The El Cajon Pass through the Looking Glass
by Pasadena Adjacent
looking through museum glass at a map of the great basin
Tracks Follow trails. And so it was with the railroad, as it skirted the edges of the Antelope Valley along a path originally trodden by the Mojave tribes. An old Indian trade route that ventured through the El Cajon pass, towards the sea. But before the rails came, the Mormons passed through in search of the promised land “San Bernadino” Then after the rails came, route 66 soon followed.
Although this sandstone outcropping is referred to as Mormon Rocks; it’s RAIL (real) name is Rock Candy Mountain. The Santa Fe, Union and Pacific railway trains pass through here daily. And so does hobo culture; it’s codified signs and symbols followed closely by youth’s seduction.
Poet and singer Hallelujah! I’m a Bum Harry McClintock would put it to song in his ironic vision of a hobo’s paradise. McClintock explains the reason for framing his hobo ballad in candy “at that time the ambition of every real hobo was to snare some kid into doing his begging for him, among other things” One fears what “other things” implies. The lyrics have often been washed clean of their salty content, but in this version, sung by the man himself, they appear nearly in tact; accept for the missing and final stanza below.
I’ve hiked and hiked and wandered too,But I ain’t seen any candy.I’ve hiked and hiked till my feet are soreAnd I’ll be damned if I hike any moreTo be buggered sore like a hobo’s whoreIn the Big Rock Candy Mountains.”
But don’t let that stop you from joining Pasadena Adjacent on a recent visit to the Cajon’s Rock Candy Mountain
.
Episode 2 “Following the Tracks”
Episode 1 “Following the Tracks”
Episode two of a four part series “Following the Tracks”
episode one here
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I think my dad knew all those verses. He was a cowboy back in the ’30s before he went to war, got married, went to college. This music appealed to him and he played the guitar. He knew the “clean” verses, too.
It strikes me that some things haven’t changed much for runaways.
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hey there! this is splendid. I’m gonna have to find me this rock candy, even if it ain’t too sweet.
LOVE the wee-deo. Ah, the rocks and the sky…G-O-R-G-E-O-U-S.
Yup, I’m home (and at work) and at doc’s … fell flat on my face (well elbow) stepping onto the pavement near the chimes in Catalina on Monday. a hairline fracture of the left elbow…swelling is going down thank goodness not much hurt. Got to trample around Oklahoma rocks (very similar, but more bouldery and more redish) — without hurting myself. Walked up with my friend Ljiljana to the old Wrigley mansion and played dumb and walked to the lobby. Even with the spill, had a great day…and thought of you as I ventured from the beach.
PS – check this out by Paula of Covina Daily Photo…I think it’s Hockney-like. I like it lots.
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Hobo signs are fascinating. Love your unvarnished look at Rock Candy Mountain and “Big Rock Candy Mountain”.
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That’s what always runs through my mind when I drive through San Bernardino in summer, “The Promised Land.” As to what exactly that promise was or is, that I cannot say.
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It strikes me that you’re equally at home in both natural and urban settings. This post also reminds me of my studies when I was getting my Anthropology degree, The Great Basin was home to some very resourceful Native Americans and native trails are the basis for so many modern thoroughfares.
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We also have roads and RR tracks here in the IL River Valley which were once Native American trails. What I have assumed is they were probably deer trails before that. We have deer paths though our woods and even though you have to look closely to find them, they are usually the easiest passage thought the landscape. Along floodplains, ridges and valleys.
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Looking for a day trip? The Rock Candy/Morman Rocks can be reached by going east on the 210, north on Interstate 15 and taking highway 138 towards the town of Phelan. We at Pasadena Adjacent recommend that you DON’T park at Mormon Rocks Station. It locks it’s gates at 5:00 pm. Instead look for where the Railroad tracks go under the highway then veer off the side of the road. Nearby the road’s shoulder is a dirt road (that appears to be drivable) leading into the rock formations. The best time to visit is late afternoon where the pockmarks in the rocks are most noticeable. Two thumbs up
Enjoy the Rock Candy Mountain FLIKR set here
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Whoa! That was a lot to deal with before coffee.
Some lyrics – those are.
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Petrea: Cigarette Trees, I find that so appealing. Did your father play and sing around you and yours as children?
The original song by HM is on the soundtrack for the Cohen brother’s “O Brother Where Art Thou” The quote I used about kiddy seduction, is part of an audio interview. This entry took some unexpected twists. A real surprise to discover the Rock Candy connection when I thought I’d be on the Mormon trail. Actually several mountains exist with that name. I wasn’t expecting this one too, then with all the railway connections and nearby route 66??? the name Rock Candy Mountain started to make sense to the area
Tash: Welcome back!
It was gorgeous that day. Check out the FLIKR set on the PA Tourism comment. The hogback sandstone formations are due to the San Bernadino/Baja plate moving over the San Gabriel/North American plate. They share the same ancestry with Devils Punch Bowel over near Valyermo.
