The Sat. Morn. Post, Vol. 21 - Ride to Randsburg

We begin our journey on the Friday morning after Thanksgiving Day. At about 10:30 a.m., I set off for what I know will be about a 1-hour ride on my quad, heading southwest from Charlies Place, to the town of Randsburg. I've been told it's 17 miles from members of our club who have odometers on their motorcycles/quads, but it seems much further. I know that if you drove the roads/highways from our camp to Randsburg; it's just under 20 miles. The roads, however, do not follow the same direction as the trails; the trails are more direct, and the roads wind around.

I've never posted so many pictures at one time, so I'm going to write less and get to the pictures. This first one shows a valley that I had just crossed. The dirt road in the center is quite wide, and follows a pipeline for many miles. It is heavily traveled, and boring in terms of scenery. You can see the many trailers/RV's to the west of the road. Our camp is beyond the ridge where the road seems to disappear.


Along the way I drove through an area known as the punchbowl, which was named for the colorful pink rocks. It looks much better in person than in this picture. Some people like camping here, as you can see.


I found this sign as I was leaving the punchbowl area. It reminded me of the sign in the TV show M*A*S*H. According to the sign, I have less than 7 miles to my destination.


Train tracks and even old train cars can be found throughout the area. Here is a tunnel, and you can barely see the light from the other side. We have camped on the other side at a spot known as Searless Station.


I had to pass by a valley that our club named Schiller Gulch. We have camped in this same spot. I noticed that this group was having some type of race event.


This is taken from the same spot, and is just another group next to the one above. This is how our club, and many other groups of people camp out in the desert. They "circle the wagons" around the campfire, and ride their desert toys on the trails around their camp.


Along the way, I stopped at this old shelter. I assume it was a home that someone carved into the side of this hill, and was probably from the mining days around the turn of the century. The stones at the top that are squared up is a chimney of sorts. You can look straight down from there into an area below. You can get to that area by entering the hole in the hillside in the center of the picture. It's obvious that people had fires burning in there.


This is the same structure, but from a different side of the hill. You can actually get from one side of the structure to the other because it tunnels under the hill.


The car in this picture is traveling north on US395, and is about to cross the train tracks. You can barely see a power line in the distance (in the center of the picture). I have to reach that power line to catch a trail that takes me in to Randsburg.


This is taken nearby to the picture above, but looking back from where I just came. The trail hugs the tracks for a couple of miles here. Note to Sage: this is very near to the mining area that you might have been referring to in you comment in my last post. A bunch of people were mining in a designated area just to the left (north) of those tracks on a gentle hillside. Sorry, I didn't take a picture - I guess I'll have to come back:)


This is also looking back from where I just came. You can see US395 in the center of the picture. I began my ride way off to the right (northeast) beyond the ridgeline. I am now standing at a road that leads in to Randsbugh, but that I can't legally take.


Here is the road that I can legally take. A rocky, dusty mining road that goes up over a steep hill and descends into Randsburg.


And there it is, only a few hundred yards away. In the background, you can see Red Mountain; one of the highest peaks for miles around.


This is the only stretch of paved road that I am allowed to be on. The last few hundred feet from where the rocky, dusty mining road ends and dumps into town. As you can see there is a presence of law enforcement. It seems that over the years some of the residents have complained about the noisy dirt bikers that come into town. I don't know why they complain, the dirt bikers SPEND THEIR MONEY in the town's shops and restaurants. We use to be able to ride in on the main road, but that is illegal now and you will likely get a ticket. I will not chance this, and ride on the dirt road around to the back of town.


From here, you can clearly see the White House Saloon, where a cold beer (or two) awaits me. Oh, I'll have a cheeseburger and fries too.


Well, thanks for coming along, and I hope you enjoyed the ride - well the pictures at least. See you next Saturday morning . . .