February 20, 2025 - Car Fixed and Return to Fresno

 

Title: February 20, 2025 - Car Fixed and Return to Fresno
Hike Info : Description : Trail Lessons : Menu : Extra Photo's : Animals 

Hike Info:

Type:Car

Borax Museum

Description:

Wow! Last night we had a couple wind events. Both Sherri and I woke up to things flying off of the table. But Sherri got ready first and secured things. Then a few more things were banging around and she went out again. This time it was the neighbors stuff which was flying. The wind was strong enough that I felt the floor of our tent lift up a bit, even with my body on it. In case you cannot tell, Sherri is the hero of this story.

Once things settled down we both fell asleep. I got up at 6:30 and walked our campground, talking with a couple from New York. This is their first time in Death Valley. When I plop down in my camp chair, Don comes walking up. Sherri gets up shortly afterwards.

This is our cue for getting breakfast going. It is a repeat of Tuesday mornings: French Toast and Turkey Sausage. Sherri makes the batter and I cook this morning. It feels good to have a spatula in my hand.

By 9, Steve has not shown up, so Don goes for a walk. Shortly afterwards, Steve shows up and starts to work on getting the car put back together again. We talk and he thinks he can get it together in a couple of hours. That would be great If that happens, then we will get camp broken and be able to go by noon.

 Sherri and Don make lunch and get the food put away. I start to clear out the car and get things organized to go if it happens. Don had visited the Borax Museum at the Ranch area, so the two of them went down, while I babysat the situation and did some preparation for a possible departure.

Don shoting the Palette

I do not get much done between talking with the two Dave’s-our jumper friend and the campground host. Then Jim and Joe, our neighbors. I tell them all that it looks like things will get fixed and we are planning on leaving. I enjoyed talking with all of them.

By 11, Steve is putting the finishing touches on the car. I got some water for him, about a gallon, so he can top off the radiator. Then we start up the car and it works! I am amazed and thankful. We let it run for a few minutes and I start to break down the camp. Steve wants me to take the car down to the shop to put some coolant in. I meet Don and Sherri on the way up and let them know. Steve takes the car for a ten minute test drive and it passes. We are good to go!

When I get back to camp, Sherri and Don have gotten much of the camp broken down. I finished up on a few things. 

One thing which we decided to leave out was a scorpion. It was under the ground cloth of our tent. Don saw it before it decided to seek shade someplace else.

We have the car packed and ready to go by noon. So we say goodbye to our campsite and head out.

But let's get one thing seen in Death Valley. We choose Artist Palette. This is about ten miles south of us. We quickly drive, within the speed limit, to the entrance. Artist Drive is a one way road. At the southern end, there is a women’s bicycle tour group. Sherri gives them a thumb’s up.

Rainbow Canyon

Don is suitably impressed by the terrain and with where Sherri and I have walked before. And we had not gotten to the Palette portion yet. When we do, Don goes and gets a closer view of the colorations. We stay at the parking area and talk with a couple of the women cyclists. When Don comes back, he is really jazzed by the assortment of colors. He starts spouting off about what makes the various colors. It is always good to see someone who is energized by the beauty of what they are seeing.

It is now time for us to start back to Fresno. We go through Furnace Creek and Stovepipe Wells. The car is holding up nicely. When we get to Panamint Springs, I decide to put five more gallons of gas into the tank, just in case, even though I think we would be able to make it to Bakersfield on this tank, but why chance it?

About 20 minutes later we get to Father Crowley’s Point. Here we have lunch before we continue on. But we were able to look into Rainbow Canyon. I do not really see the rainbow colors, but Don sees it. A couple asks us if any jets have come through? Not in the 20 minutes we have been here, but they did see a jet earlier on a practice run.

I am back in the driver's seat and we continue on our way. After leaving the Park, we go through some valleys where we see some small Joshua Trees. Then we break over a small hill and the peaks of the high Sierra Nevada start to show through. We are trying to pick out Whitney, but not sure that we are. That is until we got to a sign close to Owens Lake which pointed out where Whitney was.

 At that stop, Sherri takes over driving. She guides us down 395 to 14 and into Tehachapi. There we stopped at Chipotle for dinner. It has been awhile since we have been there. Evidently it is Don’s favorite place. We come out of there full and content.

