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Red Rock Area, Southern California
Here are some snaps that we took when we travelled down to Red Rock
Canyon to attend Mandy & Phil's wedding
("a dweam within a dweam").
Red Rock Canyon lies in the interface between the classic basin and range lands of Nevada, and the Mojave desert to the south. Interesting geology and great plants!
Trona Pinnacles
Here we are at Trona Pinnacles (crazy tufa spires), which was a
set for at least one Star Trek movie. I think this is where Kirk died. They also made part of
the new Planet of the Apes movie here. Thank heavens Helena Bonham Carter was nowhere to be seen. She bugs me.
A reflective moment
Beth mourns Kirk's death at the hands of Dr. Tolian Soran. Damn that evil scientist!
White lined sphinx moth
If we told you how big this caterpillar
really was, you wouldn't believe us. It was practically ready for a hot dog bun!
Nice rocks
What do you bet these rocks are infested with weird hopping space-rodents? You can't help but think
that way when in this strange kind of place. Sci-Fi movies and westerns have really
screwed us up. Or at least me.
Dermititis
A rock outcrop with a skin problem. I
don't know if you understand the scale of this elongated dome. 18-wheel trailer-tractors
could mate behind it and you'd never know it. It is big and warty.
Beth at Fossil Falls.
In ancient times, a waterfall cut through these glassy, lava layers. The
river is now dead, and the black lava is riddled with water-cut holes, tunnels,
and polished surfaces. The rocks were very
hot, but as a scientist I suspect this has less to do with their volcanic origin, and
more to do with the baking desert sun. Gotta do some tests first, to be sure. (Yes,
those are vacationing Keebler elves in the upper right.)
Two ne'er-do-wells at Fossil Falls.
It is wild luck we did not end up lacerated like a pound of bacon. You'll notice that
Beth has found a sturdy hand-hold by driving her thumb deeply into my skull.
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