Donald AtkinsonAuthor Christine Toppenberg arrived in Barstow with her intrepid family in 1949 as homesteaders on the slopes overlooking the Mojave River valley and opened one of the many little café joints along Route 66. Christine has written for local area newsppers, and she writes here with an unconditional love for Barstow and the Mojave Desert. Coauthor Donald Atkinson is a 55-year resident of the High Desert. He is the photo-technical advisor for the project and is a dedicated, creative photographer with 45 years of experience providing memorable images of the Mojave Desert. Read More Read Less