Palm Springs, CA area
John McWilliams
I wondered if there were any recommendations for a side trip on the way
down from the SF Bay area. I am familiar with Joshua Tree Nat'l
Monument, but not much to the North of PS.
I have thought about Big Bear, Lake Isabella, the Southern Mojave
Desert, but don't know what might afford interesting landscapes or
materials (such as abandonned structures). Any tips out there?
--
john mcwilliams
Twibil
#1. Take the tram (if it's running) from west Palm Springs up to Mt.
San Jacinto. Amazing ride: Arid desert to alpine mountaintop in about
15 minutes with some truly spectacular views along the way.
#2. There's a really nice drive to be had from Palm Springs southwest
on State Highway 74 (up "7-level hill") and thense to State Highway
371 through Anza. (Look for the dancing dinosaur atop the house on the
right side of the road west of Anza: it's one-of-a-kind.) Then turn
left (east) when 371 dead-ends into hIghway 79. In a few miles you'll
get to Oak Grove, site of the old 1850's Butterfield Stage Stop (still
standing) and the barn associated with same (barely still standing).
http://www.flickr.com/photos/33885727@N03/3991291996/sizes/l/
From there, proceed along 79 through Warner Springs; noting the
sailplane airport just west of town. I got a *great* picture there
once of a light plane parked under a huge oak tree branch that was
being used as a support for the winch that was lifting the plane's
engine out.
From Warner Springs, head southwest to State 79, turn right, and then
turn right again on S-7 in a few miles. This will take you along the
east ridge of the Palomar Mountains, where great views are
everywhere.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/33885727@N03/3991293600/sizes/l/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/33885727@N03/3991297138/sizes/l/
S-7 will also eventually take you to the big Palomar Observatory,
which is worth a look.
From there, head down S-6 (neat switchbacks) to State 76-79, turn
left, and retrace your path towards Warner Springs, but turn right on
S-2 before you get there. This will take you east towards Borrego
Springs (veer left onto S-22 when you get to it) and through some
spectacular desert scenery along the way. From Borrego Springs,
continue following S-22 east through the badlands (More spectacular
desert scenery. Yawn.) until you reach State Highway 86 which will
take you northwest back towards Palm Springs.
This is a full afternoon's drive, but it takes you through some
*wildly* contrasting southern California scenery with all sorts of
photo ops along the way.
Have fun if you try it!
~Pete
John McWilliams
Excellent lay out, Pete; many thanks.
I also hope someone might be able to do similar for the area North or
North West of PS.
--
john mcwilliams
Twibil
>
>
> I also hope someone might be able to do similar for the area North or
> North West of PS.
I live there (40 miles west).
Only thing worth mentioning north of P.S is Death Valley, and it's
loooong drive.
Immediately to the West of P.S. is Cabazon; with a million mall-outlet
stores and a single Creationist Dinosaur Museum.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/33885727@N03/3387097234/sizes/o/
Depending upon your religious beliefs -and how well your sense of
irony is developed- it can be either rewarding or hysterically funny -
althought the owners frown on outright laughter.
The gay rainbow flag outside the museum also raises certain questions:
are they *really* looking to attract the well-known and lucrative Gay
Fundie Paleontologist crowd from Palm Springs?
All one of him?
David Ruether
"Twibil" <noway...@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:cb078db5-f9d6-42fe...@f20g2000prn.googlegroups.com...
On Dec 23, 4:44 pm, John McWilliams <jp...@comcast.net> wrote:
> I also hope someone might be able to do similar for the area North or
> North West of PS.
I live there (40 miles west).
Only thing worth mentioning north of P.S is Death Valley, and it's
loooong drive.
~~But, WELL WORTH IT, of course (but one needs DAYS
to explore it) - and winter is a good time (it does get HOT!!!
there in the summer...!!!).
Immediately to the West of P.S. is Cabazon; with a million mall-outlet
stores and a single Creationist Dinosaur Museum.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/33885727@N03/3387097234/sizes/o/
Depending upon your religious beliefs -and how well your sense of
irony is developed- it can be either rewarding or hysterically funny -
althought the owners frown on outright laughter.
