Places to go and things to see by Gypsy Bev

Archive for the ‘Back Roads’ Category

Go To Hells Canyon

Come discover a place where time stands still as you descend into Hells Canyon carved by the great Snake River. As you drive down into the canyon, quiet and beauty surround you. Here is the deepest river gorge in North America with heights of up to 9000 feet surrounding you. It can be approached from either the Idaho or Oregon side, but this day the approach was from Idaho Highway 86.  You will eventually find yourself driving on the famous Canyon Scenic Byway, “Devil’s Tail”, also known as National Forest Road #454, leading to Hells Canyon Dam at the end of the road.

Scenery was awesome and it seemed impossible to capture the towering feeling that surrounded you as you drove along the Snake River in the bottom of the canyon. This canyon separates Idaho from Oregon in a most spectacular way.

The forest road along the top of Hells Canyon was a one-lane dirt road, which was rugged and steep and took several hours to ascend.  Towards the top, the road was covered with a light coat of snow. The last 350 yards had to be traveled on foot in order to arrive at Heavens Gate where the altitude was 8,690 feet and the scent of pine hung thick in the mountain air. The foot path was rough, but the view from the top was breathtaking, my favorite view of the canyon.

From this point, you could see the snow covered Seven Devils Range and the Snake River. There are actually twenty peaks in this range with He Devil and She Devil being the highest, both at about 9400′. At one angle you could see four states: Idaho, Oregon, Montana, and Wyoming.

Back in 1955. Idaho Power Company began construction of a three dam project in Hells Canyon. First a road had to be constructed and even then couldn’t bring in all the needed supplies. Helicopters were used to bring in tools and equipment as well as help with erecting the transmission towers that carry the power out of the canyon to the Oregon side. Finally, we reach the end of the 22 mile road and cross over the dam to the Oregon side where the Visitors Center is located.

On close observation, the rugged rock walls of the canyon are like a museum with pictographs and petroglyphs left over from the time when Chief Joseph’s band of Nez Perce Indians lived there.  Some say part of the petroglyphs date back possibly 15,000 years. Nez Perce Indians  enjoyed the mild winters here as well as the lush foliage and plentiful wildlife. The Snake River provided abundant fish as well as goods they would be able to trade.

Later, in 1895,a cargo ship captain, named Haller, met with rapids more dangerous than expected. Either because of people discussing his adventure in Haller’s Canyon, or perhaps what the captain said when he got in this dangerous situation, the name Hells Canyon stuck. The precipitous mountain sides and the wild rapids seem to reinforce the idea that the name chosen was very fitting.

There is only one way back out of the canyon from the dam, and that is back the same 22 mile road that was originally used to enter. But now it is dusk and the drive out will be a careful one, driving slowly because of the sharp curves and always being aware of dodging fallen rocks either in the air or on the rugged highway. Be sure to keep your eyes on the road and stop when you want to really enjoy the scenery.

Today this magical place is great for whitewater rafting, jet boating as well as fishing excursions. Just being here makes you look at the world with a different perspective. Great spot to relax and leave your worries behind. See you in Hell’s Canyon!

Hells Canyon can be reached from I 84 in Idaho at Exit 304 Hells Canyon/Weiser Road. Follow the signs for the Canyon Scenic Byway and enjoy the adventure.

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Back Roads, Idaho, Oregon, Uncategorized

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Slab City in the Chocolate Mountains

“We like it here and we ain’t goin’ back.”  Residents of Slab City in Southern California enjoy their life of freedom where the air is clean and rent is free.

Sandwiched between the Salton Sea and the Chocolate Mountains, Slab City is home to many campers.  Here they don’t care what you look like or where you came from. Everyone is welcome! Campers come on dirt bikes, in RVs and even greyhound buses to park on this hidden desert city.

At the entrance to Slab City, you will find Salvation Mountain where the sides are painted with religious pictures and verses to inspire the freedom that is advocated here. Leonard Knight has been painting and repainting this mountain since 1985.  If you like his work and want to donate to the cause, a bucket of paint is his favorite contribution…acrylic is preferred.

As you travel back into Slab City,  you find campers set up on the concrete slabs left behind from the WWII training grounds. The Chocolate Mountains and a few creosote bushes add some beauty to this RV oasis in the middle of the desert. This is indeed rough living, even though free, as there is no electricity, running water, or bathroom facilities.  And the temperature is hot!  Those who stay either use a generator or solar panels to produce enough power to cook, or run a fan for their swamp cooler. Some even use that power to watch TV for a little while each day and have their satellite dishes located on top of their campers. Definitely not a place for those who like all the modern conveniences.