I drive down to Bakersfield and get filled up with gas at Costco. Then it is up 99 to Fresno. Thankfully this trip home is uneventful. Shortly before 9, we let Don off at his house, unloading his stuff. Here we do notice one causality from the trip. A syrup bottle must have tipped over and Don’s tent now has a certain sweetness to it. Then it is another three minutes to our house. We decided to just leave everything packed in the car until morning.

While the trip was shorter than anticipated, it certainly felt longer. I am also glad that if the car was to suffer a breakdown, it was where it did and not in the middle of the desert. Just feel gratitude that we were being watched over.

Places we planned on, but could not do:

ubehebe crater

old stovepipe wells

mesquite dunes

Trail Lesson:  Gratitude is the response I should have at the end of each trip

Menu

Breakfast	Lunch	Dinner	Snacks
French Toast/Turkey Sausage/syrup/jam	PB&Nutella or jelly Sandwich	Chipotle in Tehachapi	Clif Bar, GORP, Propel, CytoMax, Scratch, Coffee Candy, Jelly Belly

 

Extra Photo's

View of the Sierra

The Road

View to the south of Father Crowley Overlook

View to the east of Father Crowley Overlook

Rainbow Canyon

Wash close to Artist Palette

Don climbing up for a better look

Artist Palette

Borax Museum

Animals

Scorpion

Scorpion

February 17, 2025 - Go to Death Valley

 

Title: February 17, 2025 - Go to Death Valley

Hike Info : Description : Menu : Animals 

Hike Info:

Type:Car

Description:

Today is the day which we have been planning on for the past couple of months. Our neighbor Don has been to a lot of places, but not Death Valley. So we are planning on showing Don the highlights of the Valley. Can you really have highlights in the lowest place in North America?

I got up at 6:40 and had my breakfast. I got most things packed yesterday, but there are still a few things. But we are ready to leave at 8:30, which is good for us. Then it is off to Don’s house. We exchange some carabiners Don is taking to Rachel for a few of his things. The car is packed, but not as bad as the last several trips.

I will be driving today. Our first stop is the Costco in Bakersfield. We also make use of its facilities as well. So far we are making good time. When we leave Costco it is 10:30. Onward to Death Valley. We plan to go through Olancha so we can visit the Father Crowley’s Overlook. But that is not what we actually do. Hunger strikes and we feel the need to eat. When we hit 395, instead of going up 395, we go across to Ridgecrest.

There looks like some interesting and with some possibly good restaurants in Ridgecrest. Casa Corona catches her eye. We have one in Fresno, but they are not connected, we find out later from our waiter. But getting someplace is half the adventure. It takes us a while to find it, even though it is on the main drag, but it is well worth the wandering.

Don and Telescope Peak

It is good food and we all feel it was worth the price and travel to find this place. I have the #17 equivalent-a cheese enchilada and Chile Relleno; Sherri has three tacos and Don POLLO EN SALSA VERDE.

We waddle out of the restaurant and are on our way. Our route is 178 which leads us to Trona. This looks like the last reasonably priced gas for aways, so we top off the tank. This is a way we have not been before and there are reasons to come back again. First, there are a lot of interesting sights around here. Next, we pass by a road leading to Trona Pinnacles. We can see them in the distance, but it is a bit off of our way. As a note: Later on we find out from a fellow Texas Springs camper that there is a nice campground here for those who come prepared. But the area can be cool and windy. Lastly, there are ghost towns back here and as I understand it, where the law finally caught up with Charles Manson.

 There is even excitement along the road. I spot two burros along the side of the road. I did not see them in time, or I would have taken a hint from last summer and slowed way down. Both to see them and make sure they did not end up on my front bumper.

Takes awhile for a call

As we enter the Park, we stop at the sign and do the tourist thing and take a picture with it. We see Telescope Peak and enjoy the coloration of the mountains. We are all impressed. The road by WildRose is washed out and we have a minor diversion. We hit 190 just east of Panamint. Then continue on eastward.

