03-14-13

We had fun on the Wednesday ride.
The original destination was supposed to be about 75 miles east of Quartzsite at a place called Aquila, at a spot in the desert where there is some “Mahogany Obsidian”. The rock hounds in the group were pretty excited about that but the plans had to be changed.
It seems that the person who was going to bring the  the map to our leader Dennis (white jeep) never showed.
When everyone arrived at the Arco station east of town we decided that we would go north to Parker and see if we could get to the north side of the Bill Williams River.

About 9:00 we headed north, drove through Parker and rendezvoused at the River Island Market and gas station on SR 95 east of Parker. 

We topped off the fuel tanks then continued on 95 and crossed the Bill Williams River bridge.

A couple of miles past the bridge we turned east at a large area where there are a lot of RV’s dry camping. A trail heads into the back country from there. After airing down the tires we started up the trail.

We drove over steep hills

through some washes

over rocks

and over some dry waterfalls. Some of the rocks and waterfalls were pretty challenging.

  
One was so rough that Clifford (our jeep) sustained some body damage on the passenger side quarter panel.

   
I guess it’s time that I build some rock sliders for old Cliff. If only to hide the damage it has already acquired.

The wild flowers are starting to bloom in the desert.

We drove by “The Needle” and could just barely see the eye from trail.

 

The day was pretty hot. The afternoon temps were in the low 90’s.
Where we stopped for lunch, there was very little shade so we had to sit in small groups where ever we could find a little cover.

Eventually we got close to the river but of course the way was blocked off. We had to walk a ways to get a view of the river. From my vantage point I could see the Highway 95 bridge.

As far as I know there are only two places where one can get to the Bill Williams River and only one of them where you can drive across it except for the bridge on 95.

In the evening we heard the toads singing in our pond.

No sign of Flash.

It was a good day and a fun trail.