By Bill Breakstone, August 25, 2010
The economic news continues to be unrelentingly disappointing, to say the least. This morning, the Commerce Department said orders for goods expected to last at least three years (durable goods) rose just 0.3 percent last month. That was much worse than the 2.8 percent growth economists had forecast, according to Thomson Reuters.
Excluding the volatile transportation sector, orders actually tumbled 3.8 percent in July. Economists were expecting 0.5 percent growth.
The weak report adds to evidence that the manufacturing sector is weakening as the year wears on. Manufacturing activity had shown some of the most consistent growth during the first half of the year, but reports recently have shown that growth is fading.
Adding up the damage reported over the past three weeks, we have seen a GDP growth rate in the second quarter of 2.4%, down from a revised first quarter figure of 3.7%, and well below economists’ expectations; unemployment remaining at 9.5%; initial claims for unemployment insurance climbing to 500,000; sales of existing homes falling by 27.2% over the past month and 25.5% from year ago levels; and now, the unexpected drop in durable goods orders.
As many economic commentators have suggested, a “new normal” appears to be taking hold, a period of economic stagnation that threatens to last for an extended period of time, perhaps as long as a decade. What is missing from these analyses is what the societal costs could be.
First, continued high joblessness will lead to decreased expectations on the part of wage earners and a feeling of helplessness, as opportunities for personal improvement and wealth creation evaporate. As millions of people remain among the ranks of the unemployed, the drag on economic activity will continue unabated. GDP growth will fall to levels that will not create new employment; many economists are revising their forecasts for future GDP down to a level of between 1% to 2%, a full percentage point below their previously disappointing number. Compare that with the average growth rate during previous recoveries of 5% to 6%.
This dire scenario will have a marked effect on the public. Frustration on their part will lead to calls for remedial action, but the options available to public officials will continue to be extremely limited, given the state of nearly total political paralysis. What emerges could be social unrest.
Should this occur, people will become increasingly susceptible to rhetoric promising “easy” solutions, based upon simplistic answers to what are very complex economic challenges. It may be a rather large overstatement to compare our present day situation, as bad as it is, to the state of affairs during the Great Depression. On the other hand, the effects of the 2007—2008 crash was far greater than economists originally foresaw, and the recovery is thus far more fragile.
What must be avoided, at all costs, is a repeat of the German experience during the inter-war years of the 1930s. For it was exactly the economic frustrations of that period that gave rise to the most virulent form of demagoguery the world has ever witnessed.
Wednesday, August 25, 2010
Tuesday, August 24, 2010
A DEEPLY TROUBLED ECONOMY; SOLUTIONS NEEDED NOW!
By Bill Breakstone, August 24, 2010
I received a survey from the Democratic National Committee last week asking respondents to rate President Obama’s performance on five key issues ranging from the economy to international relations. I completed this survey, and was quite surprised at my answers. I imagine I am similar to many other politically aware individuals, in that my enthusiasm for our President has been tempered by both the difficulties posed by economic conditions and an opposition party that has refused to compromise on policy that could alleviate the challenges we as a Nation face in recovering from the worst economic conditions since the Great Depression.
The survey asked what issues individuals ranked as most important today, and I immediately and unhesitatingly checked off “our economy.” As to Obama’s performance in that regard, I rated it as “poor”, and that is what surprised me. Yet how could it be viewed otherwise?
Looking back 18 months ago when the Administration was formulating the Economic Stimulus Act, several Nobel Prize-winning economists were of the opinion that the size of the stimulus fell far short of what was needed, and that the Administration was making a serious mistake in not asking for a stronger package, as going back later for more would be impossible given the political realities. However, Obama and his economic team decided to seek what was possible rather than what was necessary. Was this decision politically savvy, or indicative of a lack of courage? Whatever the answer, the fact is that we now are facing economic conditions that are reverting to the initial slump of 2008, and, seemingly with no options available to once again reverse that trend.
There were two ingredients, among others, in the Stimulus Act, that were successful in creating increased consumer demand and halting, temporarily, the rapid increases in unemployment: the First Time Homebuyers Tax Credit and the IRS Tax Credit for New Automobile Purchases. Both of these programs were designed as intermediary economic boosts, and have expired. They both achieved the results they were designed for. The economic floodwaters receded; but now they are returning, and with a vengeance. This morning, the National Association of Realtors announced that existing home sales declined in July by a record 27.2%, and the sales volume likewise decreased to a record-low $3.83 million, while inventories rose to 12.5 months from the June level of 8.9 months. This data far exceeded expectations of economists prior to the news release.
The auto industry is faring better, though the pace of its recovery is uneven at best. July marked the eighth consecutive month that U.S. auto sales rose from year-earlier levels but also the lowest percentage growth since November 2009, when sales were flat. Our two government-backed automakers, GM and Chrysler, continue to post good sales data, but Toyota and Honda, the two largest foreign auto companies, posted disappointing sales figures.
Both the housing and auto industries are crucial to our economy, and economic recovery. Perhaps no other segments are so subject to a trickle-down effect on jobs and sales activity. If President Obama and his economic team want to take action to revive economic activity and avoid the fate that Japan suffered during their “Lost Decade,” here is where the focus should be directed. But given the political climate, what can be done? Legislation, for the time being, is out of the question. Thus what options exist for our leadership? Does the answer lie in tax policy? Economists view the importance of increasing what they term “aggregate demand” as a key to long-term economic health and a sustainable recovery. It directly affects consumer confidence and job growth, other key economic indicators. And all three of these factors are currently at extremely low levels.
A quick read of today’s economic news headlines reveals the following:
Nobel Prize-winning economist Joseph Stiglitz said the European economy is at risk of sliding back into a recession as governments cut spending to reduce their budget deficits.
“Cutting back willy-nilly on high-return investments just to make the picture of the deficit look better is really foolish,” Stiglitz, a Columbia University professor, told Dublin-based RTE Radio in an interview broadcast today.
Euro-area governments stepped up efforts to cut their deficits to below the European Union limit of 3 percent of gross domestic product after the Greek crisis earlier this year eroded investor confidence in the 16-member currency union. While the economy expanded at the fastest pace in four years in the second quarter, the recovery is showing signs of weakening.
“Because so many in Europe are focusing on the 3 percent artificial number, which has no reality and is just looking at one side of a balance sheet, Europe is at risk of going into a double-dip,” Stiglitz said.
On CNBC’s Squawk Box, guest host Stephen Roach of Morgan Stanley and Credit Suisse economist Doug Cliggott discussed our worsening economy at length. Both agreed that there is an increasing likelihood of a double-dip recession, at worst, or a prolonged period of economic stagnation and deflation, at best. They see interest rates remaining at historically low levels for the foreseeable future and a continuation of risk aversion in the capital markets, draining equity investment in favor of the bond markets for perhaps the next decade. Both see an increased possibility of the feared double-dip.
In this economic scenario, doing nothing simply doesn’t seem to be a reasonable position for the Administration, or The Fed, to take. And yet, that appears to be where both are at. Something needs to be done, and the failure of our leadership to come up with some creative economic thinking is what most bothers this writer, and the public at large.
I received a survey from the Democratic National Committee last week asking respondents to rate President Obama’s performance on five key issues ranging from the economy to international relations. I completed this survey, and was quite surprised at my answers. I imagine I am similar to many other politically aware individuals, in that my enthusiasm for our President has been tempered by both the difficulties posed by economic conditions and an opposition party that has refused to compromise on policy that could alleviate the challenges we as a Nation face in recovering from the worst economic conditions since the Great Depression.
The survey asked what issues individuals ranked as most important today, and I immediately and unhesitatingly checked off “our economy.” As to Obama’s performance in that regard, I rated it as “poor”, and that is what surprised me. Yet how could it be viewed otherwise?
Looking back 18 months ago when the Administration was formulating the Economic Stimulus Act, several Nobel Prize-winning economists were of the opinion that the size of the stimulus fell far short of what was needed, and that the Administration was making a serious mistake in not asking for a stronger package, as going back later for more would be impossible given the political realities. However, Obama and his economic team decided to seek what was possible rather than what was necessary. Was this decision politically savvy, or indicative of a lack of courage? Whatever the answer, the fact is that we now are facing economic conditions that are reverting to the initial slump of 2008, and, seemingly with no options available to once again reverse that trend.
There were two ingredients, among others, in the Stimulus Act, that were successful in creating increased consumer demand and halting, temporarily, the rapid increases in unemployment: the First Time Homebuyers Tax Credit and the IRS Tax Credit for New Automobile Purchases. Both of these programs were designed as intermediary economic boosts, and have expired. They both achieved the results they were designed for. The economic floodwaters receded; but now they are returning, and with a vengeance. This morning, the National Association of Realtors announced that existing home sales declined in July by a record 27.2%, and the sales volume likewise decreased to a record-low $3.83 million, while inventories rose to 12.5 months from the June level of 8.9 months. This data far exceeded expectations of economists prior to the news release.
The auto industry is faring better, though the pace of its recovery is uneven at best. July marked the eighth consecutive month that U.S. auto sales rose from year-earlier levels but also the lowest percentage growth since November 2009, when sales were flat. Our two government-backed automakers, GM and Chrysler, continue to post good sales data, but Toyota and Honda, the two largest foreign auto companies, posted disappointing sales figures.
Both the housing and auto industries are crucial to our economy, and economic recovery. Perhaps no other segments are so subject to a trickle-down effect on jobs and sales activity. If President Obama and his economic team want to take action to revive economic activity and avoid the fate that Japan suffered during their “Lost Decade,” here is where the focus should be directed. But given the political climate, what can be done? Legislation, for the time being, is out of the question. Thus what options exist for our leadership? Does the answer lie in tax policy? Economists view the importance of increasing what they term “aggregate demand” as a key to long-term economic health and a sustainable recovery. It directly affects consumer confidence and job growth, other key economic indicators. And all three of these factors are currently at extremely low levels.
A quick read of today’s economic news headlines reveals the following:
Nobel Prize-winning economist Joseph Stiglitz said the European economy is at risk of sliding back into a recession as governments cut spending to reduce their budget deficits.
“Cutting back willy-nilly on high-return investments just to make the picture of the deficit look better is really foolish,” Stiglitz, a Columbia University professor, told Dublin-based RTE Radio in an interview broadcast today.
Euro-area governments stepped up efforts to cut their deficits to below the European Union limit of 3 percent of gross domestic product after the Greek crisis earlier this year eroded investor confidence in the 16-member currency union. While the economy expanded at the fastest pace in four years in the second quarter, the recovery is showing signs of weakening.
“Because so many in Europe are focusing on the 3 percent artificial number, which has no reality and is just looking at one side of a balance sheet, Europe is at risk of going into a double-dip,” Stiglitz said.
