My Drama @ The Anza Trip!!! Funny/Sad Story!

[Boston Mangler]

Ok, i swear, i could not make this stuff up.

I pride myself on being one of the most prepared folks on any trip i go on. Anyone that has wheeled or camped with me will agree!

I SWEAR to you, all of this play by play is 100% true!

Here is my play by play of my attempt to meet scott and gang @ Anza camp:

-Girlfriend unpacked and re-organized some of our gear after our friday night beach trip
-Tells me i am all set to go
-I glance @ Map, reconize the Borrego County airport closeby to where i think the trailhead is
-I have worked @ that airport a bunch so i start driving to try to beat nightfall
-Space out and leave said map @ home
-Get to general area go to pull out map for more detail
-My bag of maps isnt in the truck, DOH
-Start panning around the GPS screen, low bat warning
-Look for GPS plug (12v), thats gone too, fawwwwk
-Stop to ask for directions
-Cant for the life of me remember the name of the camp
-Try to call Scott via cell phone
-Make one call, leave a VM
-Try to make call #2, phone dies, bat damn near dead
-Phone charger isnt in the truck either
ARE YOU KIDDING ME? IT GETS BETTER
-I spend about 1.5 hours driving in the general area that my GPS is showing the camp to be
-Approach locked gate after locked gate, i ended up in an area that was called HORSE CAMP and on the Maps and GPS it SHOWS it going through, but everything (4 different gates we wll locked up
-Get irritated and abort mission realizing this isnt meant to be
-On the way home, girlfriend calls and tells me she is going to PF changs
-I explain wasup and tell her i will meet her there, phone dies for good
-Meet her there, have a fabulous dinner and get my fortune cookie:

I kid you not, it reads: EXPLORE AN UNPAVED ROAD WITH A NEW FRIEND!

Proof:

We get home and all of my cables to charge everything are in a nice and neat pile with my maps!

I love my girlfriend! She is so helpful!

 

[LandCrusher'70]

Locked gates? I wonder where you ened up?

I guess the fotune is for next time . . .

 

[Bluetribal]

Hey I saw those new fortune cookie printers at the store! I think the slogan is: Gives you an excuse no one could believe without the fortune cookie!

 

[Boston Mangler]

I wonder where you ened up?

I was in the NW area of the park near Borrego Springs Road and the Horse Camp Trail.

Looking @ the map now, it looks like i could have gotten back on the 79 to the 371 and came in from the North Entrance of Coyote Canyon! DOH!!!

I guess the fotune is for next time . . .

It was just a little salt for the wound!

 

[e9999]

excuses, excuses....

admit it, you were afraid of making the truck dirty, right...?










did you buy the lottery ticket?

 

[SOCALFJ]

That's too funny. Why the hell do you run your GPS off batteries and not have it plugged in 24/7?

 

[Boston Mangler]

Why the hell do you run your GPS off batteries and not have it plugged in 24/7?

Hey smartass, I do leave it plugged in 24/7, when its in the truck!

I took all the electronics out of the truck but always leave the cables connected.

My lovely girlfriend that was cleaning up the truck a bit decided to bring ALL of my power cables (phone, GPS, Lantern, etc..) inside when we got back from Pendelton.

I left the house forgetting she had done that and didnt even think to check.

I love her though!

 

[Dan2722]

This has got to be karma payback for the "Let's Go Pats" thread.

Seriously though, sometimes all the planning in the world cannot prevent a trip from not happening. Sounds like you made the best of a bad situation by hitting PF Chang's with the GF.

 

[Boston Mangler]

This has got to be karma payback for the "Let's Go Pats" thread.

Probably, but i still offer you a

Sounds like you made the best of a bad situation by hitting PF Chang's with the GF.

Yes, PF Changs can fix any situation, i love that place!

 

[Slomo]

That is too wierd. The kind of stuff you could make up but no one would believe you. Good thing you have proof.

 

[gon2srf]

Anza Borrego Jan 20-21 2008

Sunday morning I made the uneventful 2.5 hour drive to Borrego Springs via the 79 and stopped at the XL gas station in town for fuel. Braden (Cmjrfan8) and his buddy Nick had told me they were leaving the previous evening so I picked up a few extra supplies from the local market and headed up to "Sheep Canyon". I took several photos on the way up.

