Overnight to watch planets align

Trip Reports
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Just got back from a trip to Stoddard Wells OHV area. The trip started out as a day lunch run to Slash X ranch. Turns out no one had been there so I planned a day trip. The week before we left, I found out a bunch of planets were going to align. Now its an overnight trip.

The trip consisted of twelve vehicles. We made our way to camp, those of us with trailers dropped them off. A few tents were set up and off we went to Slash X for lunch. According to the news, the planets were going to appear just after sunset, in a short arc going west to south. I chose an area with a clear view that direction.

Slash X is the last of the cattle ranches in the Mojave. Turns out, the ranch owners wife was tired of him disappearing into town and drinking so, he and his ranch hands built a bar across from the ranch and that’s all that stands today.

Burgers and fries in the patio, a guy on a guitar for background music and limited shade. We spent about an hour there and our next stop was across the desert to the outlet mall for ice-cream.

We crossed using some narrow sand wash’s and I got a little creative with the trip back and couldn’t resist some low end rock crawling, sending the lesser built vehicles up some bypasses. We ended up with one of the Tacoma’s, not paying attention, hit a rock in the sand wash and bent his upper arm. A couple of us stayed to help him get back to the pavement for a tow and the rest went off to get ice-cream.

No ice-cream for me and headed back to camp.

At dusk, Rick went and got Pizza in town for everyone, he came back right after dusk just in time to eat and play with the telescopes. The planet alignment was a bit “MEH”

We had a couple of nice telescopes for the planet align and even though they were spread all over the sky and not in a row as we were told. Still it was nice. During that time I was experimenting with a couple of campfire desserts i saw on U-tube. The first one was dough wrapped around a one inch wood dowl. You formed it into a small “cup” and once cooked, fill it with blueberry pie mix and whip cream. Not bad but took too long to cook. The next one was small cinnamon rolls cooked using marshmallow forks. Again, not bad but took too long to cook like that.

Packed up and made it out by mid morning. Still didn’t get my ice-cream.

Any time spent camping is better than not. So, win win.

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Sounds like a killer time even with the inconveniences

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Sounds great! Do you mind if we put an actual name to Smritte? Then again, I just realized that mine also might not show my name… -Mike

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Scott

Its my first two initials and part of my last name

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(I’ll see if I can update this to show the name somewhere).

All I’m reading in this post: we need to get ice cream.

I was supposed to be on this trip! :sob: Finally feeling better.

Thanks for sharing @Smritte !

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@Matthew is there a way we could add a signature section that just automatically adds to the bottom of our posts? I do like the idea of seeing everyone’s names

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Had a great time on this trip. I believe this is the most rigs I’ve been out with since becoming active in the group. Hats off to Scott, Mary and Carl for looking out for Dennis to make sure he ended up in a safe place after that boulder jumped in front of him.

Slash X was good and definitely a place I wanted to check off my list. Pizza was great (thanks Rick and Carl for making the trek). Blueberry pies by Scott and Mary were awesome. The trails and views were very entertaining. Best of all, the company and campfire talk was the best. Hope to see you all on the next one!

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Thanks @Lone_Angler , I agree! I’ll look into it.

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@carlospalooza your write up makes me really want to get out with people :joy:

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