Dog Utterly Dwarfed by Giant Cow

Near Death Valley -- Our dog is taken off-guard by a huge statue of a cow.

Hole In The Wall

Mojave Desert -- Winter is a good time to visit our neighboring deserts. In Los Angeles, we are blessed to have both the Mojave (high desert) and Colorado (low desert).

Pictured here are winter visitors exploring the rocky wonderland of Hole In The Wall, about three hours from Los Angeles. 

House Near Palm Springs

Palm Springs -- A home on the outskirts of Palm Springs sits on an alluvial fan at the base of the majestic San Jacinto Peak (10,834 ft).

Jurassic LA

Banning, CA -- The Crazy Coyote taco stand draws visitors in a fun and unique way. Age-old marketing ploy along Interstate 10 in the California desert.

Car On a Lake

North of Los Angeles -- Some towns have dirt roads, other prairies, but we have nothing but large parking lots, surrounded by a concrete jungle. But if an Angeleno ever wants to teach their 12-year old son to drive, take him to a dry lake bed in the middle of the desert. Both of you will never forget the experience!

Breaking The Rules

 

 Won't Say, CA -- The paparazzi drive me nuts. They break all the rules for that one money shot that, quite frankly, not only can make them a small fortune, but can also ruin one's reputation. This shot defiantly doesn't equal that of those taken by a lens snake, but it sure is fun breaking the rules, even if it's a meaningless, worthless photo like this.

Rustic Gas Station

Barstow, CA -- Barstow is one of the great gateways into California's Mojave Desert. The town is sprinkled with gems like this old gas station.

Sign of Sun and Neglect

Unlike downtown Los Angels, the California desert is a place of mystery and open spaces. Though many view it as an unbreakable stretch of useless dirt, rock and an occasional tumble weed, it is not. Our deserts are fragile and ecologically delicate. That's what makes this place so special. Leave any foreign object out here in the sun and it will surely fade into the landscape, much like this traffic sign. However, one element refuses to fade: the California desert sky.

Calico Ghost Town

A Fence, a boot, a piece of Old Glory (American flag), and you've got art.

View of Urban Decay

Not far from the California/Nevada state line is a road that leads to an old ghost town. The commercialized silver mining town was fun and educational, but the true roadside entertainment is found along side the byways of the high deserts.

This is an abandoned garage with it's back wall blown out by what looks like buckshot and weather-induced erosion. There is no sign of a home, which leads one to think that the trailer was hauled away years ago.

Ghost Town George

Randsburg, CA -- At first you might think this 2-wheel road warrior's name is Jake. But it's not--meet George.

George didn't bother removing his goggles for the photo but he sure enjoyed having his picture taken. Randsburg is full of interesting people and artifacts. Less than an hour from the Los Angeles county line, the town of Randsburg has plenty to see if you are easy to please. It doesn't have as much commercial appeal as it does character and quirky charm. The tiny town is surrounded by dozens of abandoned mines, a few car chassis and lots of dirt, wind and a passing tumble weed or two. My kind of place.

Men are from Mars...

Men Are from Mars, Women Are from Venus, and some boys are from their own world.

I took this shot while visiting Devil's Punchbowl on the north side of the San Gabriel Mountains, about 90-minutes from Downtown Los Angeles. I asked the boy and his parents if I could take his photo. The kid was a little shy but the parents thought it was a great idea. Free press--what the heck!

A Lone Cross in the Desert

Palmdale -- Although I took this shot last December, it reminds me of the people we have lost in our lives. Perhaps the cross means something different to everyone; it is a symbol of torture, pain, sacrifice, forgiveness, love, hate, loss, peace, and most recently a memorial to the veterans of WWI in the East Mojave Preserve.

Water Flows Not So Free

Los Angeles is in the middle of another water shortage. We Angelinos are asked to only water our lawns twice a week, sweep our driveways instead of using the hose and avoid flushing the toilet unnecessarily. Yeah, right!

LA doesn't have too many natural streams like in the old days. There are a few near natural streams like the Arroyo Seco in Pasadena. Most of our water resources come from our mountains both near and far. Anyone read Cadillac Desert? Despite the lack of water, there are some secret spots here in LA that still flow with cool, sparkling water--even in the dog days of summer. Of course it's harnessed and directed by man, but it's still water.

An Understatement...

Olancha, CA -- The gateway to Death Valley and 150 miles left on our scenic drive south to Los Angeles. My friend, Scout and I decided we wanted to get a few up-close shots of the "Rustic Motel" along Highway 395. I've featured this place before.

One reviewer from Trip Adviser suggested that if you are considering staying there, you should "Run Away!" The reviewer continued, "Do NOT STAY HERE. Sleep in your car...." Another review was more positive but still mentioned the spider in the shower.

We walked along the dirt road to the office and began shooting the aged motel from different angles. A woman emerged from one of the decaying screen doors and walked toward us. With her hands on her hips and her head cocked to the side, she asked us, "Can I help you?"

I held my camera up and told her, "We are just admiring your motel."

She nodded her head in disbelief and uttered, "Well, that's odd…!" and walked back into her room.

Clouds Dancing in the Desert

What formation do you see in the clouds? Another Skywatch Friday in the desert.

On The Road

Early morning travelers pulling an American icon, the Airstream.

Bitten by Nature

Our guide warned us of dangerous insects, reptiles and plants. One of the deadliest snakes in North America is the Mojave Green rattlesnake. You don't want to be bitten by a Green.

When I saw my friend quietly nursing her wound, I became concerned. Symptoms from snake bite are sometimes slow to show up, causing victims to underestimate the severity of the encounter. First, you feel weakness in your muscles then you experience shortness of breath and extreme pain. Antivenin is necessary for survival.

Of course, I--being trained and certified as an Emergency First Responder (EFR)--had to get a photo of the wound first! I have my priorities your know....

Thank God my friend explained that it was not a snake that bit her, but a yucca. Even a plant can bite you!

Kelso Depot (Continued)

One of my greatest pleasures is driving through the Mojave Desert. In the good old days, I had a VW Van--a Westfalia camper equipped with roll-down windows and a spray bottle as an air conditioner.

Every other weekend a small group of friends chose a remote desert location on a map and drove there. Back in '80s, Kelso was headed towards ruins. The 80s was all about New Wave music, building up cities and solving the Rubik's Cube. Old desert towns and buildings were used more for target practice and dirt bike destinations than being appreciated and left alone. Preservation was alive but struggling.

Today, Kelso is enjoying a revitalization. The East Mojave is now mostly a Preserve. Inside Kelso Depot, an old fashioned soda fountain greets visitors with turn-of-the-century charm and nostalgia. All the individual rooms in the train station are used as a museum and library. They even have original recordings of a 1950s radio show broadcasting from a nearby desert town.


Here, one finds a vibrant, living desert full of history and hidden treasures.

Today, I drive a car with air conditioning. But when I'm rolling through mirages on the sun-soaked highways of the East Mojave, you will often find me with my windows down and stereo playing Marty Robbins and the Sons of the Pioneers, singing,

"All day I've faced a barren waste
Without the taste of water,
cool water
Old Dan and I with throats burned dry
And souls that cry for water
Cool..., clear..., water...."

Urban Decay and the Beholder

The Mojave Desert is blessed with litter. Yes, litter! Since our deserts are so hot and dry, old discards from the late 1800s through the 1970s are better preserved and considered and often demand good money to the collector. I like to think we are lucky to have abandoned buildings, old soda cans and original mining tools laying around the ground. The trick is where to look....