Orbits of a deluded mind

I thought it was about time to pass the word that I have not fallen off the edge of the world and I shall have photos to post soon. That being said, I wanted to offer some site updates and the transient nature of some of the sites we hold dear. Prior to departing for northern Alabama, I’d planned to write an update on some locations I’ve explored either solo or with companions. Rather than consider it a post-script on my activities in southern California, I look at it was a review.

Originally, I’d planned to make this a in multiple updates on old sites, but in review, I’ll merely hide the stories and photos behind a cut.

Subjects covered: the Quartz Hill Golf Shop, the “Special House” in Bakersfield, the various Felicia sites, the Hawes Communications Bunker, and various Route 66 sites including The Greystone Café. All posts (references) are to my personal journal, mainly because I’m too lazy to pull of the same post I made to the community.



Quartz Hill Golf Pro Shop
This site was explored with badgerphone in August 07. While doing a follow-up while accompanied by fynoda in June 08, we discovered the site was bulldozed to the ground.
Oringinal Post:
http://jj-maccrimmon.livejournal.com/387787.html
http://jj-maccrimmon.livejournal.com/389028.html
http://jj-maccrimmon.livejournal.com/389921.html
http://jj-maccrimmon.livejournal.com/390419.html


The Special House, Bakersfield, CA
This was a site that I explored with badgerphone and senzaf1ne in July of last year. This house was a time capsule to the 1960’s. The clock has been torn away according to senzaf1ne as the house has been torn down and leveled to bare ground.

Original Posts:
http://jj-maccrimmon.livejournal.com/305748.html
http://jj-maccrimmon.livejournal.com/326529.html


Felicia Sites
For those who don’t recall, I first encountered the ‘poetic’ traces of Felicia back in 2006. She had the habit of leaving cryptic and often very disturbing notes at places she crashed at. While I had brief written contact with her, I never encountered her in person. Given that I suspect she was a heroin user, it’s probably for the best. Below are slideshows from my initial 2006 visits.

A Consolidated Post:
http://jj-maccrimmon.livejournal.com/206153.html






I went back again in March and subsequently in June of this year prior to departing for Alabama. In March, the site was showing serious wear since the fire that ravaged the site in the spring of 2007.











When I went back in June 08 with fynoda, the house was gone save but the temporary fencing.


Insert house here


The silent sentinel


Gone

In addition to this house, her other nearby crash site (Bessie’s Place) was bulldozed last year. The only house that bares traces of her writing I am aware of is 40 miles north near California City. This site is endangered by it’s location but doesn’t face immanent demolition. As for Felicia, it’s my feeling she moved on to Bakersfield or further up the San Joaquin Valley.



Hawes (Helendale) Communications Bunker
This is a site many of you remember. Becasu I did four different visits there, it left a major impression on my kids and I

Some Related Posts:
http://jj-maccrimmon.livejournal.com/326529.html
http://jj-maccrimmon.livejournal.com/221956.html

In January of 2008, the unthinkable happened. Two teenagers were murdered in the depths of the bunker by another youth who’d planned to rob them. The ‘accused’ killer and his accomplices are in custody now.

The murders:
http://jj-maccrimmon.livejournal.com/344844.html
http://jj-maccrimmon.livejournal.com/352936.html

These posts I was told by reporters and friends of the victims had a major effect on getting information to the authorities in the investigation. I can’t and won’t claim credit but am merely happy that the victims may have justice. The locals were energized as well and demanded that the bunker be demolished to prevent anything like this ever happening again there.

By May 2008, the site was being demolished. Had I the time and fund to have take the back way to it and photograph it before it was completely gone, I would have. Sadly unemployment caused by someone’s rash & vengeful actions left me a bit short of funds.

News Article (w/photo or video):
http://www.pe.com/localnews/inland/stories/PE_News_Local_D_bunker22.38fd629.html


The site as of July 2nd , 2008 – flattened to bare earth. Even the lingering spirits have fled the ravaged tomb.

Sal’s Greystone Café – Route 66, Barstow
Original Post:
http://jj-maccrimmon.livejournal.com/231343.html

Another person on the community commented soon after I posted this set of images that the Greystone had been demolished. To my great surprise and pleasure, as I drove through Barstow, the Greystone is still standing, though thoroughly boarded up. Hopefully the Route 66 enthusiasts and historians will do a better job of preserving this site then they did with Potatov’s near Helendale which was demolished last year (http://jj-maccrimmon.livejournal.com/202685.html).


A challenge to the Community

On my drive east from Southern California, my route paralleled or ran top much of the old Route 66. There are literally hundreds of sites along the old road in Arizona, New Mexico, Texas and Oklahoma. I counted 20+ gas stations, 40+ homesteads and at least 10+ tourist stops/diners along the way. Sadly I didn’t have time to take photos due to time constraints of my move. Many of these places are far enough out in the middle of nowhere that they haven’t been ravaged much by people, but time is catching up to them much more destructively. My challenge to any of you how live on or near old US Route 66 is to document/photograph these sites before they fade into oblivion.