Southern California Club Xterra
Southern California Club Xterra => SCCX Xcursion Pictures => Topic started by: Paul on March 06, 2010, 08:56:39 PM
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The weather is just about perfect this time of year ... so I had to make the Mojave Trail run. This time we started on the east side in Nevada and worked our way back.
The Nevada - California border was well marked, very fancy. The security here was very tight!
(http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y215/paul1960/Xterra/10-3%20Mar%202010%20Mojave/Mojave01.jpg)
The first stop was Fort Piute. Built in 1867 it was the second stop from the Colorado River. Mail and supplies were brought up to Fort Mojave and then overland to Piute. Military escorts were established to protect the mail riders and the settlers traveling to California following a native Indian attack that killed two settlers. Fort Piute was the first of several outposts built by the US Army. Their thought was hold the water and you'd hold the desert. The mail route was eventually routed further south and the fort was abandoned. The fort remained nearly intact into the 1930s.
(http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y215/paul1960/Xterra/10-3%20Mar%202010%20Mojave/Mojave02.jpg)
The fort was built with a bake house and kitchen on one end, a coral in the middle, and a bunk house with fireplace on the other. The tops of the walls were made of wood.
(http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y215/paul1960/Xterra/10-3%20Mar%202010%20Mojave/Mojave03.jpg)
We saw lots of wildlife: chipmunks, red tail hawks, quail (LOTS!), rabbits, and heard coyotes both nights.
(http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y215/paul1960/Xterra/10-3%20Mar%202010%20Mojave/Mojave04.jpg)
We came upon the scene of a tragic auto accident which apparently happened only moments before we arrived. The authorities were looking for a heavy set middle aged bus driver named John, we was described as as needing a shave.
(http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y215/paul1960/Xterra/10-3%20Mar%202010%20Mojave/Mojave05.jpg)
Not much blooming going on, darn little in fact! The desert was pretty green and there was lots of new growth, just a bit early for the blooms. This yucca was just in beautiful color.
(http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y215/paul1960/Xterra/10-3%20Mar%202010%20Mojave/Mojave06.jpg)
The wheeling was pretty easy, I was in 2WD except for two or three spots where I went to 4WD for the "just in case" factor of being out in the middle of no where alone. A couple of steep hills and lots and lots of whoop-te-doos.
(http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y215/paul1960/Xterra/10-3%20Mar%202010%20Mojave/Mojave07.jpg)
We didn't hit the Nevada end of the trail until 1:00 PM so by the time I was looking for the Mid-Hills campground the sun was 30 minutes off the horizon and right in my eyes. We had to run by a nearly empty Running Springs and darken Government Holes as it was getting late.
(http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y215/paul1960/Xterra/10-3%20Mar%202010%20Mojave/Mojave08.jpg)
(http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y215/paul1960/Xterra/10-3%20Mar%202010%20Mojave/Mojave09.jpg)
Nine hours of driving with 60 miles off road I was tired and hungry and my darn GPS let me down - the "road" that was clearly marked on the map was a wash. We went back and forth looking for the "road" but it simply wasn't there or had been closed off by the park service. We ended up camping in an old camp site above Cedar Canyon worried that the winds would nail us all night long. About ten minutes after parking the wind stopped completely and never returned (good karma!). That night the coyotes were howling up a storm, our camp site was about 100 feet above the canyon and come morning we had a million dollar view 270 degrees around us. All night we had thought there were other campers within a couple hundred yards of us as we saw their lights moving around in their camp site ... no, those were two different roads about 20 miles away! Come morning the quail were in good voice.
(http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y215/paul1960/Xterra/10-3%20Mar%202010%20Mojave/Mojave10.jpg)
The next morning was the whoop-te-dos and some really deserted desert so I let Noon behind the wheel. Within in a mile she had hit two trees, one on each side of the truck ... she needs more practice.
(http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y215/paul1960/Xterra/10-3%20Mar%202010%20Mojave/Mojave11.jpg)
The Camp Marl spring was very full and the water was plentiful. The ruins haven't changed much. Camp Marl Springs was occupied from 1867 to 1868 to guard the spring there.
(http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y215/paul1960/Xterra/10-3%20Mar%202010%20Mojave/Mojave12.jpg)
Next stop was the Mail Box, someone had left the book outside so it was a bit wet. We signed in and left a note about Trixie's passing. So often while reading through these books we have seen tributes to someone's pet. Trixie made the trip three times with us and it was hard with out her this time.
(http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y215/paul1960/Xterra/10-3%20Mar%202010%20Mojave/Mojave13.jpg)
We visited the frog garden and found that our three turtles were missing ... so we added three new ones back!
