Mecca Man (Gone)
Mecca, CA
Photo by RoadsidePeek.com

Rolling down Highway 111 near the Salton Sea, it was pretty hard to miss the Mecca Man standing guard in front of the local bait shop. The 20-foot cowboy welcomed travelers with one hand stretched out, ready for a friendly roadside handshake. Stop for a look, say hello to the flies, and take in that unmistakable Salton Sea aroma. It was a particularly dusty and fragrant day around here.

The fiberglass cowboy arrived in Mecca around 1965 and stood outside a combination bait shop, mini-mart, and pawn shop. He was one of the familiar Muffler Man figures made by International Fiberglass, although this fellow traded the usual muffler for a spot near the fishing bait. Live bait and a giant cowboy. Not a bad way to get some attention along the highway.

"Mr. Mecca's" Live Feed
Mecca, AZ
Photo by RoadsidePeek.com

By 2010, Mr. Mecca had been taken down and placed in storage. Years of desert weather had not been kind, and at one point the poor fellow even lost his head. The statue was sold in 2017, but thankfully this was not the end of the trail.

UPDATE: The Mecca Man was nowhere to be seen in the Summer of 2010. 09-10

UPDATE: The Mecca Man was repaired, repainted, and raised again in February 2018 outside The Station in Joshua Tree. Now dressed in an orange shirt, blue jeans, and cowboy hat, he welcomes travelers under his new name, Big Josh. Gone from Mecca, perhaps, but still standing tall in the desert. 09-26