3/6/2010 Topic: Quartz mystery... quidditian	Hi David -- I've been trying to post the following in the comment section of the post you made today, but it's just hourglassing and hourglassing, and giving me no love... Hi there -- I'm THRILLED to find your site, and look forward to exploring it. I just returned from my first trip to Anza, am and painfully in love with the place...and the fact that there seems to be no end to the wonderful things to see. I've always had an affinity for both the desert *and* native american cultures, but I'm heat-intolerant (whiny) and pretty much a hermit, so I never really go out to explore. This was an incredibly fulfilling whim; I felt as though my body was viscerally drinking in the perfect beauty and isolation of the landscape. While there, I didn't have internet access, but built up a million questions, so now I'm a googling madwoman. One thing is sort of difficult to find anything on -- I went to see the morteros (and later pictographs) yesterday, and noticed something odd, but pretty obviously naturally occurring in the mortero area...perfect lines of quartz embedded along the tops of rocks and sometimes ground...almost like someone in the sky was drizzling icing on a cake. Do you by any chance have any idea what causes this? I'm the world's worst photographer, but here are some pics... http://www.flickr.com/photos/9702179@N08/4412269317/ http://www.flickr.com/photos/9702179@N08/4413037900/ http://www.flickr.com/photos/9702179@N08/4413037732/ Thanks! Cayenne
3/6/2010 Topic: Quartz mystery... quidditian	oopsy...sorry -- I was addressing this to The Keeper of The Blog (or anyone, really)...just realized that I used the wrong mname. See? My little four day adventure has worn me out...
3/7/2010 Topic: Quartz mystery... quidditian	Thanks for creating the forum -- I'll probably be plaguing you (et al) with more random questions as they come to mind, but it's great to know there's a wealth of knowledge here! Eventually I'm going to write a trip update. Not only would I like to write it out for the sake of sending it to friends so they can ridicule me, but I think it may amuse/appall people who frequent this forum. If nothing else, my tale is a lesson in not thinking oneself impervious to "bad things" happening. Hint: Out-of-shape, technophobic 40 year old recluse in an old sedan heads out alone for desert adventure. I was like "Private Benjamin" of the desert. So the rocks were in Blair Valley -- where the state park has the historic sign for the morteros -- then one walks a very short distance to the big beautiful boulders that have morteros tucked away in them. The quartz phenomenon was pretty pervasive in that area. I think most surprising was the first pic where it shows the "line" on the ground. Weird enough to see it on the rocks themselves, but very strange along the ground. Of course, I'd love to have sort of picked around it to see how far down in the sand it went (I'm amazed it hasn't been disturbed by foot traffic -- maybe it's just on the top of a big rock buried underground, thus keeping it somewhat stable? Hmmmm...) As a former wanna-be archaeologist, I know to keep my hands to myself, so I didn't investigate. When I moved on to the pictograph area further down, I don't think I saw the quartz lines on any of the rocks around there...and it's what, maybe a mile(ish) away? Speaking of things being disturbed...I was amazed the pictographs are sitting there unprotected. I mean, that's certainly the most moving way to view them, but I lived in Wyoming for a year after college, and they have the petroglyph sites at Castle Gardens completely cordoned off behind fencing (one could see evidence of spray paint in places on the glyphs, which tended to leave one with no faith in humanity). I suppose it's a testament to human nobility that the pictographs can exist without damage in their natural state...it's also makes one worry a little. It only takes one a**hole to come along and destroy... Okay, enough babbling for now. The comment "issue" on your blog could have been total user error...as noted, I'm a technomoron. :] Cayenne <em>edited by quidditian on 3/7/2010</em>
3/7/2010 Topic: Quartz mystery... quidditian	Hey David -- I see you posted a reply while I was yammering -- thanks for the lead...I'll sniff it out. I actually did say aloud to myself when I was out there "this place is a geologist's dream." I'm so irritated that pictures can't begin to capture the palette of color out there. I should find a geologist to go with next time...there were so many funky and wonderful things going on with the rocks...
3/7/2010 Topic: Still Too Early quidditian	Man, you guys don't mess around! Camping. Camping in freezing rain. Mountain driving in the rain. It's like a foreign language to me. I'm such a wus. It's fun being able to follow your path on my little map I got at the Visitor's Center...seeing how far out you guys were from where I was is another reminder how vast the park is. I feel like I traversed huge swaths of territory, but it was infinitesimal in the grand scheme of things. Love your pics...that lupine looks a lot like lavender... The Carrizo Creek "prairie" looks lush and lovely...knowing how it's impossible to really capture these landscapes, I'm sure it's breathtaking in person. I found out there was some sort of four-wheeler convention in the area from one of the guys at my hotel (er, motel). In addition to the flower seekers, that might account for some of the extra toy haulers you were seeing... Glad y'all made it back safe and sound!
