After leaving the Sequoias in California, we started our southeasterly turn toward Nevada. This direction required us to drive along the Mojave Desert. The scenery was relatively similar with rocky hills and dry golden grass. But am I the only one who thought there should be more cactus plants?
Not long into the drive, we passed the Mojave Air and Space Port. It is used as a storage location for commercial airliners and a scrap yard for retired planes. I recognized many of the carrier logos and the planes looked new.
We also passed by the largest group of wind turbines I have ever seen. Apparently the winds are extremely gusty here and warning signs were posted along the highway.
I was excited to see a patch of sand because that is what reminds me of a desert. Cactus and sand. Maybe I need to get out more?
Along the highway were many abondoned buildings and old gas stations from another era. During the past couple of weeks in California, I couldn’t help but notice graffitti on everything. Just about every town has buildings, bridges, trains, and all sorts of things covered with graffiti. It really detracts from the scenery.
We found a KOA to spend one night in the small community of Yermo, CA. Little did we know that a ghost town was just down the road from us.
Today, Calico is one of the few remaining original mining towns in the West. It was a boomtown from 1881 until 1907, reaching a population of 1200 people in 1887. Now there is less than eight residents.
It operates as a County Park and offers campsites in a nearby canyon. We saw a group of boyscouts walking around the edge of the townsite, heading to their tents or cabins.
In addition to the entrance fee, you can purchase tickets to ride a train or walk 1000 feet into a mine. As you can see, we had a nice sunny day to wander around, but going inside the little shops gave us a break from the heat.
Calico was a touristy place, but it also presented a lot of history and gave us a good idea of how the people lived during the haydays of the town. Out of 31 buildings, all but five were replicas of the original structures.
The town produced $86 million in silver and $45 million in borax. I never knew that borax came from a mine, but now I do! You know, the product called 20 Mule Team Borax.
Out of curiosity, we paid the $3 fee to walk into an actual abandoned mine. The Maggie Mine was one of 50 mines that were in production in the 1880’s.
The tunnels inside went in all different directions. The miners followed the veins of silver in the rocks, which could lead them anywhere. This shaft featured a bedroom, so I guess some miners slept down under as well.
We walked around several other mine shaft openings, but they were fenced off so no one could enter. Every time we go walking or hiking, Darin tracks our steps. If I recall, we had a good high number this day.
All the discovering and wandering around the ghost town gave us a healthy appetite. Since we were right on the original Route 66, we picked a nostalgic place for dinner. Peggy Sue’s diner was worth the experience, even if you are not very hungry.
The food was tasty and the space was filled with everything 50’s. Lots of famous people have stopped to eat at the diner according to autographed photos on the walls. It is directly on the route from LA to Vegas and there is not much around, so it doesn’t surprise me.
In the backyard you can sit among dinosaur statues, duck ponds, and watch the cars go by. I would imagine never having to wait for a table, given the size of the indoor and outdoor seating.
These attractions were a welcome surprise for our overnight travel stop. I’m so glad that we camped where we did. Next stop – Vegas!