CALIENTE, Nev. -- Sometimes, you've just got
to say screw it. Screw the super markets. Screw the idiots merging
into traffic on the expressway. Screw the endless hours of work for
a freaking pay cut you earned as a kick-in-the-ass thanks.. Screw
swapping out the thick sludge in the oil pan of that old Jeep.
Screw the boss. Screw the kids' baseball game. And, screw changing
that tire tube on the crusty-old dirt bike. Screw it!
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POWERING
DOWN: Charmingly odd, just shy of a ghost town, Caliente leaves
a lot to be desired for those city slickers seeking the bright
lights of Vegas and the meager big-buck sustenance Sin City
supplies the lonely. Like the old Union Pacific powering down the
center of town with the country's freight in tow, so goes the
occasional group of kids pulling the "ultimate" wheelie down the
open field adjacent the train tracks through the center of town.
Activity is sparce but equally as meaningful to the observant eye.
The town is alive.
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Every once in a while, you've got to pull your head
out from the rear fender and get on with life, toss the sleeping
bag, fire wood and over-loaded ice chest in the back of the
pick-me-up-truck, fire up that diesel and get the hell out of
Dodge.
Pardon the pun if you happen to be driving one, but
we're braving the ultimate freedom here, what I call living life,
the Ultimate American Road Trip, the infrequent moment in life when
you look yourself in the mind's eye and say, "Let's get it on!"
The Virgin Of Caliente
The first time I made my way up to Caliente was
sometime last year, when I was coerced into getting off my ass, out
of the office chair to attend the 2002 Best In The Desert Nevada
Trail Ride, an event that is soley for a myriad of a hundred-plus
invitees, people who love to ride. "What the hell was I doing
there?" I asked myself.
Well, to tell you the truth, I love
riding. I just don't peel my backside off the office chair often
enough. Hell, I ride just enough to keep
me from going insane like the next guy. What made me special enough
to go on this ride?
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WHERE THE TRAIN
NO LONGER WAITS: Progress locomotives through the town faster
than the lunch special at any of the half-a-handful cafes that divy
up the town's grub come lunch time. It's a common sense,
look-you-in-the eye approach to life that consoles you in Caliente.
A man's just as easy with poking fun as he is with being serious.
The same goes with the daily chores. Working hard is just as much a
part of Caliente's thousand-plus citizens as is stopping to share
the town gossip or the solitude of the evening
thunderstorms.
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Well, that first ride turned out to be nothing more
than a bunch of buddies getting together for a ride some kick ass
terrain. Wild horses, snow, sleet, cattle, rain, new freinds and
some of the best riding I can recall tearing through. A quick stop
come lunch time was the icing and well-deserved brake on the cake.
The entire weekend's ride was nothing but class.
It all begin at the VFW with a stout breakfast and
some early morning bench racing. When the dung became too deep, a
rider would make his way to the staging area a few blocks away to
grasp a handful of throttle and make his or her way to the trail.
Awesome.
Anyway, let's get back to this pre-winter trip to
Caliente that we took in the old Ford. At the time, the truck was
completely stock, proving that it doesn't take a big buck truck to
enjoy yourself off-road. The point is to get out and live a
little.
And if you got kids (I don't), there's no better
education than to travel and experience life up front and personal.
How do I know this? My old man piloted his kids through some
incredible life experiences here in the Land Of The Free and the
Home of the Brave...
You see, come hell or high water, life is worth
living. Enough said.
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History's Train |
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PARKED UPON
THE ROCKING CHAIR OF TIME: Along side of the train tracks and a
stone throw from the Caliente Train Station, stroked into the
town's relics, you'll find fresh interpretations of Caliente's
history, whatever you can make of it. The town's people will tell
it to you straight, but you've got to listen.
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Good Things About
Caliente
- The Best In The Desert (BITD) Nevada Trail
Ride is held there each year.
- Caliente frequently hosts SNORE and BITD
off-road races.
- The town welcomes and supports desert racing,
off-roaders and hunters.
- Excellent riding: frequent water crossings,
scenic terrain, lots of open spaces, hill climbs, sand washes,
tight woods, wide open .
