Along CA state route 62 with the Leica S

[Streetz]

Route 62 is a very interesting and scenic if totally lonely stretch of road through the southern California desert, navigating a number of impressive wilderness areas, such as Cleghorn Lakes, Sheephole and Turtle Mountains. South is Joshua Tree NP, north the Mojave Desert. This visual journey starts in 29 Palms and ends with the Colorado River in Parker at the Arizona border, a distance of 110 miles (180km).

Barbershop catering to the US marines in 29 Palms

Route 62, leaving 29 Palms, heading east

Decommissioned turtle/beetle at the Glasshouse gallery just outside 29 Palms

Not much grows out here

One car per hour, or thereabouts

Open land, open road

Random, self-made road sign

Masked bush in a place called Rice Desert.

Shoe tree shoe memorial.

End of the road. The railroad bridge across the Colorado in Parker, AZ

Leica S006 (CCD sensor, similar color signature to the M9), Zeiss Contax Distagon 55mm.
Thanks for the interest. A few more images here.
T
___________________________

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[Rodrigue Zahr]

What a beautiful trip you had. I envy you. The US hides plenty of such nostalgic places to be rediscovered.
Hope you did it in a convertible;-)

 

[Dr. Ulrich Rohde]

As always, very educational

 

[Rexgig0]

Beautiful!

 

[LeicaEye]

Mouthwatering Set of Images, colors and framing are top notch.. Thanks for sharing... L

 

[MrPete]

Nice work and very interesting. Things you don't see from the Interstate System.

 

[AwakeAtTheWheel]

Streetz, how are those open roads for speeding?

I do not even want to think about Nevada (in comparison); that state is really a pain along I-80...there seem to be cops hiding under bushes even in areas with 20-mile visibility of nothingness in every direction. I got some very expensive speeding tickets in Nevada and Idaho.

My current tires are only rated up to 120 mph, but I really miss pushing it in sixth gear (on my car, sixth is only about 100-ish at 4000rpm). There's a special spot on my commute into Manhattan where you can get up to 90 for about 10 secs, but that's about it in the tristate area.

 

[LeicaEye]

Streetz, how are those open roads for speeding?

I do not even want to think about Nevada (in comparison); that state is really a pain along I-80...there seem to be cops hiding under bushes even in areas with 20-mile visibility of nothingness in every direction. I got some very expensive speeding tickets in Nevada and Idaho.

My current tires are only rated up to 120 mph, but I really miss pushing it in sixth gear (on my car, sixth is only about 100-ish at 4000rpm). There's a special spot on my commute into Manhattan where you can get up to 90 for about 10 secs, but that's about it in the tristate area.

I had a new 2017 Redline Red Challenger SRT- did something like 70k miles over many road trips.. In track mode it would leave your eyeballs behind- was followed a few times by the lights, never stopped & boy did that car pump adrenaline L

 

[Streetz]

Streetz, how are those open roads for speeding?

I do not even want to think about Nevada (in comparison); that state is really a pain along I-80...there seem to be cops hiding under bushes even in areas with 20-mile visibility of nothingness in every direction. I got some very expensive speeding tickets in Nevada and Idaho.

My current tires are only rated up to 120 mph, but I really miss pushing it in sixth gear (on my car, sixth is only about 100-ish at 4000rpm). There's a special spot on my commute into Manhattan where you can get up to 90 for about 10 secs, but that's about it in the tristate area.

Not a good idea to go fast on 62. According to the local paper Desert Sun:
"Since 2002, at least 182 people have died in 158 crashes on Highway 62 — an average of more than one per month. Based on these figures, a driver on Highway 62 is three times more likely to die in a crash than a driver on the average California road."

There are a number of reasons for this. You think the road is dead straight, but it actually isn't. It's imperceptible to the human eye, and it might get you too late. Then there's drifting sand on the tarmac in various places (this is the desert after all). Third reason, 29 Palms has a huge US Marines training base. They ride their motorcycles or drive their Ford Mustangs along that stretch, really fast (they don't like speed limits, or they've been drinking, or both), and they die out there. Alone, or in a head-on collision with a local soccer mom and her kids. Fourth, there are the occasional offroaders crisscrossing back and forth along 62, BMW GS with knobbies, ATVs, etc. Quite an off-roading culture out there actually, especially during the cooler months (Nov to Feb). Take all this into account, and enjoy the spectacular scenery. If you need to drive fast, book a track day.

