Rough Wheeler's Trip Report

February 20-22 1998

Anza Borrego

We came. We conquered. We left, THE END.

For those of you who need to know more, 1, Bob (Big Top) Baker respectfully submit this addendum.

People present at this months run were:

• Bruce (Pappy) & Nancy (handle?). Bruce leading his second run as Wagon Master and a pretty good one at that.
• Lauren (Whatever) & Inky. Lauren bailed!!! More about that later.
• Patty (Santa Fe) & Paul . They bailed also!!! Etc.
• Gary (Iceman), Everybody got stuck and Gary refused to pull them out! Just kidding Gary, no phone call please. Gary was pretty mellow, got into no fights, some conjectured it might be the VCR and X rated tapes in his camper.
• Andy (Gadgetman) & Kathy.
• Robert (Bobbo) (Sandman)& dog.
• Lewis ( ? ) in a red CJ5. It looked really good but had a hard time at the top of steep grade.
• Orejano (Oreo) in a black Wrangler. It looked good and performed well except when going over the mountains on the way home, Oreo stared to whine about loss of power when it was just the ~ears
• Dave (Montego) & Louise (An attractive young lady from Pasadena) . They had separate tents, oh well.
• Me (Big Top) in a red Wrangler, what else, that did everything it was supposed to and more.

We left Winchells as usual, almost leaving Lewis cause he had top it off, met Montego at Burns Bros. and lost Andy. He had gotten off an exit prior and proceeded to N. Marina Drive. After a short search produced nothing, we proceeded to N. Marina Drive and met Gary and Andy.

Saturday morning, we headed south to find the crash site of a long downed plane ( one of those F 18's or Gl7's or some number ). Bobbo was the first to get stuck in a totally little gully. He is driving a totally stock jeep so what came you expect. We found the Mud Hills" and played around for a while, Gary and I managed to get into a scary section, but got out with out a problem. What can you expect?

Saturday afternoon we played in the Palm Wash area just north of the camp Site. Saturday night, just after the dinner hour a strong wind came up. It blew like crazy for awhile. Everyone secured their tents, and Gary tightened his supports on his camper and returned to Debbie Does the Dessert. It was then that Patty and Paul headed for home with Lauren and Itsy hot on her tail. They were only gone about half an hour when the wind stopped. it turned out to be a beautiful night.

Sunday morning was beautiful also. We headed up the Palm Wash towards the Calcite Mines. After some fun whoop de does, we found State Route 22 and the road to the mines. A sign said it was now a Fee Area (life gets better all the time) so we passed it up and proceeded to the little town of Borrego Springs. The dessert was blooming with purple flowers which put Bogart into ecstasy. Lunch in town and back on the road over the mountains to Temecula. Interstate 15 to the 91 West and home, We had a small amount of rain in the mountains and on Interstate 15, but the rest of the weekend was high and dry