Another road trip with my camera. This time to visit the oral surgeon in Lancaster, where I had my check up and learned that I'm healing well. Lancaster is located in what is called the Antelope Valley, a part of the desert where antelopes roamed when the first settlers arrived.
Those are wind turbines in the background. They are located outside the small town of Mojave, sort of at the back of the Tehachapi mountains and then spilling out into the desert at an alarming rate. While I like the clean energy provided by the wind mills, to see how they tend to take over everything is a bit appalling.
There are many interesting mountain formations in the Mojave Desert.
A few miles outside the town of Mojave, we pass this sign.
The area is called Silver Queen and I saw some structures that looked like an entrance to an old mine.
Which got my imagination going and I enlarged a picture. Can you see the wooden structures a bit right of center? An old silver mine, perhaps?
Some more modern structures in the area of Silver Queen.
A flat part of the desert.
In Part 1 of our trip, I just wanted to show what the desert looks like. If you live on the East Coast, say, or in Europe, you may think it looks the same all the time. But it really doesn't.
I had not been through here in the summer for a while. We went a couple times in the winter and spring this year when bushes were green, flowers were blooming, and the desert looked so much more alive. Now the colors are mostly like those in this picture and you wonder how anyone or anything can live here. Yet lots of people do and many interesting critters as well.
I will post Part 2 next week.
I think because I lived in the east for so many years, the west fascinates me. I can (and I guess I'm forced to) stare at the desert for hours as we drive. At first you think it never changes, but that is so wrong. There are so many interesting plants, rocks, animals, clouds.... it is beautiful in its starkness. Thanks for sharing 'your' desert with us!
ReplyDeleteGood one Inger - thanks for showing us your Desert ...
ReplyDelete... you've often spoken of the similarities between your world and mine and now I see it too ...
... and you're right - the Desert changes all the time ...
Here's something from 'The Sheltering Desert':
“The magic of the desert is hard to define. Why does the sight of a landscape of empty sand, rocks, slab and rubble stir the spirits more than a view of lush green fields and woods? Why does the lifeless play of light, colour and distance have such an invigorating, fascinating and elating effect?
Perhaps because no limitations are imposed by other forms of life; perhaps because the mind of the beholder is presented with a fata morgana of unlimited freedom.”
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ReplyDeletei have loved all things Western my whole life, and the desert fascinates me. can't wait for the next post. and i bet that is an old silver mine. I love western towns also.
ReplyDeleteit does look rather barren and severe.
ReplyDeleteThanks for taking us along on your road trip. I, for one, thoroughly enjoyed it!!
ReplyDeleteGreat pictures and story. The buildings in that one picture look like they could be mine-related.
ReplyDeleteThanks for taking us along for your ride.
Thank you for sharing your photos. It's always interesting to see a part of the country this is so different from where I live.
ReplyDeleteLove,
Janie
I love your pictures Inger, I find your area very interesting. Have a lovely weekend!
ReplyDeleteEva
Inger, I always love seeing the area where you live as I'll never get there...you're my only real connection to the dessert! Hope you continue to heal and do well!!!...:)JP
ReplyDeleteIt is rather amazing how animals adapt to the harshest environments. Looking forward to part 2! :)
ReplyDeleteThere's lots of stuff in the wilderness. We just don't know about it usually. When I came here I thought I had two hectares of bare land by a river. I has taken me years to work out that right here was one of the most amazing gold stories. World records 100 years ago. Our back gate was the access point. A street I lived in, in the city was built using that wealth. And several layers of different stories. The californians came here and bought plants. I see those every minute
ReplyDeleteAll here in a little piece of dirt.
And it's so easy to miss.
Now there will be a story about the mine you saw. Whole life histories. Wonder what it was ?
Kerry
Try this link Inger.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.mojave.ca.us/museum/photos-mining.htm
It's some photos of your silver queen mine in 1934
I love going on road trips with you! The Mojave desert is absolutely beautiful..
ReplyDeleteWow! Amazing! A million miles away from my life of busy roads and cities surrounded by green farmland in the UK. Glad to hear you got a good health report. We all need those once in a while!!
ReplyDeleteThose pictures are just gorgeous, I so want to see the desert for myself one day!! I think a few songs could be written driving or hiking around out there.
ReplyDeleteDear Inger, I'm glad you are posting about the desert. I've never seen one although I've read about how the wild flowers can bloom and create such beauty that one is left breathless. But your photographs do show me that the desert isn't just sand. Which is how I tend to think of deserts. I wonder if it's the Sahara that is my template for deserts?
ReplyDeletePeace.
What a gorgeous photos of the desert! Sounds you had a wonderful trip. Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteWell, that was fun, and I didn't even get car sick!
ReplyDeleteHärliga bilder från din omgivning...kul att se. Här är det rätt trött efter helgens hundkurs. Det har varit sol, regn och rejäl åska på vissa håll. Eon har varit ute och reparerat t o m. Vi har dock klarat oss.
ReplyDeleteI always enjoy seeing pictures from you part of the country Inger!
ReplyDeleteWell, I am a true desert rat and I just love it. I think the desert is beautiful any time of year.
ReplyDelete