US West East Bay - Anza Borego Trip

  • HTML tutorial

Speric

Rank VI
Launch Member

Advocate III

4,045
Santa Rosa, CA, USA
First Name
Eric
Last Name
Speric
Member #

18037

Ham/GMRS Callsign
KN6SCT
Do you have a link for amber lights that can use the cigarette lighter option ?
I made a set following these instructions Portable chase lights

Here how mine came out. I used KC rock lights. They’re pretty bright and I used them in Mojave. Folks behind me said they could see me easily through the dust.
 

Attachments

Jmisslyn

Rank VI
Member

Influencer I

3,468
Napa
First Name
Lyn
Last Name
Collins
Member #

25295

Ham/GMRS Callsign
KN6SCU
Do you have a link for amber lights that can use the cigarette lighter option ?
I made a set following these instructions Portable chase lights

Here how mine came out. I used KC rock lights. They’re pretty bright and I used them in Mojave. Folks behind me said they could see me easily through the dust.
I don\'t understand your reply. the link just takes me back to this page.
I'm planning on going on the Anza Borrejo trip in Feb. I don't have the chase lights, but was planning on getting some before the trip. I saw a set on amazon that mount via magnets and plug into a cigarette lighter. These look like a good option and will keep my cost relatively low. Amazon.com/ LE-JX Amber Wireless Battery Traffic Advisor Emergency Lights Bar Beacon Led Strobe Warn
 

Jmisslyn

Rank VI
Member

Influencer I

3,468
Napa
First Name
Lyn
Last Name
Collins
Member #

25295

Ham/GMRS Callsign
KN6SCU
I made a set following these instructions Portable chase lights

Here how mine came out. I used KC rock lights. They’re pretty bright and I used them in Mojave. Folks behind me said they could see me easily through the dust.
Great, thank you !
 

Jmisslyn

Rank VI
Member

Influencer I

3,468
Napa
First Name
Lyn
Last Name
Collins
Member #

25295

Ham/GMRS Callsign
KN6SCU
Yup, I ordered something very similar. Hopefully if it falls off, the person behind me will let me know ! :flushed:
 
  • Like
Reactions: KD-100

TrailHawkGuy

Rank VI
Member

Pathfinder III

4,168
Danville, CA, USA
First Name
Armin
Last Name
Pressler
Member #

18969

Ham/GMRS Callsign
KN6GTZ
Do you have a link for amber lights that can use the cigarette lighter option ?
I made a set following these instructions Portable chase lights

Here how mine came out. I used KC rock lights. They’re pretty bright and I used them in Mojave. Folks behind me said they could see me easily through the dust.
Nice - mount them a little higher and it’s even better to see you
 
  • Like
Reactions: Speric and Jmisslyn

walkabout_ca

Rank IV
Member

Off-Road Ranger I

981
Bay Area, California, USA
First Name
Gwendolyn
Last Name
vdL
Member #

30410

Ham/GMRS Callsign
KN6YFJ
FYI, we're thinking about making a head start on Wednesday afternoon, and camp near the 2nd meeting point (Shell station Los Baños). It turns out all the campgrounds in the San Luis Reservoir area are closed due to planned dam work and releases, so the closest we could find is Panoche Hills (BLM). According to Google Maps it's about 45 minutes to get back to the Shell station (15 minutes of that driving North on I-5). That only saves us 1 hour compared to leaving from home, so we're still thinking about it. If anybody knows about an alternative, please let us know!

Also, this will be our first OB trip driving in a group; is there a general etiquette for driving freeways? Keeping a 5+ vehicle convoy together on I-5 seems like a challenge.
 

TrailHawkGuy

Rank VI
Member

Pathfinder III

4,168
Danville, CA, USA
First Name
Armin
Last Name
Pressler
Member #

18969

Ham/GMRS Callsign
KN6GTZ
FYI, we're thinking about making a head start on Wednesday afternoon, and camp near the 2nd meeting point (Shell station Los Baños). It turns out all the campgrounds in the San Luis Reservoir area are closed due to planned dam work and releases, so the closest we could find is Panoche Hills (BLM). According to Google Maps it's about 45 minutes to get back to the Shell station (15 minutes of that driving North on I-5). That only saves us 1 hour compared to leaving from home, so we're still thinking about it. If anybody knows about an alternative, please let us know!

Also, this will be our first OB trip driving in a group; is there a general etiquette for driving freeways? Keeping a 5+ vehicle convoy together on I-5 seems like a challenge.
Gwendolyn, happy to see you joining the trip. If you want to intercept the convoy further south that is definitely an option. You should be able to see our approx location at Google Maps APRS on the day of.

