It's located far out this road on the way to Death Valley
On the far side of this 100 sq mile dried up lake.
Has a population of 50
I've been here several times---always too afraid to spend the night.
But this time I resolve like Thoreau: "if it should prove mean--then to get the full meanness of it."
So I settle in by an abandoned swimming pool.
Only a block from the heart of things.
Surprisingly, It still has a post office with a very nice postmistress who gave me much local info.
I also engaged Henry--a temporary resident---doing archaeology on the dry lake. Told me lots of ancient civilizations lived along the lake.
An old gas station has been refurbished to serve as home
to this nice family.
I also made friends with these two--ever lonesome--glad to see me.
So where is all the scary dark energy? It's located in a few square blocks in the Northwest area where a series of walled-in fortresses have been constructed.
Walls of junk
Walls of dirt
walls of boards
old cars
walls of hodge podge
The bravest thing I did was walk this back alley between the walls.
This is all I could see beyond the barbed wire.
An interesting assortment of homes: In rail cars---
Domes
trailers
Don"t think anyone lives in this---but it evokes the ambient mood and shows the 15 ft bushy walls.
As does this old building---which made me think of Heartbreak Hotel---"when yo baby leaves you and you have no place to dwell---go down to the end of lonely street...to.....
A political statement outside one of the fortresses.
RANDY COMMENTS: My courage failed me here. I was unwilling to penetrate any fortress and hence unable to experience the personalities that live in them. I was told that fierce hatreds exist here. I believe the walls suggest pathological darkness of spirit. I may be wrong.
But on the 3rd day of my visit I received a clear warning that my presence---picture taking and odd hour strolls all over town were unwelcome. I "proved" my courage by staying another 3 hours and then left. I think I learned here that sometimes my inquiries taper into intrusiveness--that mysterious strangers with unclear agenda are unsettling to a community. Good lesson for me: Make my good intentions transparent.
8 comments:
When I read "Dark Energy" I thought of Rush Limbaugh.
I worked at a place where the AM radio in the back was tuned to the talk station, I'd never heard Limbaugh before. I found another job, that radio was just too dark for me.
Sometimes if you 'know' it's not right the best thing to do is just leave.
"Losing the lake was one thing. But it wasn't the disappearance of the waterfowl, or a place to swim or fish or go boating, that drove people out of Keeler -- it was the dust storms. When the lake finally evaporated some years after its streams had been diverted, it left behind a three-foot layer of fine-grained salt, sulfates and old mining chemicals. The Owens Valley had long been famous for its whipping winds, and all it took to kick up gargantuan clouds of dust was a stiff breeze. The result: frequent, choking dust storms that made it hard to see, hard to breathe -- and for many, hard to justify staying in Keeler. A wider view of "the beach" --
http://mentalfloss.com/article/22793/strange-geographies-little-town-los-angeles-killed
I think you made a wise decision to leave. Some places and people are better left to themselves.
All u libs need to look at Maria shivers moving to opportunity movie to understand how fake your position is and how real fear is. Randy and all lib spliff smokers couldn't spend 1 sober night in south chicago, Detroit or west oakland without shitting yourselves. Wake up, Randy did it out of self preservation because he is in a trailer. I challenge any of u self proclaimed bed wetting libs to spend one night in Richmond, West oakland, compton, east St louis, south chicago in a trailer.keep smoking your way to social justice It does not matter what color u are in those places u r a target. If y r pulling a trailer u r a golden target of electronics and cash.
What was the "clear warning" that your presence was unwelcomed?
Randy, sometimes I get the creeps with some of the places you go, and some of the people you interview. Yes, please answer "What was the "clear warning" that you received?" Anonymous spouting about libs: SHUT UP! Sorry Randy...some people just irritate the crap out of me! I love your blog! Linda
I've been to Keeler and thought it was creepy too. But the history is good.
Once there were cabins built out of big silver bars that came down from the mountains above by a tramway. You can drive to the mine at 9000 elevation and see pictures of this at a little museum.
Yes----the warning----was very loud---one of the fortress dwellers drove slowly by by rig with his horn going full blast.
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