On the Road is a weekday feature spotlighting reader photo submissions.
From the exotic to the familiar, whether youâre traveling or in your own backyard, we would love to see the world through your eyes.
?BillinGlendaleCA
After shooting the Milky Way and foreground for about 3 hours, it was time to depart Fossil Falls and head home. I suggested to my colleague that we stop in Randsburg, and old mining town about 40 minutes south of Fossil Falls for some morning golden hour shots. He had been there before and I had not, so it was nice to have someone along who knew the lay of the land. They’ve got quite a few turn of the 20th century buildings along the main street of town. The town sits next to what was one of the most profitable mines in the area, and along with neighboring Johannesburg were thriving towns when the mines were operating. Now, Randsburg in particular is mainly known for tourism, maintaining the turn of the 20th century look.
Need a haircut?
Randsburg street scene with an old style gas pump.
The Randsburg Inn.
Liked the name.
Looking at the ghost sign, I guess this was the Post Office.
Street scene at sunrise.
A bit of art.
Randsburg street in IR with the IRChrome filter.
eclare
Interesting little town!
?BillinGlendaleCA
@eclare: It is, but the bar in town had a tattered TFG flag outside.
Baud
A regular Rick Ridge.
@?BillinGlendaleCA:
They need a black sheriff.
Dan B
Did the doggie just mark the cactus?
?BillinGlendaleCA
@Baud: Forget it Baud, it’s Kern County.
?BillinGlendaleCA
@Dan B: Yes.
rikyrah
Great pictures ?
?BillinGlendaleCA
@rikyrah: Thanks.
JPL
I always enjoy looking at your pictures, and these are special. Thanks!
marklar
What cool shots, Bill! Reminds me of a drive on Route 66 through AZ.
Love the low angle for the Barber Shop photo!
arrieve
I love these. Do people still actually live there?
Other MJS
I thought at first Rand Paul had found useful employment.
TaMara (HFG)
That was a fun way to start the day, BinG! Love the pup-cactus shot.
TheOtherHank
On the road into Kings Canyon National Park, there is a hotel/store/gas station that has a a couple working old fashioned, glass tank topped gas pumps. I didn’t need gas, but I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to get a fill up from one of them.
J R in WV
Reminds me of a deserted Tombstone, which isn’t quite as abandoned looking, is still in business, the tourist business, and has more actors playing the Wyatt brothers and Doc Holliday, running the stage coach up and down the streets, etc. Old silver mine, also too, to visit.
That part of AZ has currently operating amateur gold and silver mines, spotted around the old mother-lode boom towns. I don’t know what all needs to be done to operate a 3-man gold mine, besides buying a generator and a fan, but plenty of guys can evidently do it. Crystalized mineral specimens are also pay dirt…
Great dawn photos, also too, Bill. Thanks!
opiejeanne
@arrieve: Yes, some people still live in the area.
?BillinGlendaleCA
@JPL: Thanks. These were pretty easy to take, just walk around town. Last week’s shots took hours of shooting and more hours processing.
@marklar: It’s a pretty similar type of town, old mining.
@arrieve: Yup it’s a semi-ghost town, it has a few hundred full time residents.
?BillinGlendaleCA
@Other MJS: I think Sen. Paul’s name is short for Randel, Randsburg has more of a South African origin.
@TaMara (HFG): Heh, more of an ending of the day, even though it was morning. I spent about 3+ hours shooting the Milky Way arch at Fossil Falls before taking these shots.
@TheOtherHank: I’ve seen quite a few of these old gas pumps, but I don’t think I’ve seen one in actual use.
?BillinGlendaleCA
@J R in WV: There would be more folk out and about if it was later in the day, I think we got there at about 6:30am on a Saturday morning.
@opiejeanne: Yup, there are quite a few semi-ghost towns in the Mojave.
JustRuss
Nice. I assume “Liked the name” referred to Hole in the Wall, but I liked Apparel for the Restless Soul.
?BillinGlendaleCA
@JustRuss: Yeah, it was the “Hole in the Wall”, there’s a place here in eastern California called that which I’ve thought about shooting the Milky Way at(but it’s a long drive).