2007 Trips (17)
Trips taken in 2007.
Quartzsite 2007
by Neal Johns
Quartzsite never changes, Quartzsite is always different! This year there was a bigger crowd in Quartzsite than usual overall, while many of the usual DE suspects and hanger-on¹s did not show up at our campsite. Marian and I, along with ex-brother-in-law Bill (Willie) Young, from Whidbey Island, WA, got there Wednesday afternoon. When I married Marian, somehow I forgot to tell her about all my weird ex-relatives. Heh, heh, heh.
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(No trip report was submitted, but click Read More below to see some neat photos)
2007 Trip Reports - Hike to Panamint City
Written by Debbie Miller Marschke
Hike to Panamint City
by Debbie Miller Marschke
Ever since I had read of the fate of historic 1800's Panamint City, I yearned to see it for myself. Panamint City was one of those godless mining towns - teeming with boozing, gambling, whoring, and of course the coveted "color" the men were all wrangling over. The silver mine was said to have been a rival for the Comstock. Justice was administered one bullet at a time. Cradled high in the mountain canyons of Death Valley's Panamint Range, 6300 feet is a tough trek, even with a road. So I suspect that all the local preachers had their arms raised to the heavens in a victory cry when mother nature unleashed a savage rainstorm that produced the Biblical flash flood that destroyed Panamint City in one night. They say it was the "hand of God" wiping the evil away.
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2007 Trip Report - Anza Borrego Wildflowers
Written by Alan Schoenherr & Alan Romspert
Trip Report - Anza-Borrego Wildflowers, ‘07
By Allan Schoenherr and Alan Romspert
Allan and Alan arrived at Palm Spring in Anza-Borrego Desert State Park, about noon on Thursday, April 5. Christine Urbach and her nephew Jon Lawton arrived a short time later, followed by Pat and Emily Murphy. We had a quick lunch and set out to scout our route for the following day and to search out those elusive wildflowers. According to reports from park personnel, this is one of the driest years on record. Contrasting with last year’s two -inch torrent which fell during our wildflower trip, this year the park received, so far, only 3/4 inch of rain all year.
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Rendezvous Retrospective - Amboy
by Allan Wicker
It was cool and windy when I left Claremont Thursday morning of the Rendezvous weekend. I called ahead to let Bob and Nancy Dodds I’d be later than our appointed time to load tables from the Mojave River Valley Museum into the Dodds’ truck to be transported to the Amboy Rendezvous site. By the time I arrived, all but two of the tables were sitting in the truck. It was cold and windy in Barstow as well.
Bob said that there had been an accident east of Barstow on I-40, so we would need to take old Highway 66. Our caravan to Amboy included Bob and Nancy in separate vehicles, with their truck and a trailer loaded with a generator, electrical cords, and other supplies. They also pulled their camp trailer.
From Highway 66 we could see the backup of vehicles stopped on I-40. An ambulance streaked toward Barstow. We later learned that two people died in a multi-vehicle crash apparently caused by blowing sand. Much of the I-40 traffic was diverted to Route 66, but it kept moving—for a while. After we had passed by the spot, a second crash on 66 caused it to be closed as well.
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San Gabriel Mountains
Leaders, Neal & Marian Johns
By Jean Hansen
After hosting the May Desert Explorers meeting, Leaders Neal & MarianJohns, apparently not having had enough of all of us, let an excellent trip upLytle Creek and into the San Gabriel Mountains. They led trip participants Jay Lawrence, Ken Sears, Tommy Perasso, Bob & Shirley Bolin, Ted Kalil, Sunny & Jean Hansen and Allan & Din Wicker on several 4X4 roads which I didnot know even existed! The scenery was spectacular and the weather wasbeautiful. Along the way, we saw several shrubs in bloom, which Marianidentified as Ceanothus (which some people refer to as “mountain lilac”) and Fremontodendron ( “flannel bush”). After exploring several roads to their respective ends, Marian and Neal led us on a fantastic road up to the ridgeline where we were able to look out at Lytle Creek and further up, the entire high desert. From that point, we eventually descended to Lone Pine Canyon Road, where we all separated to head home. Thanks, Neal & Marian!
No trip report was submitted, please view the photos
2007 Trip photos - White Mountains Bristlecone
Written by Debbie MillerNo trip report was submitted, see the photos
No trip report submitted, but check out the photos
Goldstone
September 15, 2007
By Bob Dodds
Those on board were; Myself and Nancy, Mal and Jean Roode, Allan Wicker, Bob and Shirley Bolin, Craig Baker, Nan Savage, Don Sweinhart, Betty Wallin, Chuck and Lois Lahmeyer, Bob Younger (drove from Santa Barbara to join us,"What A Guy") and Dave Romero and Osa. Luck was with us again. We had perfect weather.
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TONOPAH,NEVADA
October 12 14, 2007
By Nan Savage
The Desert Explorers who ventured to Tonopah and environs were: Allan Wicker, Rich and Cathie Kenney, Bob and Kim DeWolf, Richard Brazier, Chuck Classen, Nan Savage, Marilyn Martin, Charles and Mary Hughes, Marian Johns, Bob Younger, Mary Whalen, Ron and Barbara Midlikoski. Most of the members arrived on Thursday. So did Allan Wicker. Earning the prize for attracting the most women during the three day trip, Allan just coincidentally arrived at the Jim Butler Motel at the exact same moment as Marilyn Martin and Marian Johns, who drove together in Marilyn¹s truck. The desk clerk, observing the threesome walking in the door, asked Allan skeptically, "Are you sure it¹s only one person in your room tonight?" (more on Allan¹s adventures later). Marilyn and Marian camped out on the back lot guarded by Marilyn¹s small, but mighty beast, "Solace."
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2007 Trip Report - Chuckwalla Mountains
Written by Allen Schoenherr, Leonard Friedman
Chuckwalla Mountains
November 16-18, 2007
By Allan Schoenherr and Alan Romspert
Nearly everyone arrived by Friday evening and staked out campsites in the scenic locale off Interstate 10 and Hayfield Road, a site marked by huge granitic boulders and a spectacular arch. Allan and Alan arrived about 4:00 p.m. after pre-running the route for the next day¹s activities. Soon we found out that Ron Ross was having trouble with 4-wheel drive on his vehicle, an absolute necessity for this trip. After much poking, prodding, and arm-waiving he decided to run into Indio first thing in the morning to see if he could get it repaired. As it turned out, probably because of positive thoughts from this hearty group, his test run the following morning proved that the problem had fixed itself. Good news. After dark, the stars were spectacular, and with the help of a giant pair of binoculars, brought along by Marilyn Martin¹s son Kevin, we were able to observe the Comet Holmes. A fine campfire finished off the evening. The surprise appearance of nocturnal mosquitoes caught those of us off guard who had decided to sleep out and enjoy the stars.
Click Read more, below to continue reading. Part two by Leonard Friedman follows lead story
2007 Trip Reports - Miller's Cabin Spring
Written by Debbie Miller Marschke
Hot on the trail of the Bighorns
by Debbie Miller Marschke
By design, we had intentionally planned our trip when it was expected to be hot. The wary and skittish bighorn sheep can go without water for up to three days – it was our goal to visit a watering site with a known history of bighorn usage during a dry arid season to see them. Basically, you have to sneak in when the weather is intolerable for long distance travel away from the water sources. Of course, if the heat is baking the sheep, it is worse for humans who are accustomed to air conditioning. Steve and I were not too sure which Desert Explorers were up to this mission.
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2007 Trip Reports - Advice on visiting Antelope Canyon
Written by Ron Ross