MexAmerica (Chapter 14)

The Antelope Valley is included in the Californian portion of MexAmerica, as shown on page 267 of our textbook, which is discussed in Chapter 15. The Antelope Valley is part of the Mojave Desert, and as described in this chapter, it is characterized by very hot and dry weather, which is generally characteristic of the MexAmerican region. I was interested to learn, after reading about the desert tortoise in this chapter, that the Antelope Valley is home to a significant population of desert tortoises. According to the Desert Tortoise Preserve Committee (DTPC), "Located in northeastern Los Angeles County, the Antelope Valley includes some of the most threatened and fragmented desert tortoise habitat. The DTPC is working to protect the remaining desert tortoises and their habitat in this at-risk area."

The U.S. Bureau of Land Management, along with the DTPC, established the Desert Tortoise Natural Area in California City, in the northern Antelope Valley, to help protect the endangered species in its natural habitat. Visitors are welcome to hike along trails through the preserve and hopefully get to see some of the tortoises:






(Sources: http://www.tortoise-tracks.org/wptortoisetracks/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/tt2001spring.pdf, http://deathvalleyjim.com/2011/10/30/desert-tortoise-natural-area-california-city-ca-10282011/)

The Antelope Valley also shares some cultural similarities with the MexAmerican region. The 2010 Census for Palmdale revealed that 54.4% of the population of Palmdale is of Hispanic or Latino origin, which is a significant increase from 37.78%  in the 2000 Census. It is also recorded that 29% of Palmdale residents speak Spanish, compared to 22% of all Californians.

(Sources: http://censusviewer.com/city/CA/Palmdale, http://www.areavibes.com/palmdale-ca/demographics/)

The increasing number of individuals from Hispanic or Latino origins in the Antelope Valley is increasingly influencing the area's cultural identity. As reported in the Antelope Valley Times, 2014 was be the inaugural year for the Miss AV Latina pageant, which included a segment where participants were required to give " a speech focusing on how their culture and heritage shapes their personal identity." The poster is shown below:

(Source: http://theavtimes.com/2014/03/03/miss-av-latina-seeking-contestants/) 

Both Lancaster and Palmdale have their own Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, and there is also the Antelope Valley Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, which serve to help Hispanic and Spanish-speaking business owners succeed in the Antelope Valley business community. Ultimately, the Hispanic population within the Antelope Valley is a significant and growing part of the AV's demographic composition and its cultural identity, and in this way the Antelope Valley shares a strong similarity with much of the MexAmerican region.

The Rocky Mountain Region and Intermontane West (Chapters 12 & 13)

In Chapters 12 and 13, we learned about the Rocky Mountain and Intermontane West regions. Chapter 12 discusses the formation of the Rockies due to the collision of continental plates millions of years ago, which generated shock waves while the mountain-building process took place. On page 229 of Chapter 12, Figure 12.2 shows a cut-out profile view of the the landform processes and features that led to the formation of the Rockies. Below is a similar profile view of the Antelope Valley region, provided by the U.S. Geological Society. It shows some of the faults in the AV, including the San Andreas Fault which has formed the San Gabriel Mountains; these faults often lead to earthquakes in the area, similar to the processes that took place millions of years ago in the Rocky Mountain region.

 
(Source: http://pubs.usgs.gov/ha/ha730/ch_b/basin_range3.html)  

The Rocky Mountains and Intermontane West are known for their ski resorts, and surprisingly, although the AV is a desert region, residents of the area can also easily partake in the recreational sports of skiing and snowboarding by driving only 45 minutes to the San Gabriel Mountains, home to the Mountain High winter resort. As the resort's website states, "Mountain High is so close to the Antelope Valley that its night lighting can be seen from Palmdale, Lancaster and the entire surrounding area." This is true! In fact, when I was a little kid, my parents told me every winter that the lights on the mountains was Santa Claus practicing with his reindeer for Christmas.

