Page 71 - 2006 DT 12 Issues

Death Valley, continued from p. 5 Jim told us that Old Dinah, the steam
driven tractor now a museum exhibit in Gina says . . .
front of the campground, was identical
Eventually, power and normal life re-
sumed and we set off up Bel Vista Road to the one used in Sandstone Quarry. If you use a government vehicle,
towards Death Valley Junction and the “Old Dinah”! She should have been please report all accidents to her
newly painted Amargosa Opera House. called “Poor Dinah.” Originally bought at once. In the event that she is not

We noted that Marta Becket was still by Pacific Coast Borax, her checkered available, please report to Debbie
very active and had just published her life included two periods of redundancy, Wright or Mark Rekshynskyj.

autobiography. two burst boilers, being left to rust and, Immediately fill out the accident

Our first stop was at Zabriski Point, finally, being the cause of a confronta- report form in the vehicle safety
tion over ownership, which has become
named for Christian Zabriski. Zabriski’s legendary in the Valley. But maybe that packet, whether or not another
career was varied, to say the least. The is a story for another time. vehicle was involved. The vehicle
one-time telegrapher, bank official, cabi- From Furnace Creek the road drops must be repaired immediately.

net maker and mortuary owner finally gradually, but inexorably, past the Devil’s

became the supervisor of Chinese work- Golf Course and Artists’ Drive to Bad-
ers for F.M. “Borax” Smith. water, which at 282 feet below sea level Desert Trumpet
There were a good number of hikers is the lowest point in the continental
below us and we wondered where the USA. Access to the boardwalk has been Editor
trails they were following led. Luck- greatly improved, but time was press- Barbara Wolin
ily, Jack Ryan was on hand to supply ing, so we contented ourselves with a
the answers, as he had hiked them. We brief look at the leeches that populate Contributing Writers
Louis C. Kleber
looked across the valley towards the the saline pools. Jack Ryan
Panamint Mountains and the snow cov- From Badwater we followed the Barbara Wolin
ered Telescope Peak—their highest point. terraces of prehistoric Lake Manly past H. Dan Wray
Had Jack ventured up there, we mused. Ashford Mill, which surely must be the
You’ve guessed right, he had. origin of “buy-one-get-one-free.” The Publishers
Signs at Furnace Creek told us the Norm Kresge
campgrounds were full and the Visitors’ Ashford brothers decided to establish Barbara Wolin
Center, which was our next port of call, a mill near their mine. They found that Key Grip
was busy. gravel in a nearby wash was ideal for the Norman Wolin
making of concrete. All that was needed
From there Jim led the way to the was cement. A carload of cement was
Harmony Borax Works. The interpre- ordered from Crestmore, some 250 miles The Desert Trumpet is published
tive exhibit informed us that the works away by rail. Imagine the surprise of the monthly by and for FORRC members. State-
were built by William Coleman in 1882 brothers when not one, but two, carloads ments, opinions and points of view expressed
by writers are their own and do not necessar-
to process the borax. The uneconomical arrived. It says something for the honesty ily reflect those of FORRC. Please submit

alternative was to haul it by mule train, of the Ashfords that they informed the all articles, photos and artwork NLT the15th
in 36-ton loads, to the Mojave railhead supplier of the mistake. After due con- of each month by calling 515-5350. If you
are interested in becoming part of the Desert
some 165 miles away. sideration of the cost of returning the Trumpet staff, contact Editor at 256-8043 or
The plan had been for us to return cement, the suppliers told them to accept FORRC News @cox.net
from there to Furnace Creek for lunch, it without charge. FORRC is a non-profit 501 (c) (3)
but not withstanding the time lost in Most of the spring wildflowers were organization dedicated solely to the welfare

Pahrump, Jim decided to head north to past their peak and it was left to the mari- of the Red Rock Canyon National Conser-

the Devil’s Cornfield, so named because golds to provide color, although as we vation Area. FORRC provides volunteers
and funding for projects including envi-
the clumps of grass resemble stacked climbed the 3,000 feet out of the Valley ronmental education, teacher workshops,
sheaves of corn. We continued to The over Salsberry Pass, patches of orange- natural resource protection, cultural resource
Dunes, where we had a short hike and brown madder clinging to the host plants monitoring, hike programs and other ser-
vices. Annual individual membership is
took in the scenery. On the way back lent further color to the landscape. $25.00 General meetings are held four times
to the cars, we discovered a Western All too soon, at least for those of a year; Board meetings are held on the sec-
Banded Gecko lizard, which posed for us who were not driving, Pahrump and ond Tuesday of each month at the Red Rock
Canyon Visitor Center, unless otherwise
the photographers among us. Mount Charleston came into view and it posted. Messages may be left at 255-8743.
Then it really was time for lunch, seemed no time before we were back at Visit our website at www.friendsofredrock-
which we ate sitting on a lovely cool wall Red Rock. Thank you, Jim and Laverne, canyon.org
at Furnace Creek. for a memorable day. ❏
FORRC/September 2006 Page 7