Seiko

Pocket Park on a Mountain Top

We drove east today to Mount Helix. This pinnacle in just east of the city of San Diego has been open to the public for just about 100 years. Our goal was to be out there in time to get a parking space (we got the last one) and to see the sunrise at 6:48 (we did).

The 1300 foot elevation gives enough height to see all around the San Diego area and down to Tijuana, Mexico.

We are looking west toward the ocean in this photo.

The amphitheatre was a place favored for "Sunrise Services" on Easter mornings, when I was a kid. I can remember coming up here a couple times, roughly 50-60 years ago.

We walked around the top of the mountain several times, and as the sun rose and the light increased, each time we could see more.

Out in the distance, in the middle of this photo is the spit of land we walked yesterday at the bird sanctuary.

Straight out in the middle of this photo is my house. I can't quite make it out.

This is the path we took around the mountaintop. It is well maintained and they are putting lots of small native plants on either side to keep people from wandering off.

Below the path, on the North side, is the revolving house. Here is the roof (imagine the solar collection challenge)

Picture from the web and description by the guy who built it:

On the northern slope of Mt. Helix sits a 5,000+ square foot home that rotates through 360 degrees, displaying views from the Coronado Bridge, downtown San Diego, the Ocean, La Jolla, and the Laguna Mountains. It is the only structure in the world, at the time of building, that is a fully functional rotating structure with all the utilities in the rotating portion.

The second rotating floor rides on top of the 50-foot diameter first floor. It sits on 40 rim bearings, a main bearing in the center of the elevator shaft and 2 drive wheels. The wheels are powered by a 1.5 hp DC motor which turns the house in either direction at a variable speed from 1 rev per 33 min. to 1 rev per 24 hrs. It can rotate in either direction and doesn't have to unwind.

The first floor is close to the mountain but has a path all the way around it. This home has one rotating floor, and a stationary basement and first floor with a garage featuring turntables for 2 cars to turn 180 degrees so they never have to back out. plus a rec. room, kitchenette, full bath and the entry. There is a patio and putting green off the first floor.

The main structure is 80 feet in diameter, 5,000 square feet with 3,700 sq ft inside and 1,300 outside deck (all rotating) and 1200 sq ft of fixed outside deck. It has a living-dining room, kitchen, great room, office, laundry, pantry, elevator equipment room, 3 bedrooms and 3 baths. Seven patents have been granted to the original owner, covering about 50 features of the home.

The only revolving thing in our morning was ourselves as we wound around the mountain on our second lap.

I saw this in the distance and said to Mrs C "I didn't know the reservoir was visible from here!" to which she replied, "that's fog, silly." I took my eye from the camera and had to agree with her.