~~ ;-)
The gay rainbow flag outside the museum also raises certain questions:
are they *really* looking to attract the well-known and lucrative Gay
Fundie Paleontologist crowd from Palm Springs?
All one of him?
~~ 8^), 8^), 8^) !!!
~~DR
clw
"David Ruether" <d_ru...@thotmail.com> wrote:
> Only thing worth mentioning north of P.S is Death Valley, and it's
> loooong drive.
Not true. Josuha (sp) Tree is close and quite nice. Just not the vast
expanse and mountains of DV.
David Ruether
"clw" <c...@ohsu.gov> wrote in message
news:clw-1005BC.0...@news.isp.giganews.com...
You misattributed your post to me (please be more careful...).
DV does have a VERY wide variety of features, unlike almost
anywhere else, and it is not just a great expanse and mountains.
Polychrome formations, ruggedly textured salt flats, the lowest
point in the US (with a bad-water body associated with it), a
surrounding of high mountains for 1-mile elevation differences
(the son of a friend was in a bicycle race from the floor of DV
[which can hit 115+ degrees in summer] to Whitney Portal
[which can have snow in the summer] and back, and he not only
survived [WHEW!], but won!), huge sand dune areas, an oasis,
numerous historical sites, an interesting colorful crater with an
unusual name (Ubehebe ;-), black volcanic rock areas, etc.
There is no comparison at all between these locations for
the number of interesting features and experiences - especially
if you are stupid enough, as I was on my first trip there, to start
up a shiny silvery feldspar hillside without taking water with
me, following an old mining tram's series of elevated cables
(thinking that the end would be "just a little farther..."). I at
least had enough sense to not enter the mine shaft more than a
few feet after I finally found it. I did drive on "four wheel drive
vehicles only!" roads, firmly holding the steering wheel of my '58
Rambler (pink, white, and black, with tail fins - with high road
clearance so with care I did not drop into the deep ruts), and
I let the seats down that folded to make a bed and camped in it
"out back" in DV. Another time with another car, I entered the
40-mile one-way VERY narrow Titus Canyon, and just after
reaching the shear high cliffs running close to each side of the
car, the muffler separated from the engine...... UGH! In that
contained space, it felt like the roar of the engine would bring
rocks down on me (but it didn't...;-). Ah, the luck of stupid
youth...! ;-)
--DR
John McWilliams
Joshua Tree is East and a bit South of P.S.; I mentioned it in my o.p..
Death Valley IS a long way from either place.
--
john mcwilliams
John McWilliams
> "clw" <c...@ohsu.gov> wrote in message
> news:clw-1005BC.0...@news.isp.giganews.com...
>> Not true. Josuha (sp) Tree is close and quite nice. Just not the vast
>> expanse and mountains of DV.
>
> You misattributed your post to me (please be more careful...).
This is in part due to your news reader, David. OE is poorly designed
for usenet, but there is an add on available for it that fixes the
quoting. Or just use a better client.
--
john mcwilliams
John McWilliams
<< Snipped bits out >>
Hah! I rambled around the West, SW and NW in a Nash Rambler- forgot the
year, but it was very rounded- no fins worth talking about. The year was
1962.
--
John McWilliams
David Ruether
"John McWilliams" <jp...@comcast.net> wrote in message news:hh0csb$obt$4...@news.eternal-september.org...
> clw wrote:
[...incorrect attribution wrote...]
>>> Only thing worth mentioning north of P.S is Death Valley, and it's
>>> loooong drive.
>> Not true. Josuha (sp) Tree is close and quite nice. Just not the vast expanse and mountains of DV.
> Joshua Tree is East and a bit South of P.S.; I mentioned it in my o.p.. Death Valley IS a long way from either place. --
> john mcwilliams
Yes....;-)
--DR
David Ruether
> David Ruether wrote:
I later had a '64 rambler, and I loved it for travel also - but the seats
didn't fold as flat for converting them into a bed as those in the '58...)
