Off-Roading near Calico Ghost Town

I’ve written about Calico Ghost Town numerous times for various publications. In fact, one of those articles is still up on the County of San Bernardino’s website about the old mining camp not far north of Interstate 15, just northeast of Barstow.

It is a wonderful place to spend the day or a couple of days while camping in the various rough or full hook-up spots that Calico has to offer. There’s a lot to see and do at Calico, but one experience that I had not explored was off-roading in and around the famous ghost town.

One of many off-roading trails near Calico Ghost Town

Recently, I decided to do just that. Contacting my good buddy, Paul, we grabbed a few days and loaded up my Can-Am, and off we went to see what there was to see along miles upon miles of dirt trails.

We were not going to be disappointed.

Just before leaving, a good friend of mine, Trevor, looked the car over and gave it a thumbs up for any activity but one. 

“Stay away from Odessa Canyon,” he said. “It’s pretty gnarly and you have to be practically an expert on it.”

“You’re saying I’m not an expert at off-roading?” I asked.

We’ve been on rides together in the past. “No.”

I like Trevor, a straight shooter who has seen me cringe on a 15-degree hill. Of course, I’ve seen him power up a 90-degree monster hill with no issue. Impossible? You haven’t seen him drive.

“What did Trevor say?” Paul asked.

“For me to stay on the flat paths.”

The surrounding BLM lands bordering Calico offer any type of off-roader a plethora of options.

An easy off-roading trail near Calico Ghost Town

There’s Mule Canyon, an easy ten-mile drive that allows for panoramic views of the desert while still enjoying the thrill of cutting up a few hills. 

There’s the Wall Street Canyon, which is a moderate road that most should have no issue with. I had to go and check on my portfolio - I’m going to tell my lovely wife, Laureen, time for a new Can-Am and a boat.

Then there are the more difficult routes available, like Doran Canyon, which is seven miles of steep inclines and steeper declines. It is suggested that the driver is good behind the wheel, has 360-degree vision, and has not been drinking a six-pack of beer before attempting this trail.

Then there is the Odessa Canyon. Eight miles of death-defying madness, including rock climbing - in a vehicle over waterfalls, huge boulders, steep walls, and the occasional Sasquatch.

We did enter the canyon but turned around when I saw the posted sign, Think Hard!

So, I turned the car around and headed out on the path - John has no idea where he is going.

 For the next seven hours, the Beast, which is what Laureen refers to as our Can-Am, Paul and I drove here and there. Up and down across the desert, canyons, ridges, and across a lake full of reeds.

No, that was in Peru.

The Beast

Anyway, we had a great outing, as we did the following day, not knowing where we were but always finding our way back to camp for an evening of lying about our adventures.

That is what guys do.

The purpose of being outdoors, either with an off-road vehicle or not, is to relish in what nature has to offer. Peace and solitude.

Sure, off-roaders may be noisy, but most drive to see things they haven’t seen and then stop, pull out some folding chairs, sit, and talk about the adventure. 

Most of the time, there are no phones, internet - just communicating with friends and sometimes people you have just met while on the trails. 

Obviously, plenty of trails to choose from

Paul and I ran into, figuratively, Sam - a retired army vet who was camping near the Early Man site off of Minneola Road near Yermo.

Sam had been camping in his motorhome for nearly two weeks. A nice guy who sat with us on one of our stops.

It was only a twenty-minute talk with him, but enough to appreciate how much he loved this country, obviously by his 25 years in the service, and was now crossing the country to see what he could see.

Once back at camp, we decided to wander up to the town itself, where we met Britney Swenson working behind the bar at Lil’s Saloon.

Britney has worked at Lil’s Saloon for years and entertained us with tales concerning the ghost town and the myriad of visitors exploring the old mining town. But the most interesting thing about Britney is the fact that she is in the Guinness Book of World Records. She is credited with weaving a blind horse, Smoke, through 5 poles in 6.5 seconds during the Desert Empire Fairgrounds and Event Center in Ridgecrest on November 19, 2023. 

I can’t even make it to the bathroom that fast in the middle of the night.

John R Beyer with Britney Swenson

After an hour and maybe a cold one or two, we called it quits and bade farewell to the Champ.

As we packed up to leave for home the following day, I knew there would be an article, not about the town but the wonderful dirt trails awaiting those with an adventurous spirit. But caution needs to be taken seriously.

According to Truckbrigade.com, off-roaders need to be careful while venturing around and about the trails near Calico Ghost Town.

Never enter open mines or mine shafts. These historic sites contain deadly hazards, including unstable rock, bad air, deep shafts, and rotted timbers. Observe mining ruins from safe distances. Taking artifacts is illegal and destroys California's gold rush history for future generations.

One of the signs telling the visitor the history of mining near Calico

Years in the past, I would purchase a series of books titled Death in the National Parks by Randi Minetor and Michael P. Ghiglieri. The books detailed how people died in the many National Parks around the nation.

An example would be a tourist who would want to take a selfie with a bison in Yellowstone National Park. The bison may be having a bad hair day and gore them while tossing them into the hinterlands. This could also be referred to as the Darwin Effect.

So, the idea is to read the signs and not enter when instructed. Ride and enjoy the wonderful off-road trail offered near Calico Ghost Town, but do not become the next chapter in someone else’s book about what not to do when you are dumb.

For further information:

https://truckbrigade.com/blogs/trail-guides/calico-ghost-town-off-road-trails

https://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/world-records/709862-fastest-time-for-a-blind-horse-to-weave-five-poles 

https://parks.sbcounty.gov/park/calico-ghost-town-regional-park/

https://parks.sbcounty.gov/park/calico-ghost-town-regional-park/#tab-food 

John can be reached at: beyersbyways@gmail.com

Happy Veterans Day

 

We at J and L Research and Exploration want to wish each Veteran out there a happy and safe Veterans Day.

