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Roadside Wow
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Roadside Wow

Bucket List

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Basket Trees

A year or two ago, I saw some pictures online about Basket Trees, also known as Circus Trees. I passed the picture on to an artist friend of mine, and forgot about them.

As I start my RoadSideWow.com Bucket List, Basket Trees came up first. I searched and found, the nonprofit Gilroy Gardens. Gilroy, California is the garlic capital of the world. I hitchhiked through this little town, and Castroville, the artichoke capital of the world in the early 1970’s. Gilroy is a small town, with a lot to offer.

The vision and execution of using young trees to grow into such amazing works of art, is beyond me. I am grateful for people who come together to create, maintain, and pass on these wondrous works.

For more information visit Gilroy Gardens.

Prospecting or Mining

In addition to Moorpark resident Terry Hughes, using a metal detector, and finding a $10,000 nugget of gold, I want to try a few mining experiences.

I have seen a few types of tourist mining adventures. You get to stake out a part, or hunker down and start prospecting or mining.

Hiddenite Gems is on the other side of the United States. Yet, I hope to enjoy the mining experience there. I first heard of mining for a fee, decades ago when a young boy made the news. He was playing around in piles of dirt discarded by the miners. He found a huge gem stone, worth thousands of dollars. I could not find that exact story today, as it has been decades.

An Oklahoma State Trooper had seen a similar report and took his family to Crater of Diamonds State Park in Arkansas. He found a flawless 4.21-carat diamond.

Another Rock or Gem hound had a different experience. Expect to play by the rules and answer questions if you hit it big.

I found a mine-for-a-fee that allows you to rake through trailings, also known as mine dumps, or pay a premium to mine a freshly exposed bank. Another one that is close enough for me to try and visit is the Royal Peacock Opal Mine.

You can find several states that offer mining for a fee at huntforgems.com

In addition to mining for a fee, there are many places you can mine for free.

There is a local visit that I can and will be making in just a few weeks. I want to see the The Gull Wings Children's Museum. They had a great children's museum, in Los Angeles but it closed down. It was a hands on museum and I am glad I got to take my step-daughters there. I have not seen anything like it, before or since.

Mexico City Templo Mayor

I want to go back to Mexico City to visit the Templo Mayor. I was there in 1992 for three months. From what I understand, before the 1970’s, there were great disputes about whether or not the Aztecs had actually lived on the same land now known as Mexico City. Mexico City is the highest city in the world. It sits in a natural basin that formed when an anchient volcano erupted and litterally blew it’s top off. When rain fell, it created a great lake with an island that had a natural land bridge that led to island. An electrical worker was excavating on a public street and found an Aztec Calendar right under a public street. That was the end of the dispute. When the Spanish invaded into the Aztec land, they wanted total submission and control. They eventually built on top of the Aztec temples, land and city. Excavation is slow and difficult because Mexico City was literally built on top of the Aztec City and the water table is very high. In the same public square where the temple is being excavated, is the home of one of Mexico’s oldest and largest churches and the Presidents Palace.