- The town's people are conservative, as one of
many locals once said, "Republican's or ultra-conservative
Jeffersonian Democrats," and they dig riding.
- A deer hunter is just your average
Joe.
- An abundance of wildlife, including deer,
elk, wild horses, cattle, mountain lion, and much more.
- The Ford dealership also sells dirt bikes,
sport quads, utility quads and has a damn good parts supply for
each.
- Riding consists of sand washes, pine forests,
flat-out jaunts across the plains, water crossings that'll kill
your mount, and a day that is only limited by your ability to cover
ground before the sun goes down.
- The midnight thunder storms are
awesome.
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The Way
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THE ROAD TO
FREEDOM: Heading north out of town, just before you cross the
bridge an pass the car dealership on the left, you'll see a sign to
your right for the Caliente Hot Springs (top left photo), a place
with budget accomodations that is good enough to shower after a
long ride. Just before that, back over your right shoulder in the
picture top right, is a road and a propane dealer. We took this
road, vearing off to the right as it leads along side abandoned
railroad sleeper cars. This lead us to a trail system that is too
extensive to explore in just one weekend. I"ve probably logged over
200 miles of dirt in the Caliente and Panaca area, a town just
north about 15 miles. The scenery, riding and general off-roading
opportunities are immense.
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RELICS OF
YESTERYEAR: Just off the side of the road within the first few
miles is an old Jeep Wagoneer. Unfortunately, the stout drive train
was ripped from its underside but the body was in excellent
condition. The more familiar you become with the area, the more
surprises you'll find in the way of relics and awesome scenery.
Perhaps the coolest thing I've so far scene are wild horses,
summertime swimming holes and water falls, which are excellent for
them summer getaways.
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NOTE: For the first few miles of this
leg, there are a lot of houses along side of the road. Go slow and
keep the dust down. Earn their respect by showing them respect.
It's a good way to make friends and keep our riding areas
open. |
Things You May Not Like About
Caliente
- They don't brew beer in Caliente,
yet.
- When the lights go out, you better have
brought fire wood.
- The people don't kiss your ass in
Caliente.
- Dave Pearson, riding a Kawasaki KX500, lives
a few miles up the road in Panaca and can easily kick your ass on a
dirt bike in his own back yard, even if you're name is _______
(fill in the blank).
- Women only out-number the men 592 to 531. And
when the Nevada Trail Ride or some other off-road event comes to
town, you're SOL. Odds are not in your favor.
- Lodging leaves a lot to be
desired.
- After hours dining is obsolete. Dining in
general is no five-star affair.
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Deep
Water |
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EASY GOING
: On a stock Power Stroke, the first deep water crossing you
come to can easily be forded in 2WD. Wading through the water, it's
about hip high. Take it slow, sending the wake out in front of you
as a buffer. Any stock 4x4 ought to be able to make it, even a
stock Suzuki Sidekick or similar vehicle, just stay to the center
and take it slow.
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During the 2002
BITD Nevada 2000, this spot caused a lot of grief for trucks,
buggies, motorcycles and quads. For the trucks and buggies, it was
more a matter of going to fast, splashing the ignition or sucking
water into the intake. For the motorcycles, just tuck your legs in
tight over the tank and go just fast enough to create a wake around
you. As for quads, I don't know what to tell you. I know guys like
Jimmy Stephenson wish they had attached a snorkel for this
paticular spot. Him and many other quad riders were out of the race
because of this spot. Not only is it deep, but there are a few soft
spots to the sides, where it may be a bit shallower, but it's an
easy place to get stuck. Test the waters by wading in it or look
for a bypass off to the right.
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Green Pastures and
Great Riding |
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FINDING YOUR
WAY: Many of the main roads are well marked with mileage.
Steering away from the main roads is where you'll see most of the
action though. Although I love driving the Jeep (go almost
anywhere) or huge Power Stroke (comfort) through this area, it's
really best scene by dirt bike or quad. The dirt bike is your best
bet. Some of the best spots are so tight that it requires you to
get off your bike, twist the handle bars sideways, and push it
through. It's just too tight to fit a quad through. On the other
hand, there are other spots where you'll easily get closelined on a
bike, where you either have to get off the bike and walk it
through, ducking down from behind.
