As I gazed upon the sun-catching aluminum side of the Airstream trailer, there was something missing.

Custom made Airstream with no windows on one side

“Do you notice that windows are only on the front, rear, and the entry door side?” asked Jared Pearce, Senior Director of Retail and Food and Beverages for the AutoCamp Hospitality Group.

The other folks on this tour looked confused. I was not - trailers routinely have windows on all sides, otherwise it would be like camping in a coffin.

I raised my hand to show I actually can notice the obvious, despite what my lovely wife, Laureen, believes. Jared ignored my hand waving in the early morning sun in the town of Joshua Tree. 

I felt right at home.

Unique entrance to the main guest lobby

“These are specially manufactured Airstream trailers for the AutoCamp Hospitality Group,” Jared continued. “They are thirty-one feet long with tiled floors, glass walled showers, and other amenities that are not offered in their trailers for the average consumer. Thus, the reason for one side not having windows.”

And, the reason Jared?

He explained that at the AutoCamp in Joshua Tree, they wanted guests to have privacy. So no camp can have looky-loos with their noses smashed against a window seeing what the other campers were having for dinner next door, or if they are wearing clothes while eating that dinner outside.

Lots of trailers to choose from at the Joshua Tree AutoCamp

I had been invited to attend a promotional event at the AutoCamp in Joshua tree by July Zaleski, a public relations guru for Jam Collections, who wanted to showcase this unique style of camping.

No, there were no remunerations - I went because I like camping. I was brought up by parents who loved the outdoors. My father liked roughing it in the woods, and my mother liked having her coffee in the exterior seating area of her favorite bistro.

So checking out a campground sounded good to me, and off I went to the town of Joshua Tree to learn what I could learn.

This was no standard campground.

Not far from the Joshua Tree National Park is a huge developed portion of desert reserved for those visitors who love the outdoors, dark night skies, pleasantly laid out paths around native desert plants, unbelievably comfortable quarters, and just a feeling of relaxation.

I was so relaxed that I fell asleep in a comfortable cushioned armchair situated on an exterior patio overlooking a sparkling blue pool, which also has an amazing view of the majestic mountains on the  northeastern section of the national park.

Large comfortable pool with loungers for guests to enjoy

The relaxation was so wonderful that I dreamed - I dreamed I’d lay myself down to rest in a big field of tall grass. I laid there in the sun and felt it caressing my face. . .

“Those are the lyrics from Eric Burden’s nineteen-seventy song, Spill the Wine,” a voice interrupted my slumber.

It was Heather Villanueva, another public relations big-wig from Jam Collections. “Do you want to join the group for the tour?”

Had I actually been so comfortable in that gorgeous site I had expressed my dreams out loud in song?

I once asked Laureen if I sang when I slept, she being the loving spouse just looked at me, “I wouldn’t call it singing. More like a herd of goats running wild.”

According to Heather, “At this AutoCamp we really wanted to mix the camping experience with the uniqueness of the desert. As you can see, all the lighting here is designed to point downward toward the ground so as not to interfere with the night skies.”

The nearby national park of Joshua Tree is a registered Dark Sky area and the Joshua Tree AutoCamp wanted to honor that. Guests have plenty of lighting so as not to trip and fall on those pointy-hurty cacti that are growing along the well defined dirt pathways all through the area. 

“We sponsor star-gazing parties here once or twice each month,” stated Amanda Wasnock, General Manager. “A lot of people love to come and just marvel at the heavens, and our guest speakers not only bring high quality telescopes but fun stories to match the exciting views of the skies above us.”

The camp also has various other speakers to entertain the guests about Native American heritage, the local history of Joshua Tree, the geological makeup, weather patterns, and the last time the Dogman was sighted in the vicinity.

AutoCamp has 55 rooms available for guests to stay in around the large park (including numerous ADA compliant spaces). The rooms are actually the very roomy Airstreams that are spread out over the entire site allowing each one plenty of room for privacy for the visiting folks.

Each site has a covered patio, fire pit, plenty of room, and some even have outdoor showers for those visitors who really want to enjoy all the wonders of nature. Possibly a good reason for no windows on the facing Airstream.

Group firepits to sit around and chit-chat

As I walked into a few of the upscale trailers available to occupy, I was very impressed with the roominess and classy decor. Bougie all the way - and I don’t even know what the term means, but my daughter Erica uses it to mean a place that is really cool and worth staying at.

“Since these are actually real Airstreams,” Jared said, “They have to be registered by the DMV. But, we don’t want to move them since they are so heavy with all the upgrades our company has installed.”

As I wandered away from the group, as I usually do in group settings, I found myself watching a couple of families enjoying the nearby playground. Children climbing on ladders. Children swinging on swings. Children ignoring commands from their parents, and the parents ignoring commands from their children.

It was a delightful scene.

I noticed folks sitting within a very artistically crafted outdoor meeting area just east of the huge entrance lobby. It is hard to describe - perhaps a humongous wine cask cut in half, large enough for fifty adults to sit in. The interior of this Quonset Hut designed building is protected from the wind, sun, rain, allowing each guest a chance to enjoy the wonders of the outdoors in comfort.

A photograph would better explain what the room looked like and perhaps my editor, Eric, may include one - if not, that’s cool.

“We host a lot of company gatherings and retreats here,” Amanda said. “Those people you see are from all around the world, primarily working remotely. But this is the second year they have stayed at our complex. Each has their own Airstream and they gather for their meetings daily under the cover of the corporate space available. Of course, we also arrange tours of the park, give advice on local eating establishments, and anything else that will make their stay that much more memorable. Then again, we do that for all our guests.”

Joshua Tree AutoCamp welcomes corporate meetings

The camp also offers a good variety of food which can be enjoyed back at individual campsites or eaten at the numerous tables, chairs, and other locations near the entrance hall. A large gift shop sporting comfortable leather furniture and a fireplace has the rudimentary offerings any tourist may need - toiletry items to bottles of wine. They cover it all for the road traveler.

