Archive for the 'Carlsbad Outdoor Events' Category
Challenged Athletes Foundation SDTC 2008
October 27th, 2008 Categories: Carlsbad Business Community, Carlsbad Outdoor Events
SAN DIEGO– When I started my real estate business, one of the first decisions I made was to try to use my resources to benefit the triathlon and endurance sports community. I try to direct my marketing dollars towards sponsoring events and clubs and my time as well. The two things I am most proud of is the time I spend with the Triathlon Club of San Diego, but mostly my involvement with the Challenged Athletes Foundation.
The Challenged Athletes Foundation was founded here in San Diego by three guys, Jeffery Esachow, Rick Kozlowski and Bob Babbitt, looking to help a fellow triathlete gain more independence by purchasing him an adapted vehicle. The first Tri Challenge was held in 1994 and the foundation was formed in 1997. According to the website the Foundation has raised more then 11 million dollars and funded more than 2,100 grants.
These grants are given to individuals to not only help them pursue new dreams, but to also give them the ability to participate in an active lifestyle. Funds are given to athletes of many sports, ranging from snow skiing legs for my buddy Jonah Vandever, pictured with myself and his mom, to handcylces for my good friend Erica Davis. Funds are also used to help cover travel expenses, coaching and clinics to help athletes get to the next level of competition. At the 2008 Paralympics, CAF athletes took over 25% of the hardware!!!
In 2004, CAF stepped up HUGE in support of our veterans and soldiers suffering permanent physical injuries while participating in the global war on terror. In 2008, that program, Operation Rebound, was extended to include all military persons past and present as well as the first responders of the 911 attacks. As a veteran of Desert Storm, I am proud that CAF has taken on this mission. Many of these recipients are young men and women who have a long life of accomplishments awaiting them.
As the current President of the Triathlon Club of San Diego, I am trying hard to get more of our local “challenged” athletes involved with our club. I invited below the knee amputee, known as a BK, Tracy Moore come and speak to the club at one of our monthly meetings and it was very moving. She shared how a life of drug and alcohol abuse with a failed suicide attempt turned around when she was bitten by the running bug. However, it was her exposure to the programs and with help from CAF, as well as triathlon that really have brought about the many positive changes in her life. With her new running leg, she has many great accomplishments both in triathlon and running events. 
Another great CAF/ TCSD story involves our long time member Andy Bailey.
Andy, while starting our sport later in life, was able to string together some pretty impressive finishes including several age group wins. What I was most impress with and why Andy was a special member of TCSD however, was that while he lived in Irvine, he was a very faithful and giving member of our club. Specifically what made him special to me though, was his participation at most if not all the local triathlon expos manning the TCSD booth at some part of the day. He is what every club could hope for from a member. An active caring and sharing member who exposed those he came in contact with to the best of our community. It is his love for the sport and community that makes him this way. Unfortunately in 2006 a freak accident in the driveway of his home gave Andy a temporary set back, but CAF a chance to make a difference in this athletes life. This weekends CAF event was Andy’s return to triathlon competition. I am sure this is only the beginning of a great new chapter in Andy’s life.
Another club member and good friend Erica Davis has also been the benefactor of CAF and those who help raise funds.
Erica, who was also participating in triathlon as an “able bodied” athlete, had her life changing injury in December 2005. A physical education teacher in Hawaii at the time, Erica suffered a ruptured vein in her spinal cord that caused a build up of pressure and eventual atrophy of her spinal cord. What started as a back ache 5 days later turned in to paralysis from her belly button down.
