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On the 27th of November, Sandy and I were driving to Palm Springs for a few days of relaxation. On the drive there my sister, Melanie, and her husband, Phil, passed us. They were also, consequently, going to Palm Springs. We decided to get together for a hike to the Samuelson Rocks. Six years ago, Sandy, my Dad, Jean and I searched for these rocks, which are located in Joshua Tree National Park. They are not promoted at all by the park service. The rocks are "Kept a Secret!" This time it became a group hike. My Dad and Jean, Melanie and Phil, Chris and Ted, and Sandy and I. To appreciate this hunt and story requires a brief history of the rocks. If you remember "Perry Mason" and "Earle Stanley Gardner", then you may find this interesting. These rocks got Earle Stanley Gardener started on his profitable writing career. Earle was an attorney in Ventura, California. After he sold the story of these rocks to Argosy magazine for $250, in 1928, he decided to became a writer. He wrote over 400 history books and 12 non-fiction books during the 1900's. I am not going to tell you the entire story, but will tell you that it involves ship wrecks, sleeping sickness, mental hospitals, African tribes, murder and gold! The story is so outlandish, you may not find it believable, so I have attached the story to this web site for you to read for yourself. Earle first visited this area in 1928, but investigated numerous times during the 40's and 50's. The story of the rocks was in a book called "Neighbor Frontiers" printed in 1953.
Earle Stanley Gardner was a true off-roader before it became a sport. This is the vehicle which he converted to one of the first motorhomes. It had a stove, couch and other amenities.
I have every non-fiction book written by Mr. Gardner. Going off road on exciting adventures is a common theme in most of his writings. Most of his adventures occurred in Mexico, the deserts of the Southwest or the river delta area near Sacramento, California. In his writings of his desert trip of 1928 he made the statement that he thought that Las Vegas and Phoenix could have a great future, in spite of the fact that each location only had a few hotels and most of the roads were dirt!
This carving was done in 1927. The picture taken in 1928.
This is Dad and Sandy on November 27, 2004. My Father was 2 years old when the rock was carved! Dad will be 80 years old next April. I need to get in shape. It is hard to keep up with him hiking across the desert. We hiked approximately 4 miles across a trail-less desert. Hope I am doing as well in 25 years.............
John Samuelson had an illness which caused him to fall asleep for 2 to 4 days at a time. It only occurred when it rained. A doctor in Boston suggested that John should move to the deserts of the Southwest. This was his home.
If you would like to read the complete story of the Samuelson Rocks, click on this button. Is the story true? I do not know. All I know is that the rocks DO exist! Again, Click here for the complete story of the ROCKS!
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Picture from 1928
Picture from 1928
Picture taken November 27, 2004 
Picture from 1928
Picture taken November 27, 2004 
an
juvenile court system, for which he won world recognition.
Picture from 1928
