LOS ANGELES - Los Angeles County’s barren High Desert has long attracted those seeking seclusion in wide-open spaces, far beyond the reach of power lines, sewer pipes and pavement.
For many of these self-described "desert rats," self-sufficiency is a matter of survival and pride: Solar panels and wind turbines provide power, enormous storage tanks provide water, and a motley assortment of trailers, outbuildings and vehicles provides shelter from the withering sun.