In 2006, I was sent an email from CAF asking if I could help an athlete with the swim portion of the Encinitas Triathlon. With out hesitation I said yes and was told to meet Erica at the venue. When I met Erica, a beautiful blonde California girl, I was taken in by her great smile. Unfortunately though, in the back of my mind were the VERY POOR conditions on the swim course that day. I was confident that we would not be swimming as the ocean, while it was May, looked like the day after one of our big winter storms. There was not a definite swell direction nor cycle, but there was definitely a swell of 3 -5 feet. On a normal day, this swell size would not bother me to much, but this day, it was so sloppy, ugly, cloudy and grey out, that I did not even bring a wetsuit. Unfortunately the organizers decided to go ahead with the swim and Erica was determined to get out there, 
so I borrowed a wetsuit from 2XU representative Richard Verney and off we went when the gun sounded. I have NEVER been more worried during an ocean swim in my life. There was never a lull in the surf and Erica does not have the ability to “ duck dive” because she can not plunge her torso while lifting her legs in order to dive, duck style. So with each passing wave all she could do was let the white water have its way with her and then try to get back to the task of swimming.
Initially I would try to force her down underwater with me, but once we got into deeper water, closer to the impact zone, this really became less effective and possibly dangerous. The possibility of slamming in to each other just became to great. So I was left to the primary role of lead worrier and with every wave came an additional wave of anxiety. Here his how it went.
A wave would approach and I would use my momentum to dive deep and forward. The last thing I would do though was make sure I saw that Erica was aware of the coming wave. If not, I would tap anywhere I could touch so that she could prepare. I would go under praying and pop up having already turned back towards shore. The process, while still praying, then turned to scanning the whitewater of the passing wave. What I was hoping for was Ericas butt to surface much like the way a sub comes up. Not sure why, but this was pretty consistently the body part that broke the surface first. Once I got her position, I would swim to her and the next thing I would see, to my relief, would be her, lift her head and give me a big smile in response to my, “are you OK?” question. At this point we sometimes had a chance to start swimming but also sometimes, we had to just repeat the process we just went through. To be honest, there were several times I was hoping to hear,”let’s get the heck outta here!!!”. But she soldiered on and while the current had driven us to far south to realistically make the single bouy, she did that day what well over half of the field did not do, and that was make it out past the surf. I saw many a “heman triathastud” humbled by the conditions and I will always remember her for her determination that day.
Since then I have helped Erica with many ocean training swims as well as escort her on rides. One day hopefully she achieves her dream, shared almost universally in triathlon, of making it to compete in Kona.
This is the first year I mixed business and pleasure at this event. I was asked to do the swim as part of relay with Dr. John Martinez, of Coastal Sports and Wellness, and his wife. Due to a large fog bank hugging the coast in the morning, the swim was shorten to keep the athletes closer to shore for safety sake. Instead of a 1.2 mile swim, it was turned in to probably an 800 meter swim. Staying consistent with this shortened swim, our cyclist, Dr. Martinez, missed some turns on the open bike course and did not ride the entire 56 miles. Trying to stay honest with what should have been his course time, he decided to burn some time with breakfast at Breuggers Bagels. Fortunately his wife Laura, a strong runner, kept it honest on our anchor leg with a strong 13.1 mile run. Remember this is an event not a race became the theme of our team!!!
All and all it was a great event with over 2 million dollars raised this year when combining the triathlon with the Quallcom Million Dollar Challenge ride and the Tour De Cove spin cycle fund raiser. This is one of the great charities and causes. Please consider getting involved as a fundraiser or volunteer. You will have the opportunity to not only touch many lifes, the rewards are
Lastly, I would like to thank all my fellow TCSD members that came out in support of the event. Members of the Triathlon Club of San Diego played huge roles in support of the event by manning a run aid station, organizing and staffing the Kaiser Permanente walk and throughout the event in many capacities. It makes me proud to be a member along with so many great people!!!
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Hey Carlsbad, get your FREE TREES!!!
September 3rd, 2008 Categories: Carlsbad City, Carlsbad Outdoor Events
CARLSBAD– What does a New Zealand Christmas, a Chinese Flame and a London Plane have in common? They are three of the up to 19 varieties of shade trees available for free from the California Center for Sustainable Energy Cool Communities Shade Tree Program. This program is now in jeopardy due to a loss of funding.
Started in 2002, the shade tree program was designed to provide homeowners with free trees to plant strategically on their property. With proper placement, homeowners could save energy by using shade trees to help keep their homes cool in San Diego’s year round summers. An added benefit of course is that trees help beautify the homes and help our environment. Since the programs inception over 36,000 trees have been distributed.
