How I met MojaveGeek in person..........

[VintageDUG]

Went on a little DVNP hike adventure today with my granddaughter and a couple of friends, to a mine that is pretty remote.  Straight up BFE.  The route I put together is up one wash/canyon and then exits down another wash.  This is not someplace where you're going to run into anyone.  Even when it was an active mine, I doubt there were enough people back there to worry about running into someone.  As it happened I had traded several PMs with the world-famous MojaveGeek on this location and a lot of other topics and I guess I mentioned to him that I was doing it today because my granddaughter only had today available before it got too hot.  So we did our hike and we were making our way out when I noticed three people chilling in the only shade available.  This is a wash, in the middle of nowhere, and even when we reach the road/cars we are in the middle of nowhere and when we drive to the nearest town, we are still nowhere.  I wasn't expecting to see anyone, that's for sure. As we got closer they waved us over and as we arrived their spokesperson asked - "Which one of you is DUG?".  After I acknowledged it was me, he turns to my granddaughter and says "You must be the granddaughter he brags about".  I'm pretty confused to say the least so I ask him his name.  When he tells me, I'm no farther ahead than before.  After a little more discussion it was revealed that I have just crossed paths with The MojaveGeek.  He mentioned that my interest in this mine inspired him so they made the hike fit their schedule, but decided to go in and out the same way.  What an extremely cool way to meet someone in person for the first time.  It was only after I got home did I notice he messaged me yesterday to tell me he might try to meet up.  We just got home from spring break in Monterey Saturday afternoon and I spent the rest of the day prepping for the hike before going to bed early.  I didn't even look at my computer Saturday or this morning.  I think not knowing was even better.

[netllama]

Wow, those meetings are amazing. Now only if we got some photos to prove it happened (j/k).

[VintageDUG]

Wow, those meetings are amazing.  Now only if we got some photos to prove it happened (j/k).

Oh yeah, we totally should have taken a pic. Damn......................................................................

[MojaveGeek]

No pic, didn't happen Hey DUG it was a blast meeting you and when Kathy said Oh there's people coming down the wash I knew it would be use, especially as one was a younger female, and of course she would be walking with Grandpa. I picked that day sort of hoping we would meet you, and when we saw your cars on the roadside I hoped you would do the loop via the miners' trail and... voila. It was seriously fun meeting you and had you not been standing in full sun and with us still needing to get up to the mine, we could have spent an hour over a beer or soda. I also really like meeting young people out there, after bringing up my own kids to feel comfortable out in the big wide desert. Oh yes, and thanks for getting me interested in that site. Actually this is what I like about our forum - I have gotten so many ideas from you all that even after 35 years of getting out for at least a week a year, I always have a plate full of new stuff to do.

[VintageDUG]

No pic, didn't happen   Hey DUG it was a blast meeting you and when Kathy said Oh there's people coming down the wash I knew it would be use, especially as one was a younger female, and of course she would be walking with Grandpa.  I picked that day sort of hoping we would meet you, and when we saw your cars on the roadside I hoped you would do the loop via the miners' trail and... voila.  It was seriously fun meeting you and had you not been standing in full sun and with us still needing to get up to the mine, we could have spent an hour over a beer or soda.  I also really like meeting young people out there, after bringing up my own kids to feel comfortable out in the big wide desert.  Oh yes, and thanks for getting me interested in that site.  Actually this is what I like about our forum - I have gotten so many ideas from you all that even after 35 years of getting out for at least a week a year, I always have a plate full of new stuff to do.

Can't wait for your trip report. Oh and it was the full 3/4 mile of pavement to the cars.

[MojaveGeek]

oops sorry to lowball your road walk!

And I recall telling you to stay right at a sort of fork on the wash... We failed and got sucked into the left hand side and it was a lot better than the more northern side we came up, so hope you went that way.

[VintageDUG]

oops sorry to lowball your road walk!

And I recall telling you to stay right at a sort of fork on the wash...  We failed and got sucked into the left hand side and it was a lot better than the more northern side we came up, so hope you went that way.

We stayed to the right, following the line I drew on Google Earth and transferred to Gaia.  We ended up a 100 feet closer to the cars than that line, so I guess I nailed the route.

[GowerGulch42]

Reminds me of when I encountered the illustrious Sk1P1ns up a remote drainage near Johnson Canyon!

[DAW89446]

Reminds me of when I encountered the illustrious Sk1P1ns up a remote drainage near Johnson Canyon!

Did they write up the encounter on their blog?

EDIT: https://ski3pin.blogspot.com/2017/01/dea...t-one.html

[GowerGulch42]

That's me! Wow, it feels like only a few years ago (and I would have sworn it was 2017?) but in the time since then I've gotten a Masters in geology and led two professional geology field trips to Death Valley! OK, lots of other things have happened too but those are the only important ones.