The first photo was taken from a vista point as one descends into Antelope Valley on SR14. The California Aqueduct is in the foreground. Even tho it was windy and cool or cold all the while I was in Lancaster, did not see any other windmills than the one in the photo. Since winds are frequent in or on deserts such as the Mojave and bordering high desert country such as the Owens and Antelope Valleys, it's surprising there are not more windmills in and around Lancaster.
Like the Ontario Library, Lancaster, part of the LA County Library System, requires a temporary library card, which provides one with a UserID and PIN number. While there I searched for an obituary for cousin Denis Driver, a grandson of Gratia Mae "Grace" Lemmon Gunter. His grandmother died in 1917 in Orland during the Spanish Flu Epidemic. It's not clear whether Grace's children were raised by relatives on her husband's side or by her only daughter, Ethel Mae Gunter Driver.
Unfortunately, I could find no obituary for Denis; as time permits I'll send his wife a letter & ask such things as where Denis was born, what his occupation was, etc.
The second photo was taken a mile or so south of Mojave. [Click once or twice to enlarge.] They're clearly harnessing the high winds in their area. Unfortunately their Kern County Branch Library is closed on Wednesdays so I want to a McDonald's when an unsercured WiFi from a nearby RV Park wudn't grant free access unless you bought something.
Like most state parks, Red Rock State Park is over-priced: $25 for a table and fire-ring but no hookups. [Most city and county RV parks are better bargains; for instance, Rancho Jupura Park near Riverside cost $20 for full hookups -- and you still get the ubiquitous table and fire ring.] Drove past a honey-bucket wagon or truck while I was making the loop checking out the camp-sites. As you can see in the photo to the right, there are some interesting rock formations in Red Rock State Park. Note the weather-sculptured rocks to the left as well as the Joshua Trees in the center of the photo.
The 4th photo shows what wind, rain, ice, snow, and frost an do to such soft rocks as sandstone or limestone. The formations look almost like the stalactites and stalagmites one sees in a cave.
The 5th shot was taken a couple of miles south of Olancha alongside US395. To the left are the eastern flanks of the Sierra Nevada Mountain Range. The mountains still in the sun were the source of some outstanding silver mines during the late 19th century. In fact, steamers used to freight the silver bars across the lake where teamsters such as Remi Nadeau would take them to L.A. for transport via ship to San Francisco and its mint. Cerro Gordo was one of the better silver mines. [Here's a link to David Wright's photo-laden site on Cerro Gordo]
This last picture of Owens Lake was taken from SR190, which is one of the two primary routes through Death Valley.
Th 10 Feb Route: Panamit Range - Stovepipe Wells - Furnace Crk - Badwater - Jubilee Pass - Shoshone - Tecopa Hot Springs
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