the sun runner joshua tree national park 75th anniversary special edition

June/July 2011 – The Sun Runner 3

4 The Sun Runner – June/July 2011


The Sun Runner

Dry Heat, by Steve Brown ... 11The Tortoise Telegraph, News gathered from around the desert – at our own pace ... 12Letters from... you ... 14Coachella Valley Confidential, by Denise Ortuno Neil ... 15Desert Art News, by Steve Brown ... 17Joshua Tree National Park Perspectives, by Joe Zarki, David Denslow, & Cheri Vocelka ... 27What to See Outside JTNP, by Steve Brown ... 2275 Years... and Counting, by George Land ... 27Celebrating Two Anniversaries, by Judy Barzatt ... 28Invasion of the Habitat Snatchers, by Katie Kain ... 28From a Little Acorn... Grows a Question, by Melanie Spoo ... 29Desert Voices: The Oral History Project at Joshua Tree National Park Gears Up, by Hannah Nyala West ... 30Boundary Survey Finds Aquaduct History, by Wanda Raschkow ... 32The Reinvention of Bill Keys, by Robin Flinchum ... 33Connecting Park & Community, by Karina White & Marian Tremblay ... 34Links for Life: Connecting Joshua Tree National Park, by Steve Brown ... 35The Patience of Job, by Steve Brown ... 37A Bill for the California Desert, by Seth Shteir ... 40Joshua Tree, The Backside, by DeRanger Steve ... 42The Ways of the Joshua Tree, by Carlos Gallinger ... 43Ramblings From Randsburg, On the Trail of... , by Lorraine Blair ... 44Celebrating Music, Yoga and Ecology in the Desert, by Shannon Skillern ... 45Desert Theatre Beat, by Jack Lyons ... 46Film Talk, by Jack Lyons ... 47Hi-Desert Music News, by Judy Wishart ... 48Positive Living: Gregg Hammond, by Lou Gerhardt ... 50Hot Picks from The Sun Runner Calendar ... 51The Desert in Crisis, by Steve Brown ... 52The Best Places to Dine in the Real Desert ... 53The Best Places to Stay in the Real Desert ... 55

Inside this Issue:

The Magazine of the Real California DesertJune/July 2011 Joshua Tree National Park 75th Anniversary Special Edition

Cover Art — Joshua Tree National Park by Paul Martini

The Sun RunnerThe Magazine of the Real California Desert

June/July 2011—Vol. 17, No. 3

Publisher/Executive Editor:Steve [email protected]

Founding Editor Emeritus: Vickie WaiteTheatre/Film Editors:

Jack & Jeannette LyonsLiterary Editor: Delphine Lucas

Music Editor: Judy WishartContributing Writers

Judy Bartzatt • Lorraine Blair • Steve BrownDavid Denslow • Robin Flinchum

Carlos Gallinger • Lou Gerhardt • Katie Kain George Land • Jack Lyons

Denise Ortuno Neil • Wanda Raschkow DeRanger Steve Salkin • Seth Shteir

Shannon Skillern • Melanie SpooMarian Tremblay • Cheri Vocelka

Hannah Nyala West • Karina WhiteJudy Wishart • Joe Zarki

Contributing Photographers & Artists:

Daniella Bellissimo • Steve BrownSteve Flock • Kailas • Mike Lipsitz

Paul Martini • Karin Mayer • Bruce MillerRuth Nolan • Patricia QuandelRonald Walker • Judy Wishart

Advertising Sales:Sam Sloneker, Ryan Muccio, Allison Simonis

Distribution Manager: Sam Sloneker

The Sun Runner Magazine features desert arts and entertainment news, desert issues and commentary, natural and cultural history, columns, poetry, stories by desert writers, and a calendar of events for the enormous Cali-fornia desert region. Published bimonthly.MAGAZINE DEADLINE: July 23 for the fifth annual Desert Writers Issue, for adver-tising, calendar listings, & editorial (July 8 for DWI submissions). To list a desert event free of charge in The California Deserts Visitors Association Calendar, please send your complete press release to [email protected], or mail to: Calendar, c/o: The Sun Runner Magazine, PO Box 2171, Joshua Tree, CA 92252. Please include all relevant information in text format. Notices submitted without complete information or in an annoying format may not be posted. Event information absolutely will not be taken over the telephone or telepathically.SUBMISSIONS: By mail to the address above; by email: [email protected], or stop us when we’re at Lost Horse Mine like everybody else does.SUBSCRIPTIONS: $22/year U.S.A. ($38/year International, $38 trillion Intergalactic)Copyright © 2011 The Sun Runner. Permis-sion for reproduction of any part of this publication must be obtained from the pub-lisher. The opinions of our contributors are their own and do not necessarily represent the views of the magazine, which is an inanimate object. We have made some effort to be ac-curate, but we are not responsible for errors or omissions in material submitted to us, nor claims by advertisers. Advertising, press releases, and public service announcements are accepted at the mysterious discretion of the all-knowing publisher.

The Sun Runner Magazine PO Box 2171, Joshua Tree, CA 92252

(760)820-1222 • www.thesunrunner.com

Paul Martini shot our cover photograph, highlighting the famous rock forma-tions of Joshua Tree National Park. There are no Joshua trees in our cover shot, reflecting the environmental likelihood that the tree for which the park is named may vanish from within park borders within this com-ing century. You can see Martini’s work on display at the Hi-Desert Nature Museum in Yucca Valley during his show, “High and Dry,” running through September 4. Are you a desert artist or photographer? Would you like your work on the cover of The Sun Runner Magazine? Send copies of work you’ve done that might be appro-priate for our cover to [email protected]. Are you interested in The Sun Runner Magazine’s 17 years of growth as the only regional desert media for the Cali-fornia deserts? If so, join our Desert Readers Advisory Group (DRAG). To sign up for future DRAG meeting notifications, e-mail [email protected]. Please support our BIG DESERT fundraising drive through July. We’re raising funds to continue to expand our coverage of desert issues and to bring the real Califor-nia desert to more of southern California. Please share our BIG DESERT news with your friends who love the desert the way we do! Thanks for your support!

June/July 2011 – The Sun Runner 11-

It’s tough to believe that this issue marks the beginning of my eighth year as “the new guy” at The Sun

Runner Magazine. What a wild ride these past seven years have been, filled with magnificent highs I’d never dreamt of, and lows that make nightmares pale by comparison. When I took on the role of producing this magazine, I had a goal: to build this magazine into the only regional media that included all of the California deserts. I wanted The Sun Runner to become the source for desert residents to be able to turn to for information across the region, and for folks outside the desert to be able to turn to for a sense of what the real desert is like—and to be able to value it and even protect it, when necessary. Ultimately, my vision for the maga-zine is for folks aross the desert to feel the kind of ownership where everyone thinks of this magazine as “their” Sun Runner, and I and my little team just keep making it happen for everybody. I want it to include all the places, people, stories, and uniqueness of the desert that fascinate and inspire me, and then share that fascination and inspiration with oth-ers who love this place the way I do, told from a distinctly hi-desert viewpoint (this magazine could have never come from the contemporary Coachella Valley). Folks who seek to find where I’ve failed in this rather large goal I’ve set

for an independent publication like this, will have no difficulty telling me what I haven’t accomplished. That’s fine. I’ve got a longer list than they do, I’m sure. Those who’d like to see my goal for the magazine reach its fruition, and who see the value in the desert having its own voice, can help bring that to pass in numerous ways. We have our BIG DESERT fundrais-ing drive underway online at our website (www.thesunrunner.com), and I’d like to dedicate that drive to my late friend, Howard Gordon, who was a partner at the Palm Springs accounting firm, Maryanov Madsen Gordon & Campbell, a radio show host, and, most importantly in my estimation, a loving husband, father, and grandfather, and a passionate kite-flyer. It was Howard who first asked me what I wanted to do with the magazine. I told him about my regional goals, and he started laughing. “You’d better be careful,” he said, still chuckling. “You just might get what you wish for.” At the time, I wasn’t sure what to make of his comment. But now, as I’m fully involved in reaching that goal, I’m quite clear on the gist of his statement—and the source of his laughter. And I hope Howard is still getting a laugh out of this. So, if you’d like to help this “little magazine that could” get to the next level where it will be of more service for the desert, and all of us who call the desert

home, please spread the word about our BIG DESERT fundraiser, with works of art up for sale from such talented people as Chuck Caplinger, Linda Sibio, Billy Makuta, Mary Sojourner, Elise Kost, Scot McKone, and others who were kind enough, and generous enough to sup-port this effort, from Tim Easton to Karl Young, Regina & Dimitry Kirillov to Ken Brown, and Gary Duncan (and more). This issue stands as an example of the direction I’m seeking to follow (or lead, perhaps) with the magazine. A little more “bite” to the desert news (mixed with a little humor), editorial contribu-tions from folks from Death Valley to the Coachella Valley, and some of my favorite National Park Service rangers, a little something for the desert explorer in us all, some history, some mystery, an appreciation of the past, and a willingness to fight for the future. I want to thank all the folks from Joshua Tree National Park (one of my favorite places on the planet) who joined us for this issue, and for everyone who has sent in their personal comments on why they think The Sun Runner is valu-able. I’d also like to thank our advertisers (from Big Bear to Palm Springs, Stove-pipe Wells and Tecopa to 29 Palms— where this whole thing began in January, 1995), subscribers, contributors, and readers who keep us going and growing. Without you, this vision is just a mirage.


The Hastie Bus Rides Again!OK, so it’s riding on the back of a trailer right now, but the restoration of this 1928 Chevrolet bus is a delightful connec-tion to the hi-desert’s first public transportation service: the 29 Palms Stage and Express. Picture yourself in the midst of the Great Depression (not so hard to do these days), one of a dozen passengers riding through the hi-desert when the total population was only around 150 people. During winter, Johnnie Hastie’d fire up Old Betsy, the wood burning stove that served as the heater for the bus, as he’d drive daily from Twentynine Palms to Banning.

Kenny Duke is handling restoration efforts, assisted by a crew of volunteers. The wooden frame has been finished, but more work remains to restore the bus. The 29 Palms Historical Society needs your help to bring the old “Banning Bullet” back to life. Donate at: www.29palmshistorical.com.

Bad, Disgraceful NewsI sure wish we were able to tell you everything is peachy-keen out here in the desert and across the late great state of California, but I’d be lying, and we’ve got politicians to lie to us already, so we don’t need to do it ourselves.

This past May, the state’s Department of Parks and Recre-ation recommended closure of 70 state parks—roughly a quarter of our state parks, and the list may grow. Desert region parks slated for the ax include the Antelope Valley Indian Museum State Historic Park, Pichacho State Recreation Area, Providence Mountains State Recreation Area, Saddleback Butte State Park, and the Salton Sea State Recreation Area.

Nearly half of California’s State Historic Parks are to be shuttered as California looks to toss its rich history onto the garbage heap, with nine parks that highlight Native American and archaeological assets slated to close.

Elizabeth Goldstein, president of the California State Parks Foundation (www.calparks.org), recently echoed our concerns that once closed, state parks will likely never re-open, as the costs to repair and re-staff them will be prohibitively expensive.

“Poor choices made now will forever change the state parks system,” Goldstein said. “When state parks are closed, their natural and cultural resources may suffer such significant harm that it may be impossible to recover these gems later, ei-ther because of great cost to correct the deterioration or because the harm is irreparable. Added to that will be a loss of economic opportunities in communities surrounding these parks.”

She’s being diplomatic and restrained. We don’t have to be. Closing California State Parks is like spitting on what is still great about this state. It is a loss that almost certainly will become permanent. Choosing to close our state parks represents an extremely poor and short-sighted direction for the course California is steering—into a rapidly declining “fool’s gold” sham of what used to be the Golden State.

If we believe in the future of this state, we need to put a halt to the erosion and destruction of our natural, cultural, and historical treasures. Let’s close the legislature up in Sacramento before we lock up one museum or recreation area. Tell your legislators if it comes between them and a state park, the park wins every single time. Our parks are our past—and our future. They bring jobs, tourism, and tax revenue into our communities and our state, provide educational and recreational resources, and preserve our heritage. Let’s not throw our parks away.

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More Bad, Disgraceful NewsYep. It didn’t stop with the state parks. Nope. Riverside County and Supervisor John Benoit get much of the credit for keeping the bad, shameful news rolling. While San Bernardino County supervisors get indicted and perp-walked at the airport in their enthusiastic efforts to keep our county government in the top 10 on the “most corrupt county governments” list, down in Riverside County, they have employed a more subtle approach. After the late supervisor, Roy Wilson, helped procure a several million dollar renovation for the neglected Albert Frey landmark North Shore Yacht Club on the Salton Sea (the renovation is stunningly beautiful), and the Salton Sea History Museum opened around a year ago in the newly-christened North Shore Community Center, along with a desperately needed visitor center for that part of the desert, you might think things would be going well. The museum offered thousands of visitors an architectural landmark with excellent facilities and a glimpse into the area’s colorful past. It hosted kayak excur-sions, and recently, a superb art exhibit, Valley of the Ancient Lake: Works Inspired by the Salton Sea. The museum, a volunteer effort, operated under the non-profit umbrella of another organization (an economic develop-ment entity, which oddly boasts both Benoit and the head of the museum on its board). But a couple months ago, trouble began a-brewin’, and that trouble appears to have come straight from Supervisor Benoit’s office. For whatever reason, Benoit’s office apparently began demanding the museum vacate their office and archival stor-age space on the facility’s second floor to make way for a teen center. The demands appear to have come with little consulta-tion with the museum, from what we can make out (seeing as how the only response we received by deadline, after numerous attempts to obtain information from various county offices was a set of stock comments from Benoit that didn’t answer any of our questions), and the museum volunteers scrambled to find appropriate, or even inappropriate, archival storage. Then, the non-profit umbrella agency reportedly changed plans and left, and instead of helping facilitate the museum’s ap-plication for non-profit status on its own, Benoit and Riverside County sent the Salton Sea History Museum packing, locking them out of the building as they once again scrambled to get their materials, including the abruptly canceled art exhibit,

out while they could, and leaving the Salton Sea with a dimmer future for tourism, as the state proposes closing the Salton Sea State Recreation Area and the county sabotages cultural and visitor resources nearby. Meanwhile, the Palm Springs Modern Com-mittee, a well respected architectural and design organization, has voiced its concern over poorly conceived alterations proposed by Riverside County for this historically significant building, which is a designated Riverside County Landmark. It makes no sense at all to take a historical museum and visitor center that has served thousands of people in its first year, in an area that needs facilities such as this, and force them to close. It makes no sense either, to locate a teen center upstairs in a facility which is inadequate for a functional recreational facility of that nature, and it certainly doesn’t make sense to mix a visitor center and mu-seum with a teen center in a newly-restored

architectural landmark. Back when Benoit initially required the museum to vacate its office and archives for a teen center, Jennie Kelly, the unpaid director of the Salton Sea History Museum, explained somewhat prophetically why she wasn’t going to fight the supervisor to keep the space: “I don’t want to personally fight back more than I have because he’d kick the museum out of the building.” Instead of providing requested county records, the rumored lease agreement, and other documentation of just how Riverside County worked through a public process to place a teen center on site and require the museum to give up its office and archive space, and then to force the museum from the premises entirely, we got stock statements from Benoit that were sent to all press by Darin Schemmer, Benoit’s communications director. “I am willing to work with the museum leadership to meet the simplest of legal requirements to make this work and sincerely consider options that will allow a museum to reopen at this center.” The lack of information provided by Benoit’s staff and Riv-erside County, over a month or so, followed by a post-deadline phone call by Tom Freeman of the Economic Development Agency taking the blame, shows a clear disdain for providing the public with information. Benoit’s and Riverside County’s conduct in this matter has led to the loss of a cultural and tourism resource in a part of the county that could frankly use more support in those areas, not less. We’ll keep you posted on our social networking site at www.thesunrunner.ning.com as to developments.

Even More Bad, Disgraceful news...As we prepare to go to press, the solar power project that stands to permanently destroy Native American cultural sites near Blythe is set to begin its destruction, while those devious desert tortoises continue to cause trouble up in Ivanpah where another enormous “green” energy project (and nice source of blowing dust) is slated to gobble up miles of desert. Vice President Joe Biden, meanwhile, calling himself “Sheriff Joe,” has called for the eradication of a website dedicated to the threatened desert tortoise, calling it an example of government waste. Our re-sponse is online at www.thesunrunner.ning.com—just look for the post, “There’s a new sheriff in town—and he’s an idiot.” Check out the photos of the protests in Blythe by Ruth Nolan and other dismal desert news in our blog!

