Adele’s Aerie

Southern California Sites

• Geology Underfoot in Southern California by Robert P. Sharp and Allen F. Glazner
• Wild Southern California - great site, lots of info and links
• Plants Blooming Now Outside The San Gabriel Mountains - from Introduction to Field Guide to the San Gabriel Mountains and Hikes in the San Gabriel Mountains Websites

Death Valley Sites

• Geology Underfoot in Death Valley and Owens Valley by Robert P. Sharp and Allen F. Glazner
• Death Valley National Park official site
• Death Valley National Park: Resources & Nearby Attractions (DesertUSA)
• The Dancing Rocks of Death Valley
  • Smithsonian Magazine’s 1999 article
  • The Mystery of the Rocks on the Racetrack at Death Valley by Lena Fletcher and Anne Nester
  • Fletcher, Lena and Nester, Anne, The Mystery of the Rocks on the Racetrack at Death Valley, Smith College geology paper, 1997.
  • Messina, P., Stoffer, P., and Clarke, K. C. “Mapping Death Valley’s Wandering Rocks.” GPS World April, 1997: p. 34-44
  • Reid, J.B., Jr., Bucklin, E.P., Copenagle, L., Kidder, J., Pack, S. M., Polissar, P.J., and Williams, M. L., 1995, Sliding rocks at the Racetrack, Death Valley:What makes them move?: Geology, v. 23, p. 819-822
  • Sharp, R.P., and Carey, D.L., 1976, Sliding Stones, Racetrack Playa, California: Geological Society of America Bulletin, v. 87, p. 1704-1717
  • Sharp, R.P., Carey, D. L., Reid, J.B., Jr., Polissar, P.J., and Williams, M.L., 1996, Sliding rocks at the Racetrack, Death Valley: What makes them move?; Discussion and Reply: Geology, v. 25, p. 766-767
  • Stanley, G. M., 1955, Origin of playa stone tracks, Racetrack Playa, Inyo County, California: Geological Society of America Bulletin, v. 66, p. 1329-1350.

Mojave Sites

• Calico Early Man Archaeological Site - California Online Highways
• Barstow California - California Online Highways
• Barstow Region - Digital Desert

Angeles National Forest Sites

• Hikes in the San Gabriel Mountains and the Angeles National Forest
• Index of San Gabriel Mountains Reports by Jane Strong - Observations about the Natural History–Weather, Rocks, Plants and Animals–of the San Gabriel Mountains with Links
• Echo Mountain Echoes websites from the Echo Mountain Echoes newsletter site

Dad and I had an adventure in May 2006…

• Travel to Burbank (LAX Airport to LA Union Station "FlyAway Bus" Service, Layover in Union Station, Connecting with Adele, and then Union Station to Downtown Burbank commuter rail service via Metrolink)
• Camping and Hiking Plans
• Getting back to LAX after the hike
• Trip Photos on Flickr

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Places you must see if you are in the Indianapolis area…

• White River Gardens in every season of the year
• The Childrens Museum including the theaters
• Indianapolis Muesum of Art and its gardens
• Indiana Repertory Theatre
• Indianapolis Civic Theatre
• Phoenix Theatre for edgier plays
• Clowes Memorial Hall for all sorts of performances
• Connor Prairie Living History Museum and its upscale dinner restaurant
• Old Metamora (go for a ride on the barge and the train)
• Clifty Falls State Park
• Turkey Run State Park
• Brown County State Park (watch out for lots of deer and chubby and clever raccoons
• McCormick’s Creek State Park
• Mounds
  State Park
• Shades State Park
• Spring Mill State Park (watch the blacksmith and buy some fresh stone-ground corn at the waterwheel-powered mill)
• The Eiteljorg Museum
• Monument Circle lit for the winter holidays (the lighting ceremony is always the day after Thanksgiving)
• The Indiana State Museum including lunch at the L.S. Ayres Tearoom by reservation, and the IMAX theater

Yeah, you read that right.

Yeah, Patrick Stewart was there, and he’s interesting. Yeah, Gates McFadden was there, too, and she’s a cool lady. And yeah, the vendor room was kind of interesting, and since it was my first Star Trek convention, the sight of Trek geeks in their/our natural habitat felt alternatingly comforting and like an opportunity for an odd anthropological study. And there were lots of other guests on days other than the ones I saw on Saturday. But none of those things would get me to go to a con, really. I’ve not really been a sci-fi-actor-attending-con-going kind of gal. Creation conventions haven’t been my usual stomping grounds. I’m a fan of Star Trek and lots of other science fiction shows and films, and I’m a geek, believe me on that, but I’ve not been that particular specialized kind of geek.

But, if you’ve read my Star Trek in my life entry, you know why I went.
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I know a little bit about comics, because I read a bit of anime and graphic novels.  I know a little bit about midsize gaming conventions, because I have friends with that addiction.  I know a little bit about science fiction fandom, again, mostly from friends.  None of these prepared me for the event which is the San Diego Comic Con.

It’s huge.  Any dealers room with aisle numbers into the four or five digits is startling for the uninitiated!  I was thrilled that I had remembered to wear comfortable shoes.

A local friend of mine had convinced me (after two years of wheedling) to drive down from Los Angeles this year.  She had previously introduced me to some wonderful woman comic artists, like Roberta Gregory, Colleen Doran, Diane DiMassa, and Donna Barr.  Their work is pretty hard to find in small comic shops, so she thought we’d have better luck at the con.

A few days before, I had found out that Michael Shanks, a Stargate SG-1 actor, would be attending, who rarely if ever does public appearances. I don’t collect autographs and have never felt the need to meet anyone affiliated with any shows I’ve enjoyed, but there’s a first time for everything…
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My father and I had a magnificent 3-day trip from Los Angeles to Rainbow Basin, north of Barstow. This is my first go at a trip report of that weekend. I’ve put the photos from this trip into a set in Flickr.

Friday was spent going the long way over the San Gabriel mountains, driving up Osborne Street from the 210, past the wildlife waystation and the roadside info board about the San Gabriel fault, then taking the 14 and across the back side of the range and then up to Barstow. The second day we spent exploring the campground and doing the Rainbow Basin Scenic Drive, and then driving east to see the Calico Early Man Site and the Pisgah Cinder Cone. Sunday, we hiked up into Owl Canyon above the campground though rain moved in, and then we drove back to LA over the 15 through Cajon Pass in sleet and snow of the early evening, stopping at REI to shop for a new tent!
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