{"id":13056,"date":"2021-03-24T20:54:03","date_gmt":"2021-03-24T20:54:03","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.usnomadstudio.com\/theroadbook\/?page_id=13056"},"modified":"2021-06-28T14:39:49","modified_gmt":"2021-06-28T14:39:49","slug":"southwestern-journeys-january-march-2021","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.usnomadstudio.com\/theroadbook\/southwestern-journeys-january-march-2021\/","title":{"rendered":"100 Days Journey: Part 1 &#8211; Heading West"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>[vc_row full_width=&#8221;stretch_row&#8221; content_placement=&#8221;middle&#8221; bg_type=&#8221;bg_color&#8221; css=&#8221;.vc_custom_1610214283171{background-color: #000000 !important;}&#8221; bg_color_value=&#8221;#000000&#8243;][vc_column][vc_column_text css=&#8221;.vc_custom_1624211453121{padding-top: 5px !important;padding-bottom: 20px !important;}&#8221;]<\/p>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"color: #ffffff;\"><strong>100 Days Journey: Part 1 &#8211; Heading West<br \/>\n<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row full_width=&#8221;stretch_row&#8221; bg_type=&#8221;bg_color&#8221; css=&#8221;.vc_custom_1610224958479{padding-top: 10px !important;}&#8221; bg_color_value=&#8221;#ffffff&#8221;][vc_column][vc_column_text]The journey begins on Long Island, New York, with route planning and preparation before a quick sprint westward towards Arizona. My highway route goes west, then southwest through NY, NJ, PA, OH, IN, IL, MO, OK, TX, NM and AZ, where I slow down and start the real wandering.\u00a0 Still, I make plenty of stops along the way to break up the drive with short hikes and interesting photo ops, as I work my way to one of my favorite places in the southwest &#8212; the Imperial Sand Dunes. (Click through the images below for each day&#8217;s notes)&#8230;[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row full_width=&#8221;stretch_row&#8221; bg_type=&#8221;bg_color&#8221; bg_color_value=&#8221;#ffffff&#8221;][vc_column]<style type='text\/css'>#cbpw-wrap89 {margin:0px 0px 0px 0px;}#cbpw-grid89 .cbp-l-caption-title {color:#ffffff;background-color:transparent;font-size:15px;font-family:Open Sans;font-weight:700;font-style:normal;line-height:21px;text-align:center;padding:0px 10px 0px 10px;margin:0px 0px 0px 0px;text-transform:capitalize;}#cbpw-grid89 .cbp-l-caption-desc {color:#aaa;background-color:transparent;font-size:12px;font-family:Open Sans;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;line-height:16px;text-align:center;padding:0px 0px 0px 0px;margin:0px 0px 0px 0px;text-transform:none;}#cbpw-grid89 .cbp-caption-activeWrap {background-color:#000000;}#cbpw-filters79 .cbp-filter-item {background-color:transparent;border-color:#313eec;color:#76788a;font-size:13px;font-family:Open Sans,sans-serif;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;line-height:35px;margin:0px 0px 10px 0px;padding:0px 18px 0px 18px;text-transform:none;}#cbpw-filters79 .cbp-filter-item:hover {background-color:transparent;border-color:#3288C4;color:#313eec;font-size:13px;font-family:Open Sans,sans-serif;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;line-height:35px;margin:0px 0px 10px 0px;padding:0px 18px 0px 18px;text-transform:none;}#cbpw-filters79 .cbp-filter-item.cbp-filter-item-active {background-color:#313eec;border-color:#313eec;color:#FFFFFF;font-size:12px;font-family:Open Sans,sans-serif;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;line-height:35px;margin:0px 0px 10px 0px;padding:0px 18px 0px 18px;text-transform:none;}#cbpw-filters79 .cbp-filter-item.cbp-filter-item-active:hover {background-color:#313eec;border-color:#3288C4;color:#FFFFFF;font-size:12px;font-family:Open Sans,sans-serif;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;line-height:35px;margin:0px 0px 10px 0px;padding:0px 18px 0px 18px;text-transform:none;}#cbpw-loadMore89 .cbp-l-loadMore-link {color:#7E7B7B;background-color:transparent;border-width:1px 1px 1px 1px;border-style:solid;border-color:#DEDEDE;font-size:12px;font-family:Open Sans,sans-serif;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;line-height:34px;text-align:center;padding:0px 30px 0px 30px;margin:40px 0px 0px 0px;text-transform:none;}#cbpw-loadMore89 .cbp-l-loadMore-link:hover {color:#B0B0B0;background-color:transparent;border-width:1px 1px 1px 1px;border-style:solid;border-color:#DEDEDE;font-size:12px;font-family:Open Sans,sans-serif;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;line-height:34px;text-align:center;padding:0px 30px 0px 30px;margin:40px 0px 0px 0px;text-transform:none;}#cbpw-loadMore89 .cbp-l-loadMore-loading {color:#B0B0B0;background-color:transparent;border-width:1px 1px 1px 1px;border-style:solid;border-color:#DEDEDE;font-size:12px;font-family:Open Sans,sans-serif;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;line-height:34px;text-align:center;padding:0px 30px 0px 30px;margin:40px 0px 0px 0px;text-transform:none;}#cbpw-loadMore89 .cbp-l-loadMore-loading:hover {color:#B0B0B0;background-color:transparent;border-width:1px 1px 1px 1px;border-style:solid;border-color:#DEDEDE;font-size:12px;font-family:Open Sans,sans-serif;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;line-height:34px;text-align:center;padding:0px 30px 0px 30px;margin:40px 0px 0px 0px;text-transform:none;}#cbpw-loadMore89 .cbp-l-loadMore-stop {color:#B0B0B0;background-color:transparent;border-width:1px 1px 1px 1px;border-style:solid;border-color:#DEDEDE;font-size:12px;font-family:Open Sans,sans-serif;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;line-height:34px;text-align:center;padding:0px 30px 0px 30px;margin:40px 0px 0px 0px;text-transform:none;}#cbpw-loadMore89 .cbp-l-loadMore-stop:hover {color:#B0B0B0;background-color:transparent;border-width:1px 1px 1px 1px;border-style:solid;border-color:#DEDEDE;font-size:12px;font-family:Open Sans,sans-serif;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;line-height:34px;text-align:center;padding:0px 30px 0px 30px;margin:40px 0px 0px 0px;text-transform:none;}#cbpw-singlePage89 .cbp-popup-navigation-wrap {background-color:#000000;}#cbpw-singlePage89 .cbp-popup-singlePage-counter {color:#ffffff;font-size:13px;font-family:Open Sans;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;}<\/style><link rel=\"stylesheet\" href=\"\/\/fonts.googleapis.com\/css?family=Open+Sans:700normal,400normal\" type=\"text\/css\" media=\"all\" property=\"stylesheet\"><div