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BUCK
HEAVEN: This shot was taken just before deer season fired up.
Although you can't see them, there are a bit more than a dozen deer
just over this ridge, with one massive buck giving us the finger.
There were also another half-dozen off to our left. It was amazing,
and this place was only 20 miles in from town and only about two
miles in from the graded dirt road. Next season, I may have to put
that new .273 Winchester Model 70 to good use, but then again you
could just as easily nock them dead with a rock at this secret
spot.
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COW
CROSSING: I usuaully don't drive any faster than I need to in
the Ford and sometimes get a little wild in the Jeep CJ, Cherokee
XJ, bike or quad, but one thing you've got to consider is huge cow
population. I've never hit one but have come pretty close during
races. Hitting one is about as bad as hitting a tree, even worse if
it's a Texas Long Horn, which are easily found in this neck of the
woods.
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NOTE:
Always make an attempt to familirize the area yourself with a map
of the place before you go there. Not only will you lessen the
chances of getting lost, but also have a good idea of where you're
going to find the landscape you're looking for.
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Making
Camp |
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THUNDERSTORMS: Just before sunset, we set up camp, lit
the campfire and cooked us some campfire cuisine that set us up
right for the two cases of Samuel Adams in the ice chest. Just
after sunset, the thunderclouds moved. Although they never
unleashed a touch of rain on our camp, the display of lightning and
the eerie sound of distant and overhead thunder was spectacular
and, by itself, worth the two-and-a-half hour drive north from
Vegas.
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TENT
CAMPING: Many weekends out of the year, I live in a tent or
even simpler, on the floor of the desert with my trusty North Face
-15 degree sleeping bag. But with a big truck like the Power
Stroke, it's Crew Cab and 8-foot bed, things have got to get
better. I'm looking forward to a camper but don't want to loose the
ability to navgate the huge rig through the tight and rough stuff.
To get back to this spot, was really tough, especially in stock
form. I cross several washouts that were better suited for a Jeep.
I was pushing the limits of the 1-ton's center of gravity. With a
huge 2000-plus pound camper, the truck would have flopped over like
a dead fish with no help in sight. In addition, the trail was ultra
tight, again better suited for a Jeep or smaller rig. I put some
gnarley scratches in the bed side, but what the hell, it was worth
it.
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Homeward Bound Through
The Rainbow |
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NEW WAY
HOME: After two nights in the hills, we finally made our way
home on Sunday, heading south on US 93 to the turnoff just south of
Caliente to Rainbow Canyon. The scenic road is paved 24 miles to
the nearly abondoned town of Elgin. Since I hate heading home the
same way I came, I had to do some exploring on this road and see
Elgin's one room school house for the first
time.
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OLD CHEVY HAY HAULER: Something I've
got to say for the Chevy 5.7L gas motor, it never quits. Check out
the photo above. This truck was overloaded with hay, moving at a
snail's pace -- but nevertheless, moving. It was an old 30-plus
year old Chevy C-60 that was still lugging the
load. |
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LONG
HORN: The lush vegetation was a perfect backdrop for many of
the trails leading from the valley and all the livestock and
wildlife that inhabit the place. Calling this place home would not
be a bad thing.
NORTHBOUND TRAIN: The Union Pacific careens alonside
the valley walls, making for a truly nostalgic moment. As usual,
the conductor waves.
INSPIRED TO RIDE: It's amazing that this is only a two
hour drive from Vegas. Sometime in March, I'm thinking I'll have to
ride from my house in Vegas up here and do some serious exploring
while the weather's still good.
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RACING AND RIDING: If you're up for
doing some off-road racing, look no further than the courses laid
out by Casey Folks of Best In The Desert. Being a rider, he's got
an eye for what makes a race or trail ride epic. |
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Elgin and
Beyond |
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EMBARKING UPON
EDEN: Elgin is just over 100 miles from Vegas and worth a day
trip for exploration purposes. The town sprung up around 1913 and
drifted off into history sometime around 1966. There are a number
of families who still inhabit the town. The one room school house
was established in 1920 and refurbished into a musuem in 1999. If
for some reason the gate is closed and the school house locked, you
can usually find the key at the Bradshaw Orchard just accross the
tracks, where you can pick up on fresh-picked
apples.
