California deserts for the holidays.

[Ted]

Having the week between Christmas and New Years off, we headed south to visit Joshua Tree and Mojave. I was looking forward to using the new truck on some of the roads while we were there. "I don't want this to be another 'Magellan' trip" my wife said, having memories of the muddy roads that almost sunk us in Black Rock. "No worries", I said, "the rains down there have stopped. The desert dries out fast. It will be warm and dry."

Ok, so it is colder than expected, but it is a light rain and won't affect the roads.

My mistake at Black Rock was not taking advice from the camground host that knew the roads. So when the host on this trip suggested I95 through Nevada as opposed to 395 for our trip home, I took his advice this time. This is what we got:

 

[chnlisle]

Great pix Ted. I'm sure they missed you in Saline.

 

[Ted]

Honestly, it was a good trip. It was our first time to both locations. We made base camp in Joshua Tree at White Tank campground for three nights, including Christmas.

The plant life in the desert fascinates me. Certainly not things you see here, despite our hot summers.
I liked the texture of the Beaver Tail cactus.

And the color pattern on the Ocotillo sprouts caught my attention.

I bet you could sew with the needles from a Pencil cholla.

 

[Ted]

The skeletons of cactus plants are also interesting. Here is a view of one from a silver cholla.

Those chollas look so soft and cuddly. Makes you just want to hug one like a teddy bear.

We are used to seeing cell towers camouflaged as pine trees, so this struck us as unusual and amusing.

 

[Ted]

We headed up to Mojave, camping near the Kelso Dunes. We had lunch at the Kelso Depot, where I got into a bit of an arguement with a local. Seems he was a friend of the local sheriff so I was sent to the jail until my attitude improved.

 

[Ted]

We spent a couple of days exploring Mojave, but the weather turned cold and wet, so we decided to see if things were better in Death Valley. It worked as we found warmer temps, clearer skies, and friendly locals.

That evening we were even able to sit out and watch this storm brewing at sunset.

 

[Ted]

That night that storm brought extreme winds, thunder, lightening, and hail. The next day dawned clear but cold. We decided we would head home early, going through Nevada and camping one more night. We stopped at Rhyolite on our way, another first for us.

It was cold, so Donna tried appeasing the weather gods by walking the spiral trail to the center.

It didn't work.

 

[Ted]

As we continued north, we could see that our drive would become interesting.

At our planned camp stop, it was 23 degrees with blowing snow. We passed on the camping and drove the rest of the way home that night.

Sightings: I was hoping we might catch up with some of the members rallying in DV while we were there. I think they were all at Saline Valley by then as we never found them. We did meet a few other people with four wheel campers, though. A couple from Modesto that lurk on this site and knew of the rally but weren't part of it. And a guy from the Bay Area that wanted to know "What is going on?" when I went over to say hi. Seems he had been approached by two other campers the day before. Also saw a FWC on a red truck parked off the road near the southern section of the park, but never saw the occupants.

 

[chnlisle]

Xlnt!!! thanks Ted

 

[SunMan]

Great pics and humor as always Ted. Loving your new truck/camper combo. Did Santa bring you a new camera?

 

[RJones]

Great pictures and trip Ted.

 

[Dughlas Stiubhart]

Ted, my friend, thanks for the report and photos.

 

[simimike]

Thanks for the pictures and the report. When I look at those pictures all I can think of is c,c,cold. With all the rain we've been having I think I will put off going to DV until the bloom. It should be prety good this year.

mike

 

[Barko1]

"No worries", I said, "the rains down there have stopped. The desert dries out fast. It will be warm and dry."


I made the same promise once when it was snowing in Fort Stockton, TX while headed to Big Bend. It was a bit chilly in the tent that night @ 9 degrees! Nice pics, makes me want to get back to DV

 

[ski3pin]

Ted, our friend, looks like a great trip and thanks for sharing! Some very nice close ups there. Happy Wandering!

 

[Marc]

Nice write up Ted. I'm definitely in for a DV fix.

marc

 

[Ted]

Thank you for the nice comments folks.

Sunman, same ol' camera. Still dreaming about a new one though.

Simimike, we were thinking along those lines as well. If there is more rain in the early spring and then it warms up, the bloom could be one of the best. We will be watching with the idea of a possible return then.

Barko, 9 defrees in a tent! I can't imagine.

 

[kcowyo]

Nice one Ted! Glad to see I wasn't the only one lying to the wife recently about the weather.

Love those cholla pics! They are so bizzare to me... And the Tundra - lookin' good!

Seems like Old Man Weather put a whoopin' on all of us travellin' in December. Still, it beats pushing pencils & keyboards in a cubicle all day... Thanks for reminding me about the Kelso Dunes. I really hope to get out into the Mojave someday.
.