A Tour of Fabulous Boron, California: Strange Desert Town in the Middle of Nowhere

Welcome to Wonderhussy Adventure #768
Date of adventure: 1/13/24
Exploring the fantastically weird little desert town of Boron -- home of the 20 Mule Team Museum, and California's largest open pit mine!
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[@123oksmilebymike]

My dad worked at Borax for 34 years. In fact, the number 18 mule is named after my dad, Berry Babine. He was a blaster at the plant. And he found a dinosaur bone that was in the newspapers out there. In boron, pictures of him with the big dinosaur bone. He didn't get to keep it, of course..

[@websurfer5772]

Awesome!

[@roberttownsend413]

My dad worked there for 19 years in BAP

[@WizardOfWhoopee]

They thought someone tried to steal the bone, but it turned out to be a fossil-arm.

[@diane1390]

I would have loved meeting him back when I lived in Death Valley. I understand that the 20 mule team was 18 mules and two horses. I guess it was easier to get the horses to change direction than the mules. I do love the desert 🏜️ and miss it.

[@MrJest2]

@@diane1390 Yep; the horses were basically the steering gear; both larger and more obedient than notoriously stubborn mules. And with a few tons of deadweight rocks behind you, the team is forced into going where the wagon is going, whether they want to or not. Although as often happens with teams on a regular schedule and route, eventually the run just becomes habitual, and the animals can practically do the run in their sleep.

[@joehamilton9411]

You might be in Boron but your content is never boring!

[@larrygodfrey859]

That is sheer genius, Joe!

[@nimblehealer199]

😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂

[@rmkenney]

WH deserves an award from the Nevada and California Divisions/Office of Tourism!!!! How is it possible that she hasn't gotten people from distant parts to visit(and dump their $$$, of course!).

[@proteusnz99]

Aerospace Museum. The two seater is a Swedish Saab Sk-35C Draken. The ED code on the F-4 Phantom would be one of the test aircraft from Edwards Air Force Base.

[@larrypierce5925]

I first was at boron. When I was 10 years old Now I am 74 years old Like your videos Subscribe many years ago

[@tomb9953]

I graduated from high school there. Of all the places I lived growing up, Boron was my favorite. I also worked at the mine for a few years, mostly Plant 9. I remember the burlap bags, 100 tons a shift. Sack Sewer, bucker, and fork lift operator. Good ole days. lol

[@websurfer5772]

Sounds like it was a blast!

[@johnathandavis3693]

I live in Barstow, lived in Victor Valley 25 years. I always liked the vibe in Boron. It's almost like going back in time.

[@wendygerrish4964]

One of my favs which includes Needles.

[@Herlongian]

I worked at plant 9. Forklift operator. Foremans were Frank and Verne. 100 tons loaded a shift per crew. Sometimes palletized, sometimes straight loaded. Door 2 preferred. I am David Kirkpatrick. Each pallet had 25 100 pound sacks and 20 pallets per boxcar. When 100 tons achieved, we retired to the lunchroom and played poker. When loading 40 pallets to storage at door 2, we could be done in less than 3 hours. We loaded 5mol and 10mol borax and there was the AB plant as well as the tiny little ABA plant where the sack sewer was right on the ground where we stacked. Those were slippery bags. And there was also the 110 export bags. Most bags were plastic line paper but occasionally a customer would order burlap.

[@tomb9953]

@@Herlongian I remember Frank and Verne very well. I also remember the burlap bags and the export shipments.

[@richardt1792]

I nearly got bitten by a rattlesnake there. I was climbing up a hill and reached up to a ledge. When I pulled my head up, I was face to face with a rattler. Thankfully, he/she shook the rattle and gave me a second to let go and fall down the hill.

[@doernerrr]

I guess you didn’t have time to ask about preferred pronouns.

[@lot6129]

In Australia it would have bitten you, and of course Australia has 9 of the worlds top 10 deadliest snakes........

[@justinwolff1416]

​@@lot6129... and all 9 are Victorian Senators 😂

[@Jeff-jg7jh]

I always say, 'God bless them, they rattle and I jump back'.