id=\"cbpw-wrap89\"><div id=\"cbpw-grid89\" class=\"cbp-l-grid-masonry cbp\"><div><div class=\"cbp-item logo\"><a href=\"\/\/www.usnomadstudio.com\/theroadbook\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/NY_JAN2021_Maps_IMG_6455_1200w.jpg\" class=\"cbp-caption cbp-lightbox\" data-title=\"<p><strong>DAY 1:<\/strong> Have been busy preparing maps and and doing some last minute research on routes for several of the key desert locations. Today focused on all the last details, getting the Jeep washed, running down the packing checklist and loading all the gear. The packing list was a bit complicated because this journey is basically going to be a drive through all four seasons \u2014 meaning everything for \u201cwinter\u201d camping as well as hot dry desert. Taking two tents, and a whole range of jackets. It\u2019s amazing how many things we think we need to take for three months on the road. Anyway, took a break in the evening to make a fire in the outdoor fire pit as it was not too cold and that seemed like something a bit \u201cfestive\u201d for the \u201cbon voyage\u201d  \u2026<\/p>\" style=\"\"><div class=\"cbp-caption-defaultWrap\"><img src=\"\/\/usnomadstudio.com\/explore4adventure\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/SW-roadtrip_Jan-Mar2021_0110-NYprep_preparingmaps_IMG_E6455_1200w-copy-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\"><\/div><div class=\"cbp-caption-activeWrap\"><div class=\"cbp-l-caption-alignCenter\"><div class=\"cbp-l-caption-body\"><div class=\"cbp-l-caption-title\">Day 1: Long Island, NY<\/div><div class=\"cbp-l-caption-desc\">Maps, routes and planning...<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/a><\/div><div class=\"cbp-item logo\"><a href=\"\/\/www.usnomadstudio.com\/theroadbook\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/SW-roadtrip_Jan-Mar2021_0128-NYtoOH_PA-windshieldshotlateafternoonclouds_IMG_6728_1200w.jpg\" class=\"cbp-caption cbp-lightbox\" data-title=\"<p><strong>DAY 2:<\/strong> The traffic wasn\u2019t too bad and the weather was pretty good as I left New York determined to make as much progress as possible. The smooth drive continued into New Jersey and Pennsylvania where I made my first \u201cstop\u201d to stretch my legs on the Army Heritage Trail at the US Army War College in Carlisle. The trail is an easy walk along a series of outdoor displays of historical military equipment including tanks and helicopters, and there\u2019s even an exhibit that goes back to the \u201cFrench and Indian War.\u201d It was a bit windy and quite cold for a hike, but it was just good to get out of the Jeep for a little bit. Snapped a few photos before getting back on the road, then continued westward. I was almost to Ohio when it started to snow. The snow was heavy at points and I recalled the dangerous white out while crossing the mountains in PA last year, so decided to take a dinner break in hopes that it might stop. Luckily it did let up a bit, and when I got back on the road I was able to make a fair amount of progress into Ohio before stopping for the night \u2026<\/p>\" style=\"\"><div class=\"cbp-caption-defaultWrap\"><img src=\"\/\/usnomadstudio.com\/explore4adventure\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/SW-roadtrip_Jan-Mar2021_0128-NYtoOH_PA-windshieldshotlateafternoonclouds_IMG_6728_1200w-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\"><\/div><div class=\"cbp-caption-activeWrap\"><div class=\"cbp-l-caption-alignCenter\"><div class=\"cbp-l-caption-body\"><div class=\"cbp-l-caption-title\">Day 2: NY to OH<\/div><div class=\"cbp-l-caption-desc\">New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Ohio...<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/a><\/div><div class=\"cbp-item logo\"><a href=\"\/\/www.usnomadstudio.com\/theroadbook\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/SW-roadtrip_Jan-Mar2021_0129-OHtoMO_MO-Rt66Park-Frozenlandsdcapelowsun_IMG_E6794_1200w.jpg\" class=\"cbp-caption cbp-lightbox\" data-title=\"<p><strong>DAY 3<\/strong> The marathon continued across the cold and frozen midwest today, as I drove through the rest of Ohio, Indiana, and Illinois before pausing for a break in Missouri. I stopped to explore an old Route 66 destination once known as \u201cTimes Beach\u201d and now called the Route 66 State Park. The location used to be the site of a town until it got contaminated by toxic chemicals and condemned to destruction. The environmental disaster was eventually cleaned up and the area turned into a park (in a story that is very similar to the history of the Cuyahoga Valley in Ohio, where the river was so polluted it went on fire, and eventually that land was restored and is now a national park).  It was late in the day and very cold out, so after the shortest of short hikes I left the frozen landscape behind and continued the drive, getting through much of Missouri before calling it a night \u2026<\/p>\" style=\"\"><div class=\"cbp-caption-defaultWrap\"><img src=\"\/\/usnomadstudio.com\/explore4adventure\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/SW-roadtrip_Jan-Mar2021_0129-OHtoMO_MO-Rt66Park-Frozenlandsdcapelowsun_IMG_E6794_1200w-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\"><\/div><div class=\"cbp-caption-activeWrap\"><div class=\"cbp-l-caption-alignCenter\"><div class=\"cbp-l-caption-body\"><div class=\"cbp-l-caption-title\">Day 3: OH to MO<\/div><div class=\"cbp-l-caption-desc\">Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Missouri...<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/a><\/div><div class=\"cbp-item logo\"><a href=\"\/\/www.usnomadstudio.com\/theroadbook\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/SW-roadtrip_Jan-Mar2021_0130-MOtoTX_OK-WitchitaMtnNWR-prairiedognexttoholeXCU_DSC_0359_box-size-scaled.jpg\" class=\"cbp-caption cbp-lightbox\" data-title=\"<p><strong>DAY 4:<\/strong> It was still dark and raining when I got on the road before sun-up this morning with the hope that I could make enough progress to be able to take time out for a detour to visit a prairie dog town in Oklahoma. I stayed focused while driving fast in the heavy rain with 20 mph winds. The rain started to let up about the time I reached Oklahoma City, though the winds continued. I was crossing what seemed to me to be the \u201ctransition\u201d point between \u201ceast\u201d and \u201cwest\u201d  where the landscape starts looking \u201cwestern.