3/7/2010 Topic: First fumbling pass at experiencing Anza Borrego quidditian	By way of update, I've put together this pictorial web album to send to friends. It's 92 pics, so don't feel like you have to plow through all of it -- though it should be noted I pared down the pics from the 250 I came home with :}... http://picasaweb.google.com/Quidditian/AnzaBorrego33103610# What should be known about me is that I adore being at home, puttering around my house (apartment) and patio/studio. I don't often, as I say, "Go Places and Do Things." I loathe driving, and am terrified of anything other than the trek up and down the 805 to Del Mar that I made for nine years (before being laid off in August). I DO love nature, but getting me out of the house requires an act of god. The fact that I'm completely content at home, and am further high-maintenance (in that girly-buff-and-fluff sort of way) and hate driving effectively squashes any sort of adventurous spirit. I'm trying to force myself to do all of the things I've always wanted to do now that I have the time, and some quality time in the desert was/is top priority on that list. I would live in a desert, were it not for the heat -- everything else we typically associate with the desert speaks to me on a very primordial level. The problem with desert adventuring, I've learned from this trip to Anza, is that I love to be alone...act on my own whims, and not be disturbed by human voices; I also like to linger over simple things that bore other people. I think the compromise with myself going forward will be that if I'm to go alone, I need to stick to fairly populated areas. Sooooooooo, what's not mentioned in my little pictorial foray is what happened on Thursday, as I attempted to get to Font's Point. I'd gone to the Visitor's Center first, and talked to a ranger to try to map out my path. A friend had recommended Font's Point, and when I told this to the ranger, he asked what kind of car I drove, then said I "should" be okay. Well, not so much. I drive a '99 Mazda 626. As evidence of my lack of travel, it only has 96k miles on it, and I fully intend to drive it into the ground. I'm like the proverbial old lady who only drove her car to church downhill both ways, save the fact I don't "do" church. I was nervous as I got a bit into the dirt road leading to Font's Point...very soft and shifty sand, but it was do-able at snail's pace. I was, I imagine, 3/4 of a mile in when I saw a stalled little car...maybe a Focus or something similar. I checked to see whether anyone was in it, thinking someone might be in trouble, but it was empty. I only made it a few yards further when I became completely, utterly, and hopelessly stuck in the sand. Well then. "Now what?" I thought as I surveyed the desolate landscape. For about 15-20 minutes, I alternated between trying to go forward and reverse, giving little rests each of the 2-3 times the engine stalled out. There was a slow and creeping panic that I wasn't allowing myself to succumb to. Here I will note that part of my reclusiveness combined with technophobia is that I don't own a "real" cell phone. I have an ancient thing that can be used to dial 911 if required -- this was a hand-me-down phone given to me years ago by a friend who was annoyed that I didn't have some sort of connection to the outside world in case of an emergency when in my car. After literally spinning my wheels, I finally opened my door to assess the situation, and found the sand was up to the entry level of the car (I've since measured this as nine inches). I closed the door and focused on not panicking. As I looked up, I saw a coyote scurry across the "road." Somewhere in my ever- darkly amused brain, I thought "just toss in some vultures circling overhead, and we've got ourselves a cartoon." Visually, the scene was strikingly beautiful, with a bit of an almost unreal/surreal gorgeousness to it that, I believe, kept the panic at bay. By some miracle, my next attempt to reverse gave me enough traction to fly out of my pit, squiggling and wiggling all over the place as I flew toward solid(ish) ground. I imagine the reality of the situation would have eventually been most unamusing had it gone on much longer. In the entire time there, I never once saw another car pass. That night, safely back at the hotel, I discovered that I had left my 911 phone in my purse at the hotel room, and not packed it in my hiking bag that morning -- had I discovered that while I was stuck, I surely would have completely freaked out, as calling 911 was the only back-up plan I had in mind (would I even get a signal there? Something else to consider...). At about the same place I flew out of the sand, there were other shallow winding tracks where it appeared someone had encountered the same thing I did, and also managed to get out (unlike the unfortunate Focus owner). I've since looked at a couple of you tube videos of that road, and they were relatively navigable -- NOTHING like what I encountered. I didn't put it together until yesterday, but this Tierra Del Sol 4x4 thing was the 5th - 7th, and I wonder if some attendees had come out a day early and ripped up the road with their ATVs or whatever other sorts of vehicles they use. That was my potential disaster for Thursday. In retrospect, I should have reported the whole thing to the rangers, if for no other reason than to prevent the same thing from happening to someone else, and also in order to do some sort of a safety check on the Focus owner. Now I feel like a cad. I guess I just thought it was "normal" until I saw the you tube videos once I was back home yesterday. I had silently cursed the ranger for not giving more warning, but perhaps that's because the road condition was truly anomalous, and he simply didn't know. Maybe I should still make a call so they can be vigilant in the future...or maybe it's all too much to keep up with even when the 4x4 peeps aren't descending on the place...or maybe I just shouldn't be stupid enough to go tooling around in the desert alone with no cell phone. Sigh. Next lesson learned: Broken Toe Friday. This one is less wordy, I promise. :] This incident is purely devoid of external influences, and entirely my fault. Now, by today I had my 911 phone, but the point was moot, since there was no signal in the area. I'd spent a good amount of time bouncing around the mortero area, so as I made the hike to the pictographs, my out-of shape legs were already feeling a little noodly...the uphill grade is very slight for a normal person, but I was definitely feeling it. In short, I climbed up over a couple of boulders, and on the other side my feet met a relatively flat slab of granite with a fine layer of sand on it. No, I was not wearing hike-appropriate shoes, and subsequently found myself with head resting in a little cholla branch, breathlessly (literally) gazing up at the lovely blue sky. As I lay there, shadows increasing in the 4:00 pm sun, with leg twisted up under me, I was cognizant that this was not good. My toes were in screaming pain for a brief period, and my only thought was "oh PLEASE let me be able to walk." Thankfully, I was...albeit trudgingly. I knew I had to be close to the pictographs, and as long as I could move, I intended to drag the rest of the way up there. On the way back down, I sort of wanted to put a little cairn at the falling spot, but I A) felt too much like an outsider to the hiking world to be erecting cairns and, B) was desperate to get out of there before dark (you guessed it -- I didn't have my flashlight with me...it was luxuriating on a bed back at the hotel). Later that night I thought "what if I hadn't been able to walk?" Again, I'm glad the full repercussions of that didn't occur to me while I was on the ground, else the increasingly-familiar sense of panic would have set in. I mean, that's not territory where your friendly EMT puts you on a stretcher and rolls you out... No, even when someone finally finds you there (hopefully by the next day), there's got to be an airlift involved. I'm wondering whether Kaiser covers that. I mean, co-pay on an ambulance is $50 -- what's the co-pay on a helicopter? :] The fact that I was there during the week vs. weekend was a double-edged sword. I loved the lack of people, but if I'd truly gotten into a bind I sure as heck would have been hoping someone wandered by... All of this aside, it was the most precious four days in recent memory. I'm a hard-core rationalist, but I still like to think "the gods" let me out of there basically unscathed because my foibles were a good source of entertainment. They prolly get bored looking at all of you people who know what you're doing. ;] edited by quidditian on 3/8/2010 <em>edited by quidditian on 3/8/2010</em>
