4 Wheel Drive Recommended

Its likely NOT a coincidence that until now, there has been no Pleasant Valley section in the RDB. The first sign we saw on the Berdoo Canyon Road read "Road Not Maintained." Fair enough, they re still calling it a road. We continue on to find this sign, "4 Wheel Drive Recommended". Bah. Its just a wee little gravel road - they just put that sign up to scare off dumb tourists who think they can get through an unmaintained road with their sedan. Even if it doesnt, surely the next sign they see will - "Enter at own risk" - will. We continue on in the Dodge Neon. What?! its a rental car!!

If I was to make a list of things that I wanted to see and accomplish on this last trip to Joshua Tree, taking a Neon down a "enter at own risk" 4x4 trail at sundown was probably the last thing I could have come up with. Not recommended.

Machete and I prematurely step into our "badass" poses. If only we knew what was to come in the next 6 hours....