Palomar Mountain News

Eric’s snowboarding career began on Palomar Mountain!?!  How fun is that!  Do you have the snow levels recorded, or know someone who does?  Thought you might find his note and request interesting and hoping a fellow subscriber can help him out.  Keep reading for the details and be sure to check out Eric’s website below:

From: Eric Blehm <eric@ericblehm.com>

I hope you’re doing well, considering all that is going on….

This is Eric Blehm, I’m one of your subscribers … you may recall my name from a few emails a couple years back when I was considering property up on the mountain. I’m an author in Encinitas, but grew up in Valley Center… I’m working on my next book right now, and it includes some reference to time spent up on Palomar Mountain around 1985 to 1989… One of my friends and I used to snowboard up on the mountain before hardly anybody had heard of snowboarding, and I remember the first time was either early in the winter of 1984/85 or 1985/86

There were big storms then, as I recall, and I remember waiting for the first one to hit where it snowed on Palomar, which was our closest place to go “surf” the snow…

Snowboarding ended up guiding my career, as I ended up moving to Colorado, giving it a shot to become a pro snowboarder in the late 1980s, and ultimately getting my degree in journalism so I could write for a snowboarding magazine… I ultimately became the editor of TransWorld SNOWboarding magazine in Oceanside, and it was my ticket to travel around the world snowboarding…

And it all began, for me, on Palomar Mountain!

I am contacting you, just because you are the local history expert, and thinking you might have an idea where I could locate records for snowfall back in those early to mid 80s period. I have not had success with my own internet searches, and felt you might be able to point me in the right direction…

I know, if I can find when the first significant snowfalls occurred in those winters… At least four or five inches, I will have nailed down the dates of my FIRST time snowboarding. I believe it was November or December in 1985, or January 1986…

Much thanks for any help… Eventually, I’ll nail it down. It is all part of a bigger project that will be my next book to be published by HarperCollins probably in 2021. My own biography is interweaved sparsely within a bigger story of a pro snowboarder who is ultimately killed during an avalanche in 2003. He was a friend of mine. But, my early days of snowboarding (renting a snowboard from Ocean Snow surf shop that was in the Escondido Vineyard) are the beginnings of the adventure. I greatly appreciate your help, or any guidance as I look back to that period and storms that dropped snow on The Mountain.

Best,

Eric

www.ericblehm.com

A car drove up to the grandkid’s firewood stand.  I went out to greet them and learned they are on a scavenger hunt.  Well, SHE is on a scavenger hunt.  Her clue only said “firewood” so they were at the right spot.  She looked around and sure enough, found the little bag tucked away to the side.  She opened the bag and her next clue was leading them to a gold post.

Tim and Shalina were so fun to meet. I was trying to guess what might be at she last stop.  I noticed she didn’t have a ring… when I suggested it, Tim looked like I’d spilled the beans!  He just didn’t stop smiling and laughing.   I couldn’t help it when I took their picture and told Tim “she’s a keeper”!  He was quick to agree.

Ah, love is in the air!

Tonight if you can see Venus, you should be able to see the SpaceX Startlink pass that Elon Musk has up!

—–Original Message—–
From: Michael Pique
Subject: Starlink pass tonight but low on the western horizon

From 8:10 to 8:15; no promises but easy to find.

Will appear very low on the horizon below Venus moving left (south), pass through Orion’s belt, then below Sirius. On this link, click on any of the times for a star map. All the satellites will follow the same path.  The pass this morning was very good but no more are forecast for San Diego this coming week. This one is worth looking for even though the satellites will be far away, they’ll be in full sun.

Click for the link.
Michael Pique

It was fun to have the seller of Grandpa’s Cabin offer the family telescope for the new owner-to-be.  Trisha asked, “Do you think he’d like it?”   Oh, yes!!!

As a Realtor, apparently I am one of those folks that is allowed to be ‘essential’ and out and about.  Oh, such a grand excuse to drive over to Del Mar and pick up that telescope!We had to put the top down on Mr. Blue and that big box just fit!  Now, to surprise the buyer, but first we had to get his escrow closed!!!

A lot happened in a week!  The surveyor finished the legal description for a shared driveway easement.  The very nice neighbor, Bill Redman notarized the deed.  Our local contractor, Tom Fortney waved his magic hammer and saw doing some last minute repairs.  We’d had Robert Carlyle and tractor there for a second trimming of the brush after all these storms. The septic cert, property inspection and chimney sweep reports were on file and ready for review.  Title sent the updated plotted easement, escrow docs were signed and delivered and we closed today!

Meet Brad Mills!  He was thrilled opening up his gift from Pat and Lydia Jones’ family.  He will treasure the telescope and all the books on Palomar that they included.  He is also looking forward to meeting Pat and Lydia’s daughter, Trisha, and her brother Jon, when they can visit the cabin one of these days. Brad is standing pretty close to where their Great Grandparents stood for a cabin photo in 1921.

When Brad told me this afternoon he was coming up to spend the night.  I asked where he planned on sleeping?  Oh, he said he’d just use one of the beds in the bedroom.  (Oh noooooooo!)  I asked if I could run over, grab the bedding, wash and return for him.  You see, the cabin came with free pets (he knew about the pets, but…)!  I had to confess that over the past few months, I had swept acorns and mice droppings off that bedding.  Whew, I made it back just in time so all was well when he arrived.

Brad came up with his car packed full of supplies for the next few days.  The cabin and shop were left furnished to move right in. He has great plans for all sorts of projects, putting to use the tools in the very well-stocked workshop.  Brad already met neighbors, Mitch and Sarah Peters with their daughter Giana, and talked about planting apple trees with another neighbor Alex Marlay.  All three neighbors are full time!  Imagine that!  Palomar is really changing with a growing number of full-timers seeking a safe haven living on this beautiful mountain!  When you see Brad out and about, be sure to say hello!

