The History & Secrets of The Ortega Highway Sidetrack Adventures 2025-04-16 | The Ortega Highway travels from San Juan Capistrano to Lake Elsinore, crossing the Santa Ana Mountains, and is considered one of the most scenic roads in Southern California and one of the most dangerous. Starting at Mission San Juan Capistrano, we follow Highway 74 and the Ortega Highway into the mountains, visiting the Ronald W. Caspers Wilderness Park, the Serra Bridge, the Ortega Falls, the California Wildland Firefighter's Memorial, and the Lookout Roadhouse before reaching Lake Elsinore. Along the way we talk about the history and some of the interesting sights along the road.00:00 Intro00:59 Mission San Juan Capistrano04:58 The History of the Ortega Highway07:28 Ronald W. Caspers Wilderness Park12:20 San Juan Canyon Bridge14:29 Ortega Falls16:03 California Wildland Firefighters Memorial19:12 Lookout Roadhouse○ Gear we use: amazon.com/shop/sidetrackadventures►Join us on Patreon: patreon.com/SidetrackAdventures►Please subscribe for weekly updates showcasing some of our adventures: youtube.com/channel/UCdueDRFYPVgzPAAOM_bxVWA?sub_confirmation=1►Also please follow Sidetrack Adventures on Instagram: instagram.com/sidetrackadventures►Music in this video is from Epidemic Sounds; use our link for a free trial: share.epidemicsound.com/v927fj
The Mystery of Footprint Rock on Americas First Highway Sidetrack Adventures 2025-10-04 | Tucked along U.S. Highway 40 in western Ohio, the old National Road, America’s first federally funded highway, sits a roadside curiosity that’s been amusing travelers for generations: Footprint Rock.It’s a simple stone with what looks like a human footprint pressed into it, the kind of oddity that once lured early motorists to pull over and take a look. Long before giant fiberglass dinosaurs, neon motels, and quirky roadside museums, attractions like this were enough to break up the miles. Footprint Rock is located at: 39.84169132091147, -84.71039553680613
Lost Lake and the Lost Town of Millerton Sidetrack Adventures 2025-10-01 | Along the San Joaquin river, around the town of Friant, are a couple of places that are "lost" for completely different reasons. Lost Lake and the town of Millerton.Lost Lake is a park, centered around a man-made lake that was created during the construction of the Friant Dam in the 1930s. The area was long the home of the Yokuts, and is now the site of a number of spooky legends.Just upstream are the remains of the Pollasky Bridge, once one of the longest concrete wagon bridges in North America, and washed away by a flood in 1951.Then, behind the Friant Dam lies Millerton Lake, which sits on top of the town of Millerton, once the county seat for Fresno County.In this video we explore the Lost Lake area, Pollasky Bridge, and look for any signs of Millerton.○ Gear we use: amazon.com/shop/sidetrackadventures►Join us on Patreon: patreon.com/SidetrackAdventures►Please subscribe for weekly updates showcasing some of our adventures: youtube.com/channel/UCdueDRFYPVgzPAAOM_bxVWA?sub_confirmation=1►Also please follow Sidetrack Adventures on Instagram: instagram.com/sidetrackadventures►Music in this video is from Epidemic Sounds; use our link for a free trial: share.epidemicsound.com/v927fj
The Stagecoach Robbery Captured on Camera - Yosemites Stage Route Sidetrack Adventures 2025-09-24 | A staple of western movies, by 1905, stagecoach holdups were nearly a thing of the past. But in some corners of the country, the Old West hung on. The stage route to Yosemite would get more than it's fair share of stagecoach robberies between 1886 and 1911, but one that took place a few miles north of Ahwahnee was unique. For the first time in history, an actual stagecoach robbery was caught on film.Up until this point, every photo of a stage holdup was a reenactment, or created just for the camera. This was the real deal. Anton Veith took two photos as the stage he was on was being robbed, with only one coming out, and the photo would be featured across the country. No one had seen anything like it.Holdups on the way to Yosemite from Raymond, California weren't exactly rare. Just a few years earlier, a bandit calling himself The Black Kid, made major news when he robbed a number of stages over two and half hours, including the U.S. Army.In this video we journey the old stage route, taking a look at what's left of some of the old stops, and talk about the robbery that led to one remarkable photograph.○ Gear we use: amazon.com/shop/sidetrackadventures►Join us on Patreon: patreon.com/SidetrackAdventures►Please subscribe for weekly updates showcasing some of our adventures: youtube.com/channel/UCdueDRFYPVgzPAAOM_bxVWA?sub_confirmation=1►Also please follow Sidetrack Adventures on Instagram: instagram.com/sidetrackadventures►Music in this video is from Epidemic Sounds; use our link for a free trial: share.epidemicsound.com/v927fj
Uncovering Fairbank, Arizona: The Ghost Town on the San Pedro River Sidetrack Adventures 2025-09-17 | The ghost town of Fairbank, Arizona was once the closest train station to Tombstone, making it an important spot in the area's history.Arizona Pioneer Cemetery Research Project: apcrp.org/FAIRBANK/FAIRBANK_CEM_MAST.htm○ Gear we use: amazon.com/shop/sidetrackadventures►Join us on Patreon: patreon.com/SidetrackAdventures►Please subscribe for weekly updates showcasing some of our adventures: youtube.com/channel/UCdueDRFYPVgzPAAOM_bxVWA?sub_confirmation=1►Also please follow Sidetrack Adventures on Instagram: instagram.com/sidetrackadventures►Music in this video is from Epidemic Sounds; use our link for a free trial: share.epidemicsound.com/v927fj
Exploring the Ruins of the Clanton Ranch – The Old West’s Most Infamous Family Sidetrack Adventures 2025-09-10 | Located not too far from Tombstone, Arizona, are the ruins of the Clanton Ranch, home of one of the most infamous families of the old west. Probably.As members of the Cochise County Cowboys, the Clantons were feared in their, and caused trouble on both sides of the border. The ranch was the epicenter of their rusting empire.From Old Man Clanton and his rustling empire, to Johnny Ringo, Curly Bill Brocious, and the Cowboys who clashed with the Earps, this landscape has changed little from those days.In this video we head out to where it is believed the Clanton Ranch was located, and talk about the history of the Clanton family and the father who shaped them.○ Gear we use: amazon.com/shop/sidetrackadventures►Join us on Patreon: patreon.com/SidetrackAdventures►Please subscribe for weekly updates showcasing some of our adventures: youtube.com/channel/UCdueDRFYPVgzPAAOM_bxVWA?sub_confirmation=1►Also please follow Sidetrack Adventures on Instagram: instagram.com/sidetrackadventures►Music in this video is from Epidemic Sounds; use our link for a free trial: share.epidemicsound.com/v927fj
Exploring Highway 395 in Washington - From the State Line to the Border Sidetrack Adventures 2025-09-03 | Highway 395 in Washington stretches for 277 miles from the Oregon state line all the way to Canada, travelling through some of the most populated areas along the entire route.Washington is also the birthplace of U.S. Route 395, as it started as a highway linking Spokane to the Canadian border, before being extended south all the way to San Diego, California in 1934.As we travel through Washington, we stop in towns big and small to take a look at the region's history, exploring places such as Sacajawea State Park, Palouse Falls, Spokane's Riverfront Park, and Lake Roosevelt National Recreation Area.Chapters00:00 Intro00:43 Highway 395 in Washington03:40 Sacajawea State Park09:13 Palouse Falls11:52 Ritzville17:22 Spokane28:30 Colville31:04 Kettle Falls38:16 Laurier○ Gear we use: amazon.com/shop/sidetrackadventures►Join us on Patreon: patreon.com/SidetrackAdventures►Please subscribe for weekly updates showcasing some of our adventures: youtube.com/channel/UCdueDRFYPVgzPAAOM_bxVWA?sub_confirmation=1►Also please follow Sidetrack Adventures on Instagram: instagram.com/sidetrackadventures►Music in this video is from Epidemic Sounds; use our link for a free trial: share.epidemicsound.com/v927fj
