Monday, December 30, 2013
More El Paso Mountains beauty!
Here is another stunning scene that I captured during one of my trips to the El Paso Mountains.
The Coso Mountains can be seen in the background. Photograph by Scott Schwartz.
Note to my readers: I would be glad to publish guest posts and photographs. You won't get paid, but you'll have your work seen by whoever views this post.
Here are my conditions and guidelines:
1. I reserve the right to edit submissions as I see fit, with no prior notice or explanation.
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4. Please make sure that you use proper grammar, spelling, and punctuation. No text-message abbreviations, or jargon (such as "u" instead of "you", etc.).
5. I will only consider publication of material that is related to California's Mojave Desert, and the exploration thereof. Please note, that I encourage the responsible use of four-wheel drive vehicles to that end, and I welcome articles about such use. If you want to mention off-road driving techniques, that is fine. But this is not the forum for articles about rebuilding and customizing vehicles.
Send your submissions to sandnsky8@gmail.com
Happy New Year!
Tuesday, December 24, 2013
Off-road sights in the El Paso Mountains...
Merry Christmas to all!
Thursday, December 19, 2013
Mysteries in the El Paso Mountains...
The sandy area to the left of the camp appears to be an old airstrip. I've driven my Jeep across it, and the cleared area appears to be oriented like a runway. I also found the remains of an old windsock. Many years ago, an old prospector told me that Chuck Yeager used to land on this strip, when he was stationed at Edwards Air Force Base. According to lore, as told to me my the old gentleman, Yeager would land here in order to go hunting in the area.
Photograph by Scott Schwartz.
Wednesday, December 18, 2013
Randsburg, CA...
Tuesday, December 17, 2013
Monday, December 16, 2013
Thursday, December 12, 2013
Wednesday, December 11, 2013
El Paso Mountains, unidentified mining camp....
Tuesday, December 10, 2013
Freeman's Stage Station/Robber's Roost, revisited.
This rusting pipe, which brought water to the station from the spring at Coyote Holes, is all that remains of Freeman's Station today. Photograph by Scott Schwartz.
Monday, December 9, 2013
Red Rock Canyon..
Photograph by Scott Schwartz. Camera: Nikon D-70.
Drone in the Desert...
Thursday, December 5, 2013
Lady and the Drone..
Folks, I'm sorry if the link doesn't work. I'm still learning how to upload footage.
More on Monday.
Lady and the Drone...
I couldn't find Kramer Arch, but I still had some fun filming my wife, with my Parrot Drone. Click on the link below.
See you all next week.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2cY-Jm0lGRM&feature=youtube_gdata_player
Wednesday, December 4, 2013
In Search of Kramer Arch....I failed again...
I exited the 15 Freeway at Calico Road, and then turned right on to Mule Canyon Rd. I followed my map and I used the Back-Country Navigation application on my telephone, both of which indicated that I was right near the arch. But, alas, it was nowhere to be found.
There were a lot of people on the trail that day, and I asked several of them where Kramer Arch was. No one knew.
So, I found a relatively scenic spot, and I brought out my Parrot AR drone. I'm still getting the hang of shooting aerial footage with this little aircraft. But, more about that later.
My wife accompanied me on this trip. Guys, if you want your women to enjoy exploring the desert with you, you have to make the trip as pleasant as possible-especially if the Mojave Desert is not one her favorite places.
First, keep a cooler with snacks and drinks within easy reach of the person riding in the passenger seat. I learned this the hard way, when my wife saw that I'd put my drone (in its box) directly behind us. She was incredulous, to say the least.
In the second place, you should take all of the safety precautions that I have outlined in previous posts.
Try to warn her when things are about to get bumpy. And, of course, do not deliberately try to scare her. It's much more "manly" to show that you are in control of your vehicle, and that you are skilled at negotiating rough trails with aplomb. I suspect that many men try to show off to their wives or girlfriends and only succeed in terrifying them.
Coming: the drone.
Tuesday, December 3, 2013
New posts coming...
Monday, December 2, 2013
Echoes of the Vanished: Freeman's Stage Station.
The Vasquez gang finally left after night fall- with six horses that belonged to Freeman!
Wednesday, November 27, 2013
Echoes of the Vanished: Freeman's Stage Station.
