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dsefcik Administrator Posts: 2624
12/11/2012
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What are you currently reading about the desert?
I currently have on loan from my friend Gary the following books:
All the Wild Lonely Places
Just Before Sunset
The Cahuilla Landscape
All great books so far though I have not had a chance to dig too deep into the Just Before Sunset book yet.
If you have an interest in the history of the Colorado desert area and the Native Americans who called it home, these are great books to read.
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http://www.sefcik.com
http://www.darensefcik.com
http://www.carrizogorge.com
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anutami Posts: 491
12/11/2012
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Geology of Anza-Borrego: Edge of Creation
This is a great book and a must read.
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ziphius Posts: 911
12/12/2012
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The Mysterious Lands
Survival Skills of Native California
The Devil's Highway: A True Story
I read Lester Reed's 'Old Time Cattlemen' last year.
edited by ziphius on 12/13/2012
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dsefcik Administrator Posts: 2624
12/12/2012
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Jim (ziphius) wrote:
Daren, how do you insert them fancy links with the book titles in your msg? Type in the text of the fancy name and then highlight that text with the cursor and then click the "chain" link in the wysiwyg editor menu bar above and then paste in the actual url of the link in the pop up window. This is a big improvement to the old version of the forum software.
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http://www.sefcik.com
http://www.darensefcik.com
http://www.carrizogorge.com
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tommy750 Posts: 1049
12/12/2012
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Currently reading this:
Untitled by tomteske, on Flickr
Just purchased these:
san by tomteske, on Flickr
pre by tomteske, on Flickr
61tsK7w933L by tomteske, on Flickr
61GOojL-i4L__SL500_ by tomteske, on Flickr
41OqHb4D1vL by tomteske, on Flickr
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rockhopper Posts: 668
12/12/2012
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Thanks for the suggestions.
Heres a short one I liked
http://angeles.sierraclub.org/dps/archives/dps00752.htm
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ziphius Posts: 911
12/13/2012
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rockhopper wrote:
Thanks for the suggestions.
Heres a short one I liked
http://angeles.sierraclub.org/dps/archives/dps00752.htm
Great thread. The trip he describes, Villager - Rabbit - Toro - etc. is inspiring and makes me feel like a complete wimp.  Daren, thanks for the tip. - Jim
edited by ziphius on 12/13/2012
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DRT Lakeside Posts: 62
12/13/2012
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Another interesting read is Pat Abbott's "Rise and Fall of San Diego-150 Million Years of History Recorded in Sedimentary Rocks"
Dr. Abbott was at SDSU and is often the guy you see on the local news when there is an earthquake/tsunami/volcanic eruption somewhere. I think he was also "The Professor" on some failed reality show based on Gilligan's Island
Book has lots of interesting field trips and location info.
Nice that it starts off with some basics and then walks you through different areas/formations/history. Ch. 7 is on the Salton Trough area and also has a cool "Miocene" field trip Fish Creek Wash through Split Mountain Gorge. I enjoy the geology stuff, but don't know all that much so this is helpful to bring with me on our trips and also to peruse around the campfire.
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tommy750 Posts: 1049
12/13/2012
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rockhopper wrote:
Thanks for the suggestions.
Heres a short one I liked
http://angeles.sierraclub.org/dps/archives/dps00752.htm
Wow, that's an impressive trip report. Sounds like a superhuman endeavor. Does this guy have narcolepsy? Not aware of people dropping hypnagogic and hypnopompic into a backpacking story unless they're personally familiar with this sleep disorder. That would make the trek even more impressive! Thanks. Tom
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AdventureGraham Posts: 170
12/13/2012
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Desert Lore of Southern California
edited by BorregoWrangler on 12/13/2012
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rockhopper Posts: 668
12/14/2012
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tommy750 wrote:
rockhopper wrote:
Thanks for the suggestions.
Heres a short one I liked
http://angeles.sierraclub.org/dps/archives/dps00752.htm
Wow, that's an impressive trip report. Sounds like a superhuman endeavor. Does this guy have narcolepsy? Not aware of people dropping hypnagogic and hypnopompic into a backpacking story unless they're personally familiar with this sleep disorder. That would make the trek even more impressive! Thanks. Tom
Iknow, The first time I read that I felt "I'm not worthy" Now that is a bust #ss hike!
