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Author Topic: Mojave Rd. 04.17.2015-04.19.2015  (Read 15713 times)

Ghost65

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Re: Mojave Rd. 04.17.2015-04.19.2015
« Reply #15 on: April 21, 2015, 08:11:15 AM »
Quote from: Jklewer on April 20, 2015, 11:10:54 PM
Great great time with you all, thanks for the hospitality.

Great shots Sir John of Fullerton!!

:)


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KD6DCI

Quote from: RBduffer on August 14, 2014, 04:14:18 PM
Once again, I must state for the record: We are not a club, we are enablers for your addiction.

Ghost65

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Re: Mojave Rd. 04.17.2015-04.19.2015
« Reply #16 on: April 21, 2015, 08:11:45 AM »
Quote from: Toro on April 20, 2015, 10:04:31 PM




Good one...


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Quote from: RBduffer on August 14, 2014, 04:14:18 PM
Once again, I must state for the record: We are not a club, we are enablers for your addiction.

JFanaselle

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Re: Mojave Rd. 04.17.2015-04.19.2015
« Reply #17 on: May 04, 2015, 10:24:54 AM »
Finally getting around to posting some photos here. I'll break them down into the days of the trip:

On Thursday 4/16, my brother and I departed for Laughlin. We decided to make a full day out of the trip there, stopping to hike and check out a few things through the desert.

Our first stop was to hike to the rim of Amboy Crater, just outside of the old town of Amboy along historic Route 66.
http://i231.photobucket.com/albums/ee234/jfanaselle/Mojave%20Road%2004-15/Mojave%2001.jpg
Mojave Rd. 04.17.2015-04.19.2015


Sure looked like it would have been fun to try to drive to the top, but you weren't allowed anywhere near it with a vehicle.
http://i231.photobucket.com/albums/ee234/jfanaselle/Mojave%20Road%2004-15/Mojave%2002.jpg
Mojave Rd. 04.17.2015-04.19.2015


The hike up to the rim and back was about 3 miles round trip from the parking area. Not a difficult hike at all, even in the desert heat, but the 200 feet of incline in the last tenth of a mile is a real leg burner. :)
http://i231.photobucket.com/albums/ee234/jfanaselle/Mojave%20Road%2004-15/19.jpg
Mojave Rd. 04.17.2015-04.19.2015


Saw several large desert iguanas along the hiking trail on our way out to the crater:
http://i231.photobucket.com/albums/ee234/jfanaselle/Mojave%20Road%2004-15/Mojave%2003.jpg
Mojave Rd. 04.17.2015-04.19.2015


It was a rather windy day, with dust devils popping up all over the place:
http://i231.photobucket.com/albums/ee234/jfanaselle/Mojave%20Road%2004-15/Mojave%2004.jpg
Mojave Rd. 04.17.2015-04.19.2015


The view from the top was amazing!
http://i231.photobucket.com/albums/ee234/jfanaselle/Mojave%20Road%2004-15/Mojave%2006.jpg
Mojave Rd. 04.17.2015-04.19.2015


http://i231.photobucket.com/albums/ee234/jfanaselle/Mojave%20Road%2004-15/Mojave%2005.jpg
Mojave Rd. 04.17.2015-04.19.2015


Then, it was back onto the highway for the quick drive into Amboy:
http://i231.photobucket.com/albums/ee234/jfanaselle/Mojave%20Road%2004-15/Mojave%2007.jpg
Mojave Rd. 04.17.2015-04.19.2015


Once in Amboy, we stopped off at the infamous Roy's Diner (which is no longer a diner, but now just a gas station and gift shop with a few refreshments). According to the owners, this is the most photographed sign in the world:
http://i231.photobucket.com/albums/ee234/jfanaselle/Mojave%20Road%2004-15/Mojave%2008.jpg
Mojave Rd. 04.17.2015-04.19.2015


Took a lunch break, and enjoyed a cold refreshing bottle of their famous Route 66 "Route Beer":
http://i231.photobucket.com/albums/ee234/jfanaselle/Mojave%20Road%2004-15/Mojave%2009.jpg
Mojave Rd. 04.17.2015-04.19.2015


After lunch, it was off into the hills to explore some old mines I had found on my last trip out this way:
http://i231.photobucket.com/albums/ee234/jfanaselle/Mojave%20Road%2004-15/Mojave%2010.jpg
Mojave Rd. 04.17.2015-04.19.2015


This particular mineshaft looked to be in pretty good condition, so in we went (disclaimer: entering old mine shafts is a very dangerous activity and shouldn't be done without the proper training and equipment. I admit that my brother and I are idiots for doing this, so please don't follow our lead):
http://i231.photobucket.com/albums/ee234/jfanaselle/Mojave%20Road%2004-15/Mojave%2011.jpg
Mojave Rd. 04.17.2015-04.19.2015


Always remember to bring your little brother along, so he can rush ahead and find all of the danger for you :)
http://i231.photobucket.com/albums/ee234/jfanaselle/Mojave%20Road%2004-15/Mojave%2012.jpg
Mojave Rd. 04.17.2015-04.19.2015


This particular shaft went in about 300 feet and came to an abrupt end. It looks to have been an exploratory tunnel for a nearby main shaft that was in no condition to explore.

