[PJPR01]

Calling any RRS or RR.net owners -a few of us will be gathering in Death Valley for a couple of days starting this Sunday thru Tuesday.

If any of you NCLR or SCLR chaps are around - feel free to PM me and we can coordinate details of where to meet.

Although it will be cold - we'll be camping and exploring RRS style...

 

[umbertob]

Have fun Paul! Crunch time for me at work, can't join you... I love DV this time of the year, the air is crisp and the views... Get to Zabriskie Point or Artists Palette at sunset if you can, the colors are beyond belief. Lots of great wheeling, too. Took some pictures the last time I was there a couple of years ago: http://s96.photobucket.com/albums/l177/ ... 003-22-07/

PS: Are you staying near Furnace Creek? You never know if my schedule changes... ray:

 

[gooseyloosey]

Umberto--those are some very nice photo's--the light and everything is perfect. Never thought I'd want to go to a place named Death Valley but those are nice.

 

[PJPR01]

Have fun Paul! Crunch time for me at work, can't join you... I love DV this time of the year, the air is crisp and the views... Get to Zabriskie Point or Artists Palette at sunset if you can, the colors are beyond belief. Lots of great wheeling, too. Took some pictures the last time I was there a couple of years ago: http://s96.photobucket.com/albums/l177/ ... 003-22-07/

PS: Are you staying near Furnace Creek? You never know if my schedule changes... ray:

Thanks Umberto...lovely pictures...I hope we have that kind of clear weather even if it's cold! If you are able to escape even for Sunday, that would be fantastic to have you along - drinks are on me!! You have my cell - feel free to give me a ring Saturday if you're up for it! Maybe you can drag along Scott and Jim as well.

We're definitely planning to hit Furnace Creek - coming in from the south thru Badwater and then working our way over to Panamint Springs. I remember some of the pics Jeffrey had shared a few years ago and that looks like a must see stop over.

 

[umbertob]

If you are only passing through Panamint Springs, I highly recommend the short but very scenic trail to Lookout City, just a 10-15 minutes drive south of the "resort" (sort of... Good camping there, although it's probably freezing cold right now.) It's a steep climb with a very short and challenging rock crawl about half way up (Falls Zero), but should be doable by a stock LR with the help of a good spotter, unless conditions have deteriorated big time with the recent rains. The payoff when you get to Lookout City (an abandoned mining village) is an incredible view of the valley below:

If you have more time you might as well check out the Racetrack with its moving rocks, perhaps through Saline Valley Rd, Teakettle Junction and the high-pucker-factor 4x4 only Lippencott Mine grade (if it's passable), then continue on to Scotty's Castle and Ubehebe Crater. Beautiful all-day trip, I did it during the last Rover Rendezvous there.

Yeah, as strange as it sounds to those who have never been there, DV is gorgeous and gigantic, it would take at least a week to see just some of its many hidden gems. I wish I could join you.

 

[PJPR01]

Those are some wicked shots...great suggestions! I'm really looking forward to the trip...maybe we'll get some snow there as well...that will make for some enjoyable camping along the way!

Sounds like you guys had quite a bit of fun at RR6 or RR7...

Have a good Holiday Umberto...hope it's a blockbuster!!

 

[vinniman]

Thanks Umbertob.

Those shots bring back memories when I was younger in the back of the Ford County Squire wagon cruis'n through Death Valley !

I fondly remember that F-16 fighter from the nearby air force base sighting us down the middle of the road and enjoy the trip ?

Cheerio,


Vinniman
'88 Highline
Perth, W.A.

 

[Drevs]

**** you and your playboy lifestyle, paul! I need to talk to the boss to get more vacation time so I can join in on some of these cool trips...

 

[PJPR01]

He he...we'll be hitting DV tomorrow and staying thru Tuesday before heading over to SB...swing by and join us for a day!

 

[phil.]

Not sure if any of you guys going saw this and/or can help. Some friends traveling from Austria across country in a D110 need help. Seems like some guys from SCLR are trying to help out, but since you guys are headed to DV

http://www.lrrforums.com/showthread.php?t=14335
http://sclr.org/roverboard/1-roverboard ... .html#3139

 

[TripleE]

Not sure if any of you guys going saw this and/or can help. Some friends traveling from Austria across country in a D110 need help. Seems like some guys from SCLR are trying to help out, but since you guys are headed to DV

http://www.lrrforums.com/showthread.php?t=14335
http://sclr.org/roverboard/1-roverboard ... .html#3139

Looks like this was the last update:

Stephan and Romana got a tow cost them $300, some shady tow truck took them to 140 West Ridgecrest Blvd. Ridgecrest CA, they called AAA they said they will get 200 miles for free but the tow truck driver told them it'll cost them $450 or $300 cash, they paid, anyway they are waiting in Ridgecrest, if anyone can help them, great, otherwise they have to wait till Monday morning to see a mechanic.