\u201d This was where I needed to decide if I had saved enough time to go to the prairie dogs. I turned off the main route and headed in the direction of Lawton towards the Witchita Mountains National Wildlife Refuge. It was still cold and windy when I reached the refuge and I wondered if any of the prairie dogs would be out in this weather. There were no buffalo along the way (last time I had seen them just grazing in the wild out here), but the prairie dogs were out doing prairie dog things and I stopped to spend some time observing their antics and taking a few photos. Happy with my decision I got back in the Jeep and drove the rest of the way to Amarillo where I treated myself to dinner at the Big Texan \u2026<\/p>\" style=\"\"><div class=\"cbp-caption-defaultWrap\"><img src=\"\/\/www.usnomadstudio.com\/theroadbook\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/SW-roadtrip_Jan-Mar2021_0130-MOtoTX_OK-WitchitaMtnNWR-prairiedognexttoholeXCU_DSC_0359_box-size-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"\"><\/div><div class=\"cbp-caption-activeWrap\"><div class=\"cbp-l-caption-alignCenter\"><div class=\"cbp-l-caption-body\"><div class=\"cbp-l-caption-title\">Day 4: MO to TX<\/div><div class=\"cbp-l-caption-desc\">Missouri, Oklahoma, Texas...<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/a><\/div><div class=\"cbp-item logo\"><a href=\"\/\/www.usnomadstudio.com\/theroadbook\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/SW-roadtrip_Jan-Mar2021_0131-TXtoNM_TX-CadillacRanch_tireCUandlineofcars_IMG_6976_1200w.jpg\" class=\"cbp-caption cbp-lightbox\" data-title=\"<p><strong>DAY 5:<\/strong> Left Amarillo in the early morning cold, and made a quick stop at Cadillac Ranch where I circled the installation of half-buried old cars as the sunlight reflected off the thick layers of graffiti, creating an almost glowing effect. It was unusual to be the only one there, though not really surprising being it was so early on a Sunday morning in January. I lingered a bit, enjoying having the monument all to myself, before heading back to the Jeep. From here the highway parallels historic Route 66, and shortly after entering New Mexico I made another brief stop at the site of the Cuervo ghosttown to do a little exploring and make some photos of the abandoned ruins. Some of the structures still held evidence of their last residents. Wandering among the random scraps of people\u2019s lives made me wonder about who lived here and why they left so abruptly. I made a note to research this town and it\u2019s history further, then got back on the road. There was one more stop I wanted to make in New Mexico \u2014 the El Malpais National Monument. I love the landscapes of harsh \u201cbadlands\u201d and though I didn\u2019t have a lot of time, I took a short hike along the Sandstone Bluffs. The area was still covered in snow in spots and I had to be careful not to take a tumble on an icy patch, but the magnificent views were worth it. Refreshed by the hike I continued the drive, stopping for the night at Gallup  \u2026<\/p>\" style=\"\"><div class=\"cbp-caption-defaultWrap\"><img src=\"\/\/www.usnomadstudio.com\/theroadbook\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/SW-roadtrip_Jan-Mar2021_0131-TXtoNM_TX-CadillacRanch_tireCUandlineofcars_IMG_6976_1200w.jpg\" alt=\"\"><\/div><div class=\"cbp-caption-activeWrap\"><div class=\"cbp-l-caption-alignCenter\"><div class=\"cbp-l-caption-body\"><div class=\"cbp-l-caption-title\">Day 5: TX to NM<\/div><div class=\"cbp-l-caption-desc\">Texas to New Mexico...<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/a><\/div><div class=\"cbp-item logo\"><a href=\"\/\/www.usnomadstudio.com\/theroadbook\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/SW-roadtrip_Jan-Mar2021_0201-NMtoAZ_AZ-BulldogCanyon_camp-jeeptentfireandcactus_IMG_7262_1200w.jpg\" class=\"cbp-caption cbp-lightbox\" data-title=\"<p><strong>DAY 6:<\/strong> Crossed into Arizona in the morning and made a brief stop at the Painted Desert which is part of the Petrified Forest National Park. I only took the time to snap a few quick photos because I still had a lot of miles to go and wanted to be sure to get to Bulldog Canyon before sunset. I had also forgotten that there was one more set of mountains to pass from northern Arizona to the Sonoran desert of the Phoenix area. The mountain passage was actually very beautiful through the forest covered in snow. I could see why people think snow is beautiful when I see it in this landscape as opposed to in my driveway, or piled up in grey slushy mountains in parking lots back home \u2014 when you are not having to \u201cclear\u201d it you can appreciate the beauty of the winter landscapes. Once down from the Mogollon Rim I spotted the first saguaro and knew I was almost there. When I finally reached Bulldog Canyon I found myself a nice spot to set up my tent just a few feet from a tall majestic cactus that seemed to stand sentry over my camp \u2026<\/p>\" style=\"\"><div class=\"cbp-caption-defaultWrap\"><img src=\"\/\/www.usnomadstudio.com\/theroadbook\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/SW-roadtrip_Jan-Mar2021_0201-NMtoAZ_AZ-BulldogCanyon_camp-jeeptentfireandcactus_IMG_7262_1200w.jpg\" alt=\"\"><\/div><div class=\"cbp-caption-activeWrap\"><div class=\"cbp-l-caption-alignCenter\"><div class=\"cbp-l-caption-body\"><div class=\"cbp-l-caption-title\">Day 6: NM to AZ<\/div><div class=\"cbp-l-caption-desc\">Bulldog Canyon...<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/a><\/div><div class=\"cbp-item logo\"><a href=\"\/\/www.usnomadstudio.com\/theroadbook\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/SW-roadtrip_Jan-Mar2021_0202-AZ_BulldogCanyon_trail-JMFjeepontrailwithsuguaros_IMG_7424_1200w.jpg\" class=\"cbp-caption cbp-lightbox\" data-title=\"<p><strong>DAY 7:<\/strong> Ran the Bulldog Canyon trail from Bush Highway south, picking up some trash along the way for the \u201cEvery Day Is a Clean Up Day\u201d program, a joint effort between Ladies Offroad Network and Tread Lightly to impact our trails. It was only a pound and a half of mostly cans and plastic bottles, but it was a start (and good that the trail had so little trash on it). Then headed westbound on the highway towards Quartzsite, taking the exit for Vicksburg for gas before leaving the pavement for a detour through a remote area of the Kofa National Wildlife Refuge. Didn\u2019t see another soul from the point I entered the refuge to the Hoodoo Well, where I set up tonight\u2019s camp in an old cowboy line cabin\u2026<\/p>\" style=\"\"><div class=\"cbp-caption-defaultWrap\"><img src=\"\/\/www.usnomadstudio.com\/theroadbook\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/SW-roadtrip_Jan-Mar2021_0202-AZ_BulldogCanyon_trail-JMFjeepontrailwithsuguaros_IMG_7424_1200w.jpg\" alt=\"\"><\/div><div class=\"cbp-caption-activeWrap\"><div class=\"cbp-l-caption-alignCenter\"><div class=\"cbp-l-caption-body\"><div class=\"cbp-l-caption-title\">Day 7: AZ<\/div><div class=\"cbp-l-caption-desc\">Bulldog Canyon to Kofa NWR...