We found the end of the shaft and there were several deep drill marks in the walls. This mine appears to have been worked with some modern equipment, probably within the last 30 years:
http://i231.photobucket.com/albums/ee234/jfanaselle/Mojave%20Road%2004-15/Mojave%2013.jpg
Mojave Rd. 04.17.2015-04.19.2015


The mine is listed on a few maps I checked, but did not have a name on any of them. I am unsure exactly what was mined here, but the end had some pretty cool purple minerals surrounded in very cool looking sparkly quartz. We managed to chip off a few small pieces of the purple stuff, but couldn't do much without a hammer:
http://i231.photobucket.com/albums/ee234/jfanaselle/Mojave%20Road%2004-15/Mojave%2014.jpg
Mojave Rd. 04.17.2015-04.19.2015


The view out of the tunnel back to the outside world:
http://i231.photobucket.com/albums/ee234/jfanaselle/Mojave%20Road%2004-15/Mojave%2015.jpg
Mojave Rd. 04.17.2015-04.19.2015


From here, we moved around to the other side of the hill to explore what appears to have been the main shaft, complete with a small wooden headframe. This shaft only went in about 30 feet, where it was then collapsed:
http://i231.photobucket.com/albums/ee234/jfanaselle/Mojave%20Road%2004-15/Mojave%2018.jpg
Mojave Rd. 04.17.2015-04.19.2015


There was a massive vertical shaft in the ground just below the main entrance. This indicates that this mine probably had several levels, and this shaft was likely used to haul ore out, straight up the shortest route. The wood around the shaft and the headframe all appeared to be in pretty good shape, again indicating that this mine was probably worked within the last 30 years:
http://i231.photobucket.com/albums/ee234/jfanaselle/Mojave%20Road%2004-15/Mojave%2016.jpg
Mojave Rd. 04.17.2015-04.19.2015


A view down the dark shaft in the afternoon desert sun was enough to make you kind of disoriented. It was about 80-100 feet straight down:
http://i231.photobucket.com/albums/ee234/jfanaselle/Mojave%20Road%2004-15/Mojave%2017.jpg
Mojave Rd. 04.17.2015-04.19.2015


When zoomed all the way in, the camera flash was able to illuminate the shaft enough to see the inside. There was a good amount of trash and broken beer bottles down there from partying kids and vandals - a product of this particular mine being so easily accessable from the paved highway. Notice the late-80s cadillac wire wheel type hubcap toward the bottom right, partially buried in rock tailings:
http://i231.photobucket.com/albums/ee234/jfanaselle/Mojave%20Road%2004-15/Mojave%2019.jpg
Mojave Rd. 04.17.2015-04.19.2015


We could see that there is access to the horizontal shafts at multiple levels, but the whole thing looked to be in pretty poor condition. My guess is that even a well experienced mine explorer probably wouldn't touch this one with a 10 foot pole:
http://i231.photobucket.com/albums/ee234/jfanaselle/Mojave%20Road%2004-15/Mojave%2020.jpg
Mojave Rd. 04.17.2015-04.19.2015


At this point, it was time to head back to the main highway and on to Laughlin for a hot meal and a good night's rest.
« Last Edit: May 04, 2015, 10:49:08 AM by JFanaselle »
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Celt

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Re: Mojave Rd. 04.17.2015-04.19.2015
« Reply #18 on: May 04, 2015, 11:00:02 AM »
Nice pics, keep them posting I'd like to see what you were able to take along that trip.
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JFanaselle

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Re: Mojave Rd. 04.17.2015-04.19.2015
« Reply #19 on: May 04, 2015, 01:14:24 PM »
On day two, we filled up our bellies and our gas tanks in Laughlin, then headed over to the Avi Resort and Casino to meet up with the rest of the SCCX group:
http://i231.photobucket.com/albums/ee234/jfanaselle/Mojave%20Road%2004-15/Day%2002%20-%2001.jpg
Mojave Rd. 04.17.2015-04.19.2015


http://i231.photobucket.com/albums/ee234/jfanaselle/Mojave%20Road%2004-15/Day%2002%20-%2003.jpg
Mojave Rd. 04.17.2015-04.19.2015


http://i231.photobucket.com/albums/ee234/jfanaselle/Mojave%20Road%2004-15/Day%2002%20-%2002.jpg
Mojave Rd. 04.17.2015-04.19.2015


Once everyone was all gassed up, iced up and fireworked up, we headed over to the true start of the Mojave Road next to the Colorado River, and aired down. My brother and I took advantage of the opportunity to grab a few poser shots at this location as well:
http://i231.photobucket.com/albums/ee234/jfanaselle/Mojave%20Road%2004-15/Day%2002%20-%2004.jpg
Mojave Rd. 04.17.2015-04.19.2015


http://i231.photobucket.com/albums/ee234/jfanaselle/Mojave%20Road%2004-15/Day%2002%20-%2007.jpg
Mojave Rd. 04.17.2015-04.19.2015


http://i231.photobucket.com/albums/ee234/jfanaselle/Mojave%20Road%2004-15/Day%2002%20-%2006.jpg
Mojave Rd. 04.17.2015-04.19.2015


http://i231.photobucket.com/albums/ee234/jfanaselle/Mojave%20Road%2004-15/Day%2002%20-%2008.jpg
Mojave Rd. 04.17.2015-04.19.2015


http://i231.photobucket.com/albums/ee234/jfanaselle/Mojave%20Road%2004-15/Day%2002%20-%2005.jpg
Mojave Rd. 04.17.2015-04.19.2015