Tuesday, November 26, 2013
Freeman's Stage Station: Echoes of the Vanished, continued.
Coyote Holes was once the site of a spring (the water is now underground), where Native Americans would occasionally camp. When Freeman arrived in 1873, two major roads intersected at the spot. One of them ran from the Kern River area, and the other linked the Owens Valley, and the Panamint, Darwin, and Cerro Gordo mining areas with the city of Los Angeles.
A former stage-coach driver himself, Freeman thought that a stage station at this intersection would be ideal for serving the needs of travelers and freight-carriers.
More to follow.
Monday, November 25, 2013
Freeman's Stage Station: Echoes of the Vanished..
Photo by Scott Schwartz.
The author's Jeep parked near the site of Freeman's Stage Station. The site is approximately 100 yards past the cottonwood trees in the photograph.
To be continued..
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Thursday, November 21, 2013
Stage Coach Stop, Mojave Desert...
Wednesday, November 20, 2013
The Old Spanish Trail and a Jeep Cherokee...
Today, remains of the trail exist only in segments, some of which are now paved highways. The segment of the trail shown in the photograph, is located near Fort Irwin, in California's Mojave Desert. Note the wagon ruts that are still visible!
Parking my Jeep, I'd hiked to the top of the hill; behind me was the boundary of the Fort Irwin.
Photo by Scott Schwartz. |
Tuesday, November 19, 2013
GPS: Rely on it exclusively, at your peril...
As a result of situations like the one which caused the demise of little Carlos Sanchez, GPS map database makers have been working with park rangers in order to correct these deficiencies.
While GPS is a good navigation tool, it should be but one tool in an arsenal of several. I always carry paper maps and a compass when I travel off-road.
Monday, November 18, 2013
GPS: Rely upon it at your own risk...
How did this happen? The woman simply followed the instructions given to her by her GPS unit- although it is not known if the unit directed her to that particular spot, or if it guided her to a general area, where she may have spotted a vague trail. Nonetheless, Ms. Sanchez wound up on a road that had been closed for some time, and one that was impassable.
What is known, is that Ms. Sanchez was relying on her GPS unit alone, and that she did not have any paper maps of the area with her.
To be continued....
Thursday, November 14, 2013
Four Wheel Drive and the Bonanza Trail....
Bonanza Gulch is a fascinating area, and old miner's dugouts are sprinkled throughout the area. Legend has it that Chinese miners were entombed in some of the old mines, in deliberately "engineered" cave-ins. See my earlier posts about the El Paso Mountains.
Trail maps that cover the El Paso Mountains are available through an organization that is known as the :Friends of Jawbone (www.jawbone.org/).
Wednesday, November 13, 2013
Old mining area- Mojave Desert- Bonanza Trail...
The packing crates are supposed to have come from a Sears store in Los Angeles; as you can see in this photograph, the cabin is "maintained" by volunteers under the area's "Adopt-A-Cabin" program.
Both photos by Scott Schwartz
Tuesday, November 12, 2013
Drones In The Desert....
Generating its own WiFi signal, the little aircraft can be controlled from my cellular "smart" phone to a maximum distance of one hundred, fifty feet. Whether this is far enough to be useful in this endeavor remains to be seen.
I will keep you all posted.
Monday, November 11, 2013
Thursday, November 7, 2013
The Bonanza Trail, Four Wheel Drive, Photography, and Air Conditioning..
During the warmer months, I drive off-road with my Jeep's air conditioning engaged. Accordingly, I become susceptible to a phenomenon that I refer to as "air conditioning lethargy". If you see something that interests you, force yourself to stop your vehicle, exit same, and explore a little on foot! It's tough- I battle this problem all of the time, when I'm on the trail.
Wednesday, November 6, 2013
The Bonanza Trail and Four Wheel Drive, continued...
Tuesday, November 5, 2013
The Bonanza Trail and Four Wheel Drive, Continued..
Monday, November 4, 2013
The Bonanza Trail and Four Wheel Drive, Continued...
Drive slowly! It is very easy to become complacent while driving on a long, smooth stretch of trail. The temptation to accelerate to highway-like speeds is great, indeed. The problem is that, by driving fast, you may come across a rut, a trench, or a washed-out section of trail - very suddenly. This can result in very expensive damage to your vehicle, and possibly to your body.
