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photo by Donald Kinney
The majority of Marin County's populace resides along the Highway-One-Oh-One corridor, and really, that part of Marin isn't too different from where you might live. But just over the ridge to the northwest is a vast area of green rolling hills--golden in summer, interspersed with cows and wildflowers. A substantial amount of farming and ranching goes on in west Marin. Best Sunday afternoon drives on the planet! This is Hicks Valley Rd.
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photo by Donald Kinney
Big Rock traditionally--and for decades--was painted, decorated, graffitied, tagged, brushed and sprayed by mindless youngsters that had too much time, beer/pot, spray paint and creative impulses. Big Rock was plastered bottom to top with initials and slogans. Nothing legal about it, it was just what dumb shitheads DID in Marin… When George Lucas (the filmmaker) established his first campus nearby he purchased the land Big Rock occupies. An impenetrable fence surrounds Big Rock; with night-spotlights and surveillance camera. It is just a coincidence that Lucasfilm is located in Lucas Valley, but it must have seemed, for George Lucas, like a nice fit.
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photo by Donald Kinney
George Lucas's Skywalker Ranch at Big Rock. Top of the hill, Lucas Valley. Taken in March 2013.
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photo by Donald Kinney
Big Rock, without graffiti…
Instead, a nice smattering of bird droppings.
4 comments:
Did George Lucas have the graffiti cleaned off the rock when he bought it? If so, good on him! That image of the farm and the cow is amazing - what beautiful light! Makes it look like Eden.
Yes, ZOOMIE, he cleaned it up by removing what he could and then adding a bit of camouflage paint. We see George around once in a while. He had two brats for daughters and an x-wife that lived almost next door to him in San Anselmo. George wanted to expand his empire on the Grady Ranch, but was met with so many restrictions and roadblocks by the county that he decided to take his expansion elsewhere. He is a major employer here in Marin so he adds a lot to the tax base.
makes me sorry I left Marin...please keep showing scenes of non-cititfied life?
makes me sorry I left Marin...please keep showing scenes of non-cititfied life?
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