(http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y215/paul1960/Xterra/10-3%20Mar%202010%20Mojave/Mojave14.jpg)
The lava tubes were next. The park service has put in a nice new ladder but blocked off the parking right near the top where you use to be able to get in four or five trucks.
(http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y215/paul1960/Xterra/10-3%20Mar%202010%20Mojave/Mojave15.jpg)
Inside the tube the third sky light has caved in so there's just the big one and the second one. The cave floor was rather damp so the dust didn't fly. It was hot enough outside to run the AC but very cool in the tube. Noon came down there as she didn't have to dog sit.
(http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y215/paul1960/Xterra/10-3%20Mar%202010%20Mojave/Mojave16.jpg)
The road ended for us at the eastern edge of Soda Lake. The road further on was closed as the lake has lots of standing water. We managed another 50 miles on day two and quickly set up camp.
(http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y215/paul1960/Xterra/10-3%20Mar%202010%20Mojave/th_CampSetup.jpg) (http://s6.photobucket.com/albums/y215/paul1960/Xterra/10-3%20Mar%202010%20Mojave/?action=view¤t=CampSetup.flv)
The campground was nearly full but we found an empty spot. There wasn't another soul on that side of the lake.
(http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y215/paul1960/Xterra/10-3%20Mar%202010%20Mojave/CampsiteFull.jpg)
I found a nice place to pose the truck. with Soda Lake behind.
(http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y215/paul1960/Xterra/10-3%20Mar%202010%20Mojave/Mojave17.jpg)
We watched the sunset and enjoyed some adult beverages.
(http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y215/paul1960/Xterra/10-3%20Mar%202010%20Mojave/th_MojaveSunset.jpg) (http://s6.photobucket.com/albums/y215/paul1960/Xterra/10-3%20Mar%202010%20Mojave/?action=view¤t=MojaveSunset.flv)
That second night was as nice as the first with no wind and at this lower elevation it was a bunch warmer.
(http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y215/paul1960/Xterra/10-3%20Mar%202010%20Mojave/Mojave19.jpg)
The clouds rolled in and gave us just about ten rain drops.
(http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y215/paul1960/Xterra/10-3%20Mar%202010%20Mojave/Mojave18.jpg)
Day three was short as we just skirted the eastern edge of Soda Lake and hit Baker. All told about 114 miles off road.
(http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y215/paul1960/Xterra/10-3%20Mar%202010%20Mojave/Mojave20.jpg)
(http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y215/paul1960/Xterra/10-3%20Mar%202010%20Mojave/MojaveTrail.gif)
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Nice write up and pics Paul.
One question: So how is Noon supposed to see out the windshield with all that stuff you've got in the way?
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Very Very nice pics Mr Paul. :)
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Great pics Paul!
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What a great trip. Thanks for the write up. I enjoy your pictures but your narrative really brings it home.
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We saw lots of wildlife: chipmunks, red tail hawks, quail (LOTS!), rabbits, and heard coyotes both nights.
Come morning the quail were in good voice.
Shhhhhhh, you must be vewwwy, vewwwy quiet about this.
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Shhhhhhh, you must be vewwwy, vewwwy quiet about this.
I was thinking about you - Cedar Canyon BTW.
They were singing their normal call but I also heard some odd ones mixed in, almost pheasant/pea foul like.
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I was thinking about you - Cedar Canyon BTW.
They were singing their normal call but I also heard some odd ones mixed in, almost pheasant/pea foul like.
Great photos and write up.
Quail call=Chicago ;D
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Shhhhhhh, you must be vewwwy, vewwwy quiet about this.
I thought it was wabbits you were supposed to be vewwwy, vewwwy quiet about?
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Simply spectacular! The pictures really complement the excellent write up. Thanks for sharing Paul!
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Great photos and write up.
Quail call=Chicago ;D
Not for the Gambel Quail that Paul was hearing out there. As Paul mentioned, they have some very unusual differences from the California Quail. They can sound similar, they're a bit raspier and have a much wider range of calls for different purposes.
BTW Paul, I've camped in that spot above Cedar Cyn. wash before. There is another nice spot (Lower Leppy) a bit further down toward the tracks. You were very close to some of my killing fields, lol. Well, I should say, to the access points that is, they'd still be a few miles away. Love the place.
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I thought it was wabbits you were supposed to be vewwwy, vewwwy quiet about?
The wascawwy wabbits dwive me cwazy when they jump out suddenwy while I'm quietwy twying to stalk the birds.
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Paul,
A few of my friends will be going next weekend and they wanted to know how the river crossing looks like did you happen to cross the river?
Thanks,
Spencer
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Paul,
A few of my friends will be going next weekend and they wanted to know how the river crossing looks like did you happen to cross the river?
Thanks,
Spencer
No river crossing, didn't get to the western side of the Soda Lake.