3/7/2010 Topic: Quartz mystery... quidditian	Thank you -- you're kind. You may eat your words when you see the novella I just wrote as an update. :] PLEASE don't feel like you have to read it. It's sort of self-serving as a way to document my little experience... That's a flippin' gorgeous pic...could be an abstract painting, nicely picking up the texture and dimension. It's perplexing... I went around and around last night about the issue of preservation of these things. My experience at Castle Gardens was...um...sixteen years ago, and the status may be better or worse at this point. It made my heart ache to see this ugly man-made structure around the carvings, but I also fully understood the need for it to be there. My misanthropic tendencies are only fueled when I realize how utterly clueless, if not downright malicious people can be... and the pictographs are even more fragile than petroglyphys, I would assume. Which brings to mind another point to google: I wonder what sort of pigments they used for the pictographs. Even if only 200 years old, the elements are extreme, and there's no modern paint equivalent I know of that would hold up to the the elements -- especially given the ultimate fragility of the "rock canvas". I'm fascinated by contemporary painters who make their own pigments (I think there are maybe two such people currently alive), but I haven't much looked into the logistics of it...seems like an overwhelming endeavor. Camping -- don't count on it -- I wish it were easy for me. Alas, having found the creepy little affordable hotel I love, I hope to return often enough that they'll eventually name one of the rooms "The Cayenne Suite." After I die/retire, I hope to haunt the place unimpeded by physicality. Maybe establish a little B&B on Ghost Mountain. :o <---scary ghost <em>edited by quidditian on 3/8/2010</em>
3/8/2010 Topic: South end of the park quidditian	Fantastic! I love the perspective making the pooch larger than the people. Adorable. Wonderful gradation of color on the mountains and sky, and also nice to see the flowers that I otherwise missed...
3/8/2010 Topic: Quartz mystery... quidditian	Okay, finally posted the pics of quartz lines for my best friend (and living encyclopedia), and gave him David's theory. He wrote: Well, that seems plausible. When I saw them, it made be think of "friendship rocks" that have a line running through them, found in Maine. I've no clue how they are formed, so will have consult my trusty, dusty wikipedia. In the next email, he said: That was a bust, I'm going with that guy's theory. Then he sent this link. It seems that your memory from "many moons ago" is perfectly in tact, David. :] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dike_%28geology%29 Thanks much!
3/8/2010 Topic: First fumbling pass at experiencing Anza Borrego quidditian	Thanks, guys -- Well, it may be time for me to join this century and at least get some sort of real cell phone that I could use to text people before I leave for an excursion and check in upon return. I see the temps are already climbing into the upper 70s this weekend, which means by the time I can walk 100% again, it'll be too hot for me (told you I'm whiny). Luckily, the toe isn't excruciating...I should be good to go within 2-3 weeks, I hope. I'll have to spend some time sniffing out other places in the park with non-camping lodging and potentially cooler temps (if either of these things exist as we head into April/May). Just read reviews on Between A Rock and a Hard Place. Ugh. Double Ugh. *slaps self for stupidity*
3/8/2010 Topic: Quartz mystery... quidditian	Hmmmmm...found this in this link: http://www.kumeyaay.info/indian_bows_arrows.html "This fully-researched book will include all facets of Native California pigments and paint, including physical, social, spiritual — in great detail — and will reveal about how the Indians turned yellow pigment red, and how the aborigines made blue from white gypsum and black charcoal, and it will give many other recipes for Indian paint. The book will also discuss the origin of CAVE ART in California and will include the latest atomic accelerator testing of the ancient pigments used by California Indians for eons." Also while tooling around looking for pigment-making info, ran across this guy, who has some fascinating theories that the pictographs (at least some of them) may not have had their origins as art, but as maps to shelter and water. He has to make some pretty large leaps of faith and imagination, but it's an interesting theory, and he doesn't seem to be a whack-job. :] http://www.humancafe.com/discus/messages/6/41.html#POST3981 And he and his friend think that the light scalloping on this rock (what I thought were shallow morteros) were a calendar. I wish I'd known all of this before I went out there! http://picasaweb.google.com/Quidditian/AnzaBorrego33103610#5446087321899249570 Groovy stuff.
3/9/2010 Topic: First fumbling pass at experiencing Anza Borrego quidditian	Madman. :] Reminds me of a shirt a friend from New Mexico had -- two skeletons sitting and chatting, martinis in hand, saying "but it's a dry heat."
3/9/2010 Topic: Still Too Early quidditian	Holy crap, those are magnificent. The rock tank is unbelievable! I guess even if there's no movement with the water, it's drinkable (should it come to it) and swimable/bathable since it's replenished in the sense that it evaporates and is eventually refreshed. This Ivan Alexander, whose links I posted elsewhere regarding the pictographs being maps to shelter and water (rather than somewhat random shamanistic/artistic scribblings) has captured my imagination about certain pragmatic things in the desert. I mean, they DID require drinking water (I forget this with my handy dandy bottled water), and they DID bathe when and where possible. I feel like I'm falling in love with the mysteries of native culture all over again...it sort of got shoved aside years ago when eeking out a life got in the way of being enraptured by the past. Dormant cells jiggling and wiggling into wondrous curiosity again. Man, the power of the desert. I love the migrant guy. That's totally Nat Geo worthy.
3/9/2010 Topic: First fumbling pass at experiencing Anza Borrego quidditian	Awww, thank you Cactusflower -- your words are appreciated, kind, and don't fall on deaf ears. I too hope to overcome all the fear...of what? I don't know. I am truly happy in my cocoon. I'm surrounded in/by a box of paint, and I adore it; I also know I need to escape the studio to live life in order to come back and paint about it. I think it's when I artistically dry up (from lack of external stimuli) that I'm finally compelled to make the leap outside my safety zone. Hence the act of "god" to get me outside of the house. Do you have a favorite or recommended spot in Anza? I am paying attention, because there's nothing that will keep me from going back (er, save the death heat)...