From there, it was time to hit the Mojave Road as a group:
http://i231.photobucket.com/albums/ee234/jfanaselle/Mojave%20Road%2004-15/Day%2002%20-%2009.jpg
Mojave Rd. 04.17.2015-04.19.2015


http://i231.photobucket.com/albums/ee234/jfanaselle/Mojave%20Road%2004-15/Day%2002%20-%2010.jpg
Mojave Rd. 04.17.2015-04.19.2015


http://i231.photobucket.com/albums/ee234/jfanaselle/Mojave%20Road%2004-15/Day%2002%20-%2011.jpg
Mojave Rd. 04.17.2015-04.19.2015


Our first "bio-break" stop happened atop a nice hill, allowing us to take one last look at the river and civilization behind us, and the loooooong desert road ahead of us:
http://i231.photobucket.com/albums/ee234/jfanaselle/Mojave%20Road%2004-15/Day%2002%20-%2012.jpg
Mojave Rd. 04.17.2015-04.19.2015


http://i231.photobucket.com/albums/ee234/jfanaselle/Mojave%20Road%2004-15/Day%2002%20-%2013.jpg
Mojave Rd. 04.17.2015-04.19.2015


After a little while on the road, we came upon an old abandoned settlement village, complete with a "hotel," church, houses, and a small cemetary:
http://i231.photobucket.com/albums/ee234/jfanaselle/Mojave%20Road%2004-15/Day%2002%20-%2014.jpg
Mojave Rd. 04.17.2015-04.19.2015


http://i231.photobucket.com/albums/ee234/jfanaselle/Mojave%20Road%2004-15/Day%2002%20-%2016.jpg
Mojave Rd. 04.17.2015-04.19.2015


http://i231.photobucket.com/albums/ee234/jfanaselle/Mojave%20Road%2004-15/Day%2002%20-%2015.jpg
Mojave Rd. 04.17.2015-04.19.2015


http://i231.photobucket.com/albums/ee234/jfanaselle/Mojave%20Road%2004-15/Day%2002%20-%2017.jpg
Mojave Rd. 04.17.2015-04.19.2015


http://i231.photobucket.com/albums/ee234/jfanaselle/Mojave%20Road%2004-15/Day%2002%20-%2018.jpg
Mojave Rd. 04.17.2015-04.19.2015


http://i231.photobucket.com/albums/ee234/jfanaselle/Mojave%20Road%2004-15/Day%2002%20-%2019.jpg
Mojave Rd. 04.17.2015-04.19.2015


http://i231.photobucket.com/albums/ee234/jfanaselle/Mojave%20Road%2004-15/Day%2002%20-%2020.jpg
Mojave Rd. 04.17.2015-04.19.2015


http://i231.photobucket.com/albums/ee234/jfanaselle/Mojave%20Road%2004-15/Day%2002%20-%2021.jpg
Mojave Rd. 04.17.2015-04.19.2015


It was time to hit the road, but I have a strong feeling we made an impression on that little village  ;)
http://i231.photobucket.com/albums/ee234/jfanaselle/Mojave%20Road%2004-15/Day%2002%20-%2022.jpg
Mojave Rd. 04.17.2015-04.19.2015


From there, we headed further on down the road to our lunch spot, the remnants of US Army Fort Piute:
http://i231.photobucket.com/albums/ee234/jfanaselle/Mojave%20Road%2004-15/Day%2002%20-%2023.jpg
Mojave Rd. 04.17.2015-04.19.2015


We enjoyed some lunch in the sun:
http://i231.photobucket.com/albums/ee234/jfanaselle/Mojave%20Road%2004-15/Day%2002%20-%2024.jpg
Mojave Rd. 04.17.2015-04.19.2015


But I kept getting this strange feeling that the "locals" just wanted us to die already:
http://i231.photobucket.com/albums/ee234/jfanaselle/Mojave%20Road%2004-15/Day%2002%20-%2025.jpg
Mojave Rd. 04.17.2015-04.19.2015


There was a few minutes to explore around the site after lunch. What remains of the fort is quite impressive. It's amazing that Army Soldiers build such an impressive structure in the middle of the desert, using nothing but the resources of the land:
http://i231.photobucket.com/albums/ee234/jfanaselle/Mojave%20Road%2004-15/Day%2002%20-%2027.jpg
Mojave Rd. 04.17.2015-04.19.2015


http://i231.photobucket.com/albums/ee234/jfanaselle/Mojave%20Road%2004-15/Day%2002%20-%2026.jpg
Mojave Rd. 04.17.2015-04.19.2015


After lunch and fort exploring, it was time to hit the road again. This time, we had our newly-acquired group members, Jeep Guy (Garrett) and his father:
http://i231.photobucket.com/albums/ee234/jfanaselle/Mojave%20Road%2004-15/Day%2002%20-%2028.jpg
Mojave Rd. 04.17.2015-04.19.2015


