Simon Rodia single-handedly built the Watts Towers. It was the work of a lifetime, except Rodia was able to finish his art and walk away. In many ways his story personifies the legend of Fisher King who was compelled to fish, until Parsifal asked a question that healed the king. Rodia demonstrated both the powers of his art and an archetype of personal transformation.
The Machado Postpiles were once a secret in the western Sierra. Even after the postpiles were revealed, they remained hidden for a long time. Today, the route is known, but the Sierra does not give up its secrets easily, requiring acts of faith on a trail loosely defined by cairns. The reward is to walk past the granite expanse, to stand on postpiles that are 13 million years old. It is to experience wonder.