We observe Veteran’s day this month and what a fitting time for the stolen Mojave Cross to be recovered and returned to its rightful place in the Mojave Desert. The Mojave Cross was erected on Sunrise Rock in the Mojave Desert in the 1930s to honor fallen soldiers of World War I, long before the area became part of Mojave National Preserve in 1994. The cross became a controversy when the National Park Service was sued for display of a religious symbol on federal property in 2001 and was subsequently stolen two years ago. See my previous blog entry about the theft and the large reward offer for catching the thief.
I am happy to report that the cross was found this month 400 miles away in San Mateo 
County. No one is sure how it got there but many suspect the thief had a guilty conscience or maybe was fearful of being turned in for the $125,000 reward. Either way, the cross was returned to Sunrise Rock in time for this years Veterans Day observance and will hopefully stay there through an arrangement between the California VFW and the National Park Service. Kudos to the VFW for restoring the cross along with the hope and promises it represents.
More information along with a short news segment can be viewed here.
I thank veterans everywhere for our freedom and your service to this great country. Without your sacrifice I doubt the free spirit of RVing would exist or my opportunity to experience the adventures in RVing it provides.
Dave Helgeson’s many roles in the RV industry started before he even had a driver’s license. His grandparents and father owned an RV dealership before the term “RV” had been coined, and Dave played a pivotal role in nearly every position of an RV dealership. He and his wife Cheri launched their own RV dealership in the Pacific Northwest. The duo also spent 29 years overseeing regional RV shows. Dave has also served as President of a local chapter of the Recreational Vehicle Dealers Association (RVDA), worked on the board of advisors for the RV Technician Program of a local technical college, and served as a board member of the Manufactured Home and RV Association. Dave’s reputation earned him the title of “The foremost expert on boondocking,” bestowed by RV industry icon, the late Gary Bunzer (The RV Doctor). When he’s not out boondocking, you’ll find Dave in the spotlight at RV shows across the country, giving seminars about all things RVing. He and Cheri currently roam in their fifth travel trailer, with Dave doing all the service, repair and modifications to his own unit.
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