February 2 - Slab City and Salvation Mountain

After the Quartzsite GTG (get together), LeRoy and I went on to visit and ride near Yuma - that will be another post.  After that we met a couple of the gals (Sharon and Donna) at Slab City, near Niland, California.

I am taking a lazy attitude and referring you to a couple of websites.  As LeRoy and I rode through Slab City in the RZR, I guess I was so dumbfounded by some of the residences, that I didn't take any photos.  I didn't even realize it until later when I downloaded to the computer!  Some pretty wild setups with various 'artistic' decor or just plain junk yards! 

The area we stayed in, however, was just normal desert boondocking (dry camping).

Here is a link describing Slab City.
http://telusplanet.net/public/waters/slabcity.htm

And here is one about Salvation Mountain and Leonard Knight, the man who created it.  The latest I can find is that he is in a nursing home suffering from dementia, but was back at the 'mountain' to celebrate his 81st birthday last year.
http://www.salvationmountain.us/menu.html

First we visited the local golf course!

 

 

This is a look at the backside from the top of the mountain.

 

Mr. Knight lived out of vehicles such as this. 

January 30 - Oh Sh** Run near Quartzsite

I spent a few days with online camping friends near Quartzsite dry camping in the desert.  We had people from Connecticut, Texas, Oregon, Arizona, California, Idaho and Washington!  As people moved on, LeRoy brought the RZR so we could explore the area for a few days.

We knew this trail would be fun when we saw this sign......

 

The rocky trail up

 

 

Guess someone liked the view well enough to create a sign

 

 

Those vehicles are on I-10 behind Dome Rock

 

 

There was the extra added attraction of an old mine

Some copper

Time to head back down - here is a short video to give you an idea of the ride.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dd3tEyWZDc0

 

 

April 2 and 3–Valley of Fire State Park, Nevada

What a glorious place and a couple wonderful days!  All the rock formations are due to shifting sand dunes millions of years ago.  My photos do not due the area justice.
 Early sun reflection and the view from my back door.

As much as I have enjoyed everything I have seen in the desert while riding in the RZR, this evening I am enjoying a sense of accomplishment after hiking today.  I have missed that.

 White Dome was a great hike.  We started out on a trail of fine sand – that is a workout!  Then it was fine sand on smooth rock – slick as ice!  I didn’t take a spill on this trail but on a later one – I was standing still and my foot just shot straight out from under me!
We are going down….

 Love the colored stones they used to build the steps.

We started at the bottom of that ‘V’ way up there.

Starting the trail out - and this was a much easier trail.  We expected a hard climb out.

 

 

Sights along the way

 

 Petroglyph Canyon Trail

 

I can't seem to get enough photos of Chuckwallas.  This one went from here, up a boulder, across and back down into the bush to eat.