There was someone in an RV camping there. T here was no way I was going to drive past this without photographing it. The Mojave Memorial Cross, just off Cima Road, in the Mojave National Preserve.Īfter photographing the farmhouse and surrounding area, I drove down to the Mojave Memorial Cross, rising up atop Sunrise Rock to greet the evening. I again drove through a beautiful grove of Joshua Trees and craggy rocks, bumping along a dirt road, and arriving just before the moon rose from the mountains. The location ended up being a beautiful choice. This area had a beautiful farmhouse with vines. I chose one that was closer to the nearest paved road. If I were going to stick to my personal rule, I would need to choose a mine that was much closer to a paved road. Exploring mining camps closer to paved roads And I would get a better shovel and some plywood to help with my car jack. I would keep it to within about four miles of the nearest paved road, not 15. However, I was a sandy, grubby mess despite trying to clean myself off after fixing the flat.Īlthough I don’t regret the adventure, I will not be going that far again. I arrived back at the motel around 3 a.m. Whew! I then drove very slowly on Cima Road and the highway, following the late night trucks to force myself to go slowly. I drove back through about fifteen miles of dirt roads, driving very slowly to reduce the chances of getting another flat, just to get to the nearest paved road. What I neglected to bring was plywood to stop this floor jack from sinking into the sand. I also had the car’s scissors jack with me in case that was for some reason better. This is my Torin Big Red 2-ton floor jack, which I used to fix my flat in the desert. It took me 15 minutes of digging before I was able to put on the spare. I ended up digging some of the sand, rocks, and dirt out so I would have enough room to put on the spare. ![]() I shook my head, realizing that I had not brought a flat piece of wood, something like plywood, to alleviate the effects of sand and uneven ground. However, the floor jack had sunken into the sand. I took off the very flat tire without an issue. In the back of my car, I had two car jacks, one of them a small 2-ton floor jack. Not shown are gallons of water and food, Deet, knee pads, boots with steel-reinforced soles or many other items. Also shown are snake gaiters (sitting on top of the car jack), a yoga mat and two Feisol tripods. This was taken just after I returned from the trip, and before I really wiped out the interior or my poor black suitcase full of clothes and emergency supplies. This includes ample oil, Prestone, emergency kits, First Aid kits, extra clothing and a floor jack for the car, shown in the center. Some of the many things that I bring on trips. And I had tons of supplies and food and water. I had told people the precise location of where I was going, had a cell signal (most of the time), and even had my wife tracking my whereabouts. But this time I did it, going quite far into the desert at night. I almost never venture to remote locations by myself. With that in mind, I have ample food, many gallons of water, emergency supplies, extra clothes and much more. Whether it’s from lack of preparation, dehydration, lack of water, lack of supplies, underestimating the harshness of the desert climate, or some combination of the above, it is a sad fact of the desert. Caution! Be prepared!Įvery year, several people venture into the Mojave Desert and do not come out alive. The nearby area had enormous groves of Joshua Trees, many thicker and larger than the groves in Joshua Tree National Park. The surrounding area was black, making for a rather surreal location. This particular collection of buildings was located near a mine for cinder. One of the many mines located in Mojave National Preserve. Besides, so much of the sense of wonder and thrill is in the discovery. Because some people do just that, most of us night photographers do not reveal the locations. Obviously, many of these locations are historical. A bit of detective work, judicious use of Google Earth, and some driving around can yield amazing locations for exploring. Mojave National Preserve is home to over a dozen cinder cones, the result of ancient black basalt lava flows. ![]() I certainly found that out from firsthand experience. Indeed, most of the roads in Mojave National Preserve are dirt roads. Almost all of these are not anywhere near a paved road. The Mojave National Preserve is dotted with mines. But with that, you also need to take the appropriate precautions. You may explore to your heart’s content, far away from urban areas. But I do really like them when they are hidden in one of the wide-open lands that exist in our national park preservation system. Us night photographers love to explore remote, secret locations.
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