The Loneliest Road in Oregon - Traveling a Nearly Empty Highway 395 Sidetrack Adventures 2025-08-27 | Highway 395 in Oregon has been called the state's loneliest road, seeing the least amount of traffic among all highways in the state.Stretching from New Pine Creek on the California border to Umatilla on the Columbia River, the highway crosses the sparsely populated eastern Oregon, traveling through some of the most scenic landscapes along the entire highway.And when they claim the road is little traveled, they aren't kidding. At times we would go over a half hour before passing another car.In this video we travel the entire length of U.S. Route 395 in Oregon, a highway that features high desert plateaus, volcanic peaks on the horizon, rivers cutting through wide valleys, and towns so small they can almost slip past before you notice them.Chapters00:00 Intro00:26 New Pine Creek02:51 Lakeview05:37 Old Perpetual09:25 Lake Abert and The Abert Rim13:25 Northern Great Basin Experimental Range16:09 Burns22:09 Seneca24:33 Canyon City28:50 John Day Fossil Beds National Monument38:45 Beech Creek42:17 Battle Mountain State Park44:37 Pendleton51:21 Umatilla○ Gear we use: amazon.com/shop/sidetrackadventures►Join us on Patreon: patreon.com/SidetrackAdventures►Please subscribe for weekly updates showcasing some of our adventures: youtube.com/channel/UCdueDRFYPVgzPAAOM_bxVWA?sub_confirmation=1►Also please follow Sidetrack Adventures on Instagram: instagram.com/sidetrackadventures►Music in this video is from Epidemic Sounds; use our link for a free trial: share.epidemicsound.com/v927fj
Discovering Highway 395 in Californias Remote Northeast Sidetrack Adventures 2025-08-20 | Highway 395 through California's remote northeast corner is seldom covered in any guidebooks. This stretch of the highway goes through some of the least populated areas on the state, starting on the edge of the Eastern Sierra before heading across the Modoc Plateau.Along the way, the Highway travels through a number of towns, rich with history dating back to the state's pioneer days.In this video we travel the entire length of US Route 395 in Northern California, from the Nevada state line to the Oregon state line at Goose Lake, exploring everything in between.Video on reaching the northeast corner of California: youtu.be/jd_gTaYkOcAChapters00:00 Intro02:00 Doyle04:14 Milford06:37 Susanville19:54 Standish21:19 The California Trail23:04 Nevada California Oregon Railway25:08 Ravendale25:58 Termo28:33 Likely29:36 Alturas34:00 The Haunted Hotel Niles40:19 Cedarville45:42 Chimney Rock47:56 Davis Creek50:20 Goose Lake50:45 New Pine Creek○ Gear we use: amazon.com/shop/sidetrackadventures►Join us on Patreon: patreon.com/SidetrackAdventures►Please subscribe for weekly updates showcasing some of our adventures: youtube.com/channel/UCdueDRFYPVgzPAAOM_bxVWA?sub_confirmation=1►Also please follow Sidetrack Adventures on Instagram: instagram.com/sidetrackadventures►Music in this video is from Epidemic Sounds; use our link for a free trial: share.epidemicsound.com/v927fj
Into the Silver State - Highway 395 Through Nevada Sidetrack Adventures 2025-08-13 | Only a short stretch of Highway 395 cuts through Nevada, about 85 miles, but it travels through one of the most historic parts of the Silver State. In fact, this area is why Nevada has been called the Silver State.As U.S. Route 395 enters Nevada, you enter the edge of the Great Basin, and travel through it has you head back towards California, passing through historic towns like Minden, Gardnerville, and Nevada's capitol, Carson City. Then you head into the largest city along the entirety of Highway 395, Reno.Along the way you pass through historic sites that link back to the area's mining boom.In this video we travel the entire length of Highway 395 in Nevada, from Topaz Lake to White Lake.Video on Genoa, Nevada: youtu.be/0mSRjYLph4AChapters00:00 Intro01:45 Highway 395 in Nevada03:20 Gardnerville07:22 Minden13:03 Carson City21:15 Bowers Mansion24:27 Washoe City25:55 Steamboat Springs27:23 Reno34:53 White Lake○ Gear we use: amazon.com/shop/sidetrackadventures►Join us on Patreon: patreon.com/SidetrackAdventures►Please subscribe for weekly updates showcasing some of our adventures: youtube.com/channel/UCdueDRFYPVgzPAAOM_bxVWA?sub_confirmation=1►Also please follow Sidetrack Adventures on Instagram: instagram.com/sidetrackadventures►Music in this video is from Epidemic Sounds; use our link for a free trial: share.epidemicsound.com/v927fj
The Best Road Trip in California? - Exploring Highway 395 in the Eastern Sierra Sidetrack Adventures 2025-08-06 | Highway 395 through the Eastern Sierra is often cited as the best road trip in California, and it is easy to see why. From Hesperia to the Nevada State Line, there is so much to see and do, you could explore the area for a lifetime and not see it all. We spent several days driving U.S. Route 395 in the Eastern Sierra, trying to see and experience as much as possible. Along the way we visited ghost towns, prehistoric monuments, and sites filed with strange stories (and maybe even the Twilight Zone).In this video we explore all 355 miles of Highway 395, otherwise known as El Camino Sierra, as it travels from the high desert through the Eastern Sierra.Video on the Ancient Bristlecone Pine Forest: youtu.be/MydUcNVl-40Chapters00:00:00 Intro00:00:53 The History of Highway 39500:03:53 Randsburg00:07:42 Pearsonville00:09:48 The Grand Army of the Republic00:12:33 Fossil Falls00:15:56 The Demon Donkey00:17:03 Dunmovin00:20:15 Olancha00:27:10 Lone Pine and the Museum of Western Film History00:30:54 Alabama Hills00:36:20 Manzanar00:40:57 Winnedumah Paiute Monument00:42:49 Independence00:45:06 Big Pine and Copper Top BBQ00:46:17 The Missing Roosevelt Tree00:48:14 Keough Hot Springs00:51:00 Bishop and Erick Schat’s Bakkery00:53:53 Laws Railroad Museum01:04:08 Tom’s Place01:05:47 Convict Lake01:07:06 Hot Creek Geologic Site01:09:34 Mammoth01:13:38 Crestview Rest Area and The Lost Cement Mine01:15:40 June Lake Loop01:19:40 Mono Lake01:24:16 Whoa Nellie Deli01:25:39 Lee Vining01:27:55 Adeline Carson Stilts01:28:34 Bodie01:35:12 Bridgeport01:38:36 Topaz LakeSpecial thanks to http://www.owensvalleyhistory.com and westernmininghistory.com○ Gear we use: amazon.com/shop/sidetrackadventures►Join us on Patreon: patreon.com/SidetrackAdventures►Please subscribe for weekly updates showcasing some of our adventures: youtube.com/channel/UCdueDRFYPVgzPAAOM_bxVWA?sub_confirmation=1►Also please follow Sidetrack Adventures on Instagram: instagram.com/sidetrackadventures►Music in this video is from Epidemic Sounds; use our link for a free trial: share.epidemicsound.com/v927fj
Rusting Ruins on the Rocks - Exploring The Shipwreck of the Dominator Sidetrack Adventures 2025-07-23 | In 1961, the Dominator, a WWII era Liberty Ship, came too close to the California coast near Los Angeles and became stuck on the rocks. For several days they tried to free the ship and save it, but it was not to be. The waves were too much and the Dominator was broken apart.Now over 60 years later parts of the Dominator are spread out over the rocky shore of Rancho Palos Verdes, under a high cliff.In this video we head to the bottom of the cliff, traverse the rocky shore, and explore the site of the shipwreck of the Dominator.California Through My lens' article on how to get there: californiathroughmylens.com/shipwreck-hike-ranchos-palos-verdesBob Lee's shipwreck video: youtube.com/watch?v=s2LE2N9XHak○ Gear we use: amazon.com/shop/sidetrackadventures►Join us on Patreon: patreon.com/SidetrackAdventures►Please subscribe for weekly updates showcasing some of our adventures: youtube.com/channel/UCdueDRFYPVgzPAAOM_bxVWA?sub_confirmation=1►Also please follow Sidetrack Adventures on Instagram: instagram.com/sidetrackadventures►Music in this video is from Epidemic Sounds; use our link for a free trial: share.epidemicsound.com/v927fj
Ghost Streets of Los Angeles and the Lost Neighborhood of Surfridge Sidetrack Adventures 2025-07-16 | Once a beachside neighborhood for the wealthy, Surfridge has been lost to time. A century ago this Los Angeles neighborhood was being sold to Hollywood elites to build their mansions, now all that remains are empty and deserted streets, surrounded by a barbwire fence.Surfridge was part of the Palisades del Rey neighborhood, and for the 1920s to the 1940s it was a quiet enclave where at night you'd hear the sound of nearby ocean waves, and maybe an occasional airplane at Mines Field, located a mile away. None of the residents probably would have guessed that the small airfield at the edge of the dunes would become one of the busiest airports in the world, LAX.In the 1950s, with the coming of the jet age, the noise became almost unbearable. The neighborhood hung on for a little bit, but in the mid-1960s, Los Angeles declared eminent domain and began taking over the neighborhood. By the mid-1970s, Surfridge was no more. In this video we visit the site of Surfridge, walk around and look at some of it's abandoned streets, check out a filming location from an Elvis movie, and visit the last remaining part of Surfridge.○ Gear we use: amazon.com/shop/sidetrackadventures►Join us on Patreon: patreon.com/SidetrackAdventures►Please subscribe for weekly updates showcasing some of our adventures: youtube.com/channel/UCdueDRFYPVgzPAAOM_bxVWA?sub_confirmation=1►Also please follow Sidetrack Adventures on Instagram: instagram.com/sidetrackadventures►Music in this video is from Epidemic Sounds; use our link for a free trial: share.epidemicsound.com/v927fj
