I would like to know what species of insect (assuming it is an insect)
this thing is:

http://destination-life.com/images/news/2006-11/holyfuckingshit-big.jpg

I apologize for the image title.  There is little scale to the image,
but it was between 2 and 3 inches long.  This bugger was found in San
Clemente, CA.

Howdy primewavez-ga,

You got yourself a Jerusalem Cricket (Stenopelmatus fuscus) there.  Here are
two images courtesy of the University of California, Berkeley, "CityBugs" site.

"Jerusalem Cricket ... Stenopelmatus fuscus"
http://www.cnr.berkeley.edu/citybugs/search/Specifics/jerusalemcricketspecifics.htm

Here is a larger version of one of the pictures from above, almost identical to
your specimen.
http://www.cnr.berkeley.edu/citybugs/search/ident_images/IDed/Orthoptera/1798a_Orthoptera_Jerusalem%20cricket.jpg

Dr. Wayne S. Johnson, State Specialist, Nevada Cooperative Extension and Jeff
Knight, Entomologist, Nevada Division of Agriculture wrote a factsheet on them.
http://www.ag.unr.edu/wsj/Factsheets/fs99-35.pdf

"Of the creatures brought into the Cooperative Extension and Nevada Department
of Agriculture offices for identification, few cause more curiosity than the
Jerusalem Cricket."

This "Ask Dr. Bug!" page indicates that someone might want the one you found.
http://homepage.mac.com/bugbob/askdoctorbug/stenopelmatus.html

"If you find one, please keep it alive and contact Dr. David Weissman ..."

According to the above page, they can get to over 3.5 inches long!  Great find!

Watch out, though, because they appear to be able to pinch with some strength.

If you need any clarification, please feel free to ask.


Search strategy:

Google search on: striped abdomen California cricket
://www.google.com/search?q=striped+abdomen+California+cricket

Google search on: Jerusalem Cricket
://www.google.com/search?q=Jerusalem+Cricket

Looking Forward, denco-ga - Google Answers Researcher

That was fast and easy!  I'm really impressed, and again really
appreciate the convenience and speed of the service.  I will certainly
use this service again.

That is a potato bug.  http://www.potatobugs.com/  these things are
all over the place.  I have seen them in texas.

Much thanks for the kind comments and 5 star rating, primewavez-ga, and it was
my pleasure.

Looking Forward, denco-ga - Google Answers Researcher

Primewavez-ga...

If you browse some more of today's "questions", you will see that this
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Steph53