[@awesomearizona-dino]

PHANTOM !!! My favorite aircraft. When i was a little kid, we went to an air show featuring Thunderbirds, flying F4-Phantoms.

[@wmanad8479]

Yea, they used to fly in and out of the air base I lived next to as a kid. Sometimes they nailed it heading out and broke the sound barrier, rattled a lot of windows. They are very fast.

[@dallascat70]

Love this! We were stationed at Edwards AFB in the early 2000's and would go into Boron every friday night to eat at Domingoes, a great mex restaurant right next to that Food Mart, Domingo was a fabulous guy, might be time for a road trip!

[@websurfer5772]

That's cool!

[@V_Rat.]

Sorry, Domingoes closed several years ago. We drive there in 2016 only to find out it shut down.

[@shawnheneghan4110]

And Fina's is no more

[@timseidel584]

Domingos was great. Good food, wonderful manager and spectacular aviation history on the walls.

[@davidthelander1299]

Ohhh Man … I’m sorry to hear that they closed down. I loved that place. Trucking through there, I always stopped and ate, and took my 10 hour break there if I could. Usually pulling a flatbed.

[@steveflaim2656]

If you want to see the original 20-mule team borax wagons, they are restored and on display at the Laws Museum just outside of Bishop, CA. There's lots of other cools stuff to see there too.

[@skyh]

Also in Death Valley National Park.

[@mtsky-tc6uw]

kept all my semi trucks there at laws for years....in laws have ranches in the valley

[@steveflaim2656]

@@mtsky-tc6uwLaws Museum is really excellent!

[@neilreynolds3858]

Boron is the stuff that makes glass stretchy. Without it, there's no fiberglass insulation. Think about what your winter heating bill would look like if there were no fiberglass. Yes, Boron is leading the green revolution - not silicon valley. The truck in town is a Tonka truck next to the ones they use now. I used to go to Boron for supplies up until about 2000. The town has really gone to the dogs but they're sitting next to hundreds of billions of dollars of chemicals. Trona is even worse to look at and they're sitting next to trillions of dollars of chemicals.

[@sterling557]

I doubt she knows what a Tonka Truck is. 😆

[@dealindavid1075]

AI can never replace our WONDER HUSSY !!!!!

[@jameslockard6956]

I rember watching Death Valley Days. In the opening of the show a 20 mule team would appear. The Announcement; Brought to you by 20 Mule Team Borax.😊

[@mtsky-tc6uw]

ron reagan was the host for years and i think dale robertson too of wells cargo show

[@websurfer5772]

​@@mtsky-tc6uw Whoa! That's incredible to hear.

[@jameslockard6956]

@@mtsky-tc6uw I could be confused but I thought besides the regular Hosts of the show that they had some Guest Hosts as well. Glad to hear from someone who knows the shows of the 50s and 60s. When I moved to Nashville at 8 years of age in 1965. Their were still radio programs on air. All the soap operas were broadcast. Some radio broadcasts had been recorded on Records. And were played as radio fillers. Shows like the Lone Ranger and the Shadow. Not the TV show audio but radio shows of the 30s 40s and 50s Sponsors promoted farm equipment and supplies. Rudys Sausage and Tennessee Pride. Old memories of a old goat.

[@delstanley1349]

I remember well Rosemary DeCamp doing the commercials. My father actually used a product called Boraxo to get off that heavy oil and grime from working with cars.

[@delstanley1349]

@@mtsky-tc6uw > I go back pre Reagan, the original host was a guy called the Ole Ranger. His name Something Stanley, or Stanley Something. As a kid I remember he had the same name as our family, I can't remember if it was his first name or last--that was a long time ago!

[@jt95124]

Fun fact: I lived at Edwards from 1960-1964, 1st-6th grade. There were nuclear bomb shelter caves in the pit, there was a drill to drive there, pretty funny considering there was maybe 10 miles of 2 lane raods. The caves had rinsing showers for decontamination, bedding, clothes, food, board games, etc. We were told about them, never saw them myself. How delusional people were that we cold survive global nuclear war. My mother said she didn't want to go to the caves, she wanted to go in the first blast. Not clear they would have nuked Edwards, it was flight test base with no combat planes, but maybe they were after the borax, considering they could deprive us of all those household products.