--DR
David Ruether
In thousands of posts, I have never had this problem with
OE before, so I'm inclined to blame it on the other poster's
news reader, or on carelessness........;-)
--DR
Paul Furman
Lake Isabella & Walker Pass is an OK scenic detour. I've been through
many times for the wildflowers.
http://edgehill.net/California/Desert/3-17-05-3-walker-pass
The old highway snakes along the other side of Kern Canyon from the new
highway.
http://edgehill.net/California/Sierra-Foothills/4-9-04-kern-canyon/pg2
http://edgehill.net/California/Sierra-Foothills/3-17-05-kern-canyon/pg1
It's kind of a trailer trash retirement area though and last time I was
there, some jerk tweakers tried to break into my car at the trail head.
Hwy 58 Tehachapi Pass has a big wind mill farm & is a nice scenic drive
as well: http://edgehill.net/California/Desert/3-19-05-mohave/pg3
Just over the Grapevine/Tejon Pass, hwy 138 is a nice back road detour,
http://edgehill.net/Southwest/10-20-04-los-banos-mohave/pg2pc9
... through Antelope Valley Poppy Preserve (probably not much to see
this time of year?).
There is currently some legislation proposing to make a national
monument/preserve out of the area between Joshua Tree and Move Nat.
Preserve, so that might be interesting to explore.
Death Valley & environs is spectacular but not on your flight path
unless you want to go back up to Tahoe to get over the Sierras this time
of year.
--
Paul Furman
www.edgehill.net
www.baynatives.com
all google groups messages filtered due to spam
John McWilliams
Thanks, Paul. I especially like that almost Campanilelike structure with
the wind mill on top. Is that right on 138?
--
John McWilliams
Paul Furman
> Paul Furman wrote:
>> John McWilliams wrote:
>>
>>> I am headed down to the desert, Palm Springs, California next week,
>>> and I wondered if there were any recommendations for a side trip on
>>> the way down from the SF Bay area. I am familiar with Joshua Tree
>>> Nat'l Monument, but not much to the North of PS.
>>>
>>> I have thought about Big Bear, Lake Isabella, the Southern Mojave
>>> Desert, but don't know what might afford interesting landscapes or
>>> materials (such as abandonned structures). Any tips out there?
>>
>> Just over the Grapevine/Tejon Pass, hwy 138 is a nice back road detour,
>> http://edgehill.net/Southwest/10-20-04-los-banos-mohave/pg2pc9
>> ... through Antelope Valley Poppy Preserve (probably not much to see
>> this time of year?).
>
> Thanks, Paul. I especially like that almost Campanilelike structure with
> the wind mill on top. Is that right on 138?
Yes I think that was fairly close to I-5 on the side of the road on 138.
It must be a family-sized water tower with the windmill to pump water up
from the well. I've seen those made of wood in Central Valley farms but
this adobe style is kinda cool. Seems like something that wouldn't fare
well in earthquakes.
John Turco
>
> On Dec 23, 4:44 pm, John McWilliams <jp...@comcast.net> wrote:
> >
> >
> > I also hope someone might be able to do similar for the area North or
> > North West of PS.
>
> I live there (40 miles west).
>
> Only thing worth mentioning north of P.S is Death Valley, and it's
> loooong drive.
>
> Immediately to the West of P.S. is Cabazon; with a million mall-outlet
> stores and a single Creationist Dinosaur Museum.
<edited for brevity>
Man, I just gots ta know! What the hell is this "Creationist Dinosaur
Museum" stuff all about, anyhow?
--
Cordially,
John Turco <jt...@concentric.net>
Paintings Pain and Pun <http://laughatthepain.blogspot.com>
Twibil
>
>
> What the hell is this "Creationist Dinosaur
> Museum" stuff all about, anyhow?
It's a Cabazon tourist attraction put together by some Creationists
who like to think (to use the word very loosely) that human beings and
dinosaurs shared the Earth at the same time: I.E. up until just a few
thousand years ago; when the Biblical Flood supposedly killed off all
the dinos.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Creationist_museum
They're quite serious about this nonsense, and look askance at people
who suggest that the geological record on this subject is just a *bit*
more reliable than the collection of middle-eastern goat-herder's folk
tales that make up most of the Bible's Old Testament.
As you would expect, the place is most often deserted. And most of
what customers they *do* have are either creationists like themselves
or rational visitors who come to scoff.
