| MARCH 1992 | 218 |
The Backroad Explorers Committee gave an excellent program at the DPS meeting on Feb 5 about their trips on desert back roads with 4wdr vehicles. They do a lot of conservation work and they clearly enjoy being together. Bob Jaussaud, the Chair, said that they adopted the custom of the DPS of having a happy hour before dinner and that this has grown into a potluck shared meal. This set me to thinking about the camping part of our DPS trips.
Almost all DPS trips are done with car camping for one or two nights. Usually the camps are in the open desert and there is plenty of room to spread out. Car camping makes it easy to bring things like folding tables and chairs, lanterns, and good things to eat and drink. It also makes for plenty of firewood for a campfire and for a metal pan under the fire when needed to collect ashes. Backpacking in the Sierra with the SPS is challenging and day hiking in the local mountains with the HPS is satisfying but climbing and camping with the DPS is unbeatable.
The campout at Saline Hot Springs after the climb of Nelson on Nov 23, 1991 where Ron Jones and Dale Van Dalsem finished the list for the second time is typical of our best. There was plenty of room for the cars and for sleeping spots. There was a big fire pit and participants brought plenty of wood. Tables and chairs were set up and numerous tasty dishes were set out. For instance, Pat Jump brought an excellent baked ham, rolls and spreads for sandwiches. This place has the extra attraction of the hot pools which just about everyone enjoyed. After eating, the group settled into their chairs around the fire, Sue Wyman played her guitar, Ron handed out copies of his DPS song book and we had a great songfest and campfire talk.
The car camp at a trip that Duane McRuer and I led to Chemehuevi and Stepladder on Jan 11-12, 1992 was also typical. We camped at a large flat sandy place near some palo verde trees on the back road that goes north toward Stepladder Mtns. We had a fine happy hour, shared food, good fire and singing led by Sue with her guitar. As usual, there was good conversation and sharing of experiences, of getting to know one another.
However not every DPS trip has a pleasant car camp. Pat and I led a trip to Kino Pk and Mt Ajo in Organ Pipe National Monument last thanksgiving. We planned to have a bountiful car camp party and had reserved a group campsite at the main campground. We finished Kino ok but then it started to drizzle, so most of us went to Dago Joe's restaurant in the town of Ajo for a very good dinner. This could be considered a degenerate (or advanced) form of DPS car camping but it was still an enjoyable group happening. It did rain most of the night.
Climbing peaks and experiencing the desert is our principal business but surely car camping and the tradition of a
shared group evening is a wonderful additional
aspect.