DAY
10
Friday
July 22
St. George UT to Barstow CA
Today’s trip from St. George UT to Barstow CA did not take the typical route. At Las Vegas we took NV-160 W (or Blue Diamond Road). Jorge always wanted to see what was on the north side of I-15. Now we know and will reveal this wonderful landscape in the pictures below.
First, however, we went to St. George Dinosaur Discovery Site at Johnson Farm. The museum itself is built over the land where the dinosaur tracks are found. Yes, everything was original and archeological work is still being done on the site. Today it is very much a desert area but we were surprised to find that a park is being built next to the museum. Men and machines were working in earnest. The temperature was 102°F.
On the way to the museum we spotted several ladies next to a coral. We speculated that they were there for horse riding lessons. What’s your guess?
Utah’s State Fossil
Before
After
Dilophosaurus
Museum Room
It’s About the Tracks
Nevada Scenic View
Going Through Arizona and the Virgin River Gorge
Below are the promised pictures from when we turned from the Blue Diamond Road in Nevada onto Tecopa Road and drove through the backside of California toward Baker CA. We saw a very nice mission there which looked out of place. We didn’t see a car coming and going until we hit Highway 127. We loved it!
St. Therese Mission
Miles of a Straight, Lonely Road
Distant Dust Devils
Temp: 120°F
Mountain Layers
A Mirage
Dumont
Sand Dunes
Giant Death Valley Thermometer, Baker CA
Failed Amusement Park
Cool Convertible
Calico Ghost Town Map
Between Baker CA and Barstow CA there is Calico Ghost Town. We thought we’d drive by and take some photos. Wrong! It turns out that this is a restored ghost town by a certain Mr. Knott (yes, of Knott’s Berry Farm). He purchased the town and land in the mid 20th century. To get in you have to pay and tour the town on foot. Money was not the issue. Closing hour is at 5:00 p.m. and we arrived at 4:40 p.m. There was no time to appreciate it properly. We shall have to come by another day. There was no disappointment: We had a great drive!