Leave the rushing to the off-road racers; those folks are professional drivers, who are operating specially-built or modified vehicles. They are not out to sight-see!
To be continued...
Thursday, October 31, 2013
The Bonanza Trail and Four Wheel Drive- continued...
Wednesday, October 30, 2013
The Bonanza Trail and Four Wheel Drive- Continued...
Tuesday, October 29, 2013
The Bonanza Trail and Four Wheel Drive- continued.
Monday, October 28, 2013
Bonanza Trail and Four-Wheel Drive....Continued..
Thursday, October 24, 2013
El Paso Mountains and Four Wheel-Drive- continued...
Wednesday, October 23, 2013
El Paso Mountains and Four Wheel-Drive..
Tuesday, October 22, 2013
California's El Paso Mountains..
Monday, October 21, 2013
Parrot Drone- Afton Canyon...
Thursday, October 17, 2013
Afton Canyon...
The first cave....
For over two thousand years, people have taken shelter in The Caves.
Photo by Scott Schwartz
Wednesday, October 16, 2013
Afton Canyon...
As we hiked to The Caves, I paused for a look back at the trestle under which we parked our vehicles.
Photo by Scott Schwartz.
Tuesday, October 15, 2013
Monday, October 14, 2013
Afton Canyon...
In search of "The Caves" on October 12, 2013, we had to hike through this lush (for the Mojave Desert) area. Photo by Scott Schwartz.
Thursday, October 10, 2013
Joshua Tree-one of my first desert trips...
Photo by Scott Schwartz
Wednesday, October 9, 2013
Mojave Desert- El Paso Mountains...
A highly-modified vehicle is not needed in order to experience many of these wonders.
Monday, October 7, 2013
Twin Hammers- El Paso Mountains..
Photo by Scott Schwartz.
Thursday, October 3, 2013
Wednesday, October 2, 2013
Tuesday, October 1, 2013
Monday, September 30, 2013
Living ghost town- Randsburg, CA.
Although considered to be a "living ghost-town" by its current residents, vestiges of its past still remain, as illustrated by this building. Photo by Scott Schwartz.
Thursday, September 26, 2013
Wednesday, September 25, 2013
Abandoned building...
And, I wonder....did those who designed and built this structure ever imagine that it would become an abandoned shell, to be pondered over by passers by?
One of the many abandoned mining ruins in the El Paso Mountains. Photo by Scott Schwartz
Sunday, September 22, 2013
Failure to communicate...
Hearing one's tires flopping around on their wheels is an unnerving experience, and there was no doubt in my mind that my tires would be shredded by the time I made it to the highway. At this point, though, they'd become expendable.
So, down I went. Steering clear of the biggest rocks, with my heart pounding, I made it to the shoulder of the highway. The two right tires had actually slid off their wheel toward the insides of the wheel-wells. Otherwise, there was no damage to my Jeep, nor any major damage (there seemed to be a few scratches) to the wheels.
Now, all that was left for me to do, was call the Automobile Club of Southern California. And have them tow me....where?
The nearest cities were Inyokern and Ridgecrest, which were thirty miles to the north and north east, respectively. This wasn't too bad, and the distance was well within the one hundred mile limit of my "enhanced" towing service. But, I didn't know of any tire shops in either of these cities. I figured that I'd call the Automobile Club and find out if they could recommend one. This was easier said than done, however.
I had no cellular service. Locking my Jeep, I trudged up the hill, hoping to find a better reception. Or, at least some reception. My cellular telephone provider was, and still is Verizon Wireless, which I've found to provide reception in most of the out-of-the-way places that I've visited. The truth is that I just didn't have the stamina to make it all the way to the top. Or even close. After hiking about a quarter of a mile, I found that I had a bar or two on my phone's display, so, I called the Auto Club. This was to no avail, however, because there was just too much static for me to hear the dispatcher. It was time to implement Plan B.
At this point, I just wanted to get home. Did I mention that it was already 3:30 PM on a Saturday?
