Ruin Running

Back In The Saddle

2010-10-25T17:06:00.000-07:00

Wow it has been well over a year since our last post. I blame Facebook for this..........

We have still been heading out and about exploring the forgotten places of the South West. I will try in my next few post to bring this Blog up to speed with the present.

7-4-09 Yosemite National Park

2009-07-09T15:16:00.000-07:00

Our first trip in the FJ was to Yosemite National Park Ca. 4th of July weekend. Yosemite is about 5 1/2 hours from Las Vegas and well worth the drive. The hotel we stayed at, was actually in Mammoth Lakes Ca. around 60 miles east of Yosemite. This park by far is the most beautiful place we have ventured since we started our Ruin Running.

We entered Yosemite through the east gate on the Tioga pass road State route 120. Greeted by lush green meadow with a crystal clear river running through it's center. The road surrounded by dense forest and towering mountain sides almost took my breath away. Huge granite domes rose above the tree lines to our right and to our left the road followed the river. We stopped at Tuolumne meadows to take some pictures and let the dogs stretch their legs. Before we had the dogs out of the FJ, we were informed by a very polite park ranger that we could not take the dogs on to most of the parks trails. He apologized and stated, " Unfortunately Yosemite is not very dog friendly." We learned this was do to the liability created from past pet interaction with both bears and other park wildlife. We were however able to walk them within 50 feet of the road as long as they were leashed.

Back on the road, we headed to Yosemite Valley as the scenery seemed to become even more beautiful. We noticed some smoke on the horizon and then some signs stating that, a controlled burn was in progress. The traffic soon backed up and came to a complete stop, as the Forest Department fire fighters narrowed the two lane road to just one lane. While we waited for the opposing cars to pass, we sat parked only a few feet from the actual fires.

Upon entering Yosemite Valley we had a wonderful view of El Capitan, Yosemite Falls and Half Dome. It was the perfect time of the year to view Yosemite Falls, it normally slows down it's flow in August. The lighting in the valley was remarkable, do to the smoke from the near by fire. I took some photos of the reddish glow of sun light shimmering down through the trees. The sound of the river, the falls and the beams of amber light made for a serene setting.

We then set out for Mariposa Grove, home to the Giant Sequoias, at the southern most point of Yosemite Park. These trees were unbelievable and dwarfed the surrounding pines by hundreds of feet. I was looking forward to driving through one of the Sequoias, which had a tunnel carved into it's trunk. Unfortunately this mighty giant had fallen and just laid upon the ground, only to be remembered in old photos and post cards. While here we watched a trophy Buck and it's Doe forge for food , just a short distance from the parking lot.

The sun slowly began to set, so we began our journey back through the park. We had truly hoped to see a bear or two, but it was not to be. On one back road Jen thought she heard a bear, I didn't have the heart to tell her, I had gas. We made our way up and down the winding roads, stopping to take some photos of the numerous mountain lakes. As we approached the east gate, herds of deer gathered in the meadows, drinking from the streams and rivers.

The end of the Jeep era.......

2009-07-08T15:30:00.000-07:00

After our Memorial Day trip to the Eastern Sierras, I came to the conclusion it was time to upgrade. After years of modifying, tweaking and customizing my beloved Jeep, it became apparent, the Jeep was just not made for long trips. This vehicle was perfect for short trips into the desert and conquering nearly impossible trails. It never failed to amaze me with its unstoppable 4x4 capabilities and it's head turning appearance. During long trips into the desert, it was almost as if we were cruising the freeway in a rotisserie oven. During the summer, the heat whirled around us causing chapped lips, dry and gritty feeling skin. Our dog's really lacked space and probably felt like beef jerky at the end of our trips.

We had been eyeing Toyota's new FJ Cruiser since it had come out, but we were not to keen on it's unique appearance at first. After several months of seeing it on the trails and around town, it began to grow on us. I began to read several reviews and checked out videos of the FJ online and was soon sold. Stock, it boasted all the same capabilities of my Wrangler and several my Jeep lacked. The biggest sale to me however, was " Air Conditioning" and the cloud like ride over rough terrain.

So on June 16th we traded in the Jeep for a FJ Cruiser. OH MY!!!! Happy Days are here again!!!

