Day 9 - Morongo Valley, Pioneertown, The Integratron, Giant Rock

The insanely amazing view from our off-the-grid digs in the Morongo Valley. In case any of you romantic tree-huggers out there are considering going off the grid - here's a snapshot of what solar-powered life is really like: we have almost no hot water - at best, we get about 2 minutes of luke-warm shower water at a time. Then, we must wait 20 minutes for more lukewarm. This, in the Morongo, which boasts 495 sunny days per year, and today's autumn temperature topped 32C. Oh, yeah - forget about getting the hot tub actually hot. Thank goodness our stove is gas-fired - but it too is woefully (for us) underpowered. Thank goodness the A/C has priority over everything.

Russ attends to Timeless

A few holes are appearing in the space time continuum. Or maybe it's just the access to the holodeck.

Our lunch spot. It's way too hot to sit out in the sun, but this will do nicely.

Here is the solar array that powers our house - or at least tries to.

What more do you need upon a visit to Pioneertown?

Oh yes, a spot to park y'er truck is mighty important too. They even have a motel so you can overnight as needed. It is "rustic".

It is a long story so if you're extra keen you can read all about it. It all starts here at the Integraton - near Landers California - and leads to an airport built to attract landing alien starships and something called the Giant Rock. We're not kidding this time.

Can't you just feel their presence?

Amongst the political campaign signs is the pointer to what we really care about - this way to the Giant Rock!

The Giant Rock is the one in the background - bits are falling off.

Just west of the Giant Rock is a mountain of boulders that reminds me a lot of the Olgas in Australia. The skies provide truly surrealist drama - are the aliens lurking?

That concrete pad once housed a restaurant owned and operated by the same fellow that built the Integraton. He hosted parties of thousands of UFO enthusiasts attracted to the area for it's unusual energies and reported magnetism to attract alien species. They used the nearby runway to "fly into" the parties. At least that's what a local told us. He had a dog so he must be a good and honest soul. We think the parties were really a 1950's excuse for a Burning Man type event.

The rock shapes have a life of their own.

It actually is a pretty giant rock. Try to find Wendy and Emma!

Sacraficial door as burnt offering - a modern convention.

Matchbox 4-Runner

We take our Matchbox 4-Runner everywhere.

It is possible that the Columbian cyclist Nairo Quintana actually braved the sand duned roller coaster road by bike to mark his name at the alien site. He has a crazy training regimine.

Here it is. The only fully-authenticated UFO landing site in the United States. Who knew the aliens sported Goodyear radials? Remember, this is fully authenticated. By Wikipedia.

A few more modern artifacts - true to it's original nature - the site today remains a cultural draw for the party crowd.

We escape the magnetism of Giant Rock only to be stopped by the local road works.

The Drain of the Living Zombie Beetles. One other joy of living off the grid.

 

 

 

 

 

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