Palomar Mountain News

Thinking about it, our grandkid’s Woodpecker Firewood Stand is the only business open 24/7 on Palomar! This mountain-made stand has been continually stocked and frequented since Fall of 2017.

These past few months especially, it is so nice to see someone pull up to the stand.  I love to go out, welcome the customers and hear their story.  During the last storm, I recognized Steve, a property appraiser.  He was appraising a home and said he remembered the Woodpecker Firewood Stand from his last appraisal up here.  He was glad the kids had the stand stocked with dry wood as he hadn’t been able to find firewood for sale in the city.

Mike Pique is a frequent customer.  He even hopped on over on Easter Sunday when the ‘Woodpeckers’  happened to be in their car, just pulling out.  Fun times!

A nice couple came up from San Clemente to see property the other day.  Keeping their distance, they just had to go home with some Woodpecker Firewood.

Yes, these hard-working kids have had extra time to build up quite an inventory stocked away in their sheds.  They are pleased to be of service, appreciate your business and would be tickled pink for you to stop by for a pic at their photo booth, post and like them on Facebook.  Thank you so much!

Considering selling your home, ranch, cabin or lot or land?

There are a lot of folks out there longing for a weekend retreat away from the craziness of the cities.  Some folks have also realized how effective it was to work from home.  I’ve talked to some who had their kids in public school, but now appreciate how much less time it takes to home-school and have enjoyed extra time with their kids.  People are realizing now for many jobs, good internet is all they need, so they are looking to make a move away from the cities. Seeking a lifestyle change for the good, these folks are pretty envious of what we have up here on Palomar.

Folks are wanting to get their family back to some old-fashioned values and enjoy time together on this beautiful mountain.

I’ve realized over the past month or so, I averaged a showing a day but so little for sale!!!  We just opened escrow for my last active cabin listing with several backups on the file.  Cash buyers are open to fixers. Plus, historically low interest rates are available so it is a great time to list and make a move!

Considering selling or buying? Let’s connect!

Bonnie-on-a-Roll!

Meet Alma and Daniel with their oldest grandson, Joe.
We were out front when they drove by, slowed down, backed up and pulled in. Joe explained he had his grandparents out for a drive and wondered where there was a public restroom. Well, he made the perfect stop! We even had a table reserved for their picnic!
Alma is a charming story-teller. She was born in Los Angeles in 1926 so that makes her 94 years young! She has such happy memories of coming up to Palomar many times over the years. You see, her father was part of the crew that built the South Grade! Fernando C. Ulloa, was born in 1902. He was a Mexican immigrant during the Mexican revolution. In 1911 his family immigrated to El Paso. Eventually he found his way to this area and had a job working with the WPA. There ware so many men working to build the road. The goal was to have it built for the mirror to come up for the Observatory. It was exciting times!
Alma and her husband, Daniel Boone (yes, Daniel Boone), were “poor as church mice” when they married. Daniel retired after a career working for Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company and later for Hughes Aircraft. Alma invested thirty years teaching history and Spanish to many fortunate kids as she would have been a favorite teacher. They had three sons, and their chauffeur for the day, Joe is the oldest grandson.
They settled in San Diego. Alma really should write up her delightful memories of what San Diego was like when there were so many dirt roads and the “center of the county was at 5th and Broadway”.
I’ve met so many nice people on their drives up to Palomar the past few months. These folks were extra-special.

Bonnie Phelps

From: Doug Anderson

Growing up at the Observatory, I knew a very interesting man, a former resident Donald Gordon.  Click for some history of Donald Gordon written by a neighbor of his in El Cajon back in the 1960’s.

Mr. Gordon had 160 acres on what was known as Morgan Hill.  He lived out west of the Upper French Valley on Palomar.  Mr. Gordon built and flew the first airplane west of the Mississippi!

We would ride our motor bikes over to see him on occasion. He lived in a water tank with a pump organ. He was always building something. One time over there he was laying out and hand making a chain sprocket to gear down a motorcycle. He had no electricity, he was using a hand crank drill press to drill the holes, then hand filing the teeth, unbelievable! He was stone deaf so we couldn’t communicate very well. He has mention at the museum in Valley Center, and I remember seeing his airplane motor that he donated to the San Diego Air and Space museum. I saw the engine before the Air and Space burned down in 1968, I don’t know if it was destroyed. I think it was a Wright Brothers engine.

