Elliot Koeppel 11/5/24 Elliot Koeppel 11/5/24

Cabazon - Dinosaurs! - California

If you’ve ever taken the 10 out to Palm Springs, or Arizona or anywhere past the Morongo Casino over the last 50 years, you’ve probably seen the giant Brontosaurus watching you as you sped past at 90 mph. And then, he was joined by another favorite dino - the Tyranosaurus Rex.

Elliot Koeppel 10/30/24 Elliot Koeppel 10/30/24

The Bench People - Knott’s Berry Farm - California

You’ve seen them, sitting there on those benches all day long, watching, ever watching the people go by. Always patient, never complaining about all the guests taking selfies with them, or getting “handsy” with them.

Elliot Koeppel 10/24/24 Elliot Koeppel 10/24/24

Olancha - Sleeping Beauty - Hwy 395 - California

Where does the name “Olancha” come from, or what does it mean? Seems that there’s no positive answer, but two likely options….

Elliot Koeppel 10/21/24 Elliot Koeppel 10/21/24

Red Hill Cinder Cone - It’s a Volcano! - California

If you’ve driven along the 395, you’ve most likely passed this volcano and didn’t realize the immense danger you were in.

Elliot Koeppel 10/17/24 Elliot Koeppel 10/17/24

The Horseshoe Joshua Tree - Hwy 395 - California

From a distance, Skip Gorman’s Horseshoe Joshua Tree can fool you into thinking it’s a real Joshua Tree. As you get closer, you stop. “Wait a minute, there’s something different about that tree,” you may say to yourself.

Elliot Koeppel 10/13/24 Elliot Koeppel 10/13/24

Pearsonville - Hub Cap Capitol of the World - California

Have you ever driven north on Pearson Road? Or perhaps ventured to the west side of 395, to explore Sterling Road? There are treasures on both sides of the highway for history seekers and those who enjoy finding the odd and quirky “Roadside Attractions” of years past.

Elliot Koeppel 8/24/24 Elliot Koeppel 8/24/24

Tip Top Gold Mine - Eastern Sierra - California

It was a beautiful day for a hike, to a place none of us had ever been. I’d read of the Cardinal Mine a few years back, and as chance would have it, our group was spending the week in the area. “Let’s hike to a gold mine,” I said. So we did.

Elliot Koeppel 5/25/24 Elliot Koeppel 5/25/24

Krblin Jihn Kabin - pCalifornia - Kcymaerica

Oh my, where to start. With a picture. Yes, that would be best. Keep in mind whilst reading and viewing this post, that there are a lot of art installations sprinkled across the desert surrounding Joshua Tree National Park.

Elliot Koeppel 10/5/22 Elliot Koeppel 10/5/22

Twin Tanks Desert Homestead Cabins - Twentynine Palms - California

This trip would prove to be quite a departure (pun intended) from my usual overnight excursions, as I planned on staying the nights at an airbnb I had heard about called the Twin Tanks Homestead Cabins, located about midway between the towns of Joshua Tree and Twentynine Palms.

Elliot Koeppel 7/4/22 Elliot Koeppel 7/4/22

Them thar Hills II - Fullerton - California

Elliot Koeppel 6/28/22 Elliot Koeppel 6/28/22

Them thar Hills - Fullerton - California

One of the last large, open-space areas in north Orange County is less than five minutes from where I live. Hundreds of acres, touching four different cities, trails criss-cross the expansive foothills….

Elliot Koeppel 5/20/22 Elliot Koeppel 5/20/22

Desert Christ Park - Yucca Valley - California

Elliot Koeppel 4/4/22 Elliot Koeppel 4/4/22

Transmission - Mojave Desert - California

Perhaps one of the most exciting things about the Mojave Desert is the unexpected; you just never know what you might find when you venture into its grasp.

Elliot Koeppel 4/1/22 Elliot Koeppel 4/1/22

Zzyzx - California

Raise your hand if you've ever driven by the exit for Zzyzx Road, while speeding along Route 15 on your way to Las Vegas, and wondered at all about that name.

Elliot Koeppel 3/30/22 Elliot Koeppel 3/30/22

Darwin Falls - Death Valley - California

I doubt that many people think of creeks, streams, waterfalls when Death Valley is mentioned, at least I don’t. But that’s what the hike to Darwin Falls is all about.

Elliot Koeppel 3/28/22 Elliot Koeppel 3/28/22

Goldstone Deep Space Communications Complex - California

I had heard about Goldstone a good number of years ago and had the opportunity to schedule a tour of the facility for my Scout troop.

Elliot Koeppel 3/27/22 Elliot Koeppel 3/27/22

Dunmovin - California

Dunmovin. You say to yourself, “self, one day I'm going to stop at this place and see what I can find.”

Elliot Koeppel 3/27/22 Elliot Koeppel 3/27/22

Ruth Camp - California

Ruth Camp is an interesting ghost town, located approximately 14 miles north of Trona in the Argus Mountain Range. There are a good number of fairly well-preserved buildings that I was able to poke around in, which date from the late 1930s.