Parody
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We went to see the DARPA Challenge, Urban Edition. We had seen the previous desert race in 2005. This time, the robots had to navigate traffic. For the return trip, we drove up 395 to see the source of LA's water. After reading Cadillac Desert, I wanted to see how this worked.

The trip was right after a round of Southern California fires. As we drove down I5, we saw a steady stream of fire trucks. We finally realized these were fire engines returning home after helping with the Southern California fires.

Sunset at the freeway rest stop.
2007.10.29_18.26.47
Sunset at the freeway rest stop.

See the Ford Tauri in the background? I thought of them as sacrificial bulls. They were there to provide obstacles for the robots. The Tauri were driven by professional drivers who were usually hired to do something interesting such as drive a stunt car for a movie action sequence. For this job, they got to drive a Ford Taurus around in a circle at 10-20mph for hours on end. We got up at 6am to watch the Tauri circle.
2007.10.30_08.08.35
See the Ford Tauri in the background? I thought of them as sacrificial bulls. They were there to provide obstacles for the robots. The Tauri were driven by professional drivers who were usually hired to do something interesting such as drive a stunt car for a movie action sequence. For this job, they got to drive a Ford Taurus around in a circle at 10-20mph for hours on end. We got up at 6am to watch the Tauri circle.

Terramax
2007.10.30_08.20.33
Terramax

Terramax or the Robot-formerly-known-as-Terramax. This year, they named it
2007.10.30_08.27.03
Terramax or the Robot-formerly-known-as-Terramax. This year, they named it "Team Oshkosh"

Terramax
2007.10.30_08.29.07
Terramax

Instead of Ford Tauri, we thought they should have taxi drivers as obstacles. The taxis would be more unpredictable.
2007.10.30_09.00.13
Instead of Ford Tauri, we thought they should have taxi drivers as obstacles. The taxis would be more unpredictable.

Junior
2007.10.30_10.21.23
Junior

2007.10.30_10.42.29

Wrong turn. That was supposed to be a left turn, not a right.
2007.10.30_11.27.06
Wrong turn. That was supposed to be a left turn, not a right.

2007.10.30_11.44.41

2007.10.30_11.44.45

I have no idea what this plant might be other than 'funny looking.'
2007.10.30_12.16.43
I have no idea what this plant might be other than 'funny looking.'

We missed 395 and found ourselves on what might have been an extension of Mojave Drive. The Disgruntled GPS wasn't telling us. According to her, we weren't on any road.
2007.10.31_07.12.16
We missed 395 and found ourselves on what might have been an extension of Mojave Drive. The Disgruntled GPS wasn't telling us. According to her, we weren't on any road.

We were still not on the right track.
2007.10.31_07.19.05
We were still not on the right track.

We found a boat under a Joshua Tree. It's always good to find a boat in the desert.
2007.10.31_07.25.42
We found a boat under a Joshua Tree. It's always good to find a boat in the desert.

We were still within the reach of commerce. Wanna buy some land?
2007.10.31_07.44.35
We were still within the reach of commerce. Wanna buy some land?

We saw none of the 1,125 population. I think the people might also be a Mirage.
2007.10.31_08.01.45
We saw none of the 1,125 population. I think the people might also be a Mirage.

Finally, we found civilization. We could tell by the billboards.
2007.10.31_08.06.12
Finally, we found civilization. We could tell by the billboards.

Some houses have dead cars in the front yard. This area had part of an airplane.
2007.10.31_08.15.39
Some houses have dead cars in the front yard. This area had part of an airplane.

Socal likes that Military Industrial complex.
2007.10.31_09.17.03
Socal likes that Military Industrial complex.

We saw a LOT of new construction. I wonder what's driving the growth and where they are going to get the water to support the people.
2007.10.31_09.17.19
We saw a LOT of new construction. I wonder what's driving the growth and where they are going to get the water to support the people.

Road
2007.10.31_09.25.27
Road

Mojave Church
2007.10.31_09.47.53
Mojave Church

Trains in the foreground with wind farm in the background. This was in Mojave.
2007.10.31_10.44.16
Trains in the foreground with wind farm in the background. This was in Mojave.

2007.10.31_11.14.48

2007.10.31_11.17.27

Aqueduct
2007.10.31_12.28.18
Aqueduct

2007.10.31_12.33.52

2007.10.31_12.36.14

Aqueduct
2007.10.31_13.04.25
Aqueduct

When I was growing up in Grand Teton National Park, we used to make fun of tourists who never got more than 100 feet from their cars. Now I'm one of those tourists.
2007.10.31_13.04.52
When I was growing up in Grand Teton National Park, we used to make fun of tourists who never got more than 100 feet from their cars. Now I'm one of those tourists.

Aqueduct
2007.10.31_13.05.27
Aqueduct

2007.10.31_13.06.19

2007.10.31_13.06.58

2007.10.31_13.14.51

This is more than 5,700 years old.
2007.10.31_13.22.46
This is more than 5,700 years old.

Muffler Whore
2007.10.31_14.16.03
Muffler Whore

2007.10.31_14.17.50

2007.10.31_14.18.19

2007.10.31_14.37.01

Hondium
2007.10.31_14.39.26
Hondium

2007.10.31_14.45.10

2007.10.31_15.29.03

Charcoal kiln
2007.10.31_15.34.30
Charcoal kiln

Pittsburgh Plate Glass Company
2007.10.31_15.44.37
Pittsburgh Plate Glass Company

Owen's Lake...or what's left of it once all the water went to LA.
2007.10.31_15.45.16_002
Owen's Lake...or what's left of it once all the water went to LA.

Owen's Lake with Pittsburgh Glass Company
2007.10.31_15.45.16_003
Owen's Lake with Pittsburgh Glass Company

2007.10.31_16.06.13

2007.10.31_16.25.04

2007.10.31_16.27.40

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