[@Rob2]

All of the cold war period I lived well within a mile of the most important railroad crossing in the country, so I guess I would have noticed little of any nuclear war.

[@justjay4412]

Fun fact? Fun? Nuclear War? Maybe just fact. I'm being funny.

[@sharlynnc4967]

@@justjay4412what I started working at Borax a guy who worked in the truck shop told me that the day before they went and found a tunnel and found the medical part with ALL the original equipment

[@sharlynnc4967]

ANOTHER FUN FACT the movie Erin Brockovich was filmed in Boron

[@davidschonhardt4958]

You are fantastic!! This was so interesting, I love your enthusiasm, and attention to detail! Thank you very much!!

[@davidbarber5356]

In the last half of the 50's while the show was still on tv, they offer for sale a plastic model of the team. We boought two, one for my brother and one for me. One was put together and the other is still in the original box untouched. It was a very accurate displsy my brother put on a board. Glas you have your health back.

[@Art7220]

That unopened one should be worth a lot.

[@gatblau1]

They still release repops of the 20 mule team model kit and sell it at the 20 mule team museum. I bought it a couple of years ago knowing it might be years before they do another run.

[@Rob2]

As shown in the video, Borax and related salts are an ingredient for plain glass, also called "Borosilicate Glass". So I guess it is pretty important.

[@millwrightrick1]

Borosilicate glass is Pyrex.

[@maryelmaguire3161]

Great video! In Utah Rio Tinto Kennecott runs the world's largest single pit, Bingham Canyon open pit copper mine. This pit stretches three-quarters of a mile deep and nearly three miles across at the top. The pit is wide enough to stack 12 aircraft careers end-to-end. Founded in 1903, Kennecott’s Bingham Canyon Mine is one of the largest man-made open-pit excavations in the world. The operation is so immense, it can be seen from space. The mine operates 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. With over 20 million tons of refined copper ore produced in the past 116 years, it’s one of the top performing mines in the world and has provided more wealth for the state of Utah than any other company.

[@websurfer5772]

It would be neato if WH could go there and make us a video of it.

[@6spring3]

My uncle worked there in the ‘60s, I think it was. Maybe ‘50s. .

[@Jeff-jg7jh]

Hey, let's mine more copper in Utah and leave AZ alone. @@6spring3May be we'd need less copper if we didn't do so much shooting...

[@Jeff-jg7jh]

neato. It's been a while since I've heard that. @@websurfer5772

[@Maddog3806]

Thanks Sarah, a run through my past. I was born and raised in that area including grades two through five in the grade school in west boron. Little league baseball in boron. You didn’t mention that Boron is also the sonic boom capital of the world lol!

[@tjjccc]

😂I rember my dad cussing when they would get loud and really rattle the windows!

[@SwinkMcloud]

I love these little town visits.

[@websurfer5772]

Me too. And what a cool comment section it creates.

[@JTA1961]

Well said

[@davidthelander1299]

I love Boron! You missed one of the best little Mexican restaurant there. Right across from the museum. Been a few years since I’ve been there, but as a trucker, I used to stop there every week. And I could usually get parking close by. I loved that place. And they have very interesting historical displays inside. They always treated me very well.

[@user-kz3bl5qv2i]

This was where my father was offered his first teaching job in the mid 50's. My mother said she was glad we did not have to move there during an early 60's visit as my father was also offered a job in Long Beach.Funny thing is that I spent 50 years chasing desert adventures as an adult. Thank you WH because time has caught up with me and I enjoy following your adventures from my easy chair.

[@johnathandavis3693]

My dad worked at the Borax mine in the 70's, and he was able to take me down to the bottom and look up. It was very impressive...

[@Herlongian]

Imagine driving that truck (9501) up and down the pit. It’s slow going up. 7mph or so. Governed coming down about 30mph. Exceed that and the dynamic brakes automatically engage. Kind of boring-except when it rained. Then it was out of control trucks all over the place. How do I know? My truck was 9504. 9501 at the time was a spare. I drove it 3 or 4 times!

