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Hi All. Had a nice outing the other day, but it was a wake up call for me. I finely had to admit to myself that I can no longer able to walk without great difficulty. I couldn't walk a 100 yards to the caves that I use to scamper through like a monkey. Those days are gone.
I fell today and it was on flat level ground. I lost my balance and down I went. Two high school boys carried me over to a picnic bench. Nothing was hurt except my pride and dignity.
Some how or another we got to talking about the Pinnacles and their life. Before I knew it there were at least 30 kids standing around me listening to me. I call them kids, but in reality they are young men and young ladies. One of them who help carry me to the bench said maybe your legs have failed you, but there is nothing wrong with you mind. I have learned more from you about the faults, where the Pinnacles came from, how they got here and where they are going in the last two hours then I have in the last three years in school. You make learning fun.
One young lady asked me if I thought my cousin buried any of the gold coins he had stolen. I said heck no. They don't steal it to bury it, they steal to spend it. Then someone said, “yea, just like the government does”. That remark brought a roar from the group. They are smarter then I gave them credit for.
https://2img.net/h/i5.photobucket.com/albums/y151/Quakemeister/DSCN0021.jpg?t=1269410783
These are some of the caves that are found where ever there are rocks. They are not a true cave though. They are formed by rocks falling on other rocks and leaving voids. As you can see from the color there is a lot of iron in them. The color is rust. Bet you didn't know rocks can rust. For the mos part they are safe to go into although I don't think I would want to try and bring a small out even if it didn't look like it was holding something up. One of those rocks fall on you it would make you look like a pancake.
https://2img.net/h/i5.photobucket.com/albums/y151/Quakemeister/DSCN0019.jpg?t=1269411087
This rock is about 400 feet high. I think we were around 200 yards from when I took the picture. I tried to get in closer, but that wouldn't have done much good. Even now looking at the picture you can get the feeling of how massive it is. I wanted to have me friend stand in front of it for comparison. He said the trees weren't there the last time he was there. I asked when that was. He said it was around 30 years ago.
https://2img.net/h/i5.photobucket.com/albums/y151/Quakemeister/DSCN0022.jpg?t=1269411125
This is the Bear Gulch fault. It is an active fault. Why it is called the Bear Gulch fault I have no idea. There is a gulch there, but as far as I know no bears have ever been seen. Maybe they are smarter then we give them credit for. Very little is know about the fault. Small quakes have been recorded on it, but I don't know if trenching as ever been done to see if they could get a history of some sort of past quakes on it.
https://2img.net/h/i5.photobucket.com/albums/y151/Quakemeister/DSCN0017.jpg?t=1269421846
This is a small rock ridge located about ¼ mile from where the picture was taken. You can get a pretty good idea as to the size of the rocks that are in the area. There is also a lot of sand in the area as this area has been under a shallow ocean at one time or another. I have never heard of any fossils being found in the area.
One of the rangers who works there told me she has seen lights dancing along the ground deep into the park. She told me with my legs being the way they are I could never walk to it. She isn't the first person who has seen lights in the area. The San Andreas fault which is located on the eastern side of the area and is pretty much active in that area. The Pinnacles fault is located in the Pinnacles and it is also an active fault. I can't say for sure, but from the description of where other people have reported seeing lights they may either be associated with the San Andreas fault or the Pinnacles fault. I wouldn't be the least bit surprised if there weren't more faults in the area.
The Pinnacles is a half of a volcano. The other half is located near the town of Lancaster which is located about 195 miles southeast of the Pinnacles. For the most part it was carried up here under the ground, but as it moved north erosion and uplifting exposed it. One of the students asked me if it could ever erupt again. I told him not likely as it has been cut off from the magma source that formed it. I also told him that it current progress it would be under Alaska in about 35 million years. He just kind of chuckle and said “yea, if we haven't found a way to blow ourselves to hell before then. Listening to some of the remarks some of them made I got the impression they know more then we think they do. It could be the wrong people are the teachers.