I had to read it several times for it to sink in
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dsefcik Administrator Posts: 2624
12/14/2012
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A lot of great reading here, I can see I need to start reading more and get off the computer...
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http://www.sefcik.com
http://www.darensefcik.com
http://www.carrizogorge.com
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dsefcik Administrator Posts: 2624
1/14/2013
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@tommy750
Looks like your photo links are broken, I wanted to know if the Survival book was any good.
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http://www.sefcik.com
http://www.darensefcik.com
http://www.carrizogorge.com
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tommy750 Posts: 1049
1/15/2013
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dsefcik wrote:
@tommy750
Looks like your photo links are broken, I wanted to know if the Survival book was any good.
Oops! My mistake in deleting the pics. I haven't done more than glance through it, but it looks very interesting and has tons of info on "surviving" AKA living regular prehistoric life. My favorite section so far is entitled, "Brain Tanning." Tom
41OqHb4D1vL by tomteske, on Flickr
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ziphius Posts: 911
1/16/2013
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On my last trip to Desert View Tower, I picked up a copy of
Earth Pigments and Paint of the California Indians by Paul D. Campbell. Quite interesting, with some great photos of pictographs scattered throughout CA. His other book that Tommy mentions, Survival Skills.... is a good read too. I was particularly mesmerized by the trapping methods they used for small mammals.
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TR Posts: 67
1/16/2013
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Marshal South and the Ghost Mountain Chronicles.
I know from everyone I've talked to, that Marshal South was supposed to be this great man, and great writer, but so far I found him to be a self promoting jerk.
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DRT Lakeside Posts: 62
1/17/2013
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While not specifically about the desert and its people, this is a pretty interesting read that works to dispel a lot of the "noble savage" kind of myths about people in the early Americas. It always amazes me how people of the present day tend to assume that people in the past were not as smart or capable of doing great things. i.e. Aliens help build the pyramids, etc.
In this groundbreaking work of science, history, and archaeology, Charles C. Mann radically alters our understanding of the Americas before the arrival of Columbus in 1492.
Contrary to what so many Americans learn in school, the pre-Columbian Indians were not sparsely settled in a pristine wilderness; rather, there were huge numbers of Indians who actively molded and influenced the land around them. The astonishing Aztec capital of Tenochtitlan had running water and immaculately clean streets, and was larger than any contemporary European city. Mexican cultures created corn in a specialized breeding process that it has been called man’s first feat of genetic engineering. Indeed, Indians were not living lightly on the land but were landscaping and manipulating their world in ways that we are only now beginning to understand. Challenging and surprising, this a transformative new look at a rich and fascinating world we only thought we knew.
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wintyfresh Posts: 21
1/17/2013
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TR wrote:
I know from everyone I've talked to, that Marshal South was supposed to be this great man, and great writer, but so far I found him to be a self promoting jerk.
Agreed 100%. It's really no wonder Tanya left him, imho, and giving that ice cream to the librarian was insult to injury.
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dsefcik Administrator Posts: 2624
1/17/2013
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A big stack of Wired magazines from last year that I never got around to reading.
A great article on John McAfee, what a wack..
http://www.wired.com/threatlevel/2012/12/ff-john-mcafees-last-stand/all/
Megaupload's Kit Dotcom is another interesting read
http://www.wired.com/threatlevel/2012/10/ff-kim-dotcom/all/
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http://www.sefcik.com
http://www.darensefcik.com
http://www.carrizogorge.com
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dsefcik Administrator Posts: 2624
1/17/2013
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DRT Lakeside wrote:
the pre-Columbian Indians were not sparsely settled in a pristine wilderness; rather, there were huge numbers of Indians who actively molded and influenced the land around them. In the book All the Wild Lonely Places the author says the same about the Colorado desert native americans.
