The Rock Slide Show

Please note the rock slide show has been replaced but the slide show has been added to the bottom of this post


I've recieved some questions about the above slide show. These pictures were taken from a location near Mono Lake, in the Eastern Sierra region of California. If you would like the exact loacation email me and I'll tell you how to get there. This site is to rare and precious to post openly since people have this unconquerable desire to touch everything. This is an example of sedimentary layering. Details of the pictures show you how fine the particles are in this layering indicating among other things the past presence of water since this type of rock forms as silt and dirt settle out of water. The different layers are like chapter markers in the geologic past of Calif. The different colors indicate differing types of sediment ranging from simply silts (browns) to volcanic sediment (greyish). They gray coloring comes presumably from pulverized pumice stone eject from volcanic vents within the region. Since these vents would have emitted ash and dust instead of lava AND there was a present body of water to capture this dust and ash, we get these great pictures today.
But wait a minute, you've explained how the layers got there, but what about the twisty swirly formation? Good observation. The theory is that these layers were laid down in a water matrix so they were not very compact. Well the presence of volcanoes in the region also presupposes techtonic activities, i.e. earth quakes. You'll notice in the center of most of the swirls ad dark gray colored rock, this is mud. Mud is heavy so when the shaking started the otherwise stable layers began to give way to the weight of the overlying mud. As the mud descended it contorted the surrounding layers. The shaking stopped, time passed, compression set in and eventually exposure made this rock visible and this posting possible. Thank you mother nature for the material and thank you IT guys for allowing me to indulge in my rock fetish here.
But, wait I must also comment on the creation God who established that these things take place. This is just a tiny testimony of God's natural laws a work again demonstrating that He is in control of all things. Believer or not we are all within the reign of God.

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Eateries to Consider

I like eating out. I like the fact that we have the opportunity and liberty to do so in the United States. It's almost a patriotic duty to do so. There's no lining up for a loaf of bread at the Red Star Commie Bakery for us, no taking a chance with your life, like if you wanted to eat at Ali's Shish Kabob in the Middle East. No for us a short hop in the air conditioned car can convey us to a myriad of dining delights. No two places are alike and for something we should all be able to do at home, eating out is just one of the base and carnal pleasures we can enjoy, plus there is no dish washing to spoil the post meal digestion and rumination time.

One such intriguing culinary adventure brought Amy and I to the heart (or should I say bowels) of the Central Valley. Hidden in the little town of Viasalia is a place know mostly to locals, Areodogs. Yes, dogs that fly hotdogs to be specific. The owner of this property had a Corsair cargo plane converted into a dining room/hotdog stand. You can actually eat inside of an old airplane, peer out the oval passenger windows and peek into the cockpit. They did a wonderful job fixing up the plane which is good because the food was, well how to be judicious? Awful, can't say less than that if you screw up a hotdog. I got a Bratwurst that wasn't made out of Brat and the more I ate the wurst I though about it. Don't stop here for food. But if your looking for a place to stretch your legs and get a drink its worth a stop on any Central Valley adventure.

Exterior View of the Diner

An Interior View of the Diner