I was just out there the other day and thought I'd check the place out, because it apparently is a college research facility. Having spent 3 months at the White Mountain Research Station in Bishop, I figured it might be a similar kind of place. So I drove in, expecting there to be random hippie-like people milling about, old trucks with big tires, people playing guitar, someone to offer me a beer...
Well, as soon as we went in there were a bunch of old ladies sitting there polishing rocks. I tried to say hi but one of them started bitching about something, and then said "you're not supposed to be in here." I was about to protest and inform them that the place was listed as a destination by the Mojave National Scenic Area flyers, had a trail, etc., but since my dad was there I decided not to raise a fuss. So I went to turn around. I was driving by again at about 10 MPH when someone shouted "15 miles per hour!" in a cranky voice. Apparently they wanted me to go 15 MPH (the speed limit was something silly like 5) so I hit the gas and got the hell outta there.
Apparently those ladies hadn't spent much time in the desert. It's pretty damn rude to offer a virtual invitation to come visit with signs, etc, and even an
interpretive trail, and then be
rude to someone. It was several miles on a dusty, washboarded road, too. People that dumb usually don't last long in such a harsh environment.