I have to say that other then the falling mishap I had a great time. I have my friend Hal to thank for that. We have been friends for more then 50 years. He is a retired biologist, park ranger, fire fighter and a professional photographer thrown in on the side. We have had our disagreements, but our friendship was stronger then any of out disagreements. Take Care...Don
I fell today and it was on flat level ground. I lost my balance and down I went. Two high school boys carried me over to a picnic bench. Nothing was hurt except my pride and dignity.
Some how or another we got to talking about the Pinnacles and their life. Before I knew it there were at least 30 kids standing around me listening to me. I call them kids, but in reality they are young men and young ladies. One of them who help carry me to the bench said maybe your legs have failed you, but there is nothing wrong with you mind. I have learned more from you about the faults, where the Pinnacles came from, how they got here and where they are going in the last two hours then I have in the last three years in school. You make learning fun.
One young lady asked me if I thought my cousin buried any of the gold coins he had stolen. I said heck no. They don't steal it to bury it, they steal to spend it. Then someone said, “yea, just like the government does”. That remark brought a roar from the group. They are smarter then I gave them credit for.
https://2img.net/h/i5.photobucket.com/albums/y151/Quakemeister/DSCN0021.jpg?t=1269410783
These are some of the caves that are found where ever there are rocks. They are not a true cave though. They are formed by rocks falling on other rocks and leaving voids. As you can see from the color there is a lot of iron in them. The color is rust. Bet you didn't know rocks can rust. For the mos part they are safe to go into although I don't think I would want to try and bring a small out even if it didn't look like it was holding something up. One of those rocks fall on you it would make you look like a pancake.
https://2img.net/h/i5.photobucket.com/albums/y151/Quakemeister/DSCN0019.jpg?t=1269411087
This rock is about 400 feet high. I think we were around 200 yards from when I took the picture. I tried to get in closer, but that wouldn't have done much good. Even now looking at the picture you can get the feeling of how massive it is. I wanted to have me friend stand in front of it for comparison. He said the trees weren't there the last time he was there. I asked when that was. He said it was around 30 years ago.
https://2img.net/h/i5.photobucket.com/albums/y151/Quakemeister/DSCN0022.jpg?t=1269411125
This is the Bear Gulch fault. It is an active fault. Why it is called the Bear Gulch fault I have no idea. There is a gulch there, but as far as I know no bears have ever been seen. Maybe they are smarter then we give them credit for. Very little is know about the fault. Small quakes have been recorded on it, but I don't know if trenching as ever been done to see if they could get a history of some sort of past quakes on it.
https://2img.net/h/i5.photobucket.com/albums/y151/Quakemeister/DSCN0017.jpg?t=1269421846
This is a small rock ridge located about ¼ mile from where the picture was taken. You can get a pretty good idea as to the size of the rocks that are in the area. There is also a lot of sand in the area as this area has been under a shallow ocean at one time or another. I have never heard of any fossils being found in the area.
One of the rangers who works there told me she has seen lights dancing along the ground deep into the park. She told me with my legs being the way they are I could never walk to it. She isn't the first person who has seen lights in the area. The San Andreas fault which is located on the eastern side of the area and is pretty much active in that area. The Pinnacles fault is located in the Pinnacles and it is also an active fault. I can't say for sure, but from the description of where other people have reported seeing lights they may either be associated with the San Andreas fault or the Pinnacles fault. I wouldn't be the least bit surprised if there weren't more faults in the area.
The Pinnacles is a half of a volcano. The other half is located near the town of Lancaster which is located about 195 miles southeast of the Pinnacles. For the most part it was carried up here under the ground, but as it moved north erosion and uplifting exposed it. One of the students asked me if it could ever erupt again. I told him not likely as it has been cut off from the magma source that formed it. I also told him that it current progress it would be under Alaska in about 35 million years. He just kind of chuckle and said “yea, if we haven't found a way to blow ourselves to hell before then. Listening to some of the remarks some of them made I got the impression they know more then we think they do. It could be the wrong people are the teachers.
I have to say that other then the falling mishap I had a great time. I have my friend Hal to thank for that. We have been friends for more then 50 years. He is a retired biologist, park ranger, fire fighter and a professional photographer thrown in on the side. We have had our disagreements, but our friendship was stronger then any of out disagreements. Take Care...Don