# I'm off to see a giant rock. **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [March 5, 2012, 6:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-off-to-see-a-giant-rock/614844 "2012-03-05T18:57:21Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![plankter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7ba0ec/32.png) [@plankter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/plankter)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2012, 6:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-off-to-see-a-giant-rock/614844/1 "2012-03-05T18:57:21Z")
No, not [this](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yzW5c-c3XkE) one. The boulder that’s slated (sorry) to become “Levitated Mass” is currently on its way to [LACMA](http://www.lacma.org/art/exhibition/levitated-mass). It’s resting today in La Mirada, and as today is my day off this is my best chance to gawk in person. I’m going to sign off from this library computer and make the fifteen mile drive in my thirty-seven year old car. As to _why_ I would do this, it’s kind of a surprise to me too. My grandmother told me about going down to the beach to see the Queen Mary sail by on route to its final berth in Long Beach. This could be a similar touchstone (again, sorry) in my life. And besides, I’ve always had a thing for big natural boulders, doubtless arising from childhood camping trips in the stony hills of Southern California. Alas I have no camera so this will be a text-only report. ---
**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:** [March 5, 2012, 7:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-off-to-see-a-giant-rock/614844/2 "2012-03-05T19:09:18Z")
> [@plankter](#): > > The boulder that’s slated (sorry) to become “Levitated Mass” is currently on its way to [LACMA](http://www.lacma.org/art/exhibition/levitated-mass)… That’s neat. I’d like to see it. We have a [larger rock](http://torontosavvy.me/2010/05/22/the-yorkville-rock/), but it was transported in pieces. And it doesn’t have a space under it. > [@plankter](#): > > Alas I have no camera so this will be a text-only report. You could do ASCII pictures… 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![plankter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7ba0ec/32.png) [@plankter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/plankter)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2012, 7:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-off-to-see-a-giant-rock/614844/3 "2012-03-05T19:22:36Z")
I just did a Bing search on “ASCII pictures”… Oh! That’s what those are called. Never heard of the Yorkville Rock but now I’m jealous. I don’t think LACMA will permit me to even touch LM, let alone climb on it. Thanks, **Sunspace**. I really have to go now. ---
**Author:** ![freckafree](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/freckafree/32/3050_2.png) [@freckafree](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/freckafree)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2012, 7:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-off-to-see-a-giant-rock/614844/4 "2012-03-05T19:25:58Z")
I would absolutely go see something like that! Have fun! ---
**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:** [March 5, 2012, 7:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-off-to-see-a-giant-rock/614844/5 "2012-03-05T19:50:14Z")
> [@plankter](#): > > I just did a Bing search on “ASCII pictures”… Oh! That’s what those are called. Of course, nowadays they’d be Unicode pictures… 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![plankter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7ba0ec/32.png) [@plankter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/plankter)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2012, 10:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-off-to-see-a-giant-rock/614844/6 "2012-03-05T22:02:13Z")
Been here for close to an hour now. Two distinct groups of viewers - pedestrians on both sidewalks and passing motorists. Most of the latter keep moving past in the single remaining open lanes on each side, although many go by with one or both hands atop the steering wheel aiming cameras at the rock. There are some jerks who stop and block traffic while trying to work their phones. Hey dummies just go park and walk back like I did. Of course the stone itself is wrapped in plastic but the traveling cradle is worth a long look. There are photos online but it’s a challenge to capture how big this assemblage is. I would say it is as tall as two stacked freight containers and wider than two such units side by side. The best part is watching the people. Lots of older white folks on this Monday afternoon, a few families, some young hipsters. Everyone but me taking pictures, most with cell phones, some “pros” with big cameras, one guy with an old fashioned Ansel Adams type rig. I wish I could have interviewed him. The whole show is on Leffingwell west of La Mirada in the city of La Mirada. Look for thr LACMA volunteer in the green tee shirt and be nice to her. Posted from a shady spot on the sidewalk, via Nook Tablet, thanks to some homeowner’s unsecured wifi. More later. ---
**Author:** ![YogSothoth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/8edcca/32.png) [@YogSothoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/YogSothoth)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2012, 10:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-off-to-see-a-giant-rock/614844/7 "2012-03-05T22:41:08Z")
I saw this rock today. Its big, really big. And hard. I still wonder about its artistic merits though ---
**Author:** ![Rachellelogram](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rachellelogram/32/8689_2.png) [@Rachellelogram](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rachellelogram)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2012, 10:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-off-to-see-a-giant-rock/614844/8 "2012-03-05T22:49:28Z")
This made me think of House on the Rock! I’ve been there three times as a kid, and we always found something new every visit. 🙂 My favorite things were the [infinity room](http://i.imgur.com/2Un5m.jpg) and the indoor [carousel](http://i.imgur.com/SKSUU.jpg). ---
**Author:** ![plankter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7ba0ec/32.png) [@plankter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/plankter)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2012, 2:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-off-to-see-a-giant-rock/614844/9 "2012-03-06T02:03:56Z")
[LACMA’s blog](http://lacma.wordpress.com/2012/02/28/levitated-mass-transport-a-gawkers-guide/) is a good starting point with lots of useful links and some reader comments. If you can’t get enough puns, try the boulder’s Twitter page @levitatedmass. I’m glad I went. By the way the LACMA person I spoke to confirmed that no, we can’t climb on the boulder when it’s installed. One thing I haven’t seen in any of the online pictures is way up on the ‘driver’s side’ of the transporter. There was a small branch with green leaves stuck in the structure, so somewhere between Jurupa and La Mirada a tree got scraped. Signing off now, thanks for reading. 🙂 ---
**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 11, 2012, 1:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-off-to-see-a-giant-rock/614844/10 "2012-03-11T13:11:33Z")
It has [arrived at the art museum.](http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-0311-lacma-rock-20120311,0,5516359.story) > [@YogSosoth](#): > > I still wonder about its artistic merits though Even if it was posed crushing a giant pair of scissors? ---
**Author:** ![TheTerribleTako](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ba8739/32.png) [@TheTerribleTako](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheTerribleTako)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2012, 12:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-off-to-see-a-giant-rock/614844/11 "2012-03-12T00:08:43Z")
I went and saw the rock too. There’s a definite roadside attraction quality to the convoy itself. If nothing else, the project is worth it just for getting so many suburban folks out and about. I don’t think I’ve seen this many people out on the streets outside of July 4th celebrations. I took a few pictures, but the ones that are currently online are probably better quality than the ones that I took anyway.