State Senator Brian Jones’ staffer recently contacted us and asked if we could take the Senator riding. Seriously, he wanted to go to Ocotillo Wells and drive around. Brian held a town hall meeting in Borrego Springs on a Sunday morning and after lunch headed over to the OW Discovery Center. Brian, his son and two staff showed up looking for some desert fun.

Former SDORC president Scott Hillier coordinated the use of some RZR side-by-sides. Even though half of Ocotillo Wells State Vehicular Recreation Area is in Jones district and is run by the State, Brian was less interested in official activities; he just wanted to have some fun. There were six side-by-sides and me on my motorcycle. Scott led and we went to Devil’s Slide, Pumpkin Patch, Little People and Shell Reef. At Shell Reef, Brian drove around the back and way up near the top. Then he drove off a very steep edge and downhill where his back wheels took a long ways to get back on the ground.

Back at the Discovery Center SDORC’s Rob, Steve and Norman had a BBQ fired up and prepared some food for us to enjoy while we talked about the ride and how awesome it is to have such a great park for us to use.

Brian Jones is running for the congressional seat vacated by Duncan Hunter and is endorsed by SDORC. An interesting tidbit: I heard that the first three congressman to endorse Donald Trump have all been forced out of office. Coincidence?

Congressman Duncan Hunter has left office, but his former office is still open. At our last meeting we had a surprise guest visitor in Mike Harrison. Mike, district chief of staff, dropped by to let us know that the office will remain open for constituent services. If you have a problem with a federal agency, Mike is there to help you. As soon as I heard that, I handed him a letter I had just written about the National Park Service announcing it is about to remove all the ceramic figurines from an area known as the Mojave Mailbox.

This is a spot on the Mojave Trail about 30 or so miles east of Baker California. Right off the trail is a mailbox and a spot with dozens of little frogs, another close by with small Gnomes and a few other groups of interesting stuff. The National Parks Service posted a notice saying the illegal, abandoned “objects” will be removed in February 2020. I have been there and it is pretty cool to stop and look at it all. Last year I personally bought a small ceramic frog to drop off the next time I go by there. I asked Mike to contact the Park Service and ask them to just leave this tiny spot alone. I also spoke to Paul Cook’s office (congressman who has this in his district) and asked to have the Park Service just leave this spot alone.