Exploring Londons Tower Bridge (and the London Bridge that isnt in Arizona) Sidetrack Adventures 2025-07-09 | The Tower Bridge is one of the best known landmarks in London, but compared to other London landmarks, it isn't that old. Still it has an interesting history, and I've always been curious to what is actually inside of it. With a little bit of extra time on my hands during a family trip, I decided to head over and explore it.A lot of people mistake the Tower Bridge for the London Bridge, but they are two separate bridges. Having visited an older version of the London Bridge that is currently located in Lake Havasu a number of times, I also wanted to take a look around the replacement (Arizona got the better bridge).In this video we explore both the London Bridge and the Tower Bridge inside and out and talk about their histories.Our video on the London Bridge at Lake Havasu, Arizona: youtu.be/WnSpOnn7Akk○ Gear we use: amazon.com/shop/sidetrackadventures►Join us on Patreon: patreon.com/SidetrackAdventures►Please subscribe for weekly updates showcasing some of our adventures: youtube.com/channel/UCdueDRFYPVgzPAAOM_bxVWA?sub_confirmation=1►Also please follow Sidetrack Adventures on Instagram: instagram.com/sidetrackadventures►Music in this video is from Epidemic Sounds; use our link for a free trial: share.epidemicsound.com/v927fj
The Not Quite Ghost Town of Jacumba Hot Springs on Old Highway 80 Sidetrack Adventures 2025-07-02 | Jacumba, California was once an extremely popular resort destination, attracting the rich and famous, but after the trains stopped coming and the freeway bypassed the town, it’s golden age is long in the past. Articles have even been written about it, calling it a ghost town. But as we found out on a recent visit, there is still life in this town.Located on old Highway 80 in the southeast corner of San Diego County, right on the border with Mexico, Jacumba is an interesting place. In this video we head to Jacumba and explore its history including the railroad, its 1920s boom, a desert lake, and the return to being a resort town.○ Gear we use: amazon.com/shop/sidetrackadventures►Join us on Patreon: patreon.com/SidetrackAdventures►Please subscribe for weekly updates showcasing some of our adventures: youtube.com/channel/UCdueDRFYPVgzPAAOM_bxVWA?sub_confirmation=1►Also please follow Sidetrack Adventures on Instagram: instagram.com/sidetrackadventures►Music in this video is from Epidemic Sounds; use our link for a free trial: share.epidemicsound.com/v927fj
Fort Ancient: A Glimpse of Ancient America Sidetrack Adventures 2025-06-25 | Located in Southern Ohio between Cincinnati and Dayton, the discovery of Fort Ancient was so significant that an entire prehistoric culture was named after the place. However, it turned out that Fort Ancient was neither a fort or inhabited by the Fort Ancient Culture. It was much older than that.Dating back 2,000 years, with over three miles of earthwork walls, Fort Ancient is the largest hilltop enclosure in the United States and a place that's mysteries are still being unlocked.Built by the Hopewell Culture, Fort Ancient was likely used for a number of purposes, including a calendar, a place of ceremony, and a gathering place.While the Fort Ancient Culture didn't build Fort Ancient, there are a number of unanswered mysteries about their culture as well. To get a better look at the Fort Ancient Culture, we traveled to one one of their ancient village sites, SunWatch.In this video we take a look at both the Fort Ancient Culture and Fort Ancient Earthworks and Preserve, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.○ Gear we use: amazon.com/shop/sidetrackadventures►Join us on Patreon: patreon.com/SidetrackAdventures►Please subscribe for weekly updates showcasing some of our adventures: youtube.com/channel/UCdueDRFYPVgzPAAOM_bxVWA?sub_confirmation=1►Also please follow Sidetrack Adventures on Instagram: instagram.com/sidetrackadventures►Music in this video is from Epidemic Sounds; use our link for a free trial: share.epidemicsound.com/v927fj
The Real Annie Oakley: Visiting Her Origins and Final Resting Place Sidetrack Adventures 2025-06-18 | Annie Oakley is one of the most legendary figures of the American West. A sharpshooter, performer, and symbol of frontier spirit. But despite her fame as a Wild West icon, Annie Oakley was born and raised far from the American West, in the quiet countryside of rural Ohio.In this video, we travel to Greenville, Ohio, to explore the real roots of Annie Oakley. We visit the site of her birthplace, walk the land where she grew up, and pay our respects at her final resting place, alongside her beloved husband and fellow performer, Frank Butler.Along the way, we delve into her incredible life story, from a difficult childhood marked by poverty, to her rise to international stardom as the star of Buffalo Bill's Wild West Show. We look at how she shattered gender norms, became one of the most skilled marksmen of her time, and earned the admiration of audiences across the world, including royalty.○ Gear we use: amazon.com/shop/sidetrackadventures►Join us on Patreon: patreon.com/SidetrackAdventures►Please subscribe for weekly updates showcasing some of our adventures: youtube.com/channel/UCdueDRFYPVgzPAAOM_bxVWA?sub_confirmation=1►Also please follow Sidetrack Adventures on Instagram: instagram.com/sidetrackadventures►Music in this video is from Epidemic Sounds; use our link for a free trial: share.epidemicsound.com/v927fj
Why is There a Stove Buried Under This Soldiers Memorial? Sidetrack Adventures 2025-06-11 | Captain Abraham Robinson Johnston was the first casualty of the Battle of San Pasqual during the Mexican American War. That is not where his story ended though, as over the next six years it would take a number of strange turns, including a mystery in San Francisco and maybe the most honored iron stove in the country.After Johnston was felled in the battle, his father spent years trying to get his remains returned to his home in Piqua, Ohio. In this video we visit the site of the Battle of San Pasqual near Escondido, California then head to Piqua, Ohio and the Johnston Farm and Cemetery, where we see the memorial that is supposed to sit atop Captain Johnston's grave, and learn why he is likely not there and how a surplus Army stove was buried in his case.*Note. In the December 29, 1852 San Francisco Herald article it says a "stone" store not a stove store. That is almost certainly a typo as it is corrected to a stove store the next day, and I don't really think stores selling stones would have been all that successful in 1852 nor did the Army have surplus cast iron stones.○ Gear we use: amazon.com/shop/sidetrackadventures►Join us on Patreon: patreon.com/SidetrackAdventures►Please subscribe for weekly updates showcasing some of our adventures: youtube.com/channel/UCdueDRFYPVgzPAAOM_bxVWA?sub_confirmation=1►Also please follow Sidetrack Adventures on Instagram: instagram.com/sidetrackadventures►Music in this video is from Epidemic Sounds; use our link for a free trial: share.epidemicsound.com/v927fj
