August 1, 2022
Feeling a bit like I was within a 5th grade unit of study on Westward Expansion, I walked through the train tunnels created for the Transcontinental Railroad, named after the Donner family, pioneers who wanted so badly to make it to the Golden west that they attempted to cross the Read more…
July 29, 2022
The Camarillo State Mental Hospital was a farm colony that operated from 1936 to 1997. Like many state hospitals active during that time across the country, farm work was considered part of patients’ treatment plans. While the hospital was redeveloped 2002, becoming the California State University Channel Islands, two of the farm Read more…
July 4, 2021
You would think that a waterpark in the Mojave Desert might have staying power–and it did from 1962 to 2002. During that time the renditions of the space, named Lake Dolores (after the manmade lake named after the owner’s wife), Rock–A–Hoola Waterpark (a version of the waterpark that blared Oldies from Read more…
July 2, 2021
In El Cajon, California is the remains of Marshal Scotty’s Playland Park. The amusement park opened in 1967 and enjoyed success until the 90’s. Since the owner was forced to file for bankruptcy in 1990 parts of the property has been used as a day camp, a go-cart raceway, and, Read more…
July 1, 2021
With a Milky Way twinkling vibrantly above, it is not difficult to capture a magical shot. But just down the dark path were the abandoned trains of the San Diego Railroad… so, astro-urbex it was. The contrast of the glowing beauty of our Universe and the lifeless decay of train Read more…
The Goat Canyon Trestle Hike is a 16-mile walk in the blazing sun along a stretch of tracks called “The Impossible Railroad.” The lure of which is outstanding scenic views, the remains of the world’s largest curved wooden train trestle and abandoned railcars memorializing its life as part of the Read more…
June 30, 2021
It was this stop that began this whole desert itinerary. Bombay Beach, California–an abandoned resort town turned artist community next to the Salton Sea, which I just told you about. To follow, a gallery of images from our visit.
In short, the Salton Sea is an ecological anomaly, proof that sometimes Nature can create the conditions to kill itself despite its characteristic web of interconnected purpose. Then, add some human error and you get a full-blown environmental catastrophe… millions of dead fish and wildlife and a mass exodus of Read more…
June 28, 2021
The Transcontinental Railroad was a big deal in the 1880’s. It brought to life countless towns along its path west, towns that would supply the steam engines with water. One of them was Ludlow, California. Soon the railway boom gave way to other town developments to welcome the Gold Rushers. Read more…
The West is covered in Ghost Towns, structures miraculously preserved within time to remind us that progress can gradually kill entire communities. Trains, gold, silver, or, in this case, borax and iron all created Boom Towns in a flash. But what burns bright often soon fades thereafter… and what is Read more…
February 19, 2020
I came across this vacant gas station in my daytime exploration of Borrego Springs and stayed for a bit. It was squeaky clean with a positive energy that was far less alluring to capture. Perhaps because someone had sponge painted a lot of the interior walls. I did enjoy the Read more…
February 17, 2020
Back in the 1930’s an elaborate compound was constructed within Rustic Canyon in the Santa Monica Mountains. Its purpose, to sustain and thrive inside the political chaos amidst the aftermath of Nazi Germans fulfilling their political and military goals. You see, the 4-million dollar investment was built by Nazi sympathizers Read more…
May 2, 2016
With a limited time before having to catch a flight, we seized the afternoon one last time with another hike in nearby Griffith Park. The park is huge, with a ton of different attractions set apart within the mountains. This time we opted for a short hike to see the Read more…