<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/a><\/div><div class=\"cbp-item logo\"><a href=\"\/\/www.usnomadstudio.com\/theroadbook\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/SW-roadtrip_Jan-Mar2021_0202-AZ_KofaNWR_morning-skyearlymorningfromhoodoocabin_IMG_7702_1200w-1024x768-1.jpg\" class=\"cbp-caption cbp-lightbox\" data-title=\"<p><strong>DAY 8:<\/strong> Last night I heard two coyotes kind of far away and this morning a beautiful sunrise welcomed me to the solitude of the desert. Got a jump on the day and the journey through the Kofa refuge across a vast empty swath of the Sonoran desert bordering the Yuma Proving Grounds, where the Army tests and develops new equipment. The trail then loops around the mountains through an area of old mines (and what looks to be some active ones) before reconnecting with pavement. Exited the refuge onto HWY 95 southbound late in the afternoon and made it the rest of the way into Yuma as darkness fell. Apart from at the mining sites I didn\u2019t see another person or vehicle on the trail all day...<\/p>\" style=\"\"><div class=\"cbp-caption-defaultWrap\"><img src=\"\/\/www.usnomadstudio.com\/theroadbook\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/SW-roadtrip_Jan-Mar2021_0202-AZ_KofaNWR_morning-skyearlymorningfromhoodoocabin_IMG_7702_1200w-1024x768-1.jpg\" alt=\"\"><\/div><div class=\"cbp-caption-activeWrap\"><div class=\"cbp-l-caption-alignCenter\"><div class=\"cbp-l-caption-body\"><div class=\"cbp-l-caption-title\">Day 8: AZ<\/div><div class=\"cbp-l-caption-desc\">Kofa NWR to Yuma...<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/a><\/div><div class=\"cbp-item logo\"><a href=\"\/\/www.usnomadstudio.com\/theroadbook\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/SW-roadtrip_Jan-Mar2021_0204-AZ_Yuma_glamis_blowingsand-dunetip3_DSC_0241_box-size_1200w.jpg\" class=\"cbp-caption cbp-lightbox\" data-title=\"<p><strong>DAY 9:<\/strong> Didn\u2019t spend much time in the town of Yuma, instead I headed for the Imperial Sand Dunes. Tomorrow we will be training in that vast sea of sand that stretches out along the US-Mexican border, but for today I just wanted to appreciate their majestic beauty. It was windy and the dunes were restless. I could almost feel the spirit of the deepest desert mysteries while watching the wind slowly \u201cmove\u201d and reshape the massive mountains of sand, grain-by-grain. I drove from the southern area of the dunes, near the Border fence north to the Osborne Overlook, then looped back to the south, making a short detour to the Tumco mine site near the Cargo Muchacho Mountains to explore some of the ruins\u2026<\/p>\" style=\"\"><div class=\"cbp-caption-defaultWrap\"><img src=\"\/\/www.usnomadstudio.com\/theroadbook\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/SW-roadtrip_Jan-Mar2021_0204-AZ_Yuma_glamis_blowingsand-dunetip3_DSC_0241_box-size_1200w.jpg\" alt=\"\"><\/div><div class=\"cbp-caption-activeWrap\"><div class=\"cbp-l-caption-alignCenter\"><div class=\"cbp-l-caption-body\"><div class=\"cbp-l-caption-title\">Day 9: AZ - Around Yuma<\/div><div class=\"cbp-l-caption-desc\">Scoping out the dunes...<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/a><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><script type=\"text\/javascript\">this.initCubePortfolio =  this.initCubePortfolio || []; this.initCubePortfolio.push({id: 89, options: {\"filters\":\"\",\"loadMore\":\"\",\"loadMoreAction\":\"click\",\"search\":\"\",\"layoutMode\":\"grid\",\"sortToPreventGaps\":true,\"drag\":true,\"auto\":false,\"autoTimeout\":5000,\"autoPauseOnHover\":true,\"showNavigation\":true,\"showPagination\":true,\"rewindNav\":true,\"scrollByPage\":false,\"defaultFilter\":\"*\",\"filterDeeplinking\":false,\"animationType\":\"scaleSides\",\"gridAdjustment\":\"responsive\",\"mediaQueries\":[{\"width\":1400,\"cols\":43},{\"width\":1170,\"cols\":3},{\"width\":1024,\"cols\":3},{\"width\":960,\"cols\":3},{\"width\":778,\"cols\":3},{\"width\":640,\"cols\":2},{\"width\":480,\"cols\":1}],\"gapHorizontal\":20,\"gapVertical\":20,\"caption\":\"overlayBottomAlong\",\"displayType\":\"bottomToTop\",\"displayTypeSpeed\":200,\"lightboxDelegate\":\".cbp-lightbox\",\"lightboxGallery\":true,\"lightboxTitleSrc\":\"data-title\",\"lightboxCounter\":\"<div class=\\\"cbp-popup-lightbox-counter\\\">{{current}} of {{total}}<\/div>\",\"singlePageDelegate\":\".cbp-singlePage\",\"singlePageDeeplinking\":true,\"singlePageStickyNavigation\":true,\"singlePageCounter\":\"<div class=\\\"cbp-popup-singlePage-counter\\\">{{current}} of {{total}}<\/div>\",\"singlePageAnimation\":\"middle\",\"singlePageInlineDelegate\":\".cbp-singlePageInline\",\"singlePageInlineDeeplinking\":false,\"singlePageInlinePosition\":\"top\",\"singlePageInlineInFocus\":true,\"plugins\":{},\"cols\":3,\"coverRatio\":\"4:3\"}});<\/script>[\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row css=&#8221;.vc_custom_1610299121889{margin-top: 15px !important;}&#8221;][vc_column][vc_column_text css_animation=&#8221;slideInLeft&#8221;]<\/p>\n<h3 style=\"text-align: left;\">ROUTE<\/h3>\n<p>[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_gmaps link=&#8221;#E-8_JTNDaWZyYW1lJTIwc3JjJTNEJTIyaHR0cHMlM0ElMkYlMkZ3d3cuZ29vZ2xlLmNvbSUyRm1hcHMlMkZkJTJGZW1iZWQlM0ZtaWQlM0QxdkVLbEcxTEM0MnVib3FiUTlWRWtTU2ZmVmQzWVZ0N1MlMjIlMjB3aWR0aCUzRCUyMjY0MCUyMiUyMGhlaWdodCUzRCUyMjQ4MCUyMiUzRSUzQyUyRmlmcmFtZSUzRQ==&#8221; css_animation=&#8221;none&#8221;][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row full_width=&#8221;stretch_row&#8221; bg_type=&#8221;bg_color&#8221; css=&#8221;.vc_custom_1610224958479{padding-top: 10px !important;}&#8221; bg_color_value=&#8221;#ffffff&#8221;][vc_column][vc_column_text]Note