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Author Topic: Bradshaw Trail and More - March 2010  (Read 13636 times)

Paul

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Bradshaw Trail and More - March 2010
« on: March 14, 2010, 07:50:36 PM »
Here's the trail traveled - into Red Canyon, along the Bradshaw Trail, up into the Augustine Pass, into the Chuckwalla Springs area where we camped. From there down the Graham Pass, back along the Bradshaw Trail, and then out the Government Pass.

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y215/paul1960/Xterra/10-023%20Mar%202010%20Bradshaw%20Trail/BradshawTrail.jpg
Bradshaw Trail and More - March 2010


Just three trucks: Paul and Noon, Mark and Nia, and Steven and Sandra.

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y215/paul1960/Xterra/10-023%20Mar%202010%20Bradshaw%20Trail/Bradshaw01.jpg
Bradshaw Trail and More - March 2010


We aired down and started along the trail, stretched our suspensions and nerves on some hill climbing ...

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y215/paul1960/Xterra/10-023%20Mar%202010%20Bradshaw%20Trail/Bradshaw30.jpg
Bradshaw Trail and More - March 2010


.... and then rode along the ridge line above Red Canyon ...

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y215/paul1960/Xterra/10-023%20Mar%202010%20Bradshaw%20Trail/Bradshaw24.jpg
Bradshaw Trail and More - March 2010


... before we dropped down into the canyon for lunch.

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y215/paul1960/Xterra/10-023%20Mar%202010%20Bradshaw%20Trail/Bradshaw25.jpg
Bradshaw Trail and More - March 2010


Then it was onto the Bradshaw Trail and out to the bombs. Mark checked to make sure they were all duds.

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y215/paul1960/Xterra/10-023%20Mar%202010%20Bradshaw%20Trail/Bradshaw02.jpg
Bradshaw Trail and More - March 2010


So we posed.

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y215/paul1960/Xterra/10-023%20Mar%202010%20Bradshaw%20Trail/Bradshaw31.jpg
Bradshaw Trail and More - March 2010


We found one mud puddle to play in.

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y215/paul1960/Xterra/10-023%20Mar%202010%20Bradshaw%20Trail/Bradshaw03.jpg
Bradshaw Trail and More - March 2010


That's not how to make a splash ... this is how to make a splash!

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y215/paul1960/Xterra/10-023%20Mar%202010%20Bradshaw%20Trail/Bradshaw29.jpg
Bradshaw Trail and More - March 2010


Mark crashed into the old up-side-down van trying to right it.

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y215/paul1960/Xterra/10-023%20Mar%202010%20Bradshaw%20Trail/Bradshaw04.jpg
Bradshaw Trail and More - March 2010


The flowers were beginning to bloom

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y215/paul1960/Xterra/10-023%20Mar%202010%20Bradshaw%20Trail/Bradshaw05.jpg
Bradshaw Trail and More - March 2010


Caught a bee doing what bee's do to a Desert Mariposa Lily!

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y215/paul1960/Xterra/10-023%20Mar%202010%20Bradshaw%20Trail/Bradshaw28.jpg
Bradshaw Trail and More - March 2010


The cactus were plump - a fish hook barrel cactus.

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y215/paul1960/Xterra/10-023%20Mar%202010%20Bradshaw%20Trail/Bradshaw27.jpg
Bradshaw Trail and More - March 2010


About four hours on the road we made it to the Augustine Pass which I had just run the week before Christmas last year. The recent rains changed that trail 100% and the trail was a nice ripe black diamond trail with lots of exposed rocks, steps, and ridges that had been covered in gravel. All that gravel that had been washed out of the canyon maded the road out invisible. I looked for previous tracks and there were none that I saw so we were the first though the canyon since the gully-washing. There was still water in the canyon for most of the trip. Lots of twists, turns, and challenges ... nothing stopped us though.

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y215/paul1960/Xterra/10-023%20Mar%202010%20Bradshaw%20Trail/Bradshaw26.jpg
Bradshaw Trail and More - March 2010


At the Chuckwalla Springs area we camped near the ruins of an old mining area. The wind was intermittent but we had a big dinner (gee that was a surprise), a bigger fire, and sat around telling stories. We heard animals walking through the wash that night - big animals! The wind picked up after bedtime and really blew the tents about.

