Southern California Club Xterra
Southern California Club Xterra => SCCX Xcursion Pictures => Topic started by: FrankB on February 02, 2009, 10:41:24 PM
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If there really is a WWII tank half buried in Military Wash, we couldn't find it, but we did find a lot of other interesting stuff along the way. In WWII troops trained in this area.
Marty and Fred agreed to help out in the search, and Fred had 2 passengers riding with him as well. We started out in Ella Wash, tracking south from S-22 down to Short Wash, then continuing south through Fault Wash and Cut-Across Wash to the top of Military Wash. We travelled south the length of Military Wash, stopping to explore along the way. No sign of any buried tank, but we did find the reinforced concrete remains of two "rake stations", lots of .50 cal and 20mm projectiles, some in better shape than others.
All of the recent rain has produced some really green palo verdes, and even some in bloom. This one is in Ella Wash just south of S-22.
(http://i405.photobucket.com/albums/pp133/frankbb_photo/IMGP8500.jpg)
Fault Wash has some amazing rock formations.
(http://i405.photobucket.com/albums/pp133/frankbb_photo/IMGP8506.jpg)
I found descriptions of this rock outcropping in an old military document detailing the clean up of the area, It sounds like there may have been a track along the length of it on which targets were pulled. We found a lot of 20mm and .50 cal projectiles here. We left what we found in place.
(http://i405.photobucket.com/albums/pp133/frankbb_photo/IMGP8535.jpg)
(http://i405.photobucket.com/albums/pp133/frankbb_photo/IMGP8543.jpg)
Here's what I think is a 20mm armor piercing projectile. (That's not where we found it, by the way.)
(http://i405.photobucket.com/albums/pp133/frankbb_photo/IMGP8549.jpg)
Here you can see the hardened core of the 20mm round (on the left).
(http://i405.photobucket.com/albums/pp133/frankbb_photo/IMGP8563.jpg)
(http://i405.photobucket.com/albums/pp133/frankbb_photo/IMGP8564.jpg)
It's amazing what can happen when one projectile hits another.
(http://i405.photobucket.com/albums/pp133/frankbb_photo/IMGP8565.jpg)
(http://i405.photobucket.com/albums/pp133/frankbb_photo/IMGP8572.jpg)
The natural stuff in Military Wash is interesting too.
(http://i405.photobucket.com/albums/pp133/frankbb_photo/IMGP8560.jpg)
After Military Wash we worked our way west along San Felipe Wash, with a side trip down Borrego Canyon Wash.
(http://i405.photobucket.com/albums/pp133/frankbb_photo/IMGP8583.jpg)
(http://i405.photobucket.com/albums/pp133/frankbb_photo/IMGP8584.jpg)
(http://i405.photobucket.com/albums/pp133/frankbb_photo/IMGP8588.jpg)
(http://i405.photobucket.com/albums/pp133/frankbb_photo/IMGP8595.jpg)
(http://i405.photobucket.com/albums/pp133/frankbb_photo/IMGP8606.jpg)
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Our other goal for the day, after exploring Military Wash, was to see how close we could get to the base of that cliff you look over at Font's Point, by traveling up Rainbow Wash. It got really narrow in places, and off camber fairly often. The surface was that spongy crusty sand most of the way. It's pretty narrow back there, with limited space to turn around. We would drive from one wide spot to the next, and scouted ahead on foot, since backing out did not seem like a good idea. I don't recommend a large group trying this one.
(http://i405.photobucket.com/albums/pp133/frankbb_photo/IMGP8630.jpg)
(http://i405.photobucket.com/albums/pp133/frankbb_photo/IMGP8643_2.jpg)
The Borrego Badlands are incredible when viewed from within.
(http://i405.photobucket.com/albums/pp133/frankbb_photo/IMGP8651.jpg)
(http://i405.photobucket.com/albums/pp133/frankbb_photo/IMGP8685.jpg)
(http://i405.photobucket.com/albums/pp133/frankbb_photo/IMGP8710.jpg)
Buttes Pass Trail on the way out at dusk was really nice.
(http://i405.photobucket.com/albums/pp133/frankbb_photo/IMGP8734_2.jpg)
(http://i405.photobucket.com/albums/pp133/frankbb_photo/IMGP8736.jpg)
We ran out of time to try the Goat Trail, we'll have to do that one next time.
(http://i405.photobucket.com/albums/pp133/frankbb_photo/IMGP8744.jpg)
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Gotta love Anza Borrego. Best place by far.
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Awesome time! The day couldn't be any nicer! Great company too!
Good times! ;) :D ;D
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I gotta go on Xcursions with you cause you take great pictures.
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This was a fun trip. I really enjoyed meeting Fred and his buddies Larry, and Curtis too! Here are a few shots I got from the day's exploration.
(http://i12.photobucket.com/albums/a201/pacificaleisurelab/IMG_6440.jpg)
(http://i12.photobucket.com/albums/a201/pacificaleisurelab/IMG_6461.jpg)
(http://i12.photobucket.com/albums/a201/pacificaleisurelab/IMG_6465.jpg)
Fred harvested what we surmised might be a velociraptor egg. I'm sure he's probably watching it inside the incubator as we speak...
(http://i12.photobucket.com/albums/a201/pacificaleisurelab/IMG_6471.jpg)
Obligitory truck shot...
(http://i12.photobucket.com/albums/a201/pacificaleisurelab/IMG_6498.jpg)
Lens flash isn't generally considered a good thing, but I liked it in this shot...
(http://i12.photobucket.com/albums/a201/pacificaleisurelab/IMG_6499.jpg)
The colors of the badlands are unreal...
(http://i12.photobucket.com/albums/a201/pacificaleisurelab/IMG_6500.jpg)
(http://i12.photobucket.com/albums/a201/pacificaleisurelab/IMG_6506.jpg)
Additional obligitory truck shots...
(http://i12.photobucket.com/albums/a201/pacificaleisurelab/IMG_6522.jpg)
(http://i12.photobucket.com/albums/a201/pacificaleisurelab/IMG_6525.jpg)
(http://i12.photobucket.com/albums/a201/pacificaleisurelab/IMG_6526.jpg)
(http://i12.photobucket.com/albums/a201/pacificaleisurelab/IMG_6529.jpg)
(http://i12.photobucket.com/albums/a201/pacificaleisurelab/IMG_6538.jpg)
Had to try to get at least one "astro" photo for the day...
(http://i12.photobucket.com/albums/a201/pacificaleisurelab/IMG_6546.jpg)
Thanks Frank and Fred, I had a ball cruising the badlands with you guys!
Marty
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Looks like fun - great picts as usual!
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the picures of the rounds look like the caliber we were finding in LAOS. Considered taking some home but the consequences were life in a Communist Prison.
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Looks like you made the right choice Chris... welcome back to California!