See more event photos by Roger Vargo
More than 200 volunteers descended on Jawbone Station Saturday, April 24, 2010, to help clean up public lands in the Jawbone Canyon, Lone Tree Canyon and Dove Springs areas of Eastern Kern County, according to Ed Waldheim, Friends of Jawbone President.

The diverse group volunteers came to the desert to support the Friends of Jawbone’s Fourteenth Annual Moose Anderson Days by donating their time and labor to remove trash, debris and non-native vegetation from the area. Volunteers included area residents, off-highway vehicle (OHV) enthusiasts, Kern County Sheriff Desert Search and Rescue Group members, Student Conservation Association members and Bureau of Land Management (BLM) employees.

Fifteen tons of trash, one car, and three acres of tamarisk were removed according to Eduardo S. Duque of the BLM. Benz Sanitation provided bins, haul away service and hand washing facilities.

Ed Waldheim, Friends of Jawbone President, said, “We appreciate all the folks coming from our website and Facebook pages and enthusiasts who continue to return year after year to help keep Jawbone Canyon and Dove Springs open. We look forward to all joining us for our Halloween Safety poker event, October 30, and our 15th Annual Moose Anderson Days next year.”

Moose Anderson Days is an annual event named in honor of Mark “Moose” Anderson who served on California’s first Off Highway Vehicle (OHV) Commission. He was later involved in a motorcycle accident in Baja, from which he eventually died. When Jawbone Station was built in 1996, the building was dedicated in Anderson’s memory. After working up an appetite in the gusty winds, the participants returned to Jawbone Station in the early afternoon, and were treated to a BBQ lunch cooked by members of Kern County Desert Search and Rescue. Following lunch, raffle prizes were awarded to lucky ticket holders. More than 100 items were given away including gift certificates, motorcycle riding accessories, flashlights, tools, and toys.

Neil Baker from Northern California won the grand prize, a Honda EU2000i portable generator donated by Honda Research and Development of Cantil, Calif.

The event continued Sunday morning, April 25, beginning with a hot breakfast sponsored by the California Off-Road Vehicle Association (CORVA). Motorcycle and OHV riders then embarked on a poker run in the Jawbone Canyon area. James Ellis won first place and a GPS unit from Rick Cebo, Trent Walker, second place and Debbie Anderson, third place.

Four wheel drive vehicle enthusiasts explored historic mining areas in the El Paso Mountains with Explore Historic California’s interpretive guides. Starting near Garlock, the group followed trails once used by prospectors in the El Paso Mountains. They visited Burro Schmidt’s Tunnel and Bickel Camp and learned about the diverse mineralogy and colorful residents of the area.

Moose Anderson Days is organized each year by the Friends of Jawbone Canyon. The organization represents a coalition of recreational users, government land managers, private property and business owners. The group meets the third Wednesday of each month at Jawbone Station.

This year’s event was produced with the assistance and sponsorship of the American Motorcycle Association District 37, Benz Sanitation, Bureau of Land Management (Ridgecrest Field Office), Calif. Association of 4-Wheel Clubs, Inc. , California OHV funds, CORVA, Coyote Café of California City, Crystal Geyser water, CZ World, DeathValley.com, Ed and Linda Waldheim, Explore Historic California, Mojave Trails Group, Honda Research and Development, Kern County Search and Rescue, Kern County Waste Management, Kiewit Corporation, Mark’s Off Road, Monaghan Motorsports, Mr. Bob, Nosala Engineering, O’Neil Racing, Paul Kober and Fred Peters, Rio Tinto Minerals/Bass Pro Shop, Road Race City, Scott’s Performance of Montrose, Team Cheap, The Trail Crew 4×4’s, United Rentals and X-West.