2016 - DE Meeting - July 16, 2016
Desert Explorers Meeting Minutes • July 16, 2016
Attending: Bob Jacoby, Debbie Miller-Marschke, Neal & Marian Johns, Terry Ogden, Ruth & Emmett Harder, Mal Roode, Sue & Bob Jaussaud, Bobbie Sanchez & Daniel Dick, Jerry Dupree, Jean & Sunny Hansen, Vicki Hill, Betty Wallin & Don Sweinhart, Ding & Allan Wicker, Nan Healy, Jay Lawrence.
Regrets: Ted Kalil out sick. Steve Marschke: “He was doing a fence project that he could have paid someone to do but he did it himself because he’s Steve.” (Deb)
Call to order: 11:52 a.m.
Previous minutes: Approved.
Treasurer’s Report: Ted Kalil was sick and asked to be relieved as Treasurer. We need a volunteer, job usually takes about 4-6 hours per month.
• Online pay for new subscriptions and renewals is only partially used. Need to remind folks this option is available.
• Neal has T-Shirt paperwork and needs someone new to take this over next time.
• DE balance roughly: $4,400 after donations to MVRM and Shoshone Museum, approx $1,400 owed to Neal for shirts & hats.
Newsletter: Everything was humming along nicely. We need more contributors. Please send your trip writeups, story ideas and photos to Jay. Remind trip leaders to make sure somebody on their trip will do a writeup. It doesn’t have to be Shakespeare. Send your photos!
Website: Deb is getting caught up and trying to bring all trip reports current. Web hosting storage has been bumped up to accommodate all the archived newsletter files. Expense is now $50/year. Facebook page questions were fielded by Mal, who noted that we have had a Facebook page for the DE for several years and it is active. Encouraged all to visit and use it. It helps direct people to our website and has a live link on it. It is being underused.
Folks wanted to know how Crazy Suzy, our web tech, got her name. Unsolved... but it was moved, seconded and approved that we make her a member and send the Newsletter for free since she has helped us so much with the website.
Museum Deb was distressed to report that the Early Man site was vandalized thoroughly, all displayed materials taken as well as generators and equipment. It is being investigated by the police but the outlook for recovery and reinstatement is grim.
There is an upcoming barbecue at the museum. Museum newsletters will resume in the fall.
Scheduled Trips:
• California to Oregon trip just finished, report pending
• San Bernardino National Forest cancelled due to Ted’s illness
• White Mountains & Bristlecone Pines - August 5 - 7 - Leader Ron Lipari is on track and full
• Mojave Road Trip - October 22-23, 2016 - Leader Neal & Marian Johns and Nelson Miller. Terry Ogden and Jerry Dupree are going. More details in the Calendar of Upcoming Trips.
• Nelson possibly doing 2-3 one-day trips in the Mojave in the fall.
• October 24-27 Joso River Get Together
• Santa Barbara backroads trip postponed due to fire closed roads.
• Mojave Road Rendezvous October 7-9 at Goffs, California.
• Bill Powell may do a Hastings Cutoff trip through Nevada and Utah. He is researching the Pony Express route and Hastings Cutoff. Trails West has a good guidebook on this.
Trip Leadership It was discussed and agreed by all that the trip leader should always have the responsibility and authority to decide who and what vehicles can or should go on a trip they are leading. Driver experience level, appropriateness of vehicle for the trail, participant fitness and demands of the trail all figure into this decision. Moved, seconded and passed unanimously that any persons or vehicles participation in a trip is at the discretion of the leader.
2017 Rondy It was suggested and chewed over that Blythe, California be the site of our next Rendezvous. Jerry Dupree reported favorably on the facility, trails available, nearby areas of interest and welcome by the local chamber of commerce. Possible dates are early March 10-12 or late February. Neal and Marian offered to lead a trip to Dripping Springs, Bob Jacoby noted a book available on dirt road trips in the Quartzite area. Castle Dome site and the local museums in Blythe and Quartzite were mentioned. Jerry will dig further and report back.
Leader’s Checklist Neal updated the leader guide which was originally done by John Page. Bob Jacoby is editing. The final version will go on our website and be available to all subscribers.
New Business Bob Jaussaud noted that the Needles Museum was getting rid of extra copies of the Footprints publicaton by the late, great Maggie McPherson. Vicki Hill would like more folks to make things for the Rendezvous Auction and would like to see something in the newsletter promoting it. Somebody (not sure who) suggested posting an article about the newsletter on our Facebook page. Good idea! Now who will do it? Let’s see those hands!
Next Meeting August 27th at Don & Betty’s house in Yucca Valley.
Adjourned 1:02 p.m.
Thank you, Ding and Allan Wicker for hosting us in your home once again.
Photos: Allan Wicker & Jerry Dupree
