Monday, March 10, 2014

Calcite Canyon and 17 Palms

We wanted to take advantage of the cool morning to go off-roading with a bit of a hike but the cool morning warmed up rather quickly!  The off-roading trail was only 2 miles long but it was interesting and challenging.  We drove up to the Calcite Mines.  Calcite is a mineral that was used to make telescope lens and was extensively used during WWII to make gun scopes.  The trail took us above many slot canyons, ravines and drop-offs.  At the top was a down-and-up run that we just had to try! It was REALLY steep!

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Salton Sea

Across the highway and 3-4 miles down a wash is 17 Palms Oasis.  There is obviously water in this spot or there wouldn’t be palm trees.  Back in the old days of caravans and mining, this spot was used to send and collect messages.  The spring was not too reliable so people would leave jars of water with a message attached.  Today that “post office” is a barrel attached to a couple of palm trees with notebooks inside where we could leave a short message. But no jars of water.

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We have struggled getting cell service at our campsite as it comes and goes and we needed to get some internet so we went to the library for a couple of hours. Later we stopped at one of the golf courses to hit range balls and to practice putting.  It’s a good thing we did this as our swings were pretty ugly!

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