BajaNomad

100 Mules Walk to Los Angeles

DianaT - 10-20-2013 at 09:25 PM

Friday 100 mules left the Owens Valley where the intake from the river enters the Los Angeles DWP aqueduct between Big Pine and Independence and they will follow the over 200 miles of the aqueduct to Los Angeles where the water from the Owens valley gives life to Los Angeles. They will participate in a Veterans Day Parade in November in Glendale.

It is in part a celebration of the 100th anniversary of the aqueduct that was a huge engineering feat back then that allowed Los Angeles to become the 2nd largest city in the US. In part it is a celebration of mules, those wonderful creatures that worked so hard to complete this project. In part it is a living art project that strives to bring more harmony between the needs of Los Angeles and the needs of Inyo and Mono County. In part it is a part of an educational project to let people of LA know from where their water comes. And in part, it is a publicity statement from the LA DWP. The relationships between Mono and Inyo Counties and Los Angeles are controversial, complicated, and never with out litigation.

First the intake where the Owens River enters the aquaduct --- the place where the slope of the land ensured a gravity feed to Los Angeles.



Some links to what is going on.

facebook

More Mule Information

And more information

more mules

And there is more information on the web about these wonderful creatures who are headed to Los Angeles just as the water from this area runs to Los Angels.

[Edited on 10-28-2013 by DianaT]

churro - 10-20-2013 at 09:40 PM

Very cool!

bufeo - 10-21-2013 at 07:16 AM

What fun! We have an acquaintance here who was part of the Twenty-mule Trek (see Jean DeHaven's "Trail of burroes" by Bob Wakefield, 1968). I think he told us a few weeks ago that he was going to help out on this walk. He's a farrier.

I love the look those other mules are giving. We can anthropomorphize: "Hey, where're you guys goin'?"

Nice shots, Diana.

Allen R

Skipjack Joe - 10-21-2013 at 07:42 AM

That's a great portrait, Diane. You caught her character very well.

LA Aqueduct

bajaguy - 10-21-2013 at 07:48 AM

Sorry for the hijack, but somewhat related.....

If you want to watch a great semi-historical movie on the LA Aqueduct, and its builder, John Mulholland, find a copy of "Chinatown" starring Jack Nicholson:

".....Jake J. Gittes (Jack Nicholson) is a successful private detective. He is hired to investigate an extra-marital affair involving Hollis, the husband of Evelyn Mulwray (Faye Dunaway).

Jake takes photos of Hollis with a young lady. Hollis then turns up murdered, which Jake decides to investigate. He finds more than he was looking for.

Jake discovers a plot to buy cheap, unwatered land for low prices, water the land, and sell it for millions of dollars......"

Movie character: Hollis Mulwray

Real life character: William Mulholland

"...Mulholland supervised the building of the Los Angeles Aqueduct, a 233-mile (375 km)-long system to move water from Owens Valley to the San Fernando Valley. The creation and operation of the aqueduct led to the disputes known as the California Water Wars.......

".........After a brief stint in Arizona where he prospected for gold and worked on the Colorado River, he obtained a job from Frederick Eaton as Deputy water distributor with the newly formed Los Angeles City Water Company (LACWC)...."

"......He left (the LAWC) again in 1885 and worked for the Sespe Land and Water Company. As part of his compensation he was granted twenty acres on Sespe Creek....."

The LA aqueduct was built by Mulholland in 1908

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Mulholland

mtgoat666 - 10-21-2013 at 08:40 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by DianaT
a group of lead mules including the Solar Mule from McGee Creek that we were told was even carrying an espresso machine.


where can i buy a solar mule with an expresso machine?? i really need one of those! i tried strapping solar panels, batteries and expresso machine to my dog for a hike in the mountains and he really did not like it!

DianaT - 10-21-2013 at 04:23 PM

Thanks for the comments and good to see some interest in this project and in the story of water around these parts. China Town was a good movie. :yes: Mulholland was an interesting person, to say the least.

