March 2013
Lesha, Raffi and I spent a long weekend in March exploring the Wonder Valley Jackrabbit Homestead. The weather conditions in March (of this year) felt ideal; dry, with temperatures hovering in the low 80ºs mid day.
With Raffi's boots packed, plenty of water, snacks and our camera gear, we ventured out in the 4Runner. The four-wheel drive is put to good use as we crawled through unmarked sand and soft gravel trails to access more of the decidedly forlorn abodes.
This parched and seemingly isolated community lies just east of Joshua Tree National Park, and south of Cleghorn Lakes Wilderness Area. Before leaving for this destination, we prepped appropriately and did a deep dive in researching various landmarks.
We roomed at the Motel 6 in 29 Palms – which is an easy reach from the homesteads along Highway 62 and adjacent to Amboy Road. Sleeping overnight or camping within the properties isn't advised. One picture-perfect property we arrived upon; an intentionally scorched ruin with collapsing tinder frames, charred roof, and looted appliances littered welcomed incoming gawkers. As we were excitedly unpacking the truck and gathering our gear, a man exited the interior to make his presence obvious. He was shirtless, soaked in soot, wielding a whip length garden hose in one hand and a cell phone in the other. We got the hint and scooted out of his sight. On this day, this abode wasn't vacant.
We loved this place so much that Lesha and I thought it would be the perfect environment for producing a music video. We returned two years later, in the Summer of 2015, to produce the following music video.