Member III
Just finished up a four day shakedown trip for my new trailer. Link to build thread. I cut the trip short due to the fact the wind never stopped. I was only able to have a camp fire on the last night. Temperatures ranged from high ninety's to the high teens. Wind gusted to around 40mph. This means I spent more time inside instead of outside. This also means a diesel heater has bumped to the top of the list of things left to add in. The interior wasn't bad and my body heat kept it ok except for the last night where it dipped into the high teens.
First night was in Panamint Valley. I was suppose to go to the PVD event but managed to screw up the dates and arrived a week too early. I guess that's why no one was there yet. The weather was mild and when I went inside I was invaded by these big flying ants. I took me a while to figure out they were squeezing past the seal on one of my screens to get at my inside lights.
Airing down. Heading to first camp. While I was here, I met a couple of guys driving a TJ. We chatted for a bit and they told me they spend their free time exploring mines. It was getting late, so I said goodbye and headed off to camp. In all my years of backcountry exploring, one thing I learned, you be nice to people you meet. You never know if you may need help.
Camp night 1. Panamint.
At this point is when I decided to cruise over to Death Valley and do some sight seeing. I drove back to Trona, topped off fuel and off I went.
I made my way over to Furnace Creek for fuel stopping at Stove Pipe Wells, Mesquite Dunes and Salt Creek. I realized I had not put any POI's in my map and I didn't bring my Death Valley paper maps. Fortunately, Furnace Creek had a bookstore and I bought a nice map. It was just after noon and the wind was blowing pretty good by now so, I decided my next area would be near Beatty Nevada on the other side of the hills. I will drive up into a canyon once over the pass and look for a sheltered place to camp then head into town to top off fuel and plan out my next leg.
I had to settle on a flat spot in the open. There were no spurs up the canyon to park on. Death Valley frowns on leaving the roads and I didn't want to be "that guy". It worked out ok. I got to see how the trailer held up to high winds. This area got to push the suspension to its limits. The route in was considered a 4wd only route. Even though I took it in 2wd, the road was very rutted out and I was pleased to see the trailer suspension working properly.
The next day I drove up to the Chloride mines and the town of Chloride just above me. I had scouted the area the night before. The road was pretty bad and with nowhere to camp was why I parked where I did. I left the trailer behind and explored with just the Cruiser. Getting back I hooked up and went into Beatty.
After topping off my fuel and chatting with some people in the gas station, I decided to drop down some and visit the ghost town of Rhyolite. This place was pretty cool and I met a couple of guys from my area who were headed through Titus canyon and then camping in Eureka Dunes. I decided to travel with them. It had been a long time since I saw either of those so, off we went.
Titus was as cool as I remembered it and we stopped for lunch at the end. heading back out, we passed by Crankshaft junction. I seem to remember more "crankshaft's" the last time I was there. Arriving at the Eureka Dunes camp ground, around four (ish), we set up camp and had dinner. The nice thing was, the wind had stopped. That means I can finally have a campfire.
That night the temps dropped into the teens. The guy with the RTT said the wind started blowing during the night but I never heard it.
We decided to head out the north end of Death Valley and pick up the I395 near Lonepine. Grab lunch and fuel then head home. As it turned out, the road we chose put us in the town of Big Pine. That's almost an hour farther away and it was snowing pretty good with a wind that brought the temp down to the high 20's.
The weather had a high wind advisory along 395. I decided to head out then and not stop for lunch with my new friends. The wind was brutal and it took me almost six hours to get home. Along the way I had snow, hail, wind, heavy downpour rain and a nice lightning storm.
There are a few things that need changing. My water pump quit working, I need some cabinet doors or some bungy netting on my cloths storage (they end up all over the floor). The outside motion detecting lights work better than I thought they would, the insulation was perfect. I do need some more shelving and some pouches or something for small storage.
All in all I count the trip as a success and cant wait for my next.
First night was in Panamint Valley. I was suppose to go to the PVD event but managed to screw up the dates and arrived a week too early. I guess that's why no one was there yet. The weather was mild and when I went inside I was invaded by these big flying ants. I took me a while to figure out they were squeezing past the seal on one of my screens to get at my inside lights.
Airing down. Heading to first camp. While I was here, I met a couple of guys driving a TJ. We chatted for a bit and they told me they spend their free time exploring mines. It was getting late, so I said goodbye and headed off to camp. In all my years of backcountry exploring, one thing I learned, you be nice to people you meet. You never know if you may need help.
Camp night 1. Panamint.
At this point is when I decided to cruise over to Death Valley and do some sight seeing. I drove back to Trona, topped off fuel and off I went.
I made my way over to Furnace Creek for fuel stopping at Stove Pipe Wells, Mesquite Dunes and Salt Creek. I realized I had not put any POI's in my map and I didn't bring my Death Valley paper maps. Fortunately, Furnace Creek had a bookstore and I bought a nice map. It was just after noon and the wind was blowing pretty good by now so, I decided my next area would be near Beatty Nevada on the other side of the hills. I will drive up into a canyon once over the pass and look for a sheltered place to camp then head into town to top off fuel and plan out my next leg.
I had to settle on a flat spot in the open. There were no spurs up the canyon to park on. Death Valley frowns on leaving the roads and I didn't want to be "that guy". It worked out ok. I got to see how the trailer held up to high winds. This area got to push the suspension to its limits. The route in was considered a 4wd only route. Even though I took it in 2wd, the road was very rutted out and I was pleased to see the trailer suspension working properly.
The next day I drove up to the Chloride mines and the town of Chloride just above me. I had scouted the area the night before. The road was pretty bad and with nowhere to camp was why I parked where I did. I left the trailer behind and explored with just the Cruiser. Getting back I hooked up and went into Beatty.
After topping off my fuel and chatting with some people in the gas station, I decided to drop down some and visit the ghost town of Rhyolite. This place was pretty cool and I met a couple of guys from my area who were headed through Titus canyon and then camping in Eureka Dunes. I decided to travel with them. It had been a long time since I saw either of those so, off we went.
Titus was as cool as I remembered it and we stopped for lunch at the end. heading back out, we passed by Crankshaft junction. I seem to remember more "crankshaft's" the last time I was there. Arriving at the Eureka Dunes camp ground, around four (ish), we set up camp and had dinner. The nice thing was, the wind had stopped. That means I can finally have a campfire.
That night the temps dropped into the teens. The guy with the RTT said the wind started blowing during the night but I never heard it.
We decided to head out the north end of Death Valley and pick up the I395 near Lonepine. Grab lunch and fuel then head home. As it turned out, the road we chose put us in the town of Big Pine. That's almost an hour farther away and it was snowing pretty good with a wind that brought the temp down to the high 20's.
The weather had a high wind advisory along 395. I decided to head out then and not stop for lunch with my new friends. The wind was brutal and it took me almost six hours to get home. Along the way I had snow, hail, wind, heavy downpour rain and a nice lightning storm.
There are a few things that need changing. My water pump quit working, I need some cabinet doors or some bungy netting on my cloths storage (they end up all over the floor). The outside motion detecting lights work better than I thought they would, the insulation was perfect. I do need some more shelving and some pouches or something for small storage.
All in all I count the trip as a success and cant wait for my next.
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