Caverns, Rain, and Fellowship in the Desert

DESERT TIME!

​I loaded up the Casita and headed for the Mojave Preserve on Monday, December 7. A few months back I heard that the Mitchell Caverns had re-opened for visitors after being off limits for seven years. The Mitchell Caverns are part of the Providence Mountains California State Park which lies in the Mojave National Preserve in the Mojave Desert.  I made reservations to visit the Caverns on Friday, December 7. My camping buddy and soul brother Marty joined me on Wednesday but we didn't anticipate how cold and rainy and windy it would be.  The first day I arrived it was cold and pretty but a change was in the air. I have a favorite boondocking spot (or 3) out there but, since the forecast was for heavy rain, I opted to stay at good old Hole in the Wall campground.  It is, without question, one of my favorite spots in the West. 

On Tuesday, I drove down to old Route 66 and Amboy Crater. 

Every year, in the summer, a few people seem to die near Amboy. It boggles the mind as the crater is close to the parking area and it seems impossible to get lost.  While wandering around the volcanic piles I found a makeshift memorial to an Orange County couple who were found dead there in 2017.  It's heartbreaking - even more so when you see how close they were to getting back to their car.  

Here are some black and whites from the first couple of days. 

I woke up on Wednesday morning to flash flood warnings on my telephone. I did as much as I could to prepare for the coming storm. I went for a walk and enjoyed the pre-storm calm. 

Marty arrived and we enjoyed a fun evening hanging out, having great conversation, listening to music  and watching a biography of the great Jack London on my iPad. The next day we went for a short hike and the rain started.  We went back to the trailer and hunkered down. At one point, we looked outside and realized that we were the only people left in the campground. It was slightly unnerving as we both kept getting iPhone warnings about impending weather doom.  Turns out that it did rain - steadily for several hours.  However, it was never a truly "hard rain" and there was no flash flooding.  

The day after it rains anywhere is usually wonderful but, in the desert, it is extraordinary.  The smell of the creosote bushes permeates the air and the sun feels brand new.  Marty and I got up early and went to the Mitchell Caverns which were terrific and highly recommended. For me, however, the landscape views that day were unforgettable. 

Here are some photos from the Mitchell Caverns. The first photo is actually a mine - not a cave - on the walk to the Caverns. The second photo is the entrance to the Caverns...(on the right- the entrance on the left suffered a cave-in many years ago). 

The short drive back to the campground after our cavern tour was spectacular.  

A private ranch, Blair Ranch, still operates out there in the high Mojave. This is a view of the ranch from the Providence Mountains Visitor Center. 

The next day Marty left around noon and I spent the afternoon lazing in the sun and reading. Sometimes, it's not the hikes or the sights or the drives - it's these moments I enjoy the most from my life on the road. Book in hand, cold cup of water, and sun in my face in the expansive and quiet desert. Yes. 

The next day, my last in the Preserve, I decided I'd try and see Goffs Schoolhouse. I've tried a few times before and it was always closed. I drove until I got reception on my cell phone, called, and they said, "come on by!". I ended up spending much more time than I anticipated. The day was warm and the managers, Gus and Stella, were hospitable and helpful and kind. After seeing their work I ended up joining the MDCHA (Mojave Desert Heritage and Cultural Association). Goffs is an even more fascinating place than I'd anticipated.  Not only the schoolhouse but the dozens of exhibits outside encouraged me to stay and wander for as few hours. Here are some photos I made of the place. 

Lastly, you probably know I have "a thing" for two lane highways, trains and telephone poles. To, me, they visually represent the hopes and dreams of the West that I have romanticized since my youth.  I did get a nice photo that gets two out of the three.  

The Preserve is about a 4 hour drive for me and I'm already planning my next trip.  Thank you for coming along!