Indian Spirits vs. South Lake Tahoe

South Lake Tahoe, California

Blame Hollywood. Whenever we see a cluster of unhappy heads rising out of the ground, we immediately imagine they're horror movie spirits bent on vengeance for some trespass or injustice. We spotted this large tree stump carving and immediately dubbed it "Indian Spirits vs. South Lake Tahoe."

The rustic sculpture along US Highway 50 may have a more respectful and aspirational name by the unknown artist, but look at the grim rendering of Native American faces seeming to swirl up out of the roadside and judge for yourself. South Lake Tahoe certainly has sufficient tourism ticky-tack and resort sprawl to anger the ancestral spirits.

There are plenty of other chainsaw and chiseled statues around town -- other Indians, bears...but this group seemed to be the unhappiest.