This riveting account of one of the most notable personalities of the mountain climbing world reconstructs the life of legendary mountaineer Norman Clyde (1885-1972). He made his mark on history with more than one hundred and thirty first ascents throughout western North America, and many believe he knew the High Sierra better than anyone else, including John Muir. Part of his mystique comes from participating in high-profile mountain rescues and recoveries, in which he is credited with saving a number of lives. Those who had the good fortune to meet him–often with a ninety-pound pack on his back that included an anvil for boot repair, fishing rods, cooking pots, and books in Greek and Latin–never forgot the experience. Biographer Robert C. Pavlik uses Clyde’s own words, along with recollections from his family, friends, fellow climbers, and acquaintances, to capture the experiences of a remarkable man and a bygone time “between the pioneers and the rock climbers.”

In the early years of the twentieth century, Herbert Eugene Bolton opened up a new area of study in American history: the Spanish Borderlands. His research took him to the archives of Mexico, where he found a wealth of unpublished, even unknown, material that shed new light on the early history of North America, particularly the American Southwest. The seventeen essays in this book, edited by John Francis Bannon, illustrate the importance of his contributions to American historiography and provide a solid foundation for students of Borderlands history.

First published in 1979, Bike Touring introduced tens of thousands of riders to the joys of bicycle travel, and quickly became the go–to reference for an entire generation of bike–touring enthusiasts. But much has changed in the last three decades—and this fully revamped edition provides authoritative information on both the latest equipment and the ever–expanding universe of touring options for a whole new generation of riders. Readers learn how to train, equip, plan, and pack for tours of any length and difficulty, from overnight trips near home to multiweek journeys abroad. Author Raymond Bridge surveys the wide range of touring options, which now include extensive commercial offerings and roof–to–roof (or "credit card") tours, as well as independent, self–contained travel. Chapters covering bike styles—road, mountain, and world–touring models—along with bike frames and fit, drive trains, wheels, brakes, saddles and handlebars, and accessories, offer up–to–date guidance on the myriad equipment choices from the booming bike industry. And chapters on camping, transporting bikes, and roadside repairs are full of expert advice to help both novice and experienced bike travelers get maximum pleasure from any journey while saving money and staying safe.

This is the history of Death Valley, where that bitter stream the Amargosa dies. It embraces the whole basin of the Amargosa from the Panamints to the Spring Mountains, from the Palmettos to the Avawatz. And it spans a century from the earliest recollections and the oldest records to that day in 1933 when much of the valley was finally set aside as a National Monument. This is the story of an illusory land, of the people it attracted and of the dreams and delusions they pursued-the story of the metals in its mountains and the salts in its sinks, of its desiccating heat and its revitalizing springs, and of all the riches of its scenery and lore-the story of Indians and horse thieves, lost argonauts and lost mine hunters, prospectors and promoters, miners and millionaires, stockholders and stock sharps, homesteaders and hermits, writers and tourists. But mostly this is the story of the illusions-the illusions of a shortcut to the gold diggings that lured the forty-niners, of inescapable deadliness that hung in the name they left behind, of lost bonanzas that grew out of the few nuggets they found, of immeasurable riches spread by hopeful prospectors and calculating con men, and of impenetrable mysteries concocted by the likes of Scotty. These and many lesser illusions are the heart of its history.

The characteristic look of Southern California, with its red-tiled roofs, stucco homes, and Spanish street names suggests an enduring fascination with the region’s Spanish-Mexican past. In this engaging study, Phoebe S. Kropp reveals that the origins of this aesthetic were not solely rooted in the Spanish colonial period, but arose in the early twentieth century, when Anglo residents recast the days of missions and ranchos as an idyllic golden age of pious padres, placid Indians, dashing caballeros and sultry senoritas. Four richly detailed case studies uncover the efforts of Anglo boosters and examine the responses of Mexican and Indian people in the construction of places that gave shape to this cultural memory: El Camino Real, a tourist highway following the old route of missionaries; San Diego’s world’s fair, the Panama-California Exposition; the architecturally- and racially-restricted suburban hamlet Rancho Santa Fe; and Olvera Street, an ersatz Mexican marketplace in the heart of Los Angeles. California Vieja is a compelling demonstration of how memory can be more than nostalgia. In Southern California, the Spanish past became a catalyst for the development of the region’s built environment and public culture, and a civic narrative that still serves to marginalize Mexican and Indian residents.

This collection of essays written by a stellar cast of art historians and scholars looks closely at the forces that shaped fine art and material culture in California. Illustrations.