Presumably the museum is financially backed by some Fundie church who
sees this as a way to spread the word while at the same time
seperating some credulous tourists from their excess income, because
by itself the museum certainly doesn't make enough to keep the doors
open without external funding.
NameHere
wrote:
> I.E. up until just a few
>thousand years ago; when the Biblical Flood supposedly killed off all
>the dinos.
I'm still waiting for someone to add up all the mass by 2x's the number of
species of all plants and animals on earth, calculate the mass of water to
displace them all, and then design a boat that could carry that load above
the water. Then compare that boat size to the number of "cubits" reported
in their "book of truth". This, apparently, is some simple math that the
creationists refuse to embark upon ... much like their "ark". Both holding
or displacing just as much water.
Am I allowed to laugh yet? Too late. I already learned by the age of six
what fools they be. There I was, at the age of six in catechism class,
realizing what idiots that religionists were. Imagine that. A six year-old
knowing he was smarter than all adults that believe in religion. Common
sense, proving to me that religionists weren't as smart as a six-year-old.
It was then I realized that I was in this alone in this, and had to think
for myself for the rest of my life. Anyone who believed in religion were
the first to discard as ever holding any truths in their minds whatsoever.
G
> I am headed down to the desert,PalmSprings, California next week, and
> I wondered if there were any recommendations for a side trip on the way
> Monument, but not much to the North of PS.
>
> I have thought about Big Bear, Lake Isabella, the Southern Mojave
> Desert, but don't know what might afford interesting landscapes or
> materials (such as abandonned structures). Any tips out there?
>
> --
> john mcwilliams
Hey, don't forget a place I used to work at.
Here is a recent shot.
http://zekfrivolous.com/pics/g7croptest.JPG
It was located here.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Goldstone_Deep_Space_Communications_Complex
I think you can get tours.
By the way, I did not take that shot. When I worked there there were
no
portable digital cameras.
greg
Chris
> On Tue, 29 Dec 2009 23:19:26 -0800 (PST), Twibil <nowayjo...@gmail.com>
Oh my word, you should read some of the rationalizations they use to
get everything onto the Ark. It's down at the moment* but wander over
to the usenet group talk.origins sometime and read the posts there.
You'll see everything from Noah using power tools to build the ark in
the allotted time, to cryogenic storage of embryos to save space. Noah
only took baby animals. On and on and on. I haven't seen anyone
address the issue of how opossums got to South America from Ararat, or
bandicoots to Australia, or what they ate along the way. Nor has
anyone explained what the cheetahs and jaguarundis ate until the
herbivore populations increased enough.
These people are seriously deranged.
Chris
*talk.origins is a robo-moderated group. The moderation was put into
place to eliminate excessive cross-posting by mentally ill people
(seriously mentally ill people who spammed hate messages to rape-
recovery support groups). Since it's moderated, the server can go down
sometimes, although it's usually quite reliable.
Chris
> Twibil wrote:
>
> > On Dec 23, 4:44 pm, John McWilliams <jp...@comcast.net> wrote:
>
> > > I also hope someone might be able to do similar for the area North or
> > > North West of PS.
>
> > I live there (40 miles west).
>
> > Only thing worth mentioning north of P.S is Death Valley, and it's
> > loooong drive.
>
> > Immediately to the West of P.S. is Cabazon; with a million mall-outlet
> > stores and a single Creationist Dinosaur Museum.
>
> <edited for brevity>
>
> Man, I just gots ta know! What the hell is this "Creationist Dinosaur
> Museum" stuff all about, anyhow?
FYI there's another one in Kentucky. Here's a NY Times review:
http://travel.nytimes.com/2007/05/24/arts/24crea.html
To these people, "The Flintstones" is a documentary.
Chris
>
> --
> Cordially,
> John Turco <j...@concentric.net>
GregS
>On Tue, 05 Jan 2010 09:24:15 -0800, G wrote:
>
>
>> Hey, don't forget a place I used to work at. Here is a recent shot.
>> http://zekfrivolous.com/pics/g7croptest.JPG
>
>when in fact it looks more like the parking lot at SPL.
>
>JPL - Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena
>SPL - Steam Propulsion Laboratory, Tijuana
That dry lake bed is I believe, Goldstone Dry lake.
