2012 Trip Report - DE Rendezvous - First Segment of the Heritage Trail Outbound

Outbound on the Heritage Trail

Sunday, April 15

Leaders: Neal &Marian Johns

The plan was to follow the First Segment of the Heritage Trail to Ward Valley  and then head over to the Old Woman Mountains where Painted Rock and Sunflower  Springs are located. We made it to Painted Rock on schedule and found another  group there ahead of us, but they soon left. We all scrambled up to the cave  with the pictographs overlooking the water-filled tinaja below. What a special  place this is; I think it’s my favorite in all of the East Mojave. After much  photo-taking of the pictographs, we walked back to the vehicles for lunch.

     However, on the way back, I took some photos of the tinaja, and was  scooting on my rear over the big boulders when I lost my balance and fell  backward, landing on my right thigh and right shoulder blade. I swear it wasn’t  more than a couple of feet, but I sure was sore. When we finished lunch, it was  getting so late, we skipped Sunflower Springs and all headed for home.

     By the time we got to the bottom of Cajon Pass on our way home, my bruises  were making me so uncomfortable, we went directly to Kaiser Medical Center in  Fontana. They took x-rays – no fractures or broken bones, and sent me home with  pills for pain.

     Got home about midnight, checked emails and found I have a new grandson! He  was born Saturday, April 14 – while Neal and I were Rendezvousing in Needles! He  has four names! Jason Deven Peyton Cox. His parents are my son, David and his  wife, Allison.