[@rndmparker561]

Wonderhussy!! My most favorite and biggest surprise I got for a christmas present was one of your t shirts from your store. Someone new how much I love watching your videos and seen me browsing your merchandise. I absolutely love it!

[@patcaribou]

Its a given that any town named after a rock is gonna be super interesting - Rhyolite, NV, Chloride, AZ, Tungsten, CO, Boron, CA!

[@websurfer5772]

This line makes great lyrics -- it's musical "Rhyolite, NV; Chloride, AZ; Tungsten, CO; Boron, CA!" Someone's gotta write a song with that in the chorus.

[@ryanyoung7592]

Chloride has some neat murals and great hikes, it’s worth a side trip between Kingman and Henderson.

[@roncross1945]

Great tour! Like you I have driven on Highway 58 many times and just kept going ignoring the wonders of Boron. Thanks for the video. Safe travels.

[@Art7220]

I remember you went through Mojave and turned left to go on to Barstow. This was in the 90s.

[@CITAP1]

You missed Domingo's Mexican Restaurant next door to the grocery store. We ate there the other day on a what the heck whim, and it was great! Highly recommend. Based on your video, we may go through there again to see all the stuff we missed. There is a Love's station across the freeway that probably has much better gas prices. Hope you stop in and see Tahachipe Loop.

[@digitaldystopian]

Maybe she didn’t want to get the shits.

[@rmkenney]

She's actually done a segment on the Tehachapi Loop! Maybe a year ago?

[@Chkahoe_]

@@digitaldystopian😂😂

[@nicholasstrauss]

FYI. Boron is an element with atomic number 5. Borax is a Boron salt.

[@websurfer5772]

Is that like Mambo #5?

[@pamostman516]

Without the dance moves, lol. @@websurfer5772

[@myearthlytreasures3]

Thank you! one of my favorite videos yet! Thank you again for getting out there and bringing us such fascinating places where you think there wouldn't be anything.

[@johnrogers6291]

That was an interesting look at another less known dessert town. Thanks Sarah for your efforts to bring it to life.😊

[@trailahead]

I've always been curious about that place but have never stopped in

[@mobiltec]

We have an old open copper mining pit here in Yerington and it's in a place called WEED HEIGHTS. We also have a couple of old mining camps with a 140 year old grave yard on a hill overlooking the Mason Valley. You've been by this place once on your way to that little man made hot spring on the Walker River. This place is called Pinegrove and you were on Pinegrove Road to go to the hot spring. Might want to stop here sometime and check both out being that you go by here all the time.

[@jtcbrt]

That tire pic will show up on next year's calendar.

[@briang70]

Sarah, you should make videos about Gold Country in the western Sierra. There are plenty of cool old towns along Highway 49.

[@SingleTrackMined]

You continue to amaze me. Every video I think is the best I've seen. Then I see the next one...why would I care about Boron, CA? Only because Wonderhussy made it so interesting and fun. And now I do care about Boron, CA. Love your work, Sarah!

[@BrianBraaten]

As a trucker you’re always crossing my paths.Tuesday i just came through there on my way to Arizona actually stayed the night down the road at Kramer junction in the dirt lot east side of town and Thursday came back through heading west back to Richmond California to the chevron refinery where I am right now to pick up another load of Motor oil.Always on the lookout for ya so I can honk my horn at you.

[@GigglesGaloreous]

Excellent job, Wonderhussy. Thanks for stopping in Boron. The plane with ED on tail is an F-4. the ED is Edwards AFB. Sad historical point about Boron. In 1964 the school superintendent, his wife, and two cheerleaders were killed at the train crossing at Searles Station while coming home from a basketball game in Trona.

[@mtsky-tc6uw]

yeah right at the bottom of the hill between red mountain and the ridgecrest hwy--in the 70ties there was plenty of momentoes in honor or those who died

[@websurfer5772]

Did the train hit them?