3/14/2010 Topic: Still Too Early quidditian	Well, after David posted the pic, it added to the list of potential dangers. Although, I doubt murder is at the top of their priority list when they're just trying to get across the border. I've always been a registered Libertarian, but also the daughter of a German immigrant (albeit legal), but I've never been able to land firmly on one side or the other of the immigration debate. I see both sides. I think what you did was precious. The fact that they started to approach you, though...even though you said "it's okay"... did that feel at all threatening, or did it seem more that they might politely ask for some provisions? I've heard of groups who go out and provide food and water for these guys, so maybe they thought you were one of those peeps. Seems like a few years ago the migrants were dropping like flies in the summer, and that's when people started organizing and, much to the chagrin of the BP, giving out food and water. What you did supersedes politics...it's just the human and humane thing to do. Still, would have scared the crap out of me.
3/14/2010 Topic: Anza Borrego Foundation "Hike of the Month" quidditian	That second pic is stunning, David. Ran across this video tonight, thought you guys might find of interest...it's regarding "ghost lights," but also has some info about the old trestle (sp?)...
3/14/2010 Topic: My homage in paint... quidditian	I painted this diptych last night, entitled "Anza Diablo," so named because of Anza's insidious lure...as I explained to an artist friend, "I wanted to draw the pieces of the desert...I wanted to replicate the colors, the forms, the boulders, the perfect simplicity, but there's simply no way to do it any justice, especially not with my means, so I just had to go commando." Ignore the last pic...it's in there for an art foum pal. http://picasaweb.google.com/Quidditian/AnzaDiablo#
3/14/2010 Topic: Anza Borrego Foundation "Hike of the Month" quidditian	Have you guys ever seen these lights? I love mysteries...especially creepy-spookyish ones. I don't indulge in them very often. It's like a metaphysical brownie with double frosting. Uh, or something. Speaking of unexplained stuff, when I was on the pictograph trail....there was a noise that was like a very distant thunder, but with minor key edges. Maybe 4 - 5 seconds each in length of sound... If I had any reason to believe there was a drum circle in the area, I'd have thought it was someone with a very very bass drum and very strange choices on when to strike it (it was arrhythmic). I heard it three times within about two minutes. Might it have been the sound of a boulder tumbling down in the distance, or did I hit my head too hard on the little cholla? It was a powerful sound, and if I believed in invisible things, I would have assumed a god somewhere was speaking. It was a beautiful, stately, and powerful rumble, but I'm not sure whether I would have thought the god was angry or pleased. I honestly would have thought it was distant thunder -- it sounded exactly like it, but there were no storms brewing. If a boulder tumbles and there's an idiot out alone in the desert to hear it, but said idiot is not only idiotic, but also a recent concussion recipient, did the thunderous noise happen at all?
3/14/2010 Topic: My homage in paint... quidditian	D, Thank you -- I wish I could really capture the essence -- hold it, ingest it, express it, then walk away and never bother with it again, but art doesn't get to imitate life so easily. Even good photos don't capture the full sensory experience of it. So annoying. "Diptych" is an obnoxious term -- unwieldy. I'm actually thinking of making it a triptych, just so it doesn't suffer through life as a diptych, with the center portion being pure texture of something in ivory with shadows or maybe a light gold and burnt sienna wash -- something to break the chaos of what feels like the night sky when the universe is looking down and laughing at your circumstances. I'm not married to the arrangement of them. In fact, I don't know where to sign them, because people have expectations about where a signature should be, but I also like the notion that people can arrange the pieces in whatever way speaks to them more (or less) clearly <---depends what they're after. Some seek clarity, others seek escape. I'm an either/or kinda gal, I suppose. I usually know where to sign, though. Not so on these. It's hard with pure abstraction -- there's no "action" to dictate their orientation. The devil head (if it's even visible to most peeps) can be turned either way without detracting from the overall feel, because the feeling is (supposed to be) chaos and the fear and freedom that accompanies such. I haven't heard of this desert varnish, but I love the term. Someone should make it the name of a product! I'll buy a lot of it, for the name alone. I BELIEVE in it. That pic is particularly shiny because I'm a particularly lousy photographer, and failed to turn off the flash. The rock in this pic is architectural perfection. Is this Papoose Flats in Anzo? If it were hollowed out, it would be a princess palace (provided it had a/c). Is the desert varnish the deeper earth tones? I'm thinking I see it if that's the case. Love it. Will never succeed in replicating it, but will die happy whilst trying. I love opportunities to use "whilst," though I may be using it incorrectly. Newspaper Rock is magnificent! What dark and delicious colors...what a mean snake! It appears to be a snapshot of my last job... the CEO and COO in fat-cat muu-muus freaking out that they're not advancing revenue for the shareholders, HR guys coming in and shooting peeps in the booty for not picking up all the slack of the 60% of the work force that's been laid off, Bigfoot (CFO) coming through to figure out what's wrong, but only further delaying the re-re-re-invention of the wheel in the process, and meanwhile the wheel that will eventually be re(x 3)-invented is stalled because no one can figure out how to commence the initial re-inventing without ****ing somebody off, and most people have forgotten the wheel even exists, despite the fact the company was built on the wheel. Those who remember a wheel existing can't figure out where it's been stored, or even whether the storage bill has been paid in the last decade. Not that I'm bitter and/or jaded. :} My 3D stuff is built up from shreds of a baptist hymnal, National Geographics, back pages of the Oxford English Dictionary, and pretty colors of gift tissue. I adore texture, but it generally takes a while to dry the layers, so I randomly build texture over failed previous paintings while simultaneously messing with other stuff. No effort or scrap of crap is wasted around here. Failed pieces become the eventual foundation for future pieces. My artistic process is cheesily analogous to life. Screw up, move on, build up, make beauty. Repeat as needed, until completed. I am humbled to have properly homaged. <---okay, so I made it up -- it makes sense(ish), right? :]