From here, we traveled south for a short distance along the border of the Mojave National Preserve before turning west back onto the old Mojave Road and into the Preserve. We climbed a pretty good bit in altitude through the Piute Mountain Range before making our next stop:
http://i231.photobucket.com/albums/ee234/jfanaselle/Mojave%20Road%2004-15/Day%2002%20-%2029.jpg
Mojave Rd. 04.17.2015-04.19.2015


http://i231.photobucket.com/albums/ee234/jfanaselle/Mojave%20Road%2004-15/Day%2002%20-%2030.jpg
Mojave Rd. 04.17.2015-04.19.2015


Following our little climbing adventure, we arrived at our next destination - the school bus:
http://i231.photobucket.com/albums/ee234/jfanaselle/Mojave%20Road%2004-15/Day%2002%20-%2031.jpg
Mojave Rd. 04.17.2015-04.19.2015


http://i231.photobucket.com/albums/ee234/jfanaselle/Mojave%20Road%2004-15/Day%2002%20-%2033.jpg
Mojave Rd. 04.17.2015-04.19.2015


http://i231.photobucket.com/albums/ee234/jfanaselle/Mojave%20Road%2004-15/Day%2002%20-%2034.jpg
Mojave Rd. 04.17.2015-04.19.2015


Our fearless leader climbed aboard and was ready to move us on to the next stop, but not before we all got together for one amazing group shot!
http://i231.photobucket.com/albums/ee234/jfanaselle/Mojave%20Road%2004-15/Day%2002%20-%2032.jpg
Mojave Rd. 04.17.2015-04.19.2015


http://i231.photobucket.com/albums/ee234/jfanaselle/Mojave%20Road%2004-15/Day%2002%20-%2035.jpg
Mojave Rd. 04.17.2015-04.19.2015


From there, we headed further west, pausing briefly at the "penny can tree" (didn't get to grab any photos), before taking a quick look at the impressive OX Ranch, which is a private cattle ranch on the Preserve:
http://i231.photobucket.com/albums/ee234/jfanaselle/Mojave%20Road%2004-15/Day%2002%20-%2036.jpg
Mojave Rd. 04.17.2015-04.19.2015


http://i231.photobucket.com/albums/ee234/jfanaselle/Mojave%20Road%2004-15/Day%2002%20-%2037.jpg
Mojave Rd. 04.17.2015-04.19.2015


From there, we west headed into the picturescue New York Mountains to make camp for the evening in beautiful Caruthers Canyon:
http://i231.photobucket.com/albums/ee234/jfanaselle/Mojave%20Road%2004-15/Day%2002%20-%2038.jpg
Mojave Rd. 04.17.2015-04.19.2015


http://i231.photobucket.com/albums/ee234/jfanaselle/Mojave%20Road%2004-15/Day%2002%20-%2039.jpg
Mojave Rd. 04.17.2015-04.19.2015


We reached the camp site with plenty of sunlight to spare. The spot was BEAUTIFUL, at an altitute of almost 5800' and with almost inexplicable scrub oak trees everywhere. We had amazing views of the nearby 7500' peaks of New York 1 and New York 2, towering 1700 feet over us and reminding us just how tiny we are in this desert:
http://i231.photobucket.com/albums/ee234/jfanaselle/Mojave%20Road%2004-15/Day%2002%20-%2040.jpg
Mojave Rd. 04.17.2015-04.19.2015


http://i231.photobucket.com/albums/ee234/jfanaselle/Mojave%20Road%2004-15/Day%2002%20-%2041.jpg
Mojave Rd. 04.17.2015-04.19.2015


http://i231.photobucket.com/albums/ee234/jfanaselle/Mojave%20Road%2004-15/Day%2002%20-%2042.jpg
Mojave Rd. 04.17.2015-04.19.2015


With plenty of daylight left, several of us decided to go for a quick hike to the top of some nearby rock peaks, to take in the view:
http://i231.photobucket.com/albums/ee234/jfanaselle/Mojave%20Road%2004-15/Day%2002%20-%2043.jpg
Mojave Rd. 04.17.2015-04.19.2015


http://i231.photobucket.com/albums/ee234/jfanaselle/Mojave%20Road%2004-15/Day%2002%20-%2044.jpg
Mojave Rd. 04.17.2015-04.19.2015


http://i231.photobucket.com/albums/ee234/jfanaselle/Mojave%20Road%2004-15/Day%2002%20-%2047.jpg
Mojave Rd. 04.17.2015-04.19.2015


http://i231.photobucket.com/albums/ee234/jfanaselle/Mojave%20Road%2004-15/Day%2002%20-%2045.jpg
Mojave Rd. 04.17.2015-04.19.2015


As you can see, with jagged rock outcroppings littering the area, steep washes and canyons, and an elevation of 6000' above sea level, this area is very much bighorn sheep country. I was REALLY hoping we would see some so I could photograph them. We did see plenty of their scat, but none of the elusive creatures. Photographing bighorn sheep in the wild is on my bucket list, so I may find myself travelling back to this spot at some point in the future.
http://i231.photobucket.com/albums/ee234/jfanaselle/Mojave%20Road%2004-15/Day%2002%20-%2049.jpg
Mojave Rd. 04.17.2015-04.19.2015


