Across the Street from Mr. Wiesner's Store

As if Mr. Wiesner's abandoned store way out in the middle of the desert wasn't strange enough, here's what you see looking directly across Highway 62 on the other side of the street.

Quite a view, eh? A larger-than-life rendition of the flag-planting on Iwo Jima. A pretty good likeness, too. Here's the US Postage stamp, 1945 issue, for comparison purposes.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iwo_Jima

There's also a large military vehicle and trailer right next to the flag-planters. All combined, it creates a powerful image!

Another view of the military truck in b&w with the lonely desert hills in the background. Maybe this little outpost makes more sense when you realize the location... about 35 miles from the 29 Palms Marine Base. Even so, it seems very surreal to see this scene, so far out in the desert, virtually in the middle of nowhere, as you're driving along on Highway 62! Oh, and it might have brought a few extra customers into Mr. Wiesner's store.