Road conditions are pretty difficult to write about on days like this. It’s hard to make dry, problem- free roads sound interesting. Pavement is flat, but with curves, rocks are only found on the sides of the road, while fog, rain and snow are only present in other parts of the world right now. The remarkable dearth of hazards is pretty tough for me… but I suppose that if the commute is safer and easier, then I suppose my loss is your gain.
So, let’s talk local history today, specifically Jedediah Smith (sometimes known as, “Old Jed,” as he lived to the ripe old age of 32… talk about a grizzled old frontiersman, eh?!?), the American explorer.
He’s got a local connection in that he did, indeed, explore these very mountains in the early 1800s (He was born in 1799, died in 1831, so I have simply ASSUMED that his exploration here was in the early 1800s). He explored this area when it was still owned by Mexico, and was one of the first European people to set foot here after traveling west across the American Continent. His exploration party is regarded as being made up of the first United States citizens to ever set foot upon the Mojave Desert.
On Monument Peak, near Cedarpines Park, there’s one of those… oh, what do you call them?!?… a… uhhhh… oh, yes, a MONUMENT dedicated to the trail he blazed through here. This may not be among his most famous accomplishments (he’s probably best known for discovering a route through the Continental Divide that made the Oregon Trail passable for westward hoes… wait, for westward TRAVELERS (who, I understand, shouted, “Westward, Ho!” often and loudly, for whatever reason).
The trail that he helped to blaze (We don’t use that term often, now… people get all bent out of shape about use of the word, “blaze” when talking about our hills) is still of at least somewhat practical use today: It’s not the smoothest of rides: Much of the road is hewn from granite, and driving across it will shake the fillings right out of your teeth, dropping them into your lap in a big pile of dental work. The teeth themselves may actually even become dislodged, but you won’t even care that you look like the Turtleman/ Wildman dude, because every other part of your body will hurt so much from the jouncing and jostling, that wayward teeth will be among the least of your discomforts. My point is, that road is ROUGH… in case you hadn’t picked up on that. But this path/ road/ trail CAN be driven by most 4 x 4/ high clearance vehicles, and it will take travelers from Cedarpines Park to a place near Cal State San Bernardino… or back. It’s a good route to know, just in case the more traditional routes (known as, “paved” roads) are inaccessible for whatever reason. Just remember to ride with a coffee can sitting on your lap, so that fillings and teeth don’t make a mess of your vehicle (Tip: plastic coffee cans are better than metal, as the constant drone of the metallic clanking of fillings and teeth pouring into the can will be loud, and the more people in your vehicle, the louder it will be.)
Books have been written, movies have been made, and songs sung about Old Jed. However, as unfortunate as it may be, in today’s world, his legacy might be most notable as the inspiration for a recurring historical character known as “Jebediah Springfield,” the founder of the town of Springfield, of “The Simpsons” cartoon fame. The writers of the cartoon have apparently alluded to the fact this character is roughly based off of Jedediah Smith. If you want to teach your kids some local history, their eyes will probably glaze over. But MAYBE if you mention, “The Simpsons” connection, they’ll respond. Oh, never mind: More than likely, you’ll just have to make something up, and tell them that he was the first Kardashian, a pansexual K-pop star who chain- ate Tide pods, smoked a corn- cob vape device, and invented Instagram.