pappy - 1-12-2005 at 06:55 PM
i know a bit off topic, but a couple of folks from this site have called me wanting to know about the la conchita land slide, and i don't much feel
like talking on the phone about it at this point soooo, yes, we lost several freinds and aquaintances in that disaster.thank you for inquiring.still
keeping hope for those yet to be recovered.
David K - 1-12-2005 at 07:18 PM
Thanks Pappy... I am sorry you lost friends there.
I had a friend who lived on the main street in La Conchita... it has been several years since I saw him. His house was near or partially damaged in
the '95 slide. He was Doug Richardson who gained national fame as California's first commercial banana farmer (I have the People Magazine he was
featured in). That was back in my Banana growing hobby days with the California Rare Fruit Growers. Doug and I exchanged rare varieties, I have lots
of photos.
I hope Doug moved away from there before this disaster.
Mexitron - 1-12-2005 at 07:33 PM
Sorry pappy.......a tragedy.
A VERY, VERY SAD STORY
BajaVida - 1-12-2005 at 07:41 PM
I am shocked they let people rebuild their homes after the last slide.
Doug Richardson
Mike Humfreville - 1-12-2005 at 07:55 PM
I remember the article and driving by the "plantation" many times on the way from Ventura to Santa Barbara
Of course I am saddened by the lost life there. Can you imagine how the father felt when he heard his wife and three young children were lost?
I'm glad I don't need to make a decision about the right to live in that location. I want to live damn well where I choose. But I don't think I
could ask for public assistance if I choose the wrong place when it's obvious.
Very sad story and the count is rising, slowly at least.
pappy - 1-13-2005 at 11:47 AM
well, they all knew the risk.the ones i knew personally basically had the attitude of well, if it goes, it goes, not much can be done about it....it
is a b-tchin' little community and many still claim they won't leave unless they are in a box....the right to choose-it's what the USA is about....
So sad...
thebajarunner - 1-13-2005 at 02:23 PM
But, I agree with Baja Vida. How in the world did the planners ever allow these homes to be there, given past slide history.
I am a real estate developer, have developed thousands (yeah...) of residential lots. The hoops we go through are pretty incredible at times, and I
can never imagine this being allowed here in our Central Valley.
I tried to put homes a couple miles from the local airport, not in the direct flight path, and got shot down.
Also, how do the insurance companies ever underwrite this kind of community?
(and my wife is sure that the billions of dollars going to Asia will simply re-create the villages just destroyed)
So sad!!
Baja Arriba!!
FrankO - 1-13-2005 at 03:39 PM
Those homes have been there forever. There is an ongoing lawsuit that is years old blaming causation of cliff erosion on the avocado rancher/farmer
who allegedly has overwatered causing a gradual breakdown in the cliff's integrity. The folks who have stayed there have signed waivers stating they
understand the risk and accept it to live there. Apparently an evacuation order had been given previous to this latest slide and was ignored by many.
People b-tch when govt. limits us and then b-tch more when they haven't had thier hands held enough. I can't count the times I have weighed risks and
justified them to myself. Regardless, it's a terrible tragedy.
Slide
azvazquez - 1-13-2005 at 05:52 PM
Here is a pic atfer the slide.
azvazquez - 1-13-2005 at 05:53 PM
Wrong pic, sorry.
Gypsy Jan - 1-13-2005 at 07:35 PM
dear pappy,
My family's sincere condolences to you and your community for their loss.
May God grant you grace and ease your pain.
Pappy,........
Debra - 1-13-2005 at 07:56 PM
We have been watching the news up here in Seattle and saying prayers for all of you. You all in Southern California have had more than your share to
deal with this last few years. Hugs...
pappy - 1-13-2005 at 08:22 PM
thanks all.myself, and many of us in the community appreciate it.what 'bugs" us is that these folks(the ones i knew) are so tuned into nature(in fact,
Tony has rescued his fair share from the backcountry)that we don't understand why they didn't bail after the second day of hard , constant rain....it
is said that we are here to do a certain "work" and when that is done it's time to go to the next level-for the adults perhaps-but the kids-they never
got their chance....peace.
movinguy - 1-13-2005 at 09:36 PM
La Conchita was the butt of many jokes for those of us that grew up in the tri-counties. I actually grew to appreciate the place but couldn't
understand how anyone could live there - the traffic along 101 has pretty much destroyed any charm it may have had. Just try to get in or out of
there on a Friday afternoon.
NO excuse for this when it has happened before - shame on somebody.
The old banana plantation was pretty cool, though.
pappy - 1-13-2005 at 10:37 PM
yep- over the years i have several opportunities to move there-recently i was told about a lot with a trailer that was available-very inexpensive.in
all cases i considered it, but the bottom line was, as movinguy said, the freeway.i have spent enough time there, during my life, to know that the
hazards of coming and going from there where in and of themselves, enough for me to say no .i honestly don't know how the folks of that community did
it-they obviously truly loved their little hamlet and i appreciate that...like i said -it's a b-tchin' community-but now...at what price??
Mike Humfreville - 1-13-2005 at 11:41 PM
With no judgement intended, just heart, I could live there and accept my fate. But I wouldn't put my kids in the hands of...fate?
Hearts are with them tonight, as always. Independence from any "system" is a good thing.
County does not want the mud pile to be moved......
BajaVida - 1-17-2005 at 09:06 PM
Supervisors balking at having taxpayers cough up the $100 million necessary to shore up the slide.
http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-laconchita18jan18,0,...
a sad loss of an interesting guy
BajaVida - 1-17-2005 at 09:25 PM
http://www.latimes.com/features/outdoors/la-os-wildwest18jan...
David K - 1-17-2005 at 09:33 PM
Thank you BajaVida...
The biggest loss is not homes or money, but people... people like that man who had such great spirit!