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We’ll Think of Something
It was early morning on Dec. 12th. I was taking a look at the Internet and called to the Lady.
“My post op appointment with the doc is today, isn’t it?” I asked.
“Three pm, down the hill this afternoon,” the Lady answered. “Why do you ask?”
“I see that tub 7 at Benton had a cancellation and is open for tomorrow night. I’m confident the doc will be pleased with my progress today. Shall I book it before someone else grabs it?”
“We’ll leave in the morning, first night at Benton, and then where?” she asked.
“We’ll think of something,” I replied and added, “I’ve got it booked.”
The evening of the 13th was cold and clear as we soaked in restorative, healing, hot spring water. It was also the peak night of the Geminid Meteor Shower. The Lady loves to see “shooters,” so this was a dream come true. The total number of “shooters” seen before we turned in was 24. You need to remember that both of us, in the big picture, are unaware there are two nine o’clocks in a day. We turn in early.
I believe it was purely instinct when we turned south on highway 6 the next morning. We gassed up in Bishop and picked up a few items in the grocery store there. As we drove through the small town of Independence on highway 395, the Lady asked, “Where are we going?”
“That’s right,” I exclaimed, “We were going to think of something. Bring up the weather on your phone.”
The Lady detailed that the weather reports told of possible heavy rain in southern California including the desert regions.
“So, the Mojave area is out. Let’s go over to southern Nevada but spend tonight in Death Valley. Let’s stop and see how the new system for reserving camping sites on Echo Canyon, Hole in the Wall, Cottonwood and Marble Canyon, and Greenwater Valley roads work."
We stopped at the Ranger Station at Stovepipe Wells. The young man in uniform was helpful. He checked on what was open along Hole in the Wall Road out of the six designated sites. Four sites were open. He did not have a map showing the locations of the sites. I asked him to describe the locations.
“Site six is the last site and it is in the Hole in the Wall.”
“That never gets any sun. Where is site five?” I asked.
“About a half mile down canyon from six.”
“We’ll take site five.”
We filled out a free permit – acknowledging and agreeing to follow all the rules – and I signed my name.
In repairing the damage from last summer’s heavy rainfall and floods, the road has been graded with large berms along both sides. I believe this could be a management decision to make exiting the road nearly impossible and help stop the plague of illegal off road driving backcountry areas in the West are dealing with. In the longer term, I’m curious how these berms will affect, block, and trap water flow in the wash. But, with so many idiots who believe it is their god given right to not follow rules and do whatever they want, the agencies need to try whatever tools they can.
Only 3 or the 6 sites along Hole in the Wall Road were occupied this night. It was delightfully quiet. We got settled and then climbed up onto the bajada to the north and wandered. It is one of our favorite places in this area.
The sun dropped below the ridge before 4 pm and the temperature fell.
It is rarely cold enough to keep us from a night walk or from sitting out in our chairs afterward to watch the night sky. The Geminid “shooter” count was nine before we turned in, with most of these spectacular streaks across the star filled heavens. The Lady was thrilled.
After narrowly surviving the gauntlet of driving through Las Vegas, we arrived at Buffington Pockets mid afternoon. The area was empty and we settled into a high campsite with incredible views – just what we like. Buffington Pockets is a large outcropping of Aztec sandstone, sedimentary rock formed from ancient sand dunes. We wandered in the waning afternoon light.
We came upon these interesting shapes in the sandstone that I’m curious as to how they form.
This is a spectacular place and we soaked in the spectacular light of late afternoon.
Look close in the above photo. The Lady found a natural tunnel through the rock and had to squeeze her way through.
The day ended with a delightful sunset along with the new crescent moon.
Overnight we came up with a plan for this trip, as much of a plan that we needed. The Lady loves to wander, as do I. Our plan was to spend a couple of nights at each spot and spend the days hiking cross country, wandering, and seeing what we could see.
We woke the next morning to cloudy skies. Our wanderings began with our morning coffee. The photo below is classic Lady in the morning just out of the camper with coffee. Her mug is firmly in her right hand and see mores are put to work in her left hand.
After breakfast we pulled on our packs and hiked all day long. We could spend days here and always find something new and beautiful around almost every corner.
As we moved to the northwest, the Aztec sandstone was extremely fractured and broken.
We did a large circle around our campsite. As we hiked east the sandstone returned to more classic forms.
The Lady endured my efforts to make her a spokes-model for sandstone arches, which abound here.
After looping quite some distance to the south, we turned back north into the heart of the sandstone.
We returned to camp too late to have a shower in the sun, but the growing shadows of late afternoon more than made up for that.
With dinner served and devoured, we wandered in the fading light. I tried a few shots in the near darkness.
The crescent moon was a little bigger and the sunset breathtaking.
I will share that in places, along our wandering route this day, we came upon treasure in the form of panels of petroglyphs.
The Lady, because of the seek app on her phone for identifying wildflowers, now carries her phone with her on hikes. She is becoming a good photographer with its camera.
We have visited this area previously. On this trip we
discovered there is a new rock pecker in town putting in new ‘glyphs. These were
recently put here. Although well done, I believe this is inappropriate on our public lands.
In the morning we packed up camp and continued south on the Bitter Springs National Back Country Byway.
It was 17 miles to the exit point on Northshore Road in the Lake Mead National Recreation Area. The drive took us 2.5 hours. There is nothing technical but it is rough slow going with rocks, sand, gravel, and areas of bedrock.
Our next destination was another geological wonderland.
Here is a nice narrative on the geology of Buffington Pocket -
Speaking of geology, this video by Myron Cook is excellent in explaining the fascinating geology here and answers questions such as “Why is there 500-million-year-old rock on top of 180-million-year-old sandstone?” “Why is some of the sandstone so broken and fractured?” and “Why does the sandstone have so many varying colors?”
Here's the video –
Our adventure continues. Please click here for - Part Two.
I hear that the range of the Birdbrainus Rockennipperprick, or the common Stone Pecker, which infests asphalt jungles, is moving into the outreaches of the Great Basin. It's work will soon be shot at, pried off and otherwise defaced by its predator, the Hooligan Luglout. However, both may be overshadowed, as pandemic, clown cars advertised as Bigfoot and lack of morals, will bring on the Estupidous Nincompoop; which move about in their silly little plastic clad clown cars, which mow down road closed signs, climb up rock falls with ease and submarine through the murky brines under the crust of central Death Valley. Oh, excellent write up and magnificent photography, as is your trademark.
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