After watching most of the sunset, we headed back to camp before it was too dark:
http://i231.photobucket.com/albums/ee234/jfanaselle/Mojave%20Road%2004-15/Day%2002%20-%2048.jpg
Mojave Rd. 04.17.2015-04.19.2015


http://i231.photobucket.com/albums/ee234/jfanaselle/Mojave%20Road%2004-15/Day%2002%20-%2050.jpg
Mojave Rd. 04.17.2015-04.19.2015


Back in camp, the master chefs were hard at work preparing a feast:
http://i231.photobucket.com/albums/ee234/jfanaselle/Mojave%20Road%2004-15/Day%2002%20-%2051.jpg
Mojave Rd. 04.17.2015-04.19.2015


After grubbing, we enjoyed some camp fire shenanigans before retiring to our tents for the night:
http://i231.photobucket.com/albums/ee234/jfanaselle/Mojave%20Road%2004-15/Day%2002%20-%2052.jpg
Mojave Rd. 04.17.2015-04.19.2015
« Last Edit: May 04, 2015, 01:37:37 PM by JFanaselle »
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RBduffer

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Re: Mojave Rd. 04.17.2015-04.19.2015
« Reply #20 on: May 04, 2015, 02:32:49 PM »
Thanks for all the great photos. Nilda and I enjoyed reliving the trip while going through them. 
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KJ6YPO

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Re: Mojave Rd. 04.17.2015-04.19.2015
« Reply #21 on: May 04, 2015, 02:37:00 PM »
Seriously Joe....amazing shots....thanks again for posting and taking the time to take them!!!
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JFanaselle

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Re: Mojave Rd. 04.17.2015-04.19.2015
« Reply #22 on: May 04, 2015, 03:15:37 PM »
Thanks guys. I still have days 3 and 4 to go through  :o

I got a bit busy at work this afternoon, so those might have to wait until tomorrow.
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Jayrat

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Re: Mojave Rd. 04.17.2015-04.19.2015
« Reply #23 on: May 04, 2015, 09:18:19 PM »
F*@Kin Awesome Joe , Feel like I'm back on the Road , keep them coming , they look amazing
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Toro

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Re:
« Reply #24 on: May 04, 2015, 09:28:57 PM »
Damn, I hope day 2 and 3 are coming soon.
   Great pictures!
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Re: Mojave Rd. 04.17.2015-04.19.2015
« Reply #25 on: May 04, 2015, 10:26:14 PM »
I don't know nutin bout no Fire Jenga, wasn't there, can't prove anything, didn't do it......
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JFanaselle

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Re: Mojave Rd. 04.17.2015-04.19.2015
« Reply #26 on: May 05, 2015, 12:44:19 PM »
Day 3:

On Saturday morning, we awoke and had a spectacular breakfast complete with lots of bacon and peanut butter pancakes, as promised :)
http://i231.photobucket.com/albums/ee234/jfanaselle/Mojave%20Road%2004-15/Day%2003%20-%2062.jpg
Mojave Rd. 04.17.2015-04.19.2015


http://i231.photobucket.com/albums/ee234/jfanaselle/Mojave%20Road%2004-15/Day%2003%20-%2061.jpg
Mojave Rd. 04.17.2015-04.19.2015
.

http://i231.photobucket.com/albums/ee234/jfanaselle/Mojave%20Road%2004-15/Day%2003%20-%2060.jpg
Mojave Rd. 04.17.2015-04.19.2015


We broke camp and hit the road, heading south toward the town of Geoffs so we could restock on supplies. Along the way, we encountered two desert tortoises (torti?) who were a little camera shy, but allowed us to take a few cool photos:
http://i231.photobucket.com/albums/ee234/jfanaselle/Mojave%20Road%2004-15/Day%2003%20-%2004.jpg
Mojave Rd. 04.17.2015-04.19.2015


http://i231.photobucket.com/albums/ee234/jfanaselle/Mojave%20Road%2004-15/Day%2003%20-%2002.jpg
Mojave Rd. 04.17.2015-04.19.2015


http://i231.photobucket.com/albums/ee234/jfanaselle/Mojave%20Road%2004-15/Day%2003%20-%2003.jpg
Mojave Rd. 04.17.2015-04.19.2015


http://i231.photobucket.com/albums/ee234/jfanaselle/Mojave%20Road%2004-15/Day%2003%20-%2001.jpg
Mojave Rd. 04.17.2015-04.19.2015


After restocking our supplies of gas, beer and ice, we hit the road again and took I-40 a few miles west to Essex road. Our caravan of aired-down Xterras was an impressive site along the roadways and Interstate:
http://i231.photobucket.com/albums/ee234/jfanaselle/Mojave%20Road%2004-15/Day%2003%20-%2005.jpg
Mojave Rd. 04.17.2015-04.19.2015


http://i231.photobucket.com/albums/ee234/jfanaselle/Mojave%20Road%2004-15/Day%2003%20-%2006.jpg
Mojave Rd. 04.17.2015-04.19.2015