They think they have a broken bolt on the rear axel stabilizer, that's the best explanation they could give me.

Hovik

 

[umbertob]

One thing about DV... No communication for tens - or hundreds, depending on where you are - of miles. No cell phone service, no internet, not even power in many areas (the entire Panamint Springs resort runs on a big generator! They had one satellite public phone, but it was broken the last time I was there...) I wouldn't count on Paul or anyone already there to get any of this until they head back to civilization. Hope those Austrian kids are going to be OK.

 

[Drevs]

shoulda bought a japanese vehicle! :lol:

 

[PJPR01]

Not sure if any of you guys going saw this and/or can help. Some friends traveling from Austria across country in a D110 need help. Seems like some guys from SCLR are trying to help out, but since you guys are headed to DV

http://www.lrrforums.com/showthread.php?t=14335
http://sclr.org/roverboard/1-roverboard ... .html#3139

Hello Phil,

Just into town from DV for the last 3 days, and i've stopped in this morning to LR Santa Barbara to get a few goodies and fix a switch.

I see this vehicle in the service bay here - Umberto is right, there's no cell phone or broadband signals in DV, just the SPOT tracker works in case one gets into some sort of trouble.

Well...DV was a fun adventure, too short and needs lots of exploration on multiple repeat trips. Rob B (RRS S/C) and I had a couple of fun days of exploration, night runs and camping, and then misfortune struck him twice - 2 blown tires. I was able to patch the second tire 4 times - but he shredded the other one completely. After making it from the trail back to pavement, the patches kept failing since it was a huge sidewall gash that he had and eventually had to give him my spare. After that, we made it back out of DV to a local Discount tire and he was on his way.

Great fun - highly recommend it! Pictures will come later...

A few days in SB and then up to the Bay Area...may stop at Pismo Dunes for some fun as well...

 

[TripleE]

Just into town from DV for the last 3 days, and i've stopped in this morning to LR Santa Barbara to get a few goodies and fix a switch.

Where'd you eat? Tell me you went to The Palace! :wink: http://www.palacegrill.com/

Well...DV was a fun adventure, too short and needs lots of exploration on multiple repeat trips. Rob B (RRS S/C) and I had a couple of fun days of exploration, night runs and camping, and then misfortune struck him twice - 2 blown tires. I was able to patch the second tire 4 times - but he shredded the other one completely. After making it from the trail back to pavement, the patches kept failing since it was a huge sidewall gash that he had and eventually had to give him my spare. After that, we made it back out of DV to a local Discount tire and he was on his way.

Great fun - highly recommend it! Pictures will come later...

A few days in SB and then up to the Bay Area...may stop at Pismo Dunes for some fun as well...

Crazy about the tires, looks like you have some mad skills! :thumb: What brand/size were they?

 

[PJPR01]

He he...let's see, it was a nice Southwestern style grill on State street - you know, the one with the cute waitresses (oh wait, all of them have that feature! ) can't remember the name of the place though.

Of course, we had to take a trip thru IV and UCSB and visit the old house near Oak Park where we used to live many years ago...the beach was beautiful as always...perfect weather.

Have to also give a big thumbs up to LR Santa Barbara - top notch service/tech guys...and some very nice merchandise there as well....including a nice blue 1994 D90 for sale on the showroom floor which just sold.

Had great fun along the way out of town, went to Cachuma Lake, Solvang and then spent a couple of hours playing on the dunes at Ocean / Pismo Offroad park...that was a blast!!!

Funny thing about the tires - seems like all of my friends get flats when I go out with them (Gerald in Colorado and Padre Island, Steve in Big Bend, now Rob in Death Valley) - they keep using up my tire puncture repair kit plugs!!! The Cooper Zeon LTZ was the one that got shredded completely and the Nitto Terra Grappler got the side gash - I had to put about 6 or 7 plugs in there to create a mushroom...but ultimately the gash was too big to stay plugged. Strong argument for having 2 spare tires if you go to DV or plenty of friends willing to lend you their spare! The issue for his tires was not the tire itself but the low profile he's running - 285/50/20's...just not enough rubber.

 

[TripleE]

Awesome, awesome! :mrgreen: I shoulda had you take some pics where I lived in IV so I could see it now...probably the same run down 4-plex as I left it.

Someone is going to have a great blue Christmas present tomorrow morning. ray:

I figured it was a 20" must have been some tough terrain too, can't wait for the pics.