Running down to my Cherokee, I got in and powered up my Kenwood dual-band ham radio. I tuned to the local WIN System (a nation-wide network of repeaters that are linked to each other via the internet- see www.winsystem.org) and put out a call requesting assistance. I local ham - who happens to live in Ridgrest-heard my call. I explained my situation to him, and, not only did he call the Automobile Club for me, but he called a tire shop in Inyokern. He relayed the tire size and type (I figured that my tires would have to be replaced, and I thought that I might as well upgrade to all-terrain tires while I'm at it). This shop had the tires I needed in stock, and its manager offered stay open past his normal business hours (they closed at three- I was lucky that he answered the phone) - for a $100 fee. Oh, the new tires themselves were Bridgestone Dueler All-Terrain tires. These were the only all-terrain tires that he had in stock.
While I was waiting for the tow truck (I'd insisted on a flat-bed truck), a California Highway Patrol officer pulled up. I told him that everything was under control. "Do you have water?", he asked. "Plenty.", I replied. He proceeded on his way.
Forty minutes later, I was en route to Inyokern in the cab of the tow truck. By 6 PM, was driving down Route 178 on my new Bridgestone tires, which had cost me $1000.00- including tax and "after hours fees". Those tires turned out to be great. The tread was "aggressive" enough for the type of off-road driving that I do, and the tires provided a decent on-road ride as well. In fact, I've gone through two sets of these exact same tires, since that day. I'm able to get them locally for $600 installed, though.
Some may wonder if the shop took advantage of me. I don't know for sure. What I do know is that had I had the Automobile Club tow me home, I would have exceeded the one hundred mile limit, and I would have been charged towing fees. These fees may have negated any savings on the cost of the tires. I believe that I made the best decision, under the circumstances.
Of course, driving off-road with "on-road" tires was a bad decision- and one that I have not repeated since.
I learned the hard way that all-terrain tires have thicker sidewalls and resist the type of punctures that left me stranded on that hot summer day.
Ham radio did prove to be an asset, and this experience- which could have been avoided in the first place- reinforced my belief that those driving on off-road trips should have ham radio licenses and ham radio equipment installed in their vehicles.
Happy Trails!
Saturday, September 21, 2013
Failure to communicate...
Thursday, September 19, 2013
Failure to communicate...
Wednesday, September 18, 2013
Failure to communicate...
Monday, September 16, 2013
Saturday, September 14, 2013
Failure To Communicate...
Thursday, September 12, 2013
Failure to communicate....
With dread, I realized that the "hiss" was coming from both tires on the right side of the vehicle.
Wednesday, September 11, 2013
Failure to communicate....
Whirling around, I looked for the source of the "hiss". Suddenly, I realized that the noise was coming from my Jeep Cherokee, which was parked nearby.
Monday, September 9, 2013
Failure to communicate....
All was right with the world. I was at the top of a hill in the El Paso Mountains. The temperature was a cool 100 degrees, as the sun blazed in the sky above.
My Nikon digital SLR was secure on its tripod as I composed my photograph. So absorbed was I in capturing one of the stunning vistas, that I didn't notice the "hissing" immediately.
Thursday, September 5, 2013
Saturday, August 31, 2013
Thursday, August 29, 2013
The dangers of air-conditioner lethargy..
Besides the comfort it affords, air conditioning enables one to drive with the windows up. This keeps one's camera equipment mostly free of dust.
My problem is that I resist leaving the cool interior of my Jeep. I've actually talked myself out of stopping to look at sights (and sites). Who knows what I've missed?!
Wednesday, August 28, 2013
El Paso Mountains Photograph...
An oldie; I shot this photograph during a 2009 foray into the El Paso Mountains.
Photo by Scott Schwartz.
If you can't stand the heat...
Reluctance to leave one's air-conditioned vehicle in order to explore an interesting site or take a photograph, can be a problem. I call this "air-conditioner lethargy".
Monday, August 26, 2013
Desert on my mind...
Tuesday, August 20, 2013
If you can't stand the heat....
Thursday, August 15, 2013
If you can't stand the heat.....
Previously, I'd mentioned nipping mechanical problems in the bud, at the first sign of trouble. During the past few days, I'd noticed that my Cherokee's starter was sounding, well........anemic. I was planning to have it looked at within the next two days, but fate intervened. This afternoon, I turned the key, and the starter would not turn at all.
The point is that, had I taken the vehicle on a desert trip with a potentially faulty starter......
