Every year between Christmas and New Years, Brenlin shuts down all operations and opens back up for the new year. This last year, a few of the Brenlin crew decided to spend their time off in the vastness that is Johnson Valley, California. Spanning over 200 square miles, Johnson Valley is one of the premiere locations for off-road recreation in California. From the vast desert flats and shrubbery with various dirt trails, to the rocky and steep mountains, this majestic place has plenty to offer the off-road adventurer.

Starting at 7:00 AM on December 27th, 2016 at a predetermined location, the 2-vehicle convoy of a 2014 Toyota Tacoma TRD Sport 4×4 and a 2017 Toyota Tacoma TRD Offroad 4×4 hit the road in search of where it ends. A few hours and a few detours later, we found our way into Johnson Valley. After a brief rest break, we pointed towards a small ridge, and made our way towards it. Rumbling through the dirt paths, we came to the base of a rather steep hill. This was the spot we saw from miles back and not knowing what was on the other side of it, we were set on climbing this daunting pile of loose rocks and dirt. After a short climb, we found ourselves on the top of the ridge, only to find that it was impassable. But it did give us a good vantage from which to set a new course. We took the opportunity to stretch our legs, let the dogs wander and take a few photos before heading down and over the next ridge.

As we traversed the base of the low hills, we were on the lookout for a suitable position to set up camp. We didn’t want to be in the open, but we also didn’t want to sit in a valley where flash floods could easily ruin our trip, especially with the strange occurrence of heavy rain we’ve been experiencing during this time. After some time, we came across the perfect spot. Nestled between two large boulders and the mountain side, we had adequate wind protection and were neatly tucked away from the RV campgrounds. We set up our camp, lightened our load and proceeded on to the next objective. We were told there was a mine a few miles from where we were. We plotted a course and headed out.

After a few navigational challenges, we eventually found the trail head to the mine. The journey there took us on a very narrow path with various obstacles, and a 30 foot drop if we made a mistake. There was no turning around, once we started, we were committed. Eventually, we crawled our way into the valley where the mine was located, and found the terrain opening up to a nice wide and flat area. We were there. We exited our vehicles and looked around in an attempt to find the entrance to the abandoned mine. It wasn’t until the stubbornness of Maxine the black Labrador directed us to the entrance. Headlamps and flashlights quickly found their way out from storage as we prepared to enter the mine. The entrance was a hole in the wall of the mountain, a rough, oblong shape barely representing a doorway. It was dark and rocky, but we were prepared. 20 yards in, there was an opening. We looked up to see clear skies through a hole to the surface about 6 feet long and 4 feet wide. Here, two of us waited for the others to get their gear situated and ready to proceed on. When they finally caught up under the opening, we were ready to move on. This sense of adventure was quickly extinguished when we discovered that just a few yards in, the mine had collapsed and was blocked by rocks and a wooden beam. Though there was enough space to crawl through, we decided this was the end of our mine exploration, all 30 yards of it. Though we were disappointed at the rather brief mine exploration, we were in high spirits. The journey to the destination was truly the real adventure, and that adventure continues as we raced the sun back to our camp site.

Back at camp, we prepared for our first hot meal of the day. Luckily, we have a classically trained cook with us. Braised chicken and vegetables was on the menu. As we counted down the minutes for the sunset, we took it down a few notches and relaxed. For some, it was prepping dinner and tending the campfire, for others it was shooting additional video and photos and talking to loved ones on “Reception Ridge” a small ridge that some of us were able to get cell service at. As the sun tucked itself away on the other side of the world, we feasted on a home cooked meal in the middle of a California desert. When our hunger was satiated, beer and bourbon replaced the knives and forks we held in our hands. It was a long night of sharing stories and bonding that could never happen in the environment of the office. As the flames of the fire shrunk to mere embers, we called it a day. That night, it fell below freezing as some of us struggled to stay warm. The morning after did not bring any relief until around 9:30 AM when temperatures finally rose past freezing.

The unmistakable smell of bacon, eggs and hash browns filled the cool morning air as our camp chef prepared breakfast. As we finished up breakfast, our attention was turned to packing up camp. Packing up was strangely a lot easier than setting up. Our loads were lighter overall, and we were ready to move. We decided that we had some time to spare, so we opted for an alternate route out of the area. Though the path out was not as extreme, we still experienced amazing views. We came across several dry lake beds, and for the first time in almost two days, our trucks exceeded 25 mph as we tore through the flats, kicking up clouds of dust that could be seen from miles out. Eventually we came across some well traveled paths and followed them south back to the entrance we came from. As our adventure came to a close, there was one thing we all agreed upon. “We need to do this again.”