SUPERVISOR BENOIT’S PROPOSED NEW SITEFOR THE SALTON SEA HISTORY MUSEUM.


The excitement in their eyesA piece of history right out the front door. That is what I had when I was growing up on the ranch in Indian Wells. The Ca-huilla Indians had lived there. You could see where they ground mesquite beans, where they had made their pottery and arrows—all of it was still in place. What a treasure to come upon!

As an adult, I volunteer at the Salton Sea History Museum. I see it as a trea-sure of learning for everyone, especially children. For the children living near the Salton Sea, it’s a piece of history right out their front door. For others that come a long distance to see the Salton Sea History Museum, it is well worth the trip. I can tell, as I see the excitement in their eyes.

Thanks to everyone who supports us in our endeavor to teach people how special the Salton Sea is, and its fasci-nating history. You can’t put a price on something that is priceless.

– Linda Beal, Volunteer

P.S. Let’s keep the Salton Sea History Museum where the history happened, at the beautiful restored North Shore Beach and Yacht Club.

EMF SensitivityJust a note to thank you, not only for run-ning my story, but to let you know what an excellent, excellent article you wrote. Thank you for having the insight and courage to tackle this difficult subject. After all the discounting we face, I can’t tell you how refreshing and encour-aging it is to read something like this. Keep it up!

Although I’ve traveled extensively, especially throughout the West and Southwest, this was my first time into California. We got to spend some time near Tecopa with quick trips into the Mojave and Death Valley. What incred-ible country! My first taste has left me wanting more. This may have been my first, but hopefully not nearly my last.

I’m now on my way back to Colo-rado...taking copies of The Sun Runner with me to distribute. Already sent links to family and friends. Who knows who you’ll hear from.

Thanks again,Ruth Davis

Dry HeatThanks for your excellent moving Dry Heat in the April/May issue. Can I spread it around in the ‘community’? (Perhaps it already has been.)

– Tom Budlong

Endangered Cultural TreasuresI meant to write this two weeks ago. I read your article An Endangered Cultural Treasure of the Desert. That was power-ful. Keep that type of journalism going!

Thanks,Marilyn Collier

Have a comment or compliment? Want to take issue with something? Is there something going on desert readers need to know about? Send your letters via e-mail to [email protected], or the old fashioned way to: The Sun Runner, PO Box 2171, Joshua Tree, CA 92252.


For most people, summertime con-jures up thoughts of kids getting out of school for summer break, va-

cationing families, backyard barbeques, beaches and bikini clad babes. But here in the Coachella Valley, summertime has a slightly different appeal. Sure most kids get out of school for the summer, and there is the slight hint of charcoal in the air, and beaches…well, will a pool do? No, summertime in the desert is just not the same as most run of the mill areas in the country. The summer for most desert dwellers is sometimes seen as a necessary evil (kind of like how people in the northeast have to deal with ridicu-lously cold, vicious winters). Snowbirds leave in flocks when temperatures start to rise, leaving behind a wake of dwindling business, causing the desert to slow down. I always found this slightly curious however. I mean, Phoenix and Las Vegas don’t shut down for the summer months, so why do we? I believe it is so here in the CV be-cause we are such a vacation destination, regulated by what is known out here as the “Season.” It’s a time when tempera-tures hover around the 75 degree mark

November through May, as opposed to the 100+ degree mark June through September or October. And let’s face it, in the summertime most people want to go to a BBQ, they don’t want to feel like they’re being BBQ’d. One byproduct of our seasonal ebb and flow concerns the hospitality indus-try and those who work in it. The is a mass population of people working in restaurants, hotels, golf courses and other hospitality related fields that depend on the Season. For months and months, they serve food, pour cocktails, valet cars, haul golf clubs and satisfy other consumer needs for those who visit our beautiful community, hopefully saving their money along the way for the summertime lull, kind of like squirrels hoarding nuts for the winter. And when Season ends, so does the influx of cash…temporarily until next Season rolls around. Some restaurants cut back on staff during the sweltering months and some close down all together and open back up when cool weather blows back into town. Being a desert dweller that has worked her fair share of hospitality jobs, I know the Season predicament very well.

I recall working in my parent’s restaurant, Le Café de Paris, when I was a teenager, and how we would close the restaurant right after Memorial Day. It was always sad to see our custom-ers go home for the summer; it was like being in school and saying goodbye to all of your classmates. There was a sort of emptiness. We’d close up the restaurant; putting away all of the plates and other accessories into the kitchen for hiberna-tion until we would awake them in the fall and call them to duty once again. My family and I would vacation for the summer months and return just before Labor Day, the traditional kick off for the coming Season. I remember driv-ing back into town and past my parents’ restaurant on our way home. My father would glance at the building and say, “Hi Baby I’m home.” We would collectively sigh with a gratitude that we were back, because no matter how amazing our vaca-tion was, it could not equal the comfort and peace of returning to the desert. There is an unspoken brotherhood of sorts for those who work in the hos-pitality industry, a bond in which even if they don’t know each other, they respect


one another, for they know how hard the industry can be. On any given night in Season, you can find them relax-ing in late night eateries and bars after their shifts, talking about the night’s experi-ence, good and bad customers, and if they had a

profitable night or not, which usually has to do with the good or bad customers. They’re not hard to find, customarily dressed in black and white—you can see them sprinkled around town like granules of salt and pepper. My sister and I would often go out after our shift at working at my parents’ restaurant, memories of nachos, a garden salad with ranch dressing and hot cocoa at Denny’s with my sister fondly cemented in my mind. My parents’ restaurant has long since closed, and my hospitality career has been rocky ever since, working in and out of it for years. But I know that it is always there if I need it, a quick source of income that can come in handy when supplementation is necessary. And where do the others go when Season ends? Well, some go on vacation, some stay and work part-time hours; some may even go to other resort destinations to work for the summer. But no matter where they go, most of them will be back in the fall, for a new Season awaits them. It’s time to pamper your mind body and spirit with two ladies who know how. I recently met Beatrice de Salles and Inbar Shahar, who are helping people get in touch with their spiritual and creative side with Soul Pampering. The two are an accomplished duo, Shahar who holds a B.A. in Psychology and who is a certified Journey Practitioner, and de Salles who is a linguist speaking six languages and a creative writer. Both bring unique qualities to people desiring to be more in touch with their inner selves. The two offer retreats and workshops designed to help individuals reach their ultimate life goals. The programs include different approaches such as meditation, poetry, vision boards, yoga, group outings and more. I spoke to several of the people who have experienced Soul Pampering, and there was a running theme of heartfelt appreciation for the programs they offer, with one woman exclaiming, “It is the most important thing in life,” a pretty bold statement, but I guess personal enlightenment can evoke such elation. If you’re interested in learning more about Soul Pampering, visit their website at www.soulpampering.com. Although we have shifted into a slower gear for summer, there is still some great fun to accelerate us. The 17th Annual Palm Springs International Short Film Fest will run from June 21 through June 27 at the Camelot Theatre in Palm Springs, featuring over 300 films from 40 countries. Check out the movie schedule at www.psfilmfest.org. If you’re in the mood for hotdogs and baseball, then be sure to come out for good ole family fun with the Palm Springs Power team at Palm Springs Stadium on selected dates, call (760)778-4487 for details. Don’t miss the lights bursting in air on the 4th of July throughout the Coachella Valley. As for me, I’m poolside bound, lathered up with sunscreen, looking for a tan.This is CVC in the sun, have a wonderful summer and see you this fall!

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We begin by saying goodbye to one of Joshua Tree’s premiere art galleries. True World Gallery has an-nounced they are closing near the end of June. The

gallery, owned by Bonnie and George Kopp, has consistently hosted excellent shows featuring some of the best local desert artists, as well as reputable international artists.

Bonnie Kopp said, “The True World Gallery will be closing its doors on June 26. We want to thank all the incredible artists and patrons we’ve been privileged to work with over the last four years. We’ve had a blast and we look forward to the next chapter of our lives in Joshua Tree.”

From Joshua Tree, we go to Boron, to Cunningham’s Art Studio, where master acrylic artist Susan Cunningham sends out a heads-up for this fall’s art programs. Cunningham is up in northern California this summer, teaching painting, but is taking sign-ups for a four-day program of painting and acrylic techniques to be held in Boron, September 3-6. To get more information and register, please call (760)373-0914.

Meanwhile, back in Joshua Tree, the High Desert Test Sites folks are planning an exercise in balloon photography, by Aurora Tang, from 9 a.m. to noon on June 18. You can e-mail [email protected] for driving directions out to A-Z West where the balloon launch is slated for that Saturday (or Sunday if the winds do their thing).

Up in Ridgecrest, the Maturango Museum is host-ing a July 1 reception for artist Ronald Walker who will be the featured artist in the Sylvia Winslow Exhibit Gallery through August 24. Walker, an artist from Oran-gevale, uses a blend of suburbia, Dada, symbolism, pic-tura metaphysics, primitive, and naive influences on his art. “I am fascinated by the question, ‘Why do people make art ?’” Walker notes. “I have no real answers that work for everyone, but for me art is a kind of aesthetic communication. I have the belief that we have not progressed from earlier tribal times as much as we think. The inner person is still the primi-



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tive creature we were 20,000 or so years ago.”

Walker’s reception begins that Fri-day at 7 p.m. His exhibit will be followed by Howard Derrickson’s work, on display from August 27 through October 12. The annual Open Studio Tour show will follow, from October 15 through November 9.

The Twentynine Palms Visitor Center and Chamber of Commerce is hosting a show for the works of former mayor Steve Flock, the featured artist for the Art in Public Places summer exhibition. Flock and his family moved to 29 Palms in 1974. This show reflects his love of the desert and his interest in digital photography. Subjects of his work include abandoned homestead cabins, rusted vehicles, rural mailboxes, and des-ert roads. Many of his favorite subjects have been found at the historic Key’s Ranch in Joshua Tree National Park.

Flock’s show begins with a recep-tion, from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m., Saturday, June 18. His show will be on display through August 31. Following, will be “The Pioneer Spirit,” a group show in honor of Pioneer Days, on display from September 1 to October 31. Local art-ists are invited to inquire about entering a work of original or historic work in remembrance of the men and women who homesteaded this desert valley. Contact the Public Arts Advisory Committee through Larry Bowden at the Recreation Department, (760)367-7562. The Visitor Center Gallery is open daily, 9 a.m. to 5

p.m., Monday through Friday, and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on weekends.

Down the road a piece, the 29 Palms Art Gallery’s Summer Show is underway, with more than 100 works of art by Twentynine Palms Artists Guild members inside the history adobe gal-lery. The show runs to August 28, with the gallery open summer hours, noon to 3 p.m., Friday through Sunday.

The 29 Palms Creative Center is taking a little summer vacation the months of July and August, but will be back at it come September. And to keep you busy in the meantime, the 29 Palms Public Arts Advisory Committee is hosting the 29 Arts Roundtable: The Future of the Arts in our Community, Thursday, June 23, from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. at the Twentynine Palms Senior Center Building, 6539 Adobe Road. The PAAC is seeking input on arts priorities and direction for the city.

Out to the east on Route 62, The Fifi & Lulu Show runs through June 26 at The Glass Outhouse Gallery in Wonder Valley. The show features the work of Phyllis Schwartz and Laura Peterson-Volz, Tuesdays through Sundays, from 1 to 5 p.m. (gotta honk!).

And on the other end of 29, in the In-dian Cove area, A Roadside Attraction Gallery is hosting an exhibit by Gordon Crawford, with a reception on Saturday, June 18, between 1 and 3 p.m.

Put this on your calendar—The Sun Runner will be hosting a double-whammy kind of event on Saturday,

Ronald Walker’s artwork opens with a reception July 1 at the Sylvia Winslow Exhibit Gallery in the Maturango Museum, in Ridgecrest.


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61795 Twentynine Palms Hwy. Joshua TreePark Blvd. & Hwy. 62 (760) 366 4684

September 17: Drawn from the Desert, an art exhibit and benefit to help cover cancer treatment expenses for local art-ist Kim Mayhew. The reception will be combined with our Desert Writers Celebration, full of readings and sign-ings by past and present contributors to our annual Desert Writers Issue, now in its fifth year (and accepting submissions through July 8).

Mayhew’s work is folky and fun, so check out her website at www.got-ants.com, where you can introduce yourself to The Ant Farm Gang and Loco Folko folk art. And make sure to join us for Drawn from the Desert and our Desert Writers Celebration, at Tamma’s Magic Mercantile in Old Town Yucca Valley.

Thanks as well to everyone who joined us for the opening reception of my photography exhibit, Sawtooth, on display in Tamma’s through August.

Up the hill from Yucca Valley, rumor has it Pioneertown is becoming the next new hi-desert artists’ colony. Several art studios (not galleries, but working studios), have located around Mane Street, providing the opportunity for visitors to get to see some of our artists in action. We love anything that keeps Pioneertown vibrant and active—and it sounds like Amara and Thomas of Born In Love, are helping keep it positive and loving as well with their heart immersion crystal-glazed pendant firings.

Meanwhile, there are quite a few opportunities for desert artists to get creative. The Morongo Basin Cultural Arts Council is hosting a Hwy 62 Art Tours Logo Contest. Submissions must be received by July 15.

The MBCAC and Livingschool Co-Operative Learning Center, also have a call for artists for the “Trust Everyone Under Thirty” show. Artists from five to 30 are allowed to contribute family-friendly art to be juried for the show held the last two weekends in October in Joshua Tree. Deadline is July 2, and details on how to submit to the show as well as the logo contest are available at www.mbcac.org (click on newsletters).

Works of desert art and photography are being accepted for inclusion in The Sun Runner’s Desert Writers Issue, with a special focus on Joshua Tree Na-tional Park. For more details please visit www.thesunrunner.com.

The Joshua Tree National Park As-sociation’s photography contest for the park’s 75th anniversary, is still accepting submissions until July 15. You can get all the submission information at the official anniversary website: www.jtnp75.org.

This news just in before press time:

Walgreens, which purchased a building site in Twentynine Palms for a new store, has decided not to build the store after all.

How is this art news? Well, the building that Walgreens demolished on the property where the new store was to be located, was the site of the first historic mural painted by Peter Sawatzky in 1994, as part of Action Council of Twentynine Palms’ citywide murals project. Now, the city gets no jobs, no tax revenues, and loses a historic mural in the process. We hear the building was in bad shape, so this may have been inevitable, one way or another. But it the loss remains tragic.

Send us your desert art news:[email protected].

We received many beautiful, creative works of art for consideration for the cover of this special edition honoring Joshua Tree National Park’s 75th Anniversary. Sadly, we could only use one cover image for this issue. Works like this one from Italian painter Daniela Bellissimo, who recently relocated to the hi-desert, express the beauty of our desert while being fun and accessible.Daniela wrote us, “Thank you for your magazine and your work to support ART !!!!!” Thank you Daniela, for capturing the essence of this Joshua tree under the desert night sky, and joining us here, all the way from Rome.We are seeking submissions of artwork for our Desert Writers Issue.


In November, 1994, I arrived at Joshua Tree just a few weeks after the passage of the 1994 Desert Protection Act. I was on a brief orientation detail prior to moving to the new ‘national

park’ in January as its equally new chief of interpretation. The park staff was busy in preparation for the dedication ceremony planned for early December. Though a rookie at Joshua Tree, I was no stranger to the Mojave Desert, having spent six winters at the start of my National Park Service career in Death Valley National Monu-ment (also elevated to a national park by the Desert Protection Act). But during all my time at Death Valley, after hiking and exploring the immense Monument extensively, and climbing many of its peaks, I had never seen a desert bighorn sheep. They were part of Death Valley’s logo, but somehow they had always eluded me.

On one of my first days at Joshua Tree, Ranger Art Web-ster took me up to Barker Dam on a quick tour of the area. We walked out to the dam along the well-worn path through the rocks little suspecting the surprise that awaited us. The rock wall opened up to reveal a very full lake and a shoreline that lapped at the base of the old “no swimming” sign, always an amusing sight for Barker Dam hikers. The irony of the sign had to wait however, as blocking our path on the trail were nine majestic desert bighorn rams placidly browsing at the water’s edge. For a moment we all stood, frozen in time and in wonder, staring at each other. Finally some visitors came from the other direction, and the sheep moved gracefully up into the rocks.

