Lucerne Valley 10-9-07

[uphill]

LUCERNE VALLEY to BIG BEAR LAKE RUN 10-9-07

I have never tried this before but I took State Route 18 from Victorville to the Lucerne Valley and tried to find a way to get up the hill to Cleveland National Forest Road 3N17 (familiar to those who wheel in the Big Bear Area).


My co-pilot for the trip was Urgyan Tempa Rinpoche, a Nyingmapa Buddhist (red lama) of some renown who I met in Tibet some years past. My thinking was that he could guide me in roads not yet traveled using "Buddhist magic". He is building a Nyingma hermitage (New Tsering Jong: the High Desert Dzogchen Hermitage) on patent property that had been the site of a gold stamping mill in the 1940's, located in the center of government land on a prominant peak and wanted to go along to look at his land.

I asked him whether I should take a particular road. He answered enigmatically. So we went UPHILL!



The road had not seen use for some time and the soil showed signs of movement as in quasi landslide activity. I asked the Rinpoche if he was happy with his choice. He said, "For as long as we cling to the notion that happiness can be found from external things, we will continue to experience disappointment and frustration. However, once we realise that it is our own mind that determines whether any situation we are in leads to happiness or suffering, then we can develop true peace and contentment."

Since I am not Buddhist, these answers made little sense in the context of navigation.



The road ended abruptly. My friend the lama asked why I couldn't cross the ravine (40' deep, washed out landslide). I explained that I had insufficient faith and he accepted the answer.



I turned around and drove downhill in Scorpion. The ground was very "mushy" - not wet mushy, landslide mushy.



After backtracking and taking a road not suggested by my friendly lama, we finally made it to the top of the mountain to the area where the hermitage will be built.

After poking around there, we continued on 3N17 to the point where the road had been closed by the Forest Service because of the Butler 2 Fire (still hot spots).



It was a fun ride. It's always cool to explore. The inscrutible wisdom, while profound, was little direct help in navigation. Next time I'll bring a GPS.

[SoCalOcFj]

Sounds like you had the "Karma" on your side!

[Air2air]

So he's building a hermitage? Is that comparable to a convent/monastery? Or something more humble?

[uphill]

Air2air previously said:

So he's building a hermitage? Is that comparable to a convent/monastery? Or something more humble?

I think it will be more humble, on the order of a traditional Tibetan "Stupa". Much of the time during the drive was taken up discussing traditional Tibetan architecture and building techniques. Discussion of the difference between a yurt and a gur and why those differences may exist. Generally esoteric Central Asian lore. I didn't think anyone would have an interest in that and it has little to do with driving the FJ somewhere.

[mtrent3450]

Saturday we were wheelin just north of there on the next mountain range looking for another abandoned gold mine. Our trail was all rock and finally became impossible to continue. My brother and his friend Terry are old rock crawlin buddies and avid desert history buffs. We have a blast wheelin out in this area and listening to them tell stories of what it was like in the exact area we are looking for or going to. Good luck on your next trip up the backside of Big Bear and I hope to run into you someday on the trail. Your input on this forum is a breath of fresh air.