[@Jeff-jg7jh]

Probably had something to do with the train. I've always wondered about how people don't see the train. @@websurfer5772

[@GigglesGaloreous]

No. They hit the train. A train from the chemical plant in Trona was moved to Searles Station and parked. The train engineer failed to properly set the brakes on a detached car and it coasted down to the intersection with the highway. @@websurfer5772

[@jodyhartman8177]

Randsburg, Red Mountain,Garlock,China Lake /Ridgcrest and last but not least Trona are all interesting places to visit and learn new things . Safe Travels !👍😊❤

[@underthetornado]

Tell me about it....I'm stuck living in Randsburg....lol😂❤

[@SmittyAZ]

You said VISIT, not live.

[@MySORRELL]

THANKS!

[@emimiao]

Their workers are union and belong to the ILWU! A union founded by longshoremen that work on the waterfront. The glass screen on your phone is compressed borax! They make them there too!

[@bluexenu]

Pancho Barnes lived there during the last years of her life---her house is pretty much in the same condition it was in when she passed away in 1975.

[@Retiredmom2]

I love little towns and museums. Great segment. Also a thank you to the people posting comments. So many of you add a lot of interesting information and personal perspectives.

[@darrenharvey6084]

I'm from Australia and stayed at the Furnace creek resort last May and they have 2 of the 20 mule borax wagons on display there .

[@NBZW]

Few folks are alive today that remember the vibrant stopover on 66, good eats were to be had.

[@frankmatrka1687]

Thank you for this interesting video. These are the kind of videos I like (exploration) and you are a great tour guide. Look forward to more of this type. Glad you're recovering from being sick.

[@Kayr76]

You really are a genius with a lot of education. You are WONDERHUSSY loud and proud. Thank you for showing a little 65 year old woman a part of the US I’ve never gone close to.

[@delstanley1349]

Years ago there was a couple of times I slept at a westbound rest area just west of town. I would get hypnotized late at night just watching all those bright orange lights as the mining operations were apparently going on then. I really don't know if they were mining, but the lights lit up the area, and it had a soothing rather than annoying affect on me, so I would point my car in the direction of the mine instead of away from it when parking at the rest stop at night.

[@andreweppink4498]

Beautiful Downtown Boron. Worked in the Boraxo Truck Shop there for 5 years.

[@ZEVONLIN]

I never thought the mine would be so interesting! Boy howdy was i wrong!

[@Joe-zt7ef]

Another weird and wonderful video from the most interesting person on the Internet.

[@phillipswain4942]

They are now leaching rare earth elements out of the waste material of borax mine and the tailings. Silver Queen mine is in a partnership agreement for the extraction process they developed

[@Chkahoe_]

For those wondering those metals help smart phones and other new technologies development and are considered rare because of the difficult mining process

[@tgvettes]

The Scooby Doo plane is a Saab Draken TF35 (the 2 seaters are normally SK35 Trainers however this one is something special)

[@websurfer5772]

Sweet. Thank you for telling us.

[@mikeboone4425]

we were out there for 4 days it was a shake down run for the new trailer back in the 50's. Plus my Dade's friend was transferred out there to Mojave to manage a new Beer Wearhouse the only thing I can remeber is that it was huge beer staked up to the clouds . We did go to the mine but remember nothing about it other than it was warm like Bakersfield. Just normal 100 plus day in those days growing up there heat was not something you thought about like people today do . We lived played and worked in the heat every day Know one I new carried water bottle in and out of stores like it was some kind of pacifier. Yep dad carried water in the Truck my uncle out on the ranch did also . But my mother never went to work or any one else I can remember with a water bottle on there hip . now hussy this is not a punch at your that was then this is now it's just the way we were . Happy trails keep up the interesting Video's

[@websurfer5772]

I know. None of the older adults in my life drink water.

[@orion1a]

White plane looks to be an F-4 phantom.

[@jamesf4405]

Great episode!!! I love it when you teach us about something like this.

[@mattriordan2646]

Hello my love. In the late 70's, I drove through many times . From lancaster ,I would cut through Edward's. Delivered goods to the plant on my to Barstow. I love the memories. Thank you.....m.....