The JPL people use it as a runway.
NASA opperated sites there in the past. Now, the sites are
in the sky by TDRS satellites. The control point is White Sands, NM.
greg
GregS
The point is near Death Valley to the north 25 mi., west of China Lake Navel test range, and in
the Army Ft. Irwin gov't plot of land. Its surrounding mountains shielding radio fields
from all directions. The evening sunsets are beatiful beyond description, and the morning
blue sky has not seen by many people.
Greg
Frank ess
Chris wrote:
> On Dec 31 2009, 12:49 am, NameHere <w...@address.info> wrote:
>> On Tue, 29 Dec 2009 23:19:26 -0800 (PST), Twibil
>> <nowayjo...@gmail.com> wrote:
>>
>>> I.E. up until just a few
>>> thousand years ago; when the Biblical Flood supposedly killed off
>>> all the dinos.
[ ... ]
>
> Oh my word, you should read some of the rationalizations they use to
> get everything onto the Ark. It's down at the moment* but wander
> over to the usenet group talk.origins sometime and read the posts
> there. You'll see everything from Noah using power tools to build
> the ark in the allotted time, to cryogenic storage of embryos to
> save space. Noah only took baby animals. On and on and on. I
> haven't seen anyone address the issue of how opossums got to South
> America from Ararat, or bandicoots to Australia, or what they ate
> along the way. Nor has anyone explained what the cheetahs and
> jaguarundis ate until the herbivore populations increased enough.
>
> These people are seriously deranged.
>
> Chris
You "science" guys are always picking on the "believers": In the late
1950s I was a photogrammetrist, making aeronautical charts from old
map sources and from old and new aerial photography. One of the charts
I "compiled" was of the southeast side of Mt Ararat. There I found a
photo source showing an oblong shape of about the appropriate number
of cubits in width and length, and duly put a wrecked ship symbol at
that location. Much to my disappointment, someone, probably a "science
guy", edited the symbol off the chart before it was published.
Can't you please leave the believers to their fantasies? Imagine what
disruption would occur if they all suddenly had no nonsense to absorb
all their energies! Chaos!
--
Frank ess
Chris
LOL It took two readings to get the irony. Thank you for the hoot.
And yes, I have no problem at all with the Troo Beeleevers hanging on
to their fantasies. Unfortunately they keep trying to insinuate their
silly season stuff into science curricula. That's really the raison
d'etre for talk.origins. It's a venue to show lurkers just how silly
their stuff is. Also, it spawned a really excellent web site,
www.talkorigins.org, that provides a ton of info about the political
(not scientific) dispute.
As you say between the lines, there simply is no scientific dispute.
Chris
John Turco
>
> On Dec 29, 10:16 pm, John Turco <j...@concentric.net> wrote:
> >
> >
> > What the hell is this "Creationist Dinosaur
> > Museum" stuff all about, anyhow?
>
> It's a Cabazon tourist attraction put together by some Creationists
> who like to think (to use the word very loosely) that human beings and
> dinosaurs shared the Earth at the same time: I.E. up until just a few
> thousand years ago; when the Biblical Flood supposedly killed off all
> the dinos.
> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Creationist_museum
>
> They're quite serious about this nonsense, and look askance at people
> who suggest that the geological record on this subject is just a *bit*
> more reliable than the collection of middle-eastern goat-herder's folk
> tales that make up most of the Bible's Old Testament.
However, I've sometimes been intrigued by the ancient myths featuring
dragons. As such tales evolved in diverse parts of the world (e.g.,
Europe and Asia), is it remotely possible that those reputed "dragons"
could've been real animals?
Dinosaurs, anybody?
> As you would expect, the place is most often deserted. And most of
> what customers they *do* have are either creationists like themselves
> or rational visitors who come to scoff.
>
> Presumably the museum is financially backed by some Fundie church who
> sees this as a way to spread the word while at the same time
> seperating some credulous tourists from their excess income, because
> by itself the museum certainly doesn't make enough to keep the doors
> open without external funding.
If there are no primordial skeletons to ogle, it's hardly surprising
the joint hasn't attracted much interest.