I turned to Art with a big grin on my face and said, “I think I’m going to like this place.”

– Joe ZarkiChief of Interpretation & Education

While I have been employed at Joshua Tree National Park since 2002, one of my favorite memories while working here occurred just recently, on May 14 of

this year. For a number of years, I have been attending school at Col-lege of the Desert studying American Sign Language. I have had frequent opportunities over the last year to utilize these skills at the different park visitor centers where I have worked. On May 14, I had the opportunity to watch an ASL interpreter and one of my co-workers provide 19 deaf participants a tour of Key’s Ranch. Partway through the tour the participants started asking me questions as well as watching the interpreter. They were pleased and patient with my slow finger spelling and slow signing but at the same time appeared to be happy that


a park ranger could describe the sights and sounds of Joshua Tree National Park in sign language. For me it was the thrill of a lifetime. My life has been changed forever, and I really believe I made 19 new friends on that special day at the Desert Queen Ranch.

– David DenslowPark Ranger, Interpretation

About 10 years ago I was working in the Oasis Visitor Center on a Saturday afternoon. Here in Twentynine Palms, the weather was typical for August—hot and

sunny. I spoke to a couple from England about what they would see in the park and encouraged them to drive out to Key’s View. I knew it would be a bit cooler there, and of course the drive from the visitor center is beautiful. The gentleman was quite skeptical that it would be worth his time to drive all that way in the hot desert. I assured him that the drive was worth it, and after all, since he’d driven all the way to Twentynine Palms already, he should take the time to see the park. About three hours later, I saw him come back into the visitor center. He looked very angry and made a beeline to me at the desk and started to complain. “I want you to know that it’s raining up there!” he said. “We couldn’t see anything, it’s raining so hard!” Naturally, I was shocked, as we didn’t know it was rain-ing in the area, so I began to stutter an apology. He interrupted me saying in an angry voice, “It’s really raining hard. I can’t believe you sent us up there!” Then he paused while I tried to apologize. Again he interrupted. “I was driving through that rain, and suddenly a ray of sun burst through the clouds, and a coyote crossed the road in front of us! It was the most wonderful sight!” He started to smile and continued, “I had to come back and thank you.”

I will never forget my encounter with that man. He had been so skeptical about the trip, then he ran into an unexpected rain storm, but a ray of sun and the fortuitous appearance of that coyote made it all worthwhile to him.

– Cheri VocelkaAdministrative Support Assistant


Planning a visit to Joshua Tree National Park? Our national parks truly are America’s treasures, and Joshua Tree is an excellent park to explore. With its giant rock formations,

Joshua tree forests, historical mining and ranching sites, two desert ecosystems, breathtaking vistas and viewpoints, world-class rock climbing, dark night skies, and hikes suited for just about everyone, Joshua Tree has a lot to offer.

But while most visitors know something about what’s waiting for them inside Joshua Tree National Park, many aren’t aware of the variety of fun and interesting places to explore outside the park in the surrounding gateway communities. Whether you’re looking for as much nature as you can find, or you want to delve deeper into local history, culture, the Old West, or just want something fun and different, the Joshua Tree Gateway Communities have much to offer.

Morongo ValleyThis small rural community offers some great big opportunities for visitors to experience a different desert. Not far off Route 62, the Big Morongo Canyon Preserve offers a desert oasis of cottonwoods and willows—one of the largest of its type in California. Upstream, the oasis lies in the Mojave Desert, while if you venture far enough down the canyon, you’ll find yourself wandering out into the Colorado (lower) Desert of the Coachella Valley.

This 31,000 acre preserve is a Bureau of Land Manage-ment-designated Area of Critical Environmental Concern, and is birdwatcher heaven (there’s plenty of other wildlife here, along with the 254 bird species recorded at the preserve). Perfect for day hikes, there is a one-half mile wheelchair ac-cessible boardwalk trail that allows access to the oasis, as well as an 11-mile round trip through Big Morongo Canyon. There are picnic facilities (including restrooms) at the preserve, as well as at nearby Covington Park, with shops and restaurants nearby in Morongo Valley where you can get the fixings for a picnic lunch.

Plan ahead for your visit, a spring wildflower expedition (Big Morongo Canyon is one of our favorite desert wildflower sites) or to join a scheduled bird walk, by visiting www.bigmo-rongo.org. Admission is free.

If you’re a fan of live theatre, then you’ll want to take in a performance at Groves Cabin Theatre during your visit. This tiny theatre, (less than two dozen seats) started by Bill and Joy Groves back in 1985, has won so many Desert Theatre League awards that they don’t have room for them all in the cabin. To see what performances are coming, visit www.grovescabinthe-


atre.org. Reserve your seats in advance and look for the red, white, and blue rock on the north side of Route 62 that marks the turnoff to the theatre.

The Town of yucca ValleyYucca Valley is the commercial hub of the Joshua Tree National Park Gateway Communities. The “town” (it incorporated as a town, not a city), stretches along Route 62 for miles, but has a lot to offer visitors.

The west end of town along Route 62 includes the Old Town district of Yucca Valley. Great antiquing awaits here, and the California Deserts Visitors Association and The Sun Runner Magazine have visitor information available inside Tamma’s Magic Mercantile. Nearby lies Desert Christ Park, which helped put Yucca Valley on the map. Sculptor Antone Martin created a large statue of Christ and it found a home in Yucca Valley. The park was dedicated on Easter Sunday in 1951 (thousands would eventually come to attend Easter sunrise services at Desert Christ Park).

Martin spent the next decade creating numerous statues of Biblical scenes here—more than 40 in all, with the goal of creating a park dedicated to peace. After his death, the park was cared for by the Yucca Valley Parks and Recreation Dis-trict, until the American Civil Liberties Union intervened to save the public from this egregious violation of the separation of church and state. After that, the park endured, as an under-funded non-profit continues to care for it through vandalism and earthquakes, and the history of neglect of this park by the community is sadly shameful. While the park is not completely restored, efforts continue, and if you visit the park and find it as unique as we do, please consider making a donation. You can get information about the park at www.desertchristpark.org.

The California Welcome Center in Yucca Valley is a convenient place for helping plan your stay in the Joshua Tree National Park area. The friendly volunteers make you feel welcome here, and there’s ample car and RV parking, lots of travel information, a gift shop, restrooms, and (our favorite part), you can pick up a copy of The Sun Runner here.

The welcome center is open Monday through Friday, 9 a.m.-5 p.m., and Saturday and Sunday, 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Get more info at www.visitcwc.com/YuccaValley.

At the heart of the Yucca Valley Community Center complex lies a gem of a small museum—the Hi-Desert Nature Museum. This small but active facility, offers a little history, special exhibits and art, and even a wee wildlife area. The museum hosts one of the desert’s coolest annual events, the

Noah Purifoy’s Outdoor Desert Art Museum in Joshua Tree is a wonderland of unique assemblage art by one of the world’s best artists.


Starry Nights Festival that brings astronomers together from around the world, as well as the town’s annual Earth Day celebration, along with special lecture series and plenty of kid-oriented programs.

Admission is free, and the museum is open Tuesdays through Sundays, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. (except national holidays). Definitely check out The Gecko Gift Shop while you’re there, and the nearby playground facilities make it a good place to let the kids be kids for a little while. Saturday evenings throughout most of the summer, there are free concerts on the grass of the community center’s ball field nearby.

PioneerTownWhile you’re in the Old Town district of Yucca Valley, keep your eyes open for the Pioneertown Road intersection with Route 62. Just a short drive north into the hills will take you to a true Hollywood icon—Pioneertown.

Pioneertown (or “Pi-town” as some folks refer to it), was built in 1946 as a movie set for Westerns. What differentiated Pioneertown from a lot of those facade-only movie sets, is that the buildings were actually constructed as real homes—and even a bowling alley—used in the movies.

Take a stroll down Mane Street past the bowling alley where Roy Rogers tossed out the first ball, and head toward the OK Corral. A number of artists have taken up residence along Mane Street lately, so if you’re lucky, you may be able to visit with some of them and watch them work in their studios. On weekends between April and mid-October, catch either the Gunfighters for Hire, or the Pioneertown Posse doing their free Old West gunfight shows right on Mane Street for free.

After you’ve strolled down the dusty street where Gene Autry, Barbara Stanwyck, Jack Lunden, Duncan Renaldo and “Cisco” Leo Carillo of the Cisco Kid, Cactus Kate, the Sons of the Pioneers, and many others once rode, head down to that classic adobe roadhouse, Pappy & Harriet’s Pioneertown Palace, where you can kick it Pi-town style with a mesquite grilled ribeye steak or ribs, cheese fries, and a cold margarita in hand. The drinks at Pappy’s may be cold, but the live music is hot Thursdays through Mondays. You never know who may show up at this legendary roadhouse. Call ahead for dinner reservations at (760)365-5956, or visit www.pappyandharriets.com. You can find out who is playing just by checking our online calendar at www.thesunrunner.com. Want to play your music while you’re here? Singer/songwriter Ted Quinn hosts a great open mic on Monday nights.

After visiting Pioneertown, keep following Pioneertown Road north to the junction with Pipes Canyon Road. Turn left onto the dirt road that runs one mile to The Wildlands Conser-vancy’s Pioneertown Mountains Preserve. The preserve had been closed for years after the devastation of the 2006 Sawtooth Complex Fire, but has reopened on Fridays through Sundays, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. for hiking. The Pipes Canyon trail can provide a great short hike, or an all-day adventure, and is a cool destina-tion when the desert starts warming up. Look for the petro-glyphs on the way up the canyon. For more information visit www.wildlandsconservancy.org/preserve_pioneertown.html.

Joshua TreeThe unincorporated town of Joshua Tree covers a lot of ground, literally and otherwise. Downtown offers an eclectic mix of art galleries, the Joshua Tree National Park Visitor Center, and the world famous Crochet Museum (at the Art Queen complex). The Joshua Tree Saloon offers great food and live music, including a Tuesday night open mic hosted by Ted Quinn. The Park Rock Cafe (right next to the visitor center)


is a great place to pick up a boxed lunch to take into the park.Nearby, in north Joshua Tree, Noah Purifoy’s Outdoor

Desert Art Museum lies waiting for visitors who enjoy an appreciation for fantastical desert assemblage art from the late worldclass artist. The Noah Purifoy Foundation prefers that visitors contact them for directions and hours, so a quick note to [email protected] will get you on your way. Photographers may find themselves in an ecstatic trance state just trying to figure out what to shoot next here!

If you’re looking for a place to camp, Joshua Tree Lake is the place outside the park to park it. This easygoing camp-ground is the site of Joshua Tree’s two annual music festivals, and makes for a fine base (and a great place to catch the splen-dors of the desert night sky).

landersNorth of Yucca Valley on Highway 247 lies the unincorporated community of Landers. Here, the desert really begins to show that it just doesn’t have to be normal if it doesn’t want to be. Landers is the land of mother ships just over the horizon, a gi-ant freestanding boulder where popular UFO conferences used to take place, the sprawling nearby city on the plain that the Marines have built to practice urban warfare, exploding Ger-man prospectors who were accused as spies, energy laylines and vortices, orchids, Howard Hughes, old mines, homestead cabins, men in black, and the occasional meth lab.

The Integratron stands as a monument to what a creative guy can do when he gets ahold of Venutian technology. George Van Tassel, who lived with his wife under nearby Giant Rock (you may need four-wheel drive to get out there, but it’s worth it if you can), built the Integratron with received Venutian technology, kind of an enormous domed negative ionization chamber that would help rejuvenate cellular structure and keep people young. I personally think it may have worked, but while the Venutians provided the technology necessary for the Integratron’s design, they provided no working capital, andVan Tassel died a mysterious death as he got close to getting the whole thing operational.

With the necessary equipment quickly stripped from the building either by secret agents from the government or our former neighbor out there who stole everything he could get his hands on, the Integratron no longer has a future in celllular rejuvenation, but with its incredible domed acoustics, it offers rejuvenating sound baths. Drop by www.integratron.com for sound bath dates and times as they are truly amazing.

Right across the street from the Integratron is Gubler’s Orchids. The Gubler greenhouses offer free tours, Monday through Saturday, from 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. (closed-toed shoes with non-slip soles only). Wander amidst award-winning orchids and the occasional carnivorous plant and pick up a beautiful souvenir (www.gublers.com). Fun and friendly!

The ciTy of TwenTynine PalMsThe City of Twentynine Palms has a great visitor center online at www.visit29.org. Of course, they have the Twentynine Palms Visitor Center & Gallery downtown, and the Oasis Visitor Center for Joshua Tree National Park, both solid resources for visitors. The Oasis of Mara continues to prove that where there’s water in the desert, there’s life. Stop by the 29 Palms Inn for lunch or dinner poolside (with live music every night and who knows what Hollywood star who may be at the next table ), and stroll around to the waters of a true desert oasis. Take a peek at the Inn’s gardens where they grow much of their own produce for the restaurant at this classic desert retreat run by the same family since 1928. Make sure to pay the Old

The Joshua Tree Gateway Communities are known for their vibrant art scene, galleries, gallery crawls, and annual art tours. Here a young admirer shows her enthusiastic appreciation for a work at the Art Queen in Joshua Tree, opposite top.Christ gazes out over a steadily growing Town of Yucca Valley from His perch in Desert Christ Park, opposite below.The City of Twentynine Palms isn’t known internationally as the “Oasis of Murals” for nothing. Murals tell the city’s colorful history on walls around town, including this mural at the 29 Palms Inn, above. The nearby 29 Palms Art Gallery hosts shows of local and regional artists year-round in a classic desert adobe, while next door the Old Schoolhouse Museum provides visitors a glimpse back into the desert’s past.Proving that an oasis is the center of life in the desert, the 29 Palms Inn at the Oasis of Mara keeps desert life alive. World-renowned harpist Patti Hood is one of the Inn’s regular performers, below.


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Schoolhouse Museum and nearby 29 Palms Art Gallery a visit, as well as the funky, high-spirited 29 Palms Creative Center (closed during July and August). Next to the Creative Center is the Chemehuevi Tribal Cemetery, a reminder that the oasis has a long and diverse human history.

Save some time to tour the murals of Twentynine Palms (or “29” as lots of us refer to it). The visitor center downtown can get you on your way to experiencing the local history of the town in living color. and, when the sun starts going down, remember that this desert outpost still offers a slice of real Americana—a fully functional drive-in movie theater. Smith’s Ranch Drive-In still plays first-run movies down Adobe Road.

wonder Valley and beyondJust as all these opportunities for adventure lie beyond park boundaries, the desert doesn’t end here either. Wonder Valley includes unmarked old roads leading down to the hsitoric Dale Mining District, and a nice drive up to Amboy, on the “mother road” of America, Route 66. Hike into Amboy Crater, or on up to the Mojave National Preserve with its “singing” Kelso Dunes, the old Kelso Depot railroad station (now the preserve’s visitor center, museum, cafe, and bookstore), lava tubes, cinder cones, and so much more. Take off with your off-road toys to the Johnson Valley Off-Road Vehicle Recreation Area. Head up the back road to Big Bear, through lush Joshua tree forests and remnants of old gold mines. Head down to the lower desert to visit one of its superb museums (for a real experience, take a tour of Cabot’s Pueblo Museum in Desert Hot Springs, or visit the General Patton Memorial Museum in Chiriaco Summit).

VisiTing The Joshua Tree gaTeway coMMuniTiesWe want you to always enjoy your desert adventures, so please enjoy the desert responsibly. Make sure your vehicle is in good order, and before embarking on any long drives, please fill up your tank. Don’t rely on Internet maps or directions, or even on GPS units. They can send you into a wash as easily as down a road. Take lots of water with you everywhere, and some food too. Wear unscented sunscreen. Remember that your cell phone won’t work in a lot of places. Check the weather reports and don’t do things like camp in washes or drive through flooded roadways. Stay put with your vehicle and your water supply if things get bad. It is unlikely you will have to wait too long for help, unless you go wander off somewhere where folks can’t find you. Oh, and make sure to send us a note and let us know what was your favorite desert experience!

A young ‘un, gets advice from a historical re-enactor in Pioneertown.


