We headed out to celebrate New Years under the stars in the Mojave National Preserve. Our main goal for this overland trip was to get used to how the trailer felt behind the rig and how to navigate through such terrain as rock, sand, mud etc. Our trip would start just Northeast of Barstow in the area of the Calico mtns.
We took our time heading out, but when we arrived to the Calico mtns it was cold. Most nights on our trip would be around freezing temperature. We knew that is was going to be cold so we prepared with many blankets, zero degree sleeping bags, and proper clothing. Combined we did just fine.
The first campsite we had in mind was back in Mule Canyon where it was mild terrain with a straddle section and some twisty flex spots. This spot is great because you travel further back than RV's can go and get away from crowds and people shooting guns.
This would be a good skill test for me as a driver to see if i can get the trailer safely through. I found that in the mirror the trailer appears more extreme than it is. That took time to get used too, because i kept thinking it was going to flip over.
Coming down a washed out road with the trailer leaning one way and the Land Cruiser the other. The trailer followed almost like it wasn't even there.
Once at camp we setup and enjoyed a great sunset. For dinner we bbq'd a pork tenderloin with stroganoff noodles. The food and company were most excellent. We followed up with quality beer, wine and hot chocolate to keep us warm. The temp dropped to about 33 degrees the first night. It was the coldest night of the trip.
Near camp a great looking natural archway. Yosh and Dixie shoot a quick picture. (yes thats a Jeep sweatshirt)
The sunset was amazing. The clouds created a great back drop for breath taking photos.
The next morning we took our time and headed back down the canyon.
Our first stop was the Desert Megaphone. The megaphone is literally in the middle of no where in the Mojave desert between the I-40 and I-15 east of Barstow.
Crossing a Broadwell drylake on the way to the megaphone site.
Video Clip of the lakebed
Approaching the site. You can barely see the megaphone up on the hill in the distance (third hill top from the left).
There are many different ideas behind the Desert Megaphone and why its there. Nobody really knows how it got there or when. Rumor has it that some local comes out and puts skins over each end and plays it like a drum. Rumor also has been said that someone from the railroad made the megaphone with railroad parts from the local track down the valley. We know one thing for sure. It wasn't a easy task.
The megaphone up on the rocky hill. There's no rhyme or reason for the direction it's pointing either.
Looking down at the trucks from the megaphone.
On the way back down from our small hike up the rocky hill we found some rock formations. They look to be used at one time as small fire place/stoves? Doubtful they're anything too old.
After a long drive out and a small hike we were starving. We decided to "tailgate-it" with the new trailer. Pete supplied a great combination of fresh meats, cheeses and various breads. I think i even ate two!
After lunch we decided to head out to camp for night number 2. We had some miles to cover. Camp would be approx 90 mile from our lunch site. We would have to push it to get to camp before dark. Hole in the rock camp would be our next stop and it was east from where we were. And yes, we were aired down.. so we would have to travel at 45-50mph the entire way. ......Needless to say, we didn't make it our camp before dark.
The next morning we awoke to a beautiful area. Sometimes it's kind of neat to pull into camp and not knowing what's around you until you wake up the next morning.
Shot of the visitors center at Hole in the Rock campground
Guess that's why they call it Hole in the Rock?
Yosh getting ready for Dixie to climb into a hole.
Dan being a monkey. Braver than i am.
The visitors center runs on solar power. Very earth friendly. Pretty damn cool. I spotted them behind a huge rock wall. You'd never even know they were there.
After breakfast we headed back on the road to the Kelso sand dunes. The Kelso dunes are the second largest sand dunes in the United States at 600 feet tall. We were going to attempt to hike to the top (many people do) but the wind gusts were up around 40mph at the base (probably up near 60mph at the peak) and it was on the cold side. We decided to make a new years resolution to do it in 2008. We'll be back.
We decided to hit up lunch and then find our campsite for the night. Lunch was going to be at Kelso train depot. It's a old train station in the middle of the the desert that has been restored to it's former glory. The old depot was built back in 1923.
Old Post off located across from the train depot.
After lunch we headed out immediately to find our primitive camp. I had never been to Indian Spring before so i wanted to make sure we would have plenty of daylight to find it. Using GPS we found a small road on the side of the highway that led back into a sandy wash canyon. This was Indian Spring and our camp for the New Years. The terrain was beautiful.
The area was filled with Barrel cacti.
Camp setup for the night with the new trailer. Pretty nice not having to dig through the Land Cruiser for stuff. Everything is organized nice and neat in the trailer. Just flip out the tent, open the awning, open the kitchen door and connect the propane line. Piece of cake!
Brian setup with his new truck tent. Pretty cool idea. Tons of room inside. Took a bit of patience to setup (at least 30 mins), but all in all totally worth it. I think he'll get fast at it the more he uses it. He tore it down in only a few minutes.
Dixie even got to test out her new Coleman dog chair.
A view from utop the spring area looking towards Baker CA. Our camp was about the middle of this picture down in the wash. Not a place you want to be if a rain storm starts.
Gotta have bubbly.. even if it's the cheap stuff! (not like we drink champagne anyways!) I used the bottle to spray Brian like the end of a Nascar race. It was quite funny.
We were very fortunate to view this Incredible sunset with a matching pink jet trail. I think i got lucky getting the camera to pick it up.
Pete captured some amazing photos of our New Years Campfire. Yes we all stayed up EXCEPT Dan and Julie! (they were allowed to go to sleep, since they drove down from NorCal for this run). I would have too!
Ok, so pop quiz.. What are two things you rarely see on a overland trip?
*On the way home we found a new corvette in the bushes south of Baker. We made a uturn and asked if the guy was ok and if he needed any help. He replied numerous times "no, we're fine" as if he was up to something. We didn't see anything disturbing so we headed on. We figured the guy was on drugs or something and crashed the car. There weren't any tire marks on the highway and it was a straight section.
**The winds were so bad on the way home that we saw 4-5 big rigs flipped over. Worst winds i have ever seen. They even parked them staggered against the wind parked 90 degrees from the fwy.
All in all it was another great trip. From the Adventureduo, Happy New Year!