Tag: desert

route 66

Published on by Hashi2 Comments
barstow

We spent the last night of the trip in the Mojave Desert town of Barstow, and celebrated my birthday with Mexican food and a beer.

We drove home slowly the next day, doing more exploration en route. We stopped at the Tehachapi Loop but no train was passing at the time. Later we turned into the San Emigdio Mountains, ate a meal at The Perch in Pine Mountain Club, then took the dirt road from Toad Springs Campground down to Hwy 33. We got to our place after dark and Bodie was SO EXCITED to be home.

roads less traveled

Published on by Hashi1 Comment
aguereberry

After camping at Wildrose, we took a detour to Aguereberry Point to see what are arguably the best views of Death Valley. We’re looking at the lowest point in North America — the white salt flats of Badwater Basin 282 ft (86 m) below sea level.

saratoga spring

We took Harry Wade Road, a ‘remote and seldom-traveled route’, to the desert oasis of Saratoga Springs. The road was in surprisingly good shape and we arrived at the springs at least an hour before dusk, too early to see much bird activity. We might have waited there for the sun to get lower, but Bodie was NOT enjoying the heat (95°F/35°C) and we still had a distance to go before getting back on a tar road.

I have no illustrative evidence of the worst road we drove in Death Valley; suffice it to say that we could have died. No links, because I don’t want you to go there.

maturango

Published on by HashiLeave a comment
maturango

Years ago, I took a guided tour of Little Petroglyph Canyon, deep within the Naval Air Weapons Station at China Lake. It’s a truly amazing place, with over 20,000 documented Coso petroglyphs. These sculptures in the gardens of Maturango Museum in Ridgecrest are based on some of those images.

I’d love to take K back to the canyon, but they stopped allowing tours at the start of Covid and have never resumed them. I’m really glad I got to go when I did.

holly ash mine

Published on by HashiLeave a comment
hollyash

On the way to Death Valley, we did a little off-roading in the El Paso Mountains Wilderness. We stopped at the abandoned Holly Ash Mine to stretch our legs. There were all these huge rusted metal cones lying around, generously pock-marked with bullet holes. This one had been painted with an imagined animal skeleton.

Solidago velutina

Published on by HashiLeave a comment
Solidago velutina

Before leaving Palm Springs, I spent a few hours in the desert oasis of Andreas Canyon on the Agua Caliente Indian Reservation. There’s spectacular geology, and a permanent creek bordered by dense California fan palms (Washingtonia filifera), the only palm species native to the southwestern United States. Pretty velvety goldenrod was flourishing in the dappled shade. Such a gorgeous place to ‘forest bathe’ before the long drive home.