As we celebrate the 75th Anniversary of Joshua Tree National Park, we often share the story of the southern-born lady from Pasadena who fell in love with the

high-desert and all its glorious plant life. So much so, that she launched a one-woman juggernaut intent on the preservation and protection of the land and indigenous species therein. We owe a great deal of gratitude to the persistence and perseverance of Minerva Hamilton Hoyt which ultimately resulted in that special gem of nature now known as Joshua Tree National Park.

Given the historical circumstances of the times, I have often wondered in amazement that she was able to captivate the attention and imagination of President Franklin Delano Roos-evelt long enough to convince him to declare national monu-ment status on a patch of arid desert, thousands of miles from Washington DC, that was home to mostly “odd-looking trees”.

It’s not like he had nothing else to think about. In 1936, the United States, and a great deal of the rest of the world was still in the throes of the “Great Depression”. Millions were jobless, homeless and hopeless. The dark specter of World War II loomed in the horizon and global unrest ran rampant.

Yes, 1936 is a year to remember, and if you want some perspective, consider this. On the geopolitical stage, FDR is re-elected, Nazi Germany reoccupies the Rhineland and the Palestinian revolt against the British in opposition to Jewish immigration begins. Chinese leader Chiang Kai-shek declares war on Japan and King Edward VIII abdicates the throne for the love of a woman. In transportation, Ferdinand Porshe in-troduces the “Volkswagen”, Pan-Am begins regular passenger flights from San Francisco to Honolulu and the HMS Queen Mary leaves Southhampton on her maiden voyage, bound for New York City. ’36 was definitely a memorable year in sports. Max Schmeling knocks out Joe Louis in the 12th round at Yan-kee Stadium and Joe “the Yankee Clipper” DiMaggio makes his major league debut, (he gets 3 hits). Hitler turns his back on Jesse Owens at the Berlin Olympics as he claims his 4th gold medal and Babe Ruth, Ty Cobb and Honus Wagner are inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame.

On the literary front, Eugene O’Neill is awarded the Nobel

Prize for literature. Margaret Mitch-ell’s “Gone With the Wind” is pub-lished and Henry R. Luce releases the first of a new, picture magazine called “Life”.

Notable birthdays that year range from Senator John McCain to Burt Reynolds. Song writer Roger Miller, football legend Jim Brown, designer Yves Saint-Laurent and Italian politician Silvio Berlusconi all share the birth year of 1936.

Closer to home, here in California, the first radioactive isotope medicine is administered at Berkeley. Pumping begins to build Treasure Island in San Francisco Bay and the Oakland Bay Bridge opens. In Hollywood, the best picture award goes to “The Great Ziegfeld” and Paul Muni wins best actor for his performance in “The Story of Louis Pasteur”.

In 1859, Charles Dickens begins “A Tale of Two Cities” with the timeless quote, “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times”. That insightful, and seemingly contradictory sentiment captures the essence of 1936 as well. The world was a very different place 75 years ago and time is the great equalizer. People pass on, bridges crumble and sports records are shattered but one thing has remained constant for the last three quarters of a century.

Minerva Hoyt had a vision 75 years ago. Because of that vision there are almost 800,000 acres of wild and wondrous landscape that lies like an island surrounded by the man-made trappings of “civilization” on all sides. It is an oasis in the midst of roads and freeways, power lines and suburban sprawl. It’s called Joshua Tree National Park and it is our duty, our passion and our privilege to preserve this natural treasure for those who follow,…for years to come.

Minverva Hoy t , right.


Joshua Tree National Park is not only celebrating the 75th Anniversary of the park’s establishment, but also the 35th Anniversary of the Wilderness designation for park lands.

Minerva Hoyt began the movement for the protection of the desert ecosystem, but little did she know that 28 years later the Wilderness Act would provide even greater protection of the lands within Joshua Tree National Park.

A powerful and revolutionary law when passed, the Wil-derness Act of 1964 requires that federally-managed lands be evaluated for the preservation of large roadless tracts where mechanized vehicles and equipment are not permitted. It also permanently protects wilderness lands land from future human occupation and development ensuring that these lands “shall be administered for the use and enjoyment of the American people in such manner as will leave them unimpaired for future use as wilderness.”

In 1976, 422,520 acres of Joshua Tree National Monument were designated by Congress as wilderness. This designation allowed the park to preserve a vast region of wild, rugged desert “where the earth and its community of life are untrammeled by man, where man himself is a visitor who does not remain”. Today and in the future, people can enjoy the primeval charac-ter and solitude of the park’s wilderness lands because of the vision and actions of ordinary citizens like Minerva Hoyt and Arthur Carhart, an early advocate of wilderness preservation.

Preserving public lands as wilderness is unique in our world. Americans have recognized the importance of protect-ing some of the country’s last remaining wild places and over 109,000,000 acres are part of the National Wilderness Preserve System. Joshua Tree National Park now protects approximately 590,000 of its acreage as wilderness.

In celebrating the 75th Anniversary of the park, we also celebrate the wilderness character of Joshua Tree that, while close to one of the nation’s largest urban regions, still provides opportunities for a special experience and a place to refresh the human spirit.

As we celebrate and reflect on the first 75 years of Joshua Tree National Park, we must consider: what will the next 75 years look like? The effects of climate change are

already being seen in the Colorado and Mojave deserts, requir-ing park resource managers to respond to changing ecological conditions in the already challenging desert environment of Joshua Tree National Park. Of particular concern is the intro-duction of new invasive plant species.

Invasive plants pose a serious threat to the ecosystems of Joshua Tree National Park, as well as those of nearby desert communities. Few non-native plants actually become invasive, but when they do, they are often able to form dense populations, or monocultures, decreasing native plant abundance and diver-sity. This results in fewer wildflower blooms and a decline in habitat quality for many wildlife species, such as the endangered desert tortoise. In addition, some invasive species can increase the size and intensity of wildfires by forming a continuous fuel source that help fire spread rapidly and dangerously.

Our goal for the next 75 years is to stop the establishment of new invasive plants before these detrimental impacts can occur. By being vigilant and using new advances in technol-ogy, we can make informed management decisions that will preserve the beautiful landscapes of Joshua Tree National Park for future generations.

If you are a smartphone user, you can help us in this en-deavor! Visit www.whatsinvasive.com to create an account and to download the “What’s Invasive” app for your phone. Take a look at Joshua Tree National Park’s page on the website to see the invasive plant species which we’re currently looking to track. Next time you’re visiting the park, use the app to col-lect data for us if you find an invasive plant population. Even if you don’t have a cell phone signal while in the park, if your phone’s GPS function is enabled, you can use the app to take a photo and record the location of the population. When you have phone service again, the data will automatically be sent to our database. You can make a valuable contribution towards the preservation of Joshua Tree National Park in mere minutes while enjoying your park visit; it’s fast, free, and fun!

If you don’t have a smartphone but would still like to help, we are always looking for volunteers!

Contact [email protected] to get involved!


Live Oak Picnic Area is a popular spot with park visitors and home to one of the park’s largest trees. The tree also represents an interesting story on natural diversity.

A park herbarium specimen was collected in 1967 from the white oak tree at Live Oak Tank by a researcher from the botany department of Riverside City College. The specimen would not be properly named until John M. Tucker, an expert on oak taxonomy, published a scientific article in 1968.

The single tree had long been recognized as a unique type of oak, and subject of an ongoing disagreement among Cali-fornia botanists. Philip Munz, noted botanist from the Rancho Santa Anna Botanic Garden and Pomona College, had in 1946, grown seedlings from acorns he had collected from the tree dis-covering that they all exhibited different characteristics. A later trial in 1957 by UCLA landscape architect, Ralph D. Cornell produced seedlings more representative of local turbinella oak (Quercus turbinella).

These trials indicted that the tree is a hybrid between the valley oak (Quercus lobata) and the turbinella oak.

As an additional point of interest, the valley oak today grows only in the San Joaquin Valley area, 150 miles from Joshua Tree.

If the Joshua Tree oak is a direct cross, as seems to be indicated, how did a valley oak come to be present in the park? The botanists believe the most likely answer is that the valley oak population could have shifted southeast temporarily during one of the long-term fluctuations of weather before the mid-1600s. Whatever its lineage, the massive oak is a welcome sight on a hot Joshua tree day and one of the park’s fascinating natural curiousities.


Would you be surprised to learn that the Boy Scout Trail was established partially along an historic Indian path in the 1960s by Paul Broyles, the son of a park

ranger here at Joshua Tree? Or that Paul earned his Eagle Scout badge for that project and Horace Albright, family friend and former director of the NPS, came to 29 Palms to speak at his award ceremony?

Perhaps you already know that a young woman from Mis-souri, Mary Benito, became entranced by the Mojave Desert in the early 1920s, came to Queen Valley in 1927, fell passionately in love with a giant Joshua tree, filed the next morning for a homestead beside that tree, and moved lock, stock, and kitchen sink—house, husband, three dogs, three children, and 3,000 chickens—to that land in October of that year? “If it hadn’t been for that tree,” Jan Benito Owen muses of her mother’s decision, “I don’t know what would’ve happened to us. We would’ve wound up in Victorville!”

Maybe you’ve heard Jim Pine’s 1908 recording of tra-ditional bird songs—two minutes long and no translations? Or listened to Joe and Gail Benitez recount stories of their Chemehuevi ancestors and the Oasis of Mara?

Perhaps you’ve run into tales of the “early days” (the 1950s), when one superintendent ordered all rangers to clear the Monument by dark? His rea-soning was sound: the NPS had a lot of land to protect and few rangers to do the protecting; young Marines needed a safe place to party hard and the Monu-ment fit that bill; and no superintendent could risk having an unarmed lone ranger stroll up to a campfire and ignite a potentially violent intergovernmental confrontation.”Clear by dark” made good sense. (Weapons unloaded and locked into briefcases also did.) Then along came the park’s first naturalist, Bruce Black, who followed the rule to the letter at work. On lieu days, how-ever, Bruce and his wife Barbara took their children up into the Monument, chose campsites right alongside the enlisted men, and made eye contact and friendly connections with the soldiers in broad daylight—deliberately mak-ing a point of learning the young men’s names. Not once did the Black family come close to any kind of confrontation, and the relationships they fostered soon negated the need for a “clear by dark” rule. A small decision made at the local level by an employee and a spouse, then, created possibilities for the NPS and US military that no one in Washington, D.C. could have engineered in a month of Sunday legislatings. Nor, in fact, could such a change have been wrought by even the sternest combined will of a park superintendent and base general.

Each of these stories could serve as a basis for an historical monograph. Each one, if viewed from a wider per-spective, offers unique insights into the enduring past present we all inhabit—not just of the lands we now call Joshua

Tree National Park, but of the United States in the world. Collecting oral narratives is a complex, rewarding, and often painful job. It requires ordinary people to summon the courage to allow their lives to serve as evidence of their moment in time.

Far too often, of course, oral histories never get collected, processed, and made available to the larger public. Stories told within families and communities often elude history’s grasp entirely. Even family members and intimates can go through life relatively clueless about their elders’ experiences. More disconcerting, perhaps, is that even when those narratives are collected systematically, they seldom serve as great and useful a purpose as they could, and instead—as in the current article—are simply cherry-picked for good quotes and anecdotes that illustrate our current understandings. When we fail to hear these stories at all, however, or fail to listen for anything but the juicy quote, we lose a priceless opportunity to learn from how those before us dwelt on this land. The questions they asked, the problems they confronted, the dreams they managed to muster despite reality? Daily now we face the same quandaries. Their memories could offer us tools for the journey.

Building on 63 interviews conducted between 1966 and


1995, Joshua Tree National Park has launched a multi-year oral history project to capture the stories of people who have helped shape, and whose lives have been shaped by, this desert land. The project has two goals: to deepen and enrich historical under-standing of human interactions with this place over time using information that is otherwise not available in the documentary record; and to create a high-quality audio-visual oral history collection for use by researchers and staff in future interpretive functions such as museum exhibits, programs, and podcasts.

Project staff will use professional-quality, high definition audio-visual equipment. The oral history team is mobile: inter-views can be conducted not just on site, but in other locations

convenient for narrators (home, office, community center, school). All recorded sessions will be indexed and transcribed before being placed, along with any supporting documentation or materials, in the park’s permanent archives. All materials designated by their narrators as available for unrestricted use will be available to park staff and researchers.

That, in a nutshell, is what we’re up to in Desert Voices, the oral history project at Joshua Tree.

If you know of anyone who should be interviewed or have any ideas or historical documents and images to share, please contact historian Hannah Nyala West at (760)367-5576. We welcome your participation!

People have been communicating in the park for thousands of years. Samuelson’s Rocks, below, and petroglyphs near Barker Dam, bottom.


Last spring, Joshua Tree National Park’s Cultural Re-sources Branch embarked on an ambitious project—to survey the park’s boundaries as the first phase of a

multi-year project to inventory cultural resources located on or near the park boundary—especially those which could be threatened by urban encroachment. Cultural resources special-ists and volunteers spent several days traversing canyons and hills in the Little San Bernardino and Cottonwood Mountains. Approximately 2,000 acres were surveyed for historical and archeological materials and added to Joshua Tree’s cultural resources inventory.

Much of the park’s southern boundary is defined by the Metropolitan Water District’s Colorado River Aqueduct. Plan-ning for the aqueduct began in 1923 when teams of surveyors spread across the desert looking for a way to bring water from the Colorado River to the Inland Empire. Teams of four to five men working with transit, rods, and chains crossed the largely roadless desert in Model-T cars, Model A wagons, with teams of horses, and on foot carrying their bedding and supplies. In total they mapped over 25,000 square miles of southern California.

As the country fell into the grip of the Great Depression, workers lined up for aqueduct construction jobs. The water district instituted policies intended to provide economic benefits to the local communities and to those individuals deemed most in need. Prospective employees had to have been residents of the district for at least one year, and no more than one person per household could apply. Preference was given to ex-servicemen and those with dependents. This didn’t stop hopefuls from establishing “fly camps”—temporary tent camps near construc-tion sites on the chance that they might be able to find work.

The first construction camps for district administration and worker housing were established in Fargo and Thousand Palms Canyons in 1933. A contemporary newspaper account reports that at Thousand Palms camp, “all buildings were single story, with wide sleeping porches and ample window space. There was room for each man to sleep on the porch if he wishes. Of-fice buildings and mess houses were designed along the same general lines. Mess-halls were commodious and clean; the food

well cooked, and of good quality. In order to accommodate the various shifts of workmen, as many as nine regular meals were served in the mess-house daily.”

By the end of 1933, 18 camps had been established. Some camps were relatively ephemeral and their equipment and structures were moved as construction progressed along the route. Other camps, such as Hayfield, developed into permanent Metropolitan Water District administrative sites.

In 1939 the completed aqueduct stretched for 242 miles, 92 miles of which consisted of underground tunnels. At that time the 18-mile long East Coachella tunnel, through the Little San Bernardino Mountains, was the longest tunnel of its bore (size)in the world. But the tunnel under Mount San Jacinto proved to be the most difficult and dangerous: seepage through the rock flooded the tunnel several times, drove construction workers to scramble up exit ladders barely ahead of the rising water, and claimed several lives. Tunnel construction averaged 21 feet per day.

All this activity has left its mark on the landscape. Concrete foundations still visible in Berdoo Canyon once housed bar-racks, facilities, a library, and a medical clinic. Other concrete slabs sport thick bolts which once held construction equipment in place.

During the boundary survey park staff found gravel pits, dozer cuts, and road segments on the park side of the aqueduct. Evidence was also found of the everyday lives of construc-tion workers: trash deposits in canyons and washes speak of canned foods, bottled soda pop, and liberal use of Best Foods “ mayonnaise.

If you visit the area during this 75th Anniversary year, stop and listen to the flow of water through the siphons where the aqueduct crosses Fan Hill Wash, and imagine a time when the desert came alive with the sounds of drilling, blasting, and the voices of men constructing one of the major engineering feats of the early 20th century.

When you explore the Park’s southern boundary feel free to look and imagine, but leave all artifacts where you find them and all features intact and unchanged.


Sprawling across a rock-bound canyon in Joshua Tree National Park, the Desert Queen Ranch stands as testa-ment to what a hard working family can accomplish in the

middle of nowhere if its members have the get-up and gumption to work for a dream. Owned by Bill and Frances Keys and inhabited by them with their four children for nearly 60 years, the ranch remains today, a tribute to true desert pioneers.