Prior to 2006, the program had been funded by the California Public Utilities 
Commission with funds collected for the public purpose program charge. This charge is tied to to our SDGE based on natural gas usage. While the monies will still be collected, it is the shift in oversight of the funds to SDGE that has caused the program to loss its funding. SDGE is looking to use the funds for more immediate energy efficiency benefits.
“It’s a great program,” said Brian Jordan, who has received about 10 trees for his Carlsbad property since 2003. “We live in a concrete jungle. A lot of neighborhoods around San Diego County could use trees, just for aesthetic appeal.” – San Diego Union Tribune, 9/2/2008
The program is funded through 2008 and unless new funding is found, it will most likely be terminated then. Here’s your chance to beautify your home, neighborhood, save energy and help the environment all at once.. FOR FREE!!
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Carlsbad’s new high school to be delayed
August 27th, 2008 Categories: Carlsbad Business Community, Carlsbad Community Events, Carlsbad Outdoor Events, Carlsbad schools
CARLSBAD– Starting back in the 90’s Carlsbad initiated a habit plan in the Calavera Hills Preserve for the California gnatcatcher. More recently an 
area in the southeast section of the Calavera Hills area was designated a habitat area for the least Bell’s vireo. This area was part of a mitigation plan for the recent development of Calavera Hills and Robertson Ranch project.
The good news is the habitat efforts seem to be working as two nests for the vireo as well as gnatcatcher were recently found in the designated habitat area and in an adjacent property currently used for farming.
The bad new is that this property is the site of and adjacent property designated for the new high school Carlsbad voters approved in proposition P.
In what for me, a Carlsbad homeowner and supporter of Prop P, can only be summed up as “you’ve got to be kidding me”, the success of these habitat programs and proximity to a major aspect of the school site is now delaying the construction of the new high school and may alter the planned facilities permanently. It is very surprising that this habitat and its potential impact was seemingly not taken into account when designing and spending Prop P money on the development of the site plan. Between the fencing and signage 
the boundaries of the habitat are very apparent. I could absolutely understand if the district released a best case site plan and a separate contingent site plan. However I can find no evidence that this was done.
The school district on August 18th released their own statement regarding this ‘new‘ information and its possible effects on the construction. Firstly, there will be a delay in construction of approximately a year which they believe will add approximately 3–4% to construction costs. Additionally, I would predict construction cost may as be effected if there are mitigation costs and site adjustments that will need to be added to the site to help maintain these habitat sites. Secondly, there will most like be changes made to the facilities planned for the site with the possibility that the proposed football stadium will have to be cut from the plans.
“The district may have to abandon plans to build a football stadium at the new campus. According to site plans, the visitors’ bleachers border the least Bell vireo nesting sites.
“There’s obviously concerns about lighting and noise, because bleachers (during sporting events) are very noisy,” (Elisa)Williamson said.– SD Union Tribune, 8/16/2008
However, we need only to look at our new golf course to see how quickly construction costs can escalate because of time delays, habitat expenses and site changes.
Originally the Carlsbad municipal golf course was projected to cost $10 - $15 million. In 2005 when the Carlsbad City Council finally went ahead and moved forward with final construction, they were told the project’s costs would be $37 million. When actually completed late last year and opened for play, the costs had ballooned to (approximately)$63 million.– San Diego Institute For Policy Research, 2/28/2008
While walking my golden retriever, Dave, yesterday out in the Calavera area we came across two different areas where sound tests were being conducted. They seemed to be set up to monitor road noise from the Cannon College interchange. I have a call in to the school district to get further information about the sound testing and if they plan to simulate stadium noise in order to determine the potential impact.
What was Dr. Roach’s, Carlsbad school district superintendent, feelings about these developments?
