Diaz Lake is located in the Owens Valley, California, It has the distinction of having recently been formed as the result of a large earthquake. Click on the panoramic thumbnail for the full-sized version.

From Wikipedia:

Diaz Lake is located just south of Lone Pine, California, United States in Owens Valley. The lake was formed by the 1872 Lone Pine earthquake when 18 mi (29 km) of the Owens Valley dropped approximately 20 feet (6 m) and a new spring opened, causing water to fill the lowland.

The lake was named for the Diaz family who established a ranch here when brother Rafael and Eleuterio Diaz emigrated from Chile in the 1860’s. They owned and operated a successful cattle ranch until the land was sold to the city of Los Angeles.

Year-round fishing is available, and the “Diaz Lake Fish Derby” is held the first Saturday in March.

While on our recent vacation to Arizona, we noticed that most of the campers were from cold places - classic snowbirds - most of which appeared to be retired. We felt right at home among them - they were friendly, and in some cases, helpful. As I was hitching the trailer, one nice gent offered to give me a welcome hand.

Image - Camping in Wintertime Arizona - Click to enlarge.

This picture shows our campsite in the Apache Junction KOA. Apache Junction is a community just on the eastern edge of the Phoenix Metroplex. The Superstition Mountains are just east of the campground, providing a spectacular view.

I can see why lots of retirees invade this place in the winter months. Arizona has a very mild climate in the southern half of the state. The camping is nice and the people - both locals and other campers - are great.

That describes our trip across the Golden State today. We entered California in Blythe along Interstate 10 in cool, but bright sunshine weather, and arrived in our home town, Torrance, where a full-on winter rainstorm was in progress. You might say it was raining torrents in Torrance.

Click on the image to enlarge. Photos courtesy of Damsel and her perpetually clicking camera.

Leave it to Federal Agencies, like the Transportation Security Administration, to embody the epitome of political correctness gone wrong . . .

From the NRA-ILA:

Sleep Easy, America — Feds’ Terrorist Watchlist Nabs Cub Scout

As we’ve reported before, Sen. Frank Lautenberg (D-N.J.), encouraged by New York City mayor Michael Bloomberg, wants to prohibit anyone on the FBI’s terrorist watchlist from possessing a firearm. Yet, the list and its criteria are secret, and Lautenberg’s bill would criminalize the exercise of a constitutionally protected right while denying a person the opportunity to clear himself of accusations in a fair and open hearing before a court of law. Even today, thousands of people who aren’t terrorists cannot prevent the list from misidentifying them, causing them delays and embarrassment when trying to board commercial aircraft.

It’s one thing when an adult gets the run-around at an airport, because he or she has a name identical or similar to someone the FBI is watching. As the American Civil Liberties Union has pointed out, the Transportation Security Administration’s (TSA) “automatic selectee” list — its list of people who are not permitted to board an aircraft without being given the once-over by the agency’s machines and uniformed, latex-gloved personnel — is based on people’s names, not on physical factors like age.

But when the system is so unorganized that it cannot distinguish a kid from a terrorist, what’s going on here? Yesterday, the New York Times reported that for the last six or seven years, one of Lautenberg’s constituents — eight-year-old New Jersey Cub Scout Michael “Mikey” Hicks — hasn’t been able to get on a plane without being patted down like your average neighborhood hubcap thief with his palms on the hood of a police cruiser and a nightstick between his legs. Repeatedly mistaken for someone on the FBI’s terrorist watchlist since he was two years old, Mikey’s encounters with the federal government have consisted of, as his mother puts it, “Up your arms, down your arms, up your crotch, someone is patting your 8-year-old down like he’s a criminal.” [more]

Now, don’t you feel safer?

When we stepped out to walk the dog, this was what we saw looking toward the last sun rays falling on the Catalina Mountains near Tucson, AZ. All those big, beautiful motor homes and fifth wheelers, a palm-lined road, and our little rented 24 foot trailer, one corner barely visible at the extreme right (not to be confused with the imaginary extreme right that the Democrats hallucinate about). The trailer may be small, but it’s quite comfy.

Click image to enlarge - not the trailer, the photo.

East of Phoenix, AZ, the Superstition Mountains dominate the skyline. The legendary Lost Dutchman Mine just may be somewhere up in them thar hills. We woke up this morning and saw these scenic mountains. Click image to enlarge.

We’re back in the land of the Saguaro Cactii. Tonight, we’re near Phoenix, AZ. After we set up camp, I walked around the RV Park taking pictures of some of the plants and birds. I liked this one that I snapped just as the sun was directly behind. Click to enlarge.

We’re looking forward to a couple of vacations in 2010 and have started planning them. One thing we like to do is pull up some of the photos we took during previous outings. I was looking through the Summer ‘08 files when I found this nice rainbow road picture taken near Canyonlands National Park in Utah. Click on the image to enlarge.