On February 18th 2007, following an early rise and a long drive, we frolicked among the remains of an ancient volcano's now-cold ejaculations. The unique interplay of Neenach Volcano and San Andreas fault is responsible for the picturesque phallic formations we see today in Pinnacles National Monument.
After the volcano spewed its juices 23 million years ago (a bit before when the first hominids started scratching their balls) south of that hellhole Bakersfield, part of the hardened rock ended up north due to tectonic movements. And today here it is: The Disneyland of Nature, where one has to bear the screaming of human babies in the deep places of the Earth.
Non-strenuous hikes connect the two talus caves formed by earthquake detritus. The misty, half-lit caves are not very big, yet there is many a dark, secret corner to probe while inside. The bigger Bear Gulch cave is where Townsend's big-eared bats hibernate in winter and raise their young in summer, when they are not gothing out in the city. As this cave is the habitat of a protected species, it is partially or entirely closed during some months, so it is wise to check the cave status before planning a trip. The smaller Balcony caves are always open.
While we saw no bats, we were lucky enough to spot another, very rare species: A California condor, #32 to be exact, eyed us from a distant tree and spread its wings while we ate lunch. The condors seem to be getting a foothold again in California finally.
Those who pursue rock climbing, technical and otherwise, will find many an opportunity at Pinnacles. Visit the Pinnacles picture galleries and new videos, to see yours truly & co, scrambling on rocks.