3/14/2010 Topic: My homage in paint... quidditian	Do you think my little ancient 626 will make it up okay? No major issues with the car (knock on wood), but now I'm paranoid about boldly going where no old lady sedan has gone before. It can take uphill, as long as it's a livable grade. And while I "have" you...when I moved to San Diego, I came in on the 10 (from Florida)...eventually the 8, but not sure at what point the 8 happened -- i'm thinking it was right outside of the city, but I could be wrong. I was in love with this martian landscape I encountered, maybe 1.5 hours outside of SD...huge red rocks, like sand drippings, and perfect lifelessness. Nothing green, nothing moving. I remember there were signs to turn off one's radiator during summer. It seems like when I emerged from that place I was in a high elevation area, because the clouds were level with houses. Being from the flat Florida, this was awe-inspiring. I've asked natives about it, asked them where they thought I was with the red drippy rocks, and they've looked at me like I'm crazy. I've come to learn, though, that a lot of native San Diegans have never been to AB. Do you think it was possible that I was driving through Hellhole area? It seemed, when I recounted to people, that it was named "hell-something," but then in retrospect I wondered if I was scrambling the memory with my visit to Hell's Halfacre in Wyoming. Any clue? would one venture through AB on a normal southern route across the state? I think this is the route I took: http://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&source=s_d&saddr=404+Ohio+Pl,+Sarasota,+Florida+34236&daddr=4327+hamilton+place+92104&geocode=FesRoQEdbZsU-ykXk3IPbEDDiDGnAHC1dfKwXg%3BFc_Q8wEdG6QE-SndP3sT-1TZgDHFwJ7q3ECRyw&hl=en&mra=pe&mrcr=0&sll=34.020778,-99.836064&sspn=20.700054,53.569336&ie=UTF8&ll=30.145127,-99.624023&spn=21.575429,53.569336&t=h&z=5
3/14/2010 Topic: My homage in paint... quidditian	Wow. Serious wow. Ridiculously beautifully martian and otherworldly. "you don't always need it but that first time you get stuck without it you will never want to not have it. Does that make sense?" Haha. Yes. *wipes sweat from brow at the shadow of the memory* I don't ever want to deal with the Font's Point Panic again. My sis said next time I go I should take her truck. I think it's an Escalade? It's big and ugly, that's all I know. Well, it's pretty and shiny as trucks go, I've just never thought of myself as a big-ass truck woman, but I certainly now know that I'll need to become one if I'm to start sniffing around all the best parts... Sis and I have both always done wildlife rescue, but I stuck mostly to possums which conveniently fit in my car, and she went for large mammals, so eventually got a big honkin' truck. I hope it's automatic, but I'll bet it's not. Now I'm going to strip her gears learning to drive stick in her big ugly truck. YAY! Maybe I should just make her come with me, and she can drive. Might be nice to have some bonding time with her. We haven't had much time alone for about thirty years. Come to think of it, maybe the offer for the truck was hoping for an invite. She knows I don't drive stick. I've let my love of silence shut her out. I DID think about asking if she wanted to join me at the crappy motel and do a couple of hikes together, but I didn't want her to think she needed to if she didn't want to. She works too hard, is always traveling... and, of course, I wanted to be alone. You know how Bob said he felt like he was the only person on earth when he did a solo in the summer? I love that feeling... I like to think that I can look at a chunk of land and pretend it's my last day on earth, and no one else is making static, starting wars, etc. Like there's a final exit, and we're finally going to stop torturing the place. In Florida, my happy place was a stretch of beach where there were no lights and/or any other evidence of humanity. I found perfect peace in being there and contemplating the last chapter of Brave New World. The Joshua Tree suggestion is good -- an maybe emptier during the week. Nice call! I think I saw mention of this Schad book on PBS at some point...or maybe they were giving copies away for certain contribution levels during a fund drive? Either way, I've somehow heard of it. I'll get a copy. Thanks much! Oh, and I'm glad to know I didn't hallucinate the beautiful landscape on the way in to SD county. I'll Google Earth it Testing pic embeding...may cause funkiness.
3/14/2010 Topic: Anza Borrego Foundation "Hike of the Month" quidditian	Man, that final cactus is divine. As far as these ruins go, I'm so heartened that people don't mess with them. I guess the the upside of having to make an actual trek to get somewhere is that you're not the sort of person who makes a trek in order to destroy things.
3/17/2010 Topic: My homage in paint... quidditian	Wellllll...I once remarked to a former boss that I need a personal driver, and she pinged back that I'm really more of a private jet kind of girl. Not so much for the snootyness factor, but for the deep and abiding hatred of driving (sure, like I'd be any less neurotic flying?) It's great to have you guys as a resource, and even if I never get to go back to AB for any length of time, I love living vicariously through your reports and pictures. For sake of clarity, I was reminded that sis's big-honkin'-truck is the Honda version that looks like the trucky-Escalade. Shows how much attention I pay to things with wheels. :] Now, to find a nice time-lapse version of an agave stalk growing...
3/17/2010 Topic: Anza Borrego Foundation "Hike of the Month" quidditian	Looks like it may have quelled the native sweet tooth as well :}
3/19/2010 Topic: The Hunt for the elusive Carrizo Gorge Pictographs quidditian	Oooooooooooooooooooh! What delightful pics! The cacti with pink blooms are to die for. Um, yeah, my car would be the equivalent of trying to tool around on a tricycle out there. The little horn on the handlebars could be my cell phone. What's the little stone building? Is that just another angle of the Harper stuff, or a mine entrance, or...? Also love the long windy road to the mountains pic...now I'll have the Beatles tune stuck in my head all night. That's preferable to the Prince in neighbor is blaring at the moment, though. :]
3/19/2010 Topic: Indian Hill quidditian	Can't wait for your report!
