The latest @bloghomework is to give facts about where you live. I am a nomad at the moment with not set "residence" but I have lived the majority of my life in the same area. Since I have lived all over this same area and to me I will provide facts about the different areas. I may get specific referring to a city or just the area itself.
Landers, CA:
-If you look it up on google maps you will see not much other than brown due to being rural desert. I think there are somewhere around 3,000 in the area designated as Landers.
- -Epicenter of the 1992 Lander's Earthquake which was a 7.3 earthquake. I lived through this quake and another 7 pointer. My mom still has Budweiser canned water which was distributed as the area had no water for a few days. I remember some saying the water tasted like Budweiser beer without the alcohol....so shitty but it doesn't get you drunk.
- -Home to the Integretron a dome built by a Ufologist named Van Tassel supposedly built from plans given to him by aliens from Venus. It is a popular destination for hippies and new age types. Currently the use it to give "sound baths" and many say they have epiphanies during them.
- -Home to Giant Rock a large freestanding boulder. It is over 7 stories tall, and some claim it is the largest boulder in the world (I have no clue). It was a sacred site for Native Americans in the Area. In the 30s a German immigrant named Frank Critzer excavated a home underneath the rock. During WWII many locals thought him to be a German spy due to his being a radio enthusiast. During a stand off with the sheriffs Critzer and the home blew up. Some claim Critzer created the explosion himself rather than turn himself in, others say a tear gas canister thrown in by the sheriffs ignited his dynamite supply. In the 50s Van Tassel took over the Giant Rock land grant from the BLM, he built a restaurant and an air port and hosted UFO conventions at the site through the 70s. The rock split in two in 2004, which some say fulfilled a Hopi prophecy signifying the earth would be saved from ruin instead of facing destruction (based on the rock split)
Yucca Valley/Joshua Tree:
- -Home to Joshua Tree National Park - Rock Climbing Mecca and home to the best sunsets not involving bodies of water.
- -In 2001 our High School football team made national headlines over a hazing scandal. To this day even knowing many on the team I have no clue what really happened and what didn't. Some tales involved a wooden dildo made when the school had shop in the 80s to mid 90s. Others involved broom sticks or other phallic objects. Those I knew the team said everything was BS made up by two guys to get back at the coach and the players accused.
- -The same high school has a history of Student/Teacher relationship scandals. In the 70s the son of the principal at the time ran off with one of the female teachers. One of my spanish teachers had multiple affairs with students over the years though nothing ever came of it as the guys involved denied everything when questioned. About 5 years ago the Drama teacher was fired after it was discovered he was in a relationship with a 17 year old student. If I remember right the girl turned 18 shortly after and she got her GED continuing their relationship.
- -Rancho de La Luna is a recording studio in Joshua Tree. Josh Homme, the Foo Fighters, Artic Monkeys, and others have recorded there
- -Joshua Tree was/is a popular destination for those wanting to use hallucinogenics. In the 70s John Bellushi and Dan Akroyd would journey to JT. Graham Parsons was also a regular, and he overdosed at the JT Inn. Recently Miley Cyrus and others have posted their JT trips on social media.
Palm Springs/Coachella Valley:
-Home to Coachella and Stagecoach music festivals where people spend too much money to stand in the blistering heat and listen to music (but really its to do drugs/drink/party/be annoying as fuck).
-Prior to the 08 recession had over 150 golf courses in the area. At the time making in the highest concentration of golf courses in the world (yuck)
-Home to the Palm Springs International Film Festival (thats call you get cause I don't care)
-Josh Homme of Queens of the Stoneage, Kyuss, Eagles of Death Metal et al hails from Palm Desert along with many of his current/former band mates
Thats all I can think of. @bloghomework brought to you by @missy @lyxzen and @rambo