It’s not surprising. The city created a special habitat there for the bird after Corky McMillin Cos. upset least Bell’s vireo habitat at its nearby Robertson Ranch housing project, Roach said. McMillin paid the city to establish the habitat as part of a mitigation agreement, he said. – SD Union Tribune, 8/16/2008
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Carlsbad’s desalination plant unanimously approved
August 23rd, 2008 Categories: Carlsbad Business Community, Carlsbad City, Carlsbad Outdoor Events, Carlsbad Real Estate
CARLSBAD– The States Land Commission unanimously approved the desalination project slated to be built on the Encina power plant site in Carlsbad. This was the final regulatory approval the project needed in order to start construction next year with the goal of water production starting in 2011.
The plant, which will produce about 50 million gallons of freshwater from 200 million gallons, will be the largest desalination in the western hemisphere according to Reuters.
With the Carlsbad project receiving final approval, this helps clear the way for approval of approximately 20 other desalination project proposed for the California coast.
Earlier this week the first of what will probably be several legal challenges was rejected by the State Water Resources Control Board. The suit filed by the Surfrider Foundation said plans to minimize environmental damage the plant would cause were 
insufficient.
The Coastal Commission also this month approved a second plant to be built on the Monterey Peninsula to provide water for a development near Cannery Row. This plant is much smaller and will produce about 25,000 a day.
While I believe these projects are necessary and I support the idea, I fear not much good will actually come from them if they are tied to development such as the Monterey project. We need new water sources to help meet our current needs. This is evident by the state’s current drought situation.
“It is easy for Sacramento to put off dealing with the water infrastructure,” Schwarzenegger said. “But as we now see, there is no more time to waste, because nothing is more vital than to protect our economy, to protect our environment, and to protect our quality of life.” -CNN.com, June, 5, 2008
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Affordable 3 bedroom Carlsbad home with pool under 500K
August 5th, 2008 Categories: Carlsbad Beaches, Carlsbad Outdoor Events, Carlsbad Real Estate, Carlsbad Village
CARLSBAD– Okay, for all of you who have been sitting on the fence waiting for your opportunity to buy in Carlsbad, here it 
is!! This is not a short sale or a bank owned home.
Located just off the lagoon near Laguna Riviera park and Kelly elementary school, while great for anyone, this would make a wonderful family home where the kids could grow. Additionally, the master bedroom is located downstairs with its own backyard access just off the patio with spa.
To see this home call me at 760–415–3329
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Mayor’s back Carlsbad Desal Plant
August 2nd, 2008 Categories: Carlsbad Business Community, Carlsbad City, Carlsbad Outdoor Events
CARLSBAD– Seven regional Mayors, including Carlsbad’s Bud Lewis, got together and held a news conference Friday to ask the California Coastal Commission to finalize the conditional permit it approved in November of 2007 for the Carlsbad desalinization plant. The plant would be built on the site of the current Encinas power plant which I have written about here and here.
Funny thing, but in one of the posts I have linked above I stated that, while I think the plant needs to be built, it will create an attitude in city government that the Pacific Ocean is an unlimited supply of fresh water and in turn this philosophy will fuel continued area population expansion. Well, that and an economic turnaround.
“First, more building will take place because the thought that the Pacific Ocean is huge and we can always build another plant will permeate the governmental minds.”– Brian Long, 11/18/2007
Well how about this quote from Jerry Sanders from the San Diego Union Tribune article dated 8/1/2007.
“Seawater desalination will provide a drought-proof water supply,” Sanders said
NICE!!!
The commission will be meeting this Wednesday, 9:00 at Oceanside City Hall which is located at 300 N. Coast Highway. I would be VERY surprised if this did not get approved. Besides the water it will add much needed jobs and dollars to our community.
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Carlsbad’s Alga Norte park placed on hold…. again
July 24th, 2008 Categories: Carlsbad 'best of', Carlsbad Business Community, Carlsbad City, Carlsbad Community Events, Carlsbad Outdoor Events, Carlsbad Real Estate
CARLSBAD– The Alga Norte Park project has been delayed yet again. This time the council in a 4–1 vote decided it was prudent to wait for the state to produce a signed budget. The state’s budget can have a significant impact on revenue to the city’s.