Also as general rule for convoy

- first and foremost - SAFETY
- turn headlights on that way you can be seen easily from front
- have the gpx downloaded so you know where we are going in case
- monitor ham channel - usually we do have the lead calling out items and a tail to wrap / keep things together
- and lastly the bigger the crew the more important it is to be respectful and not let others wait for you unnecessarily
Hope this helps
 
  • Like
Reactions: walkabout_ca

TrailHawkGuy

Rank VI
Member

Pathfinder III

4,168
Danville, CA, USA
First Name
Armin
Last Name
Pressler
Member #

18969

Ham/GMRS Callsign
KN6GTZ
FYI, we're thinking about making a head start on Wednesday afternoon, and camp near the 2nd meeting point (Shell station Los Baños). It turns out all the campgrounds in the San Luis Reservoir area are closed due to planned dam work and releases, so the closest we could find is Panoche Hills (BLM). According to Google Maps it's about 45 minutes to get back to the Shell station (15 minutes of that driving North on I-5). That only saves us 1 hour compared to leaving from home, so we're still thinking about it. If anybody knows about an alternative, please let us know!

Also, this will be our first OB trip driving in a group; is there a general etiquette for driving freeways? Keeping a 5+ vehicle convoy together on I-5 seems like a challenge.
Ps - another option is to coordinate with @YukonGL he’ll come from San Diego and meet us way further down - location tbd
 
  • Like
Reactions: walkabout_ca

tjZ06

Rank V
Launch Member

Advocate I

2,268
Las Vegas/Palo Alto
First Name
mynameisntallowed
Last Name
Adams
Member #

20043

I had a trip planned for next weekend, but with weather and such it looks like it's not happening. I'm thinking about joining for this trip if I can shift my days off, and if that's alright w/ the group. I'd be coming from Vegas so I'd just meet at the first night's camp spot, or wherever you plan to hit the trail itself. I don't have a HAM license, but will make sure I can monitor (I do have a GMRS radio, I'm a radio n00b so I'm not sure if I can program it to monitor 146.46 if not I'll pickup a handheld that can... sorry like I said I'm a n00b to radio stuff so that might be an obvious/stupid statement). I'm not sure I'll have time to get a chase light on the rig by then either, I work in the Silicon Valley and will be here pretty much right up until the trip, but my truck is at home in Vegas. It does have a very high-mounted marker light on the FWC, but it's red not amber:
1673129993262.png
Actually, the light next to the door can be set to amber, but it is NOT chase light bright. Would the markers be sufficient?

Thanks,
TJ
 

JReichert11

Rank VI
Member
Investor

Expedition Master I

3,758
Livermore, CA, USA
First Name
Jeff
Last Name
Reichert
Member #

22765

Ham/GMRS Callsign
KN6KWB
I had a trip planned for next weekend, but with weather and such it looks like it's not happening. I'm thinking about joining for this trip if I can shift my days off, and if that's alright w/ the group. I'd be coming from Vegas so I'd just meet at the first night's camp spot, or wherever you plan to hit the trail itself. I don't have a HAM license, but will make sure I can monitor (I do have a GMRS radio, I'm a radio n00b so I'm not sure if I can program it to monitor 146.46 if not I'll pickup a handheld that can... sorry like I said I'm a n00b to radio stuff so that might be an obvious/stupid statement). I'm not sure I'll have time to get a chase light on the rig by then either, I work in the Silicon Valley and will be here pretty much right up until the trip, but my truck is at home in Vegas. It does have a very high-mounted marker light on the FWC, but it's red not amber:
View attachment 247974
Actually, the light next to the door can be set to amber, but it is NOT chase light bright. Would the markers be sufficient?

Thanks,
TJ

To answer your first question about comms, You will need to pick up a HAM radio as GMRS radios can not tune into HAM frequencies. And as for the chase light, Any Amber light is helpful, but i can tell you from experience the brighter the better for sure. When the dust gets heavy it can take some wattage to get the light thru the dust. There are cheap one noted above that would help supplement what you already have :)
 

Advtres

Rank VI
Member
Investor

Steward I

4,122
Hollister, CA, USA
First Name
Lizabeth
Last Name
Deliriumskid
Member #

30725

Ham/GMRS Callsign
KN6STB
Is there a gpx location for the first night camp - or pre-trail meet up area. Thinking of maybe heading down early Weds
 

JReichert11

Rank VI
Member
Investor

Expedition Master I

3,758
Livermore, CA, USA
First Name
Jeff
Last Name
Reichert
Member #

22765

Ham/GMRS Callsign
KN6KWB
Is there a gpx location for the first night camp - or pre-trail meet up area. Thinking of maybe heading down early Weds
Yeah planning on spending the first night at the "Hollywood and vine" camping area 32.90729, -116.20400

but of course, that may change so keep an eye out for anything on here :)