Insects and critters

A darkling beetle was wandering around in the sand this morning.   this bug was about 1" long and was annoyed that I was following it closely.





The photo below looks like a lizard was tail dragging its way into its home in the sand.  Will have to stop back to see if this critter comes out for photos.

More tracks?

Weekends at El Mirage offer more than just the OHV Area.   We are about 45 minutes north of the LA County Fairground in Pomona, CA.    Yesterday I took in the Lucas Off-Road Expo and saw just how extreme the 4-wheel vehicles can be.

The ride down was expressway but returning I went out to Pasadena and picked up Hwy 2, enjoying 64 miles of twisties thru the mountains back to Phelan.

At the expo I visited with Harry Baker, President of CORVA, California Off Road Vehicle Assn. 

CORVA's mission is "Protecting the Lands for the people, Not from the People."

Perhaps some young readers would like to write an essay on the Joshua Tree and its life in the Mohave Desert!

Your family or group could adopt a tree and help maintain the Joshua trees here at El Mirage.  Click HERE for details.

Kit fox and puncture prevention - separate issues.

Wednesday.   Another beautiful morning.   It's just 7:00 and the sun is still hidden behind the mountains to the east...   I have to learn all of the names of these landmarks.

James and I did dinner on the grill at the fire pit last night.   It wasn't long before we had the company of several kit foxes who were looking for handouts.   By the time we knew they were going to stick around it was too dark for photos but they were within 10' of us at times.   Will be more prepared next time.

We walked over (50 yards) to a clump of shrubs where the fox's den is hidden.   There's a waterhole right beside the bushes and Jim says he often sees them there.   Will keep an eye on that area too.

Contemplating a sign to be created to help get people to police their camp and picnic sites better.   We find lots of trash left behind and some of it is really hazardous to the activities here.  Being an off-road mecca, recreation depends on tires.   Tires depend on being inflated and there are lots of bad trash to be found.  

Morning Visitors!   Today there were chirps coming from the small grove beside my fire pit.  I managed to capture on on digital...   now to entice others.

What bird is THIS?

   

Started working on attracting birds to my little grove.  There were just a couple in the brush this morning so I'm making it more inviting.   This bird bath is from a 5 gallon bucket.  Will add feeders asap.   Let's see who comes to visit!

What really happened on day 1.

Was out for the day doing camp host stuff.   Turns out that Rose (the supervisor) and Jim (the geology kid) and I do that stuff too.   Was fun driving around seeing what all is here.   Pretty different being in desert vs mountains.   normal trash hauling.  picked up a bunch of firewood.

Collected maps of the BLM area and the surrounding towns to aid exploration.   Listened to volunteer Jim's dad Jim talk about finding a peyote Indian ruins that still had pottery and artifacts intact.  Hopefully will get out there and photo it before it becomes public knowledge.

Took pics of patterns in the lake bed, trash, trees.   stuff that might be used in educational programs later.  Rose shared her master plan book for me to help develop.  Met with a motorcycle training guy that runs classes here.   Will talk to him about including him and others in the resources.  Met a contractor who is laying out perimeter for a pavilion to be home to the ATV training area that the BLM is creating.  They already have off-loading ramps to simplify arrivals and departures.  I should be able to do a day-by-day progress photo of that building.  It could be erected well before I am finished here in Nov.

Spent time talking about PR/marketing ideas.  Adopt a campsite,  develop bootleg motorcycle play areas into motorcycle official play areas,  Photo contest.  more of the same.  High schools to adopt comfort-stations to decorate, maintain, beautify...   who knows what may work.

Will work on pics now and see if I captured anything good.

Day one was really comfortable and enlightening.

How I got here.

In case you just tuned in, let me send you to a blog about my life on a motorcycle traveler.

This adventure began January 2nd, 2013 when I left PA with my BMW Motorcycle in the trailer beside my daughter's horse and traveled to FL for the winter.  You can see all that, and my continuing motorcycle activities at another blog:  WhereDoesThatRoadGo.com.

Otherwise, I will keep topics on this page to the El Mirage PR assignment and develop that theme.