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y215/paul1960/Xterra/10-023%20Mar%202010%20Bradshaw%20Trail/Bradshaw06.jpg
Bradshaw Trail and More - March 2010


The next morning we went up the canyon a bit to play on the rocky trail.

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y215/paul1960/Xterra/10-023%20Mar%202010%20Bradshaw%20Trail/Bradshaw07.jpg
Bradshaw Trail and More - March 2010


http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y215/paul1960/Xterra/10-023%20Mar%202010%20Bradshaw%20Trail/Bradshaw32.jpg
Bradshaw Trail and More - March 2010


And we started out toward the Graham Pass. You can see the amount of erosion that has taken place since we visited in December.

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y215/paul1960/Xterra/10-023%20Mar%202010%20Bradshaw%20Trail/Bradshaw08.jpg
Bradshaw Trail and More - March 2010


Graham Pass was an easy ride as it had just been graded with an earth grader.

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y215/paul1960/Xterra/10-023%20Mar%202010%20Bradshaw%20Trail/Bradshaw09.jpg
Bradshaw Trail and More - March 2010


We did see some wild life. First a rare Desert Tortoise. Playing hard to get.

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y215/paul1960/Xterra/10-023%20Mar%202010%20Bradshaw%20Trail/Bradshaw10.jpg
Bradshaw Trail and More - March 2010


And later coming out of it's shell ... don't be shy! We watched him for about ten minutes and left it some fruits and vegetables before hitting the trail again. This is only the second tortoise I've seen - both of them along the Bradshaw trail.

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y215/paul1960/Xterra/10-023%20Mar%202010%20Bradshaw%20Trail/Bradshaw11.jpg
Bradshaw Trail and More - March 2010


The flowers were blooming big time in this canyon. The ocotillo was very green and the flowers were amazing!

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y215/paul1960/Xterra/10-023%20Mar%202010%20Bradshaw%20Trail/Bradshaw12.jpg
Bradshaw Trail and More - March 2010


http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y215/paul1960/Xterra/10-023%20Mar%202010%20Bradshaw%20Trail/Bradshaw13.jpg
Bradshaw Trail and More - March 2010


We turned back onto the Bradshaw trail and continued east bound. The view was the standard amazing landscape where you can see forty to fifty miles in every direction and not see hardly a trace of man.

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y215/paul1960/Xterra/10-023%20Mar%202010%20Bradshaw%20Trail/Bradshaw14.jpg
Bradshaw Trail and More - March 2010


Except for this. What the heck it is I don't know except to label it as someones insanity. The boat was built into the frame work you see on the outside and under it. Those wheels were too small to get it there - the sand way too soft for wheels that small. The top sealed to the bottom but was being held open with some wood. There were wheels on the top too. There was no rudder. No mounting for an engine inboard or outboard. No way to get inside or out. The insides were empty. The fiberglass was 3/4" thick ... someone's crazy!

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y215/paul1960/Xterra/10-023%20Mar%202010%20Bradshaw%20Trail/Bradshaw15.jpg
Bradshaw Trail and More - March 2010


So we tried a new trail the Government Pass. The trail looked really under used so we knew the thing could be fun. The road wasn't too hard, lots of gully washes where you had to ease in and out. I started to worry when a Turkey Vulture started to circle us! Beautiful shots scaled down to fit here.

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y215/paul1960/Xterra/10-023%20Mar%202010%20Bradshaw%20Trail/Bradshaw16.jpg
Bradshaw Trail and More - March 2010


http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y215/paul1960/Xterra/10-023%20Mar%202010%20Bradshaw%20Trail/Bradshaw17.jpg
Bradshaw Trail and More - March 2010


Mark spotted a herd of burro and started to chase them across the desert.

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y215/paul1960/Xterra/10-023%20Mar%202010%20Bradshaw%20Trail/Bradshaw18.jpg
Bradshaw Trail and More - March 2010


http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y215/paul1960/Xterra/10-023%20Mar%202010%20Bradshaw%20Trail/Bradshaw19.jpg
Bradshaw Trail and More - March 2010


They crossed the road right in front of us.

