Future Trips

Here we list trips scheduled by the Desert Explorers for the near and distant future. Also listed are some trips that are organized and led by our members but which do not require  membership in the Mojave River Valley Museum (MRVM) and are, therefore, not MRVM-sponsored Desert Explorer trips.

Some trips, such as those involving stays at private residences or visits to obscure rock art sites, are posted only in the Desert Explorers' Newsletter. Conversely, some impromptu trips will be posted here and not in the Newsletter.

All trip participants will be required to sign our waiver.

Scheduled Desert Explorer Trips

Trip descriptions are usually published in the newsletter at least one month before they are posted on this website.

All Desert Explorers trips require a four-wheel drive vehicle and a working CB unless otherwise specified by the trip leader.

We welcome newcomers, but IF THIS WILL BE YOUR FIRST TRIP, please talk with the trip leader about your vehicle, camping gear, and off-highway driving experience; you won't have a good time if you get stuck, cold, wet, or hungry! Also, please read the "fine print" which describes the rules we follow on our trips.

We now have a satellite telephone for use where conventional telephone or cell-phone service is not available. See the Satellite Telephone Policy. For each trip, the decision to bring the satellite telephone, and if it to be used only for emergencies, is made by the trip leader. Talk with the trip leader if the use of the satellite telephone is important to you.

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LAKE MEAD AND NEVADA EXPLORATION

FEBRUARY 15 – 19, 2013

We are going to spend a few days on the retreating shores of Lake Mead with an RV/Tent camp at the Las Vegas Bay campground in Lake Mead National Recreation Area.

Day trips will be planned for the afternoon of the 15th and all day on the 16th, 17th and 18th. Come for one, some or all.

If you think you may join us, please let Dick dickandmouse@aol.com or Dan dmess@ctaz.com know.

 

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Desert Explorers Annual Rendezvous

March 1,2,3 2013

Zzyzx Desert Studies Center

(pronounced "Zye-zix")

The facilities at Zzyzx have an interesting history, beginning in prehistory with native peoples and it has continued to be a pivotal point as the great state of California was explored, traversed, and homesteaded.  Zzyzx's popular notoriety grew as a spa and wellness facility around 1944. It is currently owned/operated by the California State University system as an educational campus. It is approximately 10 miles from Baker, CA.  The center can accommodate 84 individuals in dormitory style rooms holding two to twelve persons. Each room contains single, double, or bunk beds with mattresses. There is an electric outlet and electric lighting in the rooms. Room furnishings include beds, mattresses, chairs, tables, and mirrors. There is no plumbing in the rooms . The floors are concrete and not carpeted. The rooms are available on a first-come first-served basis and assigned by DE Chair Ruth Harder.  You must clean up your own room before departure from the Zzyzx facility.

There is a central bathhouse at Zzyzx with hot showers and flush toilets. The communal bathhouse is segregated so there are separate areas with privacy for men only and women only.  Toilets and showers are enclosed in stalls with privacy. There is one large trough-style sink in the bathhouse with running water. IT IS IMPORTANT TO REMEMBER that the tap water at Zzyzx is not satisfactory for drinking - do not fill your water bottle in the bathhouse.  Power is provided continuously inside, however the outside lighting turns off at 10 p.m. Motion sensors activate the lights in the bunkhouse after 10 p.m.

If you wish to camp instead of using the dorms, there is parking inside the Zzyzx compound for RVs, and areas for tents. See the map included in the DE newsletter. However, you still must pay the same amount as a facility fee whether you are camping or dorming.

Anyone registered or attending any event or use of the facility in any way is required to pay the $16.00 per day, per person fee.

Other Amenities at Zzyzx: campfire circle, basketball hoop, horseshoe pits, soaking pool (bring your bathing suit).

IMPORTANT - ZZYZX IS A PRIVATELY OWNED PREMISES. DO NOT ARRIVE EARLIER THAN OUR SCHEDULED EVENT. YOU WILL NOT BE ALLOWED TO USE THE FACILITY IF YOU ARRIVE ON THURSDAY FEB 28. NO EXCEPTIONS - YOU WILL HAVE TO MAKE ALTERNATIVE ARRANGEMENTS IF YOU ARRIVE IN THE AREA BEFORE MARCH 1.

***MEALS***

There will be the usual potluck Friday night.  When deciding on your dish to share, keep in mind we will not have access to the kitchen for cooking or reheating dishes. Some persons who have RVs or campers with stoves may offer to assist anyone who needs to reheat or cook something.  You must bring your food cooked and ready to serve to the main room/dining area. EVERYONE MUST BRING THEIR OWN TABLE SERVICE (PLATES, SILVERWARE, GLASSES,ETC) FOR THE POTLUCK.

Happy Hour 5:00 p.m.

Dinner 6:00 p.m.

Meals provided that you must pre-register for:

The Saturday night dinner will be catered, price $19.00 per person.  Vegetarian Lasagna served with a side dish of mild Italian sausage, garlic cheese French bread, tossed green salad followed with a Sherbet/cookie for dessert. Coffee, tea and lemonade will be provided as well.

A breakfast buffet will be available Saturday and Sunday mornings at 7 a.m. for a price of $9.00 per meal. Hot buffet line will have freshly prepared scrambled eggs, sausage links and either hash browns or hot cakes. Also available on a self serve basis will be fresh cut fruit, pastry, cold and hot cereal, juices, hot coffee and tea.

Vegetarians will be accommodated.

No lunches will be provided by Zzyzx. There are no cold beverages available at the Center.

***WATER***

The tap water at Zzyzx aka Soda Springs is not satisfactory for drinking because of it's high salt content, which has a laxative effect if consumed. It is ok to use for washing, but not ok for drinking and cooking. Please bring your own drinking/cooking water to Zzyzx.