[@TheWozWizard]

Beginning at 9:40 you see a model of the 20 mule team. You got that model by sending in boxes top from Borax soap. My Dad built one and it was over my bed until I graduated from college in 1973 and joined the Army!

[@jimtonimarin]

Boron is a light element #5 that wasn't created by the sun. It has alot chemistry simlar to carbon and can be made into rocket fuel that is lighter: so the US military built a refinery to make it. A UCLA professor carefully collected samples that he devoted his career to figuring them out. These compounds that could not be easily made. The boron fuel was not practical and the refinery was dismantled.

[@Chkahoe_]

Or was it ?

[@bo5965]

Another fabulous adventure!!

[@Badgerpapa]

ED the fighter jet I would say is an F-4 phantom from Edwards Airbase. The F-4 was mostly retired in the 1990s but there are still a few of them that fly and scream freedom at over mach 2. I am far from an expert so if I am wrong correct me. There was a video of one captured flying a couple years ago in the desert. It is an awesome machine.

[@shawnpugh6052]

Hey you are in my neck of the woods. I am a miner at the big cement plant off of highway 58 in Tehachapi The mine there is amazing and has a big employee count and pays good wages Domingos Mexican restaurant is awesome Played sports over there many times. For a small town they were always tough and played us hard. So much better playing football there than the dirt field in Trona

[@BettyD3495]

What did Miss Piggy say when she pulled up to the gas station? “I’ll take the boar on.” Sorry, I couldn’t resist. One of the few jokes in my repertoire. GREAT VIDEO TODAY! 🫏🫏🫏

[@marktatum2592]

Miss Piggy was at Kermits place, where they were playing a little game called "slap & tickle" when the phone rang. The caller asked for Miss Piggy and Kermit replied, "I'm sorry, she can't talk right now, she has a frog in her throat..."

[@BettyD3495]

@@marktatum2592 😂Where did jokes go? I miss them.

[@charlottewilson4680]

This was so interesting. Thank you for sharing.

[@deborahanderson5508]

You not only have great curiousity but also beautiful compassion and humanity.❤

[@alkennedy1124]

You just drove right past my house, ,,,not on my street , but you missed my mater truck, lol thanks BigAl California

[@Lululila67]

hey girly! glad to see you are feeling better 👽👽😎😎They should have named the town "Borat". Verrry niiice!

[@richardweaver9682]

I was there back in the early 2000's and they have ex[panded the 20 mule museum and te visitoe center, the Aerospace museum was noy yhre. A little bit out of town toward Mojave is the site of Poncho Barne's bar where Chuck Yeager and the pilots from Edwards used to hang out.

[@Chato61]

In the aero space museum is a display honoring Poncho Barnes the infamous female aviator. She died in the early 70's right there in Boron. PBS did a very good documentary on her life. WH I'm surprised that you did not know about her. You also missed the rock shop. Dave is a wealth of info about the town.

[@slimpickins9124]

Thanks for the mining/history lesson Sarah. I remember watching westerns as a kid in the 50's whose sponsor was 20 Mule Team Borax laundry soap. I guess boron/borax goes into a lot of products.

[@Bob-WannabeRVr]

IMMEDIATELY added to Bucket List…!!! Thank you so much, Sarah 💙❤️

[@donaldschweitzer2405]

I lived not far their about 1 hour. Never stop in that town. But when I was driving a Semi Truck, I had missed Fortune of going to the plant to pick up a load. Going somewhere, but I got sick because of the smell at the plant. I had headache and sick to my stomach. I guess because I work in the ship yard 26 years. All the chemicals all around the ship yard. That's why think I got sick. But this not only place I got sick to pick up loads to ship, like paper plant to make cardboard, sope plant. In different states. Thanks for going to that place. Plus I drove passed many times in my truck too. For myself it was the easiest way to not go over the grapevine. Glad feeling lot better now.❤❤❤❤❤❤

[@hestheMaster]

You do have quite a knack for finding little places that are " a diamond in the rough " out in almost the middle of nowhere. This place had both history and cool modern stuff to explore as well. Great tour Sarah!

[@stan1027]

The ED on the tail probably means it was stationed at nearby Edwards AFB.

