A Very Strange Neighbor

Monday morning, May 24, we left the hotel in Hesperia on our way towards Death Valley.  We must make a trip to Techachapi to pick up our mail, which we had sent general delivery.  The ride through the mountains was breathtaking.  Some roads we took until they were closed by the snow, then we turned and took side roads through little picturesque towns.  We are in need of a campsite along the way, so find a federal site on the map in a place called Afton Canyon.  We turn off the main road and take a dirt road way back and are wondering all along if this road really goes anywhere.  It eventually opens up to a canyon and about a dozen campsites with an honor system registration.  There are two other campers there.  The next morning, we take a walk back through a wadi (dry riverbed) through a canyon.  When we come back to the campsite, we passed the campsite of a single man who had been there when we arrived yesterday.  We had noted that it was a rather unusual camp set up, as he had blankets laid all around, and the seats out of his van placed on the ground.  Looked like he had been here for a spell.  Well, this morning, passing his campsite, we spot a cross (or was it supposed to resemble a human form?~~did have some sticks near the top~~hair, maybe?) made out of rocks, drizzled with blood (or something that was supposed to look like blood)!  He had strange dolls strapped to posts and his registration said he was there for 'heart surgery'.  We left in a hurry.