Crossing the Arizona Desert on an Abandoned Stagecoach Road Sidetrack Adventures 2025-06-04 | Just east of Yuma, Arizona, travelers making the journey across the desert through what is now Southern Arizona were forced to travel around the Gila Mountains for centuries. This is the road the early Spanish explorers, the stagecoaches, and the earliest auto routes took. But in 1927 the road was bypassed, and since then the road has been largely abandoned and forgotten.The road follows the route the Butterfield Overland Mail once took, and passes by where the ghost towns of Dome and Gila City once stood. In this video we explore the Arizona desert and search for a long forgotten ghost town. Along the way we come across a few roadside relics, old mines, unexpected sights, and discuss the road's history.00:00 Intro01:34 History of the Road02:56 Wellton-Mohwak Canal04:05 The Butterfield Overland Mail05:02 A Desert Ramada08:49 Old Mines10:19 The Road's Highway History11:51 The Ghost Town of Dome18:59 The Dome Cemetery24:06 A Desert Boat26:17 1910 Railroad Bridge27:36 Concrete Structures○ Gear we use: amazon.com/shop/sidetrackadventures►Join us on Patreon: patreon.com/SidetrackAdventures►Please subscribe for weekly updates showcasing some of our adventures: youtube.com/channel/UCdueDRFYPVgzPAAOM_bxVWA?sub_confirmation=1►Also please follow Sidetrack Adventures on Instagram: instagram.com/sidetrackadventures►Music in this video is from Epidemic Sounds; use our link for a free trial: share.epidemicsound.com/v927fj
Arizonas Navy and the 3-day War with California Sidetrack Adventures 2025-05-28 | The Colorado River's water has long been the source of disputes between western states, but in 1934 the building the Parker Dam caused Arizona to take up arms against California and even create a "navy."In this video we visit Buckskin Mountain State Park, the Parker Dam, and Parker, Arizona.○ Gear we use: amazon.com/shop/sidetrackadventures►Join us on Patreon: patreon.com/SidetrackAdventures►Please subscribe for weekly updates showcasing some of our adventures: youtube.com/channel/UCdueDRFYPVgzPAAOM_bxVWA?sub_confirmation=1►Also please follow Sidetrack Adventures on Instagram: instagram.com/sidetrackadventures►Music in this video is from Epidemic Sounds; use our link for a free trial: share.epidemicsound.com/v927fj
The Forgotten Pyramid of Rocklin - A Familys Monument for Reincarnation Sidetrack Adventures 2025-05-21 | Hidden in a suburban neighborhood in Rocklin, California is the Whitney Pyramid, the last resting place of Joel Parker Whitney and a number of his relatives. Arriving in California nearly penniless in the 1850s, Whitney would become the richest man in Placer County, owning over 27,000 acres.When Whitney passed away in 1913, he was entombed in a pyramid, with the belief that it would bestow reincarnation on him. Over time, the Whitney family sold off most of their property, and a neighborhood was built up around the pyramid. Now, the pyramid is hidden in a wooded area next to a golf course.In this video we talk about the Joel Parker Whitney's history, visit the Whitney Pyramid, and explore the Nisenan history of the site.○ Gear we use: amazon.com/shop/sidetrackadventures►Join us on Patreon: patreon.com/SidetrackAdventures►Please subscribe for weekly updates showcasing some of our adventures: youtube.com/channel/UCdueDRFYPVgzPAAOM_bxVWA?sub_confirmation=1►Also please follow Sidetrack Adventures on Instagram: instagram.com/sidetrackadventures►Music in this video is from Epidemic Sounds; use our link for a free trial: share.epidemicsound.com/v927fj
Exploring Gold Rush History at Sutters Mill & Historic Coloma, California Sidetrack Adventures 2025-05-14 | On January 24, 1848, James Marshall made an accidental discovery at Sutter's Mill on the South Fork of the American River that ended up being the most important historic event in California history. Marshall had discovered gold and soon the California gold rush was underway, one of the largest migrations in human history.Around the area where gold was discovered, the town of Coloma sprung up. Like most gold rush towns, its peak was short, but for a brief time it was the place where nearly everyone coming to California was headed.In this video we visit the site of Sutter's Mill, explore the town of Coloma, and check out the Marshall Monument, the final resting place of the man who discovered the gold and set everything in motion.Our video on the first gold discovery in California at Placerita Canyon: youtu.be/up-fdqnFfJQ○ Gear we use: amazon.com/shop/sidetrackadventures►Join us on Patreon: patreon.com/SidetrackAdventures►Please subscribe for weekly updates showcasing some of our adventures: youtube.com/channel/UCdueDRFYPVgzPAAOM_bxVWA?sub_confirmation=1►Also please follow Sidetrack Adventures on Instagram: instagram.com/sidetrackadventures►Music in this video is from Epidemic Sounds; use our link for a free trial: share.epidemicsound.com/v927fj
Exploring Desert Relics on Route 66: From Victorville to Barstow Sidetrack Adventures 2025-05-07 | For decades, Route 66 was the main pathway through the high desert between Victorville and Barstow, California. The highway traveled through one of the harshest areas of the state, but still a number of towns and businesses sprung up.After Route 66 was bypassed in this area in 1964, the area went into decline. A lot of the once thriving businesses and communities are now abandoned. But that doesn't mean there isn't a lot to see on this stretch of Route 66. Quite a bit is packed into this nearly 40 mile segment of the old highway.In this video we explore Route 66 between Victorville and Barstow, talk about some of the lost and forgotten history along the way, and find a few places that are still thriving.Visiting the Sammy Davis Jr. Accident Site: youtu.be/YZBKXR30ZScElmer's Bottle Tree Ranch: youtu.be/rfM5am3X29k00:00 Intro01:11 California Route 66 Museum04:35 Emma Jean's Holland Burger Cafe07:22 Oro Grande10:00 Roy Rogers' Double R Bar Ranch11:15 Elmer's Bottle Tree Ranch13:28 Sagebrush Annie's16:08 JW Burden's in Helendale17:16 Roadside Ruins19:26 Hodge22:08 Barstow○ Gear we use: amazon.com/shop/sidetrackadventures►Join us on Patreon: patreon.com/SidetrackAdventures►Please subscribe for weekly updates showcasing some of our adventures: youtube.com/channel/UCdueDRFYPVgzPAAOM_bxVWA?sub_confirmation=1►Also please follow Sidetrack Adventures on Instagram: instagram.com/sidetrackadventures►Music in this video is from Epidemic Sounds; use our link for a free trial: share.epidemicsound.com/v927fj
Journey to King Clone: A Desert Time Machine Sidetrack Adventures 2025-04-30 | Located near the edge of the Mojave Desert in Lucerne Valley (or Johnson Valley) are thousands of Creosote Bushes. The area doesn't look much different than other parts of the desert, but hiding in plain sight is one of the oldest living things on Earth, King Clone.King Clone is part of a clonal colony that forms a creosote ring, and is estimated to be 11,700 years old, dating back to the end of the last ice age, shortly after the Mojave Desert was formed.In this video we head out to the King Clone Ecological Reserve and search out King Clone.For more information on King Clone: mojaveproject.org/dispatches-item/king-clone-creosote○ Gear we use: amazon.com/shop/sidetrackadventures►Join us on Patreon: patreon.com/SidetrackAdventures►Please subscribe for weekly updates showcasing some of our adventures: youtube.com/channel/UCdueDRFYPVgzPAAOM_bxVWA?sub_confirmation=1►Also please follow Sidetrack Adventures on Instagram: instagram.com/sidetrackadventures►Music in this video is from Epidemic Sounds; use our link for a free trial: share.epidemicsound.com/v927fj
Traveling an 1860s Wagon Road: The Historic John Brown Toll Road Through Cajon Pass Sidetrack Adventures 2025-04-23 | In 1861, John Brown Sr. along with two business partners, built a wagon road through the Cajon Pass that would become the main route into Southern California through the the area for the next 60 years. The road would eventually even get paved and be used as an early automobile route through the mountains as part of the National Old Trails Road, the nation's first ocean-to-ocean highway.The road was constructed by a team of 30-40 men in just a few months, largely by hand, and opened up Southern California to travel directly from the east.By 1926, the John Brown Toll Road was bypassed by Route 66, and over time was largely forgotten. Some of the road is no longer passable to cars, and has become part of the Pacific Crest Trail, but the upper portion of the road can still be traveled. In this video we explore the road, check out 1860s road construction, railroad history, and what remains of the National Old Trails Road. We also do not see any rattlesnakes. ○ Gear we use: amazon.com/shop/sidetrackadventures►Join us on Patreon: patreon.com/SidetrackAdventures►Please subscribe for weekly updates showcasing some of our adventures: youtube.com/channel/UCdueDRFYPVgzPAAOM_bxVWA?sub_confirmation=1►Also please follow Sidetrack Adventures on Instagram: instagram.com/sidetrackadventures►Music in this video is from Epidemic Sounds; use our link for a free trial: share.epidemicsound.com/v927fj
