# 340 Ton Boulder Heading For Los Angeles! **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [February 29, 2012, 2:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/340-ton-boulder-heading-for-los-angeles/614306 "2012-02-29T02:18:13Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![blondebear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blondebear/32/1022_2.png) [@blondebear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blondebear)\ **Post date:** [February 29, 2012, 2:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/340-ton-boulder-heading-for-los-angeles/614306/1 "2012-02-29T02:18:13Z")
A new “sculpture” the LA County Museum of Art will consist of a gigantic rock imported from a quarry in Riverside. They start moving it tonight. From the Los Angeles Times: [340-ton boulder to begin tortuous trip to LACMA, because it’s art](http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/lanow/2012/02/340-ton-boulder-lacma-art-exhibit-1.html?track=icymi) Interactive graphic on the rig they’re using: [Getting the rock ready to roll](http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/news/la-me-heizer-rock-20111123-i,0,6572039.htmlstory) I saw the big empty spot at LACMA a couple of weeks ago, and I’m kind of amazed that someone could raise the money to do this. Now that it’s happening, I would really like to go down to see the move in person. ---
**Author:** ![Arnold\_Winkelried](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Arnold\_Winkelried](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arnold_Winkelried)\ **Post date:** [February 29, 2012, 2:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/340-ton-boulder-heading-for-los-angeles/614306/2 "2012-02-29T02:27:30Z")
I remember reading about this last year. So the rock has finally started its journey! I’ll try to take the kids to go and see it. ---
**Author:** ![Der\_Trihs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/der_trihs/32/233_2.png) [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)\ **Post date:** [February 29, 2012, 2:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/340-ton-boulder-heading-for-los-angeles/614306/3 "2012-02-29T02:27:54Z")
How many other people saw the thread title and thought “meteor detected headed for LA?!” ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [February 29, 2012, 2:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/340-ton-boulder-heading-for-los-angeles/614306/4 "2012-02-29T02:51:54Z")
Yeah, **Der Trihs** , I was disappointed, too. What I don’t understand is the claim that “the rock will appear to be levitated above the visitors”. How exactly do they expect to accomplish that? I mean, my ceiling is above me right now, but it doesn’t look like it’s levitated. It looks like it’s supported by solid supports, because, well, it is. Just like this rock will be. ---
**Author:** ![Musicat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/musicat/32/20189_2.png) [@Musicat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Musicat)\ **Post date:** [February 29, 2012, 3:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/340-ton-boulder-heading-for-los-angeles/614306/5 "2012-02-29T03:01:10Z")
All I can think of is, “What a waste of money.” If this boulder is so great, it would be cheaper to bring the audience to the rock. ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [February 29, 2012, 3:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/340-ton-boulder-heading-for-los-angeles/614306/6 "2012-02-29T03:01:24Z")
From [Riverside to Wilshire Blvd](http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/.a/6a00d8341c630a53ef0163022728d4970d-pi); by way of Long Beach? Why the roundabout route? ---
**Author:** ![Bootis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e8c25b/32.png) [@Bootis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bootis)\ **Post date:** [February 29, 2012, 3:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/340-ton-boulder-heading-for-los-angeles/614306/7 "2012-02-29T03:29:57Z")
> [@Fear\_Itself](#): > > From [Riverside to Wilshire Blvd](http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/.a/6a00d8341c630a53ef0163022728d4970d-pi); by way of Long Beach? Why the roundabout route? The route sags at Long Beach due to the immense weight of the great stone. ---
**Author:** ![Sunspace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunspace/32/1250_2.png) [@Sunspace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunspace)\ **Post date:** [February 29, 2012, 4:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/340-ton-boulder-heading-for-los-angeles/614306/8 "2012-02-29T04:01:07Z")
> [@Der\_Trihs](#): > > How many other people saw the thread title and thought “meteor detected headed for LA?!” I was imagining that scene with the big stone ball from Raiders of the Lost Ark… ---
**Author:** ![Duckster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/duckster/32/1244_2.png) [@Duckster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duckster)\ **Post date:** [February 29, 2012, 4:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/340-ton-boulder-heading-for-los-angeles/614306/9 "2012-02-29T04:29:26Z")
> [@Der\_Trihs](#): > > How many other people saw the thread title and thought “meteor detected headed for LA?!” [That may happen in 2040](http://www.space.com/14683-big-asteroid-2011-ag5-threat-earth.html). ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [February 29, 2012, 12:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/340-ton-boulder-heading-for-los-angeles/614306/10 "2012-02-29T12:29:26Z")