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http://www.sefcik.com
http://www.darensefcik.com
http://www.carrizogorge.com
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ziphius Posts: 911
1/23/2013
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Just picked up a copy of The Desert Bighorn Its Life History, Ecology, and Management. Lots of great information and first-hand stories about bighorn, including historical ranges, known locations (generalized) of rock art depicting bighorns, an account of two golden eagles cooperatively hunting and killing a bighorn lamb, etc. There is an image of a 'death trap tinaja' in the Chocolate Mountains, just 3 miles from the Colorado River, where the remains of 34 bighorn sheep were found in 1969. The image and text from the book is shown below.
edited by ziphius on 1/23/2013
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dsefcik Administrator Posts: 2624
1/23/2013
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Jim (ziphius) wrote:
Just picked up a copy of The Desert Bighorn Its Life History, Ecology, and Management. Lots of great information and first-hand stories about bighorn, including historical ranges, known locations (generalized) of rock art depicting bighorns, an account of two golden eagles cooperatively hunting and killing a bighorn lamb, etc. There is an image of a 'death trap tinaja' in the Chocolate Mountains, just 3 miles from the Colorado River, where the remains of 34 bighorn sheep were found in 1969. The image and text from the book is shown below. Very nice, lots of good reading here...I am still working my way thru the stack of Wired magazines...currently on Google's massive data center infrastructure.
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http://www.sefcik.com
http://www.darensefcik.com
http://www.carrizogorge.com
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harmono Posts: 71
2/3/2013
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I'm currently reading a book written by Neal Peart (yeah the drummer for Rush) called Far and Away ( a prize every time). It's about Neal's adventures riding in a motorcycle mostly when touring with Rush. It consists of material that he posted as a blog but is now archived, so you can read recent articles on nealpeart.net. Death Valley is one of his favorite places if not his favorite place to ride. Not sure if he's written about Anza-Borrego yet.
http://www.amazon.com/Far-Away-Prize-Every-Time/dp/1770410597
It's not a bad read, it's got some good pictures. It varies from article to article in how interesting it is, he tends to be a little too self critical, or self conscious about his writing. Neal used to be a bird watcher before he joined Rush in '74, so he's very much into nature, and things like that.
Prior to getting into this book I read the book called The Impossible Railroad which is fascinating.
edited by harmono on 2/3/2013
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IMG_1032 by harmono619, on Flickr
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dsefcik Administrator Posts: 2624
4/3/2013
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I am thinking of buying the Survival Skills of Native California book, any of you reading this have any reviews/comments?
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http://www.sefcik.com
http://www.darensefcik.com
http://www.carrizogorge.com
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tommy750 Posts: 1049
4/3/2013
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dsefcik wrote:
I am thinking of buying the Survival Skills of Native California book, any of you reading this have any reviews/comments?
Get it. Lots of interesting brief chapters on making bows, arrows, slings, shoes (e.g. emergency yucca sandals), ollas, snares, hunting (liked the description and graphic pics of shooting, grilling and eating wood rats), shelters, all from an Indian perspective. Haven't finished it cover to cover but it's an interesting read. Tom
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DRT Lakeside Posts: 62
4/12/2013
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Since my map and navigation skills leave something to be desired, I started reading "The Natural Navigator" book above. I have only really perused it quickly so far, but it seems to have a lot of interesting hints and clues that nature provides as a resource for finding your way. Reminds me of how in touch with the world and observant you had to be in the past without technology as a fallback. I did not realize how many little things were going unnoticed to me as I plodded along; its more than the moss on a tree deal
Here is the book description from Amazon:
Before GPS, before the compass, and even before cartography, humankind was navigating. Now this singular guide helps us rediscover what our ancestors long understood—that a windswept tree, the depth of a puddle, or a trill of birdsong can help us find our way, if we know what to look and listen for. Adventurer and navigation expert Tristan Gooley unlocks the directional clues hidden in the sun, moon, stars, clouds, weather patterns, lengthening shadows, changing tides, plant growth, and the habits of wildlife. Rich with navigational anecdotes collected across ages, continents, and cultures, The Natural Navigator will help keep you on course and open your eyes to the wonders, large and small, of the natural world.