The FJ came stock with a rear locking differential, limited slip control, sub woofer, built in compass,outside temp gauge and inclinometer. My plans for add ons include, 33 inch mud terrain tires, blacked out rims, a leveling kit, ARB front bumper with a winch, and a aftermarket roof rack. I am currently taken donations on these items : )

5/25/09 Owens Valley Ca.

2009-07-08T13:47:00.000-07:00

Monday morning we headed back down into the desert, just north of Bishop, Ca.. In the Fish Slough Wetlands area, where we had heard there was some rock art panels. This area was once inhabited by the Paiute and Shoshone. These two Native American groups had settled the western foothills of the White mountains around 8,000 years ago.

Several miles of dirt roads led us to our first stop just, outside the wetlands. This area had a few dozen petroglyphs, scattered on various boulders. It also had a few smooth polished grinding slicks, as well as cupules used to prepare food.

The second stop held even more rock art panels, many of which pertained to the spiritual rituals of the Native Americans.

The third and last of these stops was by far the most remarkable, with hundreds and hundreds of petroglyphs. Several Shaman, Graph, Foot and Hand prints covered almost every rock face. Some Believe the foot prints to represent a diminutive human spirit, Known as Water Baby. This spirit was called upon during some Shaman rituals.

5-23-09 Ancient Bristlecone Pine Forest

2009-07-07T14:08:00.000-07:00

The Ancient Bristlecone Pine Forest is located in the White Mountains of the Inyo National Forest California.It is approximately 250 miles north west of Las Vegas, Nv. and about 17 miles east of Big Pine, Ca.. The forest can be accessed of state highway 168 from either direction.

On our 1st night we camped in a tent at the Grandview camp grounds. This camp site is located below the Bristlecone forest at around 8,500 feet. At this altitude, the weather was continuously changing, at times for the worst. Hail and lightning storms were slowly passing through. Nothing gets your heart going like being in a tent during a lightning storm!!! The following morning the skies had cleared up and we headed up to check things out.

Bristlecone pines live at about 11,000 feet, with not much of anything to call neighbors. Exposed to high winds and harsh winters, these trees are true survivors. They tend to stand out from other trees near them, having half dead and twisted limbs. The Bristlecone Pines are the oldest known trees, ranging in age from 4,700 years old and older. One such tree was named Prometheus. Sacrificed in the name of science to determine it's age of 4,950 years. Another still living is named Methuselah and it's age is close to 4,700 years. Both of these ancient trees have been alive even before the Egyptians built their first pyramids. Due to the invasive tree dating process, only these two trees were tested. Therefore, any tree in this grove can be as old or older.

After leaving the paved road at the Schulman Groove visitor center we took to the dirt. We traveled the some what graded dirt which winded further up the mountain. As we climbed in elevation the trees disappeared except for some Bristlecones scattered through out the hill sides. The landscape became a tundra, both desolate and yet still beautiful.

At elevations of 12,000 feet plus, the views of the lower valley and Sierra Nevada Mountains across the valley were breath taking.

4/04/09 Las Vegas Neon Boneyard

2009-04-07T14:23:00.000-07:00

In the spirit of Ruin Running's love of relics from the past, we took a tour of the Las Vegas Neon Boneyard. It's a three acre lot where old neon signs live out their retirement in varying states of decay. The collection spans from the 1930's to the present and is a maze of towering letters, genie lamps, and rusty bathing beauties. Perhaps you've seen it in Chevy Chase's Vegas Vacation or Tim Burton's Mars Attacks!. It is a wonderfully surreal and thoughtful response to Vegas's quest to perpetually rebuild the strip. The Boneyard itself is getting a makeover in 2009. They are moving the visitor center into the salvaged La Concha Motel lobby, which will be the new entrance. They have guided tours Tues. - Sat. by reservation only, $15 per person. Here's a link to their website, http://www.neonmuseum.org/index.html. Bring your camera!

