Memorial Day 2020 Camp-n-Ride
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Little Dry Lake
We camped on a dry lake bed that had plenty of room to spread out. Campsite GPS Coordinates are N35.43137° W117.59891°.
A very short video of our camping area
Friday Ride
I led a ride on Friday up into the El Paso Mountains. We headed over to the X15 Memorial then crossed under Highway 395 and headed to the base of the El Paso's. We took a short break at the Miner's Graveyard then took EP11 up into the mountains and over to Holland Camp. After another short break, we took EP15 West through a mountain pass and then turned North onto EP26. This was a rocky trail with a couple of short technical areas. I was concerend about how our newer riders on quads and dirt bikes would handle this area but they all made it through with no issues. We will continued on EP26 until it droprd us down into a sand wash. We turned left and headed over to Sheep Springs for another break.
Next we headed South East down the sand wash and then climb out and take multiple trails over to Hobb Wash. This was a fun narrow downhill trail that terminated into EP146. This section is a long wide sand wash with the final mile called the Narrows. The Narrows is a rocky narrow section with large black volcanic rocks that require some navigation skill to pass through. It was wide enough for our 72" vehicles but care needed to be taken especially when passing a 4runner who was headed up the trail.
After a few miles we headed across the highway and the the valley floor and then up into Randsburg. The General Store and the Joint (bar) were open. After our Randsburg stop, I headed back to camp since I was having some power issues with my CanAm. Wes led the rest of the group back. At camp I checked the clutch and the belt and they were fine. One of our new members (Nikolay) discovered that one of my spark plug wires had rested against my exhaust and had melted through the insulation and was grounding out causing me to run on one cylinder. We zip tied it up and that fixed the problem.
I led a ride on Friday up into the El Paso Mountains. We headed over to the X15 Memorial then crossed under Highway 395 and headed to the base of the El Paso's. We took a short break at the Miner's Graveyard then took EP11 up into the mountains and over to Holland Camp. After another short break, we took EP15 West through a mountain pass and then turned North onto EP26. This was a rocky trail with a couple of short technical areas. I was concerend about how our newer riders on quads and dirt bikes would handle this area but they all made it through with no issues. We will continued on EP26 until it droprd us down into a sand wash. We turned left and headed over to Sheep Springs for another break.
Next we headed South East down the sand wash and then climb out and take multiple trails over to Hobb Wash. This was a fun narrow downhill trail that terminated into EP146. This section is a long wide sand wash with the final mile called the Narrows. The Narrows is a rocky narrow section with large black volcanic rocks that require some navigation skill to pass through. It was wide enough for our 72" vehicles but care needed to be taken especially when passing a 4runner who was headed up the trail.
After a few miles we headed across the highway and the the valley floor and then up into Randsburg. The General Store and the Joint (bar) were open. After our Randsburg stop, I headed back to camp since I was having some power issues with my CanAm. Wes led the rest of the group back. At camp I checked the clutch and the belt and they were fine. One of our new members (Nikolay) discovered that one of my spark plug wires had rested against my exhaust and had melted through the insulation and was grounding out causing me to run on one cylinder. We zip tied it up and that fixed the problem.
Saturday Ride
On Saturday we took RM194 (the sand wash) over to the railroad underpass and then followed RM15 over to RM236 and then took a soft steep (but short) downhill and followed RM232 over to an old mine. We took a short break there before heading over to RM125 and headed over to a large hill. From here there were 360 views of the surrounding area. Anyone that wanted to stop at the top and take pictures did so while the rest of us headed down the back and waited for the group to catch up. Once we are all back together, we took numerous trails over to the Rademacher Hills. We followed some canyon trails to the Sunflower Trail Head that overlooks Ridgecrest. After a short break we headed back into the hills and took some trails through the rocks. One steep and soft hill climb caused issues for some riders so we sent them around on an easier path. We then and headed over to Wagon Wheel OHV area (Charlies Place). Unfortunately one of our riders in a RZR had a medical emergency and we needed to call 911 and have her transported to a hospital in Ridgecrest. I believe she is OK but it was scary. We then crossed Trona Rd and headed over to the Fish Rocks. After lunch we will crossed over Highway 178 and headed over to the Trona Pinnacles. After about a 30 - 40 minute stop to allow for people to explore this area we left and took Teagle Wash Rd. Because of the many delays I decided to skip RM7A and head directly back to camp. We had a RZR with a mechanical problem so I sent everyone down RM1555 (direct route to camp) and I stayed with the RZR and the tow vehicle until they got back to camp. Round trip was about 70 miles.