After going over Towne Pass, we go on a long downhill. When we get to the Emigrant Canyon rest stop, we do. There is the smell of brakes, so we let them cool and are on the way again. I use the gears for the rest of the downhill to Stovepipe Wells. There is not anything stopping us, even though we go a bit slower through Furnace Creek. Shortly afterwards,we turned up a hill, up to sea level to the Texas Springs Campground. Our favorite campsite is taken and so are many others. We grab an open one, A20. It is pretty rocky and sparse with no cover. The ground is hard and stakes will not go into the ground.But for right now, it is the best we can do. We start pitching our tents around 4:30

Orion's Belt

And now it is time to rest after a long drive. The campground atmosphere is good even if the ground leaves something to be desired. After the skies go dark, we take a walk around the camp. Even seeing a telephone booth. Apparently the phone is taken as it has been taken for awhile while the skeleton has been here waiting. When we got back to camp, we talked for a while. There is a reason why next weekend there will be a dark sky event here. The stars are especially bright and glorious. Orion graces our sky. When I put my binoculars on, I can see the Orion Nebula. After observing for a few minutes, it is time to go to bed. After all, It is 9:30. I read for a while and then turn off my phone. Sherri watches a movie past my sleepy time.

Did not get to the points we thought we would do:

Father Crowley Overlook

Rainbow Canyon

Menu

Breakfast	Lunch	Dinner	Snacks
Home	Dinner along the way. Where depends on time	Leftover from lunch??? or PB& Nutella	Clif Bar, GORP, Propel, CytoMax, Scratch, Coffee Candy, Jelly Belly

Animal

November 24, 2019 - Borax, Mosaic Canyon and Home

Title: November 24, 2019 - Borax, Mosaic Canyon and Home
Hike Info : Description : Menu : Extra Photo's 

Trail head:

Mosaic Canyon Trail Head

Hike Info:

Type: Hiking

Trail: Mosaic Canyon Trail

Destination: About a quarter mile up the trail, at the first anticipated obstacles

Actual Destination: About 1.4 miles up the trail, at a large boulder fall.

Distance:  2.81 miles

Start Time: 10:27

End Time:   12:33  

Travel Time: 2:05  (1.35 mph)

Moving Time: 1:42  (1,65 mph)

Elevation Rise: 726'

Descent: 562‘

Maximum Elevation: 1,506'

GPS Tracks

Description:

Today is the day we leave Death Valley. Since we went to bed a bit early last night, I woke up early-around 5:30. It felt cool out, so I stay in my sleeping bag until about 6:40 when Sherri opens her eyes.

At this point, we start moving around and get up. Breakfast is granola, which has the benefit of quick prep time and cleanup. But something which slows us down from leaving is we talk with our neighbors. They are backpackers from Texas. We ask about where do you backpack in that state? Mostly at Big Bend. That gets us going for a good half an hour or more.

Borax Wagaon

Packing up takes about an hour-the usual stuff-take down tent, pack sleeping bag. Pads, food, stove, and other things. Somehow the car looks full. And that is for five days and two people. Guess we will need to figure out this camping thing better.

Remaining Borax Works

But we are off. Our first stop is at the Harmony Borax exhibit. This area talks about how borax was mined and some of the importance it had on the park. It is interesting and we take about 30-45 minutes to take things in. 

 

Entrance to Mosaic Canyon

Breccia

And then it is onward. We do stop at Stovepipe Wells to pick up trinkets for the kids. Then onward to Mosaic Canyon. We go up a dirt road about 2+ miles to the trail head. We are hoping to do a quick hike up to the first obstacle and then turn back. The wash is pretty wide for the first 200 yards or so. Then it narrows. When it narrows, is where the formations gets exciting, at least for myself a non-geologist. The walls become polished like marble with layering which makes it looks like lamented wood, or more like pressed together-layered stone. (According to ProTrails , this is called Breccia, an Italian for 'fragment', is pronounced 'brecha') This has us in awe. Wonder if the pictures will come out.

Island in the wash

Boulder stopping point

We then come to the first obstacle. It is not huge and is not abrupt, about 7’ rise. But what makes this interesting is that it is marbled and slick from the many floods through time. The first attempt leaves us sliding backwards, so it looks like we may go back. But I take a running start and am able to get up. Sherri is content with remaining there until I return. But others encourage Sherri to go up. Success! and onward we go. You would think after yesterday’s success, this would be a piece of cake for Sherri.