On CNBC’s Squawk Box, guest host Stephen Roach of Morgan Stanley and Credit Suisse economist Doug Cliggott discussed our worsening economy at length. Both agreed that there is an increasing likelihood of a double-dip recession, at worst, or a prolonged period of economic stagnation and deflation, at best. They see interest rates remaining at historically low levels for the foreseeable future and a continuation of risk aversion in the capital markets, draining equity investment in favor of the bond markets for perhaps the next decade. Both see an increased possibility of the feared double-dip.
In this economic scenario, doing nothing simply doesn’t seem to be a reasonable position for the Administration, or The Fed, to take. And yet, that appears to be where both are at. Something needs to be done, and the failure of our leadership to come up with some creative economic thinking is what most bothers this writer, and the public at large.
Tuesday, August 17, 2010
A HIGH SIERRA ADVENTURE
By Bill Breakstone, August 17, 2010
INTRODUCTION
Since my youngest days, I have always been drawn to the mountains, whether they were in the northeast, the Rocky Mountains, or in Europe. There is just a magnificence in the high alpine surroundings that is incomparable for one, like myself, who grew up in an urban setting like Manhattan. As a young teenager, I shared a summer-long road trip with my family across America, with stays in several National Parks, including Yellowstone, the Grand Tetons, Yosemite, and the Grand Canyon. That was over half a century ago. Last summer, I added Glacier National Park in Montana to the list. This year, I planned a tour of the High Sierra, including a re-visit to Yosemite, and the other National Parks in Eastern California on the Sierra Crest.
This past winter, the PBS Network presented the newest film by Ken Burns, “The National Parks: America’s Best Idea.” It was a wonderful six-part series that traced the history of our National Park System, and how important it was, and is, in conserving our Nation’s environmental treasures, and making them available to the peoples of our country and the world. It was only fitting that on the long flight out to California, a portion of that documentary was available on the plane’s DVD system, and I chose to watch that two-hour segment. It was a perfect prelude to the tour I had planned.
This trip was a solo adventure. I’m sure there are some who would question why anyone would undertake a two-week excursion such as this without a travel mate to enjoy it with; and there were nights when a warm body beside me would have been more than welcome. On the other hand, being on one’s own allowed a freedom of choice that would have been compromised in the presence of a partner. There were no arguments on when to arise and start the day; how far to drive before taking a break for rest or lunch; or when to push on for the next view of that canyon or waterfall.
A tour such as I had in mind requires some detailed advanced planning. Lodging during the summer months in our National Parks is almost impossible to come by on short notice. Thus, at least a four-month lead-time is a minimum requirement. Our National Parks are administered by the U.S. Forest Service, a division of the U. S. Department of the Interior. Ranger Stations are located at each, and in towns along the way that serve those who wish to make use of the National Forests for camping or just plain sightseeing. They are a good place to visit before venturing further, and the personnel who staff them are always more than helpful in answering questions, issuing camping permits, or suggesting itineraries within the Parks and Forests.
YOSEMITE NATIONAL PARK
The Nation’s first National Park was Yosemite, and it is the closest and most convenient to the “San Francisco Gateway.” It is also within a three-hour drive from Los Angeles, which makes it the most accessible National Park to major population centers in California, and the international transportation hubs that serve the West Coast from Asian originations. It’s accessibility results in an enormous popularity, which in turn equates to overcrowding, that is hard to imagine given its awe-inspiring natural beauty. There are no restrictions for vehicle entry to the Valley, and mid-day traffic is similar to what one would expect in a major urban setting. There are just too many people in too small a geographic area.
The Yosemite Valley lies at an elevation of 4,000 feet above sea level, and the surrounding cliffs rise another 3,500 feet. The grandeur of the surroundings are awe-inspiring from the Valley floor, but an equally impressive perspective is available from the canyon’s rim, especially from the overlook at Glacier Point, at close to 8,000 feet of elevation. From there, one can look down at the Valley floor, but also up at the high peaks of the Sierra Crest some 50 miles to the east and at elevations of 13,00 feet and higher.
The combined natural forces of plate tectonics, volcanism, and glaciation created Yosemite. Millions of years ago, the Pacific Plate subducted under its Continental counterpart, releasing an uplifting that resulted in the Sierra rift. During the most recent ice age, glaciers then descended to a geographic location some 200 miles to the south of Yosemite, covering the alpine valleys from the high Sierra down to the valley floor. As the glaciers moved to lower elevations, they carved the cliff walls, and as they receded, they carved the sidewalls further and left what are called moraines in the valley, damming the river flows and creating a large lake that filled the Valley. Over time, the terminal moraine at the Valley gates was penetrated by both natural and man-made forces, draining the Valley of its lake and leaving the meadows that we see today at the base of the 3,000+ foot cliffs of El Capitan and its neighbors.
The resultant landscape almost defies human comprehension. The dimensions are just too extreme. But as much as those are unimaginable, the size of the forces that created them is even more so. The plate movement that created the uplift consisted of a combination of rock and molten lava that was in the neighborhood of five miles in depth, or over 25,000 feet, some six times as great as the difference between the elevations of the present valley floor and the valley rim. That is truly hard for mortals like us to comprehend.
In addition to the immensity of the valley landscape, another natural feature that adds to the impression are the numerous waterfalls that dot both the lower and upper valleys of Yosemite. Three are visible from the Valley floor: upper and lower Yosemite Falls, and Bridal Veil Falls. From Glacier Point, three others are visible: Illilouette Falls, that drains its namesake creek down into the Merced River, and Nevada and Vernal Falls, on the Merced proper.
Lodging in Yosemite is unconscionably expensive. The Forest Service manages the natural environment, but subcontracts the lodging, food and touring concessions to a private corporate entity, in this case the Delaware North Corporation. This for-profit organization charges what the traffic will bear, and since the traffic is so great, the lodging fees are commensurate with that great volume. My stay the first night was in an annex to a hotel that dated back to the early 1920s. It was no Ritz Carlton! There was no bathroom; showers were in a communal bath that served the dozen or so rooms in the annex. The cost of that room was over $200.00 per night. I was forced to spend my second night in a tent with a wooden floor, one light bulb, and two blankets for the single bed cot, and it was darned cold that night; I ended up sleeping in my clothes, and had to walk some 300 yards to the communal showers in the morning. That night cost me $130.00! Without doubt, the greatest lodging rip-off I had ever experienced.
An alternative would have been the magnificent Ahwahnee Lodge, one of the most beautiful hotels I have ever seen. I enjoyed a wonderful dinner there, and a most civilized breakfast the following morning. The overnight fee at Ahwahnee ran $575.00, making The Ritz Carlton in San Francisco pale by comparison.
Yosemite also includes the first of the Giant Sequoia groves located in the Sierra, the Mariposa Grove. These magnificent behemoths rise to over 250 feet in height, 25+ feet in diameter, and are close to 3,000 years old. Standing at their base, it is really hard to imagine how nature created such beauty.
If one is travelling to the eastern side of the Sierra from the Yosemite Valley, the only route of choice is Tioga Pass Road, which runs up and along the north rim of the Valley, eventually reaching an elevation of 9,500 feet before descending to Mono Lake and the Owens River Valley to the east. Before the descent, one drives through the beautiful Toulumne Meadows at the headwaters of the Toulumne River, which parallels the Merced River as both head down water to California’s Central Valley.
Before describing my next destination, a word would be appropriate concerning the alternatives facing the Forest Service in its future management of the Yosemite Valley. As any viewer of Ken Burns’ documentary will appreciate, our National Parks serve a dual purpose. They were created to preserve natural beauty, conserving our Nation’s natural and irreplaceable physical assets on the one hand; on the other, they are there for the enjoyment and appreciation of our citizens, who as Burns says are their actual owners. Thus the issue is accessibility.
However, even the most ardent conservationists over the past 100+ years since the founding of our Park System have acknowledged that there are limits to the degree of that accessibility. Is it in keeping with the nature of these natural wonders to have their beauty despoiled by crowds that turn them into miniature “Times Squares” of traffic congestion? Or should limits be placed upon usage? I spoke with several Park Rangers about this dilemma, and all agreed that something needs to be done. But none looked forward to making that final determination.
The answer lies in limiting the number of vehicles that have access to Yosemite. If private vehicles and tour busses would have to park off-site and transfer passengers onto shuttle buses for access to the Park, congestion would be greatly reduced. But such a solution would be fought tooth and nail by the Park’s concessionaire, whose profit would be detrimentally affected. These are hard choices, but sooner or later, the issue will have to be addressed.
THE EASTERN SIERRA—AN OVERVIEW
As one drives from the San Francisco Bay area to the Central Valley, the physical environment changes dramatically. Before entering the San Joaquin watershed, one passes over an arid, almost burned out foothill area. Then the traveler enters the lush growing area of what many call the Nation’s breadbasket—a long and wide valley that produces much of our produce that ships throughout America and supplies our supermarkets with fresh produce. The gradual ascent into the western Sierra passes through increasing stands of conifers into a high, relatively dry, but still non-arid landscape.
The descent to the eastern Sierra and the Long and Owens River Valleys brings the traveler into another climate entirely. These valley floors are semi-arid, almost desert like in summer. What water exists, and there was plenty of it with the immense amount of winter snows, has been diverted through canals and aqueducts over the past 80 years to the Los Angeles Metropolitan area, leaving much of the valleys high and dry. At the northern extremity lies Mono Lake, which until three years ago sat half empty; at the southern end is Lake Owens, which as of last week is nothing more than a dry lakebed.
In 2007, the eastern Sierra counties sued the State of California, demanding that a good portion of the water being diverted to Los Angeles be restored to the originating valleys. The courts ruled in favor of these local municipalities, and the water levels in that part of California are slowly being restored.
MAMMOTH LAKES
Mammoth is a destination ski resort in winter, and a recreational play land in the summer months. This past ski season lasted until July 5th, as the area received a record amount of snow and colder than normal temperatures. It is unheard of for a season to last that long. My home mountain out west is Aspen, where the season ends on or about April 10th.
The town of Mammoth Lakes is located but 5 miles from the base of the mountain, and it has undergone a modernization over the past decade which has brought it up to speed with the Nation’s best resorts, albeit on a somewhat smaller scale than Aspen or Vail. The base altitude is at 7,500 feet, and several medium-sized lakes are within a few minutes drive from the town.
The ski gondola operates during the summer months, and the ride up to the top, at 11,200 feet, is breathtaking, providing views to the north up to Mono Lake, and to the Sierra Crest to the west with peaks up to 13,600 feet. Just west of the mountain is the Upper San Joaquin River Valley, and the Devil’s Postpile National Monument. A stranger geologic site is hard to imagine. It was created by a lava eruption, followed by cooling and cracking, thus forming hexagonal columns which were exposed some 15,000 years ago when a glacier flowed down the Middle Fork of the San Joaquin River and overrode the fractured mass of lava. The moving ice carved away one side of the postpile, exposing a sheer wall of columns 60 feet high.