But it’s a funny thing about the desert, the wide open skies, the sprawling, rolling expanses of land. There is a lot of room in it—room enough for a man to reinvent himself, several times if need be. And Bill Keys, originally born to the name George Barth, was just such a man. How and why he left the state of Nebraska and changed his name to Bill Key (later Keys) is a hazy bit of history, but his road to Joshua Tree involved a long stopover in Death Valley country and a stint as the mining part-ner and sidekick of that infamous rascal, Death Valley Scotty, the master of reinvention.

It seems Keys was working a successful claim in Death Valley country, minding his own business, when along came Scotty, who desperately needed some good ore to show to the many investors he’d been conning with stories of his fabulous but nonexistent mine. He talked Keys into a partnership and showed Keys’ ores to his investors. But with Scotty, a little was never enough and before long he had invented elaborate charades to frighten and impress any investors brave enough to come out to Death Valley in an effort to see the gold for themselves.

Now, from the distance of historical perspective and com-paring it against the lifetime he spent pioneering Joshua Tree with his family, the moment of weakness in which Keys agreed to take part in one of Scotty’s charades seems rather insignifi-cant. But he did play a role in one of the more infamous hoaxes in Death Valley lore, acting as gunman and firing upon Scotty and a caravan of investors as they traveled through the desert. The investors were not so much scared off as infuriated when

the plan went awry and Scotty’s brother ended up with a bullet in the groin.

With Death Val-ley too hot for the pair of them, Keys traveled along to Twentynine Palms with Scot ty. Eventually, they parted ways and Keys found a much more suitable, and admirable partner in his wife Frances. Togeth-er they accomplished amazing feats of every-day ingenuity on their ranch, leaving Keys in the historical record as a thoroughly reinvented man.

As for Scotty, his shenanigans are talked of still in Death Valley. This coming fall, on the weekend of November 4-6, the Ninth Death Val-ley History Conference takes place in Beatty, Nevada, and includes a

talk called, “A Gentleman, A Thief and A Prostitute; The Lies and Lives of Scotty’s Castle.”

An old friend of Bill Keys, desert prospector and gentle-woman Lillian Malcolm, is on the program as part of a liv-ing history presentation—Lunch with Lillian and Louise (Grantham), two of Death Valley’s most famous mining women. It was Malcolm, in fact, who raised the money to post Keys’ bail when he was arrested after the failed ambush.

The history conference is an extraordinary bargain, in-cluding two days of historical papers, three meals, a reception and field trips, and a copy of the Proceedings, for only $125 a head. And conversation with the dedicated history buffs who gather for this semi-yearly event is often as informative and entertaining as the actual presentation.

Most desert stories worth telling, as seen in the offerings of the conference program, which includes 26 high quality presentations of a wide variety of Death Valley history, usually involve some sort of reinvention or transformation. The desert is rough country, and going into it, across it, or up against it, is sure to leave a person changed—for the better or for the worse. Just depends upon the person.

Bill Keys certainly seemed to come to the end of his road transformed for the better, despite another entanglement in an ambush in his later years. That time, he was the one ambushed but killed his attacker and spent time in prison. He was even-tually released with the help of famous author Erle Stanley Gardner, and received a full pardon.

If you’re looking for transformation, for the sight of it, the sound of it, the stories of it, come to the Desert Queen Ranch in Joshua Tree National Park, or go to the Death Valley His-tory Conference in Beatty. Either way, you’ll be drawn into the desert and can’t help but be changed by it.


Did you know that there are over 800 species of flower-ing plants in Joshua Tree National Park? That camels, sloths, and mammoths roamed in the Pinto Basin 2.6

million years ago? Why the rocks look the way they do? That the park has tree frogs! The Desert Institute at Joshua Tree National Park is the adult education program operated through the park’s non-profit partner, Joshua Tree National Park Association. The Institute offers over 100 programs a year, one to three-day field classes, lectures in the park’s gateway communities, and custom-designed programs for families and groups.

As a Pacific Northwest native, when I saw the high des-ert for the first time in the fall of 2004, I looked out over the golden landscape and was fascinated by the layers of brown, the dazzling sun, and the “Dr. Seussian” looking plants. While curious about this immense land, my understanding of the desert was that of a visitor who did not really see the intricacy of the park. I did not know then how much the desert would become a part of my life.

After arriving to live in Twentynine Palms in 2006, I started learning about this desert wonderland from the natural science to cultural history to the arts. As the director of the Desert Institute, I have the privilege of working with people who are knowledgeable about and value the park. What I didn’t real-ize when I came to the park in 2004 was how alive the desert is—it is teeming with life. It is a subtle landscape that invites you to take a closer look and discover that this place has more than meets the eye. To see the desert, is what the Desert In-stitute offers. Whether that view is through a camera lens or a botanist’s Latin description—there is always more to learn and discover. To experience a sunset over the Pinto Basin or an all-day adventure in the park with no footsteps to follow, is the beginning of an unending quest for understanding of the desert’s past and future.

Why take a Desert Institute program? What the Desert Institute offered me was a feeling of connection to the park because I understood a little more about this landscape. When I go to the park now, it is like I am going home to see old friends. I visit the orchids in 49 Palms Oasis each spring, the rocks in the Wonderland, and enjoy interpreting the desert’s stories through tracking.

Whether your interest is in astronomy, mining, or poetry, the Desert Institute offers multiple ways to facilitate connect-

The Joshua Tree National Park Association has partnered with Joshua Tree National Park since 1962. Known then as the Natural History Association, the goal of the pairing

has been the same since the beginning; a mission to assist with preservation, education, historic and science programs for the benefit of the park and its visitors. The JTNPA provides information specialists to the visitor centers to help the interpetive rangers teach the general public about the park. Sales of annual passes are available through the Joshua Tree visitor centers. Books are available on just about every subject related to the park—rock climbing, wildflowers, hikes, desert Indians, birds, insects, critters—and there are informative DVD’s available as well. The Desert Institute is the adult education program spon-sored by the JTNPA. There are classes offered in the spring and fall that are based on the park and surrounding areas. Also, as a partner with the Old School House Museum, the second Friday’s lectures are informative and up close and personal. An event that has became the association’s annual fund-raiser is the Joshua Tree National Park Art Festival, held the first weekend in April. Artist wares reflect the park and the surrounding desert. The show has many admirers coming back every year to find a new treasure. 2012 will be the celebration of the show’s 20th year. If there is one thing that the Joshua Tree National Park Association wants people to know is that the park belongs to everyone. There is really something for every generation, every family member. Wonder and wanders abound. So come on out and enjoy your national park in your own backyard.

– Marian Tremblay Joshua Tree National Park Association

The Joshua Tree National Park Association and the Desert Institute have a number of activities, events, and fundraisers taking place this year as part of the 75th Anniversary celebra-tion of Joshua Tree National Park. Please check our calendar, or www.joshuatree.org for more information.

ing to this unique and amaz-ing place. My hope is that the Desert Institute offers the opportunity for people to experience Joshua Tree Na-tional Park and surround-ing desert lands, through education and find meaning in the desert landscape for themselves.

Come out to the park and take a program. You will be surprised and delighted by the beauty and diversity of the desert.

– Karina White Director, Desert Institute


There’s no doubt about it—wildlife habitat is under pressure all across America, threatening the continued viability of numerous plant and animal species, as well

as the overall ecological health of entire regions.Encroaching development is leading to habitat fragmen-

tation and isolation, reducing genetic viability, increasing incidences of disease and stresses on populations dealing with limitations on habitat size, rangeland, food and water sources, intrusions into breeding areas, and interruption of migratory patterns, while adding stressors such as the introduction of non-native species with the resultant competition for increas-ingly limited resources.

Development comes in many forms, from residential sprawl to industrialization, road building to power corridors. As ecosystems get divided, reduced in size, and transformed into “islands” of habitat, the odds begin to get stacked against species who call these ecological islands home.

The concept of creating wildlife corridors—linkages—be-gan with the thought of connecting these fragmented areas of habitat to keep their ecosystems as healthy as possible amidst the variety of external pressures imposed upon them. For a time, the concept was somewhat controversial, but when studies began to show that, while frequently not as good as preserving larger areas of contiguous habitat free from development, cor-ridors worked in helping to keep ecosystems functioning and species healthier than they were in isolation.

According to the National Geographic, more than 800 or-

ganizations in the US and Canada are using wildlife corridors, creating “webs of protected habitat.” Internationally, corridors are being used to support species that are endangered or threat-ened by habitat loss, fragmentation, and isolation. Connecting islands of habitat with linkages even figures into strategies for coping with global climate change.

In 2008, the Western Governors’ Association launched their Wildlife Corridors Initiative and created the Western Wildlife Habitat Council. The initiative served to note that linkages had become an accepted tool in trying to mitigate the ecological damage caused by development.

“Change is occurring in the region at a pace that is difficult for decision-makers at all levels to track and accommodate,” the WGA noted in establishing this initiative. “This rapid change is happening on many fronts, including unprecedented population growth and associated land-use impacts, energy development to meet growing demands and reduce dependence on foreign supplies, and new transportation infrastructure. Pos-sible climate change poses further challenges for the region, with scientists projecting greater climate extremes, including increases in drought. These fast-paced changes are resulting in notable landscape impacts—including habitat loss and habitat fragmentation—ultimately impacting the West’s wildlife and aquatic resources.”

The WGA noted healthy ecosystems and abundant wildlife are important economic drivers, especially for rural communi-ties that benefit from tourism and outdoor recreation. As an

example, the WGA noted in western states, nearly 44 million people participated in hunting, fishing, or wildlife watching in 2006, spending nearly $34 billion. With nearly 50 million people across America enjoying camping, about 35 million fish-ing, almost 60 million hiking, and close to 70 million watching wildlife in one manner or another, preserving outdoor recreation opportunities—and the lands and ecosystems that keep them healthy—makes solid economic sense.

But the WGA concluded wildlife in the West, and the integritiy of the ecosystems that sustain them, are at risk. Threats the WGA listed include land use and development, transportation infrastructure (they noted vehicle collisions with wildlife has grown by 50 percent in the 15 years leading up to their 2008 report), energy projects and power lines, oil and gas development (and this was prior to the new fracking and “green” power gold rush), and climate change (which stands to eliminate much, if not eventually all, of the Joshua tree forests within Joshua Tree National Park).

In a modest office in downtown Joshua Tree, one organiza-tion is doing their best to preserve ecological integrity of desert wildlands: the Mojave Desert Land Trust.

The land trust was formed in 2005 to help preserve fragile ecosystems within the Mojave Desert. Much of their work has focused on obtaining inholdings, privately held lands within national parks or other protected lands, and conveying them to the agency responsible for administration of the park, preserve, or wilderness area.

“Most of the time, the property owners are thrilled to hear from you,” noted Kimberly Bowers, director of communica-tions for the land trust. She explained that many of the inholding parcels within locations like Joshua Tree National Park, have been passed down in a family and the current owners may never have even been to the property. Looking at a map of inhold-ings in the park, that’s easy to understand. Quite a few don’t appear to have any formal route to access them, making them more valuable as habitat than any other option.

Bowers said the total number of parcels acquired by the Mojave Desert Land Trust stands at 537 (and may have gone 36 The Sun Runner – June/July 2011

up since our interview). A total of approximately 28,000 acres are protected in fee title, in other words, owned by the land trust, with 166 parcels, and more than 10,000 acres, conveyed to the National Park Service. Lands, like Nolina Peak, and Quail Mountain, contingent to Joshua Tree National Park, have been some of the higher profile successes of the land trust, which ac-quired these lands to protect the integrity of ecosystems connecting the park to out-side areas of wildlife habitat.

The Quail Mountain acquisition, for instance, is a 955 acre parcel on the north-ern boundary of Joshua Tree National Park that will help preserve a portion of a wild-life corridor connecting the park with areas to the north. The linkages and corridors

the land trust has mapped out, create a web of interconnection between the park and numerous other locations of habitat. The Quail Mountain habitat is part of a wildlife corridor for bighorn sheep, mule deer, badger, mountain lions, and dozens of bird species. On its own, Quail Mountain provides superb habitat for the threatened desert tortoise. This and other linkages help connect the park with the San Bernardino Mountains, and serve as corridors for the movement of bobcat, coyote, desert tortoise—even the Pacific Kangaroo Rat, Bowers noted.

The land trust partners with a number of organizations to acquire lands for preservation. Partners in the Quail Mountain project included the Department of the Navy (through the Ma-rine Corps Air Ground Combat Center in Twentynine Palms), which provided $431,000 to acquire conservation easements on the land, and Copper Mountain College, which supplied $90,000 to the project to fulfill a required mitigation require-ment to protect 30 acres of tortoise habitat.

Other land trust partners include Joshua Tree National Park (along with Death Valley and the Mojave National Preserve), the National Parks Conservation Association, Joshua Basin Water District, the Joshua Tree Chamber of Commerce, Defenders of Wildlife, the Morongo Basin Conservation Association, Bureau of Land Management, US Fish & Wildlife Service, California Department of Fish & Game, the Morongo Basin Open Space Group, the Sonoran Institute, Desert Managers Group, the Conservation Land Acquisition Work Group, and others.

Of course, the Mojave Desert Land Trust doesn’t just buy land to convey it to the national park. It also helps restore lands, removing tons of debris (including 26 Ford Pintos from a property within the Mojave National Preserve, and hundreds of two liter water bottles that had to be airlifted out by helicopter from one site). The land trust provides stewardship for lands, volunteer training, education and outreach, along with raising funds for accquiring more pieces of the wildlife corridor puzzle.

In a world where critical wildlife habitat continues to be divided, developed, and degraded, connecting the habitat that remains, becomes imperative. The Mojave Desert Land Trust is helping forge the links to keep our desert parks healthy.

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Put forth thine hand now, and touch all that he hath, and he will curse thee to thy face. And the LORD said unto Satan, Behold, all that he hath is in thy power; only upon himself

put not forth thine hand. So Satan went forth from the presence of the LORD.

– The Book of Job

There is something about the trials and endurance of this couple, these stubborn jojoba farmers from the desert, that draws me back to The Book of Job. I’ve never fully

understood that lesson, or why God felt it necessary to hand Job over to Satan to be tormented. It almost comes across as if God and Satan staked bets over how Job would react to his trials, which from a distinctly human perspective, seems more than a little mean.

They haven’t just endured plagues of locusts (the cause of which would surprise you), droughts, hard times with no money, and so much more. Maybe it is this couple’s seemingly endless battle, 24 years now, sometimes nearly friendless, against the largest garbage dump in the world being, well, dumped right on the border of Joshua Tree National Park. For the better part of two dozen years, Donna and Larry Charpied have fought the Eagle Mountain Landfill—all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court (with a few friends like the National Parks Conservation Association)—and won.

Much of the money spent in this battle has been their own, and they still owe plenty. The Sierra Club’s local chapter once wanted to contribute around $20,000 to help with their legal

expenses. The Sierra Club folks at the national level put a stop to it. A Sierra Club bigshot told me they didn’t have a position on the Eagle Mountain dump. Some environmentalists.

With what they’ve spent, and what they’ve endured, from threats to occasionally getting roughed up, it might have made more sense for the Charpieds to have just built themselves a nice house and looked the other way.

But they didn’t.Instead, they continue to live in a vintage trailer, with an

“office” tacked on in front, and a palapa-style porch. They don’t have a lot of material wealth, but they have something those of us who choose the desert as our home value perhaps more than money: the desert itself.

All around their organic jojoba farm (these two are incred-ibly knowledgeable about jojoba, and why this fascinating plant isn’t being seriously considered as the desert’s sustain-able answer to imported oil is a question I think deserves more discussion), the Chuckwalla Valley stretches out to the nearby mountain ranges of Joshua Tree National Park. It is one of the more desolate paradises I can imagine, but it remains a paradise, nonetheless. For now.

Donna and Larry have built their life on this land, and they know it well. Not just the jojoba, a desert plant they have learned to cultivate to produce better than anyone else, but the washes and desert pavement all around their 10 acre home, complete with several thousand jojoba bushes.

Today, I’m walking that area near their jojoba farm with them, going from one tortoise burrow to the next. This is prime desert tortoise habitat here. We don’t see tortoises on our short walk, but we find plenty of tortoise scat, and the shell of a long-


dead tortoise bleaches white outside one burrow.The washes are laced with hundreds of critter holes of one

sort or another, as if this entire area is more urban than rural if you were to count all its residents, not just the humans. But evidently, critters don’t count. Neither do jojoba farmers.