 



(Source: http://www.mthigh.com/mountain/directions) 

Another similarity between the Rocky Mountain region and the Antelope Valley is that both of these areas are home to wildflowers. As shown on page 232, the wildflowers grow at certain elevations of the Rockies, and the AV is home to consistent flowering of the California state flower, the poppy. In fact, the Antelope Valley California Poppy Reserve, located in Lancaster, is a state-protected park where each spring visitors can see rolling hills of grassland covered with the beautiful orange poppies, as shown below. This is another similarity between the AV and the Intermontane West, in that both areas have been successful in preserving there natural wonders through government parks. I have visited the Poppy Reserve many times, and it is always a wonderful sight, although the last two years have produced less flowers due to lower rainfall.


(Source: http://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=627)

Finally, both the Rocky Mountains and the Intermontane West have created tourist industries through historic preservation efforts, and in a similar vein, the Antelope Valley Indian Museum attracts tourists who wish to learn more about the history and cultures of Natives Americans in southern California. Built in the 1920s, the Museum is home to collections of Antelope Valley Native American artifacts and information about the Antelope Valley area and the history of Native Americans in the area. I have visited it a few times, and it is always interesting to see and learn from.


Inside one of the rooms in the Museum:


Thus, the Antelope Valley shares a surprising number of similarities with the Rocky Mountain and Intermontane West regions.

The Great Plains (Chapter 11)

In Chapter 11, we learned about the Great Plains region of the United States. In particular, we learned about its hydrology systems, such as the significant role that aquifers play in providing water to the area. I was interested to learn that most of the Antelope Valley is also dependent on aquifers as well. The following diagrams from the United States Geological Society (USGS) show how most of the Antelope Valley is dependent on two aquifers:

(Source: http://pubs.usgs.gov/ha/ha730/ch_b/basin_range3.html)

According to a study of the Antelope Valley by the USGS, groundwater in the AV is used for both domestic and irrigation purposes. Since the population of the AV is steadily increasing, demand for water is also increasing and placing a greater strain on the area's water resources. Just as in the Great Plains, the Antelope Valley's water table and aquifers are being depleted at a rate faster than they can be replenished by natural processes, leading to a future "compaction", or collapse, of the aquifers.

Experience suggests that the continued mining of ground water from the Lancaster subbasin will cause additional aquifer- system compaction. The future of ground-water use in Antelope Valley is linked to continuing compaction of the aquifer system and additional land subsidence. The hydrogeologic complexities of the linkages and the associated ground-water basin management challenges will continue to confront AVWG (Antelope Valley Water Group) and other future users of this crucial resource in the arid, high-desert valley.

(Source: http://ca.water.usgs.gov/groundwater/poland/)

Finally, another similarity between the Great Plains region and the Antelope Valley is that both regions experience very high winds. The combination of the AV's strong winds and its sandy desert topography leads to frequent dust storms across the area. The following YouTube video provides a great up-close look at what it is like to be caught in one of these dust storms in the Antelope Valley. Watching the video helps me to imagine what it must have been like to have lived through the Dust Bowl in the Great Plains during the 1930s.




Unfortunately, despite the Antelope Valley's consistent strong winds, the AV has only a single windmill to generate energy, shown below, although a few private homes have their own windmills to generate energy for their own households.




I hope the Antelope Valley and the Great Plains can increase the number of their windmills and ultimately harness most of their wind energy in the future in order to provide a renewable source of energy for the United States.

The Coastal South (Chapter 10)

There are many differences between the physical geography of the Coastal South and the Antelope Valley. First, the topography of the Coastal South is generally low; for example, according to the textbook, the highest point in the state of Florida is only 345 feet above sea level. In contrast, the Antelope Valley is referred to as the "High Desert" due it its relatively high elevation, since the valley floor averages 2,500 to 3,500 feet above sea level! Also, the climate of the Coastal South includes abundant rainfall, while the Antelope Valley's desert climate includes very modest levels of precipitation. While summers in both the Coastal South and the Antelope Valley tend to have hot summers, the major difference is that the Coastal South has high levels of humidity, while the AV has a "dry" heat with lower humidity. The following graphs compare the levels of rainfall and humidity in the city of Palmdale in the Antelope Valley with the United States averages:

(Source: http://www.city-data.com/city/South-Antelope-Valley-California.html) 

However, despite the differences in their physical geographies, the Coastal South and the Antelope Valley share many similarities in aspects of their respective economies and cultures. Just as in the Coastal South, government and military activity have contributed significantly to the Antelope Valley's economy, especially through the aerospace industry. As discussed in a previous blog post, the AV is home to Edward's Air Force Base, which is the nation's second largest Air Force base and the AV's single largest employer, and United State Air Force Plant 42, which is an aircraft manufacturing plant and the AV's second largest employer.