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ziphius Posts: 911
4/12/2013
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That looks like a good one DRT. My navigation skills are also worrisome at times. I just picked up a 2nd-hand copy of
a book primarily about the Salton Sea area, with lots of wonderful photos and stories. - Jim
edited by ziphius on 4/12/2013
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DesertWRX Posts: 135
5/6/2013
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Salt Dreams is a long read! The author sure did a lot of research and I went into info overload! Very good book!
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DRT Lakeside Posts: 62
5/7/2013
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Started reading Chris Wray's Historic Backcountry as well as the Highways to History books (Thanks to this site). They are great and I look forward to checking out some of the locations soon.
Also wanted to mention that my rediscovery of the SD County Library and its numerous resources has been great. I hadn't used my card in a long time; they have tons of e-books, audio books, etc., and you orchestrate a lot of it online to save time and trips. (renewals, requests, catalog searches) Still miss the microfiche and card catalog though as I spent many summer days in the library as a kid just exploring. I requested the Chris Wray books and they showed up in a week or so. Awesome.
I have too many books but I may need to buy a copy of these 2.
Lastly some of my favorite books that I go back to every so often are the Foxfire Series that I inherited from my grandfather. I really enjoy learning and reading how things used to be done. The ingenuity and hard work of people that flat got things done always lends perspective to our society of convenience and disconnect with the natural world. I dont have them all but might check the library now
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ziphius Posts: 911
6/4/2013
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Thanks for the tip on the Foxfire series DRT.
I finished this book awhile ago, but thought it might interest folks who are into desert archaeology:
edited by ziphius on 6/4/2013
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dsefcik Administrator Posts: 2624
6/5/2013
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Nolan (anutami) wrote:
Geology of Anza-Borrego: Edge of Creation
This is a great book and a must read. My son just bought this for me...looks good so far
Geology of Anza-Borrego: Edge of Creation
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http://www.sefcik.com
http://www.darensefcik.com
http://www.carrizogorge.com
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dsefcik Administrator Posts: 2624
6/5/2013
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tommy750 wrote:
dsefcik wrote:
I am thinking of buying the Survival Skills of Native California book, any of you reading this have any reviews/comments?
Get it. Lots of interesting brief chapters on making bows, arrows, slings, shoes (e.g. emergency yucca sandals), ollas, snares, hunting (liked the description and graphic pics of shooting, grilling and eating wood rats), shelters, all from an Indian perspective. Haven't finished it cover to cover but it's an interesting read. Tom I ended up buying this, definitely not a sit down and read cover to cover book. Very interesting though, the photos make it seem like it is from the 50's or 60's but they are not.
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http://www.sefcik.com
http://www.darensefcik.com
http://www.carrizogorge.com
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borrego Posts: 18
10/20/2013
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If you like history this book is a must... comes right through our desert in a couple chapters....
http://www.amazon.com/Blood-Thunder-Carson-Conquest-American/dp/1400031109
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ziphius Posts: 911
12/30/2013
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Charles Bowden: "The desert fires my appetite for life and here I know this fact: the desert is where I want to die, where I do not fear death, do not even consider it. Here death is like breathing. Here death simply is."
Blue Desert and Desierto
edited by ziphius on 12/30/2013
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rockhopper Posts: 668
1/9/2014
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dsefcik wrote:
Nolan (anutami) wrote:
Geology of Anza-Borrego: Edge of Creation
This is a great book and a must read. My son just bought this for me...looks good so far
Geology of Anza-Borrego: Edge of Creation
Daren,
Just bought the book while in Borrego Springs! Highly recommended. Makes you realize just how amazing the geology
of the whole area is. Just fantastic!
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dsefcik Administrator Posts: 2624
1/11/2014
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I was actually just reading a lot of this book over xmas break, it covers the whole park, not just Fish Creek or such. Used it as a basis for exploration over New Years.
rockhopper wrote:
dsefcik wrote:
Nolan (anutami) wrote:
Geology of Anza-Borrego: Edge of Creation
This is a great book and a must read. My son just bought this for me...looks good so far
Geology of Anza-Borrego: Edge of Creation
Daren,
Just bought the book while in Borrego Springs! Highly recommended. Makes you realize just how amazing the geology
of the whole area is. Just fantastic!
