A stone obelisk stood by itself on S2 between the Yuha Desert and the Anza Borrego Desert in California. The plaque had been stolen. I had been doing a lot of hiking in that area and noticed that there were two kinds of travelers (alright maybe more). The ones that kept looking out the window, maps aflutter, hoping to find a town with a gift shop because clearly there was nothing else to see at that moment. Or, the ones that brought heavy 'toys' and drive over everything. They aren't hurting anything, because there was nothing out here in the desert.
I decided to make a new plaque that was of plaster, rendering it undesirable for stealing. Plainly it said
"This is the desert. Theres nothing out here. Nothing.
N. Karavasiles"
It became a hit, surprisingly. This unsanctioned piece was sited in Diana Lindsay's book 'Anza Borrego A to Z' https://sunbeltpublications.com/, it was a place where geologists met, and for some time now the area is surrounded by an INS station.
It was so popular, that when the plaster cracked, people insisted I maintain it! A new plaque went in, but this time made of concrete.
I feel like a celebrity when I go through the check point.
I decided to make a new plaque that was of plaster, rendering it undesirable for stealing. Plainly it said
"This is the desert. Theres nothing out here. Nothing.
N. Karavasiles"
It became a hit, surprisingly. This unsanctioned piece was sited in Diana Lindsay's book 'Anza Borrego A to Z' https://sunbeltpublications.com/, it was a place where geologists met, and for some time now the area is surrounded by an INS station.
It was so popular, that when the plaster cracked, people insisted I maintain it! A new plaque went in, but this time made of concrete.
I feel like a celebrity when I go through the check point.