this map provides an overview of the first segment of the journey headed west. The route on this map shows the overall direction of travel and key &#8220;stops&#8221; but does not include any detailed GPX tracks for backcountry trails, etc&#8230;[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row css=&#8221;.vc_custom_1610299121889{margin-top: 15px !important;}&#8221;][vc_column][vc_column_text css_animation=&#8221;slideInLeft&#8221;]<\/p>\n<h3 style=\"text-align: left;\">KEY LOCATIONS: Stops en route<\/h3>\n<p>[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row css=&#8221;.vc_custom_1610296030586{margin-top: 15px !important;}&#8221;][vc_column][vc_tta_tabs][vc_tta_section title=&#8221;Army War College&#8221; tab_id=&#8221;1623699732247-3a253212-cfdc&#8221;][vc_row_inner][vc_column_inner width=&#8221;1\/3&#8243;][vc_single_image image=&#8221;13114&#8243; img_size=&#8221;large&#8221;][\/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=&#8221;2\/3&#8243;][vc_column_text css=&#8221;.vc_custom_1624297394105{padding-right: 20px !important;padding-bottom: 10px !important;padding-left: 10px !important;}&#8221;]The <a href=\"https:\/\/ahec.armywarcollege.edu\/trail\/aht.cfm\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span style=\"color: #ff0000;\">Army Heritage Trail<\/span><\/a> is located on the grounds of the US Army War College in Carslile, PA. The trail is an outdoor museum that complements the indoor exhibits of the Heritage and Education Center, and highlights nearly every era of Army history with different exhibits and large artifacts. Designed to provide an immersion experience that allows the visitor to walk into each period represented, the Trail also serves as a stage for living history presentations by historians serving as interpreters. Fourteen individual exhibits include full scale reconstructions of a French and Indian War way station, Redoubt Number 10 from the Revolutionary War siege of Yorktown, a section of the Antietam battlefield, a Civil War winter encampment with cabins, a WWI trench system, a WWII company area, a replicated Normandy Bocage scene from World War II, a Current Operations HESCO Bastion barrier checkpoint, and an interpretation of the Vietnam helicopter air assault at Ia Drang that includes a period Fire Support Base. Additionally, there are numerous smaller exhibits featuring armor, aircraft, and artillery from several different eras of U.S. Army history. The Army Heritage Trail is open for visitation dawn to dusk daily.[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column_inner][\/vc_row_inner][\/vc_tta_section][vc_tta_section title=&#8221;Route 66 State Park&#8221; tab_id=&#8221;1623193131645-1664213f-634b&#8221;][vc_row_inner][vc_column_inner width=&#8221;1\/3&#8243;][vc_single_image image=&#8221;13118&#8243; img_size=&#8221;large&#8221;][\/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=&#8221;2\/3&#8243;][vc_column_text css=&#8221;.vc_custom_1624297414212{padding-right: 20px !important;padding-bottom: 10px !important;padding-left: 10px !important;}&#8221;]The <a href=\"https:\/\/mostateparks.com\/park\/route-66-state-park\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span style=\"color: #ff0000;\">Route 66 State Park<\/span><\/a>, close to metro St. Louis, Missouri, has displays showcasing the historic route and the visitor center is in a 1935 roadhouse that sat on the original Mother Road. But one of the most interesting aspects of this park is that it is located on the site of a former environmental disaster. The town known as <a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Times_Beach,_Missouri\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span style=\"color: #ff0000;\">Times Beach<\/span><\/a> was once home to more than two thousand people along the banks of the Meramec River. During the 1970s oil made from chemical waste was repeatedly used to control dust on area roads. After a series of unexplained deaths and illnesses the CDC investigated and determined that dioxin was present in the soil. The EPA was brought in and the entire town was condemned in 1982 after the level of dioxin\u2014contamination was revealed. It was the largest civilian exposure to the compound in the history of the United States. Residents were permanently evacuated in a federal government buy-out of the entire town. Although the decision for relocation in 1982 was made in the best interests and safety of the Times Beach residents, the evacuation was not an easy transition. Eight hundred families had to leave their lives completely behind. The toxic site cleanup was completed by 1997 at a cost of close to $200 million, and the restored land was turned over to the State of Missouri which created the 419-acre park commemorating Route 66 in 1999.[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column_inner][\/vc_row_inner][\/vc_tta_section][vc_tta_section title=&#8221;Witchita Mountains NWR&#8221; tab_id=&#8221;1623698348663-733f49ea-ecf5&#8243;][vc_row_inner][vc_column_inner width=&#8221;1\/3&#8243;][vc_single_image image=&#8221;13123&#8243; img_size=&#8221;large&#8221;][\/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=&#8221;2\/3&#8243;][vc_column_text css=&#8221;.vc_custom_1624297431380{padding-right: 20px !important;padding-bottom: 10px !important;padding-left: 10px !important;}&#8221;]The <a href=\"https:\/\/www.fws.gov\/refuge\/wichita_mountains\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span style=\"color: #ff0000;\">Wichita Mountains National Wildlife Refuge<\/span><\/a> was established to protect species that were in grave danger of extinction, and to restore species that had been eliminated from the area. The 59,020 acre refuge hosts a rare piece of the past &#8211; a remnant mixed grass prairie, an island where the natural grasslands escaped destruction because the rocks underfoot defeated the plow. The refuge provides habitat for large native grazing animals such as American bison, Rocky Mountain elk, and white-tailed deer. Texas longhorn cattle also share the refuge rangelands as a cultural and historical legacy species.The efforts to perpetuate the major species of wildlife once imperiled have been very successful. The big game herds have increased to the point that they are no longer are in danger. The reintroduction of some species ensures wildlife once native to the Wichita Mountains will always remain on the landscape. Recent reintroductions include the river otter, burrowing owls and the prairie dog, which is now flourishing in four areas of the refuge.