Camped at an abandoned homestead...
Camped at an abandoned homestead site.
Getting started on the Mojave Road was a little confusing due to routing around private property, but once the Lone Riders got on the road it was relatively easy to make the right turns. There are cairns positioned at various intervals along the side of the road for assurance the correct path has been taken. Those cairns will always be on the righthand side of the trail when going from east to west.
The first spring along the Mojave Road eventually became known as Fort Piute. For travelers along the Mojave Road, there were no water sources across the 25 miles between the Colorado River and Piute Spring. The next water would be another 25 miles ahead at Rock Springs.
The original road continued past Fort Piute, but that route can no longer be used. It is necessary to drive to the fort, then backtrack and drive around some smaller mountains to reconnect with the Mojave Road. The climb over those mountains is very scenic.
Joshua tree forests are thick, and a large variety of cactuses live in abundance on both sides of the road. Jackrabbits and coyotes are plentiful as is an assortment of birds, including huge hawks.
The surface of the road is rocky in places and sandy in others. Lone Writer was using a four-door Wrangler for this trip. He only used Low range a couple of times and mostly ran in 4-Hi/Second gear. This new design from Jeep fits a 4x4 trail like a glove. It cleared the biggest rocks with room to spare and straddled deep washouts with ease.
The drop into Watson Wash on the approach to Rock Springs was one location where Lone Writer shifted into Low range. The access to the wash is badly eroded and drops at a very steep angle. Using Low range helped keep the vehicle moving slowly.
Living at the place the Army called Camp Rock Springs was nothing anyone cherished. Their only shelter was tents inside walls made from rocks. Supplies were not always on time. During the 17 months in which the small fort operated, 23 men deserted.