03-15-09 Mojave Road Part 2

2009-03-16T17:41:00.001-07:00

I awoke around 12:30 AM to what sounded like a dozen people doing the river dance in tap shoes about a foot above my head. The winds had picked up and with the gust of 40 plus MPH the whole tent was shaking. I glanced over at Jen and could tell from her look she was not to happy. My snoring has always made it hard for her to fall asleep. With the added slapping of the rain cover against the tent, sleeping seemed impossible for her. Both of us were wakened every 30 or so minutes through out the rest of the night. Finally, the sun came up and the winds slowly died off. When we had arrived at the Hole-in-the-wall camp site it was dusk. So upon exiting the tent we were greeted with a beautiful view of the surrounding mountains. The camp site gets it's name from the surrounding hills of rhyolite riddled with holes and small caves. After breakfast we checked out the Hole-in-the-wall information center and then headed out to get gas.

We headed down Essex Road toward I-40 to get gas in the small town of Fenner, Ca.. This gas station was located off I-40 on the historic Route 66. A couple of tall windmills and palm trees make it easily visible from the interstate. The gas station itself is quite unique, several drained fountains with interesting statues are located at the entrance. I can imagine this place was wonderful during the period Route 66 was the only highway around. Gas was a little expensive, being the only gas station around for miles.

After fueling up we got back on I-40 and headed west to the Kelbaker exit. This road would take us back into the Mojave Preserve. To the left rose the beautiful pale colored Granite Mountains covered in a light haze. As we rounded the bend and headed down into the valley, huge sand dunes became visible. The Kelso Dunes are nearly 700ft high and cover 45 square miles located in what is known as the Devil's Playground. These dunes were created by the prevailing winds and have been constantly changing for 25,000 years.

We stopped and checked out the Kelso Depot not to far up the road from the dunes. Located about 34 miles from Baker, Ca. off both the Kelso-Cima Road and the Kelbaker Road. Established in 1924, it served as a restaurant and train station on the Union Pacific railroad route from Salt Lake City, UT. to Los Angeles, Ca.. It now serves as visitor center and museum for the Mojave National Preserve. Inside, there are many informative exhibits describing the natural and cultural history of the preserve. There is an old telegraph station as well as a small gift shop and coffee house located in the depot.

Heading toward I-15 on the Kelso-Cima Road, we traveled into a large Joshua tree woodland. The remains of a couple old homes were located off to the side of the road. We stopped to let the dog's stretch their legs at Sunrise Rock while Jen and I took some photos. This area has the largest concentration of Joshua trees in the world. We stayed for awhile, taking in the huge white rock formations and the surrounding Joshua trees before heading back to Vegas.

03-14-09 Mojave Road Part 1

2009-03-16T17:39:00.000-07:00

Saturday morning we headed south to the Arizona, California and Nevada borders. After 1 1/2 hours on the freeway, we turned off onto the Mojave road. We entered the Mojave road near the Colorado river, just north of Laughlin, Nv.. This 4x4 road runs the old Native American trail from the Colorado river into California near Barstow. It was once a main trading route for the Paiute, Mojave and Chemehuevi American Indians. Spanish explores traveled this trail, often guided by the Native Americans around 1770. With the increase of settlers moving west, the U.S. Army began to improve the road and set outposts along it during the 1860's. The road itself varies from graded to rough and soft sand. I recommend using a four wheel drive vehicle with high ground clearance. Bringing extra gas and plenty of water are also recommended. The road is very isolated and gas stations are few and far between.

Our first stop was Piute Springs. It is a lush wooded stream hidden in a mountain valley surrounded by desert vegetation. As we approached the spring, several rocks along the edge of the road contained petroglyphs. Some appeared to give directions or possibly a map to this oasis. Petroglyphs are a true passion for Jen, and she spent about an hour photographing and documenting them.

Just off the side of the road is the quite visible foot path of the original trail. Ten yards further up the road were the remains of an old ranch house in the wash. Some of the foundation, a fence and a concrete watering hole, has lasted through the ages. The desert was also much greener at this elevation .

We traveled about another 1/4 mile up into Piute springs and parked at the new kiosk. From the parking lot there is a panoramic view of the spring, Fort Piute and the vast valley. The ruins of Fort Piute are the 1st stop on the walking trail. The fort was established in the 1860's by the U.S. Army to protect the water of the springs as well being a mail post. Shortly after being established, the Army abandoned the fort. The railroad began to make it's way west around the 1890's and the Mojave Road became less used. The Mojave Road once passed through the springs, but now stops at the parking lot. It becomes a foot path for the next four miles. As you head down the trail be sure to look for petroglyphs that are scattered throughout the path on rocks and boulders. Cottonwood, pinyon, and juniper trees flourish along the banks of the stream. This spring is probably one of the most beautiful places I have explored in southern Nevada.

