Adventurous Snowbird

During the months of January and February 2021 my husband and I resided in Mesquite, Nevada in an attempt to get away from the confines of Covid-19 and the colder weather of Utah.  We hauled our side by side with us as well as numerous other items in our enclosed trailer as we envisioned fun-filled days of bicycle riding, trail riding and more in the sun and warmer weather.  We were not disappointed as we participated in approximately 15 rides in our side by side in addition to other fun during those two months while temperatures reached into the low 70’s.   For those of you that have never experienced side by side riding in the Western States, the first thing you need to realize is that it’s a dusty and dirty sport.  The amount of dirt thrown into the air while traversing dirt trails from the four tires of your vehicle can’t be comprehended.  Compounded exponentially by the number of other participants in your group and you get the idea.  It’s not uncommon for us to be spread out over miles when we are riding with a larger group, all in the attempt of diminishing the amount of dust we will be wearing or breathing by the end of the day.  With the way Mesquite is situated, it is possible to see all the surrounding hillsides as they stretch towards the mountain ranges to the South and West of the city.  Side by side riding is an extremely popular sport in Mesquite and during the morning hours one can see plumes of dust rising in the air as riders depart or as they return in the later evening hours.

First, a little information about this area. Numerous Native American tribes claimed tribal territories and homelands in the present day state of Nevada. They included the Koso, Paiute, Panamint, Shoshoni, Walapi, Washoe and Ute tribes. Dispersed among the scenic rock formations are enchanting examples of their artwork etched upon the stone walls which leave you in wonder of what their lives would have been like. Some of this rock art is clear in what is being portrayed, while others leave you in bewilderment as to the intent and you attempt to grapple with what the artist wanted you to understand. Probably a great deal like comparing a painting by Michaelangelo to a Pablo Picasso painting. One of our riding buddies declared ancient rock art their form of graffiti.  We jokingly say we can envision a Native American mother sending her children out of the wigwam to go draw rock art in order to occupy them.

The City of Mesquite, or Mesquite Flat (as it was originally named), was settled by Latter Day Saints (Mormon) pioneers along the banks of the Virgin River in 1880.  After being flooded out three times, the city was re-established by moving away from the river banks and the name was shortened to Mesquite. Mesquite itself is only a stone’s throw from the Arizona border.  Parts of what are considered Mesquite, are in fact actually in Arizona.  The city was incorporated in 1984 and the first casino opened in the 1970’s, which diversified their initial economy of farming.  By 2006 Mesquite was one of the fastest growing small towns in the United States.

Mesquite lies within the Mojave Desert at an elevation of 1,601 feet, which is roughly 500 feet lower than Las Vegas.  It lies against the Virgin Mountains which are located to the South, and has easy access to the Grand Canyon – Paraschant National Monument, the Beaver Dam Wash National Conservation Area, Gold Butte National Monument and Valley of Fire State Park. Average temperatures during January and February months are approximately 60 – 65 during the day and down in the 30s at night. It was warmer than usual this year and we experienced days in the 70’s.

During our two month stay I took hundreds of pictures; so many that whenever we rode with friends, we typically took up the rear as I was forever asking my sweet hubby to stop so I could take pictures. One particular memorable day we were headed back after a long ride and we were cutting it short as to whether we would get back to the trailer and loaded during daylight. As we sped along, invariably there was a scene I just had to capture. We were in the lead this time, which meant not only was I under a time constraint because of the remaining daylight, but we soon would have other members of our group coming up behind us requiring them to stop as well. I quickly jumped out and grabbed my pictures, waving at the next in line with a sheepish grin on my face as they pulled up behind us. I’m sure they were used to my antics by this time after so many rides. Jumping back into the Rzr I put my camera away and started looking for my gloves as we took off. I consider gloves essential equipment when riding and I was so afraid they’d been lost. Searching around and unable to spot them I hesitantly asked him to stop a second time so I could find them, worrying they had fallen out of the vehicle. Luckily, we didn’t have to go back and I found them as I was sitting on them. I grabbed them and we started again. Now I only had to put on my seatbelt; but to my horror the buckle had managed to get outside the door when I shut it, which meant I had to open the door to grab it and pull it back inside. You can imagine my panic at this point as I looked at him and told him we had to stop AGAIN, so I could open the door to get the seat buckle back in the vehicle. Doing that as quickly as possible, I snapped it in place and glanced at him stating that I think we were ready to go. I then heard him retort, “I certainly hope that picture was worth it” as we took off yet again. We did get back in time to load in the light and we all had a good laugh about this afterwards. In fact, my parting shot for the day was the sunset I’m using on the home page.

In the vastness of the desert, it is amazing at what you will find that mankind has brought and put into place. There are a few monuments that make sense, such as the one called Three Corners,  located at the conjoinment of the Utah, Arizona and Nevada borders. However, there are items that are quite obviously out of place and cause you to wonder why or laugh at someone’s sense of humor.  We discovered numerous such items, to include amongst others a fence line hung with bras and panties with a sign and arrow pointing off a cliff called “Thelma and Louise”.  Although not nearly as dramatic as the original cliff in the movie by the same name; which I believe is actually in the Grand Canyon, it was nevertheless humorous.  There was a rusted car in the middle of a river wash that had all sorts of items placed in it and labeled, “Desert Garden”.  There’s a beer can fence that stretches across the trail high upon a mountain that catches the eye as the sun shines off the various cans.  We discovered a boiler from a steam engine sitting in the middle of a field.  High enough up in the foothills to make you question not only why it was there, but how they got it there.

Then there is the all-around grandeur of the high desert rock formations, Joshua tree forests, flat top mesas and splendid vistas.  Each of the areas mentioned has its own attractions and is different enough that you never grow tired of venturing out for a ride.

There are a few natural springs and ranches in this area, including one called Arvada Springs. Here you can rent a cabin or tent for the night, dine in their dining hall and swim in their freeform pool that is fed from the natural springs.

In past rides we have seen amazing creatures that inhabit this desert to include desert tortoises, chuckwallas, and numerous smaller lizards.  This area is also known for cattle, however I ponder exactly what they eat as it appears at times as there is very little.  A common bird often seen darting through areas is the road runner, which fueled by memories of cartoons as a child appears comical. 

Valley of Fire is a 46,000 acre State Park located between Mesquite and Las Vegas.  It is filled with spectacular red standstone formations, which formed from shifting sand dunes approximately 150 million years ago. It was designated as Nevada’s first State Park and derives its name as these rock formations appear to glow at sunset. If you don’t have a side by side, there is also a separate road where you can drive through the park and see it.  If you ever find yourself in this area, consider taking some extra time to see Valley of Fire State Park as you won’t be disappointed.  There are also hiking trails where you can see slot canyons, ancient petroglyphs, caves and more.

For some reason the sunsets in Mesquite seem to be spectacular.  Every evening we would sit on our balcony looking towards the West watching the colorful displays being presented.  I’m not sure if it was the combination of clouds and dust in the air that created the views, however whatever the reason, we enjoyed it immensely. 

One of the common occurrences when being the photographer is that you are seldom on the other side of the camera.  I’d like to take this opportunity to express my gratitude to my driver. As a farewell until next time, I’ll leave you with a picture of myself, my husband and a few of my friends that accompanied us on these rides. My next scheduled adventure occurs in a couple of weeks as we travel to the Bar 10 Cattle Ranch in Arizona.  There we will be staying in covered wagons and proceed to the North Rim of the Grand Canyon.