Cannon Party April 2014

Cannon Party
April 11 - 13, 2014
On Friday, Jefe drove up in Kathy's Jeep. And stayed til about 8:30am Sunday. Tried a few pix with new Nikon & went on Jeep ride, hitting Bickel Camp on Saturday.
FRIDAY APRIL 11, 2014

Mike, Barbara Jean & Mark by campfire

The Finn's campsite - Seppo at left, Mara at right

Altho this looks like a fall scene, it's just a creosote by firelight, Koehrn's Dry Lake and lights of Mojave in background

Fireworks at downhill campsite

End of 1 & start of another Roman Candle

Panorama from near the firing line

Light from car headlights, perhaps

Kathy's new Jeep in foreground as Jef unpacked

Jef borrowed Mike's electricity to pump up air bed & spent the night under the stars.
SATURDAY APRIL 12, 2014

Stars early this morning after the moon set (Sagitarius at left & Scorpio center)

Stainless steel golf-ball cannon

At the firing line with southern Sierras in background

Camo kid camp

Panorama under Mike's shade mid-day.

The 3 stooges at 4000' pass on way to Schmidt mine

We took the fork to the left

Burro Schmidt's residence has been somewhat trashed - Paco & Mike are both at left & at right (they get around!)

Kathy's Jeep as seen from Burrow Schmidt tunnel - Jef bonked his head when he straightened up too early exiting this short entrance.

Looking into tunnel entrance

Mojave asters in full bloom

Possibly a desert sunflower

A variety of desert blooms

Paco experiencing ambiance of Burro's domicile

Arriving at Bickel Camp

Desert dandelions did pretty good in this area

Jim said this was a 1909 Fordson tractor at left(if so, it was a prototype), Bickel's last vehicle was the white Datsun in center of this panorama, his cabin to the right of this

Not a cannonball, but a tin ball used for crushing ore in a tumbler

Jim pointed out that this car was sitting here so long that the paint is in a lot better shape on the north side...

...vs. the south side

Panorama of the inside of his garage

Jim (in blue jacket) is the volunteer who gave us the nickle tour.

The tin barrel in foreground was one of the last hand-made barrels before automation took over. It was manufactured in 1903. Stainless steel drums in background were formerly used for chemicals.

Jimmy Durante's transmission - according to Jim, movie stars shooting flicks in this area hung out at Bickel's

Old fridges

The shower had hot & cold running water from tanks on hill to right. The upper tank warmed in the sun and provided the hot water. This stall also featured a sink.

Note the terracing on the hillside

Walt Bickel also erected a rock wall to prevent cans from blowing away

Outside living area with benches, tables, chairs & a bed on shaded patio on east side of his cabin

Photo album in his cabin showed scenes of camp after a snow storm

Panorama of inside of his 1 room cabin - note bed, couch, work desk, closet, kitchen (complete with all the goods in his larder when he left!)

I remember these tables with various rocks on them from Allan Siebert's epic tour circa 1986

Jim said this '40s era Zimmer Trailer was state of the art, and cost more than Airstreams!

Outside of Zimmer trailer

Based on the serial# 9534 and a '49 model having serial #10135 at the few examples of these trailers on the net, this was produced circa 1947-8. Virtually no information can be found on the net regarding the Zimmer Boat & Trailer Coach Company.