The Mojave Road: Day 4
Last night I was able to hop on the Keller Repeater in time for OAUSA’s net and get a report on Soda Lake conditions from another group that had just crossed it last week: muddy, but passable (I’m really digging this HAM thing). Reassured by the good news, we packed up camp early and set out for our last day on the Mojave Road.
We were worried for a moment when a call came in from the lead vehicle that they were completely stuck in a particularly thick patch of mud. Our concerns were quickly alleviated, however, when the driver realized he forgot to put the transmission back into drive after shifting to 4-low. Safely across the lake, we arrived at Traveler’s Monument and deposited our rocks.
Off the lake and into the dunes we took the liberty of using the loose sand to clean the sticky mud from our tires. Overland Navigator again proved a remarkable tool navigating through the mess of private property and ATV tracks past Shaw’s Pass. A short drive later we arrived at the Mojave 4 Bridge and the entrance to Afton Canyon for a lunch break.
After lunch we continued up Afton Canyon to be greeted by the end of the Mojave River flow, surprisingly clear, just under a mile into the canyon. Farther up we came across a two-wheel-drive Tacoma buried to the frame in the sands under the Smith Gold Mine and stopped to render assistance.
With the Taco freed we headed up the canyon to our own challenge: the Mojave River crossing by Afton Canyon Campground. The doors in our Discovery are still as well sealed as ever, so the high water proved no issue for the vehicle. The open mesh gate on the trailer gave the inside a nice (much needed) bath though, so I will have to remedy that before installing any of the planned electronics. All of us made it across without incident, and we said our farewells above the Vegas traffic on I-15 before heading east to Nipton.
We had a great time visiting some of our favorite spots in the Mojave, finding some new ones, and sharing a campfire with Kurt, Rich, Brock and Lou. Thanks again for a wonderful week on The Mojave Road.
The Mule – Proof of Concept Wrapup: This was the first real outing for our new-to-us, generator-hauler-turned-expedition trailer. In the past we’ve been unsure about the compromises proposed by towing while on the trail. Despite being poorly equipped for the task our Mule has proved to us it will be well worth the effort. It has earned itself a real suspension, a matched set of tires & wheels, and a good kit of on-board support equipment for our longer treks.
The little trailer made the entire trip without issue until 20 minutes outside Laughlin, where one of the cheap tires exploded, probably from a cholla picked up in Lanfair Valley. Luckily, I was able to borrow a bigger trailer from a friend to go pick it up…