3/19/2010 Topic: Missing teen last seen in AB at Thangsgiving... quidditian	I'm posting this because I hadn't heard the first thing about it until today. Admittedly, I haven't been terribly up on the news since I don't get up for work, hence miss Morning Edition every day, but still thought it might be worth posting in case anyone else wasn't aware of it. Since you guys know the area(s) the article references, it never hurts to have some extra eyeballs on the lookout for any clues you might encounter on your sojourns... http://www.nbcsandiego.com/news/local-beat/Search-Planned-for-Missing-Teen--88562227.html
3/19/2010 Topic: Missing teen last seen in AB at Thangsgiving... quidditian	Oh good (that you might join forces)...I'd actually have been willing to deal with the heat (without whining) to help, but I'm not really mobile enough with Mr. Broken Toe...fine around the house, but I'd be pretty useless out there. Yeah...my heart always bleeds for parents with these things. Here are some pics from the Facebook page the mother set up (not sure whether you can see them if you're not on FB): http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=351259317751&ref=mf#!/photo.php?pid=5445156&op=1&o=global&view=global&subj=351259317751&id=679035128&fbid=406176570128
3/19/2010 Topic: The Hunt for the elusive Carrizo Gorge Pictographs quidditian	Heh. Prince...I'm just glad to know there are people who still know who he is (for better or worse). So many wonderful little mysteries out in the desert. Maybe the structure was a little hobbit vacation home. :]
3/19/2010 Topic: Missing teen last seen in AB at Thangsgiving... quidditian	Bob -- in case you decide to go, here's more info (from his mom) on the meeting spot (in case you haven't seen it elsewhere): Missy YssiM Looks like there might be a good turnout this weekend, but I need everyone who is planning to attend to read this carefully~ The best meeting point would be the large parking area just NW of the intersection of Hwy S2 and Hwy 78. The parking area is approximately .3 miles north of Hwy 78 on S2 (Look for sign that says “No Dumping” - N33 06.068 W116 28.477). Please be at the meeting area no later than 9am. At that point we’ll take inventory of what we have in terms of bikes, jeeps, trucks, passenger vehicles. We’ll likely split the group into 3 large subgroups……. Group #1 will consist of off road equipped and experienced bike riders/jeeps. That group will head over to Pinyon Rd./S2 and follow Pinyon Rd. to the area where the jeep was found near the bottom of “The Drop” (N33 02.963 W116 17.957). That group will canvas Pinyon Rd. in it’s entirety with special emphasis on the area between the Jeep waypoint and the blanket waypoint (N33 03.875 W116 17.239). That group will also canvass the main Fish Creek wash…. Group #2 will head to the Pinyon Wash……the parking area is approximately 5.2 miles in from Hwy 78……..likewise, the parking area is approximately 1.2 miles from the Blanket waypoint and is the most easily accessible path to get close to the blanket waypoint…….the Pinyon wash road is suitable for any 2 wheel drive SUV……parking space is very limited at the end of the wash……we will ask folks to pack tightly in cars and we may also need to shuttle some hikers into the parking area……that group will canvas the 1.2 mile stretch of the wash leading to the blanket waypoint and, depending on fitness level, some members of that group may also turn down Fish Creek towards Harper Flat for a few miles before turning around and walking back to the Pinyon parking area (the Fish Creek turn-off is about half way between the Pinyon parking area and the blanket waypoint) Group #3 will drive to the Harper Flat Trail by heading east on Hwy 78 to Old Kane Springs Rd……a 4 wheel drive vehicle can easily drive in approx. 1.5 miles on Harper Canyon Trail (once again, parking is very limited)…….we will also ask this group to split in half with some members walking the same 1.5 miles up the no vehicle access wash which is slightly east of Harper Canyon Trail and runs parallel to Harper Canyon Trail…….after 1.5 miles the wash/road converge……..from that point it’s still ~6.5 miles to the end of Fish Creek near the Blanket waypoint which is why the expectation is that this group will walk up Harper Canyon approx. half way or less…… then U-Turn back to their vehicles since Group #2 will cover the other end of Fish Creek near the blanket waypoint…… **** The search area is immense/remote/rugged/open……. each volunteer assumes full liability for any/all risk and/or injury therefore it is imperative that each volunteer be consciously aware of their fitness levels……do not push yourself beyond your comfort level and come prepared with ample water, snacks, hat, hiking boots, sun block, etc.*** If you have a GPS, please bring it~ this is an invaluable tool in this type of location. You will NOT have cell phone service out there, so if you have any sort of communication device (walkie talkie, the spot tracking device (?), etc that works in a remote location, PLEASE bring it). Please ALWAYS stay within eyesight of the group you're with because its very possible to get lost out there~ it is remote, everything looks the same in every direction- it can be disorienting, the terrain is rough- be prepared for boulders, cactus, scrub brush, possibly snakes,etc. It's best to wear a hat & jeans, bring sunscreen (!!!) , a signalling device such as a whistle, and plenty of water & snacks in a backpack. Please BE PREPARED~ I can't say that enough.. We’ll return to the S2/Hwy78 meeting area at 6pm. If you don't feel like this is something you can do, it is perfectly understandable.. Thank you all for your help~ if you have questions or concerns, please ASK before heading out to the desert (as in specific directions on how to get there, the type of terrain you'll need to drive/hike- can you or your vehicle realistically make it?) or contact information please ask here, or send a message to me or Chris Crawford (http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100000704806174 ). Wed at 11:57am · Report
3/22/2010 Topic: Indian Hill and June Wash quidditian	SO jealous! Great flower pics, and I still long to see that pool area (not to mention the pictographs). Your doggie is smushable...such a docile little breed (I use the term "little" loosely, given that 100 pounds). I like how he's sort of off doing his own little investigations in the 5th pic..."La la LA!" <---pooch channeling. I wonder how the BS natives feel about the onslaught of visitors. I'm sure they recognize the fiscal benefit, but are probably a little annoyed by the intrusiveness. I found the townspeople to be...an interesting bunch. Not to imply a creepiness, but I do think a Stephen King novel could easily be staged there... Does the water tank ever totally dry up -- say, in the dead of summer?
