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Camping With the Teds
We left home Tuesday just before noon, a late start for us. The Lady sent a text message to the Teds when we reached Gardnerville, Nevada, highway 395, and a return to cell service. We were on our way and we hoped to make it to Fossil Falls to overnight. The Teds were out in Nevada on highway 95. “We’ll join you there,” their reply read.
Our wool pants and shirts needed cleaning after our last trips. Julie had dropped them off at the cleaners, not expecting us to take off on another trip anytime soon. That changed when we heard from the Teds. They were attempting to get out camping again – more on that later. And at my yearly physical on Monday, my doc told me to get out on a trip, gave me a “prescription” or “doctor’s orders,” so to speak. He wanted more stories from our adventures. We wanted to take the wool clothes along. They are comfortable and great in cold temperatures. They were ready for pickup late Tuesday morning, the reason for our delayed start.
The drive was pleasant and uneventful. As we dropped down Sherman Grade on 395 toward Bishop, we remarked that we were getting out of the snow. The ground was brown, not white. Look at that! The branches on the cottonwood trees were turning green with budding leaves. Wow! Julie glanced up at the outside temperature display. “It says 81°! Can that be right?”
We rolled down the windows. It was indeed warm outside.
“Maybe we didn’t need the wool clothes?” I asked.
The Teds were already waiting and settled in a campsite when we arrived. After set up and dinner, we were ready for the evening show.
The Lady and I, at dawn the next morning, wandered down to Fossil Falls.
The spring wildflowers were spectacular.
As I’ve mentioned in previous posts, our friend Ted is dealing with cancer. He recently had a procedure to reduce the pain that has kept them from traveling and camping. This trip was a test of its effectiveness. Camping has been a major part of the Teds lives.
Ted mentioned they wished to return, and stay several days, at a dispersed spot in the Mojave National Preserve we had taken them to. We headed out the next morning and had camp set up by early afternoon. Ted informed us he had invited a very special guest he hoped could join us. We walked out to a rise where we could see approaching vehicles. Later in the afternoon a van appeared in the distance. It was him. We were ready to spot it through a wash out. The Lady and I had done the same earlier to get the Teds’ truck across it.
Who was this special guest? I’ll get to that……….
As is our normal routine, the Lady and I wandered and took in the evening light.
The Lady took us up to a high point where we could look back and see camp.
Here's the introduction - Ted’s special guest was simimike. A photo of Mike and Ted.
To explain who simimike is and their connection, I’ll do my best with some history. In late 2005 a fellow named Aaron – user name DirtyDog – started a website and forum called Wander the West. The website’s main focus was travel with light weight popup truck campers. The first person to register as a forum member was simimike, earning simimike the title of Wander the West Member Number One. One of the first get togethers (or rallies) that DirtyDog organized was to Death Valley. Several of the early members of the forum attended – DirtyDog, simimike, Ted, Sunman, Deltarat, Camelracer, craig333, pvstoy, marc, and Lawnmowerman (please forgive and correct me if I’ve missed anyone). A good time was had and some of the stories have become legendary. If you have interest, several trip reports on this adventure were posted to the Wander the West forum -
DirtyDog’s Death Valley Rally story
pvstoy’s Death Valley Rally story
marc’s DVR Death Valley Rally story
Ted’s Death Valley Rally story
Sunman’s Death Valley Rally story
craig333’s Death Valley Rally story
Many of these folks bonded and became friends. DirtyDog, over the years, held other rallies that simimike and Ted attended. These two stirred up wholesome fun – wholesome, as is no pink flamingos were ever seriously harmed or camper roofs ruined by birds engrossed in feeding frenzies – and were, deservingly so, well liked. It’s been years since they been able to get together. Simimike has health issues similar to Ted’s.
The next morning the Lady had a mission to accomplish, get Mrs. Ted up the rings on the Ring Trail. Donna had declined to give it a try our last time together here. This time she told the Lady yes. Ted & Mike were busy telling stories and such. We three headed cross country from camp to intersect with the Rings Trail.
