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how cool is that - a tiki-plane ! ! ! |
icebaer69
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Feb 03, 2007
Posts: 191 |  Posted: 2009-03-31 02:18 am Permalink
obviously this cool guy was a tiki-fan !
found the pictures @ flickr ...
...and this info bout lake loreen:
"...
NEW LAKES OF THE MOJAVE
A 1966 Travelogue by Slim Barnard
An oasis in the midst of one of America’s most magnificent deserts is springing up around two man-maid lakes in the Mojave, about 190 miles from Los Angeles. Silver Valley, a region rich in the lore of the Old West, now has two new attractions, Lake Kalikoa and Lake Loreen. Kalikoa will be the center of a residential and resort development, and Loreen already is known for its public fishing, picnicking and swimming facilities.
Driving a 1965 Ford Country Sedan, we reached this section of the Mojave Desert via Highway 66. Leaving Los Angeles on the San Bernardino Freeway, we followed U.S. 66 past Barstow to the Needles turnoff. This road goes to Needles through Daggett and Newberry, the latter a small but important point in the desert because of its plentiful water. The wells of Newberry actually supply the water needs of such surrounding communities as Ludlow, Amboy and Essex. As the only source of water between it and the Colorado River, some 100 miles away, Newberry played a key role in the settlement of the desert. Today, its precious water is transported in railroad tank cars, each capable of carrying 10,500 gallons. It is not unusual to see strings of 24 or more tankers waiting on a siding, but trains can be filled with 250,000 gallons of water in three hours.
The road to the lakes is found about a mile beyond Newberry School, and is well marked. The pavement ends a half mile short of the lakes, but the unpaved portion is in good condition. The desert seems to be empty, until the lakes abruptly appear, almost like mirages. Kalikoa is 20 acres, and Lake Loreen covers 34 acres, creating tow large sparkling mirrors of the blue sky. Charles Schreiber, developer of the first lake, showed us the building lots he is preparing, to be know as Kalikoa Estates. We also learned how Lake Loreen gained its lyrical name when Schreiber led us across the road to meet his neighbors. Loreen and Gus Raigosa welcomed us to the recreation area they have carved out of the desert. Both former aircraft employees from El Segundo, the Raigosas bought the lake site on a shoestring, and literally dug it out with a bulldozer.
Their lake is stocked with catfish, bass, bluegill and trout, and they permit fishing for $2.50 per day. The daily limit is 5 trout, 5 catfish, 10 bass and 25 bluegills, but no state angling license is required. Besides fishermen, picnickers and overnight campers are welcomed for 50 cents a person per day. Visitors with boats may launch them but motors of more than 7 ˝ horsepower are not allowed. The lakes are in the center of an area of great historical interest. For example, within a few miles are a group of 100-year-old covered wagons, the ruins of an early Army outpost and a one time mining camp.
..."
(http://mojavedeserttrails.com/lakehiri/lkloreen.htm)
does this lake still exist or is it desert again nowadays ?
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nuKKe
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Feb 13, 2005
Posts: 172
From: Tel Aviv, Israel
| Posted: 2009-03-31 03:34 am Permalink
wow - both Tiki AND Route 66 in one post! I love the airplane pic.
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RevBambooBen
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Nov 12, 2002
Posts: 7197
From: Huntikington Beach
| Posted: 2009-03-31 05:14 am Permalink
I drove through there a few weeks ago.
Saw the sign for the lake.
Will be driving through there again this coming Monday
and will check it out fo' sure.
( it's a shortcut to my favorite volcano via Las Vegas)
Cool find!
_________________
Bamboo Ben
Custom Tropical Decor
I build Fun for you!
http://www.facebook.com/bambooben
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bigbrotiki
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Mar 25, 2002
Posts: 10562
From: Tiki Island, above the Silverlake
| Posted: 2009-03-31 08:28 am Permalink
Great find! And Ben on a mission! I love Tiki Central! I love Tiki! There is always a new facet to be discovered, a never before seen use of the theme. Glad that the old Polaroids used to have a date imprinted on the edge. And I like that his Wahine is blond. 