I’m sorry to hear about your booboo. Next time rent a cart
Jean S: Back in the 80’s I dated a European artisian fellow who introduced me gypsy culture while visiting southern Germany (his family did business with gypsies) and later to the symbolism of hobo signs near the tracks of downtown LA
Altadena Hiker: Love a good mormon story; don’t you? They were part of a splinter group sent off from Salt Lake. They eventually left the San Berdnadinos and settled in Glendora
true story
PJ: An eagle eye you. Yes the great basin. I did a little studying of this area over at our Southwest Museum library. Early explorers Jedediah Smith, Ewing Young and Kit Carson traveled traveled this trail. Also, the Pass was known for the presence of horse theifs and marauding Utes, under the leadership of Walkera, “Hawk of the Mountains” (baskets are southern california native work)
D: Peoria is an Indian name or tribe isn’t it? Supposedly underneath chaperel in parts of Orange County exists trails left behind by the grizzly population (we killed every last one; but it’s ion our state flag) I think we’re all looking for the path of least resistance.
Shanna: I hope you had your coffee. When you come back make sure you listen to Mr V read the real life adventures of Smokey Bear on the previous post.
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I love this post. I sang along with “Big Rock Candy Mountain.” Took me back to my childhood.
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Is Pasadena Adjacent
a. a user friendly blog
b. interesting and informative
c. suffering from a lack of direction
D intimidating
E incomprehensible, unworthy of further exploration
F gawd awful
G other
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I finally got back from my coffee, and having almost recoverred from Rock Candy Mountain …and my birthday, I finally got to hear Mr.V’s reading of Smokey the Bear. I love being read to. Yes it was touching.
About the quiz:
Pasadena Adjacent is the best example of Intermedia that I have ever seen and I supposedly have a degree in it.
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G
best blog written by a friend
It’s always interesting to see how you can gather together what appears to be random bits of this and that and turn them into a big picture event. I don’t think I’ll ever be able to look at rock candy the same way.
Incredibly weird and unexpected connection to child abuse. And so soon on the heels of smokey the bear.
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no no, I don’t want to get involved. leave me out of it
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My goodness! And the song seem so innocent — innocent enough to sell backpacks. Does LL Bean know about this?
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I like your version of a statistical analysis survey. A++
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Glad you mentioned “O Brother”–I was making myself crazy trying to remember where I’d heard the song more recently than childhood.
Looks like I don’t have to persuade you about the joys of the back roads. And I guess if you grow up in this impressive landscape, you don’t find it as daunting as I do. Is it always baking, or does it cool off? Do you backpack overnight, or hold it to day trips?
Thanks for the photos.
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Hey there again! … got some pleasing looking rocks on Mostly LA County.
PS – did find the pet cemetary at Catalina – how funny. I like the suggestion on renting the cart…I thought I’d be tough and do some walking. Arm’s doing much better.
RE survey — I’ll answer only if there is no action plan that has to follow, with intent on getting higher/different scores the next time.
“Intermedia” – will have to look that up.
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WOW!!!
I keep saying it. You need to do a series for Bravo. These trips are so great.
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Anne: sounds like you might have been an easy target for “hobo” life
Shanna: we at Pasadena Adjacent appreciate your business
John E: I am a connect the dot kind of thinker. My brain sees patterns. This is not to be confused with “deep thinker” as everyone knows I’m not
Mary: mary mary quite contrary
Margaret: LL Bean’s madmen took a pass on this particular angle. And after all the work I went through
Jean: love return visitors
Banjo: It’s a backroad trip that I know few of my visitors have taken. When we had a big earthquake in 91 (after having the interstate 10 collapse) we all had to take side streets to get to the west side. In other words we got an opportunity to be tourists in some very interesting. Same situation applies here. After the fire we now have to take long and involved alternative routes to visit the mountain.
This was a brisk and cool day. Lots of wind. Beautiful isn’t it?
Tash: I shall visit shortly. Look forward to it. Funny comment
Laurie: Where have you been? and come back
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Wow! Another fascinating ride. I agree with Laurie about the Bravo series.
Photos on Flicker are gorgeous. You got a cotton candy sky against the rock candy mountains. Nice.
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Susan C: You could take Tommy there. Meet a rock climber with a VW van ; )
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Ha! Excellent suggestion!
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Awesome video! Love the hobo connection and the lyrics to that song. I’ve never heard either before. Now that I have a new perspective on the place I think I’ll go back and do some black and white. Gotta wait for cloud coverage though to get the mood right. How about trying to turn left into the Ranger Station? It took me 3 passes before I could get a break in the death defying traffic and get in there. That Cajon Pass is nuts too. I’m always wanting to rubberneck but it’s hard with the traffic speeds.
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