Perched upon a sprawling hill in Norco— a strange Riverside County town where the horses outweigh the people 2:1— lies an odd, but very joyous, sight to behold: Pumpkin Rock
Famous in these parts, and visible from miles away, she taunts you to climb up her hill for a face to face meeting. You stare back (slightly intimidated) and think "I don't feel like hiking today," but she continues to stoically gawk at you, sporting one of the best poker faces I've ever seen. You can't resist.
It's a very "Get at me, bro!" type situation, so strap on some boots, stretch those calves and prepare for an all out war. Begin walking up...
Once you make the commitment to start the journey, the climb is deceptively difficult; an uphill battle of 1.5 grassy and continuous miles. It's a bit grueling at times, but you can't quit or show any mercy...there's a goddamn pumpkin lying ahead! and she continues to taunt and mock you from afar. But fear not, each step brings you closer to victory.
And once you've finally made it to the top, there she is in the rocky flesh! It's truly an exhilarating feeling to finally meet your maker.
First thing you notice: She's enormous—much bigger than expected— and perfectly spherical, with a fresh coat of shiny orange paint via the locals. It's everything I could've imagined a giant boulder painted to look like a jack o' lantern could be, and even more so. A devilish zipper smile, with wide eyes baking in the sun, all create a dynamic force that looks like Jack Skellington's orange brother.
The photo opportunities in these parts are fantastic, and the pumpkin is actually a friendly beast once you get acquainted. She's here to help you with said photographs, so kiss her, climb her or get that obligatory "jumping up in the air" shot.
And don't discount those views, they're some of the best in the region.
Why the hell does this exist, and what weirdo cooked this up? Who cares, it's one of those most magnificent wonders of our world. As far as I'm concerned, all hills surrounding Los Angeles should have a giant, spooky looking pumpkins at the peak of them. There are also a few other Halloween themed goodies that abound.
Trick or Treat, kiddies