We took the trail into the notorious Banshee Canyon.
Julie gave Donna a pep talk and a hug as the canyon narrowed to a slot.
Donna cautioned that she has short legs. “Size does not matter!” the Lady answered as encouragement.
We reached the first set of metal rings placed as climbing aids.
Size did not matter and Mrs. Ted made it to the top. Here’s a view back down.
We were quickly at the second set of rings. There was no hesitation at all. Easy Peezy. Donna was our hero.
We snacked at the Hole in the Wall picnic area and then walked the campground loop to see how busy it was. We returned to the trail and stopped at the petroglyph site.
After a wonderful relaxing day, Julie and I wandered together in the evening.
After a relaxing morning with everyone at camp, The Lady and I donned our packs and headed over to the Barber Peak Loop Trail. We had last done the loop trail in December 2019.
Of course, the Lady has wanted to return so we could include the steep climb to the top of Barber Peak.
There are quite a number of prickly floras in the Mojave.
We continued north along the west flank of Barber Peak.
To the west were the Opalite Cliffs composed of welded volcanic ash. Barber Peak, and many other mountain blocks in the area, are eroded blocks of layers of volcanic flows.
Because of the many cliff bands, Digonnet’s guide book suggests the north slope as the easiest route to the top of Barber Peak. The Lady stopped and assessed the challenge.
We started up, around and through the cliff bands.
Above this point, it becomes quite steep.
We took our time and worked our way up. We found a narrow gap in the final cliff band we could scramble up. We also discovered a bee hive in the base of a small juniper. The bees were not aggressive and we climbed up and past it. We reached the broad summit.
This area was severely burned in the 2005 Hackberry Complex Fire. The scars are still very evident.
We moved south to a lower point to enable a view of camp. The rugged Providence Mountains are in the distance.
A telephoto view of camp and our three vehicles.
The views – not into the sun – were very nice.
After wandering the summit plateau, we searched for a possible easier route down. We found and descended an easier break in the summit cliff band.
In the photo above, Julie is soon to be “cliffed out” that necessitated a left turn onto steeper terrain.
We only backtracked one more time after finding another impossible cliff below us. The terrain eased as we worked our way down.
We intersected with the trail and continued the loop in a clockwise direction. We enjoyed a section of nice trailwork – stairs!
Reaching the Hole in the Wall, we cut through Banshee Canyon and descended the rings as a route to return to camp. We chatted with Mak from the Bound for Nowhere website and YouTube channel for a short while – Owen was “back east working,” Mak reported.
It was mid afternoon when we returned to camp, nap time for our companions.
Things soon got lively. And not because we blew a bugle or anything like that. We had popped and shared Jiffy Pop the day before. Today, Mike brought out a big container of mixed nuts. We all dug in and “ruined our supper” just like our moms always warned. They were irresistible, Mike!
Mrs. Ted joined the Lady and me for an evening walk up Saddle Horse Canyon.
Early the next morning, Julie and I wandered up the long wash of a side canyon to the base of a high dry fall that blocked the canyon.
A jumble of boulders blocked access for a view of the fall.
We had misjudged the distance – it was not a short hike – and the sun was fully up when we returned to camp.
We had spent three nights at this delightful camp spot with our friends. We were so happy Ted and Mike were able to get together again. And, simimike, it was a pleasure to meet and spend time with you! Thank you.
Simimike headed home to Simi Valley. The Teds and us had a few more days together as we worked our way back toward home.
Our next stops turned out to be a really pleasant surprises.
Our adventure continues. Please click here for - Part Two.
Looks like a great trip and wonderful pictures and content as always. Thanks for the history on "Wander the West". It would be nice to see some occasional current gatherings of like minded souls in the future. ;-)
ReplyDeleteIt was a great trip, fun to be back in the Hole in the Wall area and always fun to be with the Teds!
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