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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Horoscope Fish" data-source="post: 456491" data-attributes="member: 13090">Some shots from my weekend trip deep in the desert of Southern California. Nothing like hitting the back-country in a dune buggy at 45MPH to let you know you're alive! Thanks to our "pilot", Richard and his sidekick Billy, who was a wealth of information on the local history. Here are some of the high points of the trip...Seems like even out here you run into traffic jams... Not sure who's responsible for all these sheep but by the gods there must have been a couple thousand at least. .....[ATTACH=full]159350[/ATTACH] Desert Traffic-JamMotorycyclists often erect memorials to their fallen biker brethren at the most unusual cemetery you'll ever see. Memorials often include parts from the fallen's favorite ride such as their helmet or boot's or an article of clothing. Many memorials have boxes or chests you can leave mementos in or they hold a Memory Book you can write your thoughts in. .....[ATTACH=full]159352[/ATTACH]The One That Started the Tradition.....[ATTACH=full]159351[/ATTACH]The Most Unusual Cemetery You'll Ever See.....There are hundreds of abandoned gold, silver tin, boron, talc and gem mine scattered around the area. Many are simply large, open pits that would be deadly to fall into, though some of them have been covered with steel grates by the BLM. Many, like this one, simply look like "Hobbit Holes" and are actually very easy to overlook. This one was about a hundred yards deep and popped open at the other end letting daylight pour in. First one like this I've seen. I'm pretty sure that's an owl's nest you see on the left near the middle of the frame......[ATTACH=full]159360[/ATTACH] Hobbit Hole/Mineshaft.....[ATTACH=full]159354[/ATTACH] There's Light at the End of This TunnelAlways a great find are abandoned mining facilities like this one. Every one I've seen has been stripped of just about anything worth taking (copper wire, etc.) but the buildings often contain machinery from back in the day too large to haul out or too much trouble to cut down and haul away for scrap. .....[ATTACH=full]159355[/ATTACH]Abandoned Mining FacilityThere are a few different explanations for who made these symbols but they're probably thousands of years old. Oldest thing I've ever put my hand to......[ATTACH=full]159356[/ATTACH] Petroglyphs Abound on the Local Rocks.....It's also not uncommon to run across tiny, unmarked graves this deep in the desert like this one. Some will have legible inscriptions but most have been obliterated. I find it sad how many I've run across are the graves of infants. These tiny memorials always give me pause...... [ATTACH=full]159357[/ATTACH] One of Many Small, Unmarked GravesThis is why I come to the desert. I can't get enough of this........[ATTACH=full]159358[/ATTACH] Food for the SoulTime to hit the road and start the long drive back to San Diego........[ATTACH=full]159359[/ATTACH]Am I Going Home, or Leaving Home?.....</blockquote>

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