Entertainment seems to come in an easy manner to these free thinking people. Flea markets or swap meets are held most weekends. One camper even set up a library, as there is definitely lots of time to read a good book. In the evenings, those who have an instrument with them provide music with songs like: We Like It Here, Slab City USA, and Free Bird.

Marine Corps Chocolate Mountain Gunnery Range is located close by. This Gunnery range has been a training ground for Marine Corps and Navy pilots since WWII.   If you happen to stay at Slab City, you will hear the sounds of artillery practice throughout the night quite often.  Where Patton once ran his tanks, today folks race their four wheelers and dune buggies.

Nearby Salton Sea is one of the world’s largest  inland seas with its surface being 226 feet below sea level. Originally formed from an overflow during a heavy flood of the Colorado River into the Salton basin, this re-created lake in the Imperial Valley of California is located on the San Andreas Fault. This type of flood should not occur again due to the construction of Hoover Dam on the Colorado River in the Black Canyon. Since this inland sea has no fresh water supply except for the inch or two of rain each year, today this polluted sea seems thick enough to walk on!

There is a possibility that this area may soon be developed into a solar and geothermal energy site for much needed power for the California area.  This could power many homes and businesses! But environmentalists are concerned about the dwindling population of the Mojave Desert tortoise, the flat-tailed horned lizard, and the burrowing owl in that area.

If you happen to stop in a local tavern, you might hear this discussion regarding the protected environment. One slightly disheveled man of the desert will laugh and say, “The most amazing creature in the desert is the stick lizard.  Carries a stick in his mouth whenever the temperature rises above a hundred ‘n fifteen degrees.  Still he searches for food at high noon.  How does he do it?”

“Wow, how can he be out there at high noon?” ask the environmentalists.

“Well,” the desert man thinks deeply, “when the sand starts to burn his feet, he puts the stick in the ground so he can climb it. He just hangs there a few minutes ’til his feet cool off.  Ain’t many stick lizards left.  Definitely endangered.”

If you are tired of the city or your troubles are so many that you can’t list them, flee to Slab City where you are sure to be welcome!

If you are driving or hitchhiking to Slab City, it is located in the desert of Southern California just four miles east of Nilan off Route 111.  There is fairly easy access as it lies just north of I 8 and south of I 10.

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Back Roads, California, Uncategorized

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Get Your Kicks on Route 66 in Oatman, Arizona

Spectacular Route 66 takes a lot of twists and turns as you travel through the breathtaking mountain vistas from Kingman to Oatman, Arizona.  Around every bend there is another beautiful view and not many cars, so you can move at a leisurely pace and even stop for pictures.

Best place to park is on either edge of this living ghost town and then enjoy the walk down the street. You will find many unique stores along the way such as: New Diggin’s, Classy Ass, or White Buffalo Trading Post.  Today there are only about 100 people that actually reside in the town although in its gold mining days population reached 3500.

“Get your kicks on Route 66” is a familiar saying, but here in Oatman you have to be careful it isn’t a burro kick! Wild burros eating from your pockets or purse make it a challenge just to walk down the streets of Oatman, Arizona. That is the reason nearly every store has available carrots or “burro chow” at a small cost. The burros are descendants of the pack animals used by early miners in the area and turned loose in the 1940’s.  They are today protected by the US Department of the Interior.

An old adobe two story building, Oatman Hotel, is the oldest building in town, having been built in 1902.  Now it is especially remembered as the honeymoon suite of Clark Gable and Carole Lombard in 1936.  Often they returned here for some peace and quiet, and Clark liked to play poker with the local miners. Their ghosts are said to frequent the place as witnessed by many guests.

On the weekends, you might be lucky and see a “Wild West” show on the streets. While visiting there, they held up a tour bus (they called it a stage coach) coming to town.   Stopped the bus with gunshots from the middle of the road, then boarded the bus to rob the passengers.  All in fun of course! This was followed by a gunfight in the street.

Lucky to have found a place to step back in history and get the feel of the Old West.  Wonder if my luck would continue in the nearby gambling town of Laughlin, Nevada?  Taking the shortcut over a thirty mile dirt road,  should be there in about an hour.  Hop in Lady Luck, let’s go for a ride!

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Arizona, Back Roads, Uncategorized

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Bishop Castle – One Man’s Dream

Bishop Castle: “The Largest One Man Construction Project in the USA,” and possibly the World! When you see this beautiful, magnificent castle, it is difficult to imagine that one man did all of the work.  Everyone has their dreams, but Jim Bishop’s dream turned out to be larger than most. Jim has never stopped working on his inspiration since 1969.