After reading John McPhee’s **The Control of Nature** , wuith its wonderful description of the natural cyvcle by which large quantities of mud, stone, and boulders are irregularly delivered to Los Angeles\*, my thought it "Why go out of your way to bring _more_ boulders to LA? Aren’t the catchbasins full enough? \*Those concrete-lined apparently dry riverbeds that feature in movies like _Terminator 2_ and _Grease_ and the end of _Buckaroo Banzai_ are actually there to deal with the seasonal flooding and – even more important – to divert mud and debris flows coming down out of the mountains around LA. They’re there for a reason, and they’re not always empty. Read McPhee’s book. > **[Los Angeles River](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Los_Angeles_River)** > > The Los Angeles River (Spanish: Río de Los Ángeles), historically known as Paayme Paxaayt (West River) by the Tongva and the Porciúncula River (Río Porciúncula) by the Spanish, is a major river in Los Angeles County, California. Its headwaters are in the Simi Hills and Santa Susana Mountains, and it flows nearly 51 miles (82 km) from Canoga Park through the San Fernando Valley, Downtown Los Angeles, and the Gateway Cities to its mouth in Long Beach, where it flows into San Pedro Bay. While the ... ---
**Author:** ![Alka\_Seltzer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c89c15/32.png) [@Alka\_Seltzer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alka_Seltzer)\ **Post date:** [February 29, 2012, 1:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/340-ton-boulder-heading-for-los-angeles/614306/11 "2012-02-29T13:29:02Z")
[Amateurs](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bronze_Horseman#Thunder_Stone). ---
**Author:** ![postcards](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/8e8cbc/32.png) [@postcards](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/postcards)\ **Post date:** [February 29, 2012, 2:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/340-ton-boulder-heading-for-los-angeles/614306/12 "2012-02-29T14:59:50Z")
> [@Fear\_Itself](#): > > From [Riverside to Wilshire Blvd](http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/.a/6a00d8341c630a53ef0163022728d4970d-pi); by way of Long Beach? Why the roundabout route? Did you read the article in the link? Overhead wires and stanchions, weight limits on overpasses and height issues with underpasses. Traffic (most of the actual movement will be done at night, on closed roads,at about 5 MPH). Plus a dozen other reasons I couldn’t possibly think of right now. Oh, yeah, and the rock and its transporter are freakin’ huge! I’m glad they finally got this going; it was supposed to happen last fall. ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [February 29, 2012, 4:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/340-ton-boulder-heading-for-los-angeles/614306/13 "2012-02-29T16:24:48Z")
> [@postcards](#): > > Did you read the article in the link? Oh, I never read the articles. ---
**Author:** ![Tom\_Tildrum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e95f7d/32.png) [@Tom\_Tildrum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tom_Tildrum)\ **Post date:** [February 29, 2012, 5:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/340-ton-boulder-heading-for-los-angeles/614306/14 "2012-02-29T17:15:47Z")
That should make a nice addition to an earthquake-prone area. :dubious: “Oh no! It no longer looks like it’s levitating above m–” ---
**Author:** ![treis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bc79bd/32.png) [@treis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/treis)\ **Post date:** [February 29, 2012, 8:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/340-ton-boulder-heading-for-los-angeles/614306/15 "2012-02-29T20:57:16Z")
Man, what a waste of money. I don’t even understand it. It’s a rock. Not even a particularly attractive one. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [February 29, 2012, 9:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/340-ton-boulder-heading-for-los-angeles/614306/16 "2012-02-29T21:23:20Z")
I’m not a huge fan of this sort of art, or of the massive steel sculptures of Richard Serra. ---
**Author:** ![Floppy\_Joe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/3bc359/32.png) [@Floppy\_Joe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Floppy_Joe)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2012, 10:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/340-ton-boulder-heading-for-los-angeles/614306/17 "2012-03-01T22:29:10Z")
I wonder why they’re not using some kind of heavy-lift dirigible, or LTA craft. Makes more sense to me. Probably quicker, too. ---
**Author:** ![mhendo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mhendo/32/3159_2.png) [@mhendo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mhendo)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2012, 10:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/340-ton-boulder-heading-for-los-angeles/614306/18 "2012-03-01T22:40:47Z")
> [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > I’m not a huge fan of this sort of art, or of the massive steel sculptures of Richard Serra. I actually think Serra’s stuff is pretty cool. Being inside those great, curling pieces of iron is kind of neat. I’ve seen the ones at LACMA, and at MOMA in New York. This rock, though, is far less interesting to me, and i really wonder at the amount of money they must be spending to get it to the museum. Next time i make the trip up to LA i’ll probably go and take a look, but i’m not convinced this is the best way to spend art money on art. ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2012, 10:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/340-ton-boulder-heading-for-los-angeles/614306/19 "2012-03-01T22:47:39Z")
> [@Floppy\_Joe](#): > > I wonder why they’re not using some kind of heavy-lift dirigible, or LTA craft. Makes more sense to me. Probably quicker, too. Have you heard of any that can lift 340 tons? I couldn’t find anything even close. ---
**Author:** ![Musicat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/musicat/32/20189_2.png) [@Musicat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Musicat)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2012, 12:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/340-ton-boulder-heading-for-los-angeles/614306/20 "2012-03-02T00:11:39Z")
> [@Floppy\_Joe](#): > > I wonder why they’re not using some kind of heavy-lift dirigible, or LTA craft. Makes more sense to me. Probably quicker, too. I can see it now…about the time it is airborne, a wind comes up and the rock heads for Vegas, or worse yet, Washington DC. Scramble the fighters! [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/340-ton-boulder-heading-for-los-angeles/614306.md?page=2)