[@alexshatzko1381]

Maverick likely pulled a few 'G''is in one

[@jameslockard6956]

The Gas station is probably owned by the COMPANY😮

[@Big_Tex]

Gotta love a town named after an element or mineral.

[@williamjenkins9]

I LOVE this!!!! Or you !!! You are so thorough and interesting!!!

[@jamesnicola8282]

I lived in Boron about 37 years ago. From the video you filmed, it doesn’t look like it changed much. Maybe a little more run down. I really enjoy a lot of your videos, like seeing the desert again. I almost forgot to mention, that back in the 80’s we would watch the space shuttles fly over our home on their flight back to Edward’s Air Force Base.

[@NarleyAdventures]

👍👍👍👍👍😄, An interesting tour, pretty surprising what you can find in a small town.

[@AbleHammer]

That big plane at the aerospace museum was an F4 phantom fighter jet

[@clifforddriver9434]

I've picked up a load of freight about two decades ago of that stuff.

[@johnglasgow4176]

Another good job of reporting about history Industries etcetera been going to a boron since the 1960s I got to go back and check it out now thanks for the video

[@jonathanhansen3709]

I have been to, and through, both Bakersfield, and Barstow, more times than I could count over the last 50 years, but I have never made it once to Boron. Because of you Wonderhussy, I am making a trip out there this spring before it gets hot to see these sites!

[@janetceniza8091]

husband speaking age 81 officially on the 18th. Ex Air Force - 1963 -1967 , some how I missed getting stationed at Edwards. I did get Davis-Monthan and Larson in Eastern Wash. When I see small towns I wonder what the kids do for entertainment, no malls, lucky to have one movie theatre. A great place for young kids - everything and everywhere is fun to be. Teens, what do they do ? I think of the area I am in right now in Cebu PH. Teen boys and girls, no cars, maybe an older boy can use dad's motor bike, you can only tik tok so much. I usually don't read comments but I did this time. Some very interesting posts from folks who have had some history with the area. Very nice comments from everyone.

[@HerbertPrince]

Hey Wonderhussy, just found your channel a few days ago. We both share adventures, as I once did many years ago. Back in 1988, I was working at KJC, the solar plant in Kramer Junction. The very first thing I noticed from this video, was a place on the left side of the road, which is fenced in with chain-link type fencing. In '88, it was owned by 'Hippie Bob' Richardson. Inside the small building with the slanted roof was several hi-performance engines from 60's and 70's muscle cars, plus custom art made by Bob in his younger days. He lived in a simple 40x40 foot house with no walls inside. His kitchen was in one corner, then den, bedroom and bathroom in the other three. His girlfriend, Madelyn Zitt lived with him. Bob was the first hot rod roadster winner of The Oakland Roadster Show. He collected all kinds of items he would find in and around the desert. I was a certified TIG welder at the solar plant, as Bob wanted me to teach him how to weld. But I didn't stay long at that job. If you have an opportunity, you should go check out that place, as it was 36 years ago, and Bob was probably in his 60's back then, one of the coolest desert rat's in Boron. He once was an architect from around LA or Frisco. Very friendly with lots of dogs and cats. I had planned to go back for a visit, but things happened so I never had time. Really do enjoy your humor sweetie. Cuz from Southeast Georgia

[@kenb.1212]

This was a great adventure! Thank you. I appreciate that you acknowledge that there were and are real human beings living in towns like Boron who are trying to "have a life." I think that their history matters.

[@Attercop47]

can you imagine driving a 20 mule team ? there would always be that one Mule that was the troublemaker and then the other Mule that is a Smart Ass and the two of then would team up and the Hijinks would Ensue

[@underthetornado]

Shell stations are the highest priced gas stations and ALL state vehicles all have charge cards for Shell. What does that tell you about CA?

[@clearsailing7993]

Newsome probably gets a kickback.

[@NelloCambelli]

Fascinating museum - especially the Miss. Boron winner’s dress. Your cosmetics use borax in the formula. A-4 Phantoms flown in Viet Nam in 1960s into 1970s.

[@jimhunton4749]

The "Big Dawg" is a Vietnam Era aircraft. It's a Corsair F4Phantom.

