Saturday, September 23, 2017

Desert views


  Ever since I took the drone out for its inaugural flight, I've been itching to get out with it again. Due to a very hectic schedule, I haven't been able to do that for a few weeks. Yesterday was finally the day!

  I found a great spot off the beaten path near the Red Rock area north of Mojave. It's a geologically fascinating landscape, like something out of science fiction. I got there just after 7:00 so I could have some of that beautiful low-altitude sunlight. It really makes the topography pop in pictures.

  The area I originally wanted to explore, after looking at some maps, turned out to be inaccessible, so I settled for some shots of the immediate area. As you can see in the video below, it did not disappoint!

  After I exhausted my one battery, I decided to explore the roads and see what I could find. And find I did. Amazing landscapes, canyons, rock formations. I even found a hidden spring! It was really strange to find ANY water in this parched environment. I was a little concerned that there might be some predators around that area, napping in caves, so I didn't stick around long.

  I then found a road leading to an area called Black Rock Canyon. Very shortly, the road became extremely narrow, with a huge dropoff on one side. That was about the time I went into full 4WD. The road only got worse from there! And by worse, I mean perfect for my Jeep. Been a while since I've had the opportunity to do some real, honest to goodness four-wheeling.

  Along the "road," I stopped a few times to take pictures of the amazing landscape. At the end of the trail, there was a tall, steep section of solid rock that looked like it might be a continuation, but I couldn't really tell. I grabbed my gear and hiked to the top of it. There, I did indeed find evidence of 4WD traffic. It definitely wasn't impossible, but it really called for a spotter for at least one particular hairy section. I decided that since I was alone, it wasn't worth the risk.

  All in all a very fun day of exploring and photography! Wish I could get out more often to do exactly that. Click RIGHT HERE to go the the video I shot.

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