Also, just as NASA has contributed to the economy of the Coastal South, NASA also plays a role in the economy of the Antelope Valley. NASA's Armstrong Flight Research Center is located adjacent to Edward's Air Force Base just outside of Lancaster in the AV. It is described by NASA as their "primary center for atmospheric flight research and operations." The center's location in the Antelope Valley, according to NASA, allows the center to "take advantage of the excellent year-round flying weather, remote area, and visibility to test some of the nation's most exciting air vehicles."

NASA Armstrong Flight Research Center outside of Lancaster:


Also, Palmdale is home to the Armstrong Flight Research Center Building 703 located near Plant 42.
I see this building very often as I drive by it in Palmdale:


(Sources: http://www.nasa.gov/centers/armstrong/about/overview.html#.UyyjjvldWNi,
http://www.nasa.gov/centers/dryden/daof/gallery/index.html)

Finally, the Coastal South takes pride in its diversity and cultural heritage, such as through the celebration of Mardi Gras. Similarly, the Antelope Valley also likes to celebrate the many different cultures that make up its population. For example, the Antelope Valley International Heritage Festival is an annual event that celebrates a variety of different cultures and backgrounds. I liked what Robert Alvarado, one of the founders of the festival, said at last year's festival:

Cultural events such as the Heritage Festival are important in the Antelope Valley because we are one of the most diverse areas, not just in our county or just in our state, but in the entire United States. We want people to know that we have a rich, diverse community in the Antelope Valley and they are welcome to come out once a year and celebrate with us.

Below are several pictures of the 19th annual AV International Heritage Festival hosted last year in Palmdale:

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(Source: http://theavtimes.com/2013/09/14/a-celebration-of-culture-unity/)

The Inland South (Chapter 9)

In Chapter 9, we learned about the Inland South. One of the major hazards facing this region is flash flooding, which is also a common hazard in the Antelope Valley. The following YouTube video provides a fantastic look at a severe thunderstorm in the AV that occurred in 2011 and caused extensive flash flooding in Pearblossom, Palmdale, and Lake Los Angeles. In particular, be sure to watch the video at minute 4:45 to see the size of the hail that was being produced, minute 6 to see the flash flooding in a neighborhood, and minute 7:15 to see the amazing lightening produced by the storm. The video also provides a great general view of the flat, rural nature of much of the Antelope Valley, which reminds me of the flat interior lowlands described as part of the Inland South.



There are also some cultural similarities between parts of the Inland South and the Antelope Valley. As described in the text, the Inland South is the home of country music, and country music is also highly appreciated in the AV. Country line-dancing, in particular, is a very popular activity in the Antelope Valley; every weekend, the restaurant BeX in Lancaster hosts a popular line-dancing forum, and the annual Antelope Valley Fair always hosts country music bands and has a floor reserved for line-dancing, as shown in the video below:



Also, just as NASCAR is a beloved sport in the Inland South, it also has a loyal following in the Antelope Valley. Palmdale is the hometown of four-time NASCAR Truck Series champion Ron Hornaday, and Palmdale honored Hornaday by naming all access roads to the Palmdale Auto Center as "Ron Hornaday Way", and the center has permanent banners that bear his likeness and name, pictured below:

It is interesting to compare the Inland South and the Antelope Valley because, while they are separated by thousands of miles and have numerous differences, it is worth noting that they also share some similarities in both their physical geography and climate and in their culture.

