Brian L Gardner

Vasquez Rocks, named after Tiburcio Vasquez (a notorious 19^th-century bandit), were formed by uplift along the San Andreas Fault.  Used as a filming location for thousands of movies, TV shows, commercials, and music videos—the park itself has become a pop culture icon.

At the interpretive center, I was given a map, and the nice lady pointed out several key features of the park.  In passing, she mentioned that there was a film crew working in the park.  I voiced my concern about disrupting the filming, and the lady scoffed.  It turns out there is always a film crew working in the park.  The park is owned by the Los Angles County taxpayers, and everyone—everyone—was welcome.

Vasquez Rocks Natural Area Park, Los Angeles County, CA.  Going, Going, Gorn Road Trip Achievement unlocked.

The open fields gave way to the open road, as the urge to “go” only fades but never leaves. It doesn’t matter if you ride the superhighways or follow the path of The Mother Road.  Main Street America is waiting for those who wander to find it.

Our ancestors, nomadic tribes that followed the great migrating herds across the steppes, prairies, and savannahs, never stopped longer than need be.

The longing to know what’s beyond the horizon or around the next bend may be as old as life itself. It’s programmed into our old or lizard brain.  Heh, heh, heh…lizard brain.

It’s time to introduce my guest blogger and traveling companion on this road trip – Leezard Gornson.

In a pensive moment, Leezard considers the cultural and historical significance of the “All American Road Trip.

Day four of my road trip, again, started before sunrise.  I departed Henderson, NV—skirting Las Vegas to the south, then turning northwest to Pahrump.  I crossed the state line, into California, and proceeded to Death Valley Junction.

I went northwest from Death Valley Junction on California 190 toward Furnace Creek.  With the Funeral Mountains on both sides of the road, much like the Grand Canyon, I was struck by the beauty.   The main difference I noticed –comparing Death Valley and the Grand Canyon, was vegetation.

Yet, I was amazed further when I passed The Death Valley Gateway, rounded the bend, and descended from the mountain—there were green trees at Furnace Creek.

On the third day of the trip, I started the day with one tremendous view and ended with a second. The first view was of a natural wonder of the world—The Grand Canyon. The second view was of an engineering marvel, The Hoover Dam.

On previous visit—a flight to Las Vegas—I toured the Hoover Dam and powerhouse. On that trip, there was also a convention of sorts. In the parking lot next to the spillway on the Arizona side, there was a car show—of vehicles inspired by the Mad Max movies.

On that visit, the Mike O’Callaghan-Pat Tillman Memorial Bridge had just started construction.  This picture is from that now completed bridge.

After 700 miles on the road, I stopped for my second night in Williams, AZ.  A mural downtown declares that Williams, on historic Route 66, was the last town to be bypassed by I-40.  I didn’t give myself enough time to explore Williams—but I’ll go back someday.

On the third day of the trip, I was up and gone before dawn.  This time, I was heading north from Williams on Arizona Highway 64.  I watched the sunrise from the South Rim of the Grand Canyon, near Mather Point.

How to put this… I had, shall we say, high expectations of the Grand Canyon.

And maybe, for the first time in my life, my expectations were too low.  I’m sure a poet could say it better, but I don’t think any photograph or painting could truly capture the scale and grandeur. My heart was racing the entire time I was there.

When someone asked me, “Meteor Crater is just a hole in the ground, why are you going there?” I replied, “And to some people, the Grand Canyon is a big ditch–but not to me.”  Funny, I said that before ever visiting either place.

I’d driven I-40 as far west as Flagstaff on a previous road trip, 25 years ago.  I visited the Painted Desert and the Petrified Forest National Park, Walnut Canyon National Monument, and the Lowell Observatory.  I even stood on a corner in Winslow Arizona—looking for a girl driving a flatbed Ford.  Of course, this was before Winslow put up a statue of the late Glenn Frey.

As for Meteor Crater – it was chilly and blustery – and I loved every minute of it.