The weekend of April 17 & 18 was the Moose Anderson Days and OHV Desert Clean-Up. Of the 150 or so volunteers who came out with gloves, tie straps and enthusiasm for some heavy hauling and dirty work, the following Rough Wheelers were present: Montego, Santa Fe, Oreo, Pappy, Nancy, Trail Princess, Lion and Louise.

Armed w/ free bag lunches and majestically making our way into Jawbone Canyon behind the port-o-potties, we arrived at the area designated to receive the benefits of our labor. We hauled cars, car parts, bullet hole ridden drums, gas cans, the metal remains of mattresses, wood and loads of other unidentifiable stuff. Pappy gave his jeep & tow straps a real workout when he drove off to seek the 'big game' of destroyed old cars and haul them back to the collection areas. Montego and Louise ventured off to do the same and all we found was a guzzler. (Funny to just come across one so easily since the next weekend we looked forever to find them!)

Trash bags, tools and water were provided. The Bureau of Land Management oversaw and somewhat directed the efforts at the two sites we cleared. One of the two sites was particularly interesting. It was the remains of an old building, with four rooms side by side. BLM told us that the roof and front disappeared only within the last few years.

The rooms were piled with metal, plastic, wood and other scrap. One room at a time was fully emptied and practically swept clean except for the old wood beams (from where the roof used to be) which we left there because of their historical value.

Separate piles were made for the wood, plastics and the metal. A big backhoe buried the biodegradable materials. The plastics and bagged items were hauled away and the metal was carted off to a melting plant. What was melted down would be sold. Last year's money was donated to a local school and there were similar plans for the bounty of this year's efforts.

Lion got some great pictures of everyone hard at work.

We got back to camp with the sun still warm and no cares about cooking dinner. After getting cleaned up we made our way to the Jawbone Canyon Ranger Station where we had a delicious bbq dinner. We had set up the Rough Wheeler camp far away from the road and the congestion of the Moose Anderson Days area. So after the dinner, we sat by a roaring fire, cherished the mild weather, Montego made some popcorn, Nancy did a little fire dance, and we laughed and enjoyed ourselves.

By Louise Stein