http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/California/Mojave-National-Preserve/ Travel adventures in journals and photos from North America , United States , California , Mojave National Preserve en-us Tue, 08 Dec 09 10:37:15 +0000 Tue, 08 Dec 09 10:37:15 +0000 5th July 2009. Trip to Mojave CaliforniaUp and away again not many of those to go now down through Tulare Pixy Delano and Bakersfield where we got off HW99. onto HW202 then up the Tehachapi Mountains through Tehachapi and onto Mojave. Mojave is in a huge desert basin and of course in the Mojave Desert.Over the top of the Mountains and the first thing was how barren it was only little sti http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/California/Mojave-National-Preserve/blog-416017.html We entered southern California expecting to stop at a visitor's centre to pick up brochures instead we were greeted by yet another border patrol truck inspection site. We had seen these in New Mexico and Arizona...but like everywhere else we were just waved through leaving us to wonder what that was all about. Taxpayer dollars hard at workWe needed supplies but unfortunately for us we ha http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/California/Mojave-National-Preserve/blog-377187.html We found an old time cafe called Mike's Roadhouse Cafe. It was a no brainer as the other choices were fast food Denny's or Roberto's Menudo Casa. We actually had a very nice green salad and turkey dinner. But the best part was the children's push and pedal cars mounted on the walls. They had several for sale as well. They even had a green coupe like the one I had as a kid. They also had a http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/California/Mojave-National-Preserve/blog-364886.html Thrifty Travel Tip 8 The KOA campgrounds will never know you were there if you're in at 8 and out by 6 if you don't use the water you won't hurt them economically either. Don't pay for what you don't use.Hi Hello and Good day Family and Friends lt3We woke up well rested and happy after our adventures the night before at NAU. I found our sweet generous host lying on the floor of his room w http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/California/Mojave-National-Preserve/blog-329927.html It's a pretty drive down to Baker CA and the entrance to Mojave National Preserve. We saw more desert flowers blooming pinks yellows and whites. The cinder cones and lava beds were fascinating and the landscape everchanging. We stopped at the Visitor Center at Kelso Station and looked at the exhibits. The temperature was dropping and the woman at the Visitor Center said they were expec http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/California/Mojave-National-Preserve/blog-248817.html As I headed out of Death Valley with its bizarre and surreal terrain I decided to take a side trip over to Red Rock Canyon outside of Las Vegas NV to do a little rock climbing. Having tasted the joys of scrambling over massive boulders of sticky granite in Yosemite I was intrigued by what might be waiting in this little rocky hideaway. My body had other ideas however. Rather than jumping ont http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/California/Mojave-National-Preserve/blog-177778.html Departed Terribles and stopped in Baker CA to fuel up eat lunch after filling up. Stopped at the Kelso Depot Visitor Center built in 1924 and in use by the Union Pacific Railway until 1985 the depot now serves as a museum and information center. After visiting the the Kelso Depot Visitor Center we headed over to Kelso Dunes for the night. The night was a cold one it got down into the teens http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/California/Mojave-National-Preserve/blog-160817.html