Project-JK Bradshaw Trail Run Pics 2009
Thread Starter
JK-Forum Founder
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 36,534
Likes: 16
From: Laguna Niguel, CA
Project-JK Bradshaw Trail Run Pics 2009
Honestly, I don't know what's more amazing - the fact that this is the 3rd trail run in a row that I announced very very late or.... the fact that so many people were still eager to sign up for it inspite of the late notice, the fact that it was so far away and that it would require camping. Crazy thing is, not only did we meet our limit of 10 Jeeps, we actually ended up extending it to 11 to accomodate everyone who wanted to come.
If there is a perfect time to be out in the desert, the time is now. Over the weekend, we were seeing daytime temps in the low 80's and night time temps in the low 50's. And, if you really want to get away from it all, traversing the historic Bradshaw Trail would be the way to do it. For our purposes, we started our trek out by Blythe which is next to the Arizona border and worked our way back to the Salton Sea. Along the way, we made a stop over at a geode bed to do some rock hounding and then up into the Little Chuckwalla Mountains to set up camp. The following day, we drove the rest of the 79 mile Bradshaw trail checking out dummy bombs along the Chocolate Mountian Ariel Gunnery Range and watched jets dogfight overhead. At the end of the day, about half our group made there way for home while the rest of us made one last stop over at the Salton Sea Mud Pots.
Anyway, I'll stop talking now and show you some pics from our trip....
The Courtesy Coffee Shop - our breakfast stop in Blythe, CA and where we met up with fish, SoCal_JK_2dr, moochie, toad, bullfrog and Trail Bud...
At the Bradshaw Trail head where we met the rest of our group and took some time to air down....
Informative kiosks we saw along the trail....
Deviating from the trail for just a bit to go looking for geodes....
Tank tracks that were embedded into the desert varnish back when General Patton used this area as a training facility during World War II....
Rockhounding for geodes....
Making our way into the Little Chuckwalla Mountains looking for a camp spot....
Just as the sun was starting to go down, we found a nice campsite over at an abandoned mine....
Trail Bud and fish toating to a great day....
The infamous fish juice - aka: American Honey....
Everybody cooking up dinner and having a great time....
Looking out across the desert as nightfall approaches....
Hanging out by the campfire....
More pics from Day 2 are below but if you'd like to see all 424 Photos from this trip now, simply click on the link below:
Project-JK Bradshaw Trail Run Pics 2009 Photo Gallery
If there is a perfect time to be out in the desert, the time is now. Over the weekend, we were seeing daytime temps in the low 80's and night time temps in the low 50's. And, if you really want to get away from it all, traversing the historic Bradshaw Trail would be the way to do it. For our purposes, we started our trek out by Blythe which is next to the Arizona border and worked our way back to the Salton Sea. Along the way, we made a stop over at a geode bed to do some rock hounding and then up into the Little Chuckwalla Mountains to set up camp. The following day, we drove the rest of the 79 mile Bradshaw trail checking out dummy bombs along the Chocolate Mountian Ariel Gunnery Range and watched jets dogfight overhead. At the end of the day, about half our group made there way for home while the rest of us made one last stop over at the Salton Sea Mud Pots.
Anyway, I'll stop talking now and show you some pics from our trip....
The Courtesy Coffee Shop - our breakfast stop in Blythe, CA and where we met up with fish, SoCal_JK_2dr, moochie, toad, bullfrog and Trail Bud...
At the Bradshaw Trail head where we met the rest of our group and took some time to air down....
Informative kiosks we saw along the trail....
Deviating from the trail for just a bit to go looking for geodes....
Tank tracks that were embedded into the desert varnish back when General Patton used this area as a training facility during World War II....
Rockhounding for geodes....
Making our way into the Little Chuckwalla Mountains looking for a camp spot....
Just as the sun was starting to go down, we found a nice campsite over at an abandoned mine....
Trail Bud and fish toating to a great day....
The infamous fish juice - aka: American Honey....
Everybody cooking up dinner and having a great time....
Looking out across the desert as nightfall approaches....
Hanging out by the campfire....
More pics from Day 2 are below but if you'd like to see all 424 Photos from this trip now, simply click on the link below:
Project-JK Bradshaw Trail Run Pics 2009 Photo Gallery
Last edited by wayoflife; Jan 19, 2009 at 12:37 PM.
Thread Starter
JK-Forum Founder
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 36,534
Likes: 16
From: Laguna Niguel, CA
Day - 2
Sunrise shots from camp....
Looking north, the rising sun illuminated the mountians and rocks below with a beautiful redish orange hue....
Another shot of camp from above....
Having breakfast under the warm sun and cool breeze....
Here's gregkuiper cooking up a feast including chocolate pancakes....
