More California
I love you, California, you're the greatest state of all. I love you in the winter, summer, spring and in the fall.
I love your fertile valleys; your dear mountains I adore. I love your grand old ocean and I love her rugged shore.
“California’s been good to me. Hope it don’t fall into the sea.” …..Tom Petty
Lee Vining - aka Poverty Flat - Hwy 395 - California
Beautiful stop along Hwy 395, historic small town California. Don’t just zip through the town, stop and look around.
Neon Nights - Bishop - California
I love neon signs, their lights flickering like memories, their vibrant colors seeming to make the air around them glow. They bring to mind, for me, simpler times long past.
Mt. Whitney Fish Hatchery - NO Fishing - California
Give your eyes a treat the next time you’re driving through Independence, Cal on the 395. Just south of the town, head west on Fish Hatchery Road to visit the amazing Mt. Whitney Fish Hatchery.
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.
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….
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Dunmovin - California
Dunmovin. You say to yourself, “self, one day I'm going to stop at this place and see what I can find.”
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.
Mono Lake Tufa Towers - California
The Tufa Towers at Mono Lake, another place I'd always wanted to visit after seeing them on an episode of Huell Howser's California Gold.
Benton Hot Springs - California
Established in the early 1860s, Benton was born with the discovery of silver in the nearby Blind Springs Hills and White Mountains. Also known as Benton Hot Springs, the town thrived for a few short years.