Finding a Phoenix: California City, California

Finding a Phoenix: California City, California
A welcome sign to California City, Calif. Tim Johnson
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Really, for me, it was just a random spot on the map. Hiking a ridgeline at Red Rock Canyon State Park in the deserts of Southern California, I was ready for a very late lunch. Once I reached the highest point on the path and got a little bit of cell reception, I searched my phone for the nearest place to get a little grub. I wasn’t fussy—a hot dog stand, a greasy spoon, a food truck, whatever. Just as long as it was close. I was hungry.

Red Rock Canyon State Park. (Shutterstock)
Red Rock Canyon State Park. Shutterstock
Tim Johnson
Tim Johnson
Author
Toronto-based writer Tim Johnson is always traveling in search of the next great story. Having visited 140 countries across all seven continents, he’s tracked lions on foot in Botswana, dug for dinosaur bones in Mongolia, and walked among a half-million penguins on South Georgia Island. He contributes to some of North America’s largest publications, including CNN Travel, Bloomberg, and The Globe and Mail.
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