Located in the Rocky Mountains near Pueblo, Colorado, this 150 foot high castle is a treasure when discovered among the pines on a back country road.  Due to all the problems Jim had with governmental interference, you won’t find it listed in the Colorado travel literature.  After seeing several cars parked along the highway, your curiosity makes you wonder what the attraction is here, so you look a little more closely and discover a medieval castle peeking through the tree tops.

Jim works on his castle on weekends and more often during the summer.  His family also operates Eagle River Pewter in Pueblo, which explains the beautiful ironwork seen throughout the castle.  He is often seen strolling the grounds either on his way to add something to his castle, or to talk with visitors.  Seems like quite an ordinary guy with a huge imagination.

When Jim was 15 years old, he purchased two and a half acres for $450 at the edge of the San Isabel National Forest.  He had saved his money from mowing lawns, delivering newspapers, and working with his dad at the iron works. That is the year he dropped out of school as his English teacher told him, “You’ll never amount to anything, Jim Bishop!”  To begin withl the land was used for hunting and fishing, but then Jim decided to build a small cottage on the property. Since the Rockies were handy, stone by native stone was added and the beginnings of a castle rose from the forest.

No castle would be complete without a huge fireplace, but this one had a unique feature as it vented through the head of a dragon made from recycled metal hospital trays.  Smoke escaped through the nostrils of the dragon’s nose.  Just for a little added excitement, sometimes the dragon breathed fire with the help of a burner from a hot air balloon.

Inside the castle on the upper floor was a beautiful ballroom with stained glass windows, which were custom made by individual request.  Many of them commemorate a wedding held there or remember a loved one. A studio in Colorado designed the windows, and then Jim installed the stained glass beauty himself. He definitely lived by that old saying: “If you want something done right, do it yourself.” This is his unique work of art except for the wall around the water tank in the corner of the castle…his dad helped build that when Jim was first building the cottage.

The Gift Shop was the main source of funding for Bishop’s Castle as there was no charge for admission. Here you could purchase dragons, Renaissance and fantasy weaponry, Jim’s own ornamental ironwork plus all the regular gift shop items. Actually the picture at the beginning of this article is from a tee shirt purchased there on a Rocky Mountain trip.

Over the years, Jim had many legal problems with his building of the castle. At one time he posted a sign that said: Lawyers, Politicians, Bureaucrats, Gestapo  Most of you need to get an honest job.

While work is nearly complete on the castle itself after forty odd years, there are plans for a gatehouse as well as a fence around the castle. Jim has decided to let a few volunteers help him with this last phase of construction.  Men like Jim Bishop make you realize that even an ordinary man can make their biggest, wildest dream come true. Don’t forget to dream!

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Back Roads, Colorado, Uncategorized

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Rachel, Nevada “UFO Capital of the World”

Rachel, Nevada –  Population: Humans YES…Aliens ?   Those words are seen on a sign as you enter the town of Rachel, which has been named the “UFO Capital of the World” due to its closeness to the top secret Air Force test facility Area 51, and claims of numerous UFO sightings.

Route 375, The Extraterrestrial Highway, meanders across the desert of Nevada and North of  Area 51.  Visitors must be cautious as this is open range and cattle frequently cross the highway, or might just be standing in the middle of the road.  This is another lonesome highway where strange lights often appear in the night sky, and you have the feeling of being in the middle of nowhere.

After the nearly hundred mile drive across the desert from Las Vegas, the Restaurant called Little A’Le’Inn is a welcome sight.  This is the friendliest group of people and all  are willing to discuss the various sightings and events in their area. While waiting for my  World Famous Alien Burger, took time to look around inside at their Mini Museum.  No surprise that there would be a gift shop with many Alien and Extraterrestrial Highway items available as well as a wall covered with UFO photos from all over the world.

Directions were freely given to the border of Area 51, but was warned to stay back from the fence, or a guard would appear very quickly as the area is securely monitored.  Did drive back through the desert roads about nine miles, until a couple signs said: Warning Restricted Area and Warning Military Installation, which seemed an appropriate place to halt that journey. Could see the dust of an approaching vehicle so headed back toward Rachel.

One last stop at the Inn to view the unique tow trunk with an alien space ship in tow.  In front of the restaurant on the right side, you can see the ID4 Monument  placed there by the producers of the movie, Independence Day. Enclosed is a time capsule to be opened in 2050  “by which time interplanetary travelers shall be regular guests of our planet Earth.”

