Exploring the Mojave Desert

I go to Arizona at least twice a year, and always drive through the Mojave desert enroute.  I realized that I don't spend much time poking around the place, so I did a Monday-Friday jaunt in January and went exploring.  Here's the boron plant near...Boron, CA.

Amboy Crater, near old route 66 east of Barstow.  It's about 10 thousand years old, but the dry climate has preserved surrounding lava flows, which still appear quite fresh.

Roy's Motel in Amboy.  This place has quite a history...opened in 1938, it was an iconic stopover on Route 66.  Famous people like Harrison Ford and Anthony Hopkins stayed here.  Currently the cafe is open, but the lodgings are not...but the owner of the property is working on restoration. 

Kelso dunes, in East Mojave National Preserve.  It was about 65 degrees and calm...an ideal day for dune stomping.

Critter tracks cross in the dunes.

The lizards, of course, love the desert.  Here they're exploring the pahoehoe near Amboy crater.

The lizards are communicating with their non-anthropomorphic cousin who passed this way recently...yes, those are real lizard tracks on the left!

I ventured on to Death Valley.  These are salt flats below sea level. 

The Solara in Death Valley, cruisin' on a mild day in the 60s. 

This track in the dunes sure looks like a snake!  Blow up the pic for more detail.

The old Kelso railroad station, now the East Mojave Preserve visitor center.  Cool building.

Cima Dome, east of Kelso in the East Mojave.  Odd to see rugged hills rising out of a smooth landscape.  The basic dome is granite, with volcanic plugs above.

There are many fine areas of Joshua trees near Cima dome.  The desert here is beautiful, peaceful, and rather verdant thanks to the trees.  Good rock formations here and there, also.