A couple of summers ago in preparation for teaching U.S. History, I visited the Manzanar National Historic Site, a.k.a. Manzanar War Relocation Camp.  This was one of several locations througought the west where Japanese Amercans were relocated during WWII.  Manzanar is located, ironically, south of Indepence, CA on highway 395 east of the Sierra Nevada.  The eastern side of the Sierra Nevada is starkly different than the western side; it is much more desolate and dry.  While visiting Manzanar I was struck by many things not the least of which was the landscape.  Though dry and windy it was captivating.