After stopping to assist some stupid kids who got their Acura stuck in a sandy wash, we moved on to the Hole In The Wall visitor's center:
http://i231.photobucket.com/albums/ee234/jfanaselle/Mojave%20Road%2004-15/Day%2003%20-%2007.jpg
Mojave Rd. 04.17.2015-04.19.2015


http://i231.photobucket.com/albums/ee234/jfanaselle/Mojave%20Road%2004-15/Day%2003%20-%2008.jpg
Mojave Rd. 04.17.2015-04.19.2015


The scenery and views around the visitor's center were amazing!
http://i231.photobucket.com/albums/ee234/jfanaselle/Mojave%20Road%2004-15/Day%2003%20-%2009.jpg
Mojave Rd. 04.17.2015-04.19.2015


http://i231.photobucket.com/albums/ee234/jfanaselle/Mojave%20Road%2004-15/Day%2003%20-%2010.jpg
Mojave Rd. 04.17.2015-04.19.2015


http://i231.photobucket.com/albums/ee234/jfanaselle/Mojave%20Road%2004-15/Day%2003%20-%2012.jpg
Mojave Rd. 04.17.2015-04.19.2015


http://i231.photobucket.com/albums/ee234/jfanaselle/Mojave%20Road%2004-15/Day%2003%20-%2011.jpg
Mojave Rd. 04.17.2015-04.19.2015


After a quick look around the visitor's center, several of us decided to take a hike along the nearby "Rings Trail"
http://i231.photobucket.com/albums/ee234/jfanaselle/Mojave%20Road%2004-15/Day%2003%20-%2013.jpg
Mojave Rd. 04.17.2015-04.19.2015


The trail was very technical, requiring navigation of several large drops using metal rings that had been attached to the canyon walls:
http://i231.photobucket.com/albums/ee234/jfanaselle/Mojave%20Road%2004-15/Day%2003%20-%2014.jpg
Mojave Rd. 04.17.2015-04.19.2015


http://i231.photobucket.com/albums/ee234/jfanaselle/Mojave%20Road%2004-15/Day%2003%20-%2015.jpg
Mojave Rd. 04.17.2015-04.19.2015


http://i231.photobucket.com/albums/ee234/jfanaselle/Mojave%20Road%2004-15/Day%2003%20-%2016.jpg
Mojave Rd. 04.17.2015-04.19.2015


http://i231.photobucket.com/albums/ee234/jfanaselle/Mojave%20Road%2004-15/Day%2003%20-%2017.jpg
Mojave Rd. 04.17.2015-04.19.2015


Through the canyon portion of the trail, we got a few examples of why they call this area "Hole In The Wall"
http://i231.photobucket.com/albums/ee234/jfanaselle/Mojave%20Road%2004-15/Day%2003%20-%2018.jpg
Mojave Rd. 04.17.2015-04.19.2015


http://i231.photobucket.com/albums/ee234/jfanaselle/Mojave%20Road%2004-15/Day%2003%20-%2020.jpg
Mojave Rd. 04.17.2015-04.19.2015


http://i231.photobucket.com/albums/ee234/jfanaselle/Mojave%20Road%2004-15/Day%2003%20-%2019.jpg
Mojave Rd. 04.17.2015-04.19.2015


And got to see some of the local wildlife. This particular lizard was as fat around as an apple! He may have just eaten a huge meal, as he was acting really sluggish in the sun:
http://i231.photobucket.com/albums/ee234/jfanaselle/Mojave%20Road%2004-15/Day%2003%20-%2022.jpg
Mojave Rd. 04.17.2015-04.19.2015


http://i231.photobucket.com/albums/ee234/jfanaselle/Mojave%20Road%2004-15/Day%2003%20-%2023.jpg
Mojave Rd. 04.17.2015-04.19.2015


While some of us wondered why it wasn't called the "Giant Puma Rock" area:
http://i231.photobucket.com/albums/ee234/jfanaselle/Mojave%20Road%2004-15/Day%2003%20-%2021.jpg
Mojave Rd. 04.17.2015-04.19.2015


Christtian even took a few moments to do the Danny:
http://i231.photobucket.com/albums/ee234/jfanaselle/Mojave%20Road%2004-15/Day%2003%20-%2024.jpg
Mojave Rd. 04.17.2015-04.19.2015


Once we dropped out of the canyon and into the valley floor, the views and scenery were once again breathtaking:
http://i231.photobucket.com/albums/ee234/jfanaselle/Mojave%20Road%2004-15/Day%2003%20-%2026.jpg
Mojave Rd. 04.17.2015-04.19.2015


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Mojave Rd. 04.17.2015-04.19.2015


http://i231.photobucket.com/albums/ee234/jfanaselle/Mojave%20Road%2004-15/Day%2003%20-%2029.jpg
Mojave Rd. 04.17.2015-04.19.2015


http://i231.photobucket.com/albums/ee234/jfanaselle/Mojave%20Road%2004-15/Day%2003%20-%2027.jpg
Mojave Rd. 04.17.2015-04.19.2015


http://i231.photobucket.com/albums/ee234/jfanaselle/Mojave%20Road%2004-15/Day%2003%20-%2025.jpg
Mojave Rd. 04.17.2015-04.19.2015


