Elliot Koeppel 12/18/24 Elliot Koeppel 12/18/24

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.

Elliot Koeppel 12/2/24 Elliot Koeppel 12/2/24

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.

Elliot Koeppel 11/26/24 Elliot Koeppel 11/26/24

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.

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 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 3/24/22 Elliot Koeppel 3/24/22

Buried Homes - Newberry Springs - California

Method #3 on my tried and true list of how to find unique places to explor: See a picture of an intesting place, spend hours online tracking down its location, go there. Which is how I came to this bleak spot in the Mojave desert.