Wide space before the side canyon

This next section is a bit narrow, but quickly opens up. Underfoot is gravel, while easy to walk, there is a fear of turning an ankle, it is a bit more strenuous on a pair of legs which sorely need to be strengthened. But I guess that is how you do it. I would say the wider part of this wash is not as spectacular as what we went through. Still it is good to be walking it. Such as what looks like a 20’ tall island in the middle of it. Wonder what that will be made into in another 15 years? Which is the main thing about walking these washes. What is here today, will not be there in a short, that is short geological time-frame. This is not the Sierra where the granite takes centuries to be shaped into a form.

Sherri in the middle of Mosaic Canyon

We walk for another 25 minutes or so when we come to the next obstacle, a set of boulders is blocking our route-like our guide book says it would be. A family comes up and scampers through the boulders. So evidently there is an easy enough way up. But we have another 5 hour drive once we get back to the car. So we figure it is a good excuse to turn around. But first, we partake of a Luna Bar before heading out.

Because we are going down a slight slope, all of a sudden I am bounding a head of Sherri. So I guess if I want to show my vitality and supposed superiority, I need to be going downhill. That is probably the thing I am taking away from this trip, that is besides the kalon of this place-both in terms of heart and the beauty.

Is Gary really climbing the side canyon wall?

We had passed a side canyon a little ways down. Since I was ahead of Sherri, I went up it-only about 20 yards. Then I came to the bane of our canyon travels-a stone vertical wall. Oh well, it was fun for the short time. Sherri catches up and we continue our travels down Mosaic Canyon. It is just a reverse of our trip up.

Re-entering the narrow

Of course, when you are going in the opposite direction, you see things differently. Like the wide area with the gravel. The gravel is still there, but instead of noticing the air island, we notice all of the sides of the canyon, including some paths along the tops of the walls. Interesting. I am beginning to see that this is someplace like my beloved Sierra which you can come back and explore so much there.

We pass through the narrows of Mosaic Canyon and into the marbled area. Remember the area which was a bit difficult to come up? It is now time to go down it. I find going down something harder than going up it. But not this time. There is a half of a culvert pipe made of marble which happened to be about the width of my hips. So I sat down and just slid. Wheee! Why can’t this happened more often? Feels better than a water park, just shorter, a lot shorter. Sherri on the other hand is not as confident of this venture. She tries a couple of ways down, before taking my method. Not sure that she had as much fun as I did. Which begs the question, why does she like roller coasters and I do not?

Rainbow Canyon

It is back to the car and a long ride back to Fresno. We stop at Father Crowley Point, where we came in last Thursday. Had lunch-still no jets in Rainbow Canyon. Then off for about five hours. When we hit highway 395, Sherri drives to Tehachapi where we fill up with gas and have a burger at McDonald's-first time in years.

About the only other items of interest on our drive back to Fresno. First, coming into Bakersfield from Tehachapi, we got a record 56.9mpg. Of course, it is almost all downhill that way. Still something which I doubt we will beat ever in the lifetime of our new car. The second, is we stopped in Bakersfield. We felt that we had to have a dinner of sorts, so a hamburger in Tehachapi fit that bill. But now for a Black&White sundae at Dewar’s. It was well worth enduring the hamburger. Now we can head home and enjoy a shower after a good trip.

Menu

Breakfast	Lunch	Dinner	Snacks
Granola	Sandwich, Peanut Butter, Nutella	McDonalds Dewar’s Black&White Sundae	Clif Bar, Scratch, Coffee Candy, Jelly Belly

Extra Photo's

Entrance to Mosaic Canyon

End of our trail

Golden sides of Mosaic Canyon

Mosaic Canyon

Mosaic Canyon and well walked on area

More of Mosaic Canyon

Boulder Blockage

Gary's side canyon

Looking out of the side canyon

Mosaic Canyon

Brecca

Looking down the canyon at the Panamint Range

Mosaic Canyon

Death Valley and Stove Pipe Wells

Golden side of Mosaic Canyon