaker that sounds like a mockingbird on acid? We bow before the resounding victor.

(this was originally published in Backpacker.)

Hike Pine Mountain, Channel Daniel Boone (my adventures in wild Eastern Kentucky.)

Read all about my latest backpacking adventure in the New York Times.

I loved touring the Pine Mountain Trail and Whitesburg, one of the friendlist small cities I've ever seen. I call it the Santa Cruz of the Southeast. I had a great time talking to documentary film makers and broadcasters at the legendary Appalshop, and listening to its excellent old-time/bluegrass/Americana station -- WMMT --- as I explored the backroads from Glomar to Hazard. I also hiked to a waterfall, hung out at the general store where parts of "Coal Miner's Daughter'' were filmed, and talked to ecologists who are trying to fight off the deadly woolly adelgid, an aphid-like creature that is slaughtering the state's historic hemlocks.

To mark my emergence from the Pine Mountain backwoods, I bought two bottles of top-shelf bourbon in Lexington, Kentucky, and wrapped them very carefully in brown bags and newspapers to survive the long trip home. They made it to San Francisco all right --- but as it turns out, they sell both brands right here at the Bevmo on Geary!!

In other news, I want to thank the staff of the beautiful Livermore Public Library and the great crowd that turned out for my latest Cactus reading -- in spite of the fact that the Obama/McCain debates were going on at the exact same time. (Don't worry. The people in the audience said they were going to watch the whole thing later on Tivo.) Also, thanks to Tori at Firehouse Bistro and Books for her help setting this up. I also enjoyed talking to everyone at my reading in The Castro, including my youngest reader -- or at least the youngest one that I know about.

I will be doing more readings and events in the winter and spring, with two firmed-up dates in San Francisco and Sebastopol, and one in Santa Cruz.

Robert Plant, Alison Krauss, Emmylou Harris and Elvis Costello in the park (for free.)

We backpackers love cheap thrills. Free ones are even better. That's why I saw so many backpacker types at Hardly Strictly Bluegrass, Golden Gate Park's legendary free music festival. It's hard to pinpoint the greatest moment: Ralph Stanley serenading the crowd with "O Death,''; Robert Plant and Alison Krauss trading vocals on "The Battle of Evermore,'' with that eerie mandolin riff echoing just behind them; Elvis Costello doing his barnstorming version of "Friend of the Devil'' -- my third-favorite Dead tune -- and a rave-up of Merle Haggard's "Tonight The Bottle Let Me Down,'' with Jim Lauderdale harmonizing. The legendary Emmylou Harris motored right past me and waved to the crowd as event staff rushed her from one stage to the next. It was an unforgettable day in the park.

Also this weekend, I took part in the Bridge to Bridge 12 K run, on what must be the loveliest urban footrace course on the planet: the Embarcardero, Fort Mason, the Golden Gate Bridge and up into the Presidio. It was not free, but it raised money for a great cause -- the Special Olympics. I ran at a desert tortoise's pace, but who cares? These days, it's all about the experience, not the stopwatch.

also, in other (unrelated) news: I will be speaking at the Livermore Public Library this coming Tuesday (October 7) at 7 p.m.
The event is part of their Authors, Arts and More series

Fixin' To Do Something Dumber'n Hell

This week's San Francisco Bay Guardian compared me -- or at least my younger self -- to Llewelyn Moss, the none-too-bright protagonist of Cormac McCarthy's No Country For Old Men. In the movie version, directed by the Coen Brothers, Llewelyn Moss is played by Josh Brolin, who also plays a major role in the upcoming biopic of real life SF hero Harvey Milk, who lived in the Castro, where I am speaking Thursday evening at Books Inc on Market Street. And the real-life evil psycho played by Josh Brolin in that very movie just so happens to have the name "Dan White.'' (who, I should add, was in no way related to me!!!!) A creepy coincidence, to say the least ...



The SF Bay Guardian review isn't online but here is the cut-and-paste version.

"I'm fixin' to go do somethin' dumber 'n hell, but I'm goin' anyways." These were not the words of Dan White. Still, the words of No Country for Old Men's Llewelyn Moss could easily apply to the decision White made when he thought it would be a good idea to make 2,650-mile trek along the Pacific Coast Trail with his girlfriend. The couple were completely unprepared for the monster awaiting them, and encountered myriad hilarious, taxing, and occasionally life-threatening predicaments that White candidly chronicles in his buoyant The Cactus Eaters (Harper Perennial). While the decision may have been "dumber 'n hell," he got a brilliant book out of it, which is more than Moss got for his quest.

The New York Times, The Castro, and other Cactus news

I have a few updates for this week:

Look for my article about wild Kentucky in the Escapes section of the New York Times this Friday. (I also have some cautionary words about trying to make your way through the steeply slanted Kentucky backwoods with no GPS!)

In other news, the second printing of the book is in stores this week. It is slightly different from the first version. For one thing, my Mother In Law is in this one. She did not appear anywhere in the previous version. Mea culpa.

And finally, I am very excited about doing a Cactus reading in San Francisco for the first time ever.

the event will take place at: Books Inc In The Castro
San Francisco, CA
(2275 Market Street)
7:30 pm, October 2 (Thursday)


Also, I wanted to thank everyone who showed up last night to the Steinbeck Center for my reading last night -- many SJSU undergrads, family, the new Steinbeck fellows Cora Stryker, Jasmin Darznik and Cristine Gonzalez, and a few of my students, too. It was a great time.