Oldest Trees
As the setting for my novel, Gold ‘n Silver, Nevada is an interesting setting not simply because so many supernatural/preternatural people live there but also because of some unique features of the area.
One of these is having some of the oldest trees on earth. This may be because other areas had their timber ravaged by new settlers to the area. There was no carbon dating of trees back throughout history so we are not able to say what the oldest species were that have since gone extinct. Additionally, the oldest species of trees that have been identified are far younger than the history of humans so the lack of finding older trees cannot really be explained unless one subscribes to the flood event or some other massive die-off or clearing.
Remnants of even older trees may also exist in the ocean or beneath lakes. Whatever the reason, the current records of human existence and the existence of ancient trees are not corresponding with each other.
The oldest known tree, known as Pando, is approximately 80,000 years old. The human species is currently thought to be about 200,000 years old.
Strangely, both the Boab and Pando are showing signs of distress and there are signals of decay and destruction within these ancient trees. They are beginning to die off.
It is also interesting that Mono Lake, one of the oldest lakes in North America, is in California and only 2 1/2 hours from Reno.
Although it is said that the Rosicrucians chose San Jose for the AMORC headquarters location, it is in direct geographical alignment with Mono Lake. There may be some leyline or sacred geometry context for the choice but there is no documentation for that at this time.