THE PEOPLE :
There may not be many people left in the town of Elgin, but those
that are serve as a testament that they're still good-natured folks
left in this face-paced world. They've even got a motocross
track.
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TENT
CAMPING: Many weekends out of the year, I live in a tent or
even simpler, on the floor of the desert with my trusty North Face
-15 degree sleeping bag. But with a big truck like the Power
Stroke, it's Crew Cab and 8-foot bed, things have got to get
better. I'm looking forward to a camper but don't want to loose the
ability to navgate the huge rig through the tight and rough stuff.
To get back to this spot, was really tough, especially in stock
form. I cross several washouts that were better suited for a Jeep.
I was pushing the limits of the 1-ton's center of gravity. With a
huge 2000-plus pound camper, the truck would have flopped over like
a dead fish with no help in sight. In addition, the trail was ultra
tight, again better suited for a Jeep or smaller rig. I put some
gnarley scratches in the bed side, but what the hell, it was worth
it.
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You Don't Need Much To
Make A Good Day Great |
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FAST AND
LONELY: After Elgin, the road quickly turns to graded road.
Although we did see a couple of cars for the full day it took to
travel it, traffic is sparse and the speeds are fast. We cruised at
70 MPH, but the other two cars had to be going faster than
that.
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WATERING HOLE
: It took us most the day just to travel the 35-mile dirt road
from Elgin to highway 93. When traveling, I love to explore. While
there were a number of excellent trails that I didn't take side
trips on, there were a number of rugged ones that I explored, many
of them having natural springs flowing from their canyons. The one
seen in the picture was tough to get to, especially with a
full-size truck with stock tires.
BAD WATER:
Noticing a dead cow laying next to it, we
were not crazy about drinking the water. Many of these trails
extend far into the heights of the mountain abound. I saved these
trails, including the Ella Mountain trail out of Elgin, for another
day for a quicker mode of transportation, the dirt bike and a back
pack.
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UNTIL
THEN:
When in
doubt, go. You won't regret the adventure of the great outdoors,
the education you encounters with its population or the experience
and freindships found abound. Don't stop moving. Keep your foot on
the throttle!
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For More Information on Holley Performance
Products
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Best In The Desert
3475 C Boulder
Highway
Las Vegas, Nevada 89121
(702) 457-5775
Fax (702) 641-2431
help@support.holley.com
www.BITD.com Caliene Hot Springs Motel
Hwy 93 N. Caliente NV 89008
Tel: 775 726-3777
Toll Free: 1-888-726-3777
Fax: 775 726-3762
This place is located on the north end of Caliente and the
headquarters and launching zone for the Best In The Desert Trail
Ride. It's got that old Spanish styling and is probably one of the
better places in town. But keep in mind, we ain't saying that it's
a five star resort. The motel boasts of a number of ammenities. For
starters, piping hot spring mineral awaits your day's ride in the
hot tubs. How hot? Try about 115 degrees. Beaver Dam State Park
HC 64 Box 3 Caliente NV
89008-9701
Tel: 775 726-3564
Here's a cool spot we camped and rode around once upon a time. It
takes a graded dirt road to get there and is a favorite spot for
many. There are actual campgrounds for those who like it a little
civilized.
Kernshaw-Ryan State Park
HC 64 Box 3 Caliente NV
Tel: 775 726-3564
The Kernshaw-Ryan State Park is nestled in a canyon, where you find
a picnic area, restrooms and trails. Cathedral Gorge State Park
P.O. Box 176 Panaca NV 89042
Tel: 775 728-4460
Cathedral Gorge State Park is a long narrow valley carved by time
and erosion. This forms some unique patterns into the soft clay
that are worth braving, especially for exploring the cave-like
formations and cathedral-like spires. Panaca
Not only is this a place for some excellent riding -- with such pro
dirt bikers like David Pearson -- but it's a great place for
hiking, backpacking and HUNTING! Panaca is just a few miles north
of Caliente. Check Out The Caliente, Nevada
2000 Census
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