___________________________

Zenfolio | Thomas H. Hahn Docu-Images

"China urban planning"; mountains of China; "Sacred sites"; "Chinese modern art"; "Zeiss 100mm"; "Sony R1"; "chinese nudes"; "chinese model"; "China nudes"; "book collecting"; "felice hahn"; "abandoned homes"; "upstate new york"; Tibet; "wet market"; "historical photography China"; 'Ernst...

hahn.zenfolio.com

 

[Streetz]

What a beautiful trip you had. I envy you. The US hides plenty of such nostalgic places to be rediscovered.
Hope you did it in a convertible;-)

Hey Rodrigue,

I told you years ago to come visit, I'd be happy to take you around those back roads
Am planning to do a roundtrip down to the area (Palm Springs and beyond) next month on my Ducati, better than any convertible!

Take care, stay safe.
T
___________________________

Zenfolio | Thomas H. Hahn Docu-Images

"China urban planning"; mountains of China; "Sacred sites"; "Chinese modern art"; "Zeiss 100mm"; "Sony R1"; "chinese nudes"; "chinese model"; "China nudes"; "book collecting"; "felice hahn"; "abandoned homes"; "upstate new york"; Tibet; "wet market"; "historical photography China"; 'Ernst...

hahn.zenfolio.com

 

[Streetz]

Mouthwatering Set of Images, colors and framing are top notch.. Thanks for sharing... L

Thank you, much appreciated. The S is a special system to work with.

 

[Streetz]

Nice work and very interesting. Things you don't see from the Interstate System.

Very true, that. The American SW is an amazing canvas for photographers. Too bad its running out of water.

 

[Streetz]

As always, very educational

Thanks for coming along on the ride

 

[Streetz]

Thank you. The images don't really do that area much justice, it's a pretty overpowering experience to move along that stretch of road.

 

[LeicaEye]

Mouthwatering Set of Images, colors and framing are top notch.. Thanks for sharing... L

Thank you, much appreciated. The S is a special system to work with.

 

[Gandolphi]

Not a journey I would wish to make in a mule drawn cart.

Nice to view.

 

[eliehbk]

Waiting for you here Rodrigues so we go taking pictures together.

 

[AwakeAtTheWheel]

Not a good idea to go fast on 62. According to the local paper Desert Sun:
"Since 2002, at least 182 people have died in 158 crashes on Highway 62 — an average of more than one per month. Based on these figures, a driver on Highway 62 is three times more likely to die in a crash than a driver on the average California road."

There are a number of reasons for this. You think the road is dead straight, but it actually isn't. It's imperceptible to the human eye, and it might get you too late. Then there's drifting sand on the tarmac in various places (this is the desert after all). Third reason, 29 Palms has a huge US Marines training base. They ride their motorcycles or drive their Ford Mustangs along that stretch, really fast (they don't like speed limits, or they've been drinking, or both), and they die out there. Alone, or in a head-on collision with a local soccer mom and her kids. Fourth, there are the occasional offroaders crisscrossing back and forth along 62, BMW GS with knobbies, ATVs, etc. Quite an off-roading culture out there actually, especially during the cooler months (Nov to Feb). Take all this into account, and enjoy the spectacular scenery. If you need to drive fast, book a track day.

This is really interesting information! Much appreciated. I hadn't taken into account the narrowness of the road. I mistakenly thought "flat + straight = safe." Obviously not. And off-roaders crossing the road? That's really left field—tho it obviously makes sense.

 

[AlexWeih]

WOW WOW WOW! Love these Pictures! Wished i had the Time 3yrs ago when i was driving across the Route66 to take such cool pictures.

 

[AlexWeih]

Route 62 is a very interesting and scenic if totally lonely stretch of road through the southern California desert, navigating a number of impressive wilderness areas, such as Cleghorn Lakes, Sheephole and Turtle Mountains. South is Joshua Tree NP, north the Mojave Desert. This visual journey starts in 29 Palms and ends with the Colorado River in Parker at the Arizona border, a distance of 110 miles (180km).

Route 62, leaving 29 Palms, heading east

One car per hour, or thereabouts

Open land, open road

Random, self-made road sign

Leica S006 (CCD sensor, similar color signature to the M9), Zeiss Contax Distagon 55mm.
Thanks for the interest. A few more images here.
T
___________________________
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