Exploring the Musical Roads of California Sidetrack Adventures 2025-04-09 | The first Musical Road in Lancaster, California was created in 2008 for a Honda Civic commercial. When you drive over the road, it is supposed to play the William Tell Overture. It tries its best.The road proved to be popular, too popular, and people in the area complained about the noise, so a month later it was moved to a less populated area.While this was the first of only a handful of musical roads in the United States, a second road was created only a few miles away last year, this one honoring film actor and Marine R. Lee Ermey.In this video we travel to Lancaster and Palmdale and take a look at California's two musical roads and see just how good (or bad) they sound. I apologize in advance for the singing.The Musical Road: 34.733288685294106, -118.19637856767353R. Lee Ermey Musical Highway: 34.631303901688945, -118.1395974640739Tom Scott's video on the Musical Road: youtu.be/Ef93WmlEho0?si=6zC_jQC8xfTr2dKx○ Gear we use: amazon.com/shop/sidetrackadventures►Join us on Patreon: patreon.com/SidetrackAdventures►Please subscribe for weekly updates showcasing some of our adventures: youtube.com/channel/UCdueDRFYPVgzPAAOM_bxVWA?sub_confirmation=1►Also please follow Sidetrack Adventures on Instagram: instagram.com/sidetrackadventures►Music in this video is from YouTube Creator Music
A Mystery of Google Maps - What is the Yarrow Ravine Rattlesnake Habitat? Sidetrack Adventures 2025-04-02 | About 11 miles outside of the town of Barstow, California, Google Maps shows a place called the Yarrow Ravine Rattlesnake Area. It appears to be a park that encompasses several mountains in the Mojave Desert. The only problem? There is no place called Yarrow Ravine Rattlesnake Area.Searching various land databases and maps reveals nothing, nor does an internet search, the land immediately to both sides of this place is controlled by the Department of Defense, and there is a strange feature on top of one of the mountains.The only way to really find out what Yarrow Ravine Rattlesnake Habitat is hiding, is to head out there, and what we found makes the story a bit weirder.The Yarrow Ravine Rattlesnake Habitat is located at 34.922359974021845, -116.80124737109402○ Gear we use: amazon.com/shop/sidetrackadventures►Join us on Patreon: patreon.com/SidetrackAdventures►Please subscribe for weekly updates showcasing some of our adventures: youtube.com/channel/UCdueDRFYPVgzPAAOM_bxVWA?sub_confirmation=1►Also please follow Sidetrack Adventures on Instagram: instagram.com/sidetrackadventures►Music in this video is from Epidemic Sounds; use our link for a free trial: share.epidemicsound.com/v927fj
The Disappearance of Buckskin Frank Leslie Sidetrack Adventures 2025-03-26 | Nashville Franklyn Leslie showed up in Tombstone in 1880, wearing the buckskin outfit of a frontier scout, earning him the nickname Buckskin Frank Leslie. Over the next decade in Tombstone, Leslie would become one of the most infamous figures in the days of the wild west. Then, after serving six years of a life sentence, he would all but disappear from history. Or so the legends would have you believe.Buckskin Frank Leslie is one of the most mysterious figures of the old west. Almost nothing is known of the first 36 years of his life, and what is known can't be verified. Then, after he leaves the Yuma Territorial Prison in 1896, his story gets murky again.New research has filled in some of the gaps of his life, and possibly made the story even stranger. In this video we are going to take a look at Leslie's days in Tombstone, where he was in one of the most famous gunfights of the west, his days in Yuma, and then what happened after.○ Gear we use: amazon.com/shop/sidetrackadventures►Join us on Patreon: patreon.com/SidetrackAdventures►Please subscribe for weekly updates showcasing some of our adventures: youtube.com/channel/UCdueDRFYPVgzPAAOM_bxVWA?sub_confirmation=1►Also please follow Sidetrack Adventures on Instagram: instagram.com/sidetrackadventures►Music in this video is from Epidemic Sounds; use our link for a free trial: share.epidemicsound.com/v927fj
The Forgotten Battle of Fort Buchanan: A Raid in the Wild West Sidetrack Adventures 2025-03-19 | On February 17, 1865, Chiricahua Apache warriors attacked a small United States Army fort in Southern Arizona. The Battle of Fort Buchanan is little remembered today, but it would go down as a the only time a United States Military Fort would fall in the decade long war with the Chiricahua.While the battle is largely forgotten today, and the nothing is left of the fort, there are still some reminders in Southern Arizona of the battle, including the two tallest mountains in the Santa Ritas.○ Gear we use: amazon.com/shop/sidetrackadventures►Join us on Patreon: patreon.com/SidetrackAdventures►Please subscribe for weekly updates showcasing some of our adventures: youtube.com/channel/UCdueDRFYPVgzPAAOM_bxVWA?sub_confirmation=1►Also please follow Sidetrack Adventures on Instagram: instagram.com/sidetrackadventures►Music in this video is from Epidemic Sounds; use our link for a free trial: share.epidemicsound.com/v927fj
Exploring the Nearly Forgotten Ghost Towns of Millville and Charleston, Arizona Sidetrack Adventures 2025-03-12 | Nine miles southwest of Tombstone lies two nearly forgotten ghost towns along the San Pedro River, Millville and Charleston. In the late 1870s, Millville was established to process silver ore mined near Tombstone, with Charleston springing across the river.Both towns flourished for about eight years, then a series of unfortunate events led to the collapse of both towns, and by 1889, both were ghost towns.After their time as inhabited towns ended, the tow towns took different paths. Millville has an established trail to visit its ruins, complete with informational signs, while Charleston lies hidden amongst the brush, with no established trails to reach it, and very few visitors.In this video we venture out and explore the remains of both towns and the their link to Tombstone.GPS for Charleston: 31.63522586902881, -110.17522080104463○ Gear we use: amazon.com/shop/sidetrackadventures►Join us on Patreon: patreon.com/SidetrackAdventures►Please subscribe for weekly updates showcasing some of our adventures: youtube.com/channel/UCdueDRFYPVgzPAAOM_bxVWA?sub_confirmation=1►Also please follow Sidetrack Adventures on Instagram: instagram.com/sidetrackadventures►Music in this video is from Epidemic Sounds; use our link for a free trial: share.epidemicsound.com/v927fj
Can I Use a 1930s Guide to Tour Old Town San Diego? Sidetrack Adventures 2025-03-05 | In 1937, the WPA put out a guide to San Diego that included a number of tours of the city. I wanted to see if it is possible to still do one of those tours today, and find out what has changed in nearly 90 years.We traveled to San Diego's Old Town, starting at Presidio Park, and followed the guide from the 1930s, as we visited 17 different stops. Some still as the guide described and some, long since vanished.The reprint of the 1937 WPA guide is called "San Diego in the 1930s. The WPA Guide to America's Finest City."Credit to Dime Store Adventures for the idea. Be sure to check out his channel here: youtube.com/@UCUMQFUkgaEE68_ujIdW2wAw○ Gear we use: amazon.com/shop/sidetrackadventures►Join us on Patreon: patreon.com/SidetrackAdventures►Please subscribe for weekly updates showcasing some of our adventures: youtube.com/channel/UCdueDRFYPVgzPAAOM_bxVWA?sub_confirmation=1►Also please follow Sidetrack Adventures on Instagram: instagram.com/sidetrackadventures►Music in this video is from Epidemic Sounds; use our link for a free trial: share.epidemicsound.com/v927fj