Donna and Larry barely had time to relish their Supreme Court win over the dump (a win they say Kaiser and company are now trying to figure out how to get around), before facing their next challenge, this time in the form of a six square mile industrial solar power plant that is planned to surround their organic jojoba farm on three sides. The project is ironically named “Desert Sunlight.”

They found out about it in a rather unorthodox fashion. In other words, the way things normally happen in the desert.

“This Desert Sunlight guy shows up at the door with a 12-pack of beer,” Donna says, of their introduction to the project several years ago. “He says, ‘So, what do you want?’”

Larry arrived shortly afterwards, and the two raised a question about water useage by the project.

“A young lady with him said they were never going to wash the panels, that the spring rains would wash them off,” Donna notes, while Larry tallies up the number of multi-year droughts that regularly occur in the Chuckwalla Valley.

Donna and Larry are rightfully concerned about this proj-ect. In an irony not lost on the couple, they may find that they have battled for 24 years to protect the desert they love, only to lose everything to a new threat.38 The Sun Runner – June/July 2011

Donna and Larry Charpied, the original, authentic “Jojoba Witnesses” of the California deserts. When not battling giant corporations that want to build the world’s largest garbage dump on the border of Joshua Tree National Park, and a host of other trials and tribulations ranging from industrial solar farms to hydroelectric power projects in the desert, they grow certified organic jojoba. They’ve been hoping to “just” grow the jojoba now for two dozen years, but the Eagle Mountain area is a vortex for desert schemes.

They have concerns over groundwater use of the power project, but they have other concerns which don’t appear to be addressed in the power project’s planning. For instance, how many of the thousands of critters that will be displaced by six square miles of development are going to wind up in their jojoba farm? How will that impact their operations? What about the potential for microclimate changes with the project surrounding their farm on three sides? And what about dust, from construction, and from the scraped desert?

Larry explains that the jojoba plant can’t tell dust from pollen, and reacts the same. He doesn’t know for sure that airborne dust at the right time won’t destroy their jojoba crop, but that’s something they’d rather not find out the hard way.

Meanwhile, another potential use is being pushed for the Eagle Mountain mine: a hydroelectric power plant.

One might think putting a hydroelectric power plant in a desert where there’s no hydro, might be a dumb idea. One might think it is even dumber when they find out it will use more electricity to operate than it will generate.

The plan is to tap into the ancient desert aquifer under the Chuckwalla Valley, and pump it into the bottom pit of the Eagle Mountain mine. Giant tunnels will be bored to connect another mine pit up the hill from the lower pit, and reversible turbines will be installed.

As the plan goes, when power is cheap and plentiful, the turbines will pump the water to the upper pit. When the demand for power is high, the water is set free to flow downhill through the turbines, into the lower pit, generating “green” electricity.

Whenever I think about using electricity in this manner to make electricity that is supposedly green, my head feels like it is going to explode. Is it me, or is the only thing this kind of project makes is money for the people who are running it?

Of course, our Department of the Interior, guardians of our public lands (who are running them more like a Mexican prison than anything else I can think of), keep telling us just how good this all is, and just how green it is. I suppose if you have your head up your “smart” phone long enough, you prob-ably won’t ever be able to pull it out far enough to see what is really going on.

Meanwhile, Donna and Larry still advocate the “Give it Back” campaign, which would return nearly 30,000 acres of land in the Eagle Mountain Range to Joshua Tree National Park, while designating the now-defunct Kaiser mine and the nearby townsite as a National Historic Landmark.

Part of that acreage, 465 acres, was granted to Kaiser for mining-related purposes in 1952 (the other acreage had been removed from the national monument for possible mineral-related purposes). But the law that granteth, also, at least in writing, tooketh away, for in the law it stated that the property “shall revert in fee to the United States” if it was not used for mining-related purposes for a continuous period of seven years. Well, seven years came and went, and Kaiser still is trying to work a deal that includes land they don’t even own.

The sun is starting to get low in the sky by the time I can tear myself away from this desert paradise. Donna and Larry are smiling and holding hands, and I’d say they were the very picture of the salt of the earth, but I’m afraid if I did, someone’d come and try to mine it. The very best of people sometimes emerge from the very worst of times. They wave goodbye.

As I drive away, I think about Job.

But where shall wisdom be found? And where is the place of understanding? Man knoweth not the price thereof; neither is it found in the land

of the living.

April, 2011, Big Morongo Canyon Preserve. I’m standing beneath a large cottonwood along the boardwalk at the preserve with a group of birdwatchers. Their eyes are

focused on the antics of several magnificent red-tailed hawk fledglings high in the canopy. One of the fledglings, as if on cue, hops from the disheveled nest of sticks to a tree limb, stretching its powerful wings, anticipating a day when it will soar high above the earth. The birdwatchers on the ground shuffle their feet on the boardwalk, crane their sore necks and exchange notes about the coming of spring, birth and growth.

This scene and countless others that play out between people and wildlife, is why Big Morongo Canyon is so special. It’s hard to imagine that just over a year ago, the Big Morongo Canyon area was threatened by Green Path North, an 80-mile transmission line that would have eviscerated this unique eco-system and done irreparable harm to its wild creatures. The project, the brainchild of the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power, purportedly would have carried “green” energy from wind and solar resources in the Imperial Valley to Los Angelinos. But it’s hard to view this project as “green” after considering its environmental impacts. It would have required a 330 foot right of way and up to 220 foot transmission lines snaking their way across the desert floor.

Fortunately, our desert communities, led by community activists and conservationists, repelled Green Path North. The lesson is an inspiration for anybody who has ever fought a David vs. Goliath battle, but it also speaks to the increasing pressure for development in our California desert and the value

of permanently protecting our natural and cultural heritage.The pressure for development in the California desert is

tangible and is related to increased population and increased competition for our natural resources. In the California desert we are squeezed between the vast metropolitan areas of Los Angeles and Las Vegas Metropolitan. Southern California has almost 25 million people and almost 2 million live in Clark County, Nevada. It’s likely that in the future more people will come to our region to enjoy the affordable cost of living, wonderful weather and outstanding recreational opportunities.

In addition to population growth, there’s a great deal of pressure to develop the desert for renewable energy. The Bu-reau of Land Management and Department of Energy recently published the Solar Programmatic Environmental Impact State-ment, a plan to develop solar energy resources on public lands in six western states. The preferred alternative to the Solar PEIS would allow for 22 million acres of Bureau of Land Manage-ment land to be opened to solar development while another alternative would focus solar development on 676,000 acres of newly designated Solar Energy Zones. Whatever your views on renewable energy, it’s likely to change the character of the California desert and her communities.

So how do we protect special ecological areas like Big Morongo Canyon Preserve? How do we ensure that historic sites and archaeological resources remain for future genera-tions? What’s the best way to preserve unparalleled recreational opportunities?

What’s needed is planning at the regional level and while


imperfect, legislation offers us the best way for us to conserve our unique lands and communities. Adding an extra layer of protection through special land designations can prevent misguided projects like Green Path North, guide and mitigate renewable energy development, preserve habitat for rare and sensitive species, and balance recreational opportunities in the California desert.

Senator Dianne Feinstein’s California Desert Protection Act of 2011 does exactly that. The bill creates two new national monuments, wilderness areas, wild and scenic river segments and national park additions for the Mojave National Preserve, Death Valley National Park and Joshua Tree National Park.

Once enacted, the CDPA of 2011 will create the following:941,000 acre Mojave Trails National Monument134,000 acre Sand to Snow National Monument250,000 acres of wilderness76 miles of Wild and Scenic River segments alongDeep Creek, Amargosa River, Surprise Creek and theWhitewater RiverMojave National Preserve additions – 29,000 acresDeath Valley National Park additions – almost 40,000 acresJoshua Tree National Park – almost 3,000 acresIt protects Big Morongo Canyon Preserve as part of the

Sand to Snow National Monument, so that future generations of enthusiastic birdwatchers and fledgling red tailed hawks can thrive. It also promotes tourism—the lifeblood of many California desert communities. In fact, the 2003 Report by Defenders of Wildlife “Economic Oasis” states that in 2003 outdoor recreationists spent more than $230 million dollars visiting the Mojave Region and an additional $145 million dollars were spent on trips to Joshua Tree National Park, Death Valley National Park and the Mojave National Preserve.

The impacts of this crucial legislation will be felt far into the future. The legislation calls for a study of how climate change will impact the lands protected by the bill and preserve critical wildlife corridors like those that link the high, cool San Bernardino Mountains with the lower elevation Mojave Desert. As our climate changes, animals will be able to roam to seek food, shelter and successful reproductive sites.

Back beneath the cottonwood at Big Morongo Canyon, the red-tailed hawk fledglings continue to amaze the crowd. One fledgling grasps a branch in its beak while another hops toward the edge of the nest, peering down at strange creatures in floppy hats with large, black projecting eyeballs. The birding scrum eventually moves down the boardwalk toward Covington Park. Will the red-tailed hawks nest again next year? That’s any-body’s guess, but ensuring that Big Morongo Canyon remains a wild and magical place is something we all can play a role in by supporting the California Desert Protection Act of 2011.

Seth Shteir is California desert field representative for the National Parks Conservation Association.



DeRangeR Steve

JoShua tRee –the BackSiDe

One hundred years ago the area now known as Joshua Tree Na-tional Park was a home for all

the elements of a good western: min-ing, cattle ranching, farming, outlaws, a famous gunfight and of course our own rich eccentric widow Minerva Hoyt who was responsible for a few pen scratches in 1936 that took this inhospitable piece of desert and turned it into Joshua Tree National Monument. At that time Bill and Frances Keys were the owners of the Desert Queen Ranch. Most prospectors had left, leav-ing hundreds of abandon mines, claims, and tons of equipment at places like the Elton, Eagle Cliff and Silver Bell mines. Today around a million and a half visi-tors drive through the park every year, most stopping only for a moment or two to snap a few photos, not realizing the history around them. Some stop and take short walks at places like Cap Rock and the Cholla Garden. Many spend just a few minutes at any stop. A typical four-hour bus tour only gives its passengers 45-60 minutes off the coach, if that.An even smaller group of people come to the park to camp, play, climb the rocks and explore. Only who’s really seen what’s in the park? How many visitors go out into Pinto Basin? How many of you have been out there? While Matt Riley met a grisly end in the mid-summer heat of 1905 trying to cross the basin on foot, we can do it in air conditioned comfort in less than half an hour. We can explore the Old Dale Min-ing District in the mountains just outside park boundaries and imagine what it took to bring every single item—including water—across the desert to extract gold from them thar’ hills.

Pinto Basin must have been a busy place in the early 20th century. Stop in the middle of the basin and contemplate where you are. Take a look around, a full 360 degrees, and ask yourself, “Where is the nearest town?” Twentynine Palms, 25 miles to the northwest across the basin and over the mountains; the same ones you’ve seen in all those westerns where the hero has to cross a vast expanse on foot with no water. The main road is only 5.5 miles away with the nearest water at Cottonwood Springs Oasis, 11 miles distant, both to the southwest. Think you can make it? Riley thought he could and didn’t; he died a couple hundred feet from the waters of Cottonwood Springs. The jump-off point for Pinto Basin is about five miles northwest of the Cot-tonwood Springs Visitor Center as you drive into the park (about 13-15 miles north of Interstate 10. At a sudden left bend in the road (a right bend if going the other way) there is a large pullout. You’ll see a sign with a map and historical com-ment, an appropriate warning about the backcountry, and two dirt roads. To the left, the Old Dale Mine Road, suitable but not recommended for two-wheel drive. I have seen RV’s and motorhomes out there though, rescued ‘em too. The other is Black Eagle Mine Road and is 4-wheel-drive-only starting about six miles out. Turn south off Park Blvd. and onto Geology Tour Road; that takes you to Squaw Tank, a natural catch basin for water, beyond that is Pleasant Valley and the Little San Bernadino Mountains between hi-desert and low. The drive takes you by the Gold Coin Mine and to a little known back entrance to the park: Berdoo Canyon. The top entrance in Pleasant Valley is marked with a sign that says “To Dillon Road.” The bottom of Berdoo Canyon is entered five miles north of Interstate 10 off Dillon Road in the Coachella Valley west of Indio. From one end to the other it’s 25 miles. At one time a black-topped road went north from the bottom of the canyon a few miles to where work on the Colorado River Aque-duct was taking place. Crossing the desert above ground and below, the aqueduct brings irrigation water from the Colorado River through the Coachella Valley to the City of Los(t) Angeles where most of it is wasted watering despicably green lawns. Lost to history is a tiny footnote. Along the aqueduct at a few entrances to the underground canal works, some chambers were converted to fallout shel-ters during the cold war, complete with supplies. Once these shelters were cre-ated the entrances were buried in rubble,

to protect them from being found and raided for supplies. From a tale related to me by “Capt.” Bruce Poynter, one-time firefighter and later a guide; his job in the event of nuclear war was to go out with a crew to the shelters and open them up. Bruce once showed me where a shelter entrance was supposedly buried east of Fargo Canyon. Looking at the mountains you couldn’t tell anything was there, just a pile of what looked like mine tailings. Yet supposedly underneath was a shelter set up to keep hundreds of people safe in the aftermath of a nuclear attack. If true, there may be other shelters along the aqueduct.Just two miles from the interstate is the now-closed Fargo Canyon; a rough but nice ride to a dead-end. Mostly used by ORVs and SUVs in violation of Riverside County’s Off Road Driving Ordinances there are many existing legal trails and roads there to ride on safely with the closed areas well posted. Continuing east past Fargo Canyon out Aqueduct Road is the bottom entrance to Pinkham Canyon. Another little known back entrance to the park and the way into the Snow Cloud Mine. The easiest and best way to see Pinkham Canyon is from the top down. The entrance is a wide, gated road just a third mile south of the Cottonwood Springs Visitor Center. Most people who enter Pinkham Canyon from either end only go in a few miles. The trip from top to bottom is a 25 mile adventure for those who want a nice day of off-road driving with a few challenges thrown in and a stop at Snow Cloud Mine. Four-wheel drive only and better have a get-me-out-kit just in case. Keep your eyes open for trail markers and warning signs left by previous travelers You’re gonna need them.There are adventures on foot. While pic-turesque, the areas in and around Key’s Ranch, Wall Street Mill and Barker Dam are easy to access, making it a bit crowd-ed. For the more adventurous there are hikes out to the base of Pinto Mountain or the Eldorado Mine. Be prepared, for while it looks flat, these are strenuous hikes only for experienced hikers.Over the years the number of visitors has increased while the far reaches of the park have been quietly explored by those of us who still want a bit more than shoving a camera out the window. The backside of the park, the Lower Colorado part of the Sonoran Desert, is an incredible place to visit; it holds many secrets and is one of a very few easily accessible places where you can go and actually feel what is Joshua Tree National Park. Je~ne. Email: [email protected]

June/July 2011 – The Sun Runner 37June/July 2011 – The Sun Runner 43

The Joshua tree like all plants can teach us a lot about the environ-ment that they inhabit, so we must

understand the mechanism of each plant to understand them and their environ-ment. With that in mind we know that all plants have a particular temperature sunlight, water, and soil condition that they need to grow.

So let’s start with temperature we know that the Joshua tree rarely grows below 3000 feet and rarely above about 6500. What this tells us is this the Joshua tree can withstand high temperatures but not as high as the Palo Verde or smoke tree. Then at the other end of the scale it can withstand freezing temperatures but only to a point.

Also because of its particular de-sign, the area around a Joshua tree and a Joshua tree grove tend to be a cooler place. The reason for this is that the design and shape of the Joshua tree; in particular a mature Joshua tree casts a large and dense shadow on the ground. And one can often trace out this shadow on the ground by the smaller plants that grow there. Another unique feature of this design is that it reflects the sun’s radiant energy back up into the moving air and away from the ground. Unlike the Mesquite or the smoke tree that will reflect a large amount of this energy to the ground on their South side.

Now when it comes to water the Joshua has its own way of doing things as well. It has an unusually stringy root system that allows it to collect water deep in the soil very efficiently. And is rarely found in an area where the water velocity is high or where it is in danger of being washed out.

Likewise it’s unusual to find one on a steep and rocky slope. Rather it tends

to like flatter terrain with a deep and loamy soil that is pri-marily made up from de-composed granite.

So for o n e w h o wonders the desert there’s a key attribute to this soil con-dition that one should be keenly aware o f .

