Us... mature... adults still recall the infamous 20 Mule Team commercials and movies from our "less mature" years. The focus was always on the teams used in Death Valley. Those teams ran a regular established route from Death Valley to the town of Mojave where the railway could be accessed. Unfortunately, nothing is left of the historical route from Death Valley - at least nothing that would interest those of us who enjoy paths less traveled.
On the other hand, the route from Borate is much more interesting. At first, it was just a burro trail. After silver was discovered, it became a wagon road. When Borate was established and the mines began producing, it became a 20-mule-team route. Eventually, a railway was run up Mule Canyon. That lasted until the mines at Borate were closed.
Lone Writer rolled into Barstow on a Saturday night. The motorhome he was delivering could not be dropped off until the dealer opened on Monday. He picked up the phone and called an old friend known as Badhat.
"What you doing tomorrow?" Lone Writer asked after the usual "Hi, how you doing and what's been going on since I saw you 10 years ago?"
"Not doing anything. Been thinking about doing some wheeling but never seem to get around to it."
"So pick me up at 9 and get around to it."
It was long past 9 before Badhat and his wife, Bear, pulled into the truck stop where Lone Writer had parked the motorhome.
Badhat suggested the Calico Mountains would make a good story. He handed Lone Writer a book written years ago about the silver mines and borax mines in the area. When Lone Writer saw the story about the 20-mule team, they spent no more time discussing "where to go."
The afternoon started with a trip up Mule Canyon Road. The scenery immediately stole all their attention. The landscape was like a painted desert with a rainbow of colors forming ribbons along the canyon walls. Layers of different minerals had been stacked on top of each other millions of years ago, then sliced away by water and wind to expose their unique colors.
Mule Canyon Road is a rather level surface due to its use as a railway. Except for the level grade of the road slicing through anything in its path, there is nothing left of the railway. There are several intersections along the way. The second one leads to a nice side trip to Kramer's Arch. All intersections lead to abandoned mines. Some of the roads are smooth like Mule Canyon, and some are so difficult that modified vehicles are challenged.
Lone Writer used his laptop with DeLorme TopoUSA and GPS to locate the canyon where the remains of Borate can be found. There are no signs to point the way, and the entrance is so obscured that they drove right past it on the first try.
ATVs and modified vehicles like the one Badhat drives can get into the canyon, but the decision was made to leave the vehicle behind and explore on foot. A short distance into the canyon, they discovered foundations that once supported some of the many buildings in Borate.