When San Diego Hired A Rainmaker and Got A Disaster Sidetrack Adventures 2025-02-26 | In 1915, in order to fill the Morena Reservoir as quickly as possible, the City of San Diego hired a rainmaker named Charles Hatfield to put an end to a years long drought. The rains that would come, whether brought on by the rainmaker or not, led to the worst disaster in the city's history.The Rainmaker began his work at Lake Morena in early 1916, and shortly thereafter it rained in Southern California for almost two weeks straight. In San Diego roads and bridges were destroyed, rivers flooded, and the telephone was taken out. The only way to reach the city was by boat. Several of the area's reservoirs were overflowing.After about two weeks the rains stopped, but the rainmaker continued his work and the rains returned. Within a week, the Lower Otay Dam failed, and a 40 foot high flood of water raced towards the ocean, destroying everything in its path.In this video we visit Lake Morena, where the rainmaker did his work, and the Lower Otay Reservoir, where the dam failed, causing the worst disaster in San Diego's history.○ Gear we use: amazon.com/shop/sidetrackadventures►Join us on Patreon: patreon.com/SidetrackAdventures►Please subscribe for weekly updates showcasing some of our adventures: youtube.com/channel/UCdueDRFYPVgzPAAOM_bxVWA?sub_confirmation=1►Also please follow Sidetrack Adventures on Instagram: instagram.com/sidetrackadventures►Music in this video is from Epidemic Sounds; use our link for a free trial: share.epidemicsound.com/v927fj
The Signal Tree: A Forgotten Piece of History Sidetrack Adventures 2025-02-19 | The Signal Tree in Santa Clarita, sometimes called the Marker Tree, was once one of the best known places in the area, thanks to Ripley's Believe It or Not, but as time has gone by, it has faded from memory.The tree's unique look is the result of it's branches being affixed to the grown by Native Americans when it was young to serve as a marker along the trail for something. What exactly the tree was marking is lost to time, but it is believed it was likely marking the way to Pico Springs.The area the Signal Tree is in, has been used as a route through the area for hundreds of years. First used by the Tataviam people, it was later used as a stage route, The Ridge Route, and Highway 99.As the area was built up, the tree became harder to see, obscured now by buildings, and there is no mention of it's history anywhere near it.Just down the street from the Signal Tree is Old Glory, another Valley Oak that made national news for a bit, when an activist climbed the tree and stayed living in its branches for 71 days in order to save it.The Signal Tree is located at 24940 Pico Canyon Road, Santa Clarita, CAOld Glory is located at 25600 Pico Canyon Road.Historic photos of the Signal Tree are courtesy SCVHistory.comOur video on The Oak of the Golden Dream: youtu.be/up-fdqnFfJQ○ Gear we use: amazon.com/shop/sidetrackadventures►Join us on Patreon: patreon.com/SidetrackAdventures►Please subscribe for weekly updates showcasing some of our adventures: youtube.com/channel/UCdueDRFYPVgzPAAOM_bxVWA?sub_confirmation=1►Also please follow Sidetrack Adventures on Instagram: instagram.com/sidetrackadventures►Music in this video is from Epidemic Sounds; use our link for a free trial: share.epidemicsound.com/v927fj
Arizonas Moon Tree Sidetrack Adventures 2025-02-14 | The University of Arizona in Tucson has a tree that is out of this world. On 1971's Apollo 14 moon mission, astronaut Stuart Roosa brought over a hundred seeds with him. These seeds orbited the moon, and when they came back to Earth were sent all over the world. A number of these moon trees still survive, and the only one still living in Arizona is in Tucson.
Visiting Old Las Vegas and The Oldest Building in Nevada Sidetrack Adventures 2025-02-12 | Long before the hotels and casinos, Las Vegas was just a small creek in the Mojave Desert, and the home to the Southern Paiute. The availability of water made it a popular stop along several trails to California, including the Old Spanish Trail, and in 1855 Las Vegas was settled by thirty Mormon pioneers.The settlers had a rough time trying to survive in Las Vegas, and most left after only a couple of years, but the fort they built played an important role in the continued growth of Las Vegas. The fort they built, is also now the oldest building in Nevada.Over the years the Old Las Vegas Mormon Fort has served as a ranch, a concrete testing lab for the Hoover Dam, a residence, a restaurant, and now a state park.In this video we explore the Old Las Vegas Mormon Fort State Historic Part and examine the history of Las Vegas (and Los Vegas).○ Gear we use: amazon.com/shop/sidetrackadventures►Join us on Patreon: patreon.com/SidetrackAdventures►Please subscribe for weekly updates showcasing some of our adventures: youtube.com/channel/UCdueDRFYPVgzPAAOM_bxVWA?sub_confirmation=1►Also please follow Sidetrack Adventures on Instagram: instagram.com/sidetrackadventures►Music in this video is from Epidemic Sounds; use our link for a free trial: share.epidemicsound.com/v927fj
The Most Mysterious Ghost Town in Arizona - Sundad and Agua Caliente Road Sidetrack Adventures 2025-02-05 | Agua Caliente Road travels through the Arizona desert from Arlington to the ghost town of Agua Caliente. Along the way it passes by a place that has more questions than answers. The mysterious ghost town of Sundad.Very little information is known about Sundad. A quick search online will show that it was the site of a tuberculosis sanitarium in the 1920s, but the sources on that seem to be lacking. What is known however is that Sundad has been abandoned since the 1960s and someone or someones has turned it into a rock art canvas.In this video we cross the Sonoran desert on Agua Caliente Road as we travel to check out the ghost town of Sundad, and see what we can find out for ourselves.Cactus Atlas' video on the towns of Agua Caliente and Sundad: youtube.com/watch?v=IQpJxEwcJYAOur video on the Sunset Limited derailment: youtube.com/watch?v=2Erz2O-FwoM○ Gear we use: amazon.com/shop/sidetrackadventures►Join us on Patreon: patreon.com/SidetrackAdventures►Please subscribe for weekly updates showcasing some of our adventures: youtube.com/channel/UCdueDRFYPVgzPAAOM_bxVWA?sub_confirmation=1►Also please follow Sidetrack Adventures on Instagram: instagram.com/sidetrackadventures►Music in this video is from Epidemic Sounds; use our link for a free trial: share.epidemicsound.com/v927fj
The Mystery of Who Derailed the Sunset Limited Sidetrack Adventures 2025-01-29 | On October 9, 1995, someone or someones derailed the Sunset Limited train in a remote part of the Arizona desert 21 miles from Hyder. To this day, despite a substantial reward being offered, the FBI has not been able to figure out who is responsible.After the derailment, mysterious notes from a group that had never been heard from before or since were found, which only added to the mystery. Was this the work of an unknown group that has escaped detection by authorities? A disgruntled employee? A local with a grudge against the railroad? Or maybe something even stranger.To add to the mystery of the Sunset Limited derailment, the attack was a near copycat of a similar train derailment in 1939, that also remains unsolved.In this video we head out into a remote part of the Arizona desert and visit the site on the 1995 Sunset Limited derailment.GPS location for the derailment site: 33.211882, -113.015398The FBI's site on the open investigation: fbi.gov/wanted/seeking-info/train-derailmentCraig Robert's look at a possible aerial link to the derailment: riflewarrior.com/case_of_the_sunset_limited.html○ Gear we use: amazon.com/shop/sidetrackadventures►Join us on Patreon: patreon.com/SidetrackAdventures►Please subscribe for weekly updates showcasing some of our adventures: youtube.com/channel/UCdueDRFYPVgzPAAOM_bxVWA?sub_confirmation=1►Also please follow Sidetrack Adventures on Instagram: instagram.com/sidetrackadventures►Music in this video is from Epidemic Sounds; use our link for a free trial: share.epidemicsound.com/v927fj
The Forgotten History of San Diegos Tecolote Canyon Sidetrack Adventures 2025-01-22 | San Diego's Tecolote Canyon has a long history, going back centuries. Once the site of a Kumeyaay village, it has since been home to ranching, motorcycle races, a university, a golf course, ghost stories, and the schemes of city politicians.Thousands of people pass through the canyon every day, but very few are aware of the history that is all around them.In this video, we start at the Tecolote Nature Center and walk into the canyon, exploring it's trails while we talk about it's history using some of the research my dad, who was born and grew up near the canyon, did.○ Gear we use: amazon.com/shop/sidetrackadventures►Join us on Patreon: patreon.com/SidetrackAdventures►Please subscribe for weekly updates showcasing some of our adventures: youtube.com/channel/UCdueDRFYPVgzPAAOM_bxVWA?sub_confirmation=1►Also please follow Sidetrack Adventures on Instagram: instagram.com/sidetrackadventures►Music in this video is from Epidemic Sounds; use our link for a free trial: share.epidemicsound.com/v927fj
