Musings
Last Adventurer
#preservethegood

As you’ve seen above, #preservethegood could mean anything – it could mean helping someone in a time of need; it could be picking up trash on a trail, or a wilderness area; it could be educating people on leave no trace principles; it could be making a difference in any way you want; and it could be just about anything you want as long as you are focused in keeping the magic and the unique positive things in this world and this life. In terms of tangible things, I encourage you, my readers and followers to use the hashtag when you post a photo of something amazing; or when you’re talking about something exceptional you – or someone else has done to improve the world. I look forward to seeing how all of you end up preserving the good in 2015, and you can rest assured that as always, I will keep preserving the good where I find it as well, because as Plato says, “Good actions give strength to ourselves and inspire good actions in others.” 

#preservethegood
Hiking, State Parks
Last Adventurer
Canyon Trail to Waipoo Falls

As I mentioned previously, Waimea Canyon is a site that is most definitely one of the “must-view” locations on Kauai, and in the world; and as I also mentioned, the best way to experience it is to hike it. While there are many great hikes through the canyon, the best hike in my book is the Canyon Trail to Waipoo Falls. It is the best hike to me because at four miles roundtrip, it is accessible, it has stunning views of the canyon from inside the canyon, and it ends at the top Waipoo Falls. It also allows the hiker the chance to swim in a waterfall, which is a once in a lifetime experience.

Canyon Trail to Waipoo Falls

Strange Spots and Other Myths

Ashford Mill

Ashford Mill

There’s gold in them thar hills! Why else would people come to Death Valley – aside from the mystic saltwater pools, of course! If you’ve got a moment, and you’re heading into the park from the South entrance, or leaving the park from the South entrance, I’d suggest that you stop at the ruins of the Ashford Mill, where you can still see some of the structures of the former mill survive – mainly because they were built twice as thick as normal buildings. Supposedly, the buildings were built twice as thick, because extra material was delivered upon construction, but if you’re like me, you can speculate about more sinister, science-fiction type reasons while you’re there. In any event, while it’s not the Eureka Mine (http://lastadventurer.com/last-adventurers-fieldnotes/2012/2/27/eureka-mine-harrisburg-ghost-town-aguereberry-camp.html), it’s still worth a stop to see some of Death Valley’s mining past.

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The Salt/Saline Pools of the Devil’s Golf Course

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The Salt/Saline Pools of the Devil’s Golf Course

The Devil's Golf Course is an area of Death Valley that is close to Badwater. While it is not quite as far below sea level as Badwater, this is an area that is also below sea level. But like Badwater, it shares a common geologic past. Over twenty thousand years ago, the valley floor of Death Valley was not barren and desolate - but instead was covered with water - a large body of water known to geologists and historians as Lake Manly. Lake Manly was full of minerals from the surrounding terrain; and over the course of time, as it evaporated, it left those minerals - and sedimentary rocks behind. Today, what remains are salt crystals from the bottom of the lake - and borax crystal formations. These crystals have grown into an extensive – and hard network of structures. As you can see from the pictures above, the crystal formations have covered the area in a network of sharp formations that are between one to two feet high and are close together. As the area is difficult to traverse on foot, one can only imagine the difficulty one would have attempting to play any sort of golf game (hence the name). While the crystals are spectacular, where myth and fact meet are with the secret pools of water that remain interspersed among the formations.

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Scotty's Castle

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Scotty's Castle

There are three great historic mansions in California that are full of ghosts. There’s the Winchester House, which is full of actual ghosts. Then there’s the Hearst Castle, which is full of the ghosts of history, old Hollywood, print news, and dare I say it, Rosebud. Last, but not least, there’s Scotty’s Castle, which is full of ghosts of old stories. Out of the three, Scotty’s Castle is the most remote, as it is in the far Northern corner of Death Valley National Park, miles and miles away from cities, towns, and civilization. Despite its remote location, Scotty’s Castle holds its own as one of the big three, and depending on your perspective, may even be the most interesting, beautiful, and compelling.

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Eureka Mine, Harrisburg Ghost Town, Aguereberry Camp

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Eureka Mine, Harrisburg Ghost Town, Aguereberry Camp

As if there weren’t enough interesting things about Death Valley National Park, here’s one more for you: the park is honeycombed with tons of abandoned mines, representing a bygone era of mineral exploration and exploitation.  Many of these mines can be seen from the trail, most notably in the Golden Canyon region, but a majority – if not all of these mines may be unsafe, due to a variety of factors – the mine may not be seismically stable, there may be hazardous gasses (methane), or there may be morlocks or other serious hazards within the mine. Fortunately, should you have the itch to explore a mine in a safe manner; there is an option for you: the Eureka Mine (provided you are headed there during the right season).

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Charcoal Kilns

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Charcoal Kilns

Back in the near-distant past, after dinosaurs roamed the Earth, I decided that I wanted to climb Telescope Peak. At that point, I didn’t know much about Death Valley other than what I had read and researched. I know that this was truly a long time ago, perhaps during part of the dark ages, because I had gleaned most of my information from actual books and paper maps. I left after work for the desert, and by the time I reached Emigrant Canyon Road within the park, it was very late. As my car glided over the curvy pavement like a giant bat, my eyes drooped slightly. Suddenly, my high beams caught a glimpse of something grey, brown and large on the road. Automatically, my foot hit the brake before I could say “Blue Moon”. My SUV skidded on its antilock brakes for a split-second before coming to rest.

