ROCK BALANCING MYSTERY INTRIGUES EAST COUNTY MOTORISTS
By Miriam Raftery
July 6, 2010 – It’s not on the scale of Stonehenge. But stacked rocks popping up along an East County freeway are drawing the attention of passersby and sparking a mystery as to their origins. Just who has been balancing stones along Highway 52, and why?
“Is balancing rocks a sport, an artistic expression, or a way to release tension during tough times?” asks Dennis Richardson, who noticed the array of man-made rock formations while driving between Santee and Santo Road, along the north side of the freeway.
Other theories for the balanced rock creations include shrines to unknown deities, memorials for highway fatalities, or secret messages being transmitted.
“The work of this creative artist (or artists) may go unseen by the thousands of commuters who use this major route in East County, unless you are a good observer,” Richardson concludes.
Do you have a theory to explain who may be balancing rocks in our region—and why? Or know who is responsible for these mystery creations? Or perhaps you've spotted additional stacked-rock creations in other areas of East County? If so, please email editor@eastcountymagazine.org.
None of these man-made rock balancing sculptures can compare, however, with the scale of giant boulders balanced precariously in other areas of East County. (See photos below.) If rock balancing is a “sport”, then it appears that Mother Nature or the Almighty is still the master of this game!