[TrailRyder316]

The wife and I are planning our first camping excursion in the E this coming week, starting in Kern River Valley, road-tripping through Mojave Natural Preserve, and ending up in Joshua Tree for the weekend (Apr. 24/25).

We bought the tail-gate Cabana so we could sleep in the E, break down quickly and move on. I will be taking a lot of pictures and will post any relevent ones here when I'm done.

Anyone have any memorable places they recommend visiting in Mojave they would like to share?

Anyone interested in meeting up in J-tree for the day?

 

[Jet]

California Poppy Preserve, I was cruisin around Mojave, Palmdale, Victorville today looking for 747 parts and I was blown away by the colors. Everything is green with large areas of flowers. The State Park Preserve is W. on Ave. I as you're driving N. on Hwy 14. I think this weekend is the Poppy Festival.

 

[Jet]

Found a great Bar on the far side of Edwards Air Force Base called "Wing and a Prayer". They had great pics of Skunk Works projects, lots of Patches and Emblems, a few retired Astronauts throwing darts.

 

[TrailRyder316]

The poppy fields were one of my favorite places to go the when I lived with my sister in Lancaster, those pics bring back some great memories.

 

[MikeQBF]

Gawd. Fields of poppies. Lancaster. EAFB. Home. I miss the AV. :-(

"Wing and a Prayer" must be trying to hijack the cred of the old "Happy Bottom Riding Club", the test pilot watering hole from the '50s. My Dad worked for NACA/NASA during the heyday, and hung out at the infamous bar before the base commander had it torched.

My favorite place to "camp" in Mojave was White's Cafe. Was last there about five years ago. I understand it's gone now, yet another victim of the Hwy 58 bypass. If it wasn't for Dick Rutan's activities at the airport, the whole town would have blown away by now.

I have the somewhat unique distinction of being a Mojave native. Since the hospital closed around 1960 there are only a handful of folks who can claim being born there.

 

[happytrailz]

When you go through 29, wave at my 2.12 acre parcel to the east. (Or, as I like to think of it, a campsite with property taxes.)

It's all good. There's BLM land checkerboarded all over the place, if you're looking for somewhere free/cheap to stop overnight. You might stop at a BLM office along the way, and pick up maps and advice.

In addition to J Tree (sigh...), there's Jawbone Canyon (free camping, if you don't mind ATVs) and Red Rock Canyon State Park (gasp-worthy gorgeousness) north of Mojave (the town). Painted Canyon south of the National Park is gorgeous, and a great route -- aka. Box Canyon Road -- to check out if you also want to see the Salton Sea. While in the Park, definitely check out Keys Overlook and Geology Tour Road. And Pinto Mountain. And the bighorn sheep down at the Cottonwood Oasis. And everything else.

29 has a fun historical museum & art gallery. The 29 Palms Inn grows their own veggies and makes a wicked turkey sandwich. Crossroads Cafe in Joshua Tree (the town) makes a great breakfast.

I'm due for another trip down in mid-May. Good thing -- I think I'm due! Have a fantastic trip!

Edited for a P.S.: You'll probably go right through Red Rock Canyon on your way down from the Kern River Valley (heading south on 14). If this is the case, I'd recommend definitely making a point to take some of the turnouts off the highway -- some of the most specatacular parts of Red Rock canyon are right next to 14, but easy to miss if you're heading South.

 

[Miss Ellie & Co.]

If you have the time there's a spectacular wild flower bloom currently going on in Death Valley. You could drive through the park and exit out through Baker.

Check this out: http://www.desertusa.com/wildflo/ca_dv.html

 

[TrailRyder316]

Sweet!

I just got back from my trip, and although we never made it to Kennedy Meadows (too much snow) and wish I could've gone out to see Death Valley, we had a blast anyhow.

Because of the rain on Wednesday, we decided to hit up Stone Brewery in Escondido for the evening and head straight to Mojave National Preserve the following morning.

It snowed on us on the way up to our campground, amazing for springtime in the desert, and actually stuck for the night. The next day we went exploring throughout the park, checking out the dunes and and old iron mine.

By Saturday it was as clear as a bell, we could see snow on the back side of Arrowhead, San Jacinto Peak, as well as the southern tip of the Sierras, simply spectacular.

I posted all the relevent pics in a new album on my profile:razz:

 

[happytrailz]

Must...
go...
camping...
now...

Great pics!

 

[TrailRyder316]

I hear ya!! Just coming back to the city makes me sick with all the smog, allergies, work, haha.

I want to go back!