Of special interest is a full bar of adult libations. They even have a daily happy hour, but since I wouldn’t be there at that time, I was not a bit happy.

One interesting note is that no guest vehicles are allowed within the camping area itself.

“Our guests park outside the quarters so as not to interfere with the natural aspects of the Autocamp ideal,” July said. “A guest enters through the keyed gate, park their vehicle, unload what they need into our wheeled carts, and make their way to their designated room. In this aspect, people do not have to deal with the comings and goings of vehicles which could ruin their stay here.”

There are even bikes to guests to utilize

I liked that. And looking around the camp, I understood the ideology behind AutoCamp. An atmosphere of natural beauty, with as little human footprint as possible, and allowing us mere humans to sit back and take it all in.

But as Laureen packs for any outing, I wondered if a Sherpa would be available.

For more information: AutoCamp Joshua Tree - ReservationDesk.com

 

Garlock - the lifeblood of Ransdburg

Welcome to Garlock

Starting in Hesperia and extending all the way north to the Oregon border, runs a wonderful highway most are familiar with - the 395. From the dry deserts to the  snow-covered Sierra Nevadas, this 567 mile trail of black asphalt has everything a traveler could wish for in terms of expectations.

Vast tracts of vacant land with wildlife for visitors to view and enjoy. Lakes for fishing, boating, or just relaxing next to. Miles of hiking trails begging for the adventurous to tug on some boots and explore.

Highway 395 is a wonderful road to drive and experience, no matter the season.

The author Robert Louis Stevenson stated; “I travel not to go anywhere, but to go. I travel for travel’s sake.”

I find myself in that same mental state quite often. Of course, my lovely wife Laureen may believe I might be in another state of mental wellness - but I’ll keep that between myself and the little green men inhabiting my cranium at this time.

Driving north or south Highway 395 is always a joy. Small locales like Randsberg, Lone Pine, Bishop, and others come to mind but often it is right off the well traveled highway to the byway where other adventures await.

Recently I took one of those byways and made my way to the ghost town of Garlock, approximately nine miles west of Randsburg.

Ghost towns are wonderful experiences for the visitor. To wander where folks had made their hopes and dreams come true, even for a short period. We humans have this endearing quality that makes us believe in our dreams and pursue them. If we hadn’t, the moon would still just be a large bright thingie that circles our earth.

Things to see in ghost towns - Garlock, CA

I first heard of Garlock years ago during a conversation I had been having with another traveler. But honestly when the gentleman mentioned it to me years ago, I actually thought he was talking about garlic - he had a lisp in all fairness.

“I use a lot of garlic, that’s why we don’t have vampires around our home,” I replied.

He looked at me, shook his head and walked away.

“Seriously,” I said. “Not one.” 

Taking the advice from my fellow explorer, I decided it was time to actually visit the town in Kern County.

The ghost town has a very interesting history, as do most places, but this one was created for the benefit of other small towns nearby.

Garlock was originally known as El Paso City, after the small mountain range nearby, and then later as Cow Wells, since this is the area where many cattlemen and freighters would stop to obtain water for their cattle. The only other local place available was the wash of Red Rock Canyon which could be very dangerous during certain times of the year - especially monsoon season.

In the late 1880s some small traces of gold were discovered in the El Paso range and then in 1893 a gold nugget worth $1900 was found near Goler Heights and the rush was on. That amount would be approximately two gazillion dollars today. No wonder prospectors were tripping each other with their picks and shovels.

“That’s my claim,” one prospector may have yelled at another as he raced flat-footed across the desert landscape in search of his riches.

With an evil laugh, the other prospector stretched out his shovel. “And I claim you just done fell down on your noggin.”

In 1894, gold was being located all over the place and Eugene Garlock, a very successful businessman who was living in Tehachapi at the time, decided that it would be a good venture to set up a stamp mill in the growing small town. 

And that’s what he did.

An eight stamp mill was built and miners from all over the territory utilized Garlock’s ingenuity. In fact, the town started to have name changes - first miners would say they were going to the ‘Garlock Mill’ then ‘down to Garlock’ and finally just to ‘Garlock.’ The name stuck and the previous ones went the way of the desert sands - blowing into the wind.

A historical marker erected in 1958 allows the traveler to know how important this once booming town once was: ‘NO. 671 Site of the Town of Garlock. In 1896, Eugene Garlock constructed a stamp mill near this spot to crush gold ore from the Yellow Aster Mine on Rand Mountain. Known originally as Cow Wells by prospectors and freighters during the 1880s and early 1890s, the town of Garlock continued to thrive until 1898 when water was piped from here to Randsburg and the Kramer-Randsburg line was completed.’

A very important part of the history of this whole area, and worth a look around.

There’s not much there, but that isn’t always the point when venturing into an unknown destination. Just walking over ground that others in the past have tread is worth the effort of getting there. To take in a vision they had for their future and wonder what it was like in their past.

Most of the time, it is humbling.

I once met a person who asked why I would want to visit old ruins of a bygone civilization - I happened to be on my way to Greece at the time and could not wait to walk where Socrates or Plato sat and thought.

“Humanity’s past is what made our present,” I responded.

“What's a humanity?” she asked.

As I looked across where the town of Garlock once stood, I realized that the people who had lived here had created a life not only for themselves or their families, but for the surrounding communities as well.

It was mid-morning when I found myself treading across Garlock Road investigating this and that of what was left of this town. As I stated earlier, not much, but there are signs which tell the history of the place as well as ones that tell the onlooker not to trespass across the chain link fences guarding the few remaining original structures.

Always respect the signs at historical sites

But, unfortunately one building had been graffitied with the typical nonsensical scrawlings of a person desperately hoping someone can figure out who had been there.

Since this is a family blog, I will not write what kind of person would desecrate a historical site in my opinion.

