So, I found this great farmhouse and ranch using Google Earth. I plotted out the drive, and made the plan to go out some day.

Well, Impulse got the better of me, and I drove out yesterday after playing hooky from work. I have had a brand spanking new Mercedes Benz since my other car is in the shop, so it was my last day with my high priced German super model in car form.

NOTHING WENT AS PLANNED!!!

I still got some great shots, but literally everything was against me on this trip. First off, that clean dirt road that went all the way to the site? It was a little shaky when I got there. Straightaway, I drove my car right into an obscured riverbed and sunk the car in right up to the bottom of the door. Do you know what kind of face someone makes when they get a 52,000 dollar car stuck in a river bed?

I do, and it felt hilarious

I got out using a special vehicular maneuver I call, "Panicking and mashing the throttle." With my loaner car now out of the sand, I was still set on reaching this great and hallowed land that I had seen from space up high. I vaguely remembered the distance from the main road being about 2 miles, so I set out with nothing more than my flip flops and a bottle of Powerade.

It was a little longer than 2 miles...

I finally got to the site, and relished in the amazing things there. My pics below do this place no justice. Aside from the occasional instance of recent visitation, it was clear that this place was remote and pristine. I was just getting ready for some awesome shots, when my left flip flop broke : (

Did I mention it was 95 degrees where I was?

The ground was searing hot, so bare foot was not an option. Fortunately, I was able to use my powerade label and some baling wire to fix my shoe. I hobbled out on my rebuilt shoe, and now have a rather odd blister between my big and second toe on my left foot.

There was a natural spring there, trickling out of a pipe jutting from the hill. I can't tell you how good that water tasted. After getting my shots, I filled up on some well earned spring water and hoofed it back 3.5 miles to my waiting car.

Awesome trip....1.


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3. WW2 drop tank as a fuel tanker. Cool...


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26. My baling wire fix : )

Wow. Thats a borderline "german tourist story" right there. Just substitute the gatorade for beer and you're dead!
Nice explore. Be careful in the desert. It doesnt fuck around.

Ha! I love it!

Even though I was hilariously under equipped for this adventure, I knew where I was and where to find water. There are a ton of natural springs in the area, and I could weave new shoes out of grass if I had to. Despite my alabaster(er, pale) skin, I am sort of built for hot, sunny weather.

But true, the desert can turn on you quick.

I might put this spot in the LDB. It's right off HWY 46 outside of Cholame. There are legitimate frontier style wagons on the property. I counted two at least, plus parts and pieces of other ones in the fallen buildings.

Cool. I guess thats not exactly the desert then. I'll have to make a stop next time im down that way...

Just because it's near a highway doesn't mean that it's not a desert. I would advise everyone to still be careful, and bring plenty of water!

Great find! The old broken down wagons are amazing. Gotta love google maps.

Sounds like quite an adventure. #3 is really cool!