There isn’t much happening today.
Becky sent me a bunch of pictures from our trip on Tuesday so here are some of them.
The group playing cards in Becky and Dennis’s Arizona room.
Dennis decided that he should dress appropriately for driving Dave’s new Jeep.
Ramsey Mine.
a col-de-sac,
checking out a shaft along side the trail.
Mine equipment,
Wildlife watering system.
Ok that’s it for now.
Tonight we are going to Becky and Dennis’s for a spaghetti dinner that Shirley cooked.
We took a ride yesterday with Becky, Dennis, Shirley and Bill.
Patti’s back is still hurting so Dave road with me. Becky and Dennis drove Dave’s jeep instead of their Rhino.
We drove east on I-10 and took the highway 60 exit. We continued east to Ramsey Mine road where we turned south, crossed the freeway and continued to the Ramsey mine.
The Ramsey Mine is a patented claim and is private property. We stopped there for a short time to let everyone look around.
From there we drove over the mountain to the south of the mine and followed several roads to (What else?) Col-de-sac’s. We climbed a steep rocky trail to a peak with a view.
As always the scenery was spectacular.
We continued southeast following washes and rough trails. We stopped in one wash for lunch.
From there we traveled along more washes and trails stopping to walk up an interesting side canyon.
and visited another mine with a deep vertical shaft.
From there we continued along a wash until we came to a steep rough trail on the left. We climbed the hill and came into a high valley with another mine.
We stopped there and wandered around checking out the old mining equipment.
To the right of the mining stuff is another steep rutted trail that we climbed.
At the top of this trail is an area that we have visited a few times before. There is a wall of Crisocola, a blue stone that is associated with copper ore.
We have always taken a group picture here and this time was no exception.
From there we followed a very bumpy trail back to a frontage road along I-10 where we turned west and got back to the Ramset Mine Road.
Shirley and Bill were in their Jeep Cherokee wagon. I was impressed by where the Cherokee could go. They followed us over and around some difficult places with no problem.
Go Jeep! I think Becky and Dennis enjoyed their day in Dave’s jeep and were also impressed with it.
Yesterday morning, when I went out to turn the waterfall on the sun was just coming up.
Red sky in the morning.
Patti, Becky, Debbie, Shirley and Bill went to the Blue Water Casino. The casino was giving out a free set of dishes so it was a good excuse for them to go up there and gamble. Patti was the big winner.
I took a ride to the Kofa Refuge with Dennis in my jeep, Dave and Andrew in Dave’s jeep, and Maryann, Randy and their dog Sparky in their Hummer. We decided to go to De La Osa well. It is a very scenic ride and easy enough for the hummer to negotiate without any problems.
We stopped at the MST&T tower
for the view.
From there we took the trail to to De La Osa well. On the way we stopped to take a walk up a very interesting canyon.
This is as far as us old folks can go up the canyon. We discussed bringing up some ropes or a ladder some time to continue our investigation of the canyon.
The photo below gives you an idea of how big the rocks are that have to be scaled to continue.
After leaving the canyon we drove a little farther along the trail where we stopped to check out a small natural cave. It looks like the cave was the home for some bats. There was a lot of guano on the floor of the cave and evidence of bat urine on the wall. It looks like they are living in a crack along the roof at the rear of the cave. In the photo you can see the stain of the urine on the rear wall.
After we left the cave, we drove until we came to the well where we stopped for lunch at the end of the road.
When we were setting up our chairs we noticed a few drops of rain. By the time we were finished eating lunch it started to sprinkle. The rain was very light and didn’t last long. We drove back by a different route and were home by 4:30.
When we got back from the Wednesday ride I was telling Dennis about it. He was very keen to see the shovel and the mine so we went back there today. It was just Becky, Dennis, Dave and I in the group.
I got some better pictures of the shovel.
Dennis and I went into the tunnels and I got a couple more pictures.
This is Dennis at the end of one of the tunnels where a ore dump shoot drops down to a lower tunnel.
Dennis went into the lower tunnel
and got a picture of the bottom of ore shoot.
We climbed the hill and looked at rocks Becky found, some that looked like they might have fossils on them. It looked more like lichen to me but I am no expert.
We left that area via a narrow wash and stopped for lunch at a wide spot. From there we just wandered around the desert following some rough trails and washes. Eventually we got back on the main trail and were home by 3:30’
Junior invited us to take a ride with the Wednesday Jeep group yesterday.
Patti’s back is still messed up so Dave and I went in my jeep. We followed Junior to the home of Dennis (not our Dennis) the usual leader of the group. Then we drove to another persons home to gather the rest of the bunch. From there we drove out the northwest end of Quartzsite past the golf course and took a right turn on a small dirt road. Eventually we came to our first destination, the old steam shovel.
Well, it isn’t exactly a steam shovel, it is actually a diesel powered shovel but it is very old. Patti and I had been there a couple of years ago but I had forgotten how we got there.
There is a deep vertical shaft on the flat where the shovel is parked.
When Patti and I visited it, we didn’t know that there was a large tunnel complex up the hill from the shovel. The tunnels go in several directions and there are several that let light into the caverns below.
We climbed higher on the hill where there were some really neat looking rocks.
And more tunneling.
From there we went out past the Marble Mine and around the mountain to the north to visit a couple of other mines. Patti and I had been there several times in the past. I got a picture of a hawk that was sitting on a rock. I had to zoom in tight to see it so the picture is a little blurred.
The trail to the first of the mines became to rough to get through so we walked the rest of the way. Unfortunately I forgot to bring my camera. The tailings from the mine were very colorful and the shaft was wide and very deep. We found a large flat and stopped there for lunch.
From there we visited the Darling Mine. When we got to the mine there were at least a dozen vehicles and people scampering all over the hillside.
From there we headed for the trail over Diablo Pass. At one spot on the trail there is an obstacle. The trail goes around it or you can attempt to cross it. Two of the jeeps in front of me crossed the rocks so I decided to give it a try. I was doing pretty good until I hit the rock with the side of the left front tire and bounced to the right. The jeep ended up with two tires off the ground so I could not go any further.
It was kind of embarrassing but I had to get pulled forward until the wheels could find purchase
and I could drive it out.
Junior followed me and did it correctly.
I guess we will have to chalk my problem up to driver error. I should have stayed further to the right.
It was only a short trip from there to Quartzsite. We got home around 4:30 and went to Silly Al’s for pizza. It was very crowded and it took us about 30 minutes to be seated. The pizza was really good so I guess it was worth the wait.