The other structures are intact, though years and weather have taken their toll - as those same years and weather have taken their toll on the guy typing this column.

Not bad after a hundred years - Garlock, CA

One area, behind a locked fence, seemed to be that of the original arrasta that was built during Garlock’s time to crush the ore on the premises.

Original arrasta in Garlock, CA

No one was present. In fact, not a single vehicle cruised by the entire time I was wandering around admiring the ruins available to see. Then again, right off of Highway 395, there were signs and a road block stating that Garlock Road was closed due to flooding.

Being a professional, I traveled the roadway to investigate if it were true. Nope, it was not. The road was dry as a bone, but caution should be taken when ignoring road signs. In fact, it is always better to take caution seriously since in the desert flash floods can occur at a moment's notice.

I did not tell Laureen I had abandoned logic on this venture.

Garlock had a functioning post office from 1896 until 1904, and then again from 1923 until 1926. The building which housed the government business was made out of railroad ties and can still be seen today, with a flagpole still standing proudly - absent the flag.

Railroad tracks heading southwest from Garlock, CA

Though the town did boast a population of several hundred during its heyday, delivering water and crushing ore and offering other services, soon other issues would spell its doom. In 1903 a stamp mill had been built in Randsburg and water had been piped to Randsburg and other close locations since the late 1880s.

Perhaps old water cisterns at Garlock, CA

Eugene Garlock passed away in 1907 and the town seemed to drift away as well into the pages of history. 

A school had been built in Garlock utilizing adobe for the walls. Later this structure was a store and rumor has it in the 1920s it may have served as a brothel and speakeasy for the local miners still managing to pull precious ore out of the ground in the nearby hills.

According to various sources, Roberta Ruth ran a curio shop in Garlock until the 1960s.

I ate lunch along the Redrock Randsburg Road and almost could hear the old wagons creaking by carrying water east toward the bustling mining town of Randsburg. It was probably just the slight breeze in my ears.

Then again . . .

The Not so Ghost Town of Ransburg

Welcome to Randsburg, CA

Standing midway down Butte Ave, I believed I was in a new filming for the hundredth Mad Max series.

Run for your lives - nope, everything is safe

Dozens of RZRs, dune-buggies, dirt bikes, off road golf carts, and gyrocopters came screaming out of the northwest through this tiny burg.

Folks dressed head to toe in leathers, cottons, tree bark, and stretched out leggings barreling through this living ghost town one mile south of Highway 395 made a person pause.

There were mullets on helmets. Sideburns on helmets. Mohawks on helmets, and helmets on helmets.

It was surreal, but I did not stand in the middle of the road for long, not wanting to end up as roadkill, which was being served for lunch I was told at the local park. 

“It’s really good if it is fresh, with not too many tread marks,” a grizzled miner may have uttered.

I was in Randsburg, a supposed ghost town that seemed pretty alive.

“Fall, winter, and spring are our busiest times of year,” noted Neil, the owner of The Joint. “People love camping out in the desert nearby and then rolling in here for lunch and perhaps a cold beverage.”

Sort of funny, “rolling in here” by the owner of ‘The Joint.’ Just saying.

The Joint in Randsburg

Actually, in all transparency stopping by any saloon usually makes my day. It gets mighty thirsty on the road.

Interior view of The Joint in Randsburg, CA

I had traveled through Randsburg many times on my way here and there along Highway 395. It’s a quaint locale with friendly folks, an interesting history, and clean free public restrooms in the town’s city park.

A must for a traveler.

The definition of a ghost town, according to Dictionary.com, is a town that was once thriving  that has been completely abandoned. According to Geotab.com a ghost town was once a thriving community that has dwindled over the decades. According to Oregon.gov, ghost towns are abandoned villages or cities, often with substantial visible remains.

Well, that last one could mean a whole lot of towns and cities now in California.

“You know, Neil,” I said. “You live in a ghost town according to what I’ve read.”

He just looked at me and wandered back into The Joint.

I should have stuck with the one definition I knew had to be accurate from theydon’tknowwhattheyaretalkingabout.com which stated that a ghost town is what people call places they have not traveled to.

Downtown Randsburg

Randsburg is not a ghost town. Sure, there are ghosts, according to the paranormal folks, locals, and a few miners who told me they have shared bottles of whiskey with the ghosts - okay, but it is not a ghost town in any sense of common sense.

Prior to Neil abandoning me in the street, he did state there is a ghost of a miner that sits atop the roof of The Joint. The ghost is supposedly a disgruntled ex-customer who was told eons ago that he was no longer welcome due to his bad behavior. I glanced up to ensure no wily bearded miner was lingering atop the building and dashed inside in case I may end up with a dropped pickaxe on my noggin.

No, this tiny town 68 miles northwest of Victorville and 138 miles northeast of  Los Angeles has a lot of life to it and a wonderfully interesting history.

Randsburg is known as one of the small towns within the gold and silver mining belt of Kern County.

 Randsburg, as well as Red Mountain and Johannesburg - other so-called ghost towns, that were once hustling and bustling jurisdictions where gold and silver could just be picked off the desert floor.

“Looky, Maxwell,” a dandy of a miner may have shouted after picking up a three ton solid gold nugget. “I be rich!”

That is not true. 

Community church in Randsburg, CA

Randsburg is located in the Rand Mining District, named after the Rand Mountains where it is located along with Red Mountain and Johannesburg.

According to the Los Angeles Daily News, three down-and-out miners wandered the Rand Mountains in 1895 and stumbled across a huge gold bonanza southwest of Ridgecrest - later to become Randsburg.

The miners who had been down-and-out were Frederic Mooers, John Singleton, and Charles Burcham and rumor has it that Frederic smiled at his two buddies and said, “Guess we are no longer down-and-outers.”

Where Singleton may have replied, “I can’t wait to see the face on my mother-in-law now.”