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http://www.sefcik.com
http://www.darensefcik.com
http://www.carrizogorge.com
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dsefcik Administrator Posts: 2624
2/18/2014
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This book was recommended to me by someone at The San Diego Tracking Team ( http://www.sdtt.org ). I just got it today and after just a brief glance thru I have to say it looks like a really good book if you are interested in tracking. I already identified several tracks in it that I was not sure of before (like the Blister Beetle). This is a heavy, thick book and includes a section on scat..how could I pass that up??
Mammal Tracks & Sign
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http://www.sefcik.com
http://www.darensefcik.com
http://www.carrizogorge.com
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ziphius Posts: 911
2/18/2014
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Looks like a good book. I did an introductory 2-hr tracking session with a couple of folks from the tracking team, nice folks. They really make an art out of tracking. Made me pay much more attention to subtle cues and get into the habit of photographing 'poor' tracks - more challenging. Humbling too, I identified a domestic dog track as a bobcat during the class. Fun to go through their old newsletters, each of which contains an 'identify that track' quiz at the end. http://www.sdtt.org/General/Clear_print.aspx
edited by ziphius on 2/18/2014
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Florian Posts: 129
2/19/2014
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_All the Wild and Lonely Places_ is a wonderful book. The author, Larry Hogue, is a personal friend of mine. The Borrego Springs library has a copy.
-Florian
edited by Florian on 2/19/2014
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surfponto Administrator Posts: 1366
2/19/2014
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Started reading this one again. Inspired by Nolan's Fish Creek trip 
edited by surfponto on 2/19/2014
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ziphius Posts: 911
11/19/2014
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A quote from Anza Borrego A to Z, in the Glorietta Canyon description:
"The name Glorietta Canyon first appeared on an ABDSP map in 1982. It was an unnamed canyon at the foot of Pinyon Ridge until the Fall of 1978. Frnata Smreck and Ranger Paul Schuessler named the canyon. Smreck and his wife, Verna, had been camping that season in their Airstream trailer in the canyon that flows down to the east toward Yaqui Meadows from the top of the Wilson Trail. Smreck recalled that Schuessler had asked him, "What would you like to call this place?". The Smrecks continued to camp seasonally in the canyon until 1983, when the canyon became an official destination when it appeared on the park map and visitors disturbed their privacy." [ My take-home lesson: seek out unnamed places. ]
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dsefcik Administrator Posts: 2624
11/20/2014
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Jim (ziphius) wrote:
A quote from Anza Borrego A to Z, in the Glorietta Canyon description:
"The name Glorietta Canyon first appeared on an ABDSP map in 1982. It was an unnamed canyon at the foot of Pinyon Ridge until the Fall of 1978. Frnata Smreck and Ranger Paul Schuessler named the canyon. Smreck and his wife, Verna, had been camping that season in their Airstream trailer in the canyon that flows down to the east toward Yaqui Meadows from the top of the Wilson Trail. Smreck recalled that Schuessler had asked him, "What would you like to call this place?". The Smrecks continued to camp seasonally in the canyon until 1983, when the canyon became an official destination when it appeared on the park map and visitors disturbed their privacy." [ My take-home lesson: seek out unnamed places. ] Let us know what you find..! The history of place names is always interesting, thanks for that little bit of history..
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http://www.sefcik.com
http://www.darensefcik.com
http://www.carrizogorge.com
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dsefcik Administrator Posts: 2624
2/8/2015
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Just bought the Kindle version of Tschiffely's Ride: Ten Thousand Miles in the Saddle from Southern Cross to Pole Star
Has anybody else read this story?
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http://www.sefcik.com
http://www.darensefcik.com
http://www.carrizogorge.com
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ziphius Posts: 911
2/8/2015
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dsefcik wrote:
Just bought the Kindle version of Tschiffely's Ride: Ten Thousand Miles in the Saddle from Southern Cross to Pole Star
Has anybody else read this story?
Read the synopsis and it looks like a goodie Daren. Those type of stories always make me feel like I was born 100-150 years too late. Men were more 'feral' back in the day - envious.
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dsefcik Administrator Posts: 2624
2/8/2015
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Jim (ziphius) wrote:
Men were more 'feral' back in the day - envious. ...
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http://www.carrizogorge.com
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