Liberty Sculpture Park -- 06/27/2019

I recently made a journey to southern California. Approximately halfway through my drive from Vegas, while cruising down the I-15 at a brisk pace, I noticed something unusual: a figure appearing to stand in front of a tank on the northbound side of the highway. It's not uncommon to spot tanks in this desolate area of California, typically transporting them to or from Fort Irwin Army Base, where my brother was stationed many years prior. However, seeing a tank just sitting in the desert with people nearby was quite odd. To heighten my curiosity, there was also a large sculpture featuring the number '64' next to it.

I made sure to inform the rest of the Wizard team about this sighting. This sparked a lively discussion regarding its significance. Initially, I speculated that it could be a tribute to the Tiananmen Square protests, but I found myself questioning the relevance of the number '64', given that the protests took place in 1989. My son suggested it related to 1964 and the Vietnam War. Although I challenged his idea, I won't bore you with the details of our debate. Eventually, Mrs. Wizard remembered that the protests flared up in violence on June 4, which seemed to validate my original thought, but this required another visit for confirmation on our return journey two days later. Tank Man On the return trip, I want to clarify that I was driving a pristine convertible Audi (the picture was taken earlier that day) which unfortunately got covered in dust from the unpaved road leading to the site.

I wasn’t entirely sure where the location was, but I discovered it near the Calico exit in Yermo, close to the Eddie World Yermo travel center. It's a brief drive along a dirt road that should be manageable for any vehicle.

Written by: Michael Shackleford