The St. Francis Dam Disaster: Visiting the Ruins of the 1928 Catastrophe Sidetrack Adventures 2025-01-15 | The St. Francis Dam Disaster was the worst manmade disaster in California history. On March 12, 1928, the St. Francis Dam completely failed, sending owe twelve billion gallons of water downstream, in a wall of water over 100 feet tall.As the water made its way across Southern California, it left a path of destruction like nothing ever seen before, with entire communities being wiped out. Constructed between 1924 and 1926, the St. Francis Dam was built to help store water for the rapidly growing city of Los Angeles. When the reservoir was full, it held enough water for Los Angeles to use for two years. All of that water flooded out of the reservoir in an instant.In this video we visit the site of the dam, explore its ruins, and see evidence of just how powerful the wave of water on that day was.○ Gear we use: amazon.com/shop/sidetrackadventures►Join us on Patreon: patreon.com/SidetrackAdventures►Please subscribe for weekly updates showcasing some of our adventures: youtube.com/channel/UCdueDRFYPVgzPAAOM_bxVWA?sub_confirmation=1►Also please follow Sidetrack Adventures on Instagram: instagram.com/sidetrackadventures►Music in this video is from Epidemic Sounds; use our link for a free trial: share.epidemicsound.com/v927fj
Journey to Old California - A Tour of Fort Tejon Sidetrack Adventures 2025-01-08 | Located right off Interstate 5 on the Grapevine, with over 100,000 people passing by every day, but very few stopping to visit, is the Fort Tejon State Historic Park. A place where you can get a look at what California was like when it was still part of the Wild West.Opened in 1854, Fort Tejon was only around for a decade. In that time it provided a vital role in protecting the road traveling from Los Angeles into California's Central Valley and the nearby Sebastian Indian Reservation.Fort Tejon was also a stop on the Butterfield Overland Stage, the destination for the Army's camel experiment, and the location where early pioneer Peter Lebeck was killed by a bear. For more information on the Camel Corp, check out our video on the camels of the southwest: youtu.be/zeMW4s9IQmQ○ Gear we use: amazon.com/shop/sidetrackadventures►Join us on Patreon: patreon.com/SidetrackAdventures►Please subscribe for weekly updates showcasing some of our adventures: youtube.com/channel/UCdueDRFYPVgzPAAOM_bxVWA?sub_confirmation=1►Also please follow Sidetrack Adventures on Instagram: instagram.com/sidetrackadventures►Music in this video is from Epidemic Sounds; use our link for a free trial: share.epidemicsound.com/v927fj
Forgotten History in Plain Sight - The Temecula Massacre Sidetrack Adventures 2025-01-01 | The Battle of San Pasqual is often called the bloodiest battle of the Mexican American War to take place in California, but another battle a few weeks later, that has largely been forgotten today, saw a much greater killed. This forgotten event, where over 100 Temecula Indians were killed, became known as the Temecula Massacre.In this video we travel to three locations, Mule Hill, where the aftermath of the Battle of San Pasqual took place, Vail Lake, which now sits on top of the site where the Temecula Massacre occurred, and a parking lot that holds the last reminder of this nearly forgotten event.For more information on the Temecula Massacre, check out the great book by Gary DuBois and Lisa Woodward, which is the best researched information on the event that I have seen: amzn.to/3DAjbwR○ Gear we use: amazon.com/shop/sidetrackadventures►Join us on Patreon: patreon.com/SidetrackAdventures►Please subscribe for weekly updates showcasing some of our adventures: youtube.com/channel/UCdueDRFYPVgzPAAOM_bxVWA?sub_confirmation=1►Also please follow Sidetrack Adventures on Instagram: instagram.com/sidetrackadventures►Music in this video is from Epidemic Sounds; use our link for a free trial: share.epidemicsound.com/v927fjAs an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Crossing the Mountains of Southern Nevada on Christmas Tree Pass Road Sidetrack Adventures 2024-12-18 | To help get into the holiday spirit, we decided to drive Christmas Tree Pass Road, which cuts through the Newberry Mountains of Southern Nevada as it travels through Avi Kwa Ame National Monument and the Lake Mead National Recreation Area. While the road is only seventeen miles in length, there are a number of great things to see along the way.We started the drive south of Searchlight off Highway 95 and drove towards Laughlin. Soon after climbing into the mountains, in keeping with the road's name, we came across trees decorated for Christmas.The drive then begins to have fantastic views of Spirit Mountain (known to Native Americans of the area as Avi Kwa Ame), where a number of tribes of the southwest believe all life was created.Along the drive we continue to be treated with fantastic views as we descend the mountains and stop by Grapevine Canyon, home to one of the largest collections of petroglyphs in the Southwest, with some of the rock art dating back to AD 1100.Finally, we end the drive at Nevada 163, a few miles outside of the town of Laughlin.○ Gear we use: amazon.com/shop/sidetrackadventures►Join us on Patreon: patreon.com/SidetrackAdventures►Please subscribe for weekly updates showcasing some of our adventures: youtube.com/channel/UCdueDRFYPVgzPAAOM_bxVWA?sub_confirmation=1►Also please follow Sidetrack Adventures on Instagram: instagram.com/sidetrackadventures►Music in this video is from Epidemic Sounds; use our link for a free trial: share.epidemicsound.com/v927fj
Exploring the Lost City and the Sunken Ghost Town of St Thomas, Nevada Sidetrack Adventures 2024-12-11 | When the Hoover Dam was built in 1935, it created the largest man made reservoir in the United States, Lake Mead. The land that Lake Mead covered wasn't just barren uninhabited land, it had been the site of a number of settlements, going back thousands of years. Pueblo Grande de Nevada, also known as the Lost City, was a series of ancient Native American villages that dated back to AD 300. It was rediscovered in 1924, but when Lake Mead was created in 1935, it was lost again, submerged under the lake's waters.In 1865, Mormon pioneers founded the town of St. Thomas. The town would go on to be the county seat for Arizona's Pah-Ute County (despite not being in Arizona at the time) and would be an important stop on the Arrowhead Trail automobile route. The town disappeared when the waters of Lake Mead reached it in 1938.In this video we visit the Lost City Museum in Overton, Nevada to see a recreation of some of the ruins that were built in the 1930s when they realized the site would be lost then head to the site of the town of St. Thomas, that after years of drought has reemerged from the waters.○ Gear we use: amazon.com/shop/sidetrackadventures►Join us on Patreon: patreon.com/SidetrackAdventures►Please subscribe for weekly updates showcasing some of our adventures: youtube.com/channel/UCdueDRFYPVgzPAAOM_bxVWA?sub_confirmation=1►Also please follow Sidetrack Adventures on Instagram: instagram.com/sidetrackadventures►Music in this video is from Epidemic Sounds; use our link for a free trial: share.epidemicsound.com/v927fj
Taking a Driverless Car to Visit Ancient Ruins Sidetrack Adventures 2024-12-04 | We were in Tempe, Arizona with some extra time on our hands, so I decided I wanted to check out some ancient Hohokam ruins that I knew were nearby. But rather than drive myself, I had seen these driverless cars driving all over the Phoenix area, so I wanted to take one of those. So that's what we did.In this video, we check out the future of driving, by taking a self driving car across Tempe to visit the Loma del Rio Hohokam ruins and an example of the ancient Hohokam canal system that transformed the Phoenix valley and helped support tens of thousands of people in the area for around 1500 years.Along the way we talk about the Hohokam, their canal system, and the Loma del Rio ruins, as well as what its like to ride a car with no human driver.○ Gear we use: amazon.com/shop/sidetrackadventures►Join us on Patreon: patreon.com/SidetrackAdventures►Please subscribe for weekly updates showcasing some of our adventures: youtube.com/channel/UCdueDRFYPVgzPAAOM_bxVWA?sub_confirmation=1►Also please follow Sidetrack Adventures on Instagram: instagram.com/sidetrackadventures►Music in this video is from Epidemic Sounds; use our link for a free trial: share.epidemicsound.com/v927fj