Occotillos

Picnic area

Chollo Cactus and Ocotillo's

First water crossing.

Juan Batisita de Anza Expedition Information

Very nice equestrians.

Willows water crossing

As I was climbing the second rock garden I ran into Braden and Nick. We talked a minute and they had come up the night before but the gas stations they knew of in Borrego Springs were closed so they camped at the Coyote Trail head and went back to town for gas in the morning. We drove up to Sheep Canyon and got the primo spot.

 

[gon2srf]

We set up camp then Braden and Nick took off to Truckhaven. I wanted to go hiking so I stayed put and later hiked up through Cougar Canyon and the ridge between Sheep and Cougar then up to the lower waterfall in Sheep Canyon with Gibson my mini Aussie. We ran into several American Indian mortars as we hiked around.

Giant granite bowl

Split rocks

Mortars

 

[gon2srf]

Anza Borrego Jan 20-21 2008

 

[gon2srf]

Anza Borrego Jan 20-21 2008

Later I chopped some wood, prepared the apple cobbler and enjoyed the solitude until the guys got back around 6:30ish.

Preparing the Apple Cobbler

Frogeye and Rojo showed up just a bit later so we all prepared some dinner and enjoyed a nice fire and beverages. We were sound asleep by midnight and and all was quiet until I rudely awaked by Frogeyes horn. It appears Rojo has learned how to communicate his dislike of being locked up in a truck. :w00t:

After a sound sleep I awoke to the pitter patter of rain and the sound of the guys quickly getting gear out of the wetness. The rain was light so we made a nice fire enjoyed some coffee and a great little breakfast courtesy of Braden. We hoped the sun would pop out and dry our gear but after an hour it persisted and I put my tent away nice and soaked. We also enjoyed an amazing rainbow that lasted well over an hour. After all our gear was stowed we hiked up to the lower waterfall of the north fork and enjoyed seeing the Indian mortars and great views of the valley.

Braden shooting the rainbow.

Rojo

Rainbow

Camp

Chris

Braden, Chris Rojo

Nick at the small waterfall

 

[gon2srf]

Anza Borrego Jan 20-21 2008

We then departed for town and had a nice decent through the rock gardens and water crossings, bumping into a few hikers and equestrians on the way. After fueling up we drove to Font's and took cutoff at Short Wash to Palo Verde Wash to the dry lake in Ocotillo Wells. That was a really fun run and Frogs rig was showing how much work he has put into it. We hit speeds of 70 mph several times!!

Frogeye had time commitments to honor so we said our goodbyes to him and headed for Fish Creek and Sandstone.

Fish Creek

Nick's rig

Braden

The 3 of us went over a mile further up Sandstone than I had ever traveled before. At one point I could look back down into Sandstone from our vantage point as we were gaining altitude fast. Those guys had 35's but not as much protection as my rig and they drove great. Nick grew up doing the Rubi so this stuff was child's play for him. With my 33's, I used my rock rails a lot but is was really a great run with no carnage. We could have gone on for?? but were running out of time and finally turned back.

Airing up

Heading home

Braden took lot's more pics. Hope he posts up soon.

 

[LandCrusher'70]

Looks like another great trip to A-B!!!!

I've got to get to Sheeps Canyon early (in the day) sometime and just explore on foot. Looks like you've found some really great sights to see up there.

Let's see your pictures Braden!!

 

[619TOY]

Glad you guys had a good time. Unfortunately not everyone had Monday off. I would have even taken the 4Runner up (since I can't drive the 80 until I do my brake/axle/gear rebuild). I really want to get out as much as I can this season.

Keep the pics comin'

 

[Slomo]

Great pics Scott, whole lot of them too. Man I gotta get my 80 dirty sometime soon.

 

[Dan2722]

Great report!

I can't wait to get back out there next month, especially after all the rains we are getting.

 

[gon2srf]

We should all plan a trip for the end of February. The wild flowers will be on for sure, Big Horn Sheep have been spotted in Palm Canyon as close as 2 miles from the visitors center and Sandstone has become a lot longer very challenging trail.. Lot's of reasons to get out there.