We headed back to the vehicles and had a quick lunch before getting back on the road toward camp:
http://i231.photobucket.com/albums/ee234/jfanaselle/Mojave%20Road%2004-15/Day%2003%20-%2031.jpg
Mojave Rd. 04.17.2015-04.19.2015


The massive Cima Dome dominated the horizon ahead of us. The Cima Dome is a 70 square mile "bulge" in the earth, resulting from large accumulations of granite and magma pressing against the earth's crust from below. It rises 1500 feet above the surrounding terrain but doesn't have a "peak" like mountains do.
http://i231.photobucket.com/albums/ee234/jfanaselle/Mojave%20Road%2004-15/Day%2003%20-%2032.jpg
Mojave Rd. 04.17.2015-04.19.2015


We arrived at Camp Mojave a short time later and set up camp for the evening:
http://i231.photobucket.com/albums/ee234/jfanaselle/Mojave%20Road%2004-15/Day%2003%20-%2033.jpg
Mojave Rd. 04.17.2015-04.19.2015


With so much daylight left, several of us decided to take a side trip to the Kelso Depot and town of Cima. We left camp with about 5 or 6 vehicles and made the drive into Kelso, arriving about 45 minutes before the visitor's center closed:
http://i231.photobucket.com/albums/ee234/jfanaselle/Mojave%20Road%2004-15/Day%2003%20-%2034.jpg
Mojave Rd. 04.17.2015-04.19.2015


http://i231.photobucket.com/albums/ee234/jfanaselle/Mojave%20Road%2004-15/Day%2003%20-%2038.jpg
Mojave Rd. 04.17.2015-04.19.2015


http://i231.photobucket.com/albums/ee234/jfanaselle/Mojave%20Road%2004-15/Day%2003%20-%2036.jpg
Mojave Rd. 04.17.2015-04.19.2015


Kelso was a railroad town, built to house helper engines that would assist trains up the steep grade toward Cima. The current depot building at Kelso was opened in 1924, and remained in operation by the Union Pacific Railroad until 1985, when advanced diesel locomotives meant that a crew no longer needed to be station there.

The building sat vacant for several years and the Union Pacific Railroad planned to demolish it out of fears of vandalism and legal liability. At that time, local residents started a push for private donations and government assistance to take over the building and preserve it's history. In 1992, the Bureau of Land Management officially acquired the title to the building, and the Mojave National Preserve was formed in 1994 following the passing of the California Desert Protection Act. The US Park Service fully restored the building and re-opened it as the main park visitor center in 2005. The history of this building is rich, and the inside has been converted to a museum with displays of the railroading history and other history of the surrounding desert:

http://i231.photobucket.com/albums/ee234/jfanaselle/Mojave%20Road%2004-15/Day%2003%20-%2040.jpg
Mojave Rd. 04.17.2015-04.19.2015


http://i231.photobucket.com/albums/ee234/jfanaselle/Mojave%20Road%2004-15/Day%2003%20-%2039.jpg
Mojave Rd. 04.17.2015-04.19.2015


http://i231.photobucket.com/albums/ee234/jfanaselle/Mojave%20Road%2004-15/Day%2003%20-%2035.jpg
Mojave Rd. 04.17.2015-04.19.2015


The old Kelso Town Jail still remains at the site (it was actually moved here many years ago, to prevent it from falling apart like the rest of the town). As you can see, it housed Christtian nicely:
http://i231.photobucket.com/albums/ee234/jfanaselle/Mojave%20Road%2004-15/Day%2003%20-%2037.jpg
Mojave Rd. 04.17.2015-04.19.2015


There is even an old restaurant area inside the depot that has always been known as "The Beanery." This original restaurant was back in operation after the reopening of the building until last year, when the operator retired. Since then, no one has put in a bid to the US Park Service to operate the business, much to the dismay of desert travelers. I keep telling my wife that if Sony lays me off in October as we are expecting, she's going to have a hard time talking me out of taking my severance pay and re-opening this business. :)
http://i231.photobucket.com/albums/ee234/jfanaselle/Mojave%20Road%2004-15/Day%2003%20-%2041.jpg
Mojave Rd. 04.17.2015-04.19.2015


At 5:00 pm, the Depot closed and it was time to say goodbye to this beautiful mecca in the desert:
http://i231.photobucket.com/albums/ee234/jfanaselle/Mojave%20Road%2004-15/Day%2003%20-%2042.jpg
Mojave Rd. 04.17.2015-04.19.2015


Before hitting the road, a few of us poked around some house ruins nearby. This one fireplace with a few artifacts lined up on it was pretty impressive:
http://i231.photobucket.com/albums/ee234/jfanaselle/Mojave%20Road%2004-15/Day%2003%20-%2043.jpg
Mojave Rd. 04.17.2015-04.19.2015


From Kelso, we headed north past camp and into the old town of Cima:
http://i231.photobucket.com/albums/ee234/jfanaselle/Mojave%20Road%2004-15/Day%2003%20-%2044.jpg
Mojave Rd. 04.17.2015-04.19.2015


