Goat Canyon Trestle

East of El Cajon, east of Alpine, East of The Golden Acorn Casino, keep going keep going. All the way to the edge of the county. You reach a sign that says "Jacumba Next Exit." Pull off and drive down a dirt road for a half mile. Find a place to park and grab your water. It's a 7 mile hike along the train tracks. Straight up "Stand By Me" steez. Six tunnels, three of which are so long that you cannot see the ground in front of you although you can see the exit. One of those is a half a mile long.

There are goats and hawks, and cactus and dirt and rocks. There is debris from excavations of yester-year. You pass by damaged train cars that collided with a rock or fell off the cliff to deteriorate into time. At the end of the road is the largest wooden trestle in the world. At its highest point it's 180 tall. It curves from one peak to another, one tunnel to another. It was fun and exciting but next time I'm riding a bike instead.
http://zachpetschek.com/071230

Abandoned train. Michelle Oleary climbing in.


A collapsed tunnel.


The trestle, underside.


One of several tunnels that we had to walk slowly, toes pointed upward to avoid damage.


View from a catwalk in the middle of the trestle. Michelle Oleary playing.


Trestle as it might have looked a long time ago since the world was black and white then.


A goose?


A zebra?


How many bars do you have? Arin Buresch.


It's amazing how clear and bright the sun is outside of the city.


Stand by me...


Michelle Oleary teetering at the edge of a cliff


Lucas Buresch and background props to me.