[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column_inner][\/vc_row_inner][\/vc_tta_section][vc_tta_section title=&#8221;Cadillac Ranch&#8221; tab_id=&#8221;1623699034614-7dfe6f20-c58e&#8221;][vc_row_inner][vc_column_inner width=&#8221;1\/3&#8243;][vc_single_image image=&#8221;13125&#8243; img_size=&#8221;large&#8221;][\/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=&#8221;2\/3&#8243;][vc_column_text css=&#8221;.vc_custom_1624297444807{padding-right: 20px !important;padding-bottom: 10px !important;padding-left: 10px !important;}&#8221;]<a href=\"https:\/\/www.atlasobscura.com\/places\/cadillac-ranch\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span style=\"color: #ff0000;\">Cadillac Ranch<\/span><\/a> is a public art installation and sculpture created in 1974 by Chip Lord, Hudson Marquez and Doug Michels, in Amarillo, Texas. The project was funded by an eccentric millionaire, Stanley Marsh 3, who also owned the land that became the site of the &#8220;ranch.&#8221; The installation consists of ten Cadillacs, from between 1949 and 1963, buried nose-first in the ground. Installed in 1974, the cars were either older running, used or junk cars \u2014 together spanning the successive generations of the car line \u2014 and the defining evolution of their tailfins. Cadillac Ranch is visible from the highway, and though located on private land, visiting and spray-painting graffiti is encouraged.[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column_inner][\/vc_row_inner][\/vc_tta_section][vc_tta_section title=&#8221;Cuervo Ghosttown&#8221; tab_id=&#8221;1623192096960-55c64de9-6153&#8243;][vc_row_inner][vc_column_inner width=&#8221;1\/3&#8243;][vc_single_image image=&#8221;13127&#8243; img_size=&#8221;large&#8221;][\/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=&#8221;2\/3&#8243;][vc_column_text css=&#8221;.vc_custom_1624559935532{padding-right: 20px !important;padding-bottom: 10px !important;padding-left: 10px !important;}&#8221;]<a href=\"https:\/\/www.ghosttowns.com\/states\/nm\/cuervo.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span style=\"color: #ff0000;\">Cuervo<\/span><\/a>, New Mexico, is located along Interstate 40 a little more than 15 miles east-northeast of Santa Rosa. It consists of four streets south of I-40 and two streets north of the interstate, and nearly all of the buildings in the community are abandoned and very deteriorated. The town began in 1901 when the railroad came through and continued to grow as the surrounding land was opened to cattle ranching in 1910. Then Route 66 came, and the town&#8217;s population peaked in the 1940s at over 300. When the Interstate replaced Route 66, parts of Cuervo were literally buried and the town was physically split in half. The superhighway allowed travelers to bypass the town and residents slowly abandoned it. The community is virtually a ghost town now, with only two homes that appear updated and inhabited, along with one auto repair business.[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column_inner][\/vc_row_inner][\/vc_tta_section][vc_tta_section title=&#8221;El Malpais NM&#8221; tab_id=&#8221;1623700533927-53eaaad8-9906&#8243;][vc_row_inner][vc_column_inner width=&#8221;1\/3&#8243;][vc_single_image image=&#8221;13129&#8243; img_size=&#8221;large&#8221;][\/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=&#8221;2\/3&#8243;][vc_column_text css=&#8221;.vc_custom_1624297477068{padding-right: 20px !important;padding-bottom: 10px !important;padding-left: 10px !important;}&#8221;]<a href=\"https:\/\/www.nps.gov\/elma\/index.htm\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span style=\"color: #ff0000;\">El Malpais National Monument<\/span><\/a>, located near Grants, New Mexico, is an extremely barren and dramatic volcanic field covered in old lava flows, sandstone bluffs, ice caves, and lava tubes. The early Spanish explorers named this area El Malpais, meaning \u201cthe bad country\u201d or \u201cbadlands\u201d because they found the jagged and jumbled black rock treacherous to navigate. But people have adapted to and used this diverse and mysterious landscape for a myriad of purposes for more than 10,000 years. For thousands of years American Indians have found ways in which to live in, around, and sometimes on these \u201cbad lands.\u201d Human occupation was the greatest between 950 A.D. and 1350 A.D. when Ancestral Puebloans built the first permanent structures in the area. Today this richly diverse volcanic landscape offers solitude, recreation, and adventure.[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column_inner][\/vc_row_inner][\/vc_tta_section][\/vc_tta_tabs][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row css=&#8221;.vc_custom_1610299121889{margin-top: 15px !important;}&#8221;][vc_column][vc_column_text css_animation=&#8221;slideInLeft&#8221;]<\/p>\n<h3 style=\"text-align: left;\">KEY LOCATIONS: Desert Waypoints<\/h3>\n<p>[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row css=&#8221;.vc_custom_1610296030586{margin-top: 15px !important;}&#8221;][vc_column][vc_tta_tabs][vc_tta_section title=&#8221;Painted Desert&#8221; tab_id=&#8221;1623702060248-636da89d-0c80&#8243;][vc_row_inner][vc_column_inner width=&#8221;1\/3&#8243;][vc_single_image image=&#8221;13139&#8243; img_size=&#8221;large&#8221;][\/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=&#8221;2\/3&#8243;][vc_column_text css=&#8221;.vc_custom_1624300617337{padding-right: 20px !important;padding-bottom: 10px !important;padding-left: 10px !important;}&#8221;]The <a href=\"https:\/\/www.visitarizona.com\/places\/parks-monuments\/the-painted-desert\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span style=\"color: #ff0000;\">Painted Desert<\/span><\/a> is a landscape of badlands that run from near the east end of Grand Canyon National Park and southeast into Petrified Forest National Park. It is most easily accessed from within the Petrified Forest National Park. The Painted Desert is known for its brilliant and varied colors. It was named by an expedition under Francisco V\u00e1zquez de Coronado on his 1540 quest to find the Seven Cities of Cibola, which he located some 40 miles east of Petrified Forest National Park. Finding the cities were not made of gold, Coronado sent an expedition to find the Colorado River to resupply him. Passing through the wonderland of colors, they named the area El Desierto Pintado or &#8220;The Painted Desert&#8221;. The multicolored landscape is composed of stratified layers of easily erodible siltstone, mudstone, and shale of the Triassic Chinle Formation. These fine grained rock layers contain abundant iron and manganese compounds which provide the pigments for the various colors of the region. Thin resistant lacustrine limestone layers and volcanic flows cap the mesas. The erosion of these layers has resulted in the formation of the badlands topography of the region. Much of the Painted Desert within Petrified Forest National Park is protected as a National Wilderness Area, where motorized travel is limited, but it continues north into the Navajo Nation, where off-road travel is allowed by permit.