A two mile hike downstream leads to Rainbow Falls, a 100-foot waterfall on the San Joaquin River. The hike was a bit
too strenuous for this adventurer at the 7,600-foot elevation; thus I reluctantly passed.
The restaurants in Mammoth were varied, delicious, affordable, and a great place to meet and mingle with locals. The two where I had dinners offered Happy Hours from 5 to 6:30 PM, when the food and drink were 50% off. I met a lovely couple at Whiskey Creek, proprietors of a local Austrian-style lodge, with whom I enjoyed a convivial 90-minutes. The next evening was spent at Roberto’s, another local hangout featuring Tex-Mex cuisine; best enchiladas I ever had.
BISHOP
A half hour drive to the south of Mammoth lies the town of Bishop, largest of those that are located on US 395 to the east of the Sierra Crest in the Owens River Valley. On the drive down, I made a quick stop at Hot Creek Mineral Springs, some 3 miles east of US 395 into the Valley. Hot Creek lies at the bottom of an ancient caldera, the scene millions of years ago of a titanic volcanic eruption. The underlying molten core of the volcano is still active, some 5 miles below the surface, and here a vent exists that brings the super-heated steam to the surface turning the otherwise cool waters of Hot Creek into liquid too dangerous for humans or animals to enter.
All but one of the 14,000+ peaks in this part of California are located along the Sierra Crest, just to the west of US 395. The exception is White Mountain Peak, at 14,246 feet the third highest in elevation of the region, and the monarch of the White Mountains. It is located some 12 miles to the north of Bishop and about 15 miles to the east of the Sierra Crest at the eastern end of the Owens River Valley. Its slopes are more or less devoid of vegetation, as the climate is high desert compared to the coniferous forests of the Sierra Foothills.
Some 10 miles to the south of White Mountain Peak, also in the White Mountains, is the Ancient Bristlecone Pine Forest, yet another National Monument, this one located at an elevation of 10,000 feet. The drive up to this Forest is an adventure unto itself, as the roads are narrow, winding, and perched at the precipice of a 5,000-foot drop to the Owens Valley floor, with NO guardrails as protection.
These conifers are far different from the giant sequoias. They thrive in the high desert environment, on soil that is highly alkaline in nature, and in an area that receives very little participation during the spring and summer months. They are also the oldest living things in existence on the planet, some over 5,500 years of age. Whereas the sequoias grow to between 270 feet to 350 feet in height, these ancients are no more than 35 feet. The Park Rangers at the Forest give guided walking tours amongst these trees; the one I was with took a core sample of a tree that was relatively young—
only 500 years old. When examining the sample, one could see the age lines within the core and smell the extremely tannic nature of the wood.
Immediately to the west of Bishop is California Highway 168, a recently upgraded two-lane highway that leads 12 miles up the Bishop Creek Valley to Sabrina Lake at an elevation of 9,500 feet. Surrounded by 13,500-foot peaks, this rather large water body is as picturesque as any found in the high alpine settings of Switzerland. The Lake itself is man-made.
A dam at the southern end funnels the torrents to a hydroelectric plant that supplies electricity to Bishop and its environs.
At roads end is found a modest restaurant and marina where one can enjoy a lunch on the deck overlooking the Lake (as I did), or rent a powerboat for a half day excursion on these beautiful waters.
A one-block walk from my hotel in downtown Bishop is a branch of one of the restaurants where I dined in Mammoth, namely, Whiskey Creek. Much less crowded, it was a pleasant spot for liquid refreshments, after which I made a beeline to KFC for some delicious fried chicken.
ROCK CREEK PACK STATION
Ten miles north of Bishop is Rock Creek Canyon. A 12-mile drive up the Canyon, to the east of US 395, leads to Rock Creek Lake and the Rock Creek Pack Station. After a quick breakfast, I made the 40-minute drive to the Pack Station for my long-planned day on horseback in the High Sierra. The Station sits at 9,500 ft. in elevation, and the trails are mostly uphill from there.
I was assigned my companion cowboy, “Red,” an out-of-work Missouri native earning some spare change running pack trips to high-country overnight camping sites in the adjacent valleys and high alpine meadows. We had two pack mules in tow, loaded with supplies for overnighters on nearby Hilton Lakes, at the head of a beautiful alpine valley approximately five miles to the northeast at 10,500 feet in elevation.
Although it had been many years since I sat in a saddle, I had many, many years of equestrian experience, almost all on thoroughbreds or mixed breeds experienced in foxhunting, cross-country trail riding, three-day eventing and equitation competition. I was as comfortable on horseback as driving a car or riding on a bicycle. Riding in a western saddle is quite different, but I did have some experience there, and the differences of managing a “western trained” horse was certainly not an impediment.
Before mounting my stead, a 15-3/4 hand handsome pinto named “Shamoo,” I asked Red if anyone had a spare pair of chaps. None were to be found, so off we went, me in my dungarees and boots. The trail up and over the ridgelines was narrow, extremely rocky, and very dusty. I was at the tail end of our four animal caravan, and the ride proved more of an uncomfortable endurance test than a scenic high-alpine sightseeing excursion. It was four hours out, and three-and-a-half hours back to the Pack Station.
As I write this piece, a week has elapsed since the ride, and I am still feeling the results. I now know what saddle sores are all about! Those chaps would have come in real handy, and prevented the discomfort that I will no doubt continue to experience for another two weeks or so. It was nice to be back in the saddle again, but I think I can pass on future pack rides in high alpine settings in the future.
LONE PINE AND THE WHITNEY PORTAL
Mt. Whitney is the highest peak in the continental United States, at an elevation of 14,495 feet. It is located near the southern end of the Sierra Crest, just 9 miles to the west of U.S. 395 and the small town of Lone Pine. I stayed overnight at a relatively new Comfort Inn that was very comfortable and attended by excellent and courteous staff. They recommended two restaurants for dinner, and I chose “The Seasons,” as its menu looked quite appealing. Now, Lone Pine is no bustling resort location. Most visitors to the Mt. Whitney area are back packers who will spend several days hiking the trails up to its summit. No fancy folk there.
It thus came as an unexpected surprise to find a most sophisticated clientele at “The Seasons.” These were no local hicks, but a grouping of well-off businessmen and businesswomen and their families, obviously from urban environments. I enjoyed a cocktail at the bar, then a rather wonderful dinner in the dining room. It being fairly early, I retreated back to the bar for a nightcap and some stimulating conversation with my fellow bar mates, including an economics professor from USC, who had unfortunately just been diagnosed with cancer and was justifiably quite concerned about his future prospects. They were regulars at this restaurant, stopping off frequently on their drive to and from the Reno area far to the north; and they absolutely loved the area. To my right sat a lovely lady doctor from Germany, a lone traveler like myself, who was enjoying a three-week visit to the western states. All of us enjoyed a good 90 minutes of enlivened conversation before calling it a night.
The most demanding drive of the 12-day trip awaited me the following morning. It would be six hours on the road, first south on U.S. 395 and CA 14 to the southern terminus of the Sierra Crest, then west over the Sierra foothills to Lake Isabella and then Bakersfield in the Central Valley, subsequently north on CA 99 up to Fresno, then east back into the Sierra and Kings Canyon National Park. But first the mountains called and I drove from Lone Pine up to Whitney Portal at the foot of the 14,5000 foot peak. The two-lane highway gained some 3,ooo feet in elevation from the 4,000-foot valley floor, with Mt. Whitney’s towering peaks just to the west. A lone coyote, rather sickly looking, was resting on the road as I drove by. The campgrounds at the Portal were crowded with hikers about to set out on their climbs to the summit. There was not much to do at the Portal except browse through the general store and stop and admire the waterfall nearby. Then it was off on the long cross-country drive.
On the way south on 395, Lake Owens was immediately to the left (east). As mentioned above, the many years of water diversion had left its mark here, the Lake being basically a large, dry bed. The climb to the west to Lake Isabella was an easy drive through some lovely and lush farming valleys. The Kern River flows from the northern Sierra into Isabella, then down through Kern Canyon to Bakersfield. The road through the Canyon is narrow and winding, with the River and its gushing torrents to the right. That stretch of water would be a challenge to the most expert white water kayakers. However, with a hydroelectric station at the top of the canyon and another one at its base, I would not imagine any such experts would try their hand at it.
The drive up the 99 to Fresno took another intense two hours. The truck traffic on 99 is incredibly heavy, and combined with a speed limit of 70 MPH, the trip requires the utmost in concentration. There is no way that such a high speed limit is justified given the volume of traffic.
KINGS CANYON AND SEQUOIA NATIONAL PARKS
It’s another 90-minute drive from Fresno up to Kings Canyon and Grant Village at 7,500 feet in elevation. Sequoia and Kings Canyon are immediately adjacent National Parks and are administered by the National Park Service as one entity. Both parks are home to the Giant Sequoia trees, with two standouts. Kings hosts the General Grant Tree, 267 feet in height, 107 feet in circumference, with a diameter of 29 feet, and approximately 1,650 years old. A short distance
away in Sequoia is the world’s largest tree, the General Sherman, which stands 275 feet in height, 103 feet in
circumference, and 2,200 years in age. This is the largest Sequoia in terms of total volume of wood, the standard measurement. Another variety of Sequoia are the coastal redwoods. The largest of these is the Mendocino Tree, located near Ukiah in Northern California. This tall, slender giant stands 367.5 feet in height, but contains nowhere near the total volume of either the Grant or Sherman trees. Standing at the base of either of these giants is a humbling experience.
Kings Canyon, however, is not only known for its Giant Sequoias. The park draws its name from the Canyon itself, which in turn is named for the river that runs through it, the
Kings River. A product of seductive uplift and glaciation, the Canyon is over 5,000 feet in depth, thus much deeper than Yosemite. The upper Canyon, like Yosemite, is a “U-shaped glaciated valley; the lower Canyon lied outside the limits of the glacier, and is thus “V-shaped.” In any case, the physical beauty of the Canyon is spectacular; perhaps not so much so as Yosemite, but nonetheless awe-inspiring. It is also far less travelled, making the experience all that more enjoyable.
The drive from Grant’s Village, at 7,500 feet in elevation, down to the Canyon floor, at 4,000 feet, is a spectacular one- hour trip. The well-maintained and upgraded road, California 180, is fairly straightforward at the higher elevations, then twists and turns as it descends more steeply towards the valley floor. From the 5,000-foot marker on, it narrows considerably and clings to the southern Canyon wall, before crossing the Kings River to the northern wall of the valley.