I so loved his hand crank drill press that I now own one! Kids love to turn the crank and see it drill stuff.

Enjoy,
Doug Anderson

San Diego Air and Space Museum Donald Gordon

Donald Gordon Personal Papers

Donald Gordon by neighbor Hazel Sperry

Doug and Greg Anderson, Then and Now

Doug Anderson’s Life on Palomar

Every year the Palomar Mountain Planning Organization (PMPO) produces a newsletter. It is a LOT of work from lots of folks with all sorts of info from all the boards that contribute to the workings of the Mountain. Until now, after printing, volunteers would gather and have a fun day with an assembly line, collating, folding, labeling, stamping and getting over 500 newsletters in the mail to you.  This year it was a party of one.  Mike Pique volunteered to process our newsletters from his deck, enjoying his view while listening to tunes from his retro-style radio.  THANKS Mike!

Click for a pdf of the PMPO_2020_Newsletter

In addition, Mike mailed 340 to off-mountain addresses today. 237 post office box holders will get one tomorrow.

Do you have a change of address since last year?

Are you new to the mountain and would like to have a newsletter via mail?

Would you rather get it electronically from now on?

Please send your contact info to newsletter@pmpoinfo.com with your preferences and you’ll be all set.

Keep reading for a note from board member, Michael Walsh:

Hi Mike,

A hearty Thank You to both you and to Susan Humason for all the hard work that went in to getting the PMPO Newsletter completed, and launched! I know several others helped and of course thanks to the authors of the articles, but I also know this would never have happened if you hadn’t personally stepped up (once again!) and shown the leadership and the commitment that we very much appreciate, but don’t say often enough. The PMPO Board and the Palomar Community is very fortunate to have you, thanks again for another job very well done!

Best regards,

Michael Walsh

Per Rosemary Johnston:

The State Park is now open for Day Use only.

We’ll have to have pancakes at home this year on Memorial Day Weekend.  Be sure to have sausage links and those wonderful fresh strawberries.  But, it just won’t be the same without YOU!  Please keep reading for more weekend info from Cecelia:

From: Cecelia Borland
Subject: Pancake Breakfast/PMPO Annual General meeting

Very sorry we cannot have the Pancake Breakfast or PMPO meeting at the Fire Station this year.  There isn’t an adequate venue elsewhere on the mountain so the Pancake Breakfast is cancelled for this year and PMPO meeting is TENTATIVELY planned for July 25.

One of our much-loved families is moving!  Jamey Eriksen started at the Observatory in 2012 as Support Astronomer and is now the Supervisor of the Electrical Group.   Stacy and the oldest girls joined him in 2015. Two daughters, Rowan and Molly were soon joined by little Astrid. They have lots of friends on Palomar and are such smart and kind girls and will really be missed.
Congratulations to Jamey for his promotion as the new Director of Operations at Apache Point Observatory in Cloudcroft, New Mexico! They are heading out the first week in June where they will most likely be living next door at Sunspot Solar Observatory. It’s the tall structure to the far right in the photo in the distance. And it’s all overlooking White Sands National Park, out to the top left:

Stacy made many moms (and grandma’s, too) so happy up here when she started Palomar Mountain Kids Club. Each week was something very special with story time for the littles and many fun activities for our kids and youth. She orchestrated everything from outdoor hikes to poetry recitals and graduations. The kids learned how to build solar ovens, do great crafts, play games, had behind-the scenes tours of the Observatory and Post Office, climbed up in the fire trucks, met the fire department and forestry service crews and even Smokey the Bear. We’ll continue with the foundation Stacy laid and are forever grateful with wonderful memories of all the great times:

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Cloudcroft is another beautiful mountain-top town at 9,000 feet. A lot of the same beauty and even more as it’s a little bigger with a library, playground, gas station, grocery store and choice of restaurants! Instead of mountain lions, they have bears! In fact, the original Smokey Bear came from that mountain range in New Mexico.

We wish we could have a big party with lot of hugs. Please join me with virtual mountain hugs and love and let the Eriksen Family know “we are with you, no matter where you are”:

It was so fun to meet up at the Post Office with Mitch and Sarah Peters and daugher, Giana.  They have enjoyed their time together so much with the adventure of a snow storm and her home-schooling and all the fun of quarantining on the Mountain.  Giana has been an ‘only child’ and now that status is expiring.  Number Two is on the way in November!