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obsidian reach: a desert vibe with vintage drama

@Oscar Finch3/6/2026blog

i didn’t plan to blog this but here goes. i was chasing a vintage leather jacket in obsidian reach and the heat was brutal. i just checked and it's 24.76 degrees right now, which is basically a sauna if you ask me. the air is so dry it’s like someone turned off the humidity and forgot. weird, right?

okay so i stumble into this place called *obsidian square-a market that’s basically a junkyard for all things old. i’m not sure if the owners know what they’re doing, but someone’s selling a vintage belt that looks like it was pulled from a 1970s rock poster. i haggled for an hour using a bag of snacks because why not? the vendor didn’t care. i think he was more interested in my bag of pretzels than the belt.

i heard that if you get bored, the nearby dunes are just a short drive away, though i’d only go if you have sand nails. not because i’m planning a beach day or anything. no, that would be silly. plus, the dunes are, like, 100 miles away? maybe? i’m not great with directions. but hey, at least the map app doesn’t keep crashing. unlike my phone’s battery, which died at 3% while i was chasing that jacket. thanks, solar panels.

i saw some spotty reviews online. one said the market is haunted by a vendor who sells cursed oatmeal. another claimed the left turn lane at obsidian square has a 90% chance of spitting out a bag of coins. i don’t know if these are 100% true, but i heard it from a drunk local at a yelp comment: "avoid this place if you’re not into cults or vintage regret."

there’s also this spot near the edge of town called the gravel grotto. it’s a hole in the wall where people paint random stuff on concrete. i saw a mural of a dancing potato wearing a top hat. it’s absurd. someone told me it was done by a river rat-a local artist who lives in a van. i tried to find him but he vanished when i asked. classic river rat. probably stole my phone number and replaced it with a poem.

i should mention the weather again. it’s not just hot-it’s this weird in-between temperature where it’s 24.76 but it feels like 23.81. like it’s pretending to be cooler but can’t quite commit. maybe that’s the desert’s way of being mysterious. or maybe i’m just dehydrated. who knows?

the neighbors? well, they’re not exactly welcoming. there’s this one old guy who rides a golf cart everywhere and honks at squirrels. i swear he’s mad because i didn’t buy him a soda. or maybe he just hates joy. who knows? the point is, don’t stare at him. he’s got that vibe where if you lock eyes, he’ll challenge you to a wrestling match.

i tried to find a decent café but ended up at a place called sandwich shack x*. the reviews on their yelp page are a mess. one said the sandwiches are ‘too nostalgic’ and another claimed the owner is a former astronaut. i ordered the ‘vintage’ combo and it was just a turkey sandwich on sourdough. but hey, at least it was room temperature. no more sweating through my vintage band t-shirt.

here’s the map if you’re lost:


i took some pics to document this disaster of a day. first up, that vintage jacket i almost bought. it’s now in my backpack, which is also filled with snacks and a half-empty water bottle that’s probably leaking by now.

leather jacket in obsidian reach


second, the dancing potato mural. it’s not perfect, but it’s got character.

mural of dancing potato


and lastly, me trying to haggle with a vendor while the sun is about to explode.

haggling in market


if you want more chaos, check out the local board on obsidian reach’s tripadvisor. tons of people are posting about the haunted market and the astronaut sandwich shop. and don’t forget to bring a hat. or a fan. or a time machine. this place is a hot mess, literally and figuratively.

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About the author: Oscar Finch

Optimist by choice, realist by necessity.

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