Potluck.
We didn’t take a ride on Wednesday as the group was having a potluck at Becky and Dennis’s. It was Bill’s birthday.
I made up a double batch of Nopolito’s; Patti made some Mexican rice.
The morning was cold and cloudy.
We got to Becky and Dennis’s around 1:00.
They had set up their place for outside dining with tables for the food…
and the bar.
We stood around outside for a while, drinking Margarita’s…
and wishing Bill a Happy Birthday.
Around 1:30 it began to rain so we quickly moved everything inside the party room.
There was lots of good food and fun.
It rained off and on throughout the day. Around 5:30 some went home and the rest of us played cards.
Cards.
Thursday it rained heavy until about 3:00 am.
In the evening we went back to Becky and Dennis’s to play cards.
The Gun Site Ride.
We met the group at the Fire Station at 9:00.
Once everyone had arrived we headed north on 95.
We took Plomosa Road east…
to Sunkist Rd. where we turned south and stopped to air down.
Preachers Pass.
After airing down we continued on Sunkist Rd. to the trail that goes east and eventually goes over Preachers Pass.
Preachers Pass has always been a fun ride. It goes through a couple of washes that used to be fairly challenging with some large boulders to negotiate.
Over the years people (probably ATV’ers) have removed the boulders so now it is pretty easy to get through. There is only one small boulder left on the trail.
Having said that the trail is still fun, with a steep climb to the top.
With some great views.
After a short stay at the top of the pass we headed down the east side of the mountain.
The trail goes into a wash at the bottom of the mountains. There are some neat looking Iron Wood Tree skeletons in the wash.
And more good views.
We came out of the wash and drove across the desert toward the town of Brenda.
About a mile short of Brenda we took another trail heading west back into the mountains.
We stopped for lunch at a place called Red Jasper Hill.
Apparently, at one time the area was covered with Red Jasper but over the years the rock hounds have picked up much of it so now if you want some you have to search around to find a few specimens.
The Gun Sight.
After lunch we continued along this trail climbing the mountains
The trail ends on a ridge with some good views.
There is a foot trail going along the ridge that ends at The Gun Site.
The Gun Site was erected here as a memorial to Ray Hoover by his son. The site supposedly points to Ray’s favorite mine. No one in our group has been able to find that mine even with binoculars.
There are a lot of holes in the mountains west of here but they all look like natural caves, not mines.
Here is the view looking through the sight.
Winter Solstice Reflector.
On a ridge to the south of the Gun Site some one has erected an parabolic reflector that at 12:00 noon on December 21 reflects sun light to a spot on the overpass where Gold Nugget Road crosses I-10.
The Pipe Line Road.
We left the Gun Site and headed back down the mountain.
When we got to the pavement we decided that instead of getting on the highway we would take the Pipeline Road. The Pipe Line follows I-10 on the north side.
The road gets a little bumpy but not too bad.
Eventually the road comes to a wash that goes through some large drain tunnels that go under the Freeway.
We crossed under I-10.
On the other side of the freeway we got onto a frontage road and headed west where we got on I-10 at Gold Nugget Road and headed for home.
It was a fun ride.
Rain, Rain, Rain.
It started raining around 6:00 this morning and has been raining hard ever since. The dome over our shower is leaking again. I will have to wait until the rain stops for a while so I can calk it again. I just can’t seem to fix this for very long. Its getting pretty frustrating.
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