The Valley of the Antelopes

It’s been almost exactly 20 years since I first took a bus ride from California’s Owens Valley down to LA. The ride back then went through the area north of the LA basin known as the Antelope Valley, which struck me back then as a flat, dull, sprawling, vaguely depressing expanse of exurbia.

I was back through the area as part of the April 2008 California trip, which included an afternoon at scenic Clear Channel Stadium in Lancaster, the valley’s largest community.

I’m now compelled to revise my opinion somewhat: it’s still a flat, dull, sprawling, vaguely depressing expanse of exurbia – but with a decent minor-league ballpark and lots of IDs to tape while sitting in the stands watching the home team lose.

Note in particular the recreation of 60s top-40 at KFXM-LP, which revived an old San Bernardino callsign, as well as the two Clear Channel stations (KVVS 105.5 and KSRY 103.1) that relay sister stations KIIS-FM and KYSR from over the mountains in LA.