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RevBambooBen
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Nov 12, 2002
Posts: 7197
From: Huntikington Beach
| Posted: 2009-03-31 09:25 am Permalink
Bob @ OA just mailed me and said it was an OA gig.
( never got off the ground though)
We'll still make a drive by to see if anything is left.
_________________
Bamboo Ben
Custom Tropical Decor
I build Fun for you!
http://www.facebook.com/bambooben
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little lost tiki
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Jun 12, 2006
Posts: 7460
From: Orange,CA-right near the Circle!
| Posted: 2009-03-31 09:59 am Permalink
MAN ON A MISSION!
Godspeed Gentle Ben!
bring us back some scoop!
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christiki295
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Apr 09, 2003
Posts: 3616
From: LA-2547 mls east Hawaii &5500 Easter Is
| Posted: 2009-03-31 1:00 pm Permalink
But what happened to the plane?
What a description!
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icebaer69
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Feb 03, 2007
Posts: 191 | Posted: 2009-03-31 1:17 pm Permalink
Quote:
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On 2009-03-31 05:14, RevBambooBen wrote:
... Will be driving through there again this coming Monday
and will check it out fo' sure ... |
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2 more pictures of this area at lake loreen:
(flickr)
is there a tiki-style-boat in the background (behind the mustang) ?
(flickr)
and here some info (only 4 days old) about the cool guy -
his name is "darrell" or "uncle darrell" -
in all of the pictures.
he is in a hospice at the moment :
"...
Dad and I went out to visit Uncle Darrell today.
He's doing pretty good and was glad to see us.
I asked him about his Mustang and he said
it had a 390 with a 4 barrel carburetor. He sold it in 1974.
He also recalled that it was very hot when this photo was taken at Lake Loreen ...
..."
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Beachbumz
Grand Member (first year) 
Joined: Jan 09, 2008
Posts: 991
From: 21°/156° MAUI
| Posted: 2009-03-31 3:34 pm Permalink
What a cool plane and building.. Ben, I hope you find a killer Tiki Oasis out there at lake Loreen..
I found one other picture of the plane too...
Aloha
_________________
Beach Bumz Maui
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Deckhand_Davy
Tiki Centralite
Joined: Mar 02, 2008
Posts: 84
From: The Texas Lagoons
| Posted: 2009-03-31 3:37 pm Permalink
It's amazing what some of ya'll are able to dig up! I'm with ya BigBro...I love Tiki Central!!
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icebaer69
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Feb 03, 2007
Posts: 191 | Posted: 2009-03-31 4:34 pm Permalink
9/1969:
Quote:
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On 2009-03-31 02:18, icebaer69 wrote:
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1971:
"...
Dave Roberts and the Lake Loreen Tiki Bird
at Kramer`s Junction/Four Corners, CA 1971
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(http://www.coronado1969.com/8/18-TRUE-18.htm)
Quote:
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On 2009-03-31 15:34, beachbumz wrote:
... I found one other picture of the plane too...
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so the plane was obviously removed -
does anybody know how far away "Kramer`s Junction/Four Corners, CA"
is from lake loreen ?
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icebaer69
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Feb 03, 2007
Posts: 191 | Posted: 2009-03-31 4:44 pm Permalink
Quote:
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On 2009-03-31 02:18, icebaer69 wrote:
"...
An oasis in the midst of one of America’s most magnificent deserts is springing up around two man-maid lakes in the Mojave, about 190 miles from Los Angeles.
Silver Valley, a region rich in the lore of the Old West,
now has two new attractions, Lake Kalikoa and Lake Loreen.
... We also learned how Lake Loreen gained its lyrical name
when Schreiber led us across the road to meet his neighbors.