After breakfast, SoCal_JK_2dr and his kids spent some time exploring some of the mine ruins....
On the trail again, we drove along side the Chocolate Mountian Ariel Gunnery Range which is marked with signs like this....
and this....
While we were out checking out the cool signs, gregkuiper accidentally locked his keys in his Jeep. So, before doing anything else, everyone in our group decided to give our keys a try....
A shot of the fateful keys that were so close but so far away....
After some discussion as to how we should break into greg's Jeep, we decided to just go in through the door....
Along the way, we came across some dummy bombs that were piled along the trail....
While we were there, we got to watch a couple of jets dogfight overhead....
Towards the end of the trail, we came across some really cool railroad tracks and crossings that haven't been used in years....
We also found an old rail road bridge and spent some time exploring it - shot of our Jeeps from a top the bridge....
In spite of the dizzying height, lack of hand rails, large gaps between some of the rail road ties and blowing wind, Trail Bud managed to stop his jog across the bridge just long enough to pose for a pic....
A few more shots of the bridge....
Airing up in a parking lot at the North Shore Salton Sea....
After saying good bye to Off Topic, Bill, fish, gregkruper and his family, the rest of us made our way south along the Salton Sea to make one more stop - the Mud Pots....
The Mud Pots are essentially mini-mud volcanos and more impressive than the way they look is the way the sound. Here is a shot as we walk up to some of the largest ones....
All around the muddy flats are large pools of bubbling water surrounded by mud volcanos....
OlegFl and Kate feel the steam coming out one of the mud vents....
Looking into a mud pot, you will find a pool of mud that is bubbling way....
Here's doojette reaching down to test the temperature of the mud....
Group shot before heading for home....
As we left, we saw an impressive array of migratory birds flying overhead in formation....
And finally, some sunset shots as we headed for home....
Looking out across the Salton Sea....
To see all 424 Photos from this trip, click on the link below:
Project-JK Bradshaw Trail Run Pics 2009 Photo Gallery
And, even more pics can be seen here:
fish's photo gallery
Trail Bud's photo gallery
toad's photo gallery
I'd like to thank everyone who was able to come out and join us for this one hell of trip. We had a great time with all of you and look forward to doing this again!!
Looking north, the rising sun illuminated the mountians and rocks below with a beautiful redish orange hue....
Another shot of camp from above....
Having breakfast under the warm sun and cool breeze....
Here's gregkuiper cooking up a feast including chocolate pancakes....
After breakfast, SoCal_JK_2dr and his kids spent some time exploring some of the mine ruins....
On the trail again, we drove along side the Chocolate Mountian Ariel Gunnery Range which is marked with signs like this....
and this....
While we were out checking out the cool signs, gregkuiper accidentally locked his keys in his Jeep. So, before doing anything else, everyone in our group decided to give our keys a try....
A shot of the fateful keys that were so close but so far away....
After some discussion as to how we should break into greg's Jeep, we decided to just go in through the door....
Along the way, we came across some dummy bombs that were piled along the trail....
While we were there, we got to watch a couple of jets dogfight overhead....
Towards the end of the trail, we came across some really cool railroad tracks and crossings that haven't been used in years....
We also found an old rail road bridge and spent some time exploring it - shot of our Jeeps from a top the bridge....
In spite of the dizzying height, lack of hand rails, large gaps between some of the rail road ties and blowing wind, Trail Bud managed to stop his jog across the bridge just long enough to pose for a pic....
A few more shots of the bridge....
Airing up in a parking lot at the North Shore Salton Sea....
After saying good bye to Off Topic, Bill, fish, gregkruper and his family, the rest of us made our way south along the Salton Sea to make one more stop - the Mud Pots....
The Mud Pots are essentially mini-mud volcanos and more impressive than the way they look is the way the sound. Here is a shot as we walk up to some of the largest ones....
All around the muddy flats are large pools of bubbling water surrounded by mud volcanos....
OlegFl and Kate feel the steam coming out one of the mud vents....
Looking into a mud pot, you will find a pool of mud that is bubbling way....
Here's doojette reaching down to test the temperature of the mud....
Group shot before heading for home....
As we left, we saw an impressive array of migratory birds flying overhead in formation....
And finally, some sunset shots as we headed for home....
Looking out across the Salton Sea....
To see all 424 Photos from this trip, click on the link below:
Project-JK Bradshaw Trail Run Pics 2009 Photo Gallery
And, even more pics can be seen here:
fish's photo gallery
Trail Bud's photo gallery
toad's photo gallery
I'd like to thank everyone who was able to come out and join us for this one hell of trip. We had a great time with all of you and look forward to doing this again!!
Last edited by wayoflife; Jan 19, 2009 at 04:58 PM.