For this type of soil is soft enough dig-ging in and yet strong enough to support a tunnel. There for the Joshua tree often marks out this key attribute in the desert environment where animals as diverse as the kit fox and the tarantula can make their home. Allowing them to live and prosper here where otherwise they could not.

It is deep in these holes with their relatively mild temperatures they can preserve their body’s moisture in the summer months. Likewise in the winter months they can preserve their body’s temperature without burning precious calories.

Another interesting fact about the Joshua tree is that it rarely acts alone, or another way one could say this, is that if Joshua trees were animals they would be a herd animal. So in order for one to understand the tree one is also understand the forest.

For example when you walk through a Joshua tree forest sometimes you’ll find one or two Joshua trees that are larger than the rest. To understand this we have to fully comprehend all the attributes that we have been talking about as well as time. And that is not to say that these one or two trees are simply older than the rest although that might also be true.

Another reason for their size may be that they have collected more water throughout their lifetime. Due to such things as the lay of the land, quality of soil,and the size and density of their own shadow.

Often when you find a tree or two like this, you will have also found a place where the birds of prey have perched for a very long time. And because of that many of their limbs will be covered with white bird droppings, and one might also find

small skulls and other body parts lying around their base.

This of course will fertilize these trees and help them grow bigger and healthier than most of the other trees, which will attract even more birds and more fertilizer and so on. Thus we have a feedback loop which is a primal force of nature that we see throughout all en-vironments.

Now we can see how the individual birds of prey can affect the individual Joshua tree and the individual Joshua tree can affect the birds of prey, and they’re both an integral part of the Joshua tree forest.

So if we look at these one or two large trees and try to understand them in the context of the Joshua tree forest we will find that there are many different directions that we could go to achieve this understanding.

But for now let’s start with the wind, the wind is an element of creation that flows through the Joshua tree forest and has all kinds of effects. For one a stand of Joshua trees can slow down the wind and allow dust and sand to accumulate on the desert floor thus changing the soil composition.

Another condition brought about by the wind in the Joshua tree forest is noise a kind of noise that can be either a soft whisper or a roaring sound depending on the speed of the wind. This sound can have a tremendous effect on the behavior of some animals both predator and prey because it can affect what they can be aware of, and what is aware of them.

For me the Joshua tree forest has always been a fairly complex place yet in its own way a very stable place. It seems when a Joshua tree forests experiences good times it just gets thicker. And in bad times it seems to thin out a bit. Either way it doesn’t seem to gain or lose much territory through the ages.

However, one must see this through the lifespan of a Joshua tree, or perhaps through the lifespan of a Joshua tree for-est. Sometimes you can get a sense of this when you walk through the edge of a Joshua tree grove and see that it is not bordered by dead trees or young ones.Although you may find some that are smaller and stunted, but quite old.

These are just some of the many ways of the Joshua tree. I hope these ideas and concepts will increase the depth and beauty of your own personal experi-ence when you walk the desert.

To go deeper into the desert, visitwww.thewayofthings.org


According to the 11th of July, 1897 San Francisco Call newspaper: Randsburg sprang up like a mushroom in the night. It was a case of “now you don’t see it and

now you do,” and in a twinkling there stood an American town. And because it happened to be an American town instead of a town in France or England or in South Africa, it had to have a Fourth of July in capital letters and celebrate the same as though it were a town dating from the American Revolution. Since the Fourth of July fell on Sunday in 1897 it was decided that festivities would be held the day before. The alarm clock that morning was reported to have been dynamite guns, fired at five a.m. after which “all was a-bustle and astir.” With that sort of wake-up call, one can only imagine! An article in the 8th of July edition of the Los Angeles Times noted that preparations had been going on for days with flags and bunting everywhere. Decorations were described as artistic and some decorations were even said to have been “no discredit to a large city.” Miners crowded into Randsburg through the morning hours and a swell of patriotic pride grew. As the Call put it: A town’s first Fourth of July! An event almost as important as the town’s first awakening into existence. Randsburg’s celebrations pretty well followed the usual sequence of that time’s Independence Day observance’s. At 12.30 p.m. a parade began with the Grand Marshall, Recorder Maginnis, on a high-stepping horse accompanied by four men also on horseback. Immediately following was Claude Bohan-nan holding what was described as a “magnificent flag.” Following the flag bearer was the curiosity…perhaps what the Call was referring to as “a combination of the beautiful and the grotesque” and what the author of Desert Bonanza dismissed by suggesting that the camp correspondent who submitted the account to the Times may have just downed a boilermaker. The Times reported: Following the flag was a four-horse team drawing a deco-rated float filled with small boys and girls, with the Goddess of Liberty, elaborately gotten up, seated in the middle. The goddess was represented by a smooth-faced young man about seven feet in height with long flaxen hair falling loosely down his back and attired in a loosely flowing linen robe. The god-

dess affected the same costume throughout all the exercises of the afternoon and attracted more attention, if not admiration, than anybody else on the ground. Decorated floats and bicycles, donkeys and many men on foot followed this curious float as the parade wound around Randsburg. The afternoon was highlighted by a ball game between Garlock and Randsburg, which Garlock won 11 to 6. Further challenges such as a sack race and a wheelbarrow race were held, followed by a tug-of-war between 10 married men and 10 single men. The singles won, and for their toil received a box of good cigars. The last of the afternoon events was a greased pig chase which found about 150 men, boys and dogs chasing the slicked pig which had run into the crowd and nearly ruined several women’s dresses by leaving grease spots. The crowd then dis-persed until 8 p.m. when it reassembled for speeches, songs and the reading of the Declaration of Independence. Amazingly this desert crowd still had the energy to finish up their day with a dance! When you come out to Randsburg this summer, try to imagine the happiness of those early residents on that hot and dusty July day when they chose to celebrate freedom. As you walk along the same streets free your 21st century imagination to celebrate along with them….

Both the sketch, below, and the photo, left, are of the 1897 Randsburg Independence Day parade down Butte Avenue. The sketch was published in the San Francisco Call, with the flag bearer mentioned in this story, while the “Goddess” of Liberty may be following on the float behind.

The fourth annual Bhakti Fest will honor the desert Sep-tember 8-11 with a unique spin on its signature blend of yoga, music and workshops: Ecology.

“It’s important that we as individuals, communities and tribes honor our connection to the earth as part of our spiritual practice,” says Sridhar Silberfein, founder and director of the four-day event, coined by attendees to be a spiritual woodstock. “There are many ways to explore our reverence to the natural world: choosing high quality food from sustainable sources, admiring scenery on a hike, and of course doing our part to reduce our footprint on the earth. But beyond these ethical guidelines and day-to-day activities there is a spiritual con-nection we can activate in our personal sadhana. I wanted to explore that as a piece of this year’s Bhakti Fest.”

New to the festival this September is a Loyola Marymount-accredited two-day workshop on Yoga and Ecology. Registra-tion is open to everyone and credit will be offered toward those in the LMU Yoga Ecology program, a five-certificate course of study.

Los Angeles-based yoga instructor Sara Ivanhoe kicks off the program Wednesday, September 7, with a pre-fest Green Yoga class, integrating asana with a historical journey through myth, the marriage of Vishnu and Prithivi and the Buddha’s quest for enlightenment.

The second day of the workshop is scheduled post-festival, on Monday, September 12. Following asana with Sara, Dr. Chris Chapple and Dr. Laura Cornell, founder of the Green Yoga Association, will lead workshops on how to integrate yoga practice with environmentally-responsible lifestyle choices. The Monday workshop will also cover elements of Vedic philosophy known as the Earth Verses.

Bhakti Fest is the only festival of its kind to celebrate the specific path of Bhakti yoga—a practice centered around union with the divine through chanting sacred Sanskrit mantra. The festival features around-the-clock kirtan performances by Krishna Das, Donna DeLory, Jai Uttal, Deva Premal & Miten, Wah!, Shantala, and Dave Stringer among others.

“Part of the fun in this festival is the crowd,” says Jeanie Kirk, a Bay Area resident and regular festival-goer. “The en-ergy gets so elevated with all of the singing and dancing. The

feeling of freedom after this kind of practice really cultivates a sense of love and gratitude for everyone and everything…I walk away feeling so much more conscious and that carries into every aspect of my life.”

The festival’s location near Joshua Tree National Park provides the perfect setting to appreciate nature, drawing guests from all over the world to enjoy the stunning desert landscape. Camping and accommodations on-site at the Joshua Tree Re-treat Center invite a feeling of integration with the earth and encourage many to stay longer to explore the area.

An all-star yoga lineup featuring Shiva Rea, Saul David Raye, Seane Corn, Bryan Kest, Mark Whitwell, MC Yogi & Amanda is scheduled to lead a diverse range of classes, from trance dance to Bollywood to more traditional vinyasa and hatha styles.

The festival is also known for workshop and lecture con-tent, the depth and breadth of which satisfies seasoned spiritual practitioners and newcomers alike. Dr. Manoj Chalam is a regu-lar presenter whose topics cover Hindu and Buddhist myths, symbols and ritual. Author and spiritual teacher Ram Dass, is scheduled to deliver a workshop via DVD and Radhanath Swami, author of the book The Journey Home, will appear as a featured presenter.

What Bhakti Fest brings in conscious content is not limited to its programming. The festival boasts one of the purest col-lections of raw, vegan and vegetarian food vendors in addition to many high-quality health and wellness companies offering up supplement samples.

With green food, green yoga and a high-vibe lineup of conscious music, Bhakti Fest is an event that invites us to align with our highest selves and enjoy the desert in its natural beauty.

For more information and Yoga and Ecology workshop registration for Bhakti Fest, visit www.bhaktifest.com. Four-day festival tickets can be purchased online in advance for $300, $450 at the door.

Shannon Skillern is a yogini, fashion designer, marketing, events, and creative services visionary serving the conscious community in Los Angeles. She can be reached via email at [email protected].



Desert Theatre Beat

By Jack Lyons Sun Runner Theatre Editor

For residents and visitors of the hi-desert, the low desert, and all of the Coachella Valley, the 2010/2011

regular Theatre Season is about to become a memory. Here’s what’s still available for theatre lovers over the next couple of hot, sizzling months.

HI-DESERT THEATRES …

Theatre 29 – Twentynine PalmsThe community theatre on Sullivan Road, in its 12th year of producing family-oriented entertainment at the John Calveri Theatre, is the only theatre to remain open all year. Theatre 29 will present “A Funny Thing Happened On the Way To the Forum” as their traditional summer musical show.

The hilarious musical comedy, writ-ten by Burt Shevelove and Larry Gelbart, with music by Stephen Sondheim, is be-ing directed by Gary Daigneault and Ed Will. This show marks their ninth col-laborative production. Theatre 29 shows are given on Fridays and Saturdays at 7 pm beginning July 1-30.

“Funny Thing” will have one Thurs-day performance on July 14, at 7 p.m., and one Sunday performance on July 24, at 2 p.m. For reservations and ticket information call the box office at (760)360-4151.

REGIONAL THEATRES …

C.A.T.S. – Community Arts Theatre Society – Big Bear LakeDuring the hot summer months many desert residents head for the cool Alpine setting of Big Bear Lake to get away from the sizzling temperatures on the desert floor for a week or so. The answer as to what one can do in the mountain resorts during summer theatre-wise is: catch a production one of the finest theatres companies anywhere. C.A.T.S. is the brain-child of Karen Sargent Rachels, a five-foot-two, dynamo of talent, with Broadway experience, who

writes, directs, acts, choreographs, and dances and is the force behind all of their shows.

“Sarge,” as she is affectionately called, is presenting Lerner and Loewe’s “My Fair Lady,” one of the longest run-ning musicals in Broadway history.

The C.A.T.S. acting company has been doing their stuff for years in the Performing Arts Center in Big Bear Lake. Their productions are first-rate, and are visual delights. Tickets go very fast.

I’ve seen many of their productions over the years, and believe me, you’ll have a wonderful time. “My Fair Lady” performs from June 24 through July 10.

Order tickets online at: www.big-beartheatre.org or call (909)866-4970.

LOW DESERT THEATRES …

The Palm Canyon Theatre – Palm SpringsThe only live Equity theatre in the Val-ley just concluded its 14th season. They closed out the season in style with a su-perb production of the rock opera “Rent,” directed by David McLaughlin. The stage of the theatre literally jumped and pulsated with high-octane performances from a cast of 20. If you missed that production make sure you don’t miss their 15th season, which fea-tures eight musicals and two plays. Stay tuned to Desert Theatre Beat for informa-tion. You can always call their box office at (760)323-5123 for season information.

Palm Desert Stage Company – The Arthur Newman Theatre, Palm DesertThose wonderful, wild, and wacky actors from the Palm Desert Stage Company are at it again. They are holding auditions for two shows in their Fall 2011/2012 season. Auditions will be for “It’s a Wonder-ful Life: The Live Radio Play,” and “I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change.” “Wonderful Life” is inspired by the clas-sic American film by Frank Capra and will be performed in period costumes of the 1940’s in front of live audiences. Auditions are being held at The Arthur Newman Theatre on Saturday, June 4 from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. Contact Pro-ducer Colleen Kelley for information and performance schedules at [email protected].

Remember, a great nation deserves great art, so support the arts when and where you can. Middle and high school productions are great training grounds and are wonderfully fertile places to ex-pose our audiences, actors, writers, and directors of the future to the pleasures of live theatre.

– See you at the theatre.

http://www.bigbeartheatre.org/

http://www.bigbeartheatre.org/

mailto:[email protected]

mailto:[email protected]


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760-367-0222FADE IN:

I have long been a fan of the three local movie/film societies available for mem-berships to residents of both the hi-, and low desert communities: The Desert Film Society, The Palm Springs International Film Society, and The Classic Film So-ciety (spearheaded by Christopher Perry up in the hi-desert). The movies screened by these film societies feature both foreign movies (with subtitles) and English language films. Some of the films screened are the latest releases by countries and studios worldwide. The Classic Film Society screens mainly American films, with em-phasis on film noir. All three film orga-nizations deserve your attention. Foreign films bring to life various subcultures and distant lands without you ever having to use your passport or to spend a fortune on travel expenses. Conversely, many homegrown movies allow you to peek into the lives of our various subcultures that otherwise go unnoticed.

The Desert Film Society screens their films at Camelot Theatres in Palm Springs. They have two presentations in June. The first film is a documentary called “Hey, Boo: Harper Lee & To Kill A Mockingbird.” This intriguing docu-mentary examines the untold story behind a great American novel.

Fifty years after winning the Pulitzer Prize, “To Kill A Mockingbird,” writ-ten by Harper Lee, remains a beloved bestseller and quite possibly the most influential American novel of the 20th century. The film explores Lee’s life and unravels some of the mysteries sur-rounding her, including why she never published again. It’s a compelling film

and one not to be missed. It screens June 4 at 9:30 a.m. sharp!

The Society’s second film screening on June 18 at the Camelot Theatres is the French film “Les femmes du 6eme etage” (with English subtitles). “Service Entrance,” is a story is set in 1960 Paris. Jean-Louis Joubert lives a peaceful, yet boring, bourgeois existence, with his so-cialite wife and his job at the finance of-fice. When a group of exuberant Spanish maids move into the servants’ quarters of their building, the family’s life is turned upside down. Jean-Louis unexpectedly bonds with them, especially with the young and pretty Maria. It’s a story the French do so very well.

Again, the doors at the Camelot The-atre open at 9 a.m. and the movie screens at 9:30 a.m. There are complimentary refreshments available, and screenings are free to Desert Film Society members. Tickets are $15 at the door for non-mem-bers. A Q & A session follows the film.

The Palm Springs International Film Society screens films for their members at the Regal Theatres in downtown Palm Springs. However, from June 21 thru 27, the largest short film festival in North America will come rolling through town. Upwards of 30,000 attendees including: writers, producers, directors, film execs and distributors, along with film junkies and fans from all over the world will descend on the Coachella Valley for the Palm Springs International ShortFest. There will be over 330 films from 50 countries on hand for viewing, with all screenings taking place at the Camelot Theatres.

Palm Springs International Short-Fest is renowned worldwide for the extraordinary community of filmmakers it attracts, and for the quality and scope of its programming.

If you love short films of all stripes, this is the festival for you, and it’s right here in our own backyard. Ticket packag-es are available now. Call (760)778-8979, or visit wwwpsfilmfest.org for tickets.

