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| no partners | | Plans almost undone, but my middle name is determination. The operator was sort of grumpy, and did not ask the complete list. I shrugged it off and drove in. Almost to the tank display a humvee came towards me. Driver was in civilian clothes, but stated the range was off limits as they were doing maneuvers. I said the operator said nothing about that but he said signs were up. So, it was the back way in for me. More driving, and I did not know the roads as well on the other side of the mountains. No matter, I had time and I had plenty of fuel.
I drove in and made it to the general area, however my reconnoitering did not include coming in this way so I had to backtrack. I don't use a GPS so I cheated with GE and then parked; deciding to map and compass my way to the first plane wreck, which Mr. Humvee driver said was an F-16. You can drive to both these wrecks, but finding the right road out here can be challenging, with few main roads and low grade stuff taking off everywhere. The land is open but there is just enough vegetation and the ever present washes to make it hard to see something unless you are right on it. Such as it was with this one. I knew it shouldn't be more than a mile. I was trudging along looking at glassy quartz, when the unnatural shape caught my eye. The wreck is in the open but I swear I was 50 yards away before I saw it. What a mess. The canopy was there; have no idea if the pilot made it. It was fascinating to see all the "guts" as they say, and see some of the peripheral debris. The humvee driver said it had been out here at least 20 years? Very complicated looking fuselage and some parts of the engines still intact. I walked the road back, appears fairly well driven. Driving out here was really good, the sand firmed up a bit from the recent rain.
Next up, again just pulled the Toyota over, got the map out and oriented by compass. This one was harder, a little farther away and more vegetation. It was also hard to avoid it's road in as it snaked around in my way. I got there too, this one is possibly an F4 Phantom. This wreck looked more devastating, and more burnt up I thought. The tail section was the only thing really recognizable to me. It was definitely a smaller looking plane. Don't know how much of these planes were hauled off for examination; doesn't appear to be much.
Back to the car, and off to hike some low attractive hills with some mudstone outcropping, saw some pottery shards and amazingly tiny pools of water in a slick rock section that appeared out of nowhere. Off to camp in the mountains, hiked to a roadless pass, then read at camp. Morning a wander from camp to the next fold in the hills, in the wonderful morning light, enjoying the eroded granite. I drove out the way I had wanted to drive in, no off limits signs in site.
All my goals satisfied, I may still come this way again. |
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Route Editor
Route Scout
