Exploring California Byways III: Desert Country: Trips For A Day Or A Weekend

by Russ Leadabrand

154 pages, Paperback

Published January 1, 1972

Reviews

[Timothy Moore · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was gifted to me at a poetry exchange, which I believe is worth mentioning because on the surface, you might expect this be just another monotonous travel guide. However, the author, Russ Leadabrand, does much more for the reader. He seamlessly transitions from vital road information to fascinating historical writing to the poetics of these Southern California deserts throughout this pocket size book.

Much of this book is no longer up-to-date but you read it anyways… not for travel information but simply for the joy of reading and imagination. The writing helps you beautify these dry, arid places and it entices readers to visit in a rental jeep as soon as possible. Similar to other reviews, I’ll end with one of my favorite lines from the book:

“Whenever the press of the city living wounds the muscles and the mind, this is the kind of country that works like medicine. The sky is painted with the longest handled brush. The mountains in this part of the Mojave stand in geometric disarray, touching each point of the compass and wearing the purple of distance. When you look close at hand they real more intimate colors. Roads that measure the range taper and vanish straight-line ahead, seeking out some elusive horizon that always seems to hide in the next country.”

[Sundry · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found this little guidebook in a gem shop in Lone Pine on Friday night. It was published in 1969, so it’s probably pretty out of date-a couple of roads he describes as unpaved are paved now, for instance-but the writing is just wonderful.

I’m now on a hunt for other books by this guy.

“The desert is too much silence, it is too much horizon, it is too much nothing; it is reassuring in these excesses.” – Russ Leadabrand