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December 30th-January 1, 2003 New Year's trip to the Mojave Road. Starting in Needles, California to Baker, Nevada.
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| The New Year's trip to the Mojave Road is a tradition among Land Rover owners from various southwestern states. This trip was a scouting mission as well as an initial break-in for the newest vehicle in our fleet, our custom built Land Rover CrewCab equipment hauler. You can see it to the left of one of our Range Rovers. This was our first campsite along the Mojave Trail. We camped in a desert forest of Joshua Trees that we drove through for most of the afternoon. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Caruthers Canyon proved to be an interesting side-trip. Up this canyon was a playground of granite goblin-like rock formations similar to those found in Moab. I thought they were sandstone from the shapes and color, but actually were a form of pale red granite. Lots of interesting shapes to play with photographically in this area. A very easy walk from the main road. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Meredith and Mike clowning around before dinner. Meredith decided that since we'd forgotten the salad dressing that she'd make a nice spinach salad with fresh fruit. We didn't even miss the dressing. Meredith and her husband Ed (taking the picture) came down from Portland, Oregon for a weekend of scouting and exploring along the Mojave Road. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Sign along the Mojave Road. I'm always interested in weird signs that tell you just how 'bad' the road's going to get. Sometimes I just drive by, sometimes I have to get a shot. This particular sign was missing all of the yellow paint and looked like nearly polished aluminum. I wonder if the sun had faded out the yellow? Dunno. Anyhow, the road did get a little curvy in spots. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Looking East at sunset toward the Providence Mountain range. Camped on the lee side of the sanddune, this camp was very relaxing and protected. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| I love what the light in the desert does just after the sun goes down. This is looking due South towards the Granite Mountains (pp. 84 of your S. California DeLorme Atlas). Just behind where my camera is set up is our campsite, pictured two shots above. Temperatures on this trip ranged from just above freezing (we had ice in one water dish one morning), to t-shirt weather during the afternoon. Comfy indeed! | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Of course when you hang out with other Land Rover owners the photo opportunities abound. This looked like a scene out of some African Safari documentary so I had to shoot it. I followed the vehicles owner for about an hour across sandy washes, washboard roads and rutted out gullies before finally catching her! She can drive that thing I'm telling you! What a blast though, putting the vehicles through their paces. I'd do it again in a heartbeat (oh wait, that's why I'm going back again and again right???). | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Like I said, traveling with other Land Rovers is a photo opportunity waiting to happen. Apparently I'm not the only one who thinks so. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| We looked like some kind of United Nations weapons inspection team as we crossed Soda Lake near the end of our trip. Soda Lake, a dry lakebed has in the middle of it a 12 foot high rock cairn that gets larger with the years. Come with a special rock from your hometown, or just add to it with local rocks. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Meredith and Ed Sanman from Portland, Oregon have been great personal friends for many years. Much thanks to them for coming down and experiencing the Mojave Road with me. I think we all learned a lot (not the least of which is that it's OK to forget the salad dressing!). Hope you guys had a great trip, looking forward to having you back down soon! Thanks! | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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