![That's where we're headed . . . the mountains](https://a4.pbase.com/g1/17/780317/3/103014262.hrGJssO1.jpg) That's where we're headed . . . the mountains |
![Fully loaded](https://a4.pbase.com/g1/17/780317/3/103014264.2qo0XxTt.jpg) Fully loaded |
![. . . the view from under our mid-day shade tree](https://a4.pbase.com/g1/17/780317/3/103014266.GF0uO72q.jpg) . . . the view from under our mid-day shade tree |
![. . . first real climb . . . on pavement still](https://a4.pbase.com/g1/17/780317/3/103014268.hnUl7MA2.jpg) . . . first real climb . . . on pavement still |
![mentally re-evaluating whether we really need all this STUFF . . .](https://a4.pbase.com/g1/17/780317/3/103014270.w7ag6Ap3.jpg) mentally re-evaluating whether we really need all this STUFF . . . |
![after pushing our rides through 6 deep sand . . . we can now start the dirt road climbs](https://a4.pbase.com/g1/17/780317/3/103014272.zjUo4he1.jpg) after pushing our rides through 6" deep sand . . . we can now start the dirt road climbs |
![pausing to look for a possible spring](https://a4.pbase.com/g1/17/780317/3/103014273.EeRHBv2N.jpg) pausing to look for a possible spring |
![color . . . in the monochrome of a burn zone](https://a4.pbase.com/g1/17/780317/3/103014275.hHiKsXQu.jpg) color . . . in the monochrome of a burn zone |
![Life & Beauty in a burn zone](https://a4.pbase.com/g1/17/780317/3/103014277.tIrAMftv.jpg) Life & Beauty in a burn zone |
![the short, but steep, climb from hell . . . that we just pushed our rigs up. We came from DOWN THERE!](https://a4.pbase.com/g1/17/780317/3/103014279.RQSrU4IA.jpg) the short, but steep, "climb from hell" . . . that we just pushed our rigs up. We came from DOWN THERE! |
![our view the next morning . . .](https://a4.pbase.com/g1/17/780317/3/103014281.6VJiEd9p.jpg) our view the next morning . . . |
![. . . and where we had slept](https://a4.pbase.com/g1/17/780317/3/103014283.wpVfbpwN.jpg) . . . and where we had slept |
![VERY healthy J-Trees up here . . .](https://a4.pbase.com/g1/17/780317/3/103014285.MUu2zpNe.jpg) VERY healthy J-Trees up here . . . |
![the look of a desert rain . . .](https://a4.pbase.com/g1/17/780317/3/103014287.9OENXiwC.jpg) the look of a desert rain . . . |
![. . .](https://a4.pbase.com/g1/17/780317/3/103014289.cMGqamX5.jpg) . . . |
![staying on a friend's land, . . . it's all ours except the camper](https://a4.pbase.com/g1/17/780317/3/103014302.DD5wLaoX.jpg) staying on a friend's land, . . . it's all ours except the camper |
![our quest for another spring pays off . . .](https://a4.pbase.com/g1/17/780317/3/103014291.LaUW3fU7.jpg) our quest for another spring pays off . . . |
![. . . wild flowers . . .](https://a4.pbase.com/g1/17/780317/3/103014293.Dg6KJADz.jpg) . . . wild flowers . . . |
![. . . huge J-Trees . . .](https://a4.pbase.com/g1/17/780317/3/103014294.xwK8NDJG.jpg) . . . huge J-Trees . . . |
![. . . two ponds . . .](https://a4.pbase.com/g1/17/780317/3/103014296.PmFDPrwF.jpg) . . . two ponds . . . |
![. . . a tank, that the locals use to fill drums & tanks for their `omesteads . . .](https://a4.pbase.com/g1/17/780317/3/103014298.aqlYwdl3.jpg) . . . a tank, that the locals use to fill drums & tanks for their `omesteads . . . |
![. . . where we sourced our water from, . . . above it all.](https://a4.pbase.com/g1/17/780317/3/103014300.CqeCqVfC.jpg) . . . where we sourced our water from, . . . above it all. |
![the last of the high desert's exposed rocks](https://a4.pbase.com/g1/17/780317/3/103014305.IsEFd4eH.jpg) the last of the high desert's exposed rocks |
![. . . on the climb again, . . .](https://a4.pbase.com/g1/17/780317/3/103014675.6136RymL.jpg) . . . on the climb again, . . . |
![. . . over a 1,000' of gain . . .](https://a4.pbase.com/g1/17/780317/3/103014676.t9eNqps6.jpg) . . . over a 1,000' of gain . . . |
![. . . on a rubble stroon road . . .](https://a4.pbase.com/g1/17/780317/3/103014677.R6ks1DmA.jpg) . . . on a rubble stroon road . . . |
![12 hours of riding/pushing/and hiding under what shade we could find . . .](https://a4.pbase.com/g1/17/780317/3/103014673.0HxbjzWR.jpg) 12 hours of riding/pushing/and hiding under what shade we could find . . . |
