Rock Hounding Expedition

Today's view is like yesterday's view and the day before, and the day before . .. Today's weather is like yesterday's weather and the day before and the day before . .. It is time for an outing!  So I looked on the Internet for interesting day trips.  We could go skiing on a nearby mountain where the snow is man made.  That would be a wonderful activity for two old folks who both had back surgery last summer!  Or we could go dirt biking; that is popular around here - and of course we wouldn't fall! The main hiking trails are here in the park.  What should we do?  Well, rock hounding is safe - just walking around.  A local lapidary club posted some good sights and we selected one near Victorville that is reported to have Black Jade and Verd Antique Marble.  Of course I didn't think to look at samples of these rocks before we left.

I want to go!

 We drove down eight miles of dirt road to enter the famed rock hounding area.  We didn't see any other hounders running around, but there were hundreds or thousands of ATV riders and dirt bikers roaring about.  Hundreds of RVs were parked in groups on the desert, with many options for riding parked nearby.  And the wind carried the constant sound of vroom, vroom.  Young riders came dangerously close to hitting us as they crossed the road, and there were trails EVERYWHERE!.

 The countryside was much like the country here at Saddleback, but with no monitoring or regulations.

 

 We arrived at the purported hounding area and we looked for rocks.  There were lots of rocks all around just like at Saddleback.  But we kept walking up a hill toward some outcroppings, thinking those might be different rocks.

Black Jade or Verd Antique Marble?  I don't know!

Verd Antique Marble?  Or just an interesting rock?

Same rock turned over.

We did find many interesting rocks.  Some were even black and green.  Did we find what we were looking for?  We don't know!  Floyd - we need your help!

Signs of Spring!

Do not bump!

More cactus.

Yucca.

Shotgun shells.

Everywhere we stopped their were signs of target practice without any clean up efforts.  In one area, there were even signs that various items had bee blown up.  We had happened on a red-neck haven!

Clay pigeon remains.

Dust from the day of off road vehicles!

In summary, we had fun, we saw new country and we got away from the same scene day after day . . . . . sort