4/15/2017 Topic: Border Patrol Mandie	Hi everyone! I usually lurk all your wonderful posts but am breaking my silence to ask a question. I was heading out from Vallecito on the S-2 on Thursday evening and saw a big plume of dust go up across from Bow Willow. I grabbed my binoculars and saw one of the big helicopters that Border Patrol uses taking off. As I drove closer I found another was still on the ground and Border Patrol seemed all atwitter. In fact, they seemed atwitter all day; they arrested 4 people when I arrived in the morning at the Ocotillo checkpoint and they were parked everywhere I looked all the way up to Blair Valley. Does anyone know what that was all about? Google defies me so I thought I'd ask here. BP always gives me the rigmarole so I like to know when I should try to avoid them.
8/23/2017 Topic: Indian Hill Pictographs Mandie	Hi guys, I had a brain fart while watching the NASA footage of the total eclipse and wonder if the sun pictographs in Indian Hill are documentation of a total eclipse in the past? Thoughts? On a semi-related note, I can't wait to get my copy of La Rumorosa. Super excited! -Mandie
8/23/2017 Topic: Indian Hill Pictographs Mandie	I've only done a couple quick searches because work and school have me busy. I found there was one over Lompoc in 1923 but that seems really early. There was another in 1806 over Baja but that still seems pretty early and it was in July so I think they would have been at higher elevations. I may run it by my archaeology professor to see if he has any suggestions on informational resources. I'm new at this stuff. I kind of wanted to see if you guys knew if there was already an established interpretation of these paintings. My head exploded when I saw the eclipse and it looked like those suns and it's been rattling around in there since! edited by Mandie on 8/23/2017
8/24/2017 Topic: Indian Hill Pictographs Mandie	Very true. Well said.
12/13/2017 Topic: Road to Mt Palm Springs primitive camp Mandie	I was there on Thanksgiving and had no trouble in my 4runner. I imagine it should be tamped down enough now for a trailer. Only real place I could see you getting squirely is turning in from the S-2 so maybe try not to cut it too sharp on the turn.

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