Lucerne Valley is worth a thorough visit

 Many from the High Desert of Southern California, have driven through Lucerne Valley a number of times. Perhaps on the way to Big Bear. Perhaps on the way to Joshua Tree National Park. Perhaps on the way to Landers to experience the Giant Rock. Or perhaps just to stop in Lucerne Valley for breakfast or lunch, on the way for some heavy duty four-wheeling in Johnson Valley.

And perhaps, according to imdb.com, to film some of the following movies – Valkyrie (2008), Green Lantern (2011), and Alpha II (2918). 

There are so many more films, television series, and commercials that have been shot in Lucerne Valley – but, I just got lazy, and decided mentioning the three most popular films was enough to make my point.

But, Don Henry, owner and awesome artist, of ‘Art by Henry’, had something to add to those few I mentioned.

Some of Don's art work - there's plenty more

Laureen and I had stopped by Henry’s studio years ago, at the corner of Highway 18 and Trade Post Road, on our way to Big Bear. Bought a couple of pieces of art from the gentleman and then left. 

While I was back in town, I stopped by his business again.

“Didn’t you stop by here years ago?” Don asked.

“Yes, of course. You recognize me, since I don’t age,” I responded.

“What do you want?”

Did I mention Don is a pretty straight shooting kind of guy? 

Of course, being the social butterfly I am, Don and I hit it off immediately again.

“You know, I was in a music video, here in Lucerne Valley.” He told me. “The Hollywood types always use this part of the desert for commercials, music videos, and the like. We’re remote, and I guess viewers like remoteness.”

“I like remoteness,” I replied.

He just looked at me.

Turns out that Don Henry, was one of the actors in the music video by Kranium, filmed in Lucerne Valley in 2015. Kranium’s Kemar Donaldson, is a Jamaican reggae star. The video shot in Lucerne Valley was for his 2013 hit single, ‘Nobody Has To Know’.

He played his role down though. “I was the guy in the video cooking and waving at the crew when they left. Not much of a part, but nice folks and very professional.” 

Well, that part was more than I had in my bag of memorable moments with reggae singers. I listen to Bob Marley on Sirius – that’s all I have. 

But, I wasn’t in Lucerne Valley to discuss stardom with Don Henry. Nope, a reader had written to ask if I had ever heard of Chimney Rock, just west of the town limits of Lucerne Valley.

I know what a chimney is. I have plenty of fires during the winter, but no – not a chimney rock in Lucerne Valley.

Research, Watson, research.

Turns out that Chimney Rock is an important part of the history of the Mojave Desert.

Plaque located near Chimney Rock

On February 16th, 1867, a group of Native Americans found themselves fighting for their lives against a posse of settlers at Chimney Rock.

It is historically known as the last battle between immigrant settlers and Native Americans in the Mojave Desert.

As with all history, there are two perspectives.

Pioneers in the valley and up in the mountains near modern day Big Bear, had had enough of some of the local tribe members stealing their cattle, stealing their horses, burning down saw mills, burning down houses, killing a settler here and there, and just overall being aggressive.

Then, on the other side of the proverbial coin, the Native Americans didn’t like the settlers coming into the area carving up large amounts of territory for themselves. Erecting fences, constructing houses, creating more roads for more settlers, building towns, and having the overall effect of destroying their hunting grounds.

Not a positive situation for anyone concerned.

The matter was settled at Chimney Rock. This was the final camp of the natives, and they were surprised by a posse who had been following them for months.

There was a shootout, and the natives retreated to the desert areas. People of both parties were wounded and killed, and that was the last violent resistance in the Mojave Desert, according to historical sources. 

I had driven to Lucerne Valley to investigate the site of Chimney Rock. It was easy to find. At the junction of Highway 18 and Rabbit Springs Road, there are two stone markers indicating the site of the last struggle between natives and settlers.

“That was easy to find,” I said, as I pulled over and saw the markers. “Now what?”

I took some photos of the hills northwest of the markers and peered through a metal tube on the marker on the right. Looking through the tube, a person has a perfect sight to where chimney rock is.

The tube to see Chimney Rock

“Hey, that looks like a chimney,” I stated, wishing Laureen was there to respond – instead of sounding like an idiot talking to myself. “Wish Laureen was here.”

“Stop talking to yourself.” I said.

I had brought a metal detector for some searching around Chimney Rock. Never know what a person may find at the site of the last struggle between Native Americans and settlers. Bullet casings, belt buckles, or even a bucket of gold.

It was windy, chilly, and the hike would be well over a mile from where I was parked. And, there probably would be no pot of gold, so I decided to drive into Lucerne Valley and have a look around. When in doubt, take the easy route – another great motto.

Entering the town, I passed another place we had driven by many times in the past but never explored. ‘Nelson Studios’.

The location is easy to pinpoint on the north side of Highway 18, and the water tower with the name of the studio emblazoned on it, was a dead giveaway. The entrance is guarded by beautifully decorated stone walls with two ornate iron gates.

Very impressive, but there is no film studio. 

Why was this place deserted? I took out my phone, and asked Mr. Google. 

A little research led me to an article from the Daily Press, published on September 22, 2016. It was written by none other than Matthew Cabe.

His piece, This Desert Life: My Nelson Studios Obsession, is a must read. Fascinating, and full of research on how this place came about and the demise.

Detailed and precise. That’s his style – facts matter.

My take: he got it wrong.

As I walked through the deserted grounds of the Nelson Studios, what I experienced was tumbled down Roman columns, Roman tubs, Roman walkways, Roman benches with all those fancy curly kind of designs they were known for.

“What do you want on that fountain?”

“Some curly rock carved things. What do you think?

“I like curly fries.”

“Sorry, we’re two thousand years before they are invented.”