After exploring the spring for awhile, we headed back to the jeep and down the powerline road. We drove south to the detour around Piute Springs and headed into the Mojave National Preserve, via the Mojave Road. The Preserve is the third largest National park in the United States, outside of Alaska. It covers 1.6 million acres with elevations spanning from 800ft near Baker, Ca. to 7,929ft at the peak of Clark Mountain. The Mojave desert, Great Basin and Sonoran deserts all meet in this preserve. Landscapes vary from dry lake beds, desert, Joshua tree forests, sand dunes and woodlands. The Mojave Road makes it's way through the center of the preserve. Several paved roads also cut in and out with access from U.S. 95, I-15, I-40, Ca. route127, Nv. route164 as well as historic Route 66.

We set up camp at the Hole-in-the-wall camp site at 7pm. The sun had just set, we ate dinner and then gazed up at the stars. The stars were every where and shined very bright. Jen noticed a bright low moving light above us. We were pretty sure it was a satellite, but it seemed to bright. After returning home, Jen looked on the internet and is pretty sure it was the International Space Station. We then called it a night.

03-07-09 Ice Box Canyon

2009-03-09T17:49:00.000-07:00

We headed to Red Rock to check out Ice Box Canyon, located on the scenic loop at mile 8. It is considered a moderate hike involving some rock scrambling. From the parking lot it takes about 2hrs to reach the end of the canyon. January through March is considered an ideal time to hike this canyon due to the streams and waterfalls. As we left the parking lot and headed across the desert climbing in elevation. Within about 10 minutes, the desert became greener and there were Pinyon and juniper pines.

The trail began to descend into a rocky creek bed. Sounds of water filled the air, a sound not too familiar in the desert. It is in the creek bed were the trail becomes a little difficult. It involves rock scrambling over numerous boulders and negotiating which fork in the trail to take. Each fork seemed to lead to the same place, some more difficult and others just dead ends. I recommend leaving the dogs at home on this one. The stream runs along the trail from this point, occasionally developing nice pools of water.

At the end of the trail, a beautiful waterfall cascades down the side of a high cliff. Several large pools surround the bottom of the cliff feeding the stream which runs along the trail. A climbing rope draped down along side this waterfall, seemed more for coming down then going up. We hung out here taking in the sights and enjoying the calming effect of the creek.

Ice Box Canyons Waterfall

This is a very enjoyable hike, not to mention a good work out on the legs. While your on this trail keep an eye on the surrounding canyon walls. We observed several rock climbers as well as people repelling down from nose bleed elevations. A great Saturday get away.

02-21-09 Spring Trip

2009-02-21T18:41:00.000-08:00

Today we headed to the base of the Spring Mountains, relatively close to home. It's a 15min drive on the freeway and about 40 minutes on some dirt roads. I have been driving by this particular area on a daily basis and for some reason it has just called to me. My gut feeling that there had to be something had paid off. We discovered a spring and it's waters flowed into a small stream which carved through the snow. About 10ft from where I parked were ruins of an old cabin. 100 yards or so down stream lay what seemed to be the remains of a cemetery. The cabin was small, not much more than a foundation. Some of the doorway and walls were still intact. The "cemetery" looked like just a few dead tree branches stuck into the ground at first. upon closer inspection I noticed the old wire that joined them. I then realized they made up a fence which covered about a 20ft square area.

Video of the spring:

We spent the day exploring the area as the dogs ran around playing in the snow. Unfortunately, after deciding to drive further down the snow and mud covered road, we ran into a dead end. We turned around and headed back up the narrow, slippery road back to civilization. Now my gut is telling me there might be more back in this valley and we're eager to explore here again.

Law of the land

2009-02-18T15:23:00.000-08:00

In some of my future posts, I may not have specific directions to a site or use the site's actual name. The reason is not because I am selfish or forgetful. Giving out this information would violate a confidentiality agreement and possibly damage a site by contributing to a rise in it's visitation. Vandalism of these places seems to be on the rise, whether intentionally or through ignorance of proper site etiquette. I personally feel that those who are truly interested in exploring these places will go about discovering them the way we have; through research, luck or volunteering. Groups like the Clark County Cultural Site Stewardship program, Nevada Rock Art foundation and the Nevada Archaeological Association are a great way to get involved. Here are links to some of these programs.