Two miles before the road terminates is the small village of Cedar Grove. Here is located a visitors center manned by two Park Rangers, numerous campgrounds, and a modest lodge offering rooms with communal showers nearby. Driving on to the northeast, the highway passes through the “valley gates,” entering the “U-shaped” canyon, with towering peaks on either side. A roadside vista ¾-mile from “Roads End” provides spectacular views further up the valley to the Sierra Crest and its 13,700-foot mountains. Hundreds of lakes dot the high country, headwaters of the North,
Middle and South Forks of the Kings River. That country is a good four day overnight pack hike, and from the looks of the photographs I have seen, well worth the effort. The final photograph at the end of this article is typical, and most beautiful. The peaks in the background are the spires of 14,500-foot Mt. Whitney, as seen from the west, a view only available to those intrepid backpackers who venture to this remote location.
There is one further natural feature of the High Sierra that is worth attention. Like any mountain range, water drainages play an important part in its environment. In the east, major rivers have their sources in “the high country” of the White and Green Mountains of Vermont and New Hampshire, and the Adirondacks of upstate New York. The rivers, the Connecticut, the Hudson, the Delaware and the Susquehanna, all flow from the mountains to the sea.
The Sierra also has major drainage systems, but they exist in a different environment. The rivers in the northern sections of the Sierra, like their eastern counterparts, end up in the Pacific Ocean, after a journey through San Francisco Bay. These rivers, moving from north to south, include the Sacramento, the Tuolumne, the Merced, and the San Joaquin. The two drainages to the south of the San Joaquin, namely the Kings River and the Kern, drain into California’s Central Valley, where they disappear into a system of “sloughs” that provide water to fertilize the crops in the Valley, and into viaducts that provide water to the Los Angeles Metropolitan area. These two main rivers, despite their tremendous volume, never reach the sea. Thus is the effect of human requirements out-trumping the natural environment.
SAN FRANCISCO AND THE FLIGHT HOME
It was no more than a four-hour drive back to San Francisco and a restful overnight stay near the airport before the flight home to New York. I had booked a room at The Radisson Hotel, just a few miles north of SFI on Sierra Pointe Road overlooking the Bay. It was a stunning contemporary hotel, striking in its interior design. The lobby, bar and restaurant presented modernism at its best; my third-floor room was large and extremely comfortable.
After dinner, I socialized with a couple from Beijing, China and their nine-year-old son, proudly wearing a Boston Red Sox baseball cap. The young man spoke perfect English, and the three of them had enjoyed a wonderful two-week visit to the American West. The mother was an administrator in the economics department of Tsinghua University; the father was an executive in the travel industry.
We talked at length about our different political and economic systems and the involvement of government in managing corporate enterprises. The Chinese economy is based upon an evolving system that has come to be known as State Capitalism, where many industries operate under a more or less free market regime while other more important ones are State-owned and State-controlled. However, even those are becoming more oriented toward capitalistic principles, including public ownership of shares that will be traded on exchanges. They were surprised to learn that here in the United Sates, there is no such thing as State ownership of corporations. They presumed, for example, that our airlines were State-owned. Our meeting was only a brief encounter, but I was greatly encouraged by their openness and eagerness to learn about our system, as I am also optimistic about the future of our national relationship. China is no doubt the emerging world power and will play the role that Britain did in the 19th century and America did in the 20th century and continues to play today, albeit to a lesser extent.
The trip to the airport the following morning was hassle-free, and the flight home to JFK was comfortable and thoroughly enjoyable, due in no small degree to the excellent company I enjoyed as a seat-mate, a fellow Jack Russell Terrier owner who brought thoughts of my old friend Noni Risley starkly to mind. Her first name was Evie, just like Noni’s daughter, and her terrier’s name was Pippa, as was Noni’s favorite. A very nice way to end a most eventful, enjoyable and educational vacation.
One final note. As most Americans know, the State of California is enduring a period of extreme economic turmoil. The State pension system verges on bankruptcy, State payrolls have not been met, with workers being furloughed for two days out of each workweek, and drastic cutbacks have had to be made in the State’s educational system, which includes higher educational institutions that were the envy of every municipality and state in the country. These are truly sad times, not just for those who reside in California, but for the millions of travelers who visit this wonderful country and enjoy all it has to offer. Elections will be held this coming
November for the governorship and one of California’s two Senate seats. I talked with many residents during my travels, and there seems to be an overwhelming consensus that major changes need to be made in the Statehouse, and that does not include the seating of an ex-governor from an era long past. Most voters seem willing to lean on the extensive business experience and financial independence of Meg Whitman. Only time will tell whether the new governor, be it Whitman or Jerry Brown, can pull the State out of the morass it finds itself in today.
INTRODUCTION
Since my youngest days, I have always been drawn to the mountains, whether they were in the northeast, the Rocky Mountains, or in Europe. There is just a magnificence in the high alpine surroundings that is incomparable for one, like myself, who grew up in an urban setting like Manhattan. As a young teenager, I shared a summer-long road trip with my family across America, with stays in several National Parks, including Yellowstone, the Grand Tetons, Yosemite, and the Grand Canyon. That was over half a century ago. Last summer, I added Glacier National Park in Montana to the list. This year, I planned a tour of the High Sierra, including a re-visit to Yosemite, and the other National Parks in Eastern California on the Sierra Crest.
This past winter, the PBS Network presented the newest film by Ken Burns, “The National Parks: America’s Best Idea.” It was a wonderful six-part series that traced the history of our National Park System, and how important it was, and is, in conserving our Nation’s environmental treasures, and making them available to the peoples of our country and the world. It was only fitting that on the long flight out to California, a portion of that documentary was available on the plane’s DVD system, and I chose to watch that two-hour segment. It was a perfect prelude to the tour I had planned.
This trip was a solo adventure. I’m sure there are some who would question why anyone would undertake a two-week excursion such as this without a travel mate to enjoy it with; and there were nights when a warm body beside me would have been more than welcome. On the other hand, being on one’s own allowed a freedom of choice that would have been compromised in the presence of a partner. There were no arguments on when to arise and start the day; how far to drive before taking a break for rest or lunch; or when to push on for the next view of that canyon or waterfall.
A tour such as I had in mind requires some detailed advanced planning. Lodging during the summer months in our National Parks is almost impossible to come by on short notice. Thus, at least a four-month lead-time is a minimum requirement. Our National Parks are administered by the U.S. Forest Service, a division of the U. S. Department of the Interior. Ranger Stations are located at each, and in towns along the way that serve those who wish to make use of the National Forests for camping or just plain sightseeing. They are a good place to visit before venturing further, and the personnel who staff them are always more than helpful in answering questions, issuing camping permits, or suggesting itineraries within the Parks and Forests.
YOSEMITE NATIONAL PARK
The Nation’s first National Park was Yosemite, and it is the closest and most convenient to the “San Francisco Gateway.” It is also within a three-hour drive from Los Angeles, which makes it the most accessible National Park to major population centers in California, and the international transportation hubs that serve the West Coast from Asian originations. It’s accessibility results in an enormous popularity, which in turn equates to overcrowding, that is hard to imagine given its awe-inspiring natural beauty. There are no restrictions for vehicle entry to the Valley, and mid-day traffic is similar to what one would expect in a major urban setting. There are just too many people in too small a geographic area.
The Yosemite Valley lies at an elevation of 4,000 feet above sea level, and the surrounding cliffs rise another 3,500 feet. The grandeur of the surroundings are awe-inspiring from the Valley floor, but an equally impressive perspective is available from the canyon’s rim, especially from the overlook at Glacier Point, at close to 8,000 feet of elevation. From there, one can look down at the Valley floor, but also up at the high peaks of the Sierra Crest some 50 miles to the east and at elevations of 13,00 feet and higher.
The combined natural forces of plate tectonics, volcanism, and glaciation created Yosemite. Millions of years ago, the Pacific Plate subducted under its Continental counterpart, releasing an uplifting that resulted in the Sierra rift. During the most recent ice age, glaciers then descended to a geographic location some 200 miles to the south of Yosemite, covering the alpine valleys from the high Sierra down to the valley floor. As the glaciers moved to lower elevations, they carved the cliff walls, and as they receded, they carved the sidewalls further and left what are called moraines in the valley, damming the river flows and creating a large lake that filled the Valley. Over time, the terminal moraine at the Valley gates was penetrated by both natural and man-made forces, draining the Valley of its lake and leaving the meadows that we see today at the base of the 3,000+ foot cliffs of El Capitan and its neighbors.
The resultant landscape almost defies human comprehension. The dimensions are just too extreme. But as much as those are unimaginable, the size of the forces that created them is even more so. The plate movement that created the uplift consisted of a combination of rock and molten lava that was in the neighborhood of five miles in depth, or over 25,000 feet, some six times as great as the difference between the elevations of the present valley floor and the valley rim. That is truly hard for mortals like us to comprehend.
In addition to the immensity of the valley landscape, another natural feature that adds to the impression are the numerous waterfalls that dot both the lower and upper valleys of Yosemite. Three are visible from the Valley floor: upper and lower Yosemite Falls, and Bridal Veil Falls. From Glacier Point, three others are visible: Illilouette Falls, that drains its namesake creek down into the Merced River, and Nevada and Vernal Falls, on the Merced proper.
Lodging in Yosemite is unconscionably expensive. The Forest Service manages the natural environment, but subcontracts the lodging, food and touring concessions to a private corporate entity, in this case the Delaware North Corporation. This for-profit organization charges what the traffic will bear, and since the traffic is so great, the lodging fees are commensurate with that great volume. My stay the first night was in an annex to a hotel that dated back to the early 1920s. It was no Ritz Carlton! There was no bathroom; showers were in a communal bath that served the dozen or so rooms in the annex. The cost of that room was over $200.00 per night. I was forced to spend my second night in a tent with a wooden floor, one light bulb, and two blankets for the single bed cot, and it was darned cold that night; I ended up sleeping in my clothes, and had to walk some 300 yards to the communal showers in the morning. That night cost me $130.00! Without doubt, the greatest lodging rip-off I had ever experienced.
An alternative would have been the magnificent Ahwahnee Lodge, one of the most beautiful hotels I have ever seen. I enjoyed a wonderful dinner there, and a most civilized breakfast the following morning. The overnight fee at Ahwahnee ran $575.00, making The Ritz Carlton in San Francisco pale by comparison.
Yosemite also includes the first of the Giant Sequoia groves located in the Sierra, the Mariposa Grove. These magnificent behemoths rise to over 250 feet in height, 25+ feet in diameter, and are close to 3,000 years old. Standing at their base, it is really hard to imagine how nature created such beauty.