The town of Cima served as a railroad stop and milling location for ore that was mined all over the Mojave Desert. Today, all that remains is a large property filled with relics of the past, and the Cima Store, a small market which only opens when the owner feels like it:
http://i231.photobucket.com/albums/ee234/jfanaselle/Mojave%20Road%2004-15/Day%2003%20-%2046.jpg
Mojave Rd. 04.17.2015-04.19.2015


http://i231.photobucket.com/albums/ee234/jfanaselle/Mojave%20Road%2004-15/Day%2003%20-%2045.jpg
Mojave Rd. 04.17.2015-04.19.2015


There were some cool railroad cars parked on a siding nearby, so we headed over to take a look:
http://i231.photobucket.com/albums/ee234/jfanaselle/Mojave%20Road%2004-15/Day%2003%20-%2047.jpg
Mojave Rd. 04.17.2015-04.19.2015


http://i231.photobucket.com/albums/ee234/jfanaselle/Mojave%20Road%2004-15/Day%2003%20-%2049.jpg
Mojave Rd. 04.17.2015-04.19.2015


The cars were full of equipment needed to repar track in the area. Everything from gravel ballast, wooden and concrete railroad ties, sections of rail, and even a massive scooping bucket to handle the gravel ballast with:
http://i231.photobucket.com/albums/ee234/jfanaselle/Mojave%20Road%2004-15/Day%2003%20-%2048.jpg
Mojave Rd. 04.17.2015-04.19.2015


As we walked back to the vehicles, I looked up and noticed a pair of California Golden Eagles buzzing around. They were very high up, but I managed to get a couple of photos. Get a look at the talons on those suckers!
http://i231.photobucket.com/albums/ee234/jfanaselle/Mojave%20Road%2004-15/Eagle%2002.jpg
Mojave Rd. 04.17.2015-04.19.2015


http://i231.photobucket.com/albums/ee234/jfanaselle/Mojave%20Road%2004-15/Eagle%2001.jpg
Mojave Rd. 04.17.2015-04.19.2015


From Cima, we headed back to camp. Back at camp, the chefs were once again hard at work preparing the evening's feast:
http://i231.photobucket.com/albums/ee234/jfanaselle/Mojave%20Road%2004-15/Day%2003%20-%2050.jpg
Mojave Rd. 04.17.2015-04.19.2015


http://i231.photobucket.com/albums/ee234/jfanaselle/Mojave%20Road%2004-15/Day%2003%20-%2051.jpg
Mojave Rd. 04.17.2015-04.19.2015


While others preferred to wander around looking for their own food:
http://i231.photobucket.com/albums/ee234/jfanaselle/Mojave%20Road%2004-15/Day%2003%20-%2052.jpg
Mojave Rd. 04.17.2015-04.19.2015


As always, the food was BOMB!
http://i231.photobucket.com/albums/ee234/jfanaselle/Mojave%20Road%2004-15/Day%2003%20-%2053.jpg
Mojave Rd. 04.17.2015-04.19.2015


The sunset following dinner was AMAZING! I did my best to capture how beautiful it really was, but this photo only does it a little bit of justice:
http://i231.photobucket.com/albums/ee234/jfanaselle/Mojave%20Road%2004-15/Day%2003%20-%2054.jpg
Mojave Rd. 04.17.2015-04.19.2015


Once the sun went all the way down, it got even more beautiful. I've never seen this many stars in my entire life:
http://i231.photobucket.com/albums/ee234/jfanaselle/Mojave%20Road%2004-15/Day%2003%20-%2056.jpg
Mojave Rd. 04.17.2015-04.19.2015


http://i231.photobucket.com/albums/ee234/jfanaselle/Mojave%20Road%2004-15/Day%2003%20-%2055.jpg
Mojave Rd. 04.17.2015-04.19.2015


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Mojave Rd. 04.17.2015-04.19.2015


http://i231.photobucket.com/albums/ee234/jfanaselle/Mojave%20Road%2004-15/Day%2003%20-%2058.jpg
Mojave Rd. 04.17.2015-04.19.2015


But as usual, the real shenanigans came around the camp fire :) Unforunately, I was too busy trying to get photos of the stars to get any good ones of the fire jenga, but it was the social highlight of the trip!
http://i231.photobucket.com/albums/ee234/jfanaselle/Mojave%20Road%2004-15/Day%2003%20-%2059.jpg
Mojave Rd. 04.17.2015-04.19.2015
« Last Edit: May 05, 2015, 01:58:44 PM by JFanaselle »
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Ghost65

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Re: Mojave Rd. 04.17.2015-04.19.2015
« Reply #27 on: May 05, 2015, 03:27:28 PM »
Wow Joe...just wow. 

Great photos and commentary...like others have said, feels like you are back "on the road" looking at these great shots.

Well done sir, and thank you.  :)
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KD6DCI

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JFanaselle

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Re: Mojave Rd. 04.17.2015-04.19.2015
« Reply #28 on: May 05, 2015, 03:37:12 PM »
Thanks everyone. The photo journalist in me feels that it's a necessary evil to document our trip this way, and to tell the story with photos so it never gets forgotten. :)

Day 4 on the way...
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Celt

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Re: Mojave Rd. 04.17.2015-04.19.2015
« Reply #29 on: May 05, 2015, 04:10:25 PM »
I told ya nobody has any proof of Fire Jenga,,,,,, nevveeerrrr happened.
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