The CMA a group of camping, shooting, exploring, and off-road enthusiasts.  We usually organize two weekend trips a year to places in the California desert.  All ages are welcome. It's primarily a bunch of adult guys having fun, but many bring their families.

The group is made up of a dozen or so smaller groups, each with it's own name.  The members of the "Desert Dogs" have taken on the planning and management of the CMA and it's "expeditions." 

Camping is done in everything from just a sleeping bag on the ground, up to large motorhomes and trailers.  Wives, girlfriends, and kids usually number about a quarter of the two hundred or so that typically attend (with the caveat that they may be exposed to the occasional use of foul language, and other bad manners such as farting, belching, and nose picking).

We often do "recons" (checking maps, then going on day-long excursions) to locate new sites, we've been to each of the old ones, many times.  Because of the group, we limit ourselves to sites that have all of:

The CMA typically plans two weekend expeditions each year. Our desert expeditions are typically planned for destinations on Bureau of Land Management (BLM) land, and are always in the southern half of California, or in Western Arizona.  

Some have asked, "How do I get invited?"  The answer is simple.  Send an e-mail to MCrager@DesertDogs.com with "CMA" in the subject.  Send your name, address, and phone number, and you'll be added to the mailing list to receive printed invitations (structured like a newsletter).  If you would, please say how you found the website, or who referred you.  You'll also be added to the e-mail list to receive the earliest possible notifications of upcoming trips.  No need to worry about your private information, we don't do anything with it except print envelopes for the invitations.

The printed invitations are mailed four to six weeks before each trip.

When we setup camp, there will be a designated shooting area WHICH EVERYONE WHO SHOOTS MUST USE.  The shooting area will have a firing line, and typical shooting range rules will be followed (firing line observed, fire only against designated backdrop, line breaks for target setup, etc.).  The shooting area is usually a couple hundred yards from most of the campers, so the extra noise can be minimized.

If you've read this far, and are considering joining us on an expedition, you should read the Ten Commandments.  If you have a problem with those simple rules - don't be a jerk, pick up your trash, wear a helmet while on ATVs, and above all, be intelligent when using firearms - don't even consider showing up.  Also, there's zero tolerance for illegal drugs.