But with all history things can become a bit wonky. According to other research it was actually Frederic Mooers and William Langdon who actually found solid traces of gold in the Rand Mountains  in 1894. It was in 1895 that Singleton and Burcham were brought into the partnership, along with Dr Rose. 

Whatever be the case, the Rand Mining District was created in December of 1895 and a gold rush began. Some reports state that it was one of, if not, the largest gold rushes in California history with the Yellow Aster mine being the centerpoint of gold discovery.

Starting with just a few folks mining for riches soon turned into a boom and by 1896 more than 1,500 people were calling the area home.

Of course, where there is one mine, soon many more started opening up as more and more deposits were located. King Solomon, Jolly Girls, Monkey Wrench, Bully Boy, and Look What I Found were just some of the mines that soon opened.

By the end of 1897, folks were getting very rich working the various mines in the Rand Mining District, especially the Yellow Aster which produced more than $600,000 in gold, which is about $22,000,000 today.

Another rumor is that when Singleton’s mother-in-law heard the news, she simply said, “You call that money?”

One of the old mines located in Randsburg, CA

So much ore was coming out of the earth that it was hard to transport to various locations for processing; Garlock and Barstow. Shipping the ore over the newly built Randsburg Railways was slow due to the extent of the output, so a thirty-stamp mill was built in 1899 in Randsburg. Soon a much larger one hundred stamp mill was called for to handle all the ore being taken from the various mines in the area.

By 1901 the Yellow Aster mine was kicking out $120,000 worth of gold each month, well over four million dollars today. Silver was also being mined with huge profits from adjourning mines that covered the Rand Mountains.

Like all boom towns, it wasn’t just miners that got into action. Nope, plenty of saloons, gambling halls, and brothels showed up to ensure the miners did not walk away with all that cash in their pockets alone.

To save the souls of the now nearly 2,500 citizens of Randsburg in 1897, churches began to sprout up along the narrow and congested streets. Since some of the miners were married, as well as the shopkeepers, schools also were constructed.

It was a good time for all.

In 1898 two devastating fires erupted and nearly destroyed the entire town of Randsburg, but some quick thinking individuals used dynamite to blow up structures creating a break where the fire could not spread from block to block.

With the tough spirit of these pioneers, the town was rebuilt even better than before.

An interesting side note concerns neighboring Red Mountain, where numerous accounts state that during prohibition, folks all the way from Los Angeles would travel there during the weekends to partake in the over 30 saloons and brothels located in the area.

A tidbit here, Dr. Rose Burcham is not only considered one of the first pioneer female physicians in Southern California but in 1904, the Los Angeles Times honored her with, ‘Men of Achievement in The Great Southwest Mining’. - the only successful woman mine operator in the southwest.

A hardy and smart woman, she outlived her mining partners, dying in 1944 after retiring to the state of Alabama.

By 1934, with the depression and the ore not producing as much gold or silver as in the past, the town started to dry up. Folks moved on to the next boomtown but today Randsburg is still very much alive with shops, restaurants, saloons, and places to stay for the night.

The small town offers wonderful events throughout the year, including; Old West Day, Bluegrass Jamboree, Mohave Dirt Bike Rally, Don’t Fall Into An Empty Mineshaft Day, and so much more for the visitor. 

And if camping in the wide open desert isn’t your cup of Joe, then there are places to stay for the night in Randsburg, from the Cottage Hotel Bed and Breakfast, to numerous Airbnbs - some supposedly used as cribs utilized by the soiled doves in the day. May have to use the Old West Dictionary for that description.

Cottage Hotel, one of many places to stay at Randsburg, CA

Though I’ve traveled through Randsburg for years, I learn something new with each visit, and isn’t that the way adventures go?

Daniel, a bartender at the Joint, poured me a drink. “Are you coming back?”

I may be there already.

The Trial of the ENGWE L20 2.0

Having a travel blog and writing a weekly travel column, Beyer's Byways  for USA Network, folks sometimes ask us to visit a certain place to experience what travelers may experience, or offer us a product to review (not buy or given) that may make certain types of travel a little easier.

One such thing was the new ENGWE L20 2.0 peddle assist electric utility Ebike - John agreed to put it to through some tests and then review it.

Again, in all transparency, we do not receive any remunerations from ENGWE and just agreed to review their new mode of transportation. 

And here is that review.

ENGWE L20 2.0

When receiving anything via land delivery, the first concern is how the item was packaged by the manufacturer, especially if assembly is required. Thus with the receipt of the new ENGWE L20 2.0 peddle assist electric utility Ebike, it was comforting to see how well-secured every aspect of the bike, in the carton. Styrofoam surrounded all essential parts with all parts were wrapped tightly with plastic bands and cardboard boxes – there have been times in the past when we have had to return parcels due to incorrect packing techniques which quickly sours a buyer on the purchase.

With the easy-to-read instructions and all tools needed supplied by ENGWE, the actual time from removing the bike to full assemblage is less than 45 minutes. And one of the unexpected features on this specific Ebike, was that a handle is placed on top of the battery pack below the seat post. With any foldable Ebike, and with the weight of the L20 2.0 hovering at nearly 69 pounds, this handle made if far easier to hoist the Ebike into the rear of an SUV.

I was interested in trying out this new Ebike on the road and knew with its 750W motor (peak delivery at an estimated 1125w) it should be fast enough to serve any cyclist’s needs. Also, with the adjustable front suspension forks, the ride can be adjusted for most terrain and for the comfort of each individual rider’s weight.

The range for the L20 2.0 is stated at 80 miles in peddle-assist mode but this would probably be under a perfectly paved flat land with a rider not tipping the scales too high. This range though would be suitable for the majority of people who desire an Ebike with a distance which would carry them around town, off-road adventures, or simply cruising down a beach boardwalk.

