Don Barrett (aka DBs travels)'s photos with the keyword: San Bernardino County

In Joshua Tree National Park.

Joshua Tree National Park, Barker Dam area.

The Covington Flat area of Joshua Tree National Park is on the northwestern edge of the park. The graded dirt road is difficult to find, and the area has very few visitors (none when I was there). The area is much greener than other areas of the park. These pictures were taken in an area where trees on one side of the road had been in a fire a couple of years ago.

The Covington Flat area of Joshua Tree National Park is on the northwestern edge of the park. The graded dirt road is difficult to find, and the area has very few visitors (none when I was there). The area is much greener than other areas of the park. These pictures were taken in an area where trees on one side of the road had been in a fire a couple of years ago.

The gas station (at the 'cafe' sign on the far left, not shown) is still active, but the older motel cafe (the swept roof building) and the motel cottages are not used. (see adjacent pictures on Amboy)

One of the three collectors at the Brightsource Solar Power complex being constructed on BLM land on the Nevada/California border near Ivanpah, CA. I could not get closer to capture the size, but I've noted a semi-trailer to give a reference point regarding the height of the tower. (See adjacent picture)

El Rancho Motel in Barstow on Main St, which is the former U.S. Route 66. Per one website, the hotel was built in 1947 and is constructed from railroad ties of the abandoned Tonopah and Tidewater railroad (see picture linked below for information on that railroad.)

Afton Canyon, off I-15, east of Barstow, CA

El Rancho Motel in Barstow on Main St, which is the former U.S. Route 66. Per one website, the hotel was built in 1947 and is constructed from railroad ties of the abandoned Tonopah and Tidewater railroad (see picture linked below for more information on that railroad.)

Barstow Central High school. Per city records it was built in 1938, I could not find any information regarding whether it was built with New Deal funds.

Barstow 1st Street bridge. The bridge was opened in 1930 and crosses the major BNSF (formerly Santa Fe) railyards. The bridge is an interesting combination of steel truss, concrete, and wood.

Barstow 1st Street bridge. The bridge was opened in 1930 and crosses the major BNSF (formerly Santa Fe) railyards. The bridge is an interesting combination of steel truss, concrete, and wood.

Slash X cafe at Slash X ranch. Per a plaque, the bar/cafe was started by the owner of the ranch because his wife didn't want 'drinking and carousing' in the house. Per the sign, the cafe/bar is open on the weekends and appears to be popular.

Barstow 1st Street bridge. The bridge was opened in 1930 and crosses the major BNSF (formerly Santa Fe) railyards. The bridge is an interesting combination of steel truss, concrete, and wood.

Barstow station seen from across the railroad yard. The station is so large because is was the site of one of the famous Harvey houses.

Retired Santa Fe diesel freight locomotive at Barstow railroad museum.

Retired Santa Fe passenger car at Barstow railroad museum.

This may look boring, but it has historic importance. Quite a bit east of Twentynine Palms, on CA 62, is the former town of Rice. There are no remains of the actual town of Rice but there are remains of an airfield. Looking up the Rice airfield on the web revealed three interesting facts. One was that the airfield had been one of about a dozen airfields that had been used in the desert during WW II and then abandoned. A second was that the airfield was much larger than one would guess just based on the immediately visible evidence. The third was the reminder of how permanent is construction in the desert. Even though very much of the airfield was apparently unpaved, quite a bit of the unpaved structure remains visible -- particularly in the satellite view (see map). From the ground, the remainder of some of the buildings are visible and a large aircraft parking area on the north end. But if you compare other markings on the ground to recent satellite photos of the site, you can clearly still tell the location of various taxiways even though the airport was decommissioned at least 50 years before these pictures were taken. This picture is of the only visible paved area of the airport, a large pad with tie-down rings, on the north end. In the satellite photo, this is the white pad on the north end. Despite the featureless quality of these pictures, it is important to step back in time and reflect on what it was like to be here in the vast and empty desert, learning to fly and preparing for combat missions (and possible death) in WW II. This would have been the late afternoon view of many who were training for war. **** In January, 2013, plans were announced to convert the former airfield to a solar energy plant