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y215/paul1960/Xterra/10-023%20Mar%202010%20Bradshaw%20Trail/Bradshaw20.jpg
Bradshaw Trail and More - March 2010


We had lunch on day two up on the top of the pass. There were still fighting emplacements from WWII with some empty ration cans laying around. Nice view too. Big picture below.

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y215/paul1960/Xterra/10-023%20Mar%202010%20Bradshaw%20Trail/Bradshaw21.jpg
Bradshaw Trail and More - March 2010


From the top we headed down into more flowers ....

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y215/paul1960/Xterra/10-023%20Mar%202010%20Bradshaw%20Trail/Bradshaw22.jpg
Bradshaw Trail and More - March 2010


and washed out gullies. I think Steve and Sandra had a good introduction into traveling with the club. Steve is a good driver and for some unknown reason trusted mine and Mark's spotting and advice. Hope he and his lovely bride come out on more trips to meet the rest of you folks.

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y215/paul1960/Xterra/10-023%20Mar%202010%20Bradshaw%20Trail/Bradshaw23.jpg
Bradshaw Trail and More - March 2010


You guys missed a really good trail, great weather, super food, and some encounters with some rare wild life. About 92 miles off road total.
« Last Edit: March 14, 2010, 08:55:02 PM by Paul »
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Paul

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    • 2006 Xterra Off Road
Re: Bradshaw Trail and More - March 2010
« Reply #1 on: March 14, 2010, 08:59:05 PM »
A posted on another board suggests that the ark is really a fiberglass mold! The wheels rotate the mold 360 degrees to spread the plastic resin. Now what is it doing in the middle of the desert?
Sept 24, 2006 ... Off Work = Off Road
2005 350Z 35th Anniversary
2006 Xterra Off Road
2016 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited Rubicon

Blackx

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Re: Bradshaw Trail and More - March 2010
« Reply #2 on: March 14, 2010, 09:20:19 PM »
Looks like a great run.  Sorry i missed it
Jeff

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FrankB

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Re: Bradshaw Trail and More - March 2010
« Reply #3 on: March 14, 2010, 10:57:39 PM »
Nice write up and pics Paul.  Sounds like a good run, sorry I missed it, I do enjoy the Bradshaw.

One question - I noticed that only the red Xterra was without extra fuel, do they get much better mileage or something?

XterracerX

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Re: Bradshaw Trail and More - March 2010
« Reply #4 on: March 15, 2010, 09:51:19 AM »
W O W ! Beautiful scenery... awesome expedition... sounds like you guys had a blast! At one point the burro shots looked like you guys were chasing wildebeest in the wild safari! Truly epic! Thanks for sharing Paul!
Hope for the best. Prepare for the worst!

Soylent Yellow

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Re: Bradshaw Trail and More - March 2010
« Reply #5 on: March 15, 2010, 07:12:56 PM »
Nice write up and pics Paul.  Sounds like a good run, sorry I missed it, I do enjoy the Bradshaw.

One question - I noticed that only the red Xterra was without extra fuel, do they get much better mileage or something?

That particular Xterra often runs on fumes.
I'd rather be happy than right any day.

mark1107

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Re: Bradshaw Trail and More - March 2010
« Reply #6 on: March 16, 2010, 10:32:09 AM »
Thats my new(old) nickname! FUMES!!!!

Paul thank you for being a great trail leader and looking out for us all night!

Nia really liked you & Noon and thinks she's a sweetheart.

Nia also liked the new couple Steven & Sandra too and want them to come back.

Mark

eXTeguz

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Re: Bradshaw Trail and More - March 2010
« Reply #7 on: March 17, 2010, 12:03:43 AM »
Paul, thank you much for the lead.
It was very nice meeting you all. Thanks for your company, advice, food .. its was all great !! We'll definetly see you again.

lmcrusher

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Re: Bradshaw Trail and More - March 2010
« Reply #8 on: July 04, 2011, 02:49:01 AM »
looks so crazy,but i like it.great!

 


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