(Source: http://bleacherreport.com/articles/375301-ron-hornaday-honored-by-hometown-for-nascar-prowess)

The Great Lakes & Corn Belt (Chapter 8)

In Chapter 8, we learned about the Great Lakes and Corn Belt region; in particular, we learned about the region's agriculture and other primary-sector activities. The Antelope Valley has also had a strong history of agricultural production, with its first agricultural boom occurring in the 1880s and 1890s during a period of heavy rainfall which led early settlers in the AV to grow alfalfa, barley, wheat, and a variety of fruits and nuts. However, farmers were plagued by the desert's reoccurring droughts, until irrigation powered by pumps and eventually by electricity, allowed for sustainable large-scale agricultural production. By 1920, alfalfa became the Antelope Valley's major crop. Interestingly, farmers in the AV between the 1880s and late 1920s were plagued by an overabundance of jackrabbits who destroyed the crops. So-called "jackrabbit drives" were community events where the jackrabbits were hunted and then barbecued for their meat, and these events were so popular that "city folk" from  Los Angeles came by train to participate in them.

Antelope Valley farm scene, c. 1902:

(Source: http://www.colapublib.org/history/antelopevalley/faq.html#q10)

The importance of agriculture as the Antelope Valley's main industry can be seen in the names of many of the area's communities, such as Almondale, Pearblossom, and Pearland. However, the relative significance of agriculture and other primary-sector activities have declined in the AV due to the rise of aerospace and tertiary industries in the area. It should be noted, though, that agricultural production has increased in the AV since the mid-1990s due to an increase in the production of fruit and vegetable crops, and agricultural acreage in the AV has increased due to the influence of the new carrot industry.

Today, the Antelope Valley produces a variety of agricultural products, including commercial production of alfalfa, small grains (for hay), onions, carrots, peaches, pears, and nectarines, as well as cherries, apples, and grapes on a smaller scale.

The pie chart below illustrates the amount of acreage devoted to the AV's major crops:

As this illustrates, hay, including alfalfa and small grains, is the AV's primary crop. The Antelope Valley is also home to a few local wineries, such as the Antelope Valley Winery located in Lancaster:



Finally, the text characterized the population of the Great Lakes and Corn Belt region as "well-educated," so I was interested to research the statistics for the educational attainment levels in the Antelope Valley. The following bar graphs compare the education levels for the South AV (primarily Palmdale and Lancaster) with the state of California averages:

As the graph illustrates, the AV is above average up to the attainment of an Associate degree, but is below the state average for attainment of Bachelor's degree or higher.

(Sources: http://celosangeles.ucanr.edu/Agriculture/High_Desert_Crops/, http://www.city-data.com/city/South-Antelope-Valley-California.html, http://articles.latimes.com/1990-07-06/local/me-278_1_antelope-valley-s-communities) 

Megalopolis (Chapter 7)

After reading Chapter 7, it is interesting to compare and contrast the Megalopolis region with the Antelope Valley area. The term Megalopolis was coined by Jean Gottman to describe the northeastern urban corridor that is largely comprised by the five major cities of Boston, New York, Philadelphia, Baltimore, and Washington, D.C, although this area also includes rural and lightly developed areas. In a similar fashion, the term "Antelope Valley" has been used to describe the region in Los Angeles County largely comprised of the two principle cities, Lancaster and Palmdale, as well as several smaller towns and surrounding rural areas.

However, it is difficult to compare these two regions, since their scales are drastically different. Today, Megalopolis includes about 50,000 square miles and has a population of 52 million, while the Antelope Valley includes only about 1,170 square miles and has a population of about 500,000. It is interesting to consider that the population density of Megalopolis is about 930 people per square mile, while the population density of the Antelope Valley is only about 250 people per square mile. This is a reflection of how Megalopolis is much more urbanized and developed than the Antelope Valley.