The Nevada Archaeological Association- http://www.nvarch.org/

Nevada Rock Art Foundation- http://www.nevadarockart.org/

Nevada Cultural Site Stewardship- http://www.blm.gov/heritage/adventures/want_2_help/site_steward.html

Federal law prohibits anyone one from digging or collecting items from these sites (arrowheads, pottery, etc). If one were to find an artifact, take pictures of it, enjoy it, but don't move it. It's illegal and would effect future research in the area. I also recommend notifying your local BLM offices of your discovery. If you are caught collecting, potting (digging) or vandalising a site, you will be arrested and all items you have used, including your vehicle, will be confiscated.

Graffiti over petroglyphs

vandalized charcoal kiln

If you discover Rock art, whether it be petroglyphs or pictographs, refrain from touching or climbing on them. The oils in your skin may cause damage to them. Do not use charcoal to create a rubbing of them, this too can cause damage.

Most of these unique sites are only accessible by dirt roads and are seldom located on maps. I recommend using a 4 wheel drive vehicle or at the very least, one with high ground clearance. Always stay on designated roads as well

Items recommended for desert exploring:

basic tool kit
radiator repair kit
extra fan belt
tire patch & plug kit
spare tire w/ jack & tire iron
a fully charged cell phone (best left off to avoid draining battery, if searching for signal.)
compass or GPS unit
flashlight w/good batteries
extra oil & brake fluid
duct tape
shovel
tow strap
sun screen
first aid kit
warm clothing (even during the summer)
gloves
bring at least one gallon of water per person, per day.
Always let someone know where you are going and when you plan to return.

Most of these items can be picked up at any auto parts store.

So have fun on your outings and remember to respect these places so others may also enjoy them.

02- 14-09 Ash Meadows

2009-02-15T07:06:00.000-08:00

With the both of us feeling slightly under the weather, we decided to take it easy. About an hour and a half away from Vegas is Ash Meadows. It is a National Wildlife Refuge established in 1984 that encompasses over 23,000 acres of spring fed wetlands. This Refuge protects several endangered species, some only known to exist here. Water known as fossil water, which comes from over a 100 miles away through a vast underground aquifer, brings this Refuge it's beauty. Springs, small streams, sandy dunes, mesquite and ash grooves make up the landscape of this area. Over 10,000 gallons per minute flow here year round and the water temperatures can reach 90 degrees.

We checked out Devil's Hole, which is pretty much a deep hole in the side of the mountain. Water rises from deep below the valley floor and forms a pool at the base of Devil's Hole. I saw a Discovery channel special on this place some years back and believe it leads to large underground water filled caverns. The entire Population of the endangered Devil's Hole pup fish live here and our said to have been isolated in these waters for 10 to 20 thousand years. Access to the hole it's self is fenced off but there is a great observation platform in which to take pictures from. Another trail leads around the bend and up to a much more ominous looking hole. It is also encaged which is probably a good thing do to the fact it looks like something someone may accidentally stumble into. I swear I heard what sounded like people speaking Chinese coming from it's depths. Jen on the other hand, suggested it was more then likely in my head as the result of a tumble I took down the side of the rock covered hill.

On our way to Ash Meadows we stopped at the Pahrump valley museum. It has a great collection of memorabilia, including the prehistoric settlers to the present day. A very friendly and helpful staff as well as an impressive Abraham Lincoln collection. Very fitting since yesterday was his 200th birthday.

On our way home via US95 at about 70mph, my eagle eyes noticed several bighorn sheep about 100yrds off the road amongst some cliffs.

Mount Wilson Back Country Byway

2009-02-11T15:07:00.000-08:00

For a little less brown and a lot more green, we headed to eastern Nevada to check out the Mount Wilson byway. This mountain is actually a volcanic caldera. It is a 66 mile dirt road winding high into the mountains near the Nevada and Utah border. In the lower elevations, pinyon and juniper pines line the sides of the narrow, goat trail like road. Higher elevations have aspen and ponderosa pines which create an almost Rocky Mountains feel. The weather was frequently rainy, which some how made it that much more beautiful. We also got to see a large group of elk which crossed our path a short distance away.