All those men and women who have served this country so honorably truly deserve more than a single day per year to honor the sacrifices you have made for this wonderful United States in our opinion.

Our gratitude extends to each and every one of you for keeping us safe in our homeland. We would not be without you.

Thanks and God Bless.

Saint Joseph Monastery - Lucerne Valley

 “It’s okay to doubt. We don’t master God, and sometimes doubt plays an important role in our faith,” Brother Minh (pronounced Ming) said.

We were sitting in a very comfortable kitchen for visitors at the Saint Joseph Monastery in Lucerne Valley. I had just met the Cistercian monk a few moments before, and it was very easy to talk with him about all things, spiritual or secular.

Overview of Saint Joseph Monastery in Lucerne Valley

My friend, Paul, and I had traveled northward along Highway 247 in search of a place we had both watched on a YouTube video. We were hunting for a supposed abandoned nuclear launch pad located somewhere near the Sandwinder Gold mine.

What we learned was two things. Number 1: Don't believe everything on the internet. There was no missile silo standing anywhere near where we had traversed, searching for hours across the Mojave Desert. 

“Hey,” I said. “Why don’t we film a couple of buildings from Bodie and post them on YouTube and tell viewers that they are located in Holcomb Valley. That could be fun.”

I would not do that.

The second thing we learned on this new adventure was that in Lucerne Valley, not far off Highway 247, was a most beautiful place for meditation and worship.

“We often have many visitors come and spend time with us,” Minh said. “In fact, if people come here, we will offer to celebrate a mass with them, no matter the time of day.”

The Cistercian order, to which all nine current resident monks belong, is a very old part of the Roman Catholic Church. The name for the order comes from the place it was founded, the Citeaux Abbey in France, in the year 1098. The monks follow the beliefs of St. Benedict - embracing a life of manual labor, contemplation, prayer, and spiritual pursuits.

Minh smiled. “For us, monk means to pray and work.”

And these monks have worked since the monastery opened its doors 17 years ago in a secluded canyon in the Mojave Desert. All the work seen, including the multitude of buildings, storage sheds, beautiful intricate concrete walkways, pagoda-style sitting areas located everywhere, and the multitude of carefully handcrafted sculptures, was all done by the monks.

“Now, we do have volunteers that assist us, but most of the work is done by the monks here,” Minh stated.

Prior to meeting Brother Minh, Paul and I had spent an hour walking around the grounds of the monastery, taking in the elaborately paved walkways leading the visitor to dozens of statues of Jesus Christ and Saints.

One trail, rather steep and long, wound up a small hill, and every few yards was a sculpture indicating one of the Stations of the Cross - that’s Catholic speak for the 14 stations that point to key events of Christ’s passion and death on the way to Calvary, including his burial.

One of the many hand made statues at Saint Joseph Monastery 

I remember those stations very well from attending St. Catherine’s Elementary and then Notre Dame in Riverside, California.

All the monks are part of the Congregation of the Holy Family of Vietnam, and Minh has been a resident at the monastery for 13 years.

“Do you ever get bored?” I asked.

“Yes, we are bored sometimes, and being human, we’re not always happy, but always peaceful. Happiness is short, but peace is long-lasting and from God.”

Paul brightened up. “I’m happy when a cold beer is near, but not so much when it’s empty.”

“But peace is knowing that there are more at the store,” I said.

Minh smiled. “Exactly.”

It was interesting sitting with Minh in the coolness of the kitchen, just talking. He was cheerful, at times funny, and at other times, serious.

Brother Minh and John R Beyer

I asked him about the turmoil in the world and how everyone in our country seems so divided against one another.

“When people fall away from God, we divide and only think about ourselves. But with God we learn to love others, and perhaps love ourselves a bit more.”

He was one smart and spiritual guy, this Brother Minh.

“If a person smiles at you while walking by, how does it make you feel?”

“Better,” I said.

“Imagine if we smiled more and complained less?” Minh replied.

Our discussions continued, and while we sipped on bottles of cold water (yes, water), we moved into the idea that more and more young people seemed to be moving toward a more heartfelt faith in God than in the near past.

“Do you believe there is a resurgence in young people coming back to church?” Paul asked.

“Yes, I think young people are looking for something,” Minh said. “They are tired of social media, trying to keep up with one another, and then learning that most things they are hearing are not true. There’s a lot of emptiness out there in people’s hearts, and they are looking for true answers to fill that emptiness. God is doing that for them.”

I found it strange that this monk would know about social media. 

“We keep up on modern events,” Minh smiled. “It's hard to assist others if we do not know what is going on.”

The monastery currently encompasses 300 acres of land, with plans to increase to 600 acres, a nearly one square mile of respite from the outside world.

We were given a tour of the chapel, which was actually designed by a Buddhist Monk and has the entry in the image of praying hands - it is a masterful work of art that visitors pass through on their way to services.

The gorgeous chapel at Saint Joseph Monastery in Lucerne Valley 

The public, all denominations, are welcome to the daily masses, and as stated earlier, the monks will have a mass or prayer services for visitors whenever the need or desire arises.

The monastery is easy to find right off of Highway 247

These monks are true men of their word when they state they are here to serve their fellow citizens in search of peace and harmony.

Before leaving, Brother Minh said, “We will never fully understand God, even the angels don’t understand God, so how can we? And, that is fine - that is faith.”

For more information: http://www.saintjosephmonasteryca.org/

John can be contacted at: beyersbyways@gmail.com