If one is travelling to the eastern side of the Sierra from the Yosemite Valley, the only route of choice is Tioga Pass Road, which runs up and along the north rim of the Valley, eventually reaching an elevation of 9,500 feet before descending to Mono Lake and the Owens River Valley to the east. Before the descent, one drives through the beautiful Toulumne Meadows at the headwaters of the Toulumne River, which parallels the Merced River as both head down water to California’s Central Valley.
Before describing my next destination, a word would be appropriate concerning the alternatives facing the Forest Service in its future management of the Yosemite Valley. As any viewer of Ken Burns’ documentary will appreciate, our National Parks serve a dual purpose. They were created to preserve natural beauty, conserving our Nation’s natural and irreplaceable physical assets on the one hand; on the other, they are there for the enjoyment and appreciation of our citizens, who as Burns says are their actual owners. Thus the issue is accessibility.
However, even the most ardent conservationists over the past 100+ years since the founding of our Park System have acknowledged that there are limits to the degree of that accessibility. Is it in keeping with the nature of these natural wonders to have their beauty despoiled by crowds that turn them into miniature “Times Squares” of traffic congestion? Or should limits be placed upon usage? I spoke with several Park Rangers about this dilemma, and all agreed that something needs to be done. But none looked forward to making that final determination.
The answer lies in limiting the number of vehicles that have access to Yosemite. If private vehicles and tour busses would have to park off-site and transfer passengers onto shuttle buses for access to the Park, congestion would be greatly reduced. But such a solution would be fought tooth and nail by the Park’s concessionaire, whose profit would be detrimentally affected. These are hard choices, but sooner or later, the issue will have to be addressed.
THE EASTERN SIERRA—AN OVERVIEW
As one drives from the San Francisco Bay area to the Central Valley, the physical environment changes dramatically. Before entering the San Joaquin watershed, one passes over an arid, almost burned out foothill area. Then the traveler enters the lush growing area of what many call the Nation’s breadbasket—a long and wide valley that produces much of our produce that ships throughout America and supplies our supermarkets with fresh produce. The gradual ascent into the western Sierra passes through increasing stands of conifers into a high, relatively dry, but still non-arid landscape.
The descent to the eastern Sierra and the Long and Owens River Valleys brings the traveler into another climate entirely. These valley floors are semi-arid, almost desert like in summer. What water exists, and there was plenty of it with the immense amount of winter snows, has been diverted through canals and aqueducts over the past 80 years to the Los Angeles Metropolitan area, leaving much of the valleys high and dry. At the northern extremity lies Mono Lake, which until three years ago sat half empty; at the southern end is Lake Owens, which as of last week is nothing more than a dry lakebed.
In 2007, the eastern Sierra counties sued the State of California, demanding that a good portion of the water being diverted to Los Angeles be restored to the originating valleys. The courts ruled in favor of these local municipalities, and the water levels in that part of California are slowly being restored.
MAMMOTH LAKES
Mammoth is a destination ski resort in winter, and a recreational play land in the summer months. This past ski season lasted until July 5th, as the area received a record amount of snow and colder than normal temperatures. It is unheard of for a season to last that long. My home mountain out west is Aspen, where the season ends on or about April 10th.
The town of Mammoth Lakes is located but 5 miles from the base of the mountain, and it has undergone a modernization over the past decade which has brought it up to speed with the Nation’s best resorts, albeit on a somewhat smaller scale than Aspen or Vail. The base altitude is at 7,500 feet, and several medium-sized lakes are within a few minutes drive from the town.
The ski gondola operates during the summer months, and the ride up to the top, at 11,200 feet, is breathtaking, providing views to the north up to Mono Lake, and to the Sierra Crest to the west with peaks up to 13,600 feet. Just west of the mountain is the Upper San Joaquin River Valley, and the Devil’s Postpile National Monument. A stranger geologic site is hard to imagine. It was created by a lava eruption, followed by cooling and cracking, thus forming hexagonal columns which were exposed some 15,000 years ago when a glacier flowed down the Middle Fork of the San Joaquin River and overrode the fractured mass of lava. The moving ice carved away one side of the postpile, exposing a sheer wall of columns 60 feet high.
A two mile hike downstream leads to Rainbow Falls, a 100-foot waterfall on the San Joaquin River. The hike was a bit
too strenuous for this adventurer at the 7,600-foot elevation; thus I reluctantly passed.
The restaurants in Mammoth were varied, delicious, affordable, and a great place to meet and mingle with locals. The two where I had dinners offered Happy Hours from 5 to 6:30 PM, when the food and drink were 50% off. I met a lovely couple at Whiskey Creek, proprietors of a local Austrian-style lodge, with whom I enjoyed a convivial 90-minutes. The next evening was spent at Roberto’s, another local hangout featuring Tex-Mex cuisine; best enchiladas I ever had.
BISHOP
A half hour drive to the south of Mammoth lies the town of Bishop, largest of those that are located on US 395 to the east of the Sierra Crest in the Owens River Valley. On the drive down, I made a quick stop at Hot Creek Mineral Springs, some 3 miles east of US 395 into the Valley. Hot Creek lies at the bottom of an ancient caldera, the scene millions of years ago of a titanic volcanic eruption. The underlying molten core of the volcano is still active, some 5 miles below the surface, and here a vent exists that brings the super-heated steam to the surface turning the otherwise cool waters of Hot Creek into liquid too dangerous for humans or animals to enter.
All but one of the 14,000+ peaks in this part of California are located along the Sierra Crest, just to the west of US 395. The exception is White Mountain Peak, at 14,246 feet the third highest in elevation of the region, and the monarch of the White Mountains. It is located some 12 miles to the north of Bishop and about 15 miles to the east of the Sierra Crest at the eastern end of the Owens River Valley. Its slopes are more or less devoid of vegetation, as the climate is high desert compared to the coniferous forests of the Sierra Foothills.
Some 10 miles to the south of White Mountain Peak, also in the White Mountains, is the Ancient Bristlecone Pine Forest, yet another National Monument, this one located at an elevation of 10,000 feet. The drive up to this Forest is an adventure unto itself, as the roads are narrow, winding, and perched at the precipice of a 5,000-foot drop to the Owens Valley floor, with NO guardrails as protection.
These conifers are far different from the giant sequoias. They thrive in the high desert environment, on soil that is highly alkaline in nature, and in an area that receives very little participation during the spring and summer months. They are also the oldest living things in existence on the planet, some over 5,500 years of age. Whereas the sequoias grow to between 270 feet to 350 feet in height, these ancients are no more than 35 feet. The Park Rangers at the Forest give guided walking tours amongst these trees; the one I was with took a core sample of a tree that was relatively young—
only 500 years old. When examining the sample, one could see the age lines within the core and smell the extremely tannic nature of the wood.
Immediately to the west of Bishop is California Highway 168, a recently upgraded two-lane highway that leads 12 miles up the Bishop Creek Valley to Sabrina Lake at an elevation of 9,500 feet. Surrounded by 13,500-foot peaks, this rather large water body is as picturesque as any found in the high alpine settings of Switzerland. The Lake itself is man-made.
A dam at the southern end funnels the torrents to a hydroelectric plant that supplies electricity to Bishop and its environs.
At roads end is found a modest restaurant and marina where one can enjoy a lunch on the deck overlooking the Lake (as I did), or rent a powerboat for a half day excursion on these beautiful waters.
A one-block walk from my hotel in downtown Bishop is a branch of one of the restaurants where I dined in Mammoth, namely, Whiskey Creek. Much less crowded, it was a pleasant spot for liquid refreshments, after which I made a beeline to KFC for some delicious fried chicken.
ROCK CREEK PACK STATION
Ten miles north of Bishop is Rock Creek Canyon. A 12-mile drive up the Canyon, to the east of US 395, leads to Rock Creek Lake and the Rock Creek Pack Station. After a quick breakfast, I made the 40-minute drive to the Pack Station for my long-planned day on horseback in the High Sierra. The Station sits at 9,500 ft. in elevation, and the trails are mostly uphill from there.
I was assigned my companion cowboy, “Red,” an out-of-work Missouri native earning some spare change running pack trips to high-country overnight camping sites in the adjacent valleys and high alpine meadows. We had two pack mules in tow, loaded with supplies for overnighters on nearby Hilton Lakes, at the head of a beautiful alpine valley approximately five miles to the northeast at 10,500 feet in elevation.
Although it had been many years since I sat in a saddle, I had many, many years of equestrian experience, almost all on thoroughbreds or mixed breeds experienced in foxhunting, cross-country trail riding, three-day eventing and equitation competition. I was as comfortable on horseback as driving a car or riding on a bicycle. Riding in a western saddle is quite different, but I did have some experience there, and the differences of managing a “western trained” horse was certainly not an impediment.
Before mounting my stead, a 15-3/4 hand handsome pinto named “Shamoo,” I asked Red if anyone had a spare pair of chaps. None were to be found, so off we went, me in my dungarees and boots. The trail up and over the ridgelines was narrow, extremely rocky, and very dusty. I was at the tail end of our four animal caravan, and the ride proved more of an uncomfortable endurance test than a scenic high-alpine sightseeing excursion. It was four hours out, and three-and-a-half hours back to the Pack Station.
As I write this piece, a week has elapsed since the ride, and I am still feeling the results. I now know what saddle sores are all about! Those chaps would have come in real handy, and prevented the discomfort that I will no doubt continue to experience for another two weeks or so. It was nice to be back in the saddle again, but I think I can pass on future pack rides in high alpine settings in the future.
LONE PINE AND THE WHITNEY PORTAL
Mt. Whitney is the highest peak in the continental United States, at an elevation of 14,495 feet. It is located near the southern end of the Sierra Crest, just 9 miles to the west of U.S. 395 and the small town of Lone Pine. I stayed overnight at a relatively new Comfort Inn that was very comfortable and attended by excellent and courteous staff. They recommended two restaurants for dinner, and I chose “The Seasons,” as its menu looked quite appealing. Now, Lone Pine is no bustling resort location. Most visitors to the Mt. Whitney area are back packers who will spend several days hiking the trails up to its summit. No fancy folk there.
It thus came as an unexpected surprise to find a most sophisticated clientele at “The Seasons.” These were no local hicks, but a grouping of well-off businessmen and businesswomen and their families, obviously from urban environments. I enjoyed a cocktail at the bar, then a rather wonderful dinner in the dining room. It being fairly early, I retreated back to the bar for a nightcap and some stimulating conversation with my fellow bar mates, including an economics professor from USC, who had unfortunately just been diagnosed with cancer and was justifiably quite concerned about his future prospects. They were regulars at this restaurant, stopping off frequently on their drive to and from the Reno area far to the north; and they absolutely loved the area. To my right sat a lovely lady doctor from Germany, a lone traveler like myself, who was enjoying a three-week visit to the western states. All of us enjoyed a good 90 minutes of enlivened conversation before calling it a night.