Headed out as darkness was starting to fall and certainly hated to see the day come to an end. The friendly locals suggested I watch for a mailbox along the road as I was leaving. Just down the road was the famous  “Black Mail Box”, now painted white, where people sign their names at the spot where UFO watching is a frequent activity.

Leaves many questions to be answered to those skeptical about UFOs.  Why do so many people come to the Black Box area?  Is there life on other planets?  Do aliens from other galaxies dwell among us?

These are all questions still pondered while drinking my morning tea from a Little A’Le’Inn mug.

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Back Roads, Nevada, Uncategorized

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Crystal Geyser Bubbles in Green River

Crystal Geyser is a pleasant surprise in this Utah territory, one of my favorite places to explore.  While staying in Green River, Utah, residents there suggested a nine mile trip down a rough, off-trail road, which led to an unexpected geyser.

Here we have a rare example of a cold water carbon dioxide geyser, which is completely different from the geothermal geysers seen in Yellowstone Park. Man actually drilled for oil on this spot in 1935, and got an unexpected result. There were said to be several of these bore holes in the region, but Crystal Geyser seems to produce the most spectacular results…if you are patient.

People at the local coffee shop encouraged me to be certain I had reading material, sun protection and plenty of water as you never know when this geyser is going to erupt.  Sometimes is it every eight hours and could be up to twenty two hours between eruptions. Many people camp here all night to catch the next eruption.   So patience is definitely the name of the game.

Carefully following directions, finally arrived at a point that had a small sign indicating Crystal Geyser.  My curiosity was piqued so got out a blanket, put on a straw hat, and took my book to a nearby orange rock among the colorful mineral deposits. Decided to wait it out! Here people came and went for several hours arriving on dirt bikes, kayaks and four wheelers as well as SUVs, trucks and cars. Had to get up and take some walks around the area while waiting.  Too long to sit in one spot!

Finally there seems to be some action near the pipe marking the geyser. Just watching its approach is quite interesting. First, water surfaces and creates a small pool in the area.  The area begins to bubble off and on for several minutes. Even the mud begins to bubble. Next you could see water spouting out the holes in the pipe.  Then, the eruption gave off a cooling spray enjoyed by adults and children alike. Several children got as close as they could to splash in the geyser pool and feel the cool spray.

When it finally erupts, the water may be anywhere from a height of eight feet to a hundred feet, and could last from ten minutes to two hours. It’s always a surprise even to those who live in the area.  Once it is finished there is a whooshing sound as most of the water is sucked back into the ground, and the rest flows away over the yellow-orange rock surface into the Green River. Felt quite lucky to have it erupt on my first visit and within about six hours.

Back in Green River, stopped to get a couple of their delicious melons to take back home.  Today my slice of life included a big slice of watermelon to end this adventure on a sweet note.

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Back Roads, Uncategorized, Utah

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Lonesome Town Near Mexican Border

Just by accident, travelers might find the little town of Hachita, New Mexico.  As you travel through the Southern part of the state, Hachita is a small town not far from the Mexican border and located in the Little Hatchet Mountains.

This is one of the few towns I have visited where all of the streets are still unpaved. During my first visit to Hachita, the town consisted of a bar, store, and post office along with about a hundred people in residence. The post office is located in the center of town and you can see the dirt road to its front door step, but the American flag is always flying. Another interesting event in years past was the Chicken Roping.  This town was filled with cowboys and Cattle Roping was a year long event there.  One year, the owner of the local bar thought that chicken roping would be an added attraction.  This was a real event and was depicted on the side of the bar by a traveling artist.

This was once a mining area so at one time was a booming and prosperous community. But that was Old Hachita, which is located down the road just a couple of miles and set back off today’s main road.  You have to have a local guide that knows the area to lead you to the remains of the Old Hachita town.

The local guide also took us back in the desert region very close to the Mexican border. We actually had a picnic of ham sandwiches and potato salad with refreshing cold drinks under a giant sycamore tree located near a rare spring.

As we headed back towards Hachita, we came across a sign posted by the Border Patrol which said: Attention!  You are in danger of dying if you do not summon help.This was one of those unusual signs that you come across off the beaten path.

Even attended a town meeting while visiting in the area.  They were discussing their new grant for water for the small town.  Currently, there is an old water tower but water is not really safe to drink.  The new project will have a safe water supply and a better water volume available.  After the meeting, nearly everyone in the town brought a covered dish and had delicious food as well as friendly town talk.

Border patrol frequent the town driving through both day and night as well as covering the surrounding area.  Most of the locals don’t even lock their doors at night as they feel well protected.  This is the place to really get away from it all.

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Back Roads, Desert Highway, New Mexico, Uncategorized

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