All posts by Michael F Ballard

Michael F Ballard is the author and administrator of the Southern California Regional Rocks and Roads website, https://socalregion.com, since 1995. I have been studying the geology and highway history throughout southern California for most of my life. I am also the President of the Ridge Route Preservation Organization. Founder of the Historic Highway 99 Association of California, https://historic99.org .

Southern California – Defined?

This website started off covering a small area, the Santa Clarita Valley. I later started a second website for the San Diego area. Both sites were somewhat limited in scope. Now, with those sites combined, I’ve also increased the area that the website covers. The new name for the site, Southern California Regional Rocks and Roads seems to state a much larger area. What really is Southern California and what does part of it does this website really cover?

The region, Southern California, or So Cal by some, varies by definition. My definition isn’t exactly a standard one either but I think it is the best fitting one. Southern California is usually defined as the whole of Ventura, Los Angeles, Orange, San Bernardino, western Riverside, and San Diego Counties. This constitutes much of the populated section as well as the area west (or south) of major mountain ranges. This definition leaves out quite a large area, however. It really should be “Coastal Southern California”. How do I then define Southern California and what area I plan to cover with this website? I personally define Southern California as the area south of the 119 degree line, which tends to define the northern boundaries of San Luis Obispo, Kern, and San Bernardino Counties. This site, however, will cover a smaller portion of that region. This website will cover, eventually, the region encompassing all of Santa Barbara, Ventura, Los Angeles, southern Kern, San Bernardino, Riverside, Orange, Imperial, and San Diego Counties.

I’ve sometimes termed this website to be a “monster”. Why do I? Every time I think it is “done”, I come up with more projects to expand the site. There is a lot to cover here in Southern California and I intend to do the best job that I can for the scope of the site. Defining those boundaries will help to at least partially limit the site’s growth.

Image of the Week – 7/11/15

Mulholland Highway and the Santa Monica Mountains just east of Kanan Dume Road. Looking northerly toward the Santa Susana Mountains.
Mulholland Highway and the Santa Monica Mountains just east of Kanan Dume Road. Looking northerly toward the Santa Susana Mountains.

Image of the Week – 6/28/15

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Koi Pond and Botanical Building in Balboa Park in San Diego, CA.

Wineries of Cucamonga Valley – Now Online!

As planned, our new addition to the wineries page, a site on the wineries in the Cucamonga Valley of San Bernardino and Riverside Counties is now online. This new website was written by our wine correspondent, Russ Connelly of San Diego. Mind you, there are only three wineries, but these three have some really good stuff. I recommend checking it out and experience some of the last remaining local wine making in the Inland Empire.

Image of the Week – 6/6/15

Sidewalk dating to May 1897 on Fifth Ave between Nutmeg St and Olive St in San Diego, CA.
Sidewalk dating to August 1897 on Fifth Ave between Nutmeg St and Olive St in San Diego, CA.