[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column_inner][\/vc_row_inner][\/vc_tta_section][vc_tta_section title=&#8221;Bulldog Canyon&#8221; tab_id=&#8221;1623702060412-76e559e0-aac6&#8243;][vc_row_inner][vc_column_inner width=&#8221;1\/3&#8243;][vc_single_image image=&#8221;13137&#8243; img_size=&#8221;large&#8221;][\/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=&#8221;2\/3&#8243;][vc_column_text css=&#8221;.vc_custom_1624297162526{padding-right: 20px !important;padding-bottom: 10px !important;padding-left: 10px !important;}&#8221;]<a href=\"https:\/\/www.fs.usda.gov\/recarea\/tonto\/recarea\/?recid=35555\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span style=\"color: #ff0000;\">Bulldog Canyon<\/span><\/a>, located in the Mesa Ranger District of the Tonto National Forest, is 34,000 acres and provides approximately 20 miles of open routes for motorized recreation. It is a popular dispersed camping destination for off-roading. Bulldog Canyon routes are all full-size vehicle width and provide access to the beautiful Sonoran desert and Goldfield Mountains. There are six access points: Blue Point, Usery, Wolverine, Hackamore, Dutchman and Willow. A Tonto Motorized Vehicle Use Permit is currently required for this area, available at Recreation.gov. Please remember to stay on the routes. Driving off-road is prohibited on the Tonto National Forest. Permits are not available at the District Office.[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column_inner][\/vc_row_inner][\/vc_tta_section][vc_tta_section title=&#8221;Kofa NWR&#8221; tab_id=&#8221;1623702060563-4afb279b-0a9e&#8221;][vc_row_inner][vc_column_inner width=&#8221;1\/3&#8243;][vc_single_image image=&#8221;13135&#8243; img_size=&#8221;large&#8221;][\/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=&#8221;2\/3&#8243;][vc_column_text css=&#8221;.vc_custom_1624297373657{padding-right: 20px !important;padding-bottom: 10px !important;padding-left: 10px !important;}&#8221;]The <span style=\"color: #ff0000;\"><a style=\"color: #ff0000;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.fws.gov\/refuge\/kofa\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Kofa National Wildlife Refuge<\/a><\/span> is located in Arizona northeast of Yuma and southeast of Quartzsite. The refuge, established in 1939 to protect desert bighorn sheep, encompasses over 665,400 acres of the Sonoran Desert. More than 80 percent of the refuge is designated as wilderness. The name Kofa is a contraction of the name of the King of Arizona gold mine, which was active from 1897 to 1910. The refuge is dominated by two mountain ranges, the Castle Dome and Kofa Mountains, which rise abruptly from the plains of the Sonoran Desert. Although these mountains are not especially high (the tallest peak is less than 5,000 feet), they are extremely rugged and provide excellent habitat for plant and animal species adapted to the harsh desert climate. Towering saguaro cacti reach up to 50 feet in height and are perhaps the most distinctive cacti found on the refuge. Able to store large quantities of water in their leaves, stems or roots, cacti thrive in the desert climate. Closer to the ground, prickly pear, cholla, hedgehog, pincushion, and barrel cacti, as well as desert night-blooming cereus, thrive. The vast desert environment is host or home to numerous mammal species, the majority of which are nocturnal and forage at night while the temperatures is cooler. Motorized vehicle traffic is limited to designated roads identified by numbered markers at junctions and vehicles may pull off and park only up to 100 feet from designated roads. Speed is limited to 25 MPH, or less as posted. Campers may select their own campsites. However, camping within 1\/4 mile of water is prohibited by State law.[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column_inner][\/vc_row_inner][\/vc_tta_section][vc_tta_section title=&#8221;Tumco Ghosttown&#8221; tab_id=&#8221;1623702060723-3461738e-bb92&#8243;][vc_row_inner][vc_column_inner width=&#8221;1\/3&#8243;][vc_single_image image=&#8221;13131&#8243; img_size=&#8221;large&#8221;][\/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=&#8221;2\/3&#8243;][vc_column_text css=&#8221;.vc_custom_1624297194015{padding-right: 20px !important;padding-bottom: 10px !important;padding-left: 10px !important;}&#8221;]<span style=\"color: #ff0000;\"><a style=\"color: #ff0000;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.blm.gov\/visit\/tumco-historic-mine\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Tumco<\/a><\/span> is an abandoned gold mining town and is also one of the earliest gold mining areas in California. It has a history spanning some 300 years, with several periods of boom and bust. Originally named Hedges, the town was completely abandoned in 1905, victim to speculative over-expansion and increasing debt. Renamed Tumco in 1910 &#8212; after The United Mines Company &#8212; another attempt to go after the gold proved just as costly. By 1911, the diminishing prospects of the mines forced the miners and their families to return to Yuma, signaling the end of Hedges\/Tumco as a community. Gold was first discovered by Spanish colonists as they moved northward from Sonora, Mexico. According to legend, two young boys came into their camp one evening with their shirts filled with gold ore. These muchachos cargados (loaded boys) were the namesake for the Cargo Muchacho Mountains, where the