SoCal Tom
Explorer
Point of Origin: San Diego CA
Destination : Hauser Geode Beds, near Blythe CA
Distance Traveled ~500 miles
unpaved miles about 40
Personnel
1 Driver/Guide/cook/financier
1 2nd grader/Boss
Vehicles
2007 JKU Sahara
2012 HB (Home Built) 5x8 Tear Drop
I originally heard of the Geode beds about 15 years ago ( pre-internet). A buddy had some gps coordinates, and so we spent a few hours driving around the desert looking for the stacks of geodes. The Boss has been studying geology, so that reminded me about the geodes. So a little internet research and we had a plan. The geode beds are located off of Wiley Wells road, which is off of the I10. This is part of the long term camping area. There are two campgrounds off of Wiley Well road, Wiley Well campground, and Coon Hollow. They have pit toilets, but no water or electricity.
We left San Diego around 4:30pm, once the Boss was free from school. We took the southern route, out the I8, and past Glamis. This gave us more opportunities to stop early if the Boss got too tired. We stopped at the top of Mountain Springs grade, to check the bearings on the trailer. They were cool as ice, and so we stopped to admire the Pay Phone, and then went down the hill.
We arrived about 9:30. The first few miles of Wiley Well road is paved, but once you pass the State Prison its graded washboard road. Six miles down the road, you come to Bradshaw Trail/Wiley Well Campground. As luck would have it we got the last spot #1, which is on the corner of Wiley Well Road and Bradshaw Trail. We made 15.5mpg per the dash display of dubious accuracy (DDDA)
In addition to the Geode hunting we were also out testing some recent additions to our camping gear. This portable toilet ( bag variety)
http://www.walmart.com/ip/Reliance-Products-Hassock-Portable-chemical-toilet-with-toilet-paper-holder/10098758
Which was only $20 when I bought it.
and this privacy tent
http://www.walmart.com/ip/Gigatent-Pop-Up-Pod/24547521
Since the Boss was asleep when we arrived, I leveled the trailer and put him in bed. Then I set up our night time bathroom facilities, in case we needed it during the night. It got down to 37 during the night, it was 43 when we arrived according to the dash display. Inside the trailer it was 50 in the morning when I got up around 6. I set up the galley in the am, and made some Cafe duMonde coffee, percolator style on the camp chef oven, and before long the Boss got up and demanded breakfast. Breakfast Burritos and cinnamon rolls were on the menu
This was also the first trip for the Waeco CF35 ( under the Mexican Blanket). It worked out really well.
Once we had breakfast, and set up the rest of camp, it was about 8am, so we went to the campground hosts and paid our camping fee ($40 for 2 weeks). Then we packed some lunch and water and headed on our way. The GPS coordinates led us about 10 miles , the first 3 or 4 were still on Wiley Well road, after that it was down some numbered FS roads. The last mile or so required four wheel drive, up to there a mini-van with clearance would be fine.
We brought shovels and picks, but ended up finding most of our haul in an existing hole, with a claw hammer to scrap out new stuff. The secret seemed to be finding roundish red rocks in greenish soil. Either way we found at least one geode, and a bunch of good candidates so we had lunch and headed back to camp.
We hung out at camp and had some hamburger helper beef stroganoff for dinner. Once it got dark I fired up the generator and we played Wii ( one of the compromises forgoing with only 1 kid)
We had breakfast in the morning, and then packed up in order to get home in time to watch the Chargers lose to Denver. ...
The Trip home was uneventful, though I did discover that one of the bolts holding my front sway bar had fallen out, so I tied it up and we went home without a front sway bar. MPG 15ish per the DDDA
Tom
Destination : Hauser Geode Beds, near Blythe CA
Distance Traveled ~500 miles
unpaved miles about 40
Personnel
1 Driver/Guide/cook/financier
1 2nd grader/Boss
Vehicles
2007 JKU Sahara
2012 HB (Home Built) 5x8 Tear Drop
I originally heard of the Geode beds about 15 years ago ( pre-internet). A buddy had some gps coordinates, and so we spent a few hours driving around the desert looking for the stacks of geodes. The Boss has been studying geology, so that reminded me about the geodes. So a little internet research and we had a plan. The geode beds are located off of Wiley Wells road, which is off of the I10. This is part of the long term camping area. There are two campgrounds off of Wiley Well road, Wiley Well campground, and Coon Hollow. They have pit toilets, but no water or electricity.
We left San Diego around 4:30pm, once the Boss was free from school. We took the southern route, out the I8, and past Glamis. This gave us more opportunities to stop early if the Boss got too tired. We stopped at the top of Mountain Springs grade, to check the bearings on the trailer. They were cool as ice, and so we stopped to admire the Pay Phone, and then went down the hill.
We arrived about 9:30. The first few miles of Wiley Well road is paved, but once you pass the State Prison its graded washboard road. Six miles down the road, you come to Bradshaw Trail/Wiley Well Campground. As luck would have it we got the last spot #1, which is on the corner of Wiley Well Road and Bradshaw Trail. We made 15.5mpg per the dash display of dubious accuracy (DDDA)
In addition to the Geode hunting we were also out testing some recent additions to our camping gear. This portable toilet ( bag variety)
http://www.walmart.com/ip/Reliance-Products-Hassock-Portable-chemical-toilet-with-toilet-paper-holder/10098758
Which was only $20 when I bought it.
and this privacy tent
http://www.walmart.com/ip/Gigatent-Pop-Up-Pod/24547521
Since the Boss was asleep when we arrived, I leveled the trailer and put him in bed. Then I set up our night time bathroom facilities, in case we needed it during the night. It got down to 37 during the night, it was 43 when we arrived according to the dash display. Inside the trailer it was 50 in the morning when I got up around 6. I set up the galley in the am, and made some Cafe duMonde coffee, percolator style on the camp chef oven, and before long the Boss got up and demanded breakfast. Breakfast Burritos and cinnamon rolls were on the menu
This was also the first trip for the Waeco CF35 ( under the Mexican Blanket). It worked out really well.
Once we had breakfast, and set up the rest of camp, it was about 8am, so we went to the campground hosts and paid our camping fee ($40 for 2 weeks). Then we packed some lunch and water and headed on our way. The GPS coordinates led us about 10 miles , the first 3 or 4 were still on Wiley Well road, after that it was down some numbered FS roads. The last mile or so required four wheel drive, up to there a mini-van with clearance would be fine.
We brought shovels and picks, but ended up finding most of our haul in an existing hole, with a claw hammer to scrap out new stuff. The secret seemed to be finding roundish red rocks in greenish soil. Either way we found at least one geode, and a bunch of good candidates so we had lunch and headed back to camp.
We hung out at camp and had some hamburger helper beef stroganoff for dinner. Once it got dark I fired up the generator and we played Wii ( one of the compromises forgoing with only 1 kid)
We had breakfast in the morning, and then packed up in order to get home in time to watch the Chargers lose to Denver. ...
The Trip home was uneventful, though I did discover that one of the bolts holding my front sway bar had fallen out, so I tied it up and we went home without a front sway bar. MPG 15ish per the DDDA
Tom