Bufeo, mules, I believe are smarter than horses and when the walk started, those other mules looked up and moved closer! :biggrin: And your friend may well be a part of the very large support team.

Igor, I am working on a little different crop of that portrait --- I will see. I just love classic faces and she is a classic. She had just had a bit of a struggle with one of her mules who decided to challenge her and I don't think I need to tell you who won. The people who run those pack stations are really good people, and to handle that kind of business, one does need to quite tough.

Thanks for looking, and goat, you must need a bigger dog.

Barry A. - 10-21-2013 at 05:35 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by DianaT
Thanks for the comments and good to see some interest in this project and in the story of water around these parts. China Town was a good movie. :yes: Mulholland was an interesting person, to say the least.

Bufeo, mules, I believe are smarter than horses and when the walk started, those other mules looked up and moved closer! :biggrin: And your friend may well be a part of the very large support team.

Igor, I am working on a little different crop of that portrait --- I will see. I just love classic faces and she is a classic. She had just had a bit of a struggle with one of her mules who decided to challenge her and I don't think I need to tell you who won. The people who run those pack stations are really good people, and to handle that kind of business, one does need to quite tough.

Thanks for looking, and goat, you must need a bigger dog.


That gal does not look like Jennifer Roeser, Diana-----do you know who that wranglerette is?? It is a classic shot, whoever it is. My son was also involved in the "100 mile walk" in his position as a friend of Jennifer and Lee, McGee Creek pack station & the 8-Mile Ranch, but had to leave the valley for Palm Springs on Paiute business this morning, for several days.

Barry

rts551 - 10-21-2013 at 06:26 PM

Nice pictures Diane. Many have a different view of Owens Valley than celebration. Were there any of those folks there as well.

DianaT - 10-21-2013 at 07:50 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by Barry A.


That gal does not look like Jennifer Roeser, Diana-----do you know who that wranglerette is?? It is a classic shot, whoever it is. My son was also involved in the "100 mile walk" in his position as a friend of Jennifer and Lee, McGee Creek pack station & the 8-Mile Ranch, but had to leave the valley for Palm Springs on Paiute business this morning, for several days.

Barry


No, that is not Jennifer. I don't know Jennifer, but I have seen pictures of her. I don't know who it is, but I want to find out for several reasons. You know, I am not even sure she is one who is involved with one of the Pack Stations --- I do know, she knew how to handle that mule. I will find her.

Quote:
Originally posted by rts551
Nice pictures Diane. Many have a different view of Owens Valley than celebration. Were there any of those folks there as well.


There was a small crowd of onlookers and many, many support people. The DWP official from Los Angeles said he was surprised how many people were there---I doubt he knows much about the valley.

I don't know why, but I just love the culture that surrounds Mules and the Pack Stations. Mules are just special creatures and don't seem to ever get the attention or credit that horses and burros receive. Now, that is unless one is in Bishop, the Mule Capital. :biggrin:

tripledigitken - 10-21-2013 at 10:54 PM

Great pictorial Diane!
Quote:
Originally posted by DianaT
....Mules are just special creatures and don't seem to ever get the attention or credit that horses and burros receive. Now, that is unless one is in Bishop, the Mule Capital. :biggrin:


..or the Grand Canyon. Wouldn't want to be on another animal riding from the rim to the river and back.


bufeo - 10-22-2013 at 08:35 AM

To quote a character from one of Wm. Faulkner's stories, "A mule will labor ten years willingly and patiently for you, for the privilege of kicking you once."

I use that quotation from experience as well.

:yes:

Allen R

DianaT - 10-22-2013 at 05:41 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by bufeo
To quote a character from one of Wm. Faulkner's stories, "A mule will labor ten years willingly and patiently for you, for the privilege of kicking you once."

I use that quotation from experience as well.

:yes:

Allen R


I like that quote -- a lot!

Ken,
Thanks and that is a beautiful photo---thanks for sharing it.

Diana

Marc - 10-24-2013 at 06:18 AM

Mark Twain said it best; "whiskey is for drinking, and water is for...fighting!