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Buggy Campfire Story

Many strange things happen in the desert. Some are fantasy, some are real. This is what happened to me.

I decided to visit the Superior dry lakes on my way home from NABX this spring. There are three Superior dry lakes in a group north of Barstow, California. I drove to the eastern lake. When I arrived at the edge of the playa I parked my truck on the shore even though the lakebed looked dry. It was a very wet winter in the high desert and I wanted to be sure before driving further.

When I stepped out of my truck a strong west wind encouraged me to unroll a 3-meter kite and go for a ride in my buggy. I walked out on the lakebed instead. After a few minutes I stopped and turned over a dried 'tile' of lakebed to find that underneath was soaking wet mud. Good thing I didn't drive on this playa. I looked to the east and saw that the lakebed looked wet.

Back at the truck I got out a kite and my buggy and went for a ride. I buggied out onto the lakebed. It was great to buggy on Superior again. I was enjoying visiting this jewel of a lake. After a while I realized it was getting late so I headed back to camp. Shortly after dinner I went to bed with the wind still blowing.

When I woke up the next morning I couldn't hear the wind. I looked outside and was surprised to see the whole lake covered with water! What a surprise! The wind had blown the water to the other end of the lake yesterday! I imagined myself buggying, like the day before, and then having the wind stop. Would that have been a long day?

It was a beautiful Superior morning but I had to pack up and begin the long drive home. As I drove south I looked in my mirror. I said to the lake, "You're full of surprises, aren't ya?"

John Lehman