It was eerie, each step I took around the grounds I expected a Roman Centurion to come at me asking my business.

“Draw your sword,” he would demand.

 “I have a camera with a flash,” I would threaten.

And, where was Matt wrong?

I’ve traveled a lot in the desert over my years. Met great people from all the places I never knew existed.

So, in those travels and listening to what I’ve listened too, perhaps there is another reason for all the Roman stuff laying around the Nelson Studios.

Could Julius Caesar have stopped by Lucerne Valley to build a new empire?

He was powerful, egoistical and had desired world domination.

“What do you think, Crassus? Should Lucerne Valley be our next conquest?”

“I don’t think that’s how it happened,” Don Henry told me. “What I understand is that the studio was actually manufacturing things for Hollywood films. Like you saw as you walked around today.”

That meant Cabe’s research was more accurate than mine! Foiled again.

The day was spent, and so was I. Lucerne Valley is not a place to drive through from here to there. It is a place to stop. There is so much history, that it would take hours, if not days to take it all in.

Businesses are open, so take a moment and spend some time. Perhaps, like me, you may see the ghost of Gaius Julius Caesar hanging around, near Nelson Studios.

If not, how about a burger at Café 247? They are real. And tasty.

Café 247 is open for business

Oh, also stop by and chit-chat with Don Henry at his art studio. He has some real interesting items there, and is a local history book on legs.

The art and the artist is worth the stop

A Serendipitous Moment

Serendipity - 'The faculty of making fortunate and unexpected discoveries by accident.' According to The American Heritage Dictionary.

As an educator I often describe the concept of a 'serendipitous moment' as walking through a field and suddenly tripping face first into a pile of fresh horse manure. At first, the manure covered faced individual may be upset about this but as that person scrapes away the sticky remains a great big diamond is discovered stuck to the face of the chagrined person. An unexpected discovery turns a moment of embarrassment into one of great joy.

A diamond hiding - really?

June 5th was one such experience J and L experienced while going through some boxes which had been hiding in the rear of John's study closet for years.

While wondering what was lurking in the boxes Laureen asked if I knew that my first interview with Ray Bradbury was in a file within that elusive cardboard box. No knowledge of that long ago transcription had even entered my cranium and then it dawned on me - June 5th of 2015 was the 3rd anniversary of my friend's passing.

Now, I take a great leap of faith declaring the Ray Bradbury as my personal friend but as I posted back in 2012 when he passed from this life and entered the realm of eternity I did believe he was my friend. We wrote correspondence to one another for years after my first interview with him when he had been the guest speaker at the Friends of the Lucerne Valley Library when I shyly went up to him and asked if I could snap some photos and perhaps line up an interview.

Ray Bradbury detailing the joys of writing.

Though I had been published in magazines and newspapers, the concept of actually interviewing a celebrity had not been thought about in my world. I wrote pieces of places I visited or things which should be considered as life altering - like which RV was just perfect for a family of four - but an actual interview? I hadn't done it.

So, as Mr. Bradbury smiled at me in the reception line and answered in the affirmative that he'd love to chit-chat with me. My first interview and it would be one of the most brilliant writers of our time? I tried to be cool and collected but could barely utter the words: "I'll call and make an appointment."

Driving home that evening so many years ago (1990) I wondered what I had to ask the man who had written: The Martian Chronicles, Fahrenheit 451, The Drummer Boy, episodes of the Twilight Zone, and was good friends with Gene Roddenberry, the brains behind Star Trek. I was a teacher and free-lance writer who sold articles here and there but my name was barely known beyond my dinner table.

Ray Bradbury passionate about libraries

I was to interview Ray Bradbury. Buck up Johnny Boy - no issue there!

A month later I could only arrange a phone interview due to conflicts in schedules - his not mine - but that was enough.

Memory lane for a few lines here if the reader will allow me but the point is to see what a visionary Ray truly was.

J - I want to let you know I'm not a real experienced interviewer but I appreciate the opportunity you have given me to let me have this interview.

R - Surely.

J - I'm taping this if that's okay with you?

R - It's the best way.

J - Ok, what I would like to focus on is your opinion of education in America?

R - Ha! That's the end of that subject. God almighty! Well, I talked to a whole bunch of educators and administrators in Santa Clara about a month ago - 2,000 of them and I ripped their skins off. I said, you know, you're getting a billion dollars a day; that's more than enough to pay for everyone's education but you're not spending it right. It's got to be spent on kindergarten, first grade and second grade.

J - So, you believe the focus is the lower grade levels then.

R - If you don't learn to read what good is a science course in the seventh grade?

A few more questions later -

J - How do you think school districts can become more effective?

R - By teaching reading.

I will not go through the whole interview since it is currently being worked up as a different media concpet which will be produced at a later time but the words spoken by one of the greats twenty-five years ago still rings as solid now as it did then.

Being an educator I know that reading is the most important tool in anyone's life and it is saddening and sometimes maddening when I hear students, as well as adults, tell me that reading is boring while all the time they are Facebooking or texting about things which matter nothing but for the moment. Where reading can take a person to any time period in any world and literally taste things they may never truly experience in their lifetimes.

Pretty Smart guy - this Albert Einstein!

 'A well read and educated public is truly the only thing a tyrant fears,' J. Beyer 2015.

As the interview continued Ray said something that sticks to me to this day - "There's only one crisis - reading. And unless you solve that, our whole civilization goes down the drain. How can you think politically later in life if you can't read?"

Well said - Maestro.

Summer is upon us so let's all get to the store or online and order some books. Read for enjoyment or for education but as Ray would say - 'For God's sake - just read!"

A serendipitous moment for sure this day on the 3rd anniversary of my friend's passing.