Day 2A Calico Ghost Town

Arrived at Calico after 9 p.m., found a spot, spread our tarp and our down sleeping gear on the ground, and went to bed. The stars were nice but drowned by a full moon, and we feared that our down bags would be too, too much in the hot night. But we survived. I slept very well.

The campground is pretty bare bones. Only a few sites had picnic tables (I guess if you're in an RV you don't need a table) and only a few had fire pits--not necessarily the same ones. We knew we were out in the desert. Morning came verrrrrry early out in the open desert. You can see how low the morning sun is by my shadow, which is waving a cheery good morning.

More of the campground. They had at least 100 spaces, I believe.

Breakfast, all nicely laid out.

The town of Calico, it said, was named for the patchwork of colors in the hills around the town. As Linda said, they were being a little generous about the colors.

We never did figure out what OHV is; we're obviously not the OHV type. Off-something vehicles?

The town was founded in a frenzy of mining. Tons of small claims, with miners digging shafts partway or deeply into the hills in search of silver, and then when the market went bust, everything was abandoned. There were several small tunnels just along the roadway.

Barstow.

On the hill next to the town is the cemetery. It's picturesque but not so touristized as Boot Hill in Tombstone, Arizona. This one is still an active cemetery for the few people who still live here or, I gather, work here, or lived or worked here while it was still something of a town.

It is a California Conservation Corps site.

The graves were all outlined by piles of native stones. We weren't sure whether they were simply a means of marking the sites or whether (at least for the early graves) they were a way of keeping the inhabitants from being dug up by wild animals.

Most of the graves appeared to be unmarked. It's a sad thing. I don't know whether they have any records anywhere of who was buried where.

Some of the graves had weathered wooden markers with no writing remaining visible.

The cemetery entrance from inside.

This was a very recent grave, of a man who had been the town's marshal. The boots were a nice touch.

And, for fans of Good Eats, it was interesting to note an Alton Brown tombstone.

Another view of the many older grave sites and the outskirts of Barstow.

A shallow mineshaft in a hillside.

The layering and folding of the rock above the town's lower parking lot intrigued us, to think of the pressures and movements of the earth that would bend and fold the layers in so many interesting ways.

An even better look at the scale of the folds in the rock. There was no info anywhere, that I saw, discussing the geology of the town and surrounding hills.

The main street through the town.

Just lots of cool old (or old-looking) western buildlings.

Another building.

Carved wooden western figures were tucked in corners all around the town, adding to its charm. Wish I'd taken photos of all of them.

More of the main drag. The town is now a county-owned park, and although there are a few original buildings still restored and operating, most are recreations from old photographs.

Interesting wagons alongside the main street.

Town Hall and a tree in beautiful spring bloom.

One of the old original adobe latrines, now out of service. Better not miss it when stumbling outside at night, as it's at the edge of a small precipice. Hence, the fence.

Ocotillo in bloom above some of the old adobe walls of an abandoned building.

Ocotillo blooms. (Pronounced ock-oh-TEA-oh.) We were very lucky during our entire trip as we caught many desert flowers still in their spring bloom. Later in the season, for example, the ocotillo is nothing but spiny stalks.

Close-up of ocotillo blooms.

The old adobe walls intrigued me. Picturing someone living on this floor, now falling apart, among these walls, made us realize how comfy and cushy our lives are.

Or how about living in this little abode in "China town"? With a tub in which you could buy a hot bath.

More buildings that haven't been restored. I don't know whether they've completely given up on these old buildings back behind the town or just don't have the money for doing anything with them.

I couldn't find this plant in my Field Guide, but my useful Mom said "how about Palo Verde?" and I believe she's right. Thanks, mom! (Parkinsonia aculeata.)

Same flowers and plant--I believe Palo Verde (Parkinsonia aculeata).

This is my arty photo of a window opening in an old wall.

The eager miners and their families made use of existing natural structures for parts of their homes, like this native rock used as part of the back wall of this building.

Another arty photo through an old adobe window of new stairs.

A lovely wispy desert tree in bloom. Not identified.

I loved the texture of this old, weathered wood on an abandoned cart.

More of the same old, textured, weathered wood.

This intriguing house stood on a hill above most of the town. Its walls are constructed entirely of bottles mortared together like bricks.

Another wooden carving of some of the town's prior inhabitants.

There's also a little train ride through the town.

The back side of the main drag.