La Quinta Cove

Tom Hartung, Director of Building and Safety, the seventh employee hired by the City of LQ back in 1983, reflects on the progress of the City.    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C6lCFK2G_Hk

Nature hikers were treated to the grand view of the Coachella Valley from a perspective HIGH in the Cove. The San Andreas fault was slightly visible from here, however not in this video.  We even learned how the word “Coachella” came into being.   http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NrSgbVitjeM

A chuckwalla (one of the desert’s mysteries) was spotted and prompted this discourse by our leader, Katie Barrows: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W4ov9G2iWwU

This photo from Wikipedia:

Work begins at the top of the Cove (waaaaaaaay at the top) with inmates arriving to rake and shovel away the old stuff.  As you recall, this is a cooperative project with the City of LQ, Burrtec, CVWD, BLM, Cove Neighborhood Association, Riverside County Fire Department and some hard-working inmates.

Inmates arriving:   http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n5YLAmwVsJQ

Captain Kevin Meadows of the Oak Glenn Fire Department:    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ql0QiTz-77k

A look at the old dump (VERY windy):        http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VoEPvUR7z-c

Almost 40 curious nature walkers enjoyed a morning hiking and listening to a myriad of myths and mysteries being addressed by Katie Barrows and local history buffs.  One such mystery:  What film featured the steps carved into the outcropping rocks above Tecate?  The answer is: SEVERAL, most notably “The Ten Commandments” 1956, and “The Big Fisherman” 1959.  Maybe more….. The above steps are only the top few remaining in the stone  stairway.  The lower steps were subsequently covered by the earth moved around to shape the flood control retention basins in the late 1980s.

The City of La Quinta, Riverside Fire Department, CVWD, Burrtec, and the Department of Corrections is launching a project to clean up a very old dump at the very top of the Cove.  If you’re not a hiker, you probably have not seen it, but it covers several acres of desert.  Working with the Cove Neighborhood Association BLM, and an archaeologist, it is hoped that this area will be as beautiful as the other vast (pristine) desert we all love.  (Please excuse the windy sound  interference.)

Building and Safety Manager, Greg Butler:     http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CLOfDMq2Srs

Public Works Department Steve Kochell: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rQrC8fuUgrA

Nothing like an error to get everyone to write in and to comment.  Thanks for noticing….

I was able to speak with a Burrtec employee today who stated that the the Cove is now divided into two parts: DOWN THE MIDDLE.  West side on Tuesdays and east side on Wednesday.  He wasn’t able to say which street is the divider, but we can figure that out.  We used to have one day dedicated to the Cove, now two. 

YOU DON’T HAVE TO WAIT FOR AN ERROR TO WI

Your humble moderator #2 messed up again, assuming the whole Cove would have the same day for trash pick up.  Many MANY of you alert readers at the TOP of the Cove jumped right on this error and contacted me.  Some of these were listed under “comments” but alas, we don’t always read those….they are often the most important/interesting part of the posting.  Just click on “comments” if you wish to make one, or it will say “1 comment or 2 comments” if someone has interjected.

So the word from Burrtec is that the answer lady could not tell me how many separate delivery areas there are in the Cove, but we know there are at least two:  Bottom of the Cove Tuesdays and top of the Cove Wednesdays.  So concult your postcard to be sure.  Again, apologies for not having checked around more, but Burrtec does not give out the info without an address.  If in doubt, or you lost your card or you forgot, give them a call at 340-2113

I’m concerned about the condition of the walking sidewalk path around the Cove which I use daily. I’m worried that the Bermudas side at the top is overgrown with bushes that cover half the path, branches that hang down full of thorns to cause eye injuries and possible law suits to City. Maybe the City employees who drive around in all those brand new trucks with air conditioning and paid for by our taxes could step out of them once in a while and clear the sand and gravel that’s over taken the walk way so that we can enjoy it more.

Remember that little post card we all got in the mail?  This is the week that we begin trash pick up in the Cove on TUESDAYS instead of Thursdays. 

Also from Burrtec, they are asking that we do NOT place cactus or palm fronds in our GREEN  bin, as they are too tough for the choppers to chop.  Put these items (along with our dirt from plants, etc.) in the BROWN bin with the garbage.

Remember, you can schedule pick up of bulky items by calling their number, 760-340-2113 or going to www.burrtecdesert.com

Maybe it’s the Great Horned Howl (bubo virginianus) that inhabits forests, cities and our open desert.  Our intrepid bird watcher, Sandy Swan, tells us these little-known facts:

• Owls’ coloring and mottled markings help to conceal them during the day
• They have excellent hearing, which they use to catch prey in the dark
• Owls’ eyes are fixed in the socket; they must turn their head to look up, down or sideways
• They regurgitate a “pellet” of undigested bones and feathers about 8 hours after eating
• They have fringed edges on their wing feathers, so they can fly silently in the dark
• They eat mammals ranging in size from rats to skunks, some insects, lizards and other owls
• A captive Great Horned Owl lived 27 + years!

Want to hear him/her hoot?    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wsTKkLxtGx4