Blue Pony Mesa

Blue Pony Mesa
P.O. Box 294005
Phelan, CA 92329-4005
info@blueponymesa.com

What is Desert Hearted?

Anyone who has spent any time here knows that I am desert-crazy. (Not as in 'dehydrated-and-wandering-aimlessly-until-I-add-my-bones-to-the-blowing-sands crazy, but more like I-'heart'-the-desert crazy.)

Being that, I am always on the lookout for desert things. Rather than bookmarking them all into one huge folder on my browser (done), I'm putting them here for other people to find, too.

This is a fairly eclectic mix of books, magazines, products, websites, opinions, blogs, etc., etc. Some of the things I may not agree with 100%; some things you may not agree with, either. Take the list for what it is: an offering of information to make of what you will.

As this is a work in progress and getting updated on an ongoing basis, check back often to see what's been added.

Desert Hearted: Things for People Who Love the Desert

This is my list of everything I've found interesting about the desert. For products (books, magazines, etc.) if you click HERE, you'll be directed to my Amazon Desert Hearted a-store, where a lot of (but not all) these product links go.

Most of these items are in and about the Mojave Desert, which is mostly in Southern California, extending into Southern Nevada and Northern Arizona. I am more Mojave Desert-crazy than Sonoran or Great Basin or Colorado Desert-crazy, simply because I live in the Mojave (and have for many years). As I find things referencing the other Southwest deserts I will add them to the list. My only criteria is that the desert has to be in the Western/Southwestern United States. Trying to do justice to the Gobi, Australian Outback or the Sahara, not to mention the South American Atacama, is too desert-crazy for even me.

FTC disclosure/compliance stuff: Anything purchased through my Amazon A-Store I do get a (very small) percentage from the sale.The rest of the info listed here is for entertainment and information only, and I do not receive any kind of compensation for my recommendations or posting to this list.

Final disclaimer: regarding links to organizations and/or businesses: all links worked when I added them; I do not cite or guarantee these businesses to be trustworthy, not, or anywhere in-between. Some of them I've used over the years and they were fine then; others are just things I've found while surfing the 'Net. Use common sense when visiting strange websites: Surfers Beware, and make sure your anti-virus software is up-to-date.

Books
Fiction
Non-fiction: Historical, lifestyle, human events/desert issues
Non-fiction: Nature
Magazines
Movies / DVDs
Music
Desert Filming Locations
Location: El Mirage Dry Lake, San Bernardino County, California (seen in a million music videos, commercials, television series and movies)
Location: Newberry Springs, California. The 1987 movie, 'Bagdad Cafe' was filmed here. Huell Howser also did a hilarious, hour-long "Road Trip" to this little burg, which didn't go according to plan.
Location: The Alabama Hills, Lone Pine, California (also see the Lone Pine Film Festival).This has been a location for another million or so movies, music videos, commercials, etc.
Location: Mitchell's Caverns, Essex, California (cave scene in the movie, The Doors, with Val Kilmer playing Jim Morrison. If you visit there, ask the ranger giving the tour what happened to the cave paintings after the filming, if it's not mentioned.) February, 2011 Update: The caverns are closed until Oct of 2011, due to various reasons though a friend who was there on the last tour date said he was told it was apparently budget related by a ranger, despite what the website now says.
Location: Mormon Rocks, Cajon Pass, Mojave (I-15) Freeway, California
Location: Vasquez Rocks, Antelope Valley (14) Freeway, Acton, California
Desert Points of Interests & Websites
Richard D. Thompson, Mojave Historian:
His personal website www.mojavehistory.com and affiliated with the Mohahve Historical Society.
Mojave, Mohave, or Mohahve: article in Victorville, CA newspaper about the different spellings.
The Digital Desert: another website that tries to cover all things Mojave. It's a big desert!
The Desert Explorer Blog: www.dustyWay.com Don't know who this person is, but he's got some good stuff on his blog. Enjoy.
Wild Gardens Video series features wildflowers native to Southern California: Anza Borrego, Joshua Tree National Park, and the eastern Mojave Desert. www.wildgardensvideo.com
For desert stargazers: while this site doesn't specifically target the desert areas, most of the information is applicable to our skies. And the host, Jack Horkheimer, is thoroughly entertaining! www.jackstargazer.com Best yet: you can view (or download) free weekly episodes using RealPlayer or QuickTime.
Desert USA
The REAL Mojave Phone Booth which semi-inspired the movie.
Grand Canyon National Park
Lake Mead National Recreation Area
Meteor Crater, Arizona
Homolovi State Park (Open for day-use only. The overnight campground has been permanently closed. Too bad, too, as it was the best kept camping secret in Northern Arizona.)
Kelso Depot, Kelso, CA
Harvey House "Casa Del Desierto," Barstow, CA
Joshua Tree National Park
Death Valley National Park
Mojave National Preserve
Calico Ghost Town, Yermo, CA
Bodie, California
Fort Verde State Historic Park, Camp Verde, Arizona
Mono Lake
Yuma Territorial Prison State Historic Park
Native Gardening
Native Seeds/S.E.A.R.C.H (Southwestern Endangered Aridland Resource Clearing House) Tucson, AZ www.nativeseeds.org
High Country Gardens, Santa Fe, NM www.highcountrygardens.com
Plants of the Southwest, Santa Fe, NM www.plantsofthesouthwest.com
Jericho Nursery, Albuquerque, NM www.jerichonursery.com

Blue Pony Mesa
P.O. Box 294005
Phelan, CA 92329-4005
info@blueponymesa.com

Blue Pony Mesa

What is Desert Hearted?

Desert Hearted: Things for People Who Love the Desert

Books

Magazines

Movies / DVDs

Music

Desert Filming Locations

Desert Points of Interests & Websites

Native Gardening