Ray and Deryl's Story

For the All Night Hunt April 23, 2016, we headed off from the start point at Ronald Reagan Park, in Diamond Bar on the 80 degree heading give or take a few degrees that seemed to be the consensus at the start point. We went east on the 60 freeway following the signal until we got out to Beaumont.  We followed the direction of the signal up to the Running Springs area. Going on surface streets to the 330 to the 18.

Once in Running Springs, we narrowed it down to a couple of blocks in a residential area.  Eventually we found the transmitter in a front yard amongst the tulips.  We spoke briefly with the homeowners and headed out following the second transmitter signal. 

The signal was fairly weak but consistent.  Big Bear here we come.  We turned on the road on the north side of the lake. Not sure if we were going on the maze of roads above Big Bear or out to the desert.  As we drove on, it became apparent that it was going to be the desert. Somewhat relieved that we weren’t going to be in the Big Bear maze, we rolled on.

Following the fairly straight forward signal we got to hiway 247.  Eventually turning on to a dirt road (finally) heading thru Johnson Valley northward.  As we drove on a very good (mostly) dirt road, the signal was strong but not increasing.  This is not a good sign, usually indicating we are not there and it is a long way away.  As we continued on heading towards a ridge of low level mountains, the signal began to weaken.  It soon became clear that they were beyond this ridge.  We sat on Melville Dry Lake contemplating what to do next. We were getting low on gas and it was a long way to a gas station, we decided to head back out to the 247. 

We determined that the closest and best chance for gasoline and food would be in Yucca Valley.  We got gas and then went to Applebee’s for lunch/dinner.  After looking at Google Earth and a paper map we decided they must be off the 40.  There was no direct way there from where we were.  By this time we had driven over 200 miles.  We figured it was going to be another two hours just to get into the right area of the transmitter.  We made the decision to head home. We went via the 62 and then the 10. 

In the early stages of the hunt, I asked Deryl what variation of All Day this was.  Deryl said it was the All Night.  Neither of us felt that there was much attention paid to which flavor of hunt it is anymore.  Well we were wrong, this looked to be an actual All Night hunt.  We just weren’t prepared to go the distance.


Deryl N6AIN
Ray N6EKS