After the descent into the valley, we headed to Camp Valley. There were no signs of an actual camp, but this was once used by Native Americans. It was lush greenery with a good size creek that ran along the road. Beautiful pools developed here and there, making it's exploration a must.

As the road traveled through the valley, we passed old cabins and the Rice family cemetery. I really have no idea who the Rice family was, but would be quite interested in learning. Most of the tombstones are dated from the early to late 1800's. This is one of my favorite grave sites so far.

A few miles before the road became paved was the Eagle Valley Reservoir. The valley area was believed to have been occupied as far back as 5,500 BC and then settled by Mormons in 1864. Echo canyon was dammed up during 1969 and 1970 for flood control and water storage. Eagle Valley reservoir is a 64 acre state park, stocked with trout, several camp sites and very scenic.

Ghost town Rhyolite, Nv.

2009-02-10T20:20:00.000-08:00

About 2hrs north of Las Vegas is the ghost town of Rhyolite,Nv.. It is inside Nevada on the California border near Death valley. Established in 1904 during the gold rush of 1904-1907, Rhyolite's population was once several thousand. In the financial panic of 1907, Rhyolite took a turn for the worse and people began to leave. In 1916 mining began to slow and the population decreased more with each year. By 1924 Rhyolite was deserted. Some buildings are still standing, others lay in ruins. This makes for a almost movie like depiction of a ghost town.

One of the more famous buildings is the Glass Bottle House. It is made from 10,000 bottles and completed in 1906. The house now serves as a visitor center of sorts, staffed by volunteers.

As you turn into Rhyolite off of highway 374, check out the Goldwell open air museum. It is off to the left of the road, you will not miss it. It definitely stands out in the desert surroundings. A remarkable display of outdoor sculptures.

02-07-09 Is that rain????

2009-02-08T19:19:00.000-08:00

On Saturday a bizarre substance fell from the heavens. We desert folk would soon be told this was, rain. So I headed up to Red Rock Canyon. I was hoping get some shots of the water cascading down the cliffs.

Here is a couple of videos

Some photos

Off the scenic loop, I went through Willow Springs to Rocky Gap road. This road begins where the pavement ends. Two wheel drives used to make it through here but, with all the wash outs, I recommend four wheel drives only. I climbed in elevation to about 5000ft and found, snow!!!

02-02-09 Gold Butte

2009-02-08T13:35:00.000-08:00

Sunday morning we headed out to Gold Butte, Nv. a back country byway. It is south of Mesquite,Nv. in the town of Riverside. The first 24 miles are paved (barely) and the next 19 or so miles are dirt. It is graded, but hold on to your seat and hope everything is secure. It is very bumpy, due to the washboard type road. A high clearance two or four wheel drive vehicle is recommended. A portion of the narrow, almost single lane, paved road runs next to the Virgin river. It winds up through hills and down across the flat desert floor. A view of Lake Mead is off to your right. As you approach the dirt section of road, you will notice the beautiful Whitney Pockets. This area is rich in spectacular red and yellow rock formations that are definitely a must see to visitors.

Be alert on this road. It is a popular OHV area and has a lot of quads and dirt bikes traveling along it. Always stay on the designated road, this place is abundant in historical sites. Most blend in with desert surroundings. Driving over them is destructive to it's features and to any future research. After about 7 miles, you will find Devils Throat off to the right. A 100ft wide by 100ft deep sink hole. It was once said to be bottomless or lead to a underground river.

Our goal in Gold Butte was to Locate some rock art Jen had once heard was here। Gold Butte road is a total of 62 miles through out the desert। Finding these were like locating the needle in a hay stack. As usual Jen was able to sniff them out. It was obvious that this was once inhabited by Native Indians. A perfect location from the river, with natural rock shelters. This would make for prime real estate in their day. We also discovered an amazing desert grotto, which we took video of.

