2016 - Trip Report -Mojave Road Trip

Mohave Road Trip

October 21-23, 2016 • By Neal Johns

We started out OK until we heard a voice over the cell phone that sounded just like Jerry. It could not be him, I camped with him last night. We told him to wait at Mohave Road Mile 3+ and we would pick him up (and we did). Stopping at Granite Spring, we turned the animals loose and they saw a few petroglyphs and a trickle of water before cries of “Onward, Onward” got them moving again.

Then it was onward to Fort Rock. Most of us made it all the way to the Fort, and then the same idiot started screaming again – “Onward, Onward.”

Since I had not heard that the way over the Piute Range had been fixed, I took the motley crew over the “Official
     Bypass” route a few miles south.   
    Amazingly, we made it OK. The turns came up so fast, I had no chance to look at my GPS (I had stopped at the Museum and got their last copy of the Mojave Road Guide with GPS in it). I hope the Bypass had GPS in it too. Good job, Chris!

Next up was Watson Wash – heh, heh, heh, I took them down the Go Down into the wash and they made it! Darn! It is getting hard for a guy to have any fun anymore. To make up for it, I told them to walk up to the spring at Rock Spring before yelling at them. Then it was time for lunch, so after zooming by the Rock House, we pulled into the wash and had lunch. A real good Potluck dinner! Then we settled in for the night and woke up to another day.

Marl Springs was next, only a trickle of water there. It has not changed much. Feeling generous, I let them poke around a little while before giving them The Words.

The Post Office was fun, most of the people had not seen the more than 100 Mohave Road Toads 100 feet behind the mailbox. And I had not seen the several other things behind them! You will have to go see for yourself.

Next were Soda Lake, and the Monument, only a few people climbed up to the top to see what the Plaque said. They, of course, were sworn to secrecy.

Over Shaw Pass and into the sand we went. John Marnell and crew had recently put up many markers to show the way and they were invaluable. Marian (my driver) only overshot (by a half car length) twice.

Once again, we passed through Afton Canyon without seeing the Boxcar buried with only a few inches of the top showing. Everyone made it through the water pit OK and by unanimous decision, we broke up and went home. Intrepid travelers were Neal and Marion Johns (our fearless and wonderful leaders), Janet and Peter Austin, Gerry and Dolly Dupree, Mignon Slentz, Vicki Hill and sister Cindy, Ron Lipari, Mike Volmert, Suzy Johnson and husband Terry, Tracy and Lindsay Woods, BJ and Jerrod Keeling (Woods and Keelings are new members) and Nelson Miller. Good trip.

                                    ~ Neal

Photos: Marian Johns, Nelson Miller, Jerry Dupree