Tumco deposits occur. Following the first discovery of gold, numerous small mines were operated by Mexican settlers for many years. In 1877, the Southern Pacific Railroad completed the Yuma to Los Angeles line of its transcontinental route. With the presence of the mountains, a gold rush into the area began. This initial rush to stake mining claims soon gave way to mining companies that moved into the area, purchased claims and developed the mines on a large scale. A 12 mile wood pipeline pumped over 100,000 gallons of water from the Colorado River per day, and the railroad carried mine timbers from northern Arizona for use in the expansive underground workings. Ultimately, over 200,000 ounces of gold was taken from the mines in the area. Tumco was a typical mining town of its day. Historical accounts talk of rich eastern investors, unscrupulous charlatans and colorful characters in the raucous townsite and the mining boom ultimately leading to financial ruin. Although little can be seen of Tumco, during the boom time of the 1890&#8217;s, it supported a population of at least 500 people and the 40 and 100 stamp mills of the mine produced $1,000 per day in gold.[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column_inner][\/vc_row_inner][\/vc_tta_section][vc_tta_section title=&#8221;Imperial Sand Dunes&#8221; tab_id=&#8221;1623702060875-ed2d4cc9-7a68&#8243;][vc_row_inner][vc_column_inner width=&#8221;1\/3&#8243;][vc_single_image image=&#8221;13132&#8243; img_size=&#8221;large&#8221;][\/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=&#8221;2\/3&#8243;][vc_column_text css=&#8221;.vc_custom_1624297351862{padding-right: 20px !important;padding-bottom: 10px !important;padding-left: 10px !important;}&#8221;]The <a href=\"https:\/\/www.blm.gov\/visit\/imperial-sand-dunes\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span style=\"color: #ff0000;\">Imperial Sand Dunes Recreation Area<\/span><\/a>, located in the southeast corner of California near the border with Arizona and the Mexican state of Baja California, is the largest mass of sand dunes in the state. Formed by windblown sands of ancient Lake Cahuilla, the dune system extends for more than 40 miles in a band averaging 5 miles wide. Widely known as \u201cGlamis\u201d it is an off-road paradise, with an extensive open area for OHV use. The recreation area is part of the Algodones Dunes field which extends along a northwest-southeast line that correlates to the prevailing northerly and westerly wind directions. The name \u201cAlgodones Dunes\u201d refers to the entire geographic feature, while the administrative designation for that portion managed by the Bureau of Land Management is the Imperial Sand Dunes Recreation Area. The dunes are now separated at the southern end by agricultural land from the much more extensive Gran Desierto de Altar, to which they once were linked as an extreme peripheral \u201cfinger\u201d. The only significant human-made structures in the area are the All-American Canal that cuts across the southern portion from east to west and the Coachella Canal on the western edge. Most of the dunes located north of State Route 78 are off-limits to vehicular traffic due to designation as the North Algodones Dunes Wilderness, while the area south of this road remains open for off-highway vehicle use.[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column_inner][\/vc_row_inner][\/vc_tta_section][\/vc_tta_tabs][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_separator color=&#8221;black&#8221; css=&#8221;.vc_custom_1624288719719{margin-bottom: 10px !important;}&#8221;][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_btn title=&#8221;100 Days &#8211; Main Page&#8221; link=&#8221;url:http%3A%2F%2Fwww.usnomadstudio.com%2Ftheroadbook%2F100-days-journey-across-the-usa-january-may-2021%2F&#8221; css=&#8221;.vc_custom_1624288809531{margin-right: 10px !important;margin-bottom: 10px !important;}&#8221;][vc_btn title=&#8221;Ahead to Days 10-21&#8243; i_align=&#8221;right&#8221; i_icon_fontawesome=&#8221;fas fa-angle-double-right&#8221; add_icon=&#8221;true&#8221; link=&#8221;url:http%3A%2F%2Fwww.usnomadstudio.com%2Ftheroadbook%2F100-days-journey-glamis-to-death-valley-february-2021%2F&#8221; css=&#8221;.vc_custom_1624288797056{margin-bottom: 10px !important;}&#8221;][\/vc_column][\/vc_row]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>[vc_row full_width=&#8221;stretch_row&#8221; content_placement=&#8221;middle&#8221; bg_type=&#8221;bg_color&#8221; css=&#8221;.vc_custom_1610214283171{background-color: #000000 !important;}&#8221; bg_color_value=&#8221;#000000&#8243;][vc_column][vc_column_text css=&#8221;.vc_custom_1624211453121{padding-top: 5px !important;padding-bottom: 20px !important;}&#8221;] 100 Days Journey: Part 1 &#8211; Heading West [\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row full_width=&#8221;stretch_row&#8221; bg_type=&#8221;bg_color&#8221; css=&#8221;.vc_custom_1610224958479{padding-top: 10px !important;}&#8221; bg_color_value=&#8221;#ffffff&#8221;][vc_column][vc_column_text]The journey begins on Long Island, New York, with route planning and preparation before a quick sprint westward towards Arizona. My highway route goes west, then southwest through [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"template-home.php","meta":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.usnomadstudio.com\/theroadbook\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/13056"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.usnomadstudio.com\/theroadbook\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.usnomadstudio.com\/theroadbook\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.usnomadstudio.com\/theroadbook\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.usnomadstudio.com\/theroadbook\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=13056"}],"version-history":[{"count":40,"href":"https:\/\/www.usnomadstudio.com\/theroadbook\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/13056\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":13688,"href":"https:\/\/www.usnomadstudio.com\/theroadbook\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/13056\/revisions\/13688"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.usnomadstudio.com\/theroadbook\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=13056"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}