On Saturday we took RM194 (the sand wash) over to the railroad underpass and then followed RM15 over to RM236 and then took a soft steep (but short) downhill and followed RM232 over to an old mine. We took a short break there before heading over to RM125 and headed over to a large hill. From here there were 360 views of the surrounding area. Anyone that wanted to stop at the top and take pictures did so while the rest of us headed down the back and waited for the group to catch up. Once we are all back together, we took numerous trails over to the Rademacher Hills. We followed some canyon trails to the Sunflower Trail Head that overlooks Ridgecrest. After a short break we headed back into the hills and took some trails through the rocks. One steep and soft hill climb caused issues for some riders so we sent them around on an easier path. We then and headed over to Wagon Wheel OHV area (Charlies Place). Unfortunately one of our riders in a RZR had a medical emergency and we needed to call 911 and have her transported to a hospital in Ridgecrest. I believe she is OK but it was scary. We then crossed Trona Rd and headed over to the Fish Rocks. After lunch we will crossed over Highway 178 and headed over to the Trona Pinnacles. After about a 30 - 40 minute stop to allow for people to explore this area we left and took Teagle Wash Rd. Because of the many delays I decided to skip RM7A and head directly back to camp. We had a RZR with a mechanical problem so I sent everyone down RM1555 (direct route to camp) and I stayed with the RZR and the tow vehicle until they got back to camp. Round trip was about 70 miles.
Sunday Ride
I decided to shorten this trip since it was getting hot and we already had two full days of riding. I led the group will across Trona Rd and took RM189 over to RM1444. While I was on RM1444, I got a call on the radio that a 4 seat CanAm has rolled (twice) and was on its side. I headed back down RM189 until I came to the rollover spot. Both riders were OK and out of the vehicle. I hooked up a tow strap and used my winch to get the CanAm back on 4 wheels. It looked like there was just some minor damage but the riders decided to call it a day and head back to camp which was only about 3 miles away. We all head back to RM1444 and took it for quite a ways through a couple of open gates. We then turned right and took RM52 for about a mile until we came to RM50 and then turned left. When we got to Grass Valley Rd we turned right and took it for quite a while following the wilderness fenceline. When it ended at BM6381, we turned right and headed over to the Husky Memorial. We stayed at the Husky until everyone regrouped and then headed through Bird Springs and down the Husky wash. When we exited the wash, we turned left on Hoffman Rd. and took it for a couple miles. We then turned right and headed over to the Gold Fish Pond. The last few times there I didn't see any goldfish but this time there were several large one. After a short stop we headed over to the F22 Crash Site and then took a sand wash up into the hills towards RM30. I decided to take an high path that was narrow with a deep tire rut on the left (bad decision). My front left tire slipped into the rut and I tried to accelerate out but that just caused my CanAm to enter the rut quicker and I ended up on my side. After shutting down the engine and the soundbar, I climbed out the front window and wondered why I had made such a dumb choice since there was a flat sand wash on the left that went the same way as the route I choice. So with my bruised ego, the other riders helped me hook up my vehicle to the RZR behind me and we used his winch to get be back on 4 wheels. I checked out the CanAm and had discovered that I had no damage so we left and took multiple trails over to Cuddeback Dry Lake. We cruiseed across the lake bed and then took several more trails back to RM1444 then RM189 and RM1555 back to camp. This was about an 80 mile trip.
I decided to shorten this trip since it was getting hot and we already had two full days of riding. I led the group will across Trona Rd and took RM189 over to RM1444. While I was on RM1444, I got a call on the radio that a 4 seat CanAm has rolled (twice) and was on its side. I headed back down RM189 until I came to the rollover spot. Both riders were OK and out of the vehicle. I hooked up a tow strap and used my winch to get the CanAm back on 4 wheels. It looked like there was just some minor damage but the riders decided to call it a day and head back to camp which was only about 3 miles away. We all head back to RM1444 and took it for quite a ways through a couple of open gates. We then turned right and took RM52 for about a mile until we came to RM50 and then turned left. When we got to Grass Valley Rd we turned right and took it for quite a while following the wilderness fenceline. When it ended at BM6381, we turned right and headed over to the Husky Memorial. We stayed at the Husky until everyone regrouped and then headed through Bird Springs and down the Husky wash. When we exited the wash, we turned left on Hoffman Rd. and took it for a couple miles. We then turned right and headed over to the Gold Fish Pond. The last few times there I didn't see any goldfish but this time there were several large one. After a short stop we headed over to the F22 Crash Site and then took a sand wash up into the hills towards RM30. I decided to take an high path that was narrow with a deep tire rut on the left (bad decision). My front left tire slipped into the rut and I tried to accelerate out but that just caused my CanAm to enter the rut quicker and I ended up on my side. After shutting down the engine and the soundbar, I climbed out the front window and wondered why I had made such a dumb choice since there was a flat sand wash on the left that went the same way as the route I choice. So with my bruised ego, the other riders helped me hook up my vehicle to the RZR behind me and we used his winch to get be back on 4 wheels. I checked out the CanAm and had discovered that I had no damage so we left and took multiple trails over to Cuddeback Dry Lake. We cruiseed across the lake bed and then took several more trails back to RM1444 then RM189 and RM1555 back to camp. This was about an 80 mile trip.
The video below captures what happens when you choose the wrong path with your SxS.
Below I have uploaded the actual tracks for all three days.
Barry Friedman
barrymfriedman@gmail.com
818 207-7102 mobile
Barry Friedman
barrymfriedman@gmail.com
818 207-7102 mobile
| actual_tracks_for_memorial_day_2020_rides.zip |