Category Archives: California

Mammoth Rubbing Rocks

Edge of the continent, Sonoma County “Groovy, man. How much do you want for this special battery-powered back-scratcher in the showcase, man.” “Cost you one dollar and ninety-five cents.” “A necessary item, man, haul it out.” —The Fan Man by … Continue reading

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Koso Shoshone Native American Rock Art, Ghost Dance and Hunting Magic

Trona Pinnacles. Enter, if ye dare. The Trip Out Yonder Some monstrous industrial ramrod ferociously hammered at long intervals some unseen target of progress, the metallic slamming a devilish metronome, the concussive impact reverberating off a pinch of rolling mountains … Continue reading

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Ko’onzi Indian Village Ruins

Looking toward the Ko’onzi village site, the salt flats of Saline Valley visible in the distance beneath the snow-capped peaks of the Inyo Range. “Saline Valley, Inyo County, California, is one of the most remarkable places in the state. . … Continue reading

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Desert Pictograph Boulder

The thermometer bounces between 108 and 111 degrees as I drive into the Mojave Desert on a recent June afternoon. Several days earlier in 115 degree heat, not all that far away, a middle-aged man had left a tour bus … Continue reading

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Miner’s Rock Cabin at Eagle Cliff (1890)

The hike to Eagle Cliff Cabin. The cabin was originally built and occupied by miners sometime after 1890 at the site of Eagle Cliff mine, which is located in Joshua Tree National Park. The makeshift shelter was cobbled together in a … Continue reading

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