There are two metal racks on the L20 2.0 – one over the rear fender and one over the front fender allowing this utility bike to be just that, an all-around Ebike for grocery shopping, or packing items for a day’s outing.

Living in a rural community in the Southern California desert, I took this Ebike through some pretty challenging roads, paths, and steep sandy terrain. Impressive was the quick electric assist when needed as I peddled through a rather deep dry sand wash – in fact, I stopped peddling and allowed the electric motor do the job of getting through the deep inches of fine, silty ground. With the throttle located strategically on the right handle, adjusting the speed was simply accomplished by a slight turn of the wrist. Also, with the large knobby fat tires the L20 2.0 had no issue accomplishing the feat and soon a harder packed road was found. A few days after a rare heavy rain, the path was marked by multiple deep hardened ruts, but the front suspension seemed to handle it well with just a slight pounding which would be expected from such a surface, no matter the mode of transportation involved.

On a relatively flat asphalt roadway the Ebike ride was comfortable, especially with the wide, fully adjustable ergonomic cushioned seat, front suspension and fat tires. Shifting gears was smooth with a flick of the left thumb and I did not notice any hesitation from one gear either shifting from low to high or high to low. With the standard Disc brake system, the stopping distance was clean, straight, and quick. With the peddle assist and geared up, the L20 2.0 matched the 28 mph that is advertised.

The easy-to-read 2 ½ by 3 ½ LCD display allowed me to visualize the speed, distance traveled, and battery level at a quick glance.

One small negative was the placement of the headlight which is attached to the front rack. This would take some getting used to when turning in the dark with the light not focused where the front wheel was turning. 

Overall, the new ENGWE L20 2.0 seemed a well-constructed, sturdy peddle-assisted electric utility bike for the average rider. And with many electric bikes tipping the scales in the thousands of dollars, the starting price of $799.00 puts this Ebike as a very reasonable choice for the consumer.

Again, we are not promoting ENGWE but just wanted to post the review. 

For more information: https://engwe-bikes.com/products/l20-2-0

 

Hoover Dam, a dam good tour

Decades ago, Laureen and I took our very young children to visit the Hoover Dam. Recently we revisited that trip and none of it looked familiar to me. Of course, in all transparency I sometimes wear mismatched socks - so, not remembering an adventure 20 years in the past seems to be not a big deal.

“Remember when Jessica asked if you had worked on the dam?” Laureen said, as we hiked from the furthest parking lot from the Hoover Dam visitor center. “That was funny.”

I smiled. Nope, I didn't recall that question from my daughter, though I do have memories of hanging off the cliffs on a single rope while drilling dynamite holes into the rock face as we began building the Boulder Dam.

Not John R Beyer at work, but this is how it was done 

“No,” I replied, “but what was funny was when I dropped the pick hammer and it landed in Joey’s head at the bottom of the canyon. Now, that was funny. Except, Joey did walk and talk a bit differently after that.”

Laureen had arranged for a tour of the Hoover Dam, along with 33 of our closest strangers. She believed it was a total dam tour but as we stood in line with our phones ready to scan at the visitor’s center, we learned it was for the power plant section of the dam only.

“I thought it was for the whole dam,” Laureen said.

“Shouldn’t curse,” I replied.

Hoover Dam is an architectural masterpiece - pure genius, guts, and engineering.

Without going into too much history of why Boulder Dam was built in the first place, there were three major reasons - flood control since the river loved to surprise folks living shoreside with unpredicted floods which wiped out crops and towns, to provide controlled/regulated irrigation for farms which help to feed the population, and produce hydroelectric power for all those people who had moved into California, Arizona, and Nevada.

Seemed the thing to do.

In 1869, John Wesley Powell led a group of adventurers down the raging Colorado River in wooden boats. This river’s path and ferocity was unknown to most people, even the Native Americans who had lived near the flowing water for eons.

Powell managed to make it through the sometimes Class 5 rapids in the Grand Canyon and lived to write about it. He was a strong leader, who had served in the Civil War for the Union side and actually lost half of his arm during the Battle of Shiloh in Tennessee but this did not slow the adventurer down.

It was his final reports after the journey down this magnificent river in the southwest that made folks in the east understand the importance it had to the development of the country. Rich mineral finds, large tracts of vacant lands perfect for farming and grazing, and great weather made the idea of converting this river into a life giving bloodline for pioneers could be crucial for an expanding nation.

And, the pioneers heard the call and moved west.

In 1902, Arthur Powell Davis who worked for the Bureau of Reclamation decided that perhaps a dam should be built, or multiple dams.

It would be 30 years before the construction for such an ambitious project could begin.

Laureen and I wandered along with the tour to visit the power plants that make Hoover Dam so important to millions of people living in the southwest.

Over 7 million guests visit the huge Hoover Dam yearly which borders the states of Nevada and Arizona - there is actually a stamp along the dam where a photo can be snapped showing where a person could stand between both states. I chose Nevada - no personal state income tax.

A bridge for vehicles and pedestrians span the Colorado River

Our guide, Matt, was young and very well versed about the dam and the power plants we were visiting.

“We are now five hundred and thirty-six feet deep into the dam,” Matt said, after we had taken an elevator into the depths of the cement structure.

It was a bit surreal, realizing that on either side of where we were standing there was about a trillion gallons of water pushing against the thick cement walls of the dam. 

Laureen Beyer deep within Hoover Dam

“If these walls busted,” I said to Laureen, “we’d be in Mexico in a matter of minutes.”

My lovely wife has a bit of claustrophobia, so I didn’t press the issue. 

“Isn’t that weird? We could be at Cabo Wabo within an hour. Margaritas on me,” I continued.

She gripped my hand so tightly that I looked to see if she had changed places with Chuck Norris.

Matt continued with his dialogue about the building of the Hoover Dam and it was awe inspiring.