Unsolved Mystery of the Old West - Visiting The Wickenburg Massacre Site Sidetrack Adventures 2024-11-27 | On November 5, 1871, a stagecoach traveling between Wickenburg and Ehrenberg, Arizona was attacked by a group of up to 35 assailants. The attack would become known as the Wickenburg Massacre, and would go down as one of the deadliest attacks on a stagecoach in American history. Despite two members of the party surviving the attack, questions about who was responsible remain to this day.While it was generally accepted that the attack was carried out by Yavapai, almost immediately stories that other may have been responsible emerged, including possibly two of the people on the stagecoach.In this video we stop by the Wickenburg Massacre Monument on Highway 60, Wickenburg, and then head out into the desert and the site of the attack. Along the way we talk about what happened, and theories on what may have happened. Massacre at Wickenburg - Arizona's Greatest Mystery on Amazon: amzn.to/4i7tvMA(Disclaimer: As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.)○ Gear we use: amazon.com/shop/sidetrackadventures►Join us on Patreon: patreon.com/SidetrackAdventures►Please subscribe for weekly updates showcasing some of our adventures: youtube.com/channel/UCdueDRFYPVgzPAAOM_bxVWA?sub_confirmation=1►Also please follow Sidetrack Adventures on Instagram: instagram.com/sidetrackadventures►Music in this video is from Epidemic Sounds; use our link for a free trial: share.epidemicsound.com/v927fj
A Journey to Sad Hill Cemetery from The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly Sidetrack Adventures 2024-11-20 | The ending to The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly is one of the most iconic scenes in film history. Starring Clint Eastwood, Lee Van Cleef, and Eli Walach, and directed by Sergio Leone, the movie is rated as one of the greatest westerns ever, it wasn't filmed in the American West, or even in the United States at all. Instead it was filmed in Spain, using the Spanish countryside as a stand in for 1860s New Mexico.The films end sees the three main characters meet up at the Sad Hill Cemetery as the look for the Confederate gold, and take part in one of the most famous duels in film history.The cemetery was built in 1966 by the Spanish army, and restored in 2015, and looks almost as amazing as it did on film.In this video we start out in Madrid, Spain, and take a road trip two and a half hours to the north where we experience some of the amazing scenery Spain has to offer, as well as some of it's history, including traveling the same route as El Cid for a bit. Then we explore the Sad Hill Cemetery as it stands today.The final duel at Sad Hill Cemetery from The Good, The Bad, and the Ugly: youtu.be/aJCSNIl2Pls?si=tloDeknHQ1JdTa_C○ Gear we use: amazon.com/shop/sidetrackadventures►Join us on Patreon: patreon.com/SidetrackAdventures►Please subscribe for weekly updates showcasing some of our adventures: youtube.com/channel/UCdueDRFYPVgzPAAOM_bxVWA?sub_confirmation=1►Also please follow Sidetrack Adventures on Instagram: instagram.com/sidetrackadventures►Music in this video is from Epidemic Sounds; use our link for a free trial: share.epidemicsound.com/v927fj
Visiting the Remains of a Top Secret WWII Army Camp - Camp Bouse, Arizona Sidetrack Adventures 2024-11-13 | During World War 2, the Army established the Desert Training Center in the deserts of Arizona and California to prepare American soldiers for combat in North Africa. There were 12 seperate camps, but one of the camps, Camp Bouse, was kept top secret. In this video we visit Bouse, Arizona then head out into the desert to see what remains of Camp Bouse. While at the camp we discover what was left behind and discuss it's history and the top secret Gizmo that was tested there.Part of Camp Bouse is on Arizona Trust Land and requires a permit to visit. You can get information on permits at the following link: land.az.gov/document-category/permitsFor more information on the Desert Training Center sites in Arizona and California check out: deserttrainingcenter.com○ Gear we use: amazon.com/shop/sidetrackadventures►Join us on Patreon: patreon.com/SidetrackAdventures►Please subscribe for weekly updates showcasing some of our adventures: youtube.com/channel/UCdueDRFYPVgzPAAOM_bxVWA?sub_confirmation=1►Also please follow Sidetrack Adventures on Instagram: instagram.com/sidetrackadventures►Music in this video is from Epidemic Sounds; use our link for a free trial: share.epidemicsound.com/v927fj
Exploring the Ghost Town of Swansea, Arizona Sidetrack Adventures 2024-11-06 | Swansea, Arizona was founded in 1909 and had a relatively short life as a town, but thanks to sensationalism and reckless speculation, it is one of the more built up ghost towns in Arizona.The town was built on copper, and because of the desire to impress investors rather than improve the mining operations, the town made a big investment in infrastructure, including a 700 ton smelter. The town would eventually feature saloons, restaurants, general stores, a dairy, a movie theater, and even an automobile dealership.The town died out fairly quickly, and by the 1930s no one was living here. In the 1940s the mining stopped for good, and the town of Swansea was left abandoned in a remote part of Arizona.The town's remoteness has also protected it, and Arizona Highways has called it one of the best ghost towns in Arizona.In this video we take the road to Swansea and explore what's left of the town, including the mining, the dust chamber, the reverberatory furnace, houses, and the train station.○ Gear we use: amazon.com/shop/sidetrackadventures►Join us on Patreon: patreon.com/SidetrackAdventures►Please subscribe for weekly updates showcasing some of our adventures: youtube.com/channel/UCdueDRFYPVgzPAAOM_bxVWA?sub_confirmation=1►Also please follow Sidetrack Adventures on Instagram: instagram.com/sidetrackadventures►Music in this video is from Epidemic Sounds; use our link for a free trial: share.epidemicsound.com/v927fj
Visiting All Five Corners of California Sidetrack Adventures 2024-11-02 | According to the late Huell Howesr, California has five corners, and recently we went on a journey to visit them all.Inspired by a series of episodes of Huell Howser's TV show in the early 2000s, we went to all the corners of California, visiting the SE, NW, NE, SE, and finished off in ther middle of Lake Tahoe at California's fifth corner.Along the way we explored what is in the area of each corner and visited the Huell Howser Archives at Chapman University.○ Gear we use: amazon.com/shop/sidetrackadventures►Join us on Patreon: patreon.com/SidetrackAdventures►Please subscribe for weekly updates showcasing some of our adventures: youtube.com/channel/UCdueDRFYPVgzPAAOM_bxVWA?sub_confirmation=1►Also please follow Sidetrack Adventures on Instagram: instagram.com/sidetrackadventures►Music in this video is from Epidemic Sounds; use our link for a free trial: share.epidemicsound.com/v927fj
Searching for the Ghost Camels of the Southwest & The Hi Jolly Monument Sidetrack Adventures 2024-10-30 | In the 1850s, the Army brought camels to the United States to test their use in the American Southwest. Around the same time private businesses began importing camels for use in mining operations. By the 1870s, a number of these camels were let loose into the deserts, where they would be seen for decades. Some, like the Red Ghost would terrorize the early pioneers and become the stuff of legend.Despite camels only having a lifespan of 40-50 years, people would continue to see camels in the deserts of Arizona for over 100 years. In this video we search the Kofa National Wildlife Refuge for signs of camels and visit Quartzsite, the last camp of Hi Jolly, one of the camel handlers brought to the United States to be a part of the U.S. Camel Corp.○ Gear we use: amazon.com/shop/sidetrackadventures►Join us on Patreon: patreon.com/SidetrackAdventures►Please subscribe for weekly updates showcasing some of our adventures: youtube.com/channel/UCdueDRFYPVgzPAAOM_bxVWA?sub_confirmation=1►Also please follow Sidetrack Adventures on Instagram: instagram.com/sidetrackadventures►Music in this video is from Epidemic Sounds; use our link for a free trial: share.epidemicsound.com/v927fj
