A day spent with friends....

Our Location: Near American Girl Mine Road, BLM, CA

A nice morning, not too cool, right around the 50F/10C mark and so we have no complaints.  Plans were made a few days ago for today, although Riley and Elva opted out of the outing, that left Jerry, Deb & Tom, Doug & Yuma and myself to motor along following almost the same route Jerry and I took the other day. However a change of routes was due to the fact we were meeting Doug & Yuma in Winterhaven. 

Very majestic, don't you think? 

I hopped into Deb & Tom's Jeep around 9 am, and we tooted on over to Pilot Knob BLM to meet up with Jerry. A quick hello to Elva, and before long the four of us, Jerry, Deb & Tom and I headed off to Winterhaven where we would meet the last two additions to our crew. Sure enough Doug & Yuma were waiting patiently for us. 

 I wonder if the men that walked on the moon might have practiced here.

 I love the colours in this photo.

We noticed this wild burro way off in the distance when we stopped at the Picacho Gold Mine stop. He stood there doing nothing but turning his head the entire time we were stopped. He is quite far away and I used my zoom lens to capture this photo. 

 

Tom, Doug & Yuma travelled in Doug's Jeep with us two Deb's claiming Jerry as tour guide and driver. I tried not to duplicate the photos I snapped last time so I hope I at least have some new ones.  I also purposely left out any people photos as we hadn't taken a group shot with all of us. 

 Amazing colours in the desert, some variations of brown, green, grey and yellow, toss in some black and other than the blue sky and the yellow sun, you've pretty much run through the colours in the crayon box.

 We didn't hike this time when reached the overlook for the Colorado River but it's still as stunning this trip as it was last trip.

We stopped often, snapping photos, chatting, and enjoying the views. It was a very long day, I left home at 9 am and didn't arrive back home until between 4 - 4:30 pm, but I wouldn't change it or have missed it. I had a great time.  Luckily for me Riley had some food already waiting for me. Thanks Riley, I was hungry.

 Lots of towers over there on that peak, don't you think?

A tad impressive I think.  

 Today I noticed many of these arches. I wonder what it sounds like here when the wind blows steady.

 The Colorado River with a beautiful mountain backdrop. The sights are pretty amazing. Can you see the boat on the left side?

 Elva has some relatives in this cemetery.

 Not a bad place for a final resting spot.

That is Picacho Peak that you can see from this spot in the cemetery. 

Riley enjoyed her day at home alone. She spent some time baking and cooking as well. She even did a bit of housework while I was out playing in the sand with the others. She opted not to come along and I'm sure she enjoyed the time alone. I'm sure the music was cranked and the Igloo was rocking. She told me she spent the morning doing the 'work' and the afternoon just chillin'. So a good day all around for us. I am very fortunate to have Riley with me while I travel and I often tell her how proud I am that she helps out so much. She has come a long way since we started this adventure and she's as excited about the changes as I am.

 

 Can you see the blue of the Colorado River over there? 

 Is that a bush? No. Is that a chair? No. Way, way over there atop of that mountain is 3 wild burros.

Enough people watching, I'm leaving now!

 Tom, Doug & Yuma up there.

  No snow shovels, but I'm told we didn't need them, it's salt.

I had an excellent time and enjoyed the day very much. Again I would like to thank Elva and Jerry Shannon who are so generous to supply the Jeep and Jerry's time, along with his knowledge of the area. It is so kind of you folks! Thanks again for the excellent day Jerry. The company, Deb & Tom as well as Doug & Yuma just made the day better. Thanks guys!

 My favourite photo. 

Until next time... take care, be safe,

Deb

Merry Christmas, more photos....

Our Location: Near American Girl Mine Road, BLM, CA

 

 Merry Christmas to all, we hope you've had an excellent day, doing whatever it is you were doing and if not being with those you wanted to be with, at least being with those whose company you enjoy. We spent a quiet day, made a garbage run, checked out American Girl Mine Road and took a bit of a drive, along with a bit of a hike. Nothing too much, just a wee one. 

 

 Those banks are pretty high over there. Can you see the road on the right side of the photo?

 I think the desert is an awesome place, and with views like this, how can you disagree?

A different view of the Valley of the Names. They just go on and on and on for miles. Interesting place for sure. 

 

The morning started with calls to and from Ontario, Canada as Christmas wishes were exchanged and all the gossip caught up. A phone call here in California to SIL Janet as well. 

 

The views go on for ever. Even into that haze over that, those peaks just keep going. 

 

 Doesn't that make you want to get out and hike, hike, hike? Climb to the highest peak and see what's on the other side? It does me.

 

So many arroyos or washes in the desert. Nothing is flat for long. 

 

Today's photos are more of my ride along with Jerry. I hope I haven't duplicated any photos, if I have, oh well, I liked them enough to show them again.  Thanks Elva for correcting my mistake in yesterday's post. I remembered later that Jerry hadn't called them the Chocolate Mountains.

 

 

 We twisted and turned our way down, up, around, over, and thru some of those peaks.

 This pack was all from Oregon, according to their plates. Very colourful, you wouldn't miss 'em. They were parked at a pull off beside a marker explaining the Gold Mine at this spot.

 I bet you can tell we had to go around this deep wash. We went left and followed the folks in the above photo. They however were soon gone and we didn't see any thing more of them.

 The sky is huge, the views stretch for miles and miles. The haze gives one the impression they could see forever if you could only see past the haze.

 Yep, we drove thru this narrow gap and passed on the right of that big black mound up there. This used to be a rail line but the tracks have been removed and the way is skinny.

 The rail bed snakes around here and we followed it.

 The colour is awesome. It's nooks and crannies call me, telling me that this is the way to top, just follow me. I didn't do it but I could hear them calling.

 The road goes between here and Jerry squeezed us right along past this notch.

 I took a lot of photos of this area, so if I double up, I apologize. Don't you love the colour? Can you see the campground off on the middle left?

 Can you see it now? Just right the very middle of the photo.

 This was taken on our little hike. So we are much lower than the Jeep now.

 Fascinating colours, love that orange colour over there.

 Sand bars out there in the river would make boating a bit of a hazard, but that white sand over there looks inviting.           

 

 

Odd seeing this rock like formation sticking out of the sand. 

 All of this water and greenery smack in the middle of some of the wildest country around the area. 

 I love the tan colour of the reeds.

 We actually end up down in the edge of the river bed for a while.

 I love the shadows over there in the distance.

 Hard to believe that is sand, isn't it? We drove right past there. You can see the road going along at the foot of those towering sand walls.

 A picnic/rest area here after our drive along the river bed. I could certainly picnic here, how about you?

 Looking the other direction from the above photo. 

 And a little bit different angle of the above photo.

 Light and shadow does certainly make a difference in a photo.

 Thanks for stopping by, I hope you enjoyed your Christmas Day and our continued ride along. 

 No where to climb there, you can only stand back and admire the wall.

 Now maybe you could find a way up there if you looked hard enough. Can you see all that loose sand? It would make it difficult to even get to the base of that wall. 

 

 

I think I'd like to climb the one on the left, I'll bet the view is fantastic. 

 

 

Until next time... take care, be safe, 

 

 Yep, we went up there.

 The road turned left just ahead. 

 

Deb