WHAT TO BRING WITH YOU:

Essential items:

  • Sleeping bag...or blankets,sheets

  • Pillows

  • Flashlights with spare batteries

  • Boots or sturdy walking shoes

  • Canteen/water bottles

  • Drinking water

  • Toilet articles, towels, washcloth

  • Sunscreen

  • Hat

Optional items you may consider bringing:

  • Bathing suit & sandals

  • first aid kit

  • binoculars

  • camera

  • sunglasses

  • extra set of car keys

  • alarm clock

RULES OF CONDUCT AT ZZYZX - Please read this more than once!

The facility is operated by the California State University, and the standards of conduct established for CSU campuses apply at Zzyzx.

* NO PETS*

* NO DOGS: not even in your RV or vehicles. Not even on a leash. Not even if it is with you at all times. No "service" dogs.  DO NOT BRING your dog !!!

* No loud music or boisterous behavior after 10 p.m.

* No collection of any material, plants, or animals

* Do not wade or throw anything into the ponds

* No firearms

* No illegal drugs

* No alcohol abuse

Rondy Trips

As it has been with all other DE Rendezvous, there will be a selection of trips offered that embark from Zzyzx on Saturday and Sunday. The trip descriptions and sign up boards will be posted at Zzyzx.  The Zzyzx trips for Saturday and Sunday will not be posted on this web site this year.

We are always looking for trip leaders - Contact Mal Roode at malroode@gmail.com if you can lead a trip.

                    Inbound trips offered:

East Side Inbound trip
Leaders:  Bob & Sue Jaussaud

 
So Sue answers the phone and says to me,"It's Neal.  He wants you to lead an inbound for the Rendezvous".  And I say, "Geeze, what am I gonna do?"  So I take the phone (though I know Neal would really rather talk to Sue) and I weedle my way out of leading a trip by claiming I have so much to do already, the Silent Auction, yadda yadda yadda.  But later I start thinking.  No one is leading a trip to Cree Camp.  I remember that as being a pretty neat place.  So...  I call Charles & Mary and say lets do a prerun to Cree Camp...  and they say great.  Well, we found so much really interesting stuff in the area that we just did a second prerun.  Now Mary has convinced me to show others what we found and has volunteered to cover the Silent Auction setup Friday.  Thank you Mary & Charles.

So here's the plan.  We'll start the trip Friday (March 1) at 9 am (CA time) from the north side of the Halloran Spring exit off I-15.  That's 11.1 miles and the first exit east of Baker.  It is the Halloran Spring exit, not Halloran Summit exit.  We intend to see Halloran, Bull and France's Springs and maybe a few petroglyphs.  We'll drive parts of the old Arrowhead Highway, the Salt Lake Trail, the Old Spanish Trail and the Heritage Trail.  We'll visit Cree Camp, the Wander Mine, the Bull Mine, a mountain top cold war installation and the remains of Halloran Station (a historic stop on the old Arrowhead Highway).  We'll also travel through some surprisingly beautiful desert country.
Please email me asap (usontheriver@gmail.com) if you are able to join us.

 

Rondy Inbound Trip


Rainbow Basin/Inscription Canyon

We will meet at the Mojave River Valley Museum at 9:00 a.m. Friday March 1.  The museum will be open at 8:00 a.m. for anyone who gets there early and the coffee and snacks will be ready.  After a short tour of the museum we will go to Rainbow Basin which is 2 wheel drive.  After that we will go to Inscription Canyon, 4 wheel required.  Anyone who wants may leave after Rainbow Basin. When everyone arrives at the museum the group will decide what time they want to be in Zzyzx and the trip will go accordingly. We would like to know who plans to go on the trip so we can wait if anyone gets delayed in traffic.  Barbara Midlikoski's cell is 760 964 1254.  Trip leader Bob Hilburn's cell is 760 447 8947.  Museum's phone is 760 256 5452. Bob will have his CB on the trip.
Any questions please e-mail Barbara at midlikoski@verizon.net
 

 


 

Please email me asap (usontheriver@gmail.com) if you are able to join us.

 

 

 

Silent Auction

We will have our traditional Silent Auction in the main room/dining area. Bring your donations for the auction -- anything of resale value.  There's a reason why you've been saving all that good stuff...someone else who is a DE member would love to bid on it and take it home! The funds generated from this year's auction will fund the operating expenses of the Desert Explorers for the next year, so please give/donate generously. Your beloved club depends on it !  The Silent Auction will be run by Bob Jaussaud, Steve Marschke, and Mary Hughes, look for them when you arrive at Zzyzx.

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UPPER TROUT CREEK DAY RUN

 MARCH 16, 2013

(MOE)

 

We will meet for breakfast at the Petro Truck Stop at I-40 & Blake Ranch Road (exit 66). Breakfast at 8am, depart at 9am.We’ll take Blake Ranch Road over to US93 and then take Upper Trout Creek Road south along the Aquarius Mountains coming out on Six Mile Crossing Road. On our way home up US 93, those who wish to stop at Eat At Joe’s BBQ for dinner with us may do so.

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 WILLIAMS, AZ TAX RELIEF DAY RUN

[and possible snowball toss]

APRIL 20, 2013

(MOE)

 

Come join us as we take a run up into the area around Williams and areas a bit to the south. No specific plans, but more an exploration of the forest area, potential camp grounds and site seeing.

 

We’ll meet at the K-Mart parking lot on Andy Devine Ave. in Kingman and plan to depart by 8:30am.

 

 

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This was officially updated on February 16, 2013
 

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