“We have to remember that the dam was started in nineteen-thirty-one and finished in nineteen-thirty-six, two years earlier than the date promised,” Matt said. “And, this was men working with picks, shovels, drills, dynamite, and sweat. An unbelievable accomplishment, no matter the year.”

Drill marks can still be seen near Hoover Dam

At the time such a construction was thought impossible. A building project as the Boulder Dam (it was later renamed Hoover Dam) had never been done and was the largest manmade endeavor attempted at the time. 

But that did not stop the chutzpah of American knowhow.

With the leadership of  Chief Engineer Frank Crow starting in 1931, the building of the dam and safety of his crews was most on his mind.

Over 5,000 workers were employed to construct the dam and the pay was not wonderful, generally four dollars per day - of course, those who had more dangerous jobs could earn another dollar. It should be noted though, this was during the Great Depression and lines of men from Las Vegas waited daily for a chance to earn a buck or two for their families.

In the years of the building, less than 100 men died during the construction - any death is a tragedy but for such a mammoth and long term project, it was not unexpected deaths would occur.

“And for those who have heard the rumors,” Matt said. “No one was covered by cement and died. No, the deaths were from men falling off cliffs, blasting accidents, heat exhaustion, drowning, and other causes. Terrible as that is.”

During our tour we learned that the amount of cement used is almost unimaginable. “Over four point three million cubic yards of cement was used,” Matt informed us.

“How much is that?” I asked Laureen, she’s smarter in these matters than me.

She simply rolled her eyes. “A lot.”

Turns out that amount of cement could produce a 16 foot highway from New York City to the city of San Francisco. That is a lot of concrete.

South side of Hoover Dam - that's a lot of concrete

We were hundreds of feet down into the dam, which is over 660 feet wide at the bottom of Boulder Canyon and a narrow 45 feet at the top, where tourists can walk.

“The dam is so wide at the bottom, that twenty percent of the cement is still curing,” Matt told the visitors.

He asked if there were any questions. “How long does the government believe this dam will last,” I asked.

“Good question,” the guide said. “Back in the fifties it was examined and determined it would last one thousand years.”

There was an audible gasp. “But today, we believe it will be closer to four thousand years. Every once in a while core samples are taken from the bottom and studied, that’s how the engineers came up with that last figure.”

In a few minutes we reentered the elevator and traveled upwards about 50 feet to where we were able to view the huge steel turbines stationed within the walls of the dam. 

Turbines on the Arizona side of Hoover Dam

“Above us are two cranes needed to lift these turbines,” Matt said. “They are able to lift three hundred tons each.”

Looking across the nearly 650 feet to the other end of the cavernous interior of the dam was amazing. Fork lifts, trucks, and everything needed to keep these turbines which produced ample energy for millions of people looked like toys in comparison to each of the size of the machinery.

There are 17 such turbines in the complex, nine on the Arizona side and eight on the Nevada side. Our guide went into a monologue about the megawatts produced as billions of gallons of water rushed into each turbine spinning its innards like a washing machine - except a whole lot faster.

I was suddenly confused with all the technical talk. 

Just one of the water pipes within Hoover Dam

Soon the tour was over and as we walked across the top of the dam, I could only ponder what John Wesley Powell would think about this dam which tamed the mighty Colorado River.

I suspect he would smile.

For more information: Hoover Dam | Bureau of Reclamation (usbr.gov)

Tragedy at Nelson Landing, Nevada

 “I remember coming here fishing as a young man in the early seventies,” the now older man said. “It was a wonderful location for families to camp, boat, and just have fun.”

Laureen, my lovely wife, and I had just met this fella along the shores of the Colorado River, not far south of the Hoover Dam.

South side of Hoover Dam

In all transparency, we were actually at Lake Mohave, but it is still all part of the Colorado River. In fact, gold ore used to be shipped along the river near the town of Nelson 350 miles to the Gulf of California. With the building of Hoover Dam, Davis Dam and others, the river was tamed and man-made lakes were created, but it is still all part of the Colorado River system.

We had been out exploring places we had not yet visited when we had found ourselves along the shore of crystal clear waters.

“Then in an instant it was all gone,” he concluded, and then drove off through the sandy wash westward.

All that is left of the once popular Nelson Landing

A sobering moment as we learned we were standing on the ground where Nelson’s Landing had once stood. A river resort that had been loved and shared by countless folks for decades.

Nelson’s Landing had been located on the western edge of Lake Mohave in El Dorado Canyon, roughly five miles east of the ghost town of Nelson - which is where Laureen and I had actually been heading. But, unbeknownst to us - there was another story at the end of the pavement when we had decided to travel past the ghost town.

“Let’s see if we can get to the river on this road before touring Nelson,” Laureen had said, and being the dutiful husband and traveler agreed.

“All roads lead somewhere interesting,” I replied.

At that moment the idea of interest had been an understatement. Turned out to be a black ribbon of asphalt that had a tale of horror and tragedy at the end of it.

Nelson’s Landing had been a small beach settlement enjoyed by locals and visitors alike. Mobile homes, RVs, campsites, boat docks, restaurants, and other amenities made this place a must go river spot.

Original photo of what Nelson Landing looked like before the tragedy

Looking for a choice for water activities, there is Lake Mead, north of Hoover Dam or Lake Mohave, south of Hoover Dam. Take your pick. Either would be a good choice on a hot day. It was an easy destination for people living in nearby Boulder City or even Las Vegas, a mere 50 miles away. 

One such summer day was September 14th, 1974 where people were boating, laying on the sandy beach, camping, and enjoying lunch in one of the restaurants at the landing when the unexpected reared its ugly head.

Miles away to the west a storm cloud showed up and poured a monsoonal amount of rain onto the dry desert soil in only a few minutes.

The torrent splattered the desert floor, but with the sun scorched hardened earth the ground was like a piece of tile and that rain simply did what gravity intended - flow downhill undeterred.

