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“He may be just a tramp, a guy that likes to roam about this great country without any special aim, just to thank the Lord for these beautiful mountains.”
-B. Traven, The Treasure of the Sierra Madre

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“. . .here, where there are still the silences and the loneliness of the earth before man, . . .”

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Recently Read
- Indian Head Test Pattern (1939)
- Chanterelle Mushrooms
- Bodie, California Ghost Town
- Dinosaur Footprints, Isle of Skye, Scotland
- Burro Schmidt Tunnel and Shanty (1906-1930s)
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- Rock Art Ramblin', Searching For Chumash Pictographs
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Latest Dispatches
- The Exceptional Sundowner Winds of Santa Barbara
- Lobster Poachers?
- Dick Smith on Forest Access
- Old Mission Sycamore Whacked Again
- Bald Eagle, Manzana Creek, San Rafael Wilderness
- When Rains Fall, Will USFS Close Our Forest? The Coming El Niño
- Language of Forest Closure; Assault on an Ancient Right
- March of the Mustard; The Spread of Noxious Weeds
- Mark of Conquest II: Benchmark and Mortar
- Save Old Mission Sycamore … __ __ __ …
- Raking the Forest: Anderson, Trump, Kuyper
- Initials of J.D. Reyes (1907)
- Last California Grizzlies Seen In Santa Barbara National Forest? (1926)
- Eccentric Artifact, San Marcos Foothills Preserve
- Fog Drip Morels
Lunar Phase

Author Archives: Jack Elliott
Naming Santa Barbara’s Modoc Road
Walking tracks, west of town. Keep on keeping on. This offering relates to the preceding, Mark of Conquest; Benchmark and Mortar. The previous post mentioned the Modoc War of 1872-73 in California. Emphasis has been added below to highlight portions … Continue reading →
Posted in Santa Barbara
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Tagged American Indian Wars, History, Hope Ranch, Indians, Modoc Indians, Native Americans, Place Names, Santa Barbara, Street Names, Walker A Tompkins, Yankee Barbarenos
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Mark of Conquest: Benchmark and Mortar
United States Coast & Geodetic Survey benchmark (1872) on a Chumash mortar stone, Santa Barbara County. “The reverence attached to the artifacts of history is a thing men feel. One could even say that what endows any thing with significance … Continue reading →
Posted in Santa Barbara
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Tagged Artifacts, Backpacking, Chumash, History, Indian Wars, Indians, Legacy of Conquest, Los Padres National Forest, Native Americans, Santa Barbara, Santa Ynez Mountains
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Hat Tip to the Selfless Samaritans In Service to Others
Pope Francis died this morning, Easter Monday. An incredible date for such a man to pass on. The extraordinary event called to mind the deaths of Thomas Jefferson and John Adams, the second and third presidents of the United States, … Continue reading →
Posted in Santa Barbara
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Tagged Adventure, backcountry, Backpacking, Hiking, Hiking (2), Landscapes, Los Padres National Forest, Outdoors, Santa Barbara, Santa Ynez Mountains, Wilderness
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The Intelligence of Coyote Tobacco (Nicotiana attenuata)
Wild tobacco growing in the Sierra Madre Mountains of Santa Barbara County. (Fall 2024) If we define intelligence as an ability to perceive, understand and respond effectively to environmental stimuli, then we might attribute to plants what is normally considered … Continue reading →
Posted in Santa Barbara
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Tagged Backpacking, Camping, Hiking, Los Padres National Forest, Nature, Santa Barbara, Santa Ynez Mountains, Science, Wilderness, wildflowers, Wildlife
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The Journey of a Root (1907) and Plant Intelligence
Los Angeles Herald, February 24, 1907. The Journey Of A Root From Santa Barbara, California, there comes a story of a most interesting freak of vegetable life, which is strictly vouched for. Through a certain garden ran, some years ago, … Continue reading →
Posted in Santa Barbara
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Tagged Botany, Eucalyptus, Gardening, History, Horticulture, Nature, Plants, Santa Barbara, Science, Trees, Wildlife
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