fivespot cabin

how fivespot came to be

Fivespot guests have often wondered who paneled the walls, harvested the cedar poles, or made that beautiful tricky cut in the wood flooring for the fireplace hearth. Introducing: Madon Snell.

Madon had already worked with us on our house for a couple of years when we bought the cabin that was to become fivespot, so we were well-prepared for a big renovation. Our workflow was simple: Bachrun and I (actually, mostly Bachrun) made the plan, Madon figured out how to do it, and all three of us cut, sanded, varnished, tiled, installed, etc. Madon was able to find a solution for every challenge—not only that, he was willing to do it over and over when we changed our minds! Here he is working the cement mixer in front of fivespot in 2008:

Madon has moved on to Palo Alto where he assists social entrepreneur/engineer Dainuri Rott in building a powered surfboard (Goodlife Mobility).They recently got media coverage on CBS news in Los Angeles! See the project in action here (Madon is the guy in the brown jacket): Local Man Creates Surf Board For Physically-Challenged Athletes « CBS Los Angeles.

intermittent closure of Generals Highway this winter

Road construction continues in Sequoia-Kings Canyon National Park. I believe they are replacing a bridge at Halstead Meadow. For fivespot guests, that means the General Sherman tree and trails at Lodgepole will be inaccessible, but the General Grant tree, Hume Lake, Big Baldy, and Big Meadows trails are open and within a 30-minute drive from the cabin. Here's the latest from the Park website:

Generals Highway (Lodgepole to Grant Grove)
Closed on 1/2/2012: From Wuksachi Lodge to Montecito Resort (8 miles south of Hwy 180). 
UPDATE: As of Saturday, 1/7: Due to limited snowfall, the road between the parks will be open only on upcoming weekends and holidays from 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. until measurable snowfall closes the road. After snowfall, the road is expected to be closed through April 1.

So, in brief, while there is no snow, Generals Highway is open on weekends and holidays. As of today (January 10) no snow/rain is expected for at least 7 days (this year's La Niña pattern is holding off any moisture). Hopefully that will change soon, and once it does, Generals Highway will be closed altogether until April 1.

Call the Park to get up-to-the-minute information: (559) 565-3341 (press 1, 1, 1) or (559) 335-2856.

napping in our national parks

The activity pictured here is recommended for all hikers regardless of ability, especially those who don't want to ruin a perfectly lovely mountain day with "exercise." Herewith is a collection of Bachrun's snoozing adventures in various locations and seasons in Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks. We invite you to come up and do the same!

 

 

 

visit fivespot on facebook

Fivespot now has a Facebook page:

http://www.facebook.com/fivespotcabin

See new and enthusiastic recommendations, and check out the Pages we like: Sequoia-Kings Canyon National Park, Sequoia National Forest, Sequoia Natural History Foundation, etc.

"Like" us, if you like!

 

fivespot tchotchkes on YouTube

Enjoy this fun stop-action movie made by fivespot guests last Christmas. Winter vacations are the best for inventing your own entertainment!

 

 

update from Pinehurst

Thanks to a super-busy summer of rentals and art projects, we're getting behind with posting new and interesting things. But never fear! Something is always going on in Pinehurst and Badger, even if we are in "the country."

The biggest event of the summer was The Hatchery: East of Fresno, a contemporary art exhibition held in nearby Badger at the old Synanon site. Over 40 artists from around the U.S. and beyond participated; nearly 400 people came to see it during the two days of the show. See photos and a description of the project at the Hatchery website.

The image we used to promote the show was made by Bachrun; the poster was designed by artist Lex Calip. Coming soon: a catalog of the event, with photos of all the work in the show, and pix of an entertaining evening spent in and around the abandoned building and airstrip, complete with BBQ and band (the excellent Not Perfect Humans)!

U.S. National Park Service Free Entrance Days in the National Parks

Visit Sequoia - Kings Canyon National Park for free! There are 17 free days in 2011, including National Park Week, April 16-24. National Park Free Entrance Days

That's a great time for driving up from the Valley through spring flowers, then snow-shoeing in sequoia groves. Fivespot is usually snow-free in April, so it's no problem to get around. Come on up!

The Hatchery Free Range Contemporary Art Exhibition

As if you needed another reason to visit the Sierras on the last weekend of October (when the road to Kings Canyon will close for the winter), now you've got another: a contemporary art exhibition called "The Hatchery Free Range." website

This will be a one-day-only event, Saturday, October 30, 2010, in Badger (about 10 minutes from Pinehurst). Art viewing is from 11 am to 4 pm. Then, a "bring your own bar-be-que" from 4-6 pm, and finally, live acoustic music from 6 pm until we're done.

Bachrun is one of 10 artists who will be showing work in a huge airplane hangar at Badger Creek Development, where his studio is located. This decrepit building has been re-named "The Hatchery", which also refers to the group of artists who have begun reclaiming it. The Hatchery, in its ruined state, is a fascinating backdrop for the art, and of considerable interest on its own.

Hope to see you on the 30th!

 

new photo album and blog beautification

Pinehurst has finally had a normal wet spring, after 3 years of drought conditions. Garden flowers are blooming, but they haven't had a spectacular showing this year, since spring snows crushed them several weeks in a row. However, wildflowers continue to carpet the green hills with color all the way up to Pinehurst on Highway 180 and Dry Creek Road.

We've been busy taking pictures, especially of the fivespot flowers in front of the cabin. The new banner photo was taken by our friend Elena Keller, who is re-locating to the West Coast from Florida. She is helping us out with spring tasks - including improving the look of the blog with her photography. Enjoy!

Badger Creek vacation rentals

In addition to fivespot cabin, Bachrun and I also manage vacation rentals at Badger Creek Development, a large property near Pinehurst in Badger (3000' elevation). Pictured above are a small cabin (for 1 or 2 people) and a large 3-bedroom, 2-bath home that sleeps 9.

Coming soon is an art studio, which can be rented for two weeks up to two months. The Sierras have long been a popular retreat for artists and writers who want to work in and explore this marvelous environment. In fact, Bachrun's art studio is in one of the old buildings on the property.

Badger Creek Development is a 377-acre spread, with scenic rolling hills, a seasonal creek and stocked pond, is home to huge old oak trees, manzanita, pines, meadows, huge boulders, walking paths, deer, wild boar, bear, bobcats, bass, and birds of all sorts.

Previously developed, the property is now owned by architect Reinhard Hesse and a group of investors. It is slated to become a sustainable, energy-efficient community of 170 LEED-certified homes, and commercial and office space. As a partner in the green energy firm Frontier Renewables, Hesse plans to convert an existing airstrip into a 3-megawatt solar PV plant.

So if fivespot is already booked, if your group is large, or you've got pets, you've got options at Badger Creek! It's a great place for kids and dogs to run around, and for bicycling, fishing, bird- and wildlife-watching. See more photos and descriptions on the pages listed in the left sidebar.