Painting ‘Watermelon Rock’ was harmless fun. Trail building was the real vandalism
The irony of the Watermelon rock article and the comments of the “powers-that-be” regarding it as a “crime” would be hilarious if they weren’t so ignorant!
A 3-foot slice of granite, painted neatly so as to impart a bit of humor on a dusty corridor (created by the same authorities), doesn’t begin to compare to the desecration of the mountain that the massive scar that zig-zags around the mountain, winding its way to the top and visible for miles!
A completely unnecessary vandalism of an otherwise beautiful mountain for the creation of a “new” trail to the top. I’ve hiked that mountain since the ’50s, and the trail that was used for all those years was largely hidden from view, yet still navigable by most.
There was rarely a summer day in my youth that didn’t involve some time on some part of Bishop Peak. It was as infuriating when I first saw the scar on the mountain as it was when Madonna sliced Cerro San Luis with his tractors … only this time it was done by those we impart trust to “protect” our acquired open space!
John Hesch, Morro Bay
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This story was originally published November 10, 2017 at 2:38 PM with the headline "Painting ‘Watermelon Rock’ was harmless fun. Trail building was the real vandalism."