My love for California's Mojave Desert exposed!
Tuesday, January 3, 2012
Boeing KC-97 flight deck.
This former California Air National Guard aircraft is parked at the Milestones of Flight Museum in Lancaster, CA.
Photo by Scott Schwartz- all rights reserved.
Vintage aircraft photograph-Antonov AN-2.
I took this photo at the Cable Air Fair (Cable Airport in Upland, CA) a few years ago.
All rights reserved.
Four Wheeling Into History - California's El Paso Mountains-Part VII- Bickel Camp.
"Bury me in the soft desert sand,
for I'll be there evermore..."
-Walt Bickel
At a distance, it looks like someone is having a major yard sale. This thought struck me as we followed trail EP 15 into the outskirts of Last Chance Canyon. As we turned North West, the camp came into view, only a few hundred feet away. Walt's cabin- his only home for nearly half a century-is virtually surrounded by the machinery that he used to operate his mine.
As we exited our vehicles, we were greeted by the current caretaker who invited us to look around the site.
The story of Bickel Camp is the story of one man's ability to flourish in an environment that would have been (and has been) the ruin of many.
Walt Bickel started poking around the Mojave Desert during the 1930's. The Los Angeles machine shop that he'd owned had succumbed to the Great Depression, and Bickel worked odd jobs while spending his weekends in Last Chance Canyon.
When World War Two came along, Walt Bickel joined the Army; while in the service, he was awarded a medal for designing a tool that enabled gunners to change over-heated machine gun barrels in a hurry.
After his discharge in 1946, Bickel moved into Last Chance Canyon full time, where he remained for the next forty years.
Besides working his gold mine, Bickel grew herbs that he incorporated into his meals and spent many of his evenings looking at the stars through his telescope.
Much of the machinery used by Walt in the operation of his mine, he built using components from vehicles and by adapting small gasoline engines to suit his purposes.
On top of all this, Walt found time to assist the occasional stranded motorist, and he would regale visitors with tales of desert lore.
After suffering a stroke in 1987, Bickel was forced to leave his camp. It was around this time that the Bureau of Land Management was trying to force "squatters" to leave public lands. Bickel camp narrowly escaped the Government bulldozer, after a dedicated group of volunteers lobbied the Government, which agreed to allow a caretaker to live on premises. Thankfully Bickel, who died in 1996, lived to see his camp preserved.
As we exited our vehicles, we were greeted by the current caretaker who invited us to look around the site.
The story of Bickel Camp is the story of one man's ability to flourish in an environment that would have been (and has been) the ruin of many.
Walt Bickel started poking around the Mojave Desert during the 1930's. The Los Angeles machine shop that he'd owned had succumbed to the Great Depression, and Bickel worked odd jobs while spending his weekends in Last Chance Canyon.
When World War Two came along, Walt Bickel joined the Army; while in the service, he was awarded a medal for designing a tool that enabled gunners to change over-heated machine gun barrels in a hurry.
After his discharge in 1946, Bickel moved into Last Chance Canyon full time, where he remained for the next forty years.
Besides working his gold mine, Bickel grew herbs that he incorporated into his meals and spent many of his evenings looking at the stars through his telescope.
Much of the machinery used by Walt in the operation of his mine, he built using components from vehicles and by adapting small gasoline engines to suit his purposes.
On top of all this, Walt found time to assist the occasional stranded motorist, and he would regale visitors with tales of desert lore.
After suffering a stroke in 1987, Bickel was forced to leave his camp. It was around this time that the Bureau of Land Management was trying to force "squatters" to leave public lands. Bickel camp narrowly escaped the Government bulldozer, after a dedicated group of volunteers lobbied the Government, which agreed to allow a caretaker to live on premises. Thankfully Bickel, who died in 1996, lived to see his camp preserved.
Walt Bickel's cabin.
Walt had a knack for adapting machinery to suit his purposes.
This is an air compressor that is mounted on the chassis of an old car.
This is an auxiliary power unit from a B-17 Flying Fortress bomber, according to the site's current
caretaker.
Visitors to Walt's cabin are encouraged to sign the guestbook!
A little cramped perhaps, but comfortable.
Bickel's work shed. It appears to have been fully stocked with
the tools and spare parts that Bickel needed in order
to keep his machines running. After all, he couldn't just run
to the nearest store!
Fordson (yes, Fordson was part of Ford Motor Company) bulldozer.
Fordson tractor. It appears that this machine rode on metal wheels alone; maybe a knowledgeable reader
can confirm this.
can confirm this.
Thursday, December 29, 2011
Four Wheeling Into History Part VI- Rolling along the Bonanza Trail in the El Paso Montains.. Bickel Camp...
We traveled another seven miles along EP15 until we began to climb the steep grade that would lead us to "Burro" Schmidt's Tunnel. Since I haven't had the time to edit the photos of this site, I will write about the tunnel at another time. So I'll skip about ten miles ahead to a place where a resourceful man made his home for over 50 years.
To be continued.....
Saturday, December 24, 2011
Four Wheeling Into History - Part V...The El Paso Mountains...
Driving another three miles, we came to the top of a very steep, rocky down grade. The soil here is a coppery reddish color, and there is an abundance of plant life. Water flows under ground here, and during the winter months, additional water from melting snow flows down to the bottom of the hill. This results in a little stream that crosses the trail. A mini water-crossing, if you will.
I once came across a prospector, who, using a "wet/dry" vacuum (powered by a generator) was panning for gold here.
The following video was shot during an earlier trip to the area; I apologize for the poor quality, as I was using my BlackBerry to create the video, while driving. Obviously, driving the vehicle comes first.
On trip depicted in the footage, we had entered the El Paso's from the other side, and we are climbing the hill here.
To attempt what we have done here requires four wheel drive with "low-range" gearing, as well as off-road driving experience. It is also best to have at least one other vehicle along, in case you do run into difficulty.
I once came across a prospector, who, using a "wet/dry" vacuum (powered by a generator) was panning for gold here.
The following video was shot during an earlier trip to the area; I apologize for the poor quality, as I was using my BlackBerry to create the video, while driving. Obviously, driving the vehicle comes first.
On trip depicted in the footage, we had entered the El Paso's from the other side, and we are climbing the hill here.
To attempt what we have done here requires four wheel drive with "low-range" gearing, as well as off-road driving experience. It is also best to have at least one other vehicle along, in case you do run into difficulty.
Sunday, December 11, 2011
Catalina take off.MOV
Click here to view this video
My wife and I flew our rented Cessna 182 to Catalina Island on the day after Thanksgiving (2011). If the take off run seems long, it's because I flew in ground-effect until I reached 75 knots indicated air speed.
The runway on Catalina is rather bumpy, and I wanted to get the nose off the ground as soon as possble in order to reduce the possibility of a prop.-strike.
The flight from our home airport in Riverside, CA only took 35 minutes. yet it felt as though we were off to visit an exotic, far-away place.
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