3/23/2010 Topic: The Hunt for the elusive Carrizo Gorge Pictographs quidditian	Oh so THAT'S what these "water drops" are...you guys were talking about them in another post, and I didn't know what they were. Well, that's nice. Never one to encourage illegal behavior, but...well, I think we can all give a collective sigh here. You've got a nice readable writing style, perfect for keeping people engaged; I'm appalled at the number of intelligent illiterates who wander the earth (or at least the internet). About the pictographs... I guess it's sort of a big deal to me whether or not they've been retouched, so I tried to stalk out some info, but came up empty handed. I found them on another site, but the author didn't really make any qualitative statements about them. He mentions some other nice spots, though...the pictographs around the Inkopah Mountains call to me...or perhaps it's more the burial ground that's bellowing out. I know many of these are familiar to you guys... http://home.sandiego.edu/~gennero/Petro.html Billions and billions of years ago (thank you, C. Sagan), I bought an old Russian icon at an estate sale. It wasn't a lot of money (though $80 seemed like a million, being freshly out of college), but I loved it because it had a genuine historicity to it -- it looked like it had been dragged across countries by persecuted families for several generations. I had it appraised at one point, more interested in learning a time frame for it than its value (which is good -- it seems that when Russia fell, the market was flooded with these icons, making them relatively monetarily worthless). The owner of the antique gallery said it appeared to be late 17th century. Anyway, the kicker about the thing is that there are some Greek letters (symbols?) that were originally in gold leaf. The letters had so worn away (as had/has much of the face of the painting) that some well-meaning person along the way went over the letters with...*shiver*...one of those god-awful gold metallic pens one finds at any craft store. The moral of the story is that retouching (in my opinion, even when its done by museum-quality restorers) takes so much away from an object of antiquity. I'd much prefer the deteriorated/authentic state... It sort of harshly slaps one back into the present to know something has been "restored." When I was looking around for the blue sun pigment info a couple of weeks ago, there was info out there of the types of binders used for pigments on the pictographs, and while there were a variety available, apparently it's thought the most sturdy was a binder made of bone marrow. Sap was also mentioned. Now, I've had a couple of dark encounters with sap, and it can seem like the stuff will NEVER come come off whatever it's gotten on. I can't say I've had any close encounters with bone marrow, so can't speak to its adhesive properties. I'm wondering, though, if the pictos in question are relatively newish (don't know which tribe they're attributed to), were made of a SERIOUS binding element and charcoal, AND had the added protection of being somewhat sheltered from the elements in that cave...whether they might indeed be in an unadulterated state. The five-year-old in me wants to believe that. There must be a scholar on this area wandering around somewhere...not that they might not also have to go on speculation. I'll add it to the lengthy "sniff this out when I get a chance" list. Great blog post, Bob -- loved the reference to people desperately snapping pics of anything with a spot of color. When I was out there, I felt bad for all of the tourists that were going to be loading in that weekend for the flowers, b/c the flowers simply weren't cooperating yet... As an aside, how do you guys embed the full images in posts? Do I use the <img src=web link from photo host> or some variation thereof?
3/24/2010 Topic: The Hunt for the elusive Carrizo Gorge Pictographs quidditian	I wrote Don Gennero -- the guy with the pics in the previously referenced link, and asked a bunch of random questions. Following is his reply...looks like definitive answers might be hard to come by. Gotta love a mystery... Hi Cayenne, Blue seems to be a very unusual color for pictographs, at least around here. Most of the pictographs are either black, red or yellow. These colors are easy to come by, charcoal and iron oxides with binders added. The blue might be of modern origins. I suspect modern day artists have enhanced both the Indian Hill site and the Carrizo Gorge site. I heard that somebody had darkened the ones in Carrizo and that modern day Indians had enhanced the Indian Hill site. Who knows? I enjoyed your random comments and checking out the other websites. I am always interested in any traces left behind by the former inhabitants of our deserts. The Indians of the Carrizo area were the Kumeyaay and there is a lot of information about them in various books, at the visitor center, Museum of Man, local libraries and online. The pictographs in the In Koh Pah Mtns. are in various locations, including McCain Valley, DeAnza Springs and upper Canebrake (location of the burial ground and skeleton pictographs). The search is almost as much fun as the discoveries. I don't have any first hand information about the meanings of the rock art. Some Indians were interviewed by anthropologists early in the century about the meanings of the symbols, but, who knows if they really knew or wanted to tell the truth to the interviewers. Some of the symbols are obvious, such as hand prints and suns. There are many sites that depict astronomical events that have pictographs of sunbursts. One amazing site which depicts the summer solstice is far up in Indian Valley. Check out the "Forgotten Artist" book. Yes, many rock are sites depict directions to resources or other places or mark an important location. Hidden Spring above Clark Dry Lake has a water symbol petroglyph above it. There are petroglyphs in the Valley of Fire in Nevada and in other areas that depict journeys by foot, showing a path of footprints. I hope to spend much more time exploring rock art when I retire in the not so distant future. I have friends who live in Utah who have tantalized me with many amazing rock art panels. See you on the trail. Don Cayenne here again. I tested the pic function, but I'm getting no love. I would insert the path between **, correct? ***SIGH**** --- I'm trying to type out the front end and back end of the image code when I ask about insertion above, but of course it's reading it as the actual code and making it invisible. So, would I insert the path to the pic in between those two pieces of image code that appear when one hits the image icon above? Oh lord, sorry you guys are getting a thousand emails because of all my updates. As always, I'm sure it's user error. :} edited by quidditian on 3/24/ edited by quidditian on 3/24/2010 edited by quidditian on 3/24/2010 <em>edited by quidditian on 3/24/2010</em>
4/4/2010 Topic: Return to Indian Hill quidditian	Gorgeous flower pics! Love those light orangey-peachy guys.
4/4/2010 Topic: Day trip to the Arroyo Tapiado Mud Caves quidditian	The climbing pic makes my hands and feet sweat profusely just looking at it. Ugh.
