Outdoor Adventure USA

Yay Calico. I'd like to volunteer for in the field radio coms again.

I've never been to Calico. It sounds great. I know also that monanche Meadows would be AWSOME in the spring. I've been through most of those meadows up there (Kennedy) on a XR 400 in April and in a word, Magnifico!!!

Do we really want Calico for Spring Fest if we're going to be there for Calico Clean-up?
Just my two coppers...

The deciding factor could be making reservations if we will be planning on using the camp ground. Staying there would be a good choice to encourage family participation. They host a lot of groups and activities at Calico. The campground is often booked up many weeks in advance for the weekends if you're trying to accommodate a group. The Mogfest reserves and pays for their sites a year ahead.

The alternative at Calico would be primitive camping in the canyons. The only large area I know of is camp rock.

As far as dates go, they are pretty locked in. Check out the title og the SpringFest forum. All fest event dates were decided in December of 2008 so people would know what days to keep clear on their 2009 calendars.

We are trying to determine whether or not Calico Clean Up is even taking place this year. As far as I know, it is still planned for President's Day weekend but haven't heard a definitive yeas or no. I'm working that one. Aside from that, even if the Clean Up takes place, it doesn't lend itself to a lot of quality wheeling due to the work taking place. I'd like to go there in an atmosphere where we are relaxed and can explore without worrying so much about everything else.

As far as camping goes, I think the dry lake bed is an option if we get a huge group. Someone will just need to get out there early enough to get us a good spot if we want to use the canyons. There are some nice spots in those canyons for a group.

Just as Ollie said, Calico Clean-Up doesn't lend itself to the same type of organized wheeling that SpringFest would be able to. This year they wanted to work on trail repair, so most areas will be occupied by vehicles trying to fix the terrain instead of transverse it.

SpringFest, while at the same location, would allow us, as a small group, to explore in a much more relaxed way than during the hectic, over-vehicle-populated clean-up event, IMO...

You guys make a good point with the relaxed wheeling thing... didn't really think of that.

So, seeing how I haven't been to Calico yet, I've been doing a little research on the trails in that area. I found two here that could be combined to make a stock-friendly day run. It forms a loop just north of Barstow. If there's any interest in this kinda thing I could do a prerun for it one of these weekends. The route is Starbright Trail and Black Canyon road. Along the way, it looks like there's plenty to see- petroglyphs, old stone cabins, mines, wells, a stage station site and a few dry lakes.



63 miles
5.5 hours
Easy

These trails take a circuitous route through the mountains and hills north of Barstow. Along the way the trail travels past mining remains, along dry washes, on ridge tops that offer panoramic views of Superior Valley, an past the dry beds of Coyote and Superior Lakes. The lakes are often used for land yachts.

If you are willing to go check it out, I'm certainly game to listen to what you find

I've only done the trails within the Calico area, but never the route outside the "main" area...so I'd be interested to see the outlying area as well...

Due to work obligations, travel, the economy, and such, we have let the planning of this event go too long. At the moment we (the BOD) feel that it is best to concentrate our efforts on planning the Summerfest event at this time and let Springfest go this year. We can still set up some sort of unsanctioned run during the planned dates but the logistics for setting it up as a fest event this late in the game would be nearly impossible at this time. We apologize for the inconvenience.

Let the flaming begin....