[@skyh]

ED on that tail of the F-4 Phantom is for Edwards AFB just south of Boron and CA 58.

[@garygerard4290]

take a drink every time she says Boron 😆😆😆

[@ray77j]

Dad worked there doing construction back in the day. It was a shorter commute back to Ridgecrest. I drove by there 100's of times. Never bothered to stop and see. haha

[@nathanmeece9794]

The ED on the F4 Phantom is the tail code for Edward's Air Force Base.

[@brucepaxton2471]

Next time you are passing through Tehachapi, you should consider taking a glider ride at the Mountain Valley Airport on the east side of town. Others have posted this experience on KZbin. Something that you would definitely enjoy. Safe travels north!

[@mtsky-tc6uw]

i took my 2 and half year old in glider at tehachapi in my lap--he was amazed--later soloed in glider at 14 in Bishop and soloed a 150 the day he turned 16 in utah--later became heli pilot,did the army spec force--remember him looking at the hills around us back in tehachapi,his eyes very wide

[@brucepaxton2471]

I have a place 6 miles west of the airport. It's interesting looking down at the house during a tow out for a flight. I worked in aerospace in the high desert for 48years.@@mtsky-tc6uw

[@tomfrye9037]

Super cool, Darlin'! It' a shame though, that the highway took traffic away from the town. It won't totally dry up, but the merchants there can't do too much with high prices if they don't get enough traffic through their businesses to make a good profit. We have all kinds of little bitty towns around me that have no stores or places to eat...so we have to drive 20 or 30 miles sometimes just to get groceries. Anyway, thanks for letting us tag along, Love. You are very much appreciated.

[@mrtomdorn]

That diesel/electric drive haul truck is in good shape not beat up. TD Atlanta

[@Herlongian]

I’ve driven that truck. It has been used 24 hours a day for 20 years. It has been overhauled many many times by US Borax shops on site and welded back together too as hinges and other spots have broken. It is very tiny by today’s standards. It’s model M100 by Terex. Truck 9501. Mine was 9504 Today, it has been disabled by having its major electrical cables and other guts of the machine removed and is long gone. This truck will never move again. It’s been

[@lhollybow]

Thanks so much for the tour of Boron .... definitely not Boring. Like you I have driven past this place hundreds of times , but too focused on the destination , and never stopped , except for the rest stop , to stop and " smell the roses " of Boron. Hopefully you'll be able to give us a visit into the Edwards Air Force Base - in the same area.

[@anderspearson6860]

From what I found out, is the Santa building you passed was the old train Depot.

[@crazy4dariver]

Sweet pea. You NEED an Amtrak run. It ain't fast but fun. I have done West Coast, Canada, NY Down Route 66. Super fun. I never knew there was a Las Vegas NM until we stopped there

[@johnlowe37]

I visited the Boron Aerospace Museum a few months ago. It's not a typical air museum; they don't have a big collection of vintage aircraft to look at. What they do have is nice collection of artifacts and memorabilia, a lot of it related to Edwards Air Force Base and the research and testing that takes place there. If you're any kind of aviation geek and are traveling through the area, it's definitely a worthwhile stop.

[@beepseatsfindingfoodtreasu8756]

Its snowing like crazy and theres not much to do so ill just sit here boraxing and enjoy watching you. Thanks W. H. Always something interesting to see when you're on the dusty trail. Gotta get you behind the wheel of mine dump. You'd be the perfect fit for a driver.

[@donnamass9576]

Love ya, Wonderhussy. I’m familiar with the areas you tell us about and reside in the high desert…Barstow area. I can always depend on a good laugh or tow from your posts. They’re like medicine for my soul. Thanks!

[@kentcolburn]

Great visit! Love your attitude, Thank You. BTW if you want to get rid of that acne, you're hiding...try making a paste of baking soda, scrub your face gently making sure to cover the infected areas, let it sit for a couple minutes and rinse with warm water. Baking soda is a natural cleaner plus it exfoliates your skin...and it erases wrinkles...it's cheap too! I battled acne until I discovered this and works for me.