![. . . got us about 4 miles . . . and to the pass into the next valley](https://a4.pbase.com/g1/17/780317/3/103014674.hRJP6euv.jpg) . . . got us about 4 miles . . . and to the pass into the next valley |
![we sleep under shelter of a juniper . . .](https://a4.pbase.com/g1/17/780317/3/103014679.MlfgXpFg.jpg) we sleep under shelter of a juniper . . . |
![. . . and wake to beautiful views . . .](https://a4.pbase.com/g1/17/780317/3/103014680.nAZVBLaz.jpg) . . . and wake to beautiful views . . . |
![. . .](https://a4.pbase.com/g1/17/780317/3/103014682.I40pfgbp.jpg) . . . |
![. . . mmmmmmm . . .](https://a4.pbase.com/g1/17/780317/3/103014683.3lCcbkiR.jpg) . . . mmmmmmm . . . |
![that day's spring . . .](https://a4.pbase.com/g1/17/780317/3/103014685.3VvEazLj.jpg) that day's spring . . . |
![. . . it's set up for man or animals](https://a4.pbase.com/g1/17/780317/3/103014686.bSEQ9m3D.jpg) . . . it's set up for man or animals |
![the valley beyond ours . . . we're not going that way, our track goes to the left](https://a4.pbase.com/g1/17/780317/3/103014687.KT7M3Sqk.jpg) the valley beyond ours . . . we're not going that way, our track goes to the left |
![last nights shelter, . . . about a mile, or so, above arastra creek](https://a4.pbase.com/g1/17/780317/3/103014688.0Jq6sNye.jpg) last nights shelter, . . . about a mile, or so, above arastra creek |
![our first (and only) water crossing](https://a4.pbase.com/g1/17/780317/3/103014689.Pb0neO5a.jpg) our first (and only) water crossing |
![old trees . . .](https://a4.pbase.com/g1/17/780317/3/103014691.wbMA56xV.jpg) old trees . . . |
![. . . north of Big Bear . . .](https://a4.pbase.com/g1/17/780317/3/103014690.esqrTMZN.jpg) . . . north of Big Bear . . . |
![. . .on a 16 mile day ride . . .](https://a4.pbase.com/g1/17/780317/3/103014692.wmRgGGeL.jpg) . . .on a 16 mile day ride . . . |
![. . . just because we were bored . . .](https://a4.pbase.com/g1/17/780317/3/103014693.A7xlARu7.jpg) . . . just because we were bored . . . |
![. . . w/o gear, that's stashed at a friend's place in town](https://a4.pbase.com/g1/17/780317/3/103014694.tQM5qZRu.jpg) . . . w/o gear, that's stashed at a friend's place in town |
![the false hangman's tree](https://a4.pbase.com/g1/17/780317/3/103014695.Jr6UITBj.jpg) the "false" hangman's tree |
![dropping into our first valley on the way down from over 8,000'](https://a4.pbase.com/g1/17/780317/3/103014696.ehRsfI3B.jpg) dropping into our first valley on the way down from over 8,000' |
![where we were this morning . . . west of that dry lake](https://a4.pbase.com/g1/17/780317/3/103014916.Usb9mS6b.jpg) where we were this morning . . . west of that dry lake |
![leaving Broom Flats and looking toward J-Tree](https://a4.pbase.com/g1/17/780317/3/103014917.z7eTY909.jpg) leaving Broom Flats and looking toward J-Tree |
![collecting thoughts](https://a4.pbase.com/g1/17/780317/3/103014918.zk6WbwIK.jpg) collecting thoughts |
![Gardian of the spring](https://a4.pbase.com/g1/17/780317/3/103014921.WZahLlG5.jpg) Gardian of the spring |
![it's all down hill . . .](https://a4.pbase.com/g1/17/780317/3/103014922.oXKEayix.jpg) it's all down hill . . . |
![rough, . . . rubble stroon . . .](https://a4.pbase.com/g1/17/780317/3/103014924.LyR5PaO3.jpg) rough, . . . rubble stroon . . . |
![loaded w/ quad and 4x4 damage . . .](https://a4.pbase.com/g1/17/780317/3/103014925.kEeIhMWg.jpg) loaded w/ quad and 4x4 damage . . . |
![but down hill.](https://a4.pbase.com/g1/17/780317/3/103014926.kJIVUj8f.jpg) but down hill. |
![where the desert meets the mountains](https://a4.pbase.com/g1/17/780317/3/103014928.iBYwrcly.jpg) where the desert meets the mountains |
![the freedom of a long dirt road . . .](https://a4.pbase.com/g1/17/780317/3/103014929.Br53NFIo.jpg) the freedom of a long dirt road . . . |
![having only what you can carry . . .](https://a4.pbase.com/g1/17/780317/3/103014930.lGp8Ct0N.jpg) having only what you can carry . . . |
![hard work without the Job . . .](https://a4.pbase.com/g1/17/780317/3/103014931.r7i5HrGp.jpg) hard work without the "Job" . . . |
![YES!!!](https://a4.pbase.com/g1/17/780317/3/103014932.p3rZ0ysy.jpg) YES!!! |