August 27th, 2021 … Summer of Fun continues! Day 31 Route 66 Caravan – Barstow, CA

Today we caravanned from Needles to Yermo, California. Again, another day of lots of brown, brown and more brown. We took I-40 for most of the trip today.

The Providence Mountains are a range of mountains in California. In 1775 Father Francisco Garces named the north end of the range Sierra de Santa Coleta (Mountains of St. Coleta). Providence first appeared on maps in 1857. In 1909 the US Geological Survey divided the mountains into three sections; the northern portion is now the New York Mountains, the middle is now called Mid Hills, and the southern portion is still known as the Providence Mountains. This range, which is noted for its prominent cliffs of Paleozoic limestone, is part of a northeast-trending belt of mountainous terrain that also includes the Granite Mountains, Mid Hills, and New York Mountains. Providence Mountains State Recreation Area encompasses part of the range, the remainder of which is within Mojave National Preserve, a large parcel of land administered by the National Park Service.

We skirted the Mohave National Preserve, full of singing sand dunes, cinder cone volcanoes, a large Joshua tree forest, and carpets of spring wildflowers are all found within this 1.6-million-acre park. A visit to its canyons, mountains, and mesas will reveal long-abandoned mines, homesteads, and rock-walled military outposts.

The Granite Mountains are one of the largest ranges in the east Mojave Desert. They are located at the southern end of a long chain of ranges that extends northward into the Great Basin Desert of Nevada. The range lies within a transition zone between the Colorado (Sonoran) Desert to the south, the Great Basin Desert to the north, the Colorado Plateau to the east, and the western Mojave Desert. They hold some of the higher elevations in the Mojave Desert. This fact is reflected in the range’s diverse plant and animal communities. The Sweeney Granite Mountains Desert Research Center lies on the eastern slopes of the Granite Mountains. Upslope, the reserve rises amid pinyon- and juniper-covered ridges to the highest peak in the Granite Mountains (6,796 feet). From there, large watersheds descend precipitously to the north and east into the sandy sandy valleys of Bighorn Basin, Cottonwood Basin, and Granite Cove. The lower slopes are characterized by fractured granitic canyon walls and outlying boulders, with vertical faces rising up 500 feet. Near the Center’s eastern boundary, large boulders and exposed pediment give way to densely vegetated bajadas and washes. Springs and seeps with associated wetland plants and invertebrates are common throughout the site.

We turned off I-40 in Yermo. The portion of the town we first came through was a sad, it was full of homes that were in various stages of despair, but they were still inhabited. We came upon the USMC Logistics Base Yermo, which is part of Marine Corps Logistics Base – Barstow. They are presently the second largest employer in the Barstow area. It was established as the Marine Corps Depot of Supplies at its present location on December 28, 1942, when the United States Navy turned it over to the Marine Corps as a storage site for supplies and equipment needed for Fleet Marine Forces in the Pacific theater during World War II.

By the end of World War II, the base had outgrown its facilities and as a result, 2,000 acres of land, approximately seven miles east of the Nebo Main Base were annexed from the United States Army in October 1946. In 1954, the Commanding General, Marine Corps Depot of Supplies, moved his flag from San Francisco to Barstow and since then the base has grown in stature, strength and size.

In March 1961 the importance of MCLB Barstow increased dramatically with the establishment of the Depot Maintenance Activity. In November 1978, the Base was re-designated to its present title of Marine Corps Logistics Base to emphasize its broad logistics support mission. Barstow support activity supports Marine forces west of the Mississippi, the Far East and Asia.

The base is comprised of three principal sites: Nebo, which encompasses 1879 acres and functions as base headquarters and is the main facility for administration, storage, recreational activities, shopping, and housing functions. The Yermo Annex encompasses 1859 acres and is primarily a storage and industrial complex and the third site, 2438 acres, serves as their rifle and pistol ranges.

We arrived at Barstow / Calico KOA, our home for 2 nights. This refreshing oasis in California's Mojave Desert boasts large sites with dividing hedges, full hookups, free cable and Wi-Fi! We had a few issues with electric, but finally got settled into a site. Even though we only had 104 volts while the AC was running, but we will manage.

We enjoyed a grill night with cake and ice cream to celebrate all the birthdays or anniversaries we enjoyed during the caravan. After cake and ice cream, many of us hit the pool!

Ahhhhhh, life is good on a Yankee RV caravan!