Narrow canyon walls allowed torrents of water to flow

Soon a forty foot wave of water channeled from five separate smaller canyons rushed through El Dorado Canyon toward the resort. In a matter of minutes the resort was completely wiped out.

Among the rubble, only memories were left by those who had survived.

Nine people died on that fateful day.

Rescue workers looking for survivors at Nelson Landing

According to a July 9, 2019 online news article from 8@NewsNow.com (Las Vegas) - local resident, Tony Werly stated: “That’s fifty-two square miles that all merged into that one canyon. As the cloud was coming down the mountain, they (the people who had been enjoying the day at Nelson Landing) were trying to get their boat docks out of the water before they got rained on. They never knew what was coming down the canyon with it.”

Werly also stated a teacher he had once had, Jack Dailey, had been one of the victims of the flooding disaster.

“Dailey was actually a school teacher of mine when I was in high school and he was one of the guys that died.”

Dailey’s friend, John Gellifent, was also interviewed.

“Jack was out boating,” Gellifent said. “He was coming back when the wall of water hit.”

Turns out the teacher and friend of Gellifent’s had been out enjoying the river and upon returning to the beach in his boat he was overtaken by the destructive path of the flood and killed just offshore.

Nelson’s Landing was never rebuilt. There are now signs warning visitors that the chance of a severe flood is a real and present danger.

We looked out across the area where one minute visitors were having the time of their lives and the next, there was no time left.

“How horrible,” Laureen said. “To be here with your family enjoying a wonderful day and then that happens.”

I did not reply. My gaze took in the blue waters of the river in front of me and I could almost hear the terrified screams of those watching from wherever they were at the moment as a tsunami barreled down on them.

And then the frantic search and rescue through the rubble that had been a popular beach resort must have been heart wrenching.

It did not take a vivid imagination to feel what those poor folks felt as they looked westward up El Dorado Canyon and saw nothing but a huge debris filled wave of water racing toward them.

I felt chills run down my spine. To be standing at a gorgeous location, as this place is, and then to realize you are standing on hallowed ground.

People had perished here. Their only fault, just enjoying a hot summer day by cool waters.

It was not something we had expected to experience as we had happily been driving north along US Route 93 toward Boulder City, Nevada when we took a short jaunt toward the ghost town of Nelson.

A few years ago, my buddy Paul and I had powered up the Colorado River from Katherine Landing aboard my pontoon boat. It was a casual camping excursion, where we took in gorgeous inlets, water canyons, hidden coves, witnessed families of Bighorn sheep, and wild donkeys. The final destination of cruising by Willow Beach, on the Arizona shore to the Hoover Dam 12 miles to the northwest.

The blue waters of Lake Mohave

The previous day, we had witnessed dozens of people laughing while they jumped from some pretty high natural cliffs alongside the Colorado River on the Nevada Shore.

All through the warm months, people flock to Nelson’s Landing to jump off the cliffs into Lake Mohave. Some spots along the steep walls are 50 feet high and caution as well as a little dose of common sense are needed here.

I wondered if those summer loving folks realized that less than half a century ago, folks had literally fought for their lives on that sunny September day, and some had fought in vain.

“I boated past this spot without realizing the tragedy which had taken place,” I said to Laureen. “When Paul and I made our way to the Hoover Dam and saw people jumping into the water. Never thought of where or how tragic this place was.”

Laureen nodded.

Though the temperature was in the high thirties when we visited in January, the sun was shining making the water sparkle and the sand crunch beneath our feet.

No sign of a past calamity was to be witnessed in this picturesque setting. Just quiet and beautiful.

According to the National Weather Service - ‘Flash floods can roll boulders, tear out trees, destroy buildings and bridges, and scour out new channels. Rapidly rising water can reach heights of 30 feet or more. Furthermore, flash flood-producing rains can also trigger catastrophic mudslides. You will not always have a warning that these deadly, sudden floods are coming. Most flood deaths are due to FLASH FLOODS.’

The strength of rushing waters can dislodge huge section of earth

The fun-loving people enjoying a hot September day in 1974 did not think twice about a dark cloud far away on the horizon - why should they? But, in a matter of a blink of an eye rain fell in huge amounts and turned that care-free event into a horrific and unforgettable catastrophe. 

The teacher, Jack Dailey, did not live to see a school named after him in Las Vegas - Dailey Elementary School. 

Though I often make light of being out in nature and possibly ignoring signs about this or that - driving out of El Dorado Canyon on that January morning reminded me that signs are there for a reason and must be taken seriously.

Western Film Museum, Lone Pine

 Driving through Lone Pine along Highway 395, I decided to stop and have a looky-loo at the Museum of Western Film History.

I am sort of a geek when it comes to museums. I like them. I like them so much that I try to stop by most as I pass when on the road, which is a lot.

“There, a museum,” I may shout to Laureen, or the empty passenger seat while driving through this little berg or that little berg. “We should stop.”

Laureen usually agrees and when she is not traveling with me, the passenger seat remains silent, which I take as, “Sure, let’s see what is in there.”

That is the only sort of geek I happen to be. No techie here - nope. If the television is acting funny while I am alone at home, I will wait until someone arrives to save me.

“Dad, how long have you been sitting here staring at the screen?” one of my daughters may ask when they find me in the recliner with three days of beard growth.

“I can’t exit Netflix,” I may utter. “I’m in the twenty-fifth century with Picard.”

So, I decided to stop and check out this museum, which boasts it is similar to the Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum located in the small village of Cooperstown in New York State.

The similarity, which I read about on their website, means they are the one and only true Western Film History Museum tied to the special location of the village of Lone Pine.

Lone Pine is a lovely town, approximately 210 miles northeast of Los Angeles or 2,700 miles southwest of Cooperstown, New York.

The town of Lone Pine is worth a visit all in itself. Anyone who has traveled north along Highway 395 on their way to Mammoth to ski, to Reno to gamble, or to Tonopah for paranormal fun, knows Lone Pine.

