The desert trip, Citizen Grouch style

About 19 or so years ago Marla and I traveled the length of the Old Mojave road, a 19th century wagon trail that runs from the Arizona border to (originally) Los Angeles and now to near Barstow. This trail traverses desert, mountains, sand, a dry (sometimes) lake bed and the mostly dry Mojave river bottom. We did the trip in the Samurai towing a small trailer behind us carrying our camping gear. I did it again several years later without Marla but with the same friend that went with us the first time. This past weekend I did the trip again with the same friend and also with another friend and off road enthusiast but this time in a 4 door Jeep with air conditioning, power steering, satellite radio and plenty of engine power. Ahh, luxury! Unfortunately due to a major test on Friday which is the day we left for the desert Craig could not go. What teacher schedules a huge test the day before a three day weekend?


click on the pictures for a full size view!

We drove to Needles (the home of Snoopy's brother Spike) fueled up and then set off for the beginning of the Mojave road. Our first point of interest was Ft. Piute, a cavalry post from the 1860s. The outline of the fort is still visible and the foundation is still in place. In years past we camped next to the stream by the fort but now that the Mojave preserve has been created the park service has been busy fencing off and closing just about everything in sight. No camping here for us. It was 4 p.m. and we had to try to find somewhere to camp for the night.
The story of Ft. Piute.

Many barrel cactus grow in the area of Ft. Piute. We saw other cactus with pretty yellow flowers in bloom elsewhere.

We drove until about 7:30 p.m. and managed to locate an unimproved campsite on a map and got to it before it was completely dark. The stars were amazing that night but as we were at 4,400 ft it got cold! The low was about 45F and I wasn't prepared for that temperature. I was shivering all night.

The next day we encountered an infamous Mojave Green rattle snake of legendary lethality. Fortunately this one seemed to have recently feasted and wasn't interested in us.

We traveled to Government Springs, one of the few sources of water available all year round. Another location now barricaded by the park service.

The Rock House near Government springs.

The operating windmill and water tank are all that remains of a ranch that was the site of the last old west gunfight in California. Two gun hands killed each other at this ranch in 1925. They were notorious killers from the 19th century that found themselves an anachronism in the roaring 20s.

Roughly half way along the trail is the log book that gives travelers an opportunity to record their impressions of the trip. I have a picture of me from the early 90s at the same site and the same pose. I'll have to find the picture someday and compare them!

This is our second night camp. I slept in the Jeep on an air mattress. I was very comfortable even when we got hit with 40 mph winds that night. Our biggest problem was bees. As soon as we opened anything with water we were swarmed by bees desperate for moisture. They 'bugged' us until it got dark. Again an amazing display of stars, shooting stars and even several satellites arcing across the sky.

Day three found us crossing Soda lake, a dry alkaline lake bed almost like a miniature Bonneville salt flats. When it rains (and it does rain in this desert) the lake bed turns into a muddy quagmire but the rainy season was finished and all we got was heat and dust. Hard to imagine what it was like for travelers in their prairie schooners crossing this place. The picture shows my friend Rick. My Jeep is in the middle.

We stopped for a rest and a snack under a railroad bridge for the shade. Shortly after settling in we heard a train approaching which came over us on the bridge. It was noisy and impressive! Another two hours brought us to the exit point of the trail, unfortunately a significant portion of the trail from this point is closed by the BLM and the trail routed to follow the train right of way. I guess the government is saving us from ourselves. Leaving the trail we had to pass through a rather deep water crossing. We liked it so much we did it twice more! An hour back to Barstow, lunch at Long John Silver's and then the three hour drive in high winds back to Santa Clarita. It was a great time and despite the closures left us wanting to return to the area to explore many sites we didn't have time to stop and see.