Wednesday, August 14, 2013
If you can't stand the heat....
Cellular telephone coverage is spotty in certain parts of the desert. So, if you have a problem, your options may be limited. The ability to utilize an alternate form of communication, such as ham radio, is a good idea. The odds favor finding a nearby repeater, and many of them are "linked" to each other via the internet, are pretty good. Of course, you need a license to transmit on ham radio frequencies, but the license is not that hard to obtain.
Monday, August 12, 2013
If you can't stand the heat...
Another thing to have plenty of, is gasoline.
In aviation, pilots are responsible for knowing how much fuel their aircraft burn and for planning fuel stops accordingly. Likewise, those going on off- road trips should know how far their fuel tanks will carry them. I am very conservative in my fuel estimates. Since I rarely drive more than 10-20 miles off road on my trips, I find that filling my six-cylinder Jeep Cherokee's fuel tank right before hitting the trail head gives me an ample fuel reserve. That's my vehicle. The reader will forgive the cliche, but "your mileage may vary."
Saturday, August 10, 2013
Wednesday, August 7, 2013
If You Can't Stand The Heat.....
Carrying two gallons of extra anti-freeze is a good idea, too. I prefer the pre-mixed water/coolant combination. One never knows when a coolant leak will develop on the trail.
Monday, August 5, 2013
If you can't stand the heat....
Carry plenty of water! For one-day trips, I carry two 1-gallon jugs of drinkable water. On two to three day trips (the longest ones I ever take), I carry the aforementioned jugs plus a six-gallon military surplus water container (filled, of course).
Saturday, August 3, 2013
Thursday, August 1, 2013
If you can't stand the heat.....
Frequent inspections-I'd say weekly and before each trip-of items like hoses and belts-should be conducted. These components are the weakest links in automotive mechanical systems. If the reader does not know what to look for, I suggest that he or she read up on the subject.
Wednesday, July 31, 2013
Mule Canyon trip on 7/20/13...
Here's a screen shot from the navigation application on my phone. At some point, I was right near Kramer Arch, but I never saw it.
Tuesday, July 30, 2013
If you can't stand the heat....
So, if you notice that your starter cranks a bit more slowly than it used to, or you notice a coolant leak, or any other problem, have it repaired before you embark on your trip.
More to follow.
Monday, July 29, 2013
If you can't stand the heat.....
Generally, catastrophic engine failures, even in high-mileage vehicles are rare. That is not to say that they don't ever occur. They do, especially if an engine or other power-train component has been neglected or abused. Again, driving off-road is a risky activity. But, failure of an accessory, such as a water pump, an alternator, a hose, or a battery, is a more likely scenario.
Saturday, July 27, 2013
Mule Canyon- July 20, 2013.
The back-country navigation application on my phone led me to the vicinity of Kramer Arch. I thought that this was it, but I was mistaken.
Photo by Scott Schwartz
Friday, July 26, 2013
If you can't stand the heat...
Having an older vehicle , with a lot of miles on it does not preclude one from going on long off-road trips, as long as the vehicle in question is kept in good repair. This means spending the time and money to keep it in good shape.
To be continued....
Wednesday, July 24, 2013
Tuesday, July 23, 2013
If you can't stand the heat....
The answer is "no". The authors Jeep Cherokee has over 200,000 miles on it.
More to follow.
The author assumes no responsibility for any actions taken by the readers of this blog.
Monday, July 22, 2013
If you can't stand the heat.......
The first step in offsetting the inherent danger of driving off-road in the summer is one that should be taken before embarking on any long trip:
Make sure that your vehicle is in excellent working order.
Does this mean that you can't take an older vehicle off-road?
The author assumes no responsibility for the actions taken by readers of this blog.
Sunday, July 21, 2013
Another Mule Canyon photograph...
Capturing these colors was worth getting out of my air-conditioned Jeep in the one hundred degree heat. Photo by Scott Schwartz.
Saturday, July 20, 2013
What I came for....Kramer Arch
However, I failed to find it. The geological feature shown in my photo is not Kramer Arch. I thought that it was.
A quick check of the internet from my Android phone (I do have service here in the back country) reveals that a vehicle can be driven through the arch.
So, I am heading home now, with thoughts of another attempt to find Kramer Arch on my mind.