These pictures of the Antelope Valley and Megalopolis illustrate the relative scales of these two regions:


Megalopolis:



Also, the environmental hazards that each region faces are dramatically different from each other. Megalopolis is threatened by hurricanes, blizzards, and flooding, while the Antelope Valley is primarily concerned with earthquakes and high temperatures in the summer. However, these two regions face many of the same social challenges due to their high levels of demographic diversity. As we learned in this chapter, Megalopolis is faced with tensions that arise from the many different racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic groups that live in the region. Similarly, while the AV's level of diversity is probably not as high as that experienced in Megalopolis, the AV is still faced with similar issues related to its level of diversity. The pie chart below, provided by the Los Angeles Times, illustrates the racial demographics of the the Antelope Valley as a whole:


However, it should be noted that some areas of the Valley are more or less diverse than this pie chart describes. The LA Times lists Palmdale as the most diverse city in the area, while Acton is the least diverse.

The Antelope Valley is very diverse along socioeconomic lines, as this bar graph of demonstrates:
Household income in thousands of 2000 dollars:

Thus, about 19,579 households in the AV earn $40,000 or less, while approximately 27,154 households earn $120,000 to $250,000. This is a significant wealth gap, so this inevitably leads to tensions between members of different socioeconomic groups, similar to the tensions described in Megalopolis.

Finally, just as Megalopolis continues to grow, the Antelope Valley continues to grow and expand as well. Northern Los Angeles County, including the AV, is the fastest growing area of LA County. The Antelope Valley is described as the "last valley" in LA County, and one of the last areas in Southern California that has the physical capacity to grow, with plenty of open space available for development. While Megalopolis is estimated to add 17 million more residents in the next generation, the AV is also expected to grow but a a much more modest pace. The Southern California Association of Governments estimates that the population of the Antelope Valley will grow to 800,000 by the year 2020.

(Sources: http://www.america2050.org/northeast.html, http://maps.latimes.com/neighborhoods/region/antelope-valley/, http://cameron98.tripod.com/id10.html)

The Atlantic Periphery (Chapter 5)

First of all, the Atlantic Periphery and the Antelope Valley are located at end opposite ends of the North American continent; they also each lie next to a different ocean, with the Antelope Valley in relatively close proximity to the Pacific Ocean while the Atlantic Periphery is of course next to the Atlantic Ocean. The Atlantic Periphery experiences a very different climate than the Antelope Valley, with the former experiencing cool summers and snowy winters, while the latter experiences very hot summers and cold but generally dry winters. The Atlantic Periphery experiences high levels of precipitation year-round, while the AV's desert climate produces very little precipitation. Of course, the flora and fauna of these two regions are very different as well; the Atlantic Periphery is heavily forested, while the AV is a high-desert region.

Below is a picture of northern Maine in the month of February, followed by a picture of the AV taken in late January. Notice the thick covering of snow in Maine, while the only evidence that it is winter in the AV is the light dusting of snow on the San Gabriel Mountains in the distance.

Northern Maine in the Atlantic Periphery during February:

(Source: http://www.smartgrowthamerica.org/2012/03/12/northern-maine-counties-work-toward-joint-regional-plan/)

Palmdale in the Antelope Valley during January:


The landforms in the Atlantic Periphery are also different from those in the AV. The Atlantic Periphery states are connected to the Appalachian Mountain chain, and the landscape has been shaped by the erosional process of glaciers, leading to the formation of such features as the Great Stone Face, pictured below:


(Source: http://www.panoramio.com/photo/5869607)

The Antelope Valley is connected to the San Gabriel Mountains and the Tahachapi Mountains, and the landscape hasn't been much affected by glacial processes as it has been by the geological processes of faulting and sedimentary uplift and compression. For example, the Devil's Punchbowl in Pearblossom, pictured below, is a well-known geological feature in the AV that was formed by pressures and uplift processes from the Punchbowl and Pinyin Faults as well as the San Andreas Fault.

(Source: http://californiathroughmylens.com/devils-punchbowl-los-angeles-hikes)

Finally, the economies of these two regions are also significantly different from each other. The Atlantic Periphery's economy is strongly tied to the primary sector, through extraction of resources from the sea, such as fishing, and from the forest, such as through logging. On the other hand, the Antelope Valley economy has a less significant connection to the primary sector, and instead is highly dependent on the quaternary and tertiary sectors, through the aerospace industry and several service industries. Ultimately, the Atlantic Periphery and the Antelope Valley both possess very distinctive geographies, and it is interesting to compare and contrast them with each other.

