Death Valley Off-Road Adventures

So dumb.

 

The NPS release on the incident:

https://www.nps.gov/deva/learn/news/eureka-dunegrass-incident.htm

 

I'm almost 68 and my disdain for humanity grows exponentially by the day.

 

I think it's a sense of entitlement that just doesn't seem to care about special places.

 

Compounded by a "social media love me post".

 

Both of which are a direct reflection of the handheld computers that have taken the place of human interaction and - perhaps most importantly - parenting.

Still, I will say - the vast majority of people I run into "outside" are good people, and I still believe that most people want to be good people. Those of us who are the "less entitled" or were lucky enough to be raised in a time when parenting-with-love-but-also-with-rules-and-repercussions was a thing have a responsibility to help those who haven't had that "luxury." While it might seem as though we shouldn't have to teach a 30-year-old to drive on dunes, it might help to think of them as 10-year-olds who were never taught. That's not the 10-year-olds fault; it's their parents.

And of course, UTVs are the scourge of the outdoors. Every last one should be crushed.

 

The influencer/ad market is not helping with the various ways they demonstrate product.

Look how people treated Tahoe during the 4th of July celebrations. The amount of trash is beyond anything I've seen before. Even things like Burning Man have left areas trashed and scared.

 

“Think of how stupid the average person is, and realize half of them are stupider than that.”
― George Carlin

 

Never knew Mr. Johnson commissioned Wright to design his castle...I like it.
https://franklloydwright.org/frank-lloyd-wrights-death-valley-desert-compound/

 

Interesting, thanks for sharing. While I'm a fan of Frank Lloyd Wright, I think I prefer what Johnson ended up with.

 

Very Marin Civic Center like!

 

Never seen the civic center before but after searching for it on the interwebs I do see the similarity.

https://franklloydwright.org/site/marin-county-civic-center/

 

It's a fairly timeless design.

 

For some reason I feel like I should see Jar Jar Binks come walking out of the lake...

 

When I was a kid (I’m a bit older than the building) it really stood out, but the last few times I’ve driven by on 101 it seems like the trees have really grown and hide it well. Another “modern” architectural sight in the greater DV area is the Richard Neutra designed house in Shoshone.
https://neutra.org/project/maury-and-bernice-sorrells-house/

 

Thats cool. I need to check out some more designs by Neutra.
I love me some FLW. We visited the chapel in Sedona a few years ago. There was some strange energy there , and I think all of his buildings may have a similar vibration. He certainly was a trippy dude.

 

Except the rooves of everything he designs leak

 

That chapel in Sedona is too cool.

 

Fascinating, thanks for posting this!

I can respect that, and certainly appreciate what was built. But I have to say, and despite the fact that he was apparently an ass hole... hot damn, FLW delivered. I'm sure he had some duds, but I haven't seen them myself. Everything I've toured has been absolutely visionary, merging architecture with landscape in profound tranquility and unprecedented beauty. I have to wonder what might have been built, had his bid been chosen.

Especially given the lack of rain here... I mean, what better climate for an architect that couldn't design a watertight roof?

 

Wright was kind of a car buff too https://www.hagerty.com/media/archived/frank-lloyd-wright/