A warm welcome to our Newest Neighbor!

Bonnie Phelps,

At your Service for all your Real Estate and Laundry needs!

It looks like the FFA and 4H kids could be in a tough situation this year with the possibility of not having a County Fair.  Please see below with details on buying directly from a  farm in San Pasqual Valley and a Facebook group just opened for Valley Center Kids.  Let’s keep it local.

From: Frank Konyn Dairy

We are definitely in this position this year (with the plans of having the Del Mar Fair closed). The kids had invested all of their proceeds from previous projects into their animals this year. They are currently raising four steers, two Lambs, two Del Mar pigs, three Ramona fair pigs, and had bred six litters of California meat rabbits for other students this year.
If anyone is interested in one of their farm raised projects, we can help arrange harvesting and sending it to a butcher shop of your choice.

Please let me know.

Thank you.

Frank

Frank Konyn Dairy

(760) 746-6319

Palomar had a fire tonight.  We are thankful for our local Cal Fire and the many other fire trucks and law enforcement that showed up.  My guess is there may be more trucks heading this way through the night and tomorrow for the clean up.

The fire is at the end of Bailey Road.  We were there about 10 pm when I took these photos, watching with other neighbors.  The fire did not burn the Bailey House or the vintage dance hall/barn at all.  Apparently there is a new barn/workshop to the north east with some propane tanks close by that got involved and the fire got up in some trees.  We live close by and are going to bed now because we are confident the trained professionals will get everything under control just fine.

Here are a couple more pix for you taken from the left of the main Bailey House.  Glad the response was so quick tonight!

Sleep well neighbors!  We have lots to be thankful for.

Bonnie Phelps

Visited with a neighbor yesterday who said his kids have seen several rattle snakes on their property the past few days.  In spite of the Stay Home orders, those snakes are out cruising around without masks!!!  All joking aside, be on the lookout.

Click for a great article – it is from Colorado but applies to our own backyards ’round the mountain.

Watch your step,

Bonnie

Over the past few weeks most folks have had a major lifestyle change with needing to stay home.  I understand it has been very stressful for many.  Well, here on Palomar, we have been having a wonderful time.  I invite you to consider this amazing mountain as a full time adventure or a much-needed weekend getaway to look forward to.

The last seven years, I’ve been so blessed to have worked from home with the great internet. Depending on the day, my husband is still out on his horse or tractor.  Our lifestyle here on Palomar hasn’t changed much.  I have found myself pretty thankful for those Home Ec classes in high school and college as we have enjoyed fresh produce from a local farm and re-visiting healthy recipes from my mom.  After all our snow and welcomed rain the last few weeks, we are now thrilled with the promise of sunny days.  It is so amazing to live where we have the fun of the four seasons. This week I hiked on dirt roads, swapped howdys with neighbors social distancing and took in our fresh Springtime air.  When the sun goes down, we always have the option of sitting ’round a campfire.   Sometimes I say being up here is like a step back in time 100 years or so – good old-fashioned fun!

Would you like to join us or do you know someone you might share this with?   Click to see the MLS info and photos of this charming cabin on four acres.  Then let’s connect on a time for you to come up.  We each drive our own vehicles.  I go in, turn on the lights, open the doors, then step back so we can easily keep our distance.  Then, if you’d like, we can walk the enchanting property.   How does that sound?

The perfect recipe for stress-release is waiting for you.

Come on up and let’s go see!

Bonnie Phelps

Had  a fun call yesterday!  Brad and Mary had been up during the snow and walked around the outside of a cabin for sale.  He wanted to make an offer but hadn’t even been inside.  They came on the perfect sunny Spring day!  I opened the doors, turned on the lights, they toured their cabin-to-be, met the nice neighbor and I just clicked ‘Pending’!

Our local mobile notary, Kathryn Custer, is coming up in the morning for a notary with the neighbor who offered a driveway easement.  We’ll get that recorded in front of the purchase and the happy buyer should be moving in next weekend!

That charming little cabin is 99 years old and I am guessing new initials might be added with the date 2020!

Hooray for sunny days!

Bonnie Phelps

When Beezie and Laurie rented a cabin up here they knew they would like their very own.  They called to see what was for sale and even the name of ‘Mountain Music’ was so attractive to them.  When they walked into the cabin and Beezie saw the album covers framed on the wall, he said to himself “I get this”.  So, they did!

Beezie was a career guitarist playing jazz and pop styles.  His claim to fame is that he is great sight-reader.  He played for Joan Rivers first, then many national acts from Martha and the Vandellas, to Bob Hope, Leslie Gore and Clay Aiken, San Diego Symphony and La Jolla Playhouse.  He also gave lessons and had lots of students.

One day a very cute new student arrived.  Laurie’s lessons didn’t last too long because her teacher cut into her practice time.  They have been married 34 years now and during that time she worked with software translation for 25 years.  A encore career arrived as a personal chef and a restaurant line chef at the Catamaran Resort.  (It is sooooooooo wonderful to have another chef up here!!!)

They stopped by for keys today and their car was packed full with no room left for even a toothpick!  What was packed in first?  Oh, a tiny amp and an instrument so they are all set to continue making Mountain Music!

They did take off with a basket on Laurie’s lap with fresh fruit from David and Lise’s trees.  They were the former owners and selling the cabin was bitter-sweet as they loved it so much and making music was such an important part of their 14 years on the mountain. I had to take their pic yesterday with the Palomar in the background from their patio in Vista.

David and Lise have many memories sitting on their mountain patio enjoying the music of the forest, watching deer, wild turkeys and the wide variety of birds.  Now those front row seats go to Beezie and Laurie.  I do believe there will continue to be many standing ovations at Mountain Music.