And don’t miss the ShortFest On-line Film Festival. Ten films have been chosen to represent the festival online and will play on a special section of the website (www.psfilmfest.org/shortfest). Online voting for these films will be available with the ShortFest Online Au-dience Award announced at the Award Ceremony on cflosing night, Sunday, June 26.

The ShortFest Online Film Festival will continue to play online for two months past the end of the film festival.

FADE OUT:


Eric Burdon’s 70th birthday party was held at the Rim Rock Ranch in May. With music from Big Blue Trac-tor and the “Sky Pilot” himself taking the stage for such

classics as “Spill the Wine” and “When I was Young.” What a joyous occasion to celebrate a legend and a wonderful man for everyone in attendance, especially me. When I first moved here 15 years ago I thought there would be no music until I saw Eric play at Pappy and Harriet’s in Pioneertown and I knew everything was going to be all right and I could stop singing “We Gotta Get out of this Place.” I really enjoyed staying at the cozy Rim Rock Ranch Cabins that night and the great new friends I met. A Big thank you to Eric and Marianna, Jim Austin and crew and master of the Bar-B-Q, Josh Hemmingway. The Smittens from Burlington, Vermont, played a surprise show at the Art Queen in Joshua Tree along with Shari Elf and the Kittens. What started off as a whim at a party, The Smittens have grown into one of the country’s best-loved underground indie pop quintets and they did not disappoint. They were quite smitten with Joshua Tree themselves and I am sure they will return in the near future. On Cinco de Mayo, the Red Arrow Gallery in Joshua Tree presented Cathy Penny’s history of flamenco. A fun and informative event with rare film and dance, and special guests Johnette Napolitano of Concrete Blonde and master of flamenco guitar from the band Flametal, Ben Woods. Cathy and Johnette blew us all away with their flamenco and Ben and Johnette did an acoustic version of Concrete Blonde’s “Mexican Moon.” Concrete Blonde is slated to play The West Lake Festival in Hangzhou China in June. The John Linn Band helped kick off the opening to Stage-coach at the Date Shed in Indio. With new band member ad-ditions Rick Chaffee on lead guitar, Tony Mason on bass and Lana Jazo on vocals, John says, “It is the best band I have ever had in my life.” They also rocked Grubstake Days in Yucca Valley and are getting ready to head out on tour.

Australia’s The Red Paintings were in town and sat in recently at Ted Quinn’s reality show at Pappy and Harriet’s, and from what I saw on their blog they had a great time “going back in time,” as they called it. The reality/open mic is every Monday night. Why not come up and join in the fun? Anthony Bourdain from the Travel Channel’s “No Reser-vations,” was also up at Pappy’s filming a segment with Josh Homme from Queens Of The Stone Age. Check your local listings for air dates. Once again, the Memorial Day celebration and concert at the Joshua Tree Memorial park was a fun event for all ages. With music from The Shadow Mountain Band, Shawn Mafia and the Ten Cent Thrills, and Rabbit and Rutherford, we are so glad this tradition has continued. Club Napoleon in Joshua Tree has also been hosting some great shows including the recent Extreme Metal Sunday with the DirtBoys. We wish Damian Tiner of the DirtBoys best wishes as he moves to San Diego to explore greener pastures. Don’t miss Holly Golightly & the Brokeoffs at Pappy and Harriet’s on June 26, taking a break from their tour with Wanda Jackson. I am getting excited already for the seventh annual

The John Linn Band kicking off Stagecoach, above.


Cracker/Camper van Beethoven camp out which is going to be held on Sept. 16-17 at Pappy’s. Yes, I always rave about and promote this show as it is what I wait for every year. It is the most fun with the best bands and the most dedicated fans and great people. This is the first year (due to work obligations) I did not get to attend the Joshua Tree Music Festival, but I heard it was off the hook! I promise not to let that happen again. So many shows coming up and you can check The Sun Runner website and sign up for the Sun Blast to find out. Have a great summer!

Eric Burdon makes a birthday wish or two while Marianna Proestou, Eric’s wife and manager, enjoys the process, top left. Eric demonstrates his martial arts prowess and knife-handling skills as he prepares to hack, errr..... cut, one of his birthday cakes, above. It wasn’t just Eric who was getting presents on his 70th birthday though. Eric went out of his way to share with

his birthday party guests (opposite, top) exactly why Rolling Stone included him in the top 100 singers of all time, below. We couldn’t agree more. Eric’s still rockin’ at 70, and is touring America and Europe this summer. Happy birthday Eric, and many more to come!

Shawn Mafia & the Ten Cent Thrills, above, playing in the cemetery.


The very first significant event celebrating the 75th An-niversary of Joshua Tree National Park was enjoyed on January 29.

The gala affair was hosted by Copper Mountain College and featured many notables, including Dr. Roger Wagner, Huell Houser, Superintendent Mark Butler, and others. It was a magnificent event.

I mention all this because I want to introduce Gregg Ham-mond who played an inspiring and uniquely effective prelude on his flute that set just the right tone for the afternoon.

Gregg is an amazing man. He not only plays the flute beautifully, but he actually makes his own Native American- style flutes from a variety of woods from all over the world. Gregg also composes music that is hauntingly beautiful and truly unforgettable. There is something magical and almost sacred in everything he performs.

In addition to what I have already shared with you, I want you to know that Gregg is also a true “renaissance man” in an-other way. Believe it or not, he also is a self-taught “building designer” who has designed 13 homes in our Morongo Basin. In addition, he actually built four of them! They are all first class in every way. Yes, Gregg is truly an amazing man.

I conclude this essay with some words I heard Gregg articulate a few weeks ago:

“You know, I really love the desert, I like the way I feel when I am in the desert. I like being in an area that is dominated by the natural world as opposed to one that is dominated by the man-made world. I have found that wildlands, whether it be coastal, marine, mountainous or desert, have a positive and inspiring ef-fect on me. They are a refuge….. A place for spiritual renewal.” Here in the hi-desert, there exists something extraordinary, and tangible, yet difficult to describe in words. Those of us who are sensitive to our surroundings know exactly what I am talking about, but still, it is difficult to describe.

Those of us who love Gregg’s spirit-filled music know he helps us understand and interpret what will never be fully understood.

You can reach Gregg at [email protected].


JUNE

Through June 15 – Art Exhibit: The Eyes. Cunningham’s Art Stu-dio, 27152 Twenty Mule Team Rd., Boron. (760)373-0914.Through July 31 – Jurassic Encounter. 10 a.m.-4 p.m., Tues.-Sat. Free. Dinosaurs come to life, and much more. La Quinta Museum, 77-885 Avenida Montezuma, La Quinta. (760)777-7170.June 4-26 – The Fifi & Lulu Show. Art by Phyllis Schwartz and Laura Peterson-Volz. Opening reception, 5 p.m., June 4. Glass Out-house Gallery, 77575 29 Palms Hwy., Wonder Valley. (760)367-3807.June 4 - Aug. 31 – Sawtooth: Five Years On, A Look Back at a Sum-mer of Fire. Photography by Sun Runner publisher, Steve Brown, of the 2006 Sawtooth Complex Fire. Opening reception, 6-9 p.m., June 4. Tamma’s Magic Mercantile, 55727 29 Palms Hwy., Yucca Valley.June 6 – Ted Quinn’s Reality Show Open Mic. Mondays, 7 p.m. Visiting & local talent take the stage. Pappy & Harriet’s Pioneertown Palace, 53688 Pioneertown Rd., Pioneertown. (760)365-5956, www.pappyandharriets.com.June 7 –Super Ruby Tuesdays Open Mic Night. Tuesdays, 8 p.m. Ted Quinn hosts open mic and special performances. Joshua Tree Saloon, 61835 29 Palms Hwy., Joshua Tree.June 8 - Aug. 31 – Steve Flock Photography Exhibit. Former 29 Palms mayor, Steve Flock, is the featured artist through August 31, with a reception 6:30-8:30 p.m., June 18. Flock’s photographic work features historic desert scenes. The 29 Palms Visitor Center & Gallery, 73484 29 Palms Hwy., 29 Palms.June 11 – Joshua Tree Gay Pride. 6-11 p.m. Free. Art Queen, 61855 29 Palms Hwy., Joshua Tree. www.joshuatreegaypride.com.June 11 – Joshua Tree Gallery Crawl. 6 p.m. Downtown Joshua Tree.June 11 - Sept. 4 – High & Dry: Photography by Paul Martini. Stunning photographs by Martini, a contemporary nature photographer (and Sun Runner cover artist for this issue). Opening reception, 5-7 p.m., June 10. Hi-Desert Nature Museum, 57090 29 Palms Hwy., Yucca Valley. (760)369-7212, www.hidesertnaturemuseum.org.June 15 – Art & Culture Wednesdays: Native American Culture. 10 a.m. Unique opportunities for kids to explore through hands-on activities. June 29: Heraldry & Medieval Knights, July 13 & 27, Au-gust 3 & 17. $2 per student. No pre-registration required. Hi-Desert Nature Museum, 57090 29 Palms Hwy., Yucca Valley. (760)369-7212, www.hidesertnaturemuseum.org.June 17-Sept. 18 – Comic Art Indigène. Featuring 49 works, exam-ines how storytelling, an essential element of Native American culture, has been used in comics and comic-inspired art to express contem-porary Native American experience. Palm Springs Art Museum, 101 Museum Dr., Palm Springs. www.psmuseum.org.June 23 – 29 Palms Public Arts Roundtable. 6:30-8:30 p.m. The PAAC is seeking ongoing public input on the role of public arts. RSVP to Larry Bowden, [email protected], (760)910-3886. 29 Palms Senior Center, 6539 Adobe Rd., 29 Palms.June 25 – Science Saturday: Meteorology. 11 a.m. Free, school age children. Hi-Desert Nature Museum, 57090 29 Palms Hwy., Yucca Valley.June 25 – The Shadow Mountain Band, The Fleshtones, special guest The Forty Nineteens. 5 p.m. ($10 for Fleshtones). All ages. Pappy & Harriet’s Pioneertown Palace, 53688 Pioneertown Rd., Pio-neertown. (760)365-5956, www.pappyandharriets.com.June 25 – Joshua Tree National Park Association Benefit Dinner & Silent Auction. 6:30 p.m. Night of BBQ, entertainment, silent auction to benefit JTNPA. $100 per person. (760)367-5535, www.

For the most comprehensive event listings for theCalifornia deserts, please visit www.thesunrunner.com.

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The buldozers have been busy down in Blythe, destroy-ing at least two Native American geoglyphs inside the project site of Solar Millenium’s enormous “green” solar

power project. Momentum against these projects that have been steamrolled over the opposition of concerned citizens, environ-mentalists, and tribal members, is building, but is already too late to fully protect sites like this one.

This magazine called attention to the Solar Millenium project and the Native American cultural and sacred sites it stood to destroy, last April. However, for more than a year, the Bureau of Land Management has stonewalled our attempts to obtain public information and refused to answer questions about their project approval, operating unethically, and possi-bly illegally. We will be filing formal FOIA requests with the BLM for more information shortly, pertaining to their tribal consultation process, their archaeological survey methodology, and other relevant topics related to this project and other fast track projects.

Lawsuits are proceeding against a number of these projects, but there is a clear agenda at work, directed from Washington, D.C., the Department of the Interior, and the Obama admin-istration. We have sent letters of complaint about the BLM’s conduct to all agencies, with no response as of this date.

Alfredo Figueroa, of Yaqui and Chemehuevi lineage, and the founder of the La Cuna de Aztlan Sacred Sites Protection Circle, says the Obama administration and the BLM have become the “enemies of indigenous peoples of the Americas,” and that La Cuna de Aztlan will do everything in its power to halt the ongoing “cultural and environmental genocide.”

We have an excellent video from filmmaker Robert Lun-dahl available on our social networking site at www.thesunrun-ner.ning.com, that takes you to the Blythe site and discusses this issue in depth, and we will continue to work on behalf of proection of environmental and Native American sites across the California deserts. – Steve Brown

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.joshuatree.org.June 25 – Saturday Night Cruisers. 7 p.m. Car rally on Route 66, every Saturday at Foster Freeze, 1580 W. Main St., Barstow. (760)964-3777.June 26 – Humber Park Guided Hikes. Sundays, July 3, 10, 17, 31, Aug. 14, 21. 8:30-11:30 a.m. Join Ranger Emily Hoerner for a hike. Leave from Humber Park in Idyllwild, travel along Ernie Maxwell trail. Great for families. Easy, 5 miles. Show up early, Adventure Pass required. (760)862-9984, www.desertmountains.org.

JULY

July 1 – Solid Ray Woods. 8 p.m. Pappy & Harri-et’s Pioneertown Palace, 53688 Pioneertown Rd., Pioneer-t o w n . ( 7 6 0 ) 3 6 5 - 5 9 5 6 , w w w. p a p p y a n d h a r r i e t s . c o m . July 1-30 – A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum. The opening night gala is sponsored by the Twentynine Palms Chamber of Commerce, tickets for opening night only are available at (760)367-3445. 7 p.m. Friday and Saturday nights, Thursday July 14, Sunday matinee, 2:30 p.m., July 24. $12, $10 Senior/Military, $8 students with ID. Not recommended for children. (760)361-4151, www.theatre29.org. Theatre 29, 73637 Sullivan Rd., 29 Palms.July 2 – The Shadow Mountain Band, Amanda Jo Williams & Jeffertitti’s Nile. 5 p.m. Pappy & Harriet’s Pioneertown Palace, 53688 Pioneertown Rd., Pioneertown. (760)365-5956, www.pap-pyandharriets.com.July 2 & 30. Star Party. Sundown. Sawmill Trailhead off Hwy. 74. (760)862-9984, www.desertmountains.org.July 3 – Third of July Festivities, Landers. (Check our online calendar for details.)July 4 – Independence Day celebrations, desert-wide. (Check our online calendar for details.)July 5 – QUEST: A group for artists, writers, & performers. First Tues-days. Dezart Studio, 4116 Matthew Dr., Palm Springs. (760)202-1208. July 8 – Stone Stanley featuring Jason “JT” Trombley & Juan Nelson of Ben Harper & the Innocent Criminals. 7 p.m. Pappy & Harriet’s Pioneertown Palace, 53688 Pioneertown Rd., Pioneertown. (760)365-5956, www.pappyandharriets.com. July 9 – Family Fun Day. 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Free days at the museum on second Saturdays. Maturango Museum, 100 E. Las Flores Ave., Ridgecrest. (760)375-6900, www.maturango.org.Julyl 11-22 – Summer Acting Camp at IPAC. The Indio Per-forming Arts Center is hosting a summer acting camp for teens & kids, Monday-Friday, 2-6 p.m. The session will culminate in a live performance by participants at the theatre. Campers will be coached in acting & improvisation techniques, including physicality, vocal enunciation, projection & expression, & character building. The session will be led by Jeanette Knight, an award-winning actor, director & educator. Tuition for 2 weeks is $300, ltd. # of scholar-ships available. (760)320-2825. IPAC, 45-175 Fargo St., Indio. July 11-28 – Youth Art Camp, “Art is a Story Told.” Story-telling, cartoon drawing, songs, & book making. Camp runs 8 a.m.-noon, Monday-Thursday. Open to all children grades 3-6. All materials provided, $160 per child for 2 weeks (8 classes). For more information: Education Director Ed Keesling, (760)365-8193 or [email protected]. 29 Palms Art Gallery, 74055 Cotton-wood Dr., 29 Palms. (760)367-7819, www.29palmsartgallery.com. July 16 – Passport to Your National Monument: Adventure in the Saddle Junction. 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Meet at Humber Park trailhead, off Hwy. 243. Rt. on Pine Crest to S. Circle Dr., left on Fern Valley Rd. up to trailhead parking. Strenuous, 6+ miles. RSVP by July 15, Adventure Pass required. (760)862-9984, www.desertmountains.org.July 16 – Deadliest Catch Celebrity Fishermen, Capt. Sig & Hill-strand Bros. 8 p.m. Stories of the high seas & crab fishing. $20-$40. The Show at Agua Caliente Casino Resort & Spa, 32250 Bob Hope Dr., Rancho Mirage. (800)585-3737, www.hotwatercasino.com/theshow.


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Bed & Breakfast Inn. Gorgeous 1928 stone manor on 25-acre historic Campbell Ranch. Gardens,

elegant guest rooms, fireplaces,grand piano in great room, fine linens,

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the sun runner joshua tree national park 75th anniversary special edition

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