4/5/2010 Topic: Return to Indian Hill quidditian	Not directed toward the desert girls, but to 7 jeeps -- ew? Annoying question: Was wondering -- with the quake we had today, which was quite fascinating, since it's the strongest I've felt (and I usually don't feel them at all) -- is that enough to shake and shift the rocks off the mountains when on is driving the narrow roads? Not that I'm looking for another excuse to avoid driving...buuuuut.... I love how precariously they're all balanced. Am wondering just how precarious it all is...
4/5/2010 Topic: Return to Indian Hill quidditian	*hands and feet start sweating again at the mere thought of it* Speaking of which, a friend took this pic somewhere in SD...love it... she said no tape, or adhesives were used... (this is really an excuse to test the pic embedding).... [img=http://www.flickr.com/photos/9702179@N08/4493754206/]" border="0">
4/5/2010 Topic: Return to Indian Hill quidditian	crap.
4/6/2010 Topic: Return to Indian Hill quidditian	Sweet. Like how I just gave up? I'd been up for about 30 hours at that point. Thanks!
6/7/2010 Topic: First fumbling pass at experiencing Anza Borrego quidditian	Thanks Daren! I'm glad you endured/appreciated the rambling. :] I've been out of pocket the last couple of months...finally had an MRI on Friday, and results came in today that I have a large herniated disc. I've been walking at a 90 degree angle for the last two months (pretty pretty), so glad to finally identify the problem. But alas, I'm ****ed I've been locked up inside for a couple of the prettiest months of the year...even my easel has sat barren, collecting cobwebs (an appropriate metaphor for my decrepit state of decay). Probably could have made one more foray out to the desert since it's been relatively temperate this year, but now I'm definitely not going to be making any adventures out there until the weather is less evil...and when I'm not walking like Australopithecus. I know, I know. I'm a little ray of sunshine. I need to get updated on y'alls recent posts -- it'll give me inspiration to become mobile again. To your point, Daren -- when I do go back, I doubt I'll take my silly little car...it's vehicularly debilitating...my sis has said I can borrow her big 'ol honkin' truck for the next trip. Or maybe I'll get something like this... Or, in case embedding the pic didn't work (since I'm technologically challenged): http://www.richard-seaman.com/Aircraft/Museums/Kenosha/Tanks/Tank.jpg edited by surfponto on 6/15/2010 <em>edited by surfponto on 6/15/2010</em>
7/24/2010 Topic: Sombrero Peak via McCain Valley quidditian	Beautiful pics! Love the second one of the laughing man rock. If you haven't yet identified what kind of snake that was, I vote for "Myocardial Infarction Snake"...he's definitely in the Soiled Panties family. I wonder what demise the little deer met -- seems like a cat or coyote would've eaten more...and/or the vultures would've picked him clean. Maybe there wasn't enough meat to bother with on his little limbs...looks like they completely gobbled up the torso. Poop little guy. Heading over to your blog for full report. I'm so used to facebook, I miss being able to hit the "like" button under pics.
10/10/2010 Topic: Sacatone to Palm Grove quidditian	One of these days...
10/12/2010 Topic: Sacatone to Palm Grove quidditian	Heehee -- You guys are like, Desert Militia -- on my best day, I wouldn't be able to keep up with any of you guys even if you were in full body casts. I need somebody wussy to join this board so we can take little day trips where we tip-toe through the tulips and whine at the first sign of a bead of sweat. I wonder if Paris Hilton or David Sedaris would be interested in being my winter hiking buddy. On a side note, when I took my car to get smogged, I noticed something hanging down from the undercarriage of my car. I asked the guy whether it was anything scary, and he said it was just a piece of plastic that had ripped down, but nothing that was an issue to the operation of the car. I felt all butch and grizzled as I said "ah, must've happened out in the desert" -- like I was Steve Friggin' Irwin or something. On another side note, I broke down and got cable a couple of months ago, b/c I was trapped in bed so much with my herniated disc, and my new favorite show is "Dual Survival" -- I'm preaching far and wide that people should watch it, even if they don't have any plans of getting stranded in the Peruvian desert or a Louisiana swamp -- it's just really fabulous info/entertainment for anyone even vaguely interested in nature - whether or not they're "outdoorsey." I think it's far superior to the one "Man vs. Nature" episode I caught -- though maybe I just caught it on a bad day. It's on Discovery, so y'all should give it a try if you happen to run across it one night. The full back episodes are available for viewing here: http://dsc.discovery.com/tv/dual-survival/episodes/ (update: I just tried to go watch a couple I've missed, and the vids are "currently" down -- and I'm not sure they're still the full vids anymore, even when working -- when I sent the link to someone a couple of weeks ago, the vids were working AND it was for the full 45ish minutes of the show)... That said, it might be annoying for ppl who are truly hard-core outdoorsmen...the situations in the show are admittedly contrived, but judging by a lot of press I've seen recently, most nature shows (or situations therein) are at least partially contrived -- gotta keep it exciting of teevee, after all. Cayenne <em>edited by quidditian on 10/12/2010</em>
10/12/2010 Topic: Sacatone to Palm Grove quidditian	Aw, thanks - no, no books, though my mom has spent her life torturing me to write one. Little does she know that it would be 75% snark directed at her. I've tried my hand at it, but never made it past the first chapter...at one point I had 32 different first chapters, and then I lost them all to computer death, so decided never to bother with any of it again. My mom said I should have just made a book of 32 first chapters. Agreed on the nature show thing...I always think about the camera crews with their huge loads of equipment filming the guys who are supposedly barely able to get through five inch crevices. And then there are the times when the guys are having to eat snakes or frogs, b/c that's all they can get their hands on, and I think "yeah, like the crew isn't passing over tiramisu and rosemary braised filets once the cameras are off." Still, I try to let myself get lost in the fairy tale. They're prolly about outdoorsey as I am.
8/30/2011 Topic: Indian Hill and June Wash quidditian	Where's this bee video? I just stalked your FB page and couldn't find it, but it sounds like a MUST SEE. Oh, maybe I need to stalk you site....Hold, please.
8/30/2011 Topic: Indian Hill and June Wash quidditian	Cool! Poor little thirsty bees. They need all the help they can get these days.

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