By mid 1996 no wind energy visitor center had been built in California. There are, however, two travellers radio stations. One broadcasts at 540 AM in the Altamont Pass and another broadcasts at 1610 AM in the Tehachapi Pass. California's wind plants are visible, highly visible. We can paint them, but we can't hide them.
Gawkers pull off the highways to take pictures.
Callers flood our switchboards for explanations. Film studios, and TV stations from around the world constantly seek access. It's as if all we had to do some days is answer questions, and ferry visitors around. In spite of ourselves wind plants have become a major attraction. California's massed arrays of wind turbines now rival such landmarks as the Eiffel Tower or the Golden Gate Bridge for their powerful effect on the visual landscape.