The Hinds Pumping Plant is the pump on the Colorado River Aqueduct that you can easily see from I-10 east of Coachella Valley. Most people call it Hayfield, since that's the name on the exit. But in 1967 it was renamed for Julian Hinds. This is the last pump on the aqueduct and raises the water up above 1,700 feet so it can cruise the rest of the way into the L.A. area. All my photos of the Hinds plant can be found here or if you want to see these plus all my photos from the ...

I've got no info other than what my own eyes bring me, but there's a big fire on Mt. San Jacinto. It may be above Tahquitz Canyon, but it's almost impossible to say in the dark. I went outside to see why we have a low-flying helicopter hovering in the neighborhood and saw the fire on the mountain. The Desert Sun says this fire started near Idyllwild and had burned only 1.5 acres! Something's not correct in that info, since the fire would have had to travel many miles from Idyllwild to be visible where it is from ...