However in a surprise to me and probably many others, San Diego county assessor Gregory Smith announced that assessed property values in San Diego were up 4.8% to 409.3 billion. This is more than double the value in 2000.
After building what is believed to be the most expensive municipal golf course in the country, the city council owes the average citizen of Carlsbad this park. It has been promised for over 4 years and is in the budget as noted by Councilwoman Ann Kulchin, the lone dissenting vote. This project would have the most SIGNIFICANT impact on citizens of all economic class not just those that can afford $60–80 dollar green fees.
Kulchin said the city has promised its residents for years that it would build the park’s proposed swim complex and that it should go ahead and obtain the construction bids while waiting for news about the state budget situation.
“This is in our budget,” she said of the money for the construction work. “We promised- and I think this is the time. We can’t just keep putting off, putting off.”– North County Times, July 22, 2008
I love Carlsbad and generally feel that the council does a great job, but they have lost site of what it means to serve. If the increasing costs was received as ‘unpleasant news’ in 2006, it will not get any better the more time that elapses before the bid process.
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2008 Carlsbad triathlon swim condition preview
July 12th, 2008 Categories: Carlsbad Beaches, Carlsbad Community Events, Carlsbad Outdoor Events
CARLSBAD– Here is a quick little video clip of what we should expect for the swim start tomorrow: flat and perfect water temperature. If you look at the bottom of the sidebar you will see the wavewatch.com surf report.
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Carlsbad involved in two lawsuits over parking and golf course
July 11th, 2008 Categories: Carlsbad Beaches, Carlsbad Business Community, Carlsbad City, Carlsbad Community Events, Carlsbad Outdoor Events
CARLSBAD– Well it has been a busy week of instigating litigation for the city. Earlier this week it was announced that the city is suing a resident for trademark infringement with the use of the city’s golf course name and logo. Now the city is suing to block the installation of an ‘iron ranger’ that would convert the Tamarack state beach parking lot from a free lot to a 
paid lot.
The Crossings at Carlsbad
Carlsbad’s new golf course is reported to be the most expensive public golf course ever constructed, $70,000,000, by almost double.
“I can’t think of anything that comes close, other than the one in Pleasanton,”($40 million) said Jeff Shelley, who tracks 4,000 to 5,000 golf course construction projects around the country for golfconstructionnews.com. -North County Times, 2/10/2007
The city’s lawsuit is against Prince Reza Shah and acusses Shah “ of numerous improper acts and (an) overall scheme to effectively hijack and unlawfully profit upon the name ‘The Crossings at Carlsbad.’ ” – San Diego Union, 7/10/2008. Shah filed trademark paperwork shortly after the city announced the name of its new course. In a quote from the city’s outside attorney, it apppears that Shah did in fact file prior to the city and he feels 
that they are infringing on his trademark.
“We’re a first-to-use country, not first-to-file,” when it comes to trademarks, Reinbolt said. “The theory is, once one starts using a trademark and building up good will, they should be able to trade off that.
“(Shah) was able to quickly get something on file,” but that doesn’t mean he owns the name, said Reinbolt, an attorney with Procopio, Cory, Hargreaves & Savitch.
Reinbolt said the city established its right to the name by building and operating a golf course.
“Did he intend to operate a golf course?” Reinbolt said.– San Diego Union, 7/10/2008
Should be interesting.
Tamarack State beach parking lot lawsuit
Earlier I wrote about the state’s decision to change the Tamarack state beach parking lot to a paid lot, $8 a day. Obliviously with the lack of parking at Carlsbad beaches, other than residential streets, the city opposes this step. However the city needs to take additional responsibility here.
See the city had an agreement in place with state and was paying $40,000 a year to keep the lot free. This was initiated the first time the state pulled permits to install an ‘iron ranger’ in 1994. Those permits expired in 2000 and so did the city’s payments. Had they kept up, we may not be here now.
So now with the state coffers in need of money the state is looking for additional revenues. They have predicted that the change at the parking lot could increase revenues $340,000–$500,000. The city and state have been in negotiations to try to restart the payments but they are far apart. With the slab and base for the pay station having been installed, the city obliviously felt backed in to a corner and filed a lawsuit against the California Coastal Commission.