The most demanding drive of the 12-day trip awaited me the following morning. It would be six hours on the road, first south on U.S. 395 and CA 14 to the southern terminus of the Sierra Crest, then west over the Sierra foothills to Lake Isabella and then Bakersfield in the Central Valley, subsequently north on CA 99 up to Fresno, then east back into the Sierra and Kings Canyon National Park. But first the mountains called and I drove from Lone Pine up to Whitney Portal at the foot of the 14,5000 foot peak. The two-lane highway gained some 3,ooo feet in elevation from the 4,000-foot valley floor, with Mt. Whitney’s towering peaks just to the west. A lone coyote, rather sickly looking, was resting on the road as I drove by. The campgrounds at the Portal were crowded with hikers about to set out on their climbs to the summit. There was not much to do at the Portal except browse through the general store and stop and admire the waterfall nearby. Then it was off on the long cross-country drive.
On the way south on 395, Lake Owens was immediately to the left (east). As mentioned above, the many years of water diversion had left its mark here, the Lake being basically a large, dry bed. The climb to the west to Lake Isabella was an easy drive through some lovely and lush farming valleys. The Kern River flows from the northern Sierra into Isabella, then down through Kern Canyon to Bakersfield. The road through the Canyon is narrow and winding, with the River and its gushing torrents to the right. That stretch of water would be a challenge to the most expert white water kayakers. However, with a hydroelectric station at the top of the canyon and another one at its base, I would not imagine any such experts would try their hand at it.
The drive up the 99 to Fresno took another intense two hours. The truck traffic on 99 is incredibly heavy, and combined with a speed limit of 70 MPH, the trip requires the utmost in concentration. There is no way that such a high speed limit is justified given the volume of traffic.
KINGS CANYON AND SEQUOIA NATIONAL PARKS
It’s another 90-minute drive from Fresno up to Kings Canyon and Grant Village at 7,500 feet in elevation. Sequoia and Kings Canyon are immediately adjacent National Parks and are administered by the National Park Service as one entity. Both parks are home to the Giant Sequoia trees, with two standouts. Kings hosts the General Grant Tree, 267 feet in height, 107 feet in circumference, with a diameter of 29 feet, and approximately 1,650 years old. A short distance
away in Sequoia is the world’s largest tree, the General Sherman, which stands 275 feet in height, 103 feet in
circumference, and 2,200 years in age. This is the largest Sequoia in terms of total volume of wood, the standard measurement. Another variety of Sequoia are the coastal redwoods. The largest of these is the Mendocino Tree, located near Ukiah in Northern California. This tall, slender giant stands 367.5 feet in height, but contains nowhere near the total volume of either the Grant or Sherman trees. Standing at the base of either of these giants is a humbling experience.
Kings Canyon, however, is not only known for its Giant Sequoias. The park draws its name from the Canyon itself, which in turn is named for the river that runs through it, the
Kings River. A product of seductive uplift and glaciation, the Canyon is over 5,000 feet in depth, thus much deeper than Yosemite. The upper Canyon, like Yosemite, is a “U-shaped glaciated valley; the lower Canyon lied outside the limits of the glacier, and is thus “V-shaped.” In any case, the physical beauty of the Canyon is spectacular; perhaps not so much so as Yosemite, but nonetheless awe-inspiring. It is also far less travelled, making the experience all that more enjoyable.
The drive from Grant’s Village, at 7,500 feet in elevation, down to the Canyon floor, at 4,000 feet, is a spectacular one- hour trip. The well-maintained and upgraded road, California 180, is fairly straightforward at the higher elevations, then twists and turns as it descends more steeply towards the valley floor. From the 5,000-foot marker on, it narrows considerably and clings to the southern Canyon wall, before crossing the Kings River to the northern wall of the valley.
Two miles before the road terminates is the small village of Cedar Grove. Here is located a visitors center manned by two Park Rangers, numerous campgrounds, and a modest lodge offering rooms with communal showers nearby. Driving on to the northeast, the highway passes through the “valley gates,” entering the “U-shaped” canyon, with towering peaks on either side. A roadside vista ¾-mile from “Roads End” provides spectacular views further up the valley to the Sierra Crest and its 13,700-foot mountains. Hundreds of lakes dot the high country, headwaters of the North,
Middle and South Forks of the Kings River. That country is a good four day overnight pack hike, and from the looks of the photographs I have seen, well worth the effort. The final photograph at the end of this article is typical, and most beautiful. The peaks in the background are the spires of 14,500-foot Mt. Whitney, as seen from the west, a view only available to those intrepid backpackers who venture to this remote location.
There is one further natural feature of the High Sierra that is worth attention. Like any mountain range, water drainages play an important part in its environment. In the east, major rivers have their sources in “the high country” of the White and Green Mountains of Vermont and New Hampshire, and the Adirondacks of upstate New York. The rivers, the Connecticut, the Hudson, the Delaware and the Susquehanna, all flow from the mountains to the sea.
The Sierra also has major drainage systems, but they exist in a different environment. The rivers in the northern sections of the Sierra, like their eastern counterparts, end up in the Pacific Ocean, after a journey through San Francisco Bay. These rivers, moving from north to south, include the Sacramento, the Tuolumne, the Merced, and the San Joaquin. The two drainages to the south of the San Joaquin, namely the Kings River and the Kern, drain into California’s Central Valley, where they disappear into a system of “sloughs” that provide water to fertilize the crops in the Valley, and into viaducts that provide water to the Los Angeles Metropolitan area. These two main rivers, despite their tremendous volume, never reach the sea. Thus is the effect of human requirements out-trumping the natural environment.
SAN FRANCISCO AND THE FLIGHT HOME
It was no more than a four-hour drive back to San Francisco and a restful overnight stay near the airport before the flight home to New York. I had booked a room at The Radisson Hotel, just a few miles north of SFI on Sierra Pointe Road overlooking the Bay. It was a stunning contemporary hotel, striking in its interior design. The lobby, bar and restaurant presented modernism at its best; my third-floor room was large and extremely comfortable.
After dinner, I socialized with a couple from Beijing, China and their nine-year-old son, proudly wearing a Boston Red Sox baseball cap. The young man spoke perfect English, and the three of them had enjoyed a wonderful two-week visit to the American West. The mother was an administrator in the economics department of Tsinghua University; the father was an executive in the travel industry.
We talked at length about our different political and economic systems and the involvement of government in managing corporate enterprises. The Chinese economy is based upon an evolving system that has come to be known as State Capitalism, where many industries operate under a more or less free market regime while other more important ones are State-owned and State-controlled. However, even those are becoming more oriented toward capitalistic principles, including public ownership of shares that will be traded on exchanges. They were surprised to learn that here in the United Sates, there is no such thing as State ownership of corporations. They presumed, for example, that our airlines were State-owned. Our meeting was only a brief encounter, but I was greatly encouraged by their openness and eagerness to learn about our system, as I am also optimistic about the future of our national relationship. China is no doubt the emerging world power and will play the role that Britain did in the 19th century and America did in the 20th century and continues to play today, albeit to a lesser extent.
The trip to the airport the following morning was hassle-free, and the flight home to JFK was comfortable and thoroughly enjoyable, due in no small degree to the excellent company I enjoyed as a seat-mate, a fellow Jack Russell Terrier owner who brought thoughts of my old friend Noni Risley starkly to mind. Her first name was Evie, just like Noni’s daughter, and her terrier’s name was Pippa, as was Noni’s favorite. A very nice way to end a most eventful, enjoyable and educational vacation.
One final note. As most Americans know, the State of California is enduring a period of extreme economic turmoil. The State pension system verges on bankruptcy, State payrolls have not been met, with workers being furloughed for two days out of each workweek, and drastic cutbacks have had to be made in the State’s educational system, which includes higher educational institutions that were the envy of every municipality and state in the country. These are truly sad times, not just for those who reside in California, but for the millions of travelers who visit this wonderful country and enjoy all it has to offer. Elections will be held this coming
November for the governorship and one of California’s two Senate seats. I talked with many residents during my travels, and there seems to be an overwhelming consensus that major changes need to be made in the Statehouse, and that does not include the seating of an ex-governor from an era long past. Most voters seem willing to lean on the extensive business experience and financial independence of Meg Whitman. Only time will tell whether the new governor, be it Whitman or Jerry Brown, can pull the State out of the morass it finds itself in today.
Monday, August 2, 2010
ECONOMIC UPDATE--SLOWER GDP GROWTH & DEFLATION
by Bill Breakstone, Somers, NY, August 2, 2010
The other afternoon, I ran into two old friends in front of the local CVS store. The wife is an old colleague of mine in real estate; since I make it a point not to discuss anything controversial with office friends, I had no idea of her stances on either politics or economics. Her husband is a retired IBM executive, whom I had met socially on several occasions over the years, but with whom I had never discussed anything of real substance; in any case, he had always been cordial, if not down right pleasant.
They had just returned from a trip to China, and had found it extremely interesting and educational. We got to talking about the differences between the Chinese and American economies, and this quickly led into a discussion of how China was “on the rise” while America was in relative economic decline. That’s when the conversation started going downhill quickly. My friend’s opinion was that the U.S. economy would do just fine, if “government” just got completely out of the picture. To say that I found his statement to be incredulous would be an understatement.
In my opinion, if the recent financial crisis proved anything, it was that the deregulation of the American economy over the past three decades was responsible for bringing the world to the brink of economic catastrophe and a second Great Depression. But my friend is not alone in believing that what we need is more of the same.
The news over the weekend was dominated by economic discussion. Friday’s Bureau of Economic Analysis Report on Second Quarter GDP growth was disappointing to most economists and economic commentators, and this coming Friday’s Labor Department Report of July unemployment is expected to be no less so. Sunday’s media was filled with some very interesting, if not depressing, views from a number of notables concerning where our economy stands and future short- to mid-term prospects.
Fareed Zacharia led off his “GPS” program on CNN with a brief analysis of the debate between so-called budget hawks and stimulus advocates. His advice was that of most “experts”—continue fiscal stimulus in the short-term to spur economic activity and bring down joblessness while advocating budget reduction in the medium term through revenue raising measures and decreased discretionary spending.
On NBC’s “Meet the Press,” David Gregory hosted a distinguished panel of Alan Greenspan, Governor Ed Rendell of Pennsylvania, and New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg for another roundtable concerning our stagnating economy. Greenspan had some interesting and unexpectedly surprising observations. He advocated completely doing away with the Bush tax cuts, across the board! He also said he had never, in his 51 years of experience in the financial world and government service, seen such a disconnect than what now exists between government on the one hand and business interests on the other, and sees it as extremely harmful to the economic well-being of America. Bloomberg and Rendell hedged on the complete elimination of the tax cuts, advocating maintaining them for middle- and lower-income earners, while eliminating those for the upper brackets, as those savings don’t get spent while at the lower level those savings go directly back into the economy via consumer expenditures.