LOREEN and GUS RAIGOSA welcomed us to the recreation area
they have carved out of the desert ... |
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i found this amazing info about LOREEN and GUS RAIGOSA
--- --- including the magic word "POLYNESIAN" (!) --- ---
in the "Desert Magazine/April 1966":
"...
Lake Loreen ... Operated by Gus and Loreen Raigosa,
the public can enjoy its fish-filled lagoons and swimming holes,
boating or just plain picnicking.
And for the gourmet, there is a little Polynesian restaurant
where food rivals that of Bali Hai, on San Diego’s Shelter Island,
which inspired this place ...
..."
( http://mojavedeserttrails.com/lakehiri/svworld.htm )
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Murph
Grand Member (4 years) 
Joined: Jul 11, 2006
Posts: 673
From: SoCal
| Posted: 2009-03-31 5:41 pm Permalink
Here's another shot of the Tiki Bird
N636CF Beech D18 Lake Loreen Tiki Bird.
This was shot at a dirt airstrip in the California Mojave Desert, at a crossroads called Four Corners in August, 1973.
_________________
Murph
WaikikiWomb
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Murph
Grand Member (4 years)
Joined: Jul 11, 2006
Posts: 673
From: SoCal
| Posted: 2009-03-31 5:50 pm Permalink
A little more history of N636CF
NTSB Identification: LAX85LA090 .
The docket is stored on NTSB microfiche number 26859.
Accident occurred Tuesday, December 11, 1984 in LITTLEFIELD, AZ
Aircraft: BEECH C45H, registration: N636CF
Injuries: 1 Uninjured.
THE PLT STATED THAT HE ENCOUNTERED LOW CEILINGS & FOG IN THE MOUNTAIN PASSES. AFTER SEVERAL UNSUCCESSFUL ATTEMPTS TO CROSS THE MOUNTAINS HE BELIEVED HE DID NOT HAVE SUFFICIENT FUEL ON BOARD TO REACH ANY AIRPORTS TO THE SOUTH SO HE SELECTED A FLAT MESA & EXECUTED A PRECAUTIONARY LANDING. THE TERRAIN WAS SMOOTH BUT SOFT & THE ACFT NOSED OVER.
The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident as follows:
UNSUITABLE TERRAIN OR TAKEOFF/LANDING/TAXI AREA..SELECTED..PILOT IN COMMAND
Contributing Factors
TERRAIN CONDITION..MOUNTAINOUS/HILLY
TERRAIN CONDITION..SOFT
WEATHER CONDITION..FOG
WEATHER CONDITION..LOW CEILING
WEATHER CONDITION..RAIN
FUEL SUPPLY..INADEQUATE..PILOT IN COMMAND
PRECAUTIONARY LANDING..PERFORMED..PILOT IN COMMAND
_________________
Murph
WaikikiWomb
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bigbrotiki
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Mar 25, 2002
Posts: 10562
From: Tiki Island, above the Silverlake
| Posted: 2009-03-31 5:58 pm Permalink
Quote:
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On 2009-03-31 16:34, icebaer69 wrote:
so the plane was obviously removed -
does anybody know how far away "Kramer`s Junction/Four Corners, CA"
is from lake loreen ?
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Planes can fly, you know.... Kramer's Junction looks about 300 miles Northwest of Newberry Springs. The story of that development reminds me of the Salton Sea....desert Shangri La dreams....
.....Wow, I can't post fast enough for the findings pouring in here:
Quote:
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On 2009-03-31 17:41, Murph wrote:
This was shot at a dirt airstrip in the California Mojave Desert, at a crossroads called Four Corners in August, 1973.
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So did it really END UP there...the first shot at Kramers/Four Corners was in '71, that is only two years after they were working on the development down in Newberry Springs! Did they run out of money, and the plane was re-posessed? Or was Four Corners just one of the plane's regular Ports of Call?
Earlier I noticed the letters "POLY..." on the plane tail fins...
...and now we can see the whole plane! But it looks like the rudder was painted over on the bottom...
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