We divided up, Jen took the high road and the dogs and I took the low. Sam, our male dog managed to find a couple of Doritos chips, literally in the middle of nowhere, I swear he thinks with his stomach. I found a couple more rock art panels. Jen came across similar art and wild horses. When we met back up, Jen took the dogs so I could climb into a shelter I had noticed earlier. So now I was stuck, unable to climb back down. Jen was trying to spot for me and I was not comfortable coming down facing out. After our argument of how rock climbers climb down cliffs (which I was pretty sure they never did, just up I thought), I managed to get down and look back up at what I had just conquered. Wow, moments ago, I was stuck way up there at a dizzying height of about 9ft. Don't laugh, it was "Extreme."

On a previous visit we stopped at the ghost town of Gold Butte. It was established in 1908 as a small copper, gold, lead, and zinc mining town. It even had it's own post office. Arthur Coleman and William Garrett were the last two residents. They died in 1958 and 1961and are buried here. Cement foundations, mining equipment, and the remains of old mills still exist.

After Gold Butte we followed the road to Cat Claw wash. It ends at Lake Mead, on the opposite side of Overton, Nv.. A beautiful view and not a soul around, being a good 30miles from the nearest paved road. We enjoyed our own beach and the dogs loved the water.

Jen's Birthday

2009-02-07T20:30:00.000-08:00

We went to Tecopa, Ca। in Death Valley, where Jen loves to lounge in the Hot Springs. While in Tecopa, we visited the China Ranch date farm. A real oasis of date palm trees, the Armagosa river, and a unique gift shop. The date palms come from all over the world, as far away as Iraq. A variety of date products can be bought and ate here, a farm rich in fiber and I am sure quite regular.

We also checked out the near by Shoshone, Ca। with it's neat cave condos. Charles Manson called this home before moving on to the Death Valley cabin in which he was captured. The museum here is full of information on the surrounding area and houses remains of a mastodon. While here, we ate at a great restaurant called Cafe C'Est Si Bon. It has a remarkable vegetarian menu. It doubles as the town's internet cafe, with a superb book collection.

We try to head here often, during the winter season. In past visits, we traveled into Death Valley, via Titus Canyon. A 26 mile, one way dirt road that descends a vertical mile to the valleys floor. It's not far from the ghost town Rhyolite, Nv. This road cuts across the desert, winds into the mountains through yet another ghost town, Leadfield, Ca.. The road enters an unbelievable canyon, for which the road was named, a must see. Accessible by high clearance two or four wheel drive vehicle. Be sure to call Death Valley Park information for info on possible road closure.

One trip last winter we traveled to Death Valley Racetrack playa। A dry lake bed, famous for it's mysterious moving rocks. No one has seen these rocks in the act of moving. Some believe it is the wind, while others believe it is aliens or the supernatural. These rocks move in a straight line, make a perfect 90 degree turn, while leaving the same depth indention no matter the size of the rock. Located off a 26 mile dirt road passing Ubehebe crater. Be sure to use a high clearance vehicle and stay to the right after Teakettle Junction .

Ruin Running

2009-02-07T17:05:00.000-08:00

Living in Las Vegas is not just about bright lights, 24HR entertainment and gambling. Just outside of this lavish oasis lies another world. It offers endless adventure and spectacular beauty. The history of ancient cultures are etched into the Nevada desert, waiting to be discovered.

Jen and I spend many weekends exploring the deserts of southern Nevada. Her interests are in Native American rock art and amateur archaeology. I enjoy the beauty, silence and calm of being in the middle of nowhere. We are members of the Nevada Archaeological Site Stewardship Program. This program educates on the importance of preserving historical sites. It teaches proper rock art etiquette, and provides us our own site to monitor, preserve and protect. Since becoming involved in this program, we were lucky enough to discover a one of a kind artifact which is now in the possession of the Nevada BLM. Unfortunately, we cannot discuss this item until it has been properly researched, carbon dated and processed through the Government Bureaucracy. We did, however, receive an award for our discovery.

Jen also discovered ancient Native American hunting blinds, 1,000yr old corn cobs, and undocumented rock art panels . She is quite the Lora Croft. She is interested in pursuing archaeology. Several professionals studying her find have said," Are you sure this is what you want to do? It might be all down hill after this!"

I also enjoy the thought of pursuing a career in Archaeology. However, I'm content in discovery of these locations and, more than anything, driving us in my Jeep.

So, check back to discover the amazing sights, places, secrets and history of what lies beyond the neon lights of Las Vegas........