"Picacho and the Cargo Muchachos : gold, guns, and geology of eastern Imperial County, California... The subtitle says it all about the harsh, raw beauty of a little-known but intriguing corner of the vast California desert. Its beckoning red and purple landscapes are bounded on the east by 'Old Red,' the Colorado River, and on the west by the Algodones sand dunes, one of the largest sand dune complexes in North America. A drive of less than three easy hours on I-8 from San Diego brings the explorer to the ancient portals of the southeastern Chocolate Mountains and the Cargo Muchacho Mountains, guarded by the Quechan People for thousands of years and now accessible via graded dirt roads, 4WD trails, and just enough asphalt to appeal to less adventurous souls. Several self-guiding road logs enrich the traveler's experience with natural science spiced with the lore and lure of the region. Picacho Road departs I-8 northward to the famous Picacho Gold Mine and the Picacho State Recreation Area on the Colorado River via a moonscape of craggy volcanic outcrops and sweeping vistas far into Arizona. The paved Ogilby Road strikes northwest between the Algodones dunes and the Cargo Muchacho Mountains, past ghost towns and storied gold mines such as Tumco, Padre y Madre, and the American Girl Mine. Authors and contributors comprise some of the most knowledgeable specialists in this region including geologists, historians, alternate energy advocates, mineralogists, and even a 'paleomagician' to monitor the millennia unveiled in this lonely land. And at the end of the day, as noted by editor Todd Wirths, it all comes back to 'the raison d'être for these roads and trails: gold, pure and simple'"--