Last post, I was out in the middle of nowhere (as usual) searching for a giant funnel. Once I found it (it was late afternoon), I set up "camp" (tarp and sleeping bag), and had a lot of time to kill waiting for the Milky Way to rise at about 4 in the morning. So what to do? Fortunately, not far from the funnel is an area called the "car wash", where old car bodies are frozen in time, buried in sand in a desert wash (hence the name). It's a strange site, and makes for some fun photography. And it sure makes you wonder about all these old cars: What are they doing in such a remote location, and how did they get in the wash??
Well, I have a theory. If you look closely at the historic "trash" piles on the property near the car wash, you will see much of it is auto parts. My theory is the person or people who lived here back in the day salvaged the old cars for their parts. Perhaps he/they would use them to repair vehicles of the miners working in the area? So my theory is this was an early version of an auto salvage yard. The cars that make up the "car wash" are actually just old car bodies... no motors, no transmission, no tires or rims. Just the bodies, picked clean. Not having all the "innards" would make them much lighter, and I can imagine one of those huge desert flash floods pushing these car bodies into this wash. Washed into the wash, so to speak. And here they remain all these years later.
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| Baby blue Cadillac. |
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| Somebody left the lights on! |
One nice thing about spending the night out here is I can photograph these old cars at sunset. The few visitors that hike out to this remote spot can't stay for sunset unless they are willing and able to hike back to their car in the dark, which is challenging, and not something most sane people would choose to do.😷
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| Time to vacuum out the car! |
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| My sleeping bag is around here somewhere. Good night! |
Thanks for stopping by, and I hope you enjoyed the old cars!
I love this. It seems at one time most of the people in the country would just pull their old cars out somewhere and leave them for whatever reason. Back in my pipeline construction days we ran across old cars stuck in creeks far from any roads there. I learned to be careful getting in them and opening up the glove box. Sometimes a mouse would hop out.
ReplyDeleteThere's a certain historical value and beauty to this, sand-washed and deep within the folds of the desert museum.
ReplyDeleteSo funny to see the cars buried in sand. Like Penelope said, it's the desert museum.
ReplyDeleteoh yes, being a photographer myself, I would have a blast out there. I could see doing a photo shoot with a girl in an evening dress, and shooting through that car window to get her on the other side. I LOVE IT.
ReplyDelete...it's a shame that these vehicles abandoned in the dessert, but they sure are photogenic! Have a wonderful weekend.
ReplyDeleteI've never seen a sunset through a rusted mystery car before and I might not ever again. This was fascinating. Perhaps some of these were brought there intentionally and others were washed in - I wonder. Definitely not the car washes you find here in the Southern Tier of New York.
ReplyDeleteI love this, just about as much as the natural sights.
ReplyDeleteEloquent! You are my hero!
ReplyDeleteIt's amazing what you find in the desert. Love that last shot.
ReplyDeleteThere is something very artistic about these abandoned auto bodies and your photos ~ unique for sure ~ quite the sun set ~ fascinating post and photos always here ~ especially today ~ thanks,
ReplyDeleteWishing you good health, laughter and love in your days,
A ShutterBug Explores,
aka (A Creative Harbor)
I have spent a lot of time hiking in the Boston mountains of NW Arkansas and have run into a few abandoned old vehicles that made me wonder how on earth they got there.
ReplyDeleteIt's a fascinating sight to see those cars slowly disappear into the sand. You've taken some beautiful photos at the scene.
ReplyDeleteQuerido amigo, espectaculares imágenes, me encanto la ultima la del cielo, es muy hermosa.
ReplyDeleteGracias por visitar mi blog.
Abrazos y besos querido amigo
One of my favorites. I smiled out loud at the 'left the lights on' comment. GOOD ONE! I was surprised many of the shots I could not name the car. BUT it would be fascinating to me in person, for sure. Just glad you took the time to get these. Love 'em!
ReplyDeleteThanks for taking us along. (Seeing the title on the alert, I had to see it,.,,)
What a captivating glimpse into the past!
ReplyDeleteIt's incredible to think about the stories behind each of these abandoned cars, left to weather the elements in the desert.
Your theory about them being part of an early auto salvage yard makes perfect sense.
Incredible photography!
Those are great images. I can see how all those car bodies might end up in one area. They must have been all over the place before.
ReplyDeleteThese outdoor museums are very fascinating.
ReplyDeleteWorth a Thousand Words
nice find
ReplyDeleteWhat a pity people just transform the environment into a car demolition place! Unfortunately we have examples of this all through Italy too...
ReplyDeleteNevertheless, your shots are stunning, as ever.
That does make you wonder how they ended up there but the do make for some great photos
ReplyDeleteThe B&W with the truck body is my favorite. All of them seem to be from the 50's-- mostly early to middle 50s. But I've been known to be wrong. Fabulous pictures.
ReplyDeleteWow wonderful shots. Looks like fossil of bygone events
ReplyDeleteYou find some interesting things in the desert and they make great photo subjects.
ReplyDeleteDear Peter,
ReplyDeleteThat sure is an interesting place to explore and to ponder about the people involved back then.
Hugs,
Mariette
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ReplyDeleteInteresting find. Great photos! It is hard to pick a favourite.
ReplyDeleteCar corpses. Car cemetery. When I read Grapes of Wrath, my favorite chapter, was it chapter 7, I can't recall now, was Steinbeck's description of the share croppers property and house, after they left, how nature took the space back.
ReplyDeleteWonderful treasures you find
ReplyDeleteYou have proved once again that an artist with a camera can make pretty much any subject look interesting.
ReplyDeleteWhat a bonus for us that the old car bodies were close by. You've had great fun capturing their rare sunset beauty. Fabulous shots and I love the final one and comment!
ReplyDeleteGreat photos of an interesting place! Perhaps one day visitors from another planet will be amazed and dig up these cars and bring them to a museum ;)
ReplyDeleteHave a nice weekend
For some reason, that old Jim Croce song "Workin' at the Car Wash Blues" popped into my head. That's a good theory you have about how those old car bodies ended up there. They make great subjects for a photographer.
ReplyDeleteSunset pics are stunning - good call on the overnight stay!
ReplyDeleteA story behind each and everyone of those old relics.
ReplyDeleteMore like a car cemetery.
ReplyDeleteabandoned cars look like blend with nature.... make beautiful sceneries.
ReplyDeleteThank you. Now I have to YouTube tthat song! ;-)
ReplyDeleteThat was 1976???? Boy! I only was allowed classical music and only found out at school there is more (I was 4 at that time).
Bummer. So cool. Had to make a post and... linked to you, hope that you think that´s OK!
Great photography again!!!!
P.S. only tomorrow as I have two already today and no one would read that...
ReplyDeleteHello I'm visiting from Iris' blog.
ReplyDeleteGreat photographs and I do like the sunset.
All the best Jan
So fascinating and so different from your usual and something that would really be fun to stumble on. I do seem to remember that you had a header shot of an old abandoned truck when I first found your blog. I remember showing it to Bill because it was closer to the time when we'd actually spent a bit of time in Joshua Tree area. Way too long ago now.
ReplyDelete