JEEP RIDE, MINE SITES, AND SOME ROCK SCRAMBLING

MY FURRY LITTLE MOUNTAIN GOAT THIS MORNING

WHAT A GREAT MORNING IT WAS FOR A DRIVE OVER BY THE CARGO MUCHACHO MOUNTAINS

Skies cleared overnight with morning's Sun rising early into a cloudless clear blue sky.  An encouraging way to start yet another great California day with both of us feeling much better than the day before.

RARE TO SEE CACTUS IN THE AREA BUT PHEEBS AND I SPOTTED THIS BEAVER TAIL CACTUS ON A JEEP RIDE THIS MORNING

Been over a week since Pheebs and I had last gone bouncing around in the desert with the Jeep so this morning that is exactly what we decided to do.  One doesn't have to go far to find interesting things so we headed off down 'American Girl Mine Road' in the direction of the Cargo Muchacho Mountains.  The Muchachos have been mined for gold since the 1800's and there are many old abandoned mining sites and ruins still visible.

SPOTTED THIS MINE SHAFT SO WE HIKED UP TO HAVE US A LOOK

 

Parking the Jeep near one of the sites Pheebs and I struck off on foot to see what we could find.  Now that my legs are feeling much better since re-starting my arthrotec arthritis medicine Sunday I was able to walk without stiffness or pain again so Pheebs and I were soon doing some rock scrambling to get ourselves up to a mine shaft I had spotted.  I find rock scrambles are much better exercise for my legs than just walking along on a flat surface.

RUGGED COUNTRY IN THESE HERE PARTS

IT WAS CHRISTMAS DAY MORNING OF 2008 WHEN I TOOK THE PHOTO BELOW OF KELLY WHILE WE WERE ROCK SCRAMBLING AND LOOKING FOR GOLD ON THAT HILL NEAR THE TOP RIGHT OF THE PHOTO

STILL EVIDENCE LEFT FROM SOME OF THE OLD MINES

THOSE ROCKS MAY HAVE BEEN PILED THERE AS FAR BACK AS THE LATE 1800'S

IF ONLY THESE OLD WEATHERED BOARDS COULD TALK

Had to pay particular attention to the Jeep road conditions this morning and especially any low spots.  Recent rains have left the ground very soft in places so one has to mindful of where one is driving.  The pool of water below was tempting me to drive through it but I thought to myself, 'oh no you don't, I'm not falling for that old trick!!

Driving near or through any mountain range one can generally tell if there has been any mining going on by the small and sometimes large patches of different colored soil and rock spilled down the mountain side.

IN THIS CASE THE LIGHTER PATCH OF FINE ROCK (TAILINGS) SUGGESTS A SMALL MINE SHAFT GOING STRAIGHT INTO THE MOUNTAIN

HERE ONE CAN SEE A MUCH LARGER PILE OF TAILINGS SUGGESTING THEY WERE DUMPED HERE IN MORE RECENT YEARS BY TRUCK OR MACHINE

ANOTHER TELL-TALE SIGN OF MINING IS THAT DUG OUT SECTION BOTTOM RIGHT

ONLY A SMALL PART OFTHE ORIGINAL MOUNTAIN REMAINS AT THE TOP LEFT OF THE PHOTO WITH THE REST OF IT HAVING BEEN BLASTED OUT

We came across another one of those curious things one occasionally comes across in the desert on our Jeep ride this morning.  I'll let the photos below show you what it was.  I'm thinking maybe it might be one of those medicine wheels or something.

I'M SURE THIS ALL MEANS SOMETHING IMPORTANT TO SOMEONE OR SOME GROUP....A LOT OF WORK SURE WENT INTO PUTTING THIS ALL TOGETHER

THERE WERE 2 ENTRANCES TO THIS LARGE MEDICINE WHEEL AND THIS ONE ENTERS FROM THE BOTTOM LEFT

THIS IS THE CENTER OF THE CIRCLES

THOSE ARE SMALL SEA SHELLS WITH ONE LARGER SHELL ALL AT THE CENTER POINT

THERE WERE ROCK CIRCLES WITHIN THE PATH CIRCLES AS WELL

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Motoring our way through a bunch of boon-docking RV's just south of us on our way back to the rig I noticed a bunch of folks gathered for what appeared to be some kind of ATV training class for young folks.

I THINK THESE ARE PROBABLY THE PARENTS ON THE BIGGER ATV MACHINES

THIS YOUNG FELLER BUZZED ME DOING ABOUT 500MPH.....NOTICE THE 'GO-PRO' CAMERA ON HIS HELMET

Just a beautiful morning in California as I watched the big white cotton ball clouds come drifting back into the area.  With 70 degree temperatures the day could not have been better for me.  Not too cold and not too hot.  Perfect for walking, hiking, rock scrambling, Jeeping, or just sitting outside in the Sun.

THESE DESERT BRITTLE BUSH PLANTS WILL SOON BE IN BLOOM WITH THEIR YELLOW FLOWERS

'AW COME ON DAD WERE YOU AND MOM REALLY PICKING UP GOLD NUGGEST BACK ON CHRISTMAS DAY OF 2008'?? ... .. WELL NO PHEEBS BUT WE SURE HAD FUN THAT MORNING THINKING WE WERE:))

Pheebs and I were back to the rig by noon and that morning Jeep ride for us turned out to be just what the Doctor ordered.  Feeling much better both mentally and physically for sure.

GROANER'S CORNER:(( A man sits down at a bar and orders a double martini. After he finishes, he peeks inside his shirt pocket, then orders another. After he finishes that, he again peeks inside his shirt pocket and orders another double martini. The barman says: "I'll bring you martinis all night but why do you look inside your shirt pocket before you order a refill." The customer replies: "I'm peeking at a photo of my wife. When she starts to look good, I know it's time to go home."

A blonde ordered a pizza and the clerk asked if he should cut it in six or twelve pieces. She responded, ''Six, please. I could never eat twelve pieces.''