In his column this morning, Princeton economist and New York Times columnist Paul Krugman made some blistering comments on the position of deficit hawks in urging budget cuts and the Federal Reserve for its inaction in taking needed monetary actions to spur spending. He said the result was a developing structuralization of unacceptable levels of unemployment. “I worry that those in power, rather than taking responsibility for job creation, will soon declare that high unemployment is “structural,” a permanent part of the economic landscape—and that by condemning large numbers of Americans to long-term joblessness, they’ll turn that excuse into dismal reality.” The Times’ Bob Herbert had similar comments in his op-ed piece on Saturday.
The other issue being argued is the threat that with sluggish economic growth and high unemployment, the economy is coming dangerously close to repeating the disastrous “Lost Decade” that Japan experienced from 1991 to 2001. Joe Kiernan, on this morning’s CNBC “Squawk Box,” had an extended debate with Jason Rooney, who was maintaining that there was no expectation on the part of the American consumer that prices would decline and thus cause postponement of purchasing decisions. If anything, he said, consumers believe that prices will rise. To which Kiernan was obviously disbelieving, in that almost every economist holds the opposite opinion. As the host said, since when do we trust the American public to make policy decisions for as complex an issue as this?
This brings me back to my friend’s comments mentioned at the start of this piece. How can seemingly intelligent business people be so oblivious of economic reality?
The other afternoon, I ran into two old friends in front of the local CVS store. The wife is an old colleague of mine in real estate; since I make it a point not to discuss anything controversial with office friends, I had no idea of her stances on either politics or economics. Her husband is a retired IBM executive, whom I had met socially on several occasions over the years, but with whom I had never discussed anything of real substance; in any case, he had always been cordial, if not down right pleasant.
They had just returned from a trip to China, and had found it extremely interesting and educational. We got to talking about the differences between the Chinese and American economies, and this quickly led into a discussion of how China was “on the rise” while America was in relative economic decline. That’s when the conversation started going downhill quickly. My friend’s opinion was that the U.S. economy would do just fine, if “government” just got completely out of the picture. To say that I found his statement to be incredulous would be an understatement.
In my opinion, if the recent financial crisis proved anything, it was that the deregulation of the American economy over the past three decades was responsible for bringing the world to the brink of economic catastrophe and a second Great Depression. But my friend is not alone in believing that what we need is more of the same.
The news over the weekend was dominated by economic discussion. Friday’s Bureau of Economic Analysis Report on Second Quarter GDP growth was disappointing to most economists and economic commentators, and this coming Friday’s Labor Department Report of July unemployment is expected to be no less so. Sunday’s media was filled with some very interesting, if not depressing, views from a number of notables concerning where our economy stands and future short- to mid-term prospects.
Fareed Zacharia led off his “GPS” program on CNN with a brief analysis of the debate between so-called budget hawks and stimulus advocates. His advice was that of most “experts”—continue fiscal stimulus in the short-term to spur economic activity and bring down joblessness while advocating budget reduction in the medium term through revenue raising measures and decreased discretionary spending.
On NBC’s “Meet the Press,” David Gregory hosted a distinguished panel of Alan Greenspan, Governor Ed Rendell of Pennsylvania, and New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg for another roundtable concerning our stagnating economy. Greenspan had some interesting and unexpectedly surprising observations. He advocated completely doing away with the Bush tax cuts, across the board! He also said he had never, in his 51 years of experience in the financial world and government service, seen such a disconnect than what now exists between government on the one hand and business interests on the other, and sees it as extremely harmful to the economic well-being of America. Bloomberg and Rendell hedged on the complete elimination of the tax cuts, advocating maintaining them for middle- and lower-income earners, while eliminating those for the upper brackets, as those savings don’t get spent while at the lower level those savings go directly back into the economy via consumer expenditures.
In his column this morning, Princeton economist and New York Times columnist Paul Krugman made some blistering comments on the position of deficit hawks in urging budget cuts and the Federal Reserve for its inaction in taking needed monetary actions to spur spending. He said the result was a developing structuralization of unacceptable levels of unemployment. “I worry that those in power, rather than taking responsibility for job creation, will soon declare that high unemployment is “structural,” a permanent part of the economic landscape—and that by condemning large numbers of Americans to long-term joblessness, they’ll turn that excuse into dismal reality.” The Times’ Bob Herbert had similar comments in his op-ed piece on Saturday.
The other issue being argued is the threat that with sluggish economic growth and high unemployment, the economy is coming dangerously close to repeating the disastrous “Lost Decade” that Japan experienced from 1991 to 2001. Joe Kiernan, on this morning’s CNBC “Squawk Box,” had an extended debate with Jason Rooney, who was maintaining that there was no expectation on the part of the American consumer that prices would decline and thus cause postponement of purchasing decisions. If anything, he said, consumers believe that prices will rise. To which Kiernan was obviously disbelieving, in that almost every economist holds the opposite opinion. As the host said, since when do we trust the American public to make policy decisions for as complex an issue as this?
This brings me back to my friend’s comments mentioned at the start of this piece. How can seemingly intelligent business people be so oblivious of economic reality?
Thursday, July 29, 2010
ANTHONY ROLFE JOHNSON REMEMBERED
by Bill Breakstone, Somers, NY, July 29, 2010
The English lyric tenor Anthony Rolfe Johnson died on July 21, 2010 in London at the age of 69 from Alzheimer’s disease.
Mr. Rolfe Johnson was a relative latecomer to opera and oratorio stages, not beginning his formal training until the age of 30. He was widely regarded as a leading exponent of the early music and baroque repertoire, though he also performed music from the classical to contemporary periods, including the operas of Benjamin Britten.
He arrived on the music scene just as the Handel revival entered full swing, and had long associations with two of the music world’s leading conductors of that music, namely Sir Neville Mariner and Sir John Elliot Gardiner, and made many prize-winning recordings with each of the works of Monteverdi, Bach and Handel.
He was by far my favorite tenor in this repertoire. Though Handel’s most famous arias were composed for castrato and soprano voices, he did leave behind many brilliant pieces for tenors. The arias Where Er’e You Walk from Semele and Waft Her Angels To The Sky from Jeptha are as fine as any Handel conceived, and Rolfe Johnson’s interpretations were of an unmatched level of artistry and tonal beauty. Likewise, two of the tenor arias in Solomon for Zadok, Sacred raptures cheer my breast and Golden columns fair and bright are among my favorite Handel excerpts, and Rolfe Johnson’s interpretations were of the highest caliber.
It was some 15 years ago that my mother died from Alzheimer’s, thus I know well the tragedy of this terrible disease. To witness the demise of one of the world’s most accomplished vocal artists to this withering affliction must have been heartbreaking for his family, friends and musical colleagues. He will be sorely missed, but happily remembered for the artistry he attained.
The English lyric tenor Anthony Rolfe Johnson died on July 21, 2010 in London at the age of 69 from Alzheimer’s disease.
Mr. Rolfe Johnson was a relative latecomer to opera and oratorio stages, not beginning his formal training until the age of 30. He was widely regarded as a leading exponent of the early music and baroque repertoire, though he also performed music from the classical to contemporary periods, including the operas of Benjamin Britten.
He arrived on the music scene just as the Handel revival entered full swing, and had long associations with two of the music world’s leading conductors of that music, namely Sir Neville Mariner and Sir John Elliot Gardiner, and made many prize-winning recordings with each of the works of Monteverdi, Bach and Handel.
He was by far my favorite tenor in this repertoire. Though Handel’s most famous arias were composed for castrato and soprano voices, he did leave behind many brilliant pieces for tenors. The arias Where Er’e You Walk from Semele and Waft Her Angels To The Sky from Jeptha are as fine as any Handel conceived, and Rolfe Johnson’s interpretations were of an unmatched level of artistry and tonal beauty. Likewise, two of the tenor arias in Solomon for Zadok, Sacred raptures cheer my breast and Golden columns fair and bright are among my favorite Handel excerpts, and Rolfe Johnson’s interpretations were of the highest caliber.
It was some 15 years ago that my mother died from Alzheimer’s, thus I know well the tragedy of this terrible disease. To witness the demise of one of the world’s most accomplished vocal artists to this withering affliction must have been heartbreaking for his family, friends and musical colleagues. He will be sorely missed, but happily remembered for the artistry he attained.
Monday, July 26, 2010
A WEEKEND WITH THE CARAMOOR VIRTUOSI
Reviewed by Bill Breakstone, Somers, NY
July 26, 2010
The Caramoor Virtuosi perform two programs each summer at the festival for which the group is named, and each year they invariably encounter bad weather. Such was the case Friday night, July 24th, as thunderstorms rolled through Katonah prior to and during the concert, forcing management to move the affair from the Spanish Courtyard to the Venetian Theatre for the second year in a row.
The instrumentalists for this ensemble change from time to time depending on availability. Its Music Director, cellist Edward Arron, is the one steady member. Joining him this weekend were his wife, pianist Jeewon Park, violinists Jesse Mills and Arnaud Sussman, violists Max Mandel and Yura Lee, and cellist Priscilla Lee.
Year after year, the Virtuosi always come up with fresh chamber music programs, be the music older classics or newer contemporary pieces. They specialize in works that are seldom performed, and this weekend hit the jackpot. Friday evening’s concert offered three compositions—Schubert’s Adagio and Rondo Concertante in F Major for Violin, Viola, Cello and Piano, D. 487; Shostakovich’s Piano Quintet in G minor, Op. 57; and Beethoven’s String Quintet in C Major, Op. 29.
These three varied works offer stark contrasts, from Schubert’s broad melodic strokes, the dark, somber mood of the Shostakovich Quintet, and the beautifully molded Beethoven, a perfect example of his early period, written contemporaneously with his “Pastoral” Piano Sonata, Op. 26.
The performances were all outstanding, each player obviously relishing each note and phrase of the three pieces. These young musicians are a joy to listen to and watch. Caramoor should make their appearances a weekly affair during the Festival, and take advantage of the excellent acoustics in the Venetian Theatre, far preferable in my opinion to the dry sound that mars performances in the Spanish Courtyard.
The weather was more agreeable on Sunday afternoon, but the attendance was regrettably sparse for what turned out to be a memorable concert. The old saying goes “you can’t tell a book by its cover.” Such could certainly apply to Sunday’s program. There were no blockbuster chamber pieces offered; just three works of relative obscurity—Dvorak’s Op. 47 Bagatelles for Two Violins, Cello and Harmonium; Selections form Viaggio in Italia for Two Violins, Viola and Two Cellos by Giovanni Sollima; and the Concerto in D Major, Op. 21 for Violin, Piano and String Quartet by Ernest Chausson.