The town of a little over 1,500 citizens sits at 3,700 feet above sea level on the southeastern slopes of the Sierra Nevadas in Inyo County. It is home to the Alabama Hills and entryway to Mount Whitney, the highest mountain in the contiguous United States, towering at over 14,500 feet.

Contiguous is just a fancy way of saying, among the forty-eight states in the continental United States. In the state of Alaska, also a part of the United States for those who are checking, sits either Mount McKinley or Denali (one and the same) which tops over 20,000 feet.

The town received its name from a once lonely pine tree that sat at the mouth of the Lone Pine Canyon. 

One item that pulls on the traveler's heartstrings is the monument dedicated to the folks who perished during the 1872 Owens Valley earthquake. At 2:30 in the morning on March 26th, a huge fault gave way and nearly wiped out the town which at the time contained a few hundred people. Twenty-seven residents perished and nearly 60 were seriously injured. It was later determined that the quake possibly measured anywhere from 7.4 to 7.9 on the Richter scale, which was one of the largest to ever strike California. It was similar to the monster that struck and destroyed most of San Francisco in 1906.

Each time I drive along that beautiful highway of 395 through the town of Lone Pine, I pull over and bow my head near the dedication monument for the victims who had gone to bed on March 25th of 1872 and never saw the sun rise again.

It is a very somber place to stand and reflect.

The museum is a historical journey of over 400 films and 100 television episodes that have been shot in the nearby Alabama Hills or other locales near Lone Pine or Owens Valley.

That is a lot of filming through the years starting with the 1920 blockbuster The Roundup, starring Roscoe ‘Fatty’ Arbuckle, Buster Keaton, and Chief Red Foxx.

The list from that beginning is long and interesting. 3 Godfathers in 1948, Around the World in 80 Days in 1956, The Great Race in 1965, Transformer: Revenge of the Fallen in 2009, Terminal Velocity in 1996, and my favorite Hopalong Cassidy and the Sasquatch Kid - release date unknown at this time.

While I wandered the exterior of the museum, a film crew was all set up in the rear parking lot. Long tables with food were beneath popup tents, loads of sound equipment stacked around huge trailers, make-up folks discussing which tint went with what tint, guys and gals walking around looking rather Hollywoodish, and a middle-aged guy in a suit having his hair dyed.

Getting ready for the next shoot at the Western Film Museum

I smiled and said hello to all I walked by. I was summarily ignored and decided to enter this western museum in Lone Pine.

Immediately I knew I should have stopped years earlier. The place is a cornucopia of film-making magic. Laureen, my lovely wife would have loved it. The empty passenger seat I had been currently traveling with could care less would be my guess.

One of the most intriguing exhibits is the 1928 RKO Studio camera car sitting like it just came out of the Ford production line. It is beautiful and all rigged out for a full camera crew to film any sort of moving action that was needed.

RKO Studio film car on display at the Western Film Museum

This vehicle has been used in multitudes of films including Steve McQueen’s movie, Bullitt, Bruce Willis and James Garner's film, Sunset, and Under the Rainbow starring Chevy Chase.

Meandering the multiple-room complex, which even has a movie theater, is a rewarding experience.

There is the history of Lone Pine mixed in with photographs, clothing, props, and anything else that will allow the visitor to fully understand the importance of filming has to do not only with this small town but the full cinematic industry.

An entire room is dedicated to the film series Iron Man, starring Tony Stark - I mean Robert Downey Jr. Easy to mix those two up.

Not far away in the Alabama Hills is where the Afghanistan ambush and escape took place and close by Olancha School was turned into a terrorist camp for the production.

Another exhibit is rather creepy, detailing the use of nearby locations to shoot the film series Tremors, starring Kevin Bacon. There are replicas of the Graboids, Shriekers for guests to view and get nauseous over, and a replica of the town the movie supposedly took place in Perfection, Nevada - a phony town.

Tremors creep-out on display at the Western Film Museum

It was perfect.

Of course, there are many items from earlier days of filming, such as a beautiful red Overland Stagecoach, supposedly used in the film, Rawhide. A dozen or more saddles hosted the rear ends of such legendary Western stars as Roy Rogers, Gene Autry, Cesar Romero, John Wayne, and many more.

There are prop guns, prop boots, prop jackets, and all sorts of other props that are and were used to make magic come alive on the silver screen.

Walking through the myriad of vintage film cameras including a Simplex, RCA, and Panavision, all surrounded by metal circular canisters to keep the secrets of the day's shoot hidden and dry is a delight.

Cameras for any film at the Western Film Museum

Photographs of legends are on every wall, as well as posters such as the one advertising Django, starring Jamie Foxx. One of the films, Gladiator, was autographed by the star Russell Crowe. Of course, John Wayne is lurking everywhere in life-sized cutouts depicting various Western films he starred in the Owens Valley.

The Lone Ranger

A red director’s chair used by Quentin Tarantino is dead center with a description of what film he used the chair for and a sign telling the guest not to sit in it.

Tarantino's chair on display at the Western Film Museum

I looked around the room - I was alone at the moment.

Dresses worn by leading ladies, like the sparkly fringed blue dress that draped one of the most famous female Western actresses of all times, Dale Evans are tastefully shown around the museum.

A room describing the building of an entire Indian town in the Alabama Hills is on display for the filming of the 1938 film, Gunga Din starring Cary Grant.

Being a car guy, one of my favorite sights was the 1938 Plymouth Deluxe coupe used in the 1941 film, High Sierra starring Humphrey Bogart. It is shiny gray which oozes class and seems to be in pristine condition.

A beauty on display at the Western Film Museum

A couple of hours or more is needed to see all that is to be seen at this museum. Every minute is worth it, if the traveler has an interest in filmmaking or simply to learn how Lone Pine is so important to this billion-dollar industry.

This may have been my first visit, but not my last.