The North American Political Economy (Chapter 4)

Today, the economy of the Antelope Valley is primarily composed of tertiary and quaternary sector activities, with aviation and aerospace being the primary industries of this area. Many aerospace contractors have facilities located in the AV, including Northrop Grumman, Boeing, and Lockheed Martin. These contractors lease space at the United States Air Force Plant 42 in Palmdale, which is the "birthplace of the Space Shuttle." My father has worked for Northrop Grumman for the last thirty-three years, and he is currently working on the Global Hawk project at Plant 42. These aerospace companies are contracted by the United States military and international agencies, so they are linked to the quaternary sector of the economy. With 9,000 employees, Air Force Plant 42 is the second largest employer in the Antelope Valley, after Edwards Air Force Base, which is located northeast of Lancaster.

Overhead view of Plant 42 in Palmdale:

Overhead view of Edwards Air Force Base outside of Lancaster:

(Sources: http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/facility/afp-42.htm, http://chooselacounty.com/laregions/antelope.html)

The Antelope Valley is also comprised of a strong tertiary economy, with numerous shopping centers, restaurants, and recreational facilities, like movie complexes and golf courses. 

Today's Antelope Valley is quite diversified. Available, affordable land, an educated workforce, pro-business local government, and easy access via State Route 14 (Antelope Valley Freeway) have made the area home to over 13,000 businesses. The Valley is a choice for logistic operations companies, manufacturers, and top Fortune 500 firms. Two major call centers are located in the area, employing thousands of residents. The recent influx of upper-middle class residents has attracted many new retailers, restaurants, and professional service companies to fulfill these consumers' wants and needs.                                                                         (Source:  http://chooselacounty.com/laregions/antelope.html).  

Thus, the economy of the Antelope Valley is composed of a strong aerospace industry and a diversified tertiary sector. Of course, the AV is home to several school districts and colleges, as well as local governmental agencies, which employ a significant portion of the area's population as well. I was born in Palmdale in 1992, and in my almost 22-years in the Antelope Valley, it has been interesting to watch the area grow and expand, and indeed, the AV continues to be one of the fastest-growing areas in Los Angeles County.

Historical Settlement of North America (Chapter 3)

In Chapter 3, we learned about the historical settlement of North America, so I'd like to discuss the historical settlement of the Antelope Valley in this post.

The first-known inhabitants of the Antelope Valley were Native Americans known as the Kitanamuks, who lived in the Tahachapi Mountains and hunted and gathered down in the valley during the cooler seasons of the year. 

Some of the early explorers of the region included Captain Pedro Fages of Spain, who crossed the Antelope Valley in 1772 and was the first to record his observations of the Joshua Trees. Also, Captain Juan Bautista de Anza and Father Francisco Garces are credited with leading a colonizing expedition through the Antelope Valley from Mexico to Monterey in 1773. Other early explorers and trailblazers through the Antelope Valley included the famous mountain man Jededia Smith, who was the first American to explore the AV in 1872, and Kit Carson and General John C. Fremont who came to the Valley in 1834 and established a settlement near Elizabeth Lake.

Each of these early explorers undoubtedly encountered immense herds of antelope, which numbered approximately 60,000 until the late 1800s when they died in large numbers due to harsh winters and hunters. This is how the Antelope Valley received its name, although today antelopes are no longer found in this area.

Later, railroads and mining brought significant growth to the Antelope Valley. Farming and ranching were also important in the area. Two of the oldest buildings in the Antelope Valley still remain today, located in the two oldest cities in the area, Lancaster and Palmdale, and I have personally visited each of them. The Western Hotel was established in 1874 and now serves as a historical museum on Lancaster Boulevard:



Also, a one-room school house from 1888 still stands today at McAdam Park in Palmdale:


In the mid-1960s, the Antelope Valley Freeway (State Route 14) was completed, which connected the Antelope Valley to the Los Angeles and helped to spur increased growth and development in the AV. Now, in the twenty-first century, the Antelope Valley is a major suburban area, home to a strong aerospace industry. It continues to be one of the fastest growing areas in Southern California.