The charming Dvorak Bagatelles opened the program and acquainted the audience with an instrument seldom encountered in the concert hall—the harmonium, a sort of miniature organ but without that instrument’s percussive effects. The five pieces were upbeat and brisk, with the exception of the very brief No. 4, Cannon: Andante con moto.
The five movements from Sollima’s Viaggio in Italia, a 14 movement composition composed in 2000 and lasting in total 75 minutes, are all intensely rhythmical and genuinely lyrical, if in a contemporary vein. They were extremely interesting, and further proof that contemporary music these days can be listenable. It was a credit to the performers that they bring this music to audience’s attention.
The music of Chausson is having a virtulal rebirth this year. Usually, all we hear from this late 19th Century (1855-1899) French composer are his art songs. In June, the New York Philharmonic and Sir Andrew Davis, with soprano Susan Graham, presented Chausson’s Poeme de l’Amour et de la Mer, a lavish diptych-with-interlude in which Wagnerian opulence mingles with daubs of nascent impressionism.
Here at Caramoor, we were treated to another large-scale composition by the Frenchman, the Concerto for Piano and String Quartet. The work is seldom performed, no doubt due to its unusual combination of instruments. It is a fiendishly difficult piece, thoroughly absorbing, and magnificently performed by six consummate string players. The two violinists, Jesse Mills and Arnaud Sussman, are both virtuosi of the highest artistry. And enough can not be said of the rest of the ensemble: violinist Yura Lee, violist Max Mandel, cellist Edward Aaron and pianist Jeewon Park.
The three works were all new to these ears, and made quite an impression. The concert was further proof that programmers need not rely solely on the old favorites of the repertoire. It was just a shame that a larger audience was not able to enjoy this kind of brilliant music making.
July 26, 2010
The Caramoor Virtuosi perform two programs each summer at the festival for which the group is named, and each year they invariably encounter bad weather. Such was the case Friday night, July 24th, as thunderstorms rolled through Katonah prior to and during the concert, forcing management to move the affair from the Spanish Courtyard to the Venetian Theatre for the second year in a row.
The instrumentalists for this ensemble change from time to time depending on availability. Its Music Director, cellist Edward Arron, is the one steady member. Joining him this weekend were his wife, pianist Jeewon Park, violinists Jesse Mills and Arnaud Sussman, violists Max Mandel and Yura Lee, and cellist Priscilla Lee.
Year after year, the Virtuosi always come up with fresh chamber music programs, be the music older classics or newer contemporary pieces. They specialize in works that are seldom performed, and this weekend hit the jackpot. Friday evening’s concert offered three compositions—Schubert’s Adagio and Rondo Concertante in F Major for Violin, Viola, Cello and Piano, D. 487; Shostakovich’s Piano Quintet in G minor, Op. 57; and Beethoven’s String Quintet in C Major, Op. 29.
These three varied works offer stark contrasts, from Schubert’s broad melodic strokes, the dark, somber mood of the Shostakovich Quintet, and the beautifully molded Beethoven, a perfect example of his early period, written contemporaneously with his “Pastoral” Piano Sonata, Op. 26.
The performances were all outstanding, each player obviously relishing each note and phrase of the three pieces. These young musicians are a joy to listen to and watch. Caramoor should make their appearances a weekly affair during the Festival, and take advantage of the excellent acoustics in the Venetian Theatre, far preferable in my opinion to the dry sound that mars performances in the Spanish Courtyard.
The weather was more agreeable on Sunday afternoon, but the attendance was regrettably sparse for what turned out to be a memorable concert. The old saying goes “you can’t tell a book by its cover.” Such could certainly apply to Sunday’s program. There were no blockbuster chamber pieces offered; just three works of relative obscurity—Dvorak’s Op. 47 Bagatelles for Two Violins, Cello and Harmonium; Selections form Viaggio in Italia for Two Violins, Viola and Two Cellos by Giovanni Sollima; and the Concerto in D Major, Op. 21 for Violin, Piano and String Quartet by Ernest Chausson.
The charming Dvorak Bagatelles opened the program and acquainted the audience with an instrument seldom encountered in the concert hall—the harmonium, a sort of miniature organ but without that instrument’s percussive effects. The five pieces were upbeat and brisk, with the exception of the very brief No. 4, Cannon: Andante con moto.
The five movements from Sollima’s Viaggio in Italia, a 14 movement composition composed in 2000 and lasting in total 75 minutes, are all intensely rhythmical and genuinely lyrical, if in a contemporary vein. They were extremely interesting, and further proof that contemporary music these days can be listenable. It was a credit to the performers that they bring this music to audience’s attention.
The music of Chausson is having a virtulal rebirth this year. Usually, all we hear from this late 19th Century (1855-1899) French composer are his art songs. In June, the New York Philharmonic and Sir Andrew Davis, with soprano Susan Graham, presented Chausson’s Poeme de l’Amour et de la Mer, a lavish diptych-with-interlude in which Wagnerian opulence mingles with daubs of nascent impressionism.
Here at Caramoor, we were treated to another large-scale composition by the Frenchman, the Concerto for Piano and String Quartet. The work is seldom performed, no doubt due to its unusual combination of instruments. It is a fiendishly difficult piece, thoroughly absorbing, and magnificently performed by six consummate string players. The two violinists, Jesse Mills and Arnaud Sussman, are both virtuosi of the highest artistry. And enough can not be said of the rest of the ensemble: violinist Yura Lee, violist Max Mandel, cellist Edward Aaron and pianist Jeewon Park.
The three works were all new to these ears, and made quite an impression. The concert was further proof that programmers need not rely solely on the old favorites of the repertoire. It was just a shame that a larger audience was not able to enjoy this kind of brilliant music making.
Friday, July 23, 2010
STRONG SECOND QUARTER CORPORATE EARNINGS--NOW WHERE ARE THE JOBS?
by Bill Breakstone, Somers, NY, July 23, 2010
A new Gallup poll was released on July 21st showing the confidence levels of the American public towards various institutions. The military ranked the highest at an approximate 79% approval rating. The Congress earned the lowest level of confidence, at 11%. Next to last was big business, at 13%.
The lack of confidence in the Congress is readily understandable. It is nearly impossible to get any meaningful legislation through, especially in the Senate. Likewise, the mistrust in business, after the near economic catastrophe, is also easy to understand.
We are now in the thick of the earnings season, and the reports coming out from the S&P 100 corporations thus far have been mostly brilliant. The New York Times today reports that “More than 140 companies have now reported results for the second quarter, and, by and large, the news has been good. On average, profits have increased by about a third.” Amazon’s profit rose by 45%; the New York Times Company second quarter profit more than doubled as it posted its first gain in three years; Apple has almost doubled its revenue in the last two years; Microsoft’s revenue total of $16.04 billion surpassed the $15.27 billion predicted by analysts, posting a 48 percent rise in net income; United Parcel Service said its second quarter net income increased 90 percent; the 3M Company said its quarterly net income rose 43 percent; Eaton Corporation reported quarterly net income of $226 million versus $29 million in 2009; AutoNation posted a 29 percent increase in second quarter net income; AT&T’s earnings rose 26%; and Ford easily beat profit and revenue expectations.
All this is wonderful news, no? So why are Americans so lacking in confidence when it comes to big business? The answer is that despite the improved picture in corporate revenue and earnings, unemployment remains unacceptably high. The official rate now stands at 9.5%, but the real rate is closer to 17%. Thus, American corporations are rebounding nicely, yet they are not adding jobs, even though inventory has been drawn down. Business is doing more with less. Instead of increasing their work forces, they are having employees work longer hours, great for those with a job, but terrible for those seeking employment. Add to that the growing outsourcing of work, and you end up with a stagnant labor market.
No one seems to have an answer to this dilemma. One would think that if business keeps improving, sooner or later jobs will be added. However, the drag of the housing market, which has now entered a “double-dip” of its own and is a main driver of the economy, does not bode well for the labor market. Nor does the general slowdown in auto sales, now that the incentives have run their course.
I guess we can only keep our fingers crossed and abide by the advice given yesterday by Fed Chair Bernanke—keep the stimulus in place until the economy recovers further and significant jobs are added and unemployment declines to a more manageable level.
A new Gallup poll was released on July 21st showing the confidence levels of the American public towards various institutions. The military ranked the highest at an approximate 79% approval rating. The Congress earned the lowest level of confidence, at 11%. Next to last was big business, at 13%.
The lack of confidence in the Congress is readily understandable. It is nearly impossible to get any meaningful legislation through, especially in the Senate. Likewise, the mistrust in business, after the near economic catastrophe, is also easy to understand.
We are now in the thick of the earnings season, and the reports coming out from the S&P 100 corporations thus far have been mostly brilliant. The New York Times today reports that “More than 140 companies have now reported results for the second quarter, and, by and large, the news has been good. On average, profits have increased by about a third.” Amazon’s profit rose by 45%; the New York Times Company second quarter profit more than doubled as it posted its first gain in three years; Apple has almost doubled its revenue in the last two years; Microsoft’s revenue total of $16.04 billion surpassed the $15.27 billion predicted by analysts, posting a 48 percent rise in net income; United Parcel Service said its second quarter net income increased 90 percent; the 3M Company said its quarterly net income rose 43 percent; Eaton Corporation reported quarterly net income of $226 million versus $29 million in 2009; AutoNation posted a 29 percent increase in second quarter net income; AT&T’s earnings rose 26%; and Ford easily beat profit and revenue expectations.
All this is wonderful news, no? So why are Americans so lacking in confidence when it comes to big business? The answer is that despite the improved picture in corporate revenue and earnings, unemployment remains unacceptably high. The official rate now stands at 9.5%, but the real rate is closer to 17%. Thus, American corporations are rebounding nicely, yet they are not adding jobs, even though inventory has been drawn down. Business is doing more with less. Instead of increasing their work forces, they are having employees work longer hours, great for those with a job, but terrible for those seeking employment. Add to that the growing outsourcing of work, and you end up with a stagnant labor market.
No one seems to have an answer to this dilemma. One would think that if business keeps improving, sooner or later jobs will be added. However, the drag of the housing market, which has now entered a “double-dip” of its own and is a main driver of the economy, does not bode well for the labor market. Nor does the general slowdown in auto sales, now that the incentives have run their course.
I guess we can only keep our fingers crossed and abide by the advice given yesterday by Fed Chair Bernanke—keep the stimulus in place until the economy recovers further and significant jobs are added and unemployment declines to a more manageable level.
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