The next day, most of the campers were packing up to leave or hanging out enjoying the warm morning sun
before heading home. Just four of us were willing to brave the impending thunder showers that were called
for due to a hurricane down south.
The brave little crew of 4, one 4runner, one land cruiser and two jeeps, head off for the peak of White Mountain
and then down into Johnson valley.
We reached the edge of the mountain where we could look WAY down into the valley below. Trails went off in all
directions. There were a couple of Forest service trucks also parked there and they told us that they didn't want
us going down this little sketchy mine road because there was a stuck truck down there blocking it.
The truck we with them but not a forest service vehicle so they were not allowed to rescue it themselves.
A professional rescue in that precarious location would have been super expensive. Brian in the Land Cruiser
didn't hesitate for a second to offer assistance. So he and one of the Jeeps made their way down this super
narrow, shale covered "road" that winded down a gully. The truck was stuck to the axel in the soft roadbed
after a rear tire slipped over the edge the night before.
The owners of the truck were not there and we weren't allowed to actually touch it till they showed up, but
we spent the time figuring out how to get it's rear end back on the road, fortifying our trucks to keep them
from sliding down the road etc.
The owners showed up after a half hour or so and gave permission. Using the winch itself just pulled the two
trucks down the steep/slippery road. But letting the air out of the truck tired and trying to drive it down hill while
holding on the winch together got the back end up on the road.
Turns out the truck owners were Bat researchers invited out by the forest service to survey an open mine with
a colony of bats in it.
Right in the middle of the actual rescue the storm hit us. Pouring rain drenched everyone. I rode back up with
the Jeep and we waited at the top for everyone else to get turned around and back out. The Land Cruiser had
to air up as we reduced him to 9 pounds to try to keep traction on the road. At this point the rain was like a
bucket of water being poured on their heads while I hid inside the warthog waiting it out.
The Rangers and the Bat people were so happy we got them out that they invited us back to the station to dry
off so off we convoyed in the rain.
The trails were all instantly lakes and rivers. But the soil here is all DG, no clay so was just really watery sand, no mud.
The rain eased off to a light sprinkle as the cell moved on, it got quite beautiful and quiet. We got to the
station and it was just lightly sprinkling, we talked with the bat researchers and the rangers for some time,
exchanged emails and such.
One of the rangers was really into it, was also an Expedition Portal member. He gave us a little tip on a
nice trail to take since our main plans were kind of interrupted.
So another couple of hours in the cool 60 deg air and moody clouds with the windows open, heading towards
Big Bear lake on SN16 and SN08. Was quiet and the sounds of the tires on the wet rocks and gravel was relaxing.
Continued...