Cabazon Dinosaurs

Time waits for no man - or in this case, no man, and no dinosaurs. Among other places, I grew up in Southern California, and while growing up, I made a fair number of trips out to the desert with my parents. One of my favorite things about heading out to the desert was that part of the I-10 after Beaumont where the freeway crests a slight hill, and you can see for miles down into the valley where the windmills churn before Palm Springs. At that point, day or night, the main thing you could see breaking the desert panorama were the larger than life shapes of two dinosaurs resting comfortably. In my head, I could picture them lumbering off into the distant hills, or chasing cars full of tourists like myself looking for an easy meal. If you stopped there, the parking lot was full of eager, chattering people, and a lot of over-exuberiant kids. After all, what kid didn't like dinosaurs - or venturing into a dinosaur's belly? 

That was then, and this is now. Today, the dinosaurs - Mr. Rex and Dinny - are obscured behind a Burger King, and some other restaurant, and not so visible from the I-10 East. The ownership of the dinosaurs has also changed - as has the message - to a creationist viewpoint of how the Earth and its creatures has been created. Full disclosure here: I'm a firm believer in evolution; but aside from that, it seems wrong to me to use these fanciful creatures to promote a political message - but maybe that's just my nostalgia talking. In any case, the combination - new ownership; behind a fast food restaurant has made it seem more desolate and different to me than what I recollect from my memories "back in the day". Nevertheless, how can you pass it up if you're in the area? It's right off the I-10 in Cabazon, so you can't miss it.

See you under the dino's feet!

More Information: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cabazon_Dinosaurs, http://www.yelp.com/biz/cabazon-dinosaurs-cabazon

 

Zzyzx, Mojave National Preserve

Zzyzx! It sounds like a species or planet from Douglas Adams’ Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy. It also sounds like a dread sickness, “After Bart got the zzyzx, he only lived one minute!” Or, if you’re heading North on the I-15 to Las Vegas, and it’s late at night, the word and exit (the last exit before Baker) makes you think, “Zzyzx – man, I wish I was in Vegas so I could get zome zzzzzzzyzx of my own”(even though everyone knows that no one sleeps in Vegas!). Or, if you’re on your way back from Vegas, the word sounds like the best curse ever, because you’ve been stuck in 110 degree traffic for the last hour on the I-15 South, and you lost all of your money, and the girl/guy you were with. In this case, you’re probably thinking, “I got your ZZYZX right here you son of a sea monkey!!!”

However, if you’re a true desert wanderer, you’re not thinking any of these things. You’re thinking, “Hey, that’s a mighty strange term – I wonder what exactly is off Zzyzx???” And, since I am a true desert wanderer, let me tell you what’s off Zzyzx road (just in case you elect not to stop). To the North, there’s desert, and desert tortoises. To the South, there’s more desert – Mojave National Preserve desert, to be exact, and if you follow the road down, you’ll see a sign that says this “Zzyzx, 6 miles”. If you continue following the road, you’ll wind along some salt flat, and the road will go from paved to graded gravel, to paved again, and then to gravel, and then you’ll be in a parking lot outside of the town of Zzyzx.

Astute observers and readers are now likely muttering at their screens, “What? You’re telling me there’s a town in the middle of the Mojave called Zzyzx? Yeah, right. I’d have heard of this before. Nice try!” To this, let me assure you that had you been alive in say, 1944, you would have definitely heard of Zzyzx – on a little box called the radio. Back then, it was developed by Curtis Howe Springer, who had his own radio show promoting the water (yes, there’s water – and lots of it there), selling the water, and promoting his own health spa and yes, radio evangelism. Prior to that, it was called Soda Springs, and inhabited thousands of years ago by prehistoric man. Today, what remains is pretty much all of the town built by Springer, which is now the California State University Desert Studies center. While classes are held there regularly, every time I’ve been there, the place has been empty and deserted. This brings me to my last point about Zzyzx – it’s eerie. When its high noon, and you’re standing by the abandoned swing set on the Boulevard of Dreams (actual street name), you start to wonder where the inhabitants are, and what happened to them. Then you start to wonder, “Are they coming to get me? Is this a horror movie? Is what got them going to get me??” Or maybe that’s just me. Horror movie qualities aside, the town has a cute art deco feel and interesting street names, so if you’ve been stuck in traffic, or want to see a part of America that’s disappeared, check it out – Zzyzx.

Directions: See above, but first exit after Baker, or first exist before Baker. Zzyzx exit, of course.

Tips:What, you need more? I mean, really, I think this whole post is a giant tip. How many of you knew there was a town out in the Mojave also called Zzyzx? I thought not. Ok, ok. I say, wait for a starry night, and drive out to the town while listening to a little Blue Moon by ol’ blue eyes himself, Frank Sinatra to get a feel for how Zzyzx was in its heyday. That, and don’t drink the water out there: Springer may have sold it, but was ultimately busted for being the “King of Quacks”! (There’s also a good recording of Springer at the Kelso NPS Museum, should you wish to listen to his radio claims).

More Information:http://www.nps.gov/moja/planyourvisit/zzyzx.htm, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zzyzx,_California, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Curtis_Howe_Springer, http://www.weirdus.com/states/california/fabled_people_and_places/zzyyxxzz/index.php