In its request for a court injunction, Carlsbad argues that the state Coastal Commission acted inappropriately when it approved the proposal in May. Among other things, the city believes that state commission failed to give enough weight to environmental issues related to the project, Assistant City Attorney Jane Mobaldi said Thursday.
The city asserts that if the state starts collecting $8 to park at Tamarack Beach, beachgoers will look for free parking on surrounding
neighborhood streets and cause horrendous traffic troubles, Mobaldi said. Carlsbad is also arguing that these beachgoers will then use unofficial pathways down to the ocean from their vehicles, damaging sensitive coastal bluff areas.– North County Times, 7/11/2008
Now if you have ever been to the beach in Carlsbad you know the concern about the bluffs is a joke. The change in the parking at Tamarack will have zero impact on accessing the beach. There are numerous trails that exist and are being used in the TerraMar area that the city has never expressed concern about or offered to put in stair cases. 
After all the city is on record as stating the beaches belong to the states park and therefore all the responsibilities and maintenance.
The state has agreed to halt the installation process until the hearing on the suit in the beginning of October. However I imagine an agreement on a payment plan would cause this lawsuit to be dropped.
Either way, I believe the state is going to see six figures in income and Vigiluccis will lose their overflow parking.
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Carlsbad triathlon course preview
July 8th, 2008 Categories: Carlsbad 'best of', Carlsbad Beaches, Carlsbad City, Carlsbad Community Events, Carlsbad Outdoor Events, Carlsbad Real Estate
CARLSBAD– The 27th annual Carlsbad Triathlon will be taking place this weekend on July 13th. This race is in the top 3 of the longest consecutive running triathlons in the country.
I went out yesterday and shot a few clips identifying some key points of the bike course and run course. The swim course is pretty self explanatory and offers no real surprises. The surf and tides forecast for the weekend call for light surf and the tide will be high at the start of the race. The main thing to remember with the swim for athletes new to the ocean is to TRY to relax. The ocean is a great medium to swim in so make it your friend!!!
The first thing you are going to face coming out of the swim and leaving T1 is the hill that will take you out of the Tamarack state beach parking lot to the coast highway. You need to make sure you have selected a proper gear prior to the race as mounting at the base you will not have time to build any speed. I have seem people almost crash struggling to get up this hill.
Next out on the bike course, you will find a pretty flat nice road. Just south of Palomar Airport Road you will find the only ‘hill’ on the course. It is at the Encinas creek crossing just before the campground. While it is short, it will put a hamper on your effort so be prepared to hit this hill twice. Once on the way out and then on your second lap. One nice thing through this stretch is the city has 
repaved what used to be a very bad road.
Remember this is a two lap bike course. Your first turn around comes at La Costa Avenue just after crossing the Aqua Hedionda lagoon jetty. Remember to use caution as you move over from the right lane to the center divide to make your ‘U’ turn. There will definitely be some fast riders coming up and diving into that turn. Once you have made your turn try to get over to the right as soon as you can to allow others to pass.
The second ‘U’ turn comes at Solamar Drive which comes about 2/3 of the way back to the transition. It is just south of Palomar Airport road. If you were to look at the course on a map, it is a paper clip. When you approach this turn you will need to move in to the left traffic lane, again carefully, as the right traffic lane is reserved for the cyclists heading back for T2.
The run course is also pretty flat with a turnaround almost even with the smokestack of the power plant. The biggest thing to keep in mind with the run course is you leave T2 on the flat boardwalk. At the end of the boardwalk the course goes up a 
short steep rise at Pine Avenue. While this is short it will certainly spike your heart rate as you are already coming out of T2 with some anxiety, urgency, anticipation and an elevated heart rate as it is. If you have spectators coming to the race, the best place to spectate for the run is at the top of this little rise as you will be going pretty slow and they can identify you coming up the hill. From there they can easily get to the finish to see you cross.
Have a great race!!!
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