 (Source: https://www.wm.com/location/california/antelope-valley/lancaster/community/history.jsp)

North America's Environmental Setting (Chapter 2)

In Chapter 2, we were presented with an overview of North America's environmental setting, including the different kinds of landforms and geographical patterns that can be seen across this continent. Similarly, in this post, I'd like to give an overview of the Antelope Valley's environmental setting.

The Antelope Valley is located in the western part of the Mojave Desert, and it is about 3,000 square miles in size. It is a closed basin that is bordered on the northwest by the Tahachapi Mountains and bordered on the south and southeast by the San Gabriel Mountains. These latter mountains are what separates the AV from the Los Angeles area, and I commute (via a commuter bus) through them on the 14 and I-5 freeways several days a week to get to the CSUN campus.

Pictured below is the view that I see everyday coming home as our bus comes out of the San Gabriel Mountains, looking down on the AV basin. The Tahachapi Mountains are in the far distance, and at the bottom of the screen is the aqueduct that serves the AV, and a small recreational fishing lake.


(Source: http://www.palmdalecam.com/)

The Antelope Valley is typically identified as part of southern California's "High Desert" region, due to its higher elevation above sea-level as compared to California's "Low Desert" which includes the Imperial Valley and the city of Palm Springs. As a member of a desert biome, the Antelope Valley has a very dry "B" climate with low annual rainfall, and as my family can attest, it is very difficult to grow plants in this climate! Cacti and succulents fair the best in this environment, as well as the native Joshua Trees. The AV climate also includes very strong winds, which I personally enjoy. According to the Palmdale Water District:

The same weather pattern that brings the marine layer stratus and afternoon sea breeze to the Los Angeles Basin brings gusty winds to Palmdale, especially near the foothills on the south side. Gusty southwest winds blow over Palmdale almost every afternoon and evening all year round.
(Source:http://hazardmitigation.calema.ca.gov/docs/lhmp/Palmdale_Water_District_LHMP.pdf)

Finally, the famous San Andreas Fault runs along the entire southern portion of the Antelope Valley. In fact, a portion of the fault can be seen from the 14 (AV) Freeway, where the rock has been cut to form the road. I personally see this fault everyday when I'm coming home:



(Source: http://www.earth.northwestern.edu/individ/seth/107/Intro/safpalmdale.html)

Here is a YouTube video that shows this Palmdale portion of the San Andreas Fault up-close:


Ultimately, the Antelope Valley possesses a very distinctive physical geography. While I personally don't enjoy the summers with temperatures easily above 100 degrees Fahrenheit, or the ever-present threat of earthquakes, it is still interesting to learn more about this area, and it holds a special place in my heart since I was raised here.

Introduction (Chapter 1)

For the course of this semester, I will devote my blog postings to the Antelope Valley area in southern California. The Antelope Valley is located in Los Angeles County, north of L.A., and it comprises thirteen populated areas, including the two cities of Palmdale and Lancaster, along with several other smaller towns and unincorporated areas, such as California City, Lake Los Angeles, Littlerock, and Acton. Below is a map of the Antelope Valley provided by the Los Angeles Times. If you visit the link below, you can view the interactive version of the map on the LA Times website.

(Source: http://maps.latimes.com/neighborhoods/region/antelope-valley/)

I have chosen to discuss the Antelope Valley (AV) in this blog because I was born and raised in the city of Palmdale, where I continue to live. This area has a very distinctive physical geography because it is a high-desert region, with broiling hot summers, freezing winters, and (my favorite part of the AV) extremely strong winds! We are also known for being located directly on the San Andreas Fault. I have chosen perhaps the most distinctive icon of the Antelope Valley for the background of this blog - the beautiful Joshua Trees. It is intersting to note that the Joshua Trees are native to only two areas in the world - Israel and the California desert.
(Source: https://www.wm.com/location/california/antelope-valley/lancaster/community/history.jsp)

Because this area is my hometown, I am always interested in learning more about it, and I am looking forward to sharing information about the Antelope Valley with my classmates through this blog.