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Alvord Desert 2 - We Don't Want to Pull Anyone Out April 26, 2019. I don't know what the deal is exactly, but it seems that last year was a year of trips with rain and snow, and this year - at least so far - it's all about the wind. It was so windy through the night that at some point I closed...

......I don't know if anyone actually remembers the last time we visited, but one of the most remarkable things about the Playa is the surreal experience you get when driving on it at high speed. It's so flat, and so vast, that objects in the distance appear stationary while the ground around...

It'd been several weeks since my last trip and as usual that meant I had a bad case of the shakes. Spring is such a frustrating time from an adventure perspective - the weather seems so nice, and yet everywhere interesting is still covered in snow. And, the winter staple - the desert - is...

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Ruining Around Utah 6 - Hite to Home I was sure to get up early for our last morning in Utah - our location on the top of a plateau ideal for capturing the sunrise over Bears Ears. As it does, the light started subtly, working it's way to brilliant oranges and pinks above the horizon - one of...

......Having dozed off to sleep, I was awoken by an unusual sound about an hour later. It sounded like small grains of sand landing on the tent and rolling down the rain fly. Rain? No - it definitely didn't sound like rain, which lands with a single drop. A squirrel in a tree above, dropping...

......We also found an ammo box - something we initially thought must be a geocache, but instead turned out to be a congratulatory note from the National Park Service, letting us know that we'd found a secret ruin - one of many throughout the monument. One of many you say? Challenge...

Ruining Around Utah 5 - Canyoneering Natural Bridges National Monument March 28, 2019. It was a chilly night - at least compared to the last - our tents covered in a layer of frozen dew when I awoke in the morning. A quick glance out the window was enough for me to realize that no spectacular...

Thanks to all of you! Super glad you're enjoying the story, that's what it's all about! :)

...Our last step before new ground was to head down the Silver Steps one more time. This is a fun section of trial that makes it's way over the slickrock and gets the trucks a little flexy-twisty. In fact, while I found this entire trail to be fun - and while there are definitely more...

Ruining Around Utah 4 - Over-Under & Saving a Jeep March 27, 2019. Unlike basically every other night where wind and snow were possible in the forecast, this night turned out to be just as pleasant as the last :woot:, and when my alarm went off for sunrise, I was well-rested and ready to see...

...As Brett pulled into line at the top of the hill, I jogged back down to my truck - excited as usual when the trail requires a bit of attention. And, like the first three guys, I made it up unscathed - though I did stall once, "A little too trusting of the low gears, like Frank." Laughed...

Ruining Around Utah 3 - Stymied by Snow in Beef Basin March 26, 2019. Bobby Jo camp couldn't have provided a more pleasant place for us to sleep for the night - temperatures just right and only a light breeze to keep the air moving around within the tent. Having hit the sack relatively early...

......After catching our breaths and with our stomachs satisfied, it didn't take long for us to look for just the right place to try to capture Druid Arch. With the sun behind it, we weren't sure if we could even capture the grandeur, but we experimented with various exposures and settings and...

Ruining Around Utah 2 - Don't Miss Druid Arch Before heading to bed, Monte (@Blackdawg) tried his best to prep us for what lay ahead. "It's a long hike." he said. "We can make it 10 miles or even 14, depending on the route we take. But don't worry, it's mostly flat." Well, it wasn't mostly...

Thanks! One of the things I really want to try to keep (for as long as possible) is the "stock" look of the current flares. I dunno if I'll be able to hold out forever, but who knows. I've added the ptex to my list of "truck stuff" though, so I don't forget about it in the future.

......Before long, we were at Elephant Hill. We all aired down, and then set off in two groups - having been warned several times that we had to do the initial climb and descent in groups no larger than three vehicles. This is because the road begins a steep climb immediately upon leaving the...

Part 1 - Stopped in our Tracks at The Needles Just before our two trips to Anza-Borrego, Monte @Blackdawg reached out to see if we were interested in a late-March trip to Canyonlands and some hiking of a few nearby slot canyons - perhaps even some that we'd attempted in our F.U.Rain trip last...

... we were keen to see what was at the end of Sheep Canyon, and so we pushed on. As it turns out, what's at the end of Sheep Canyon is a campground - and, at least on this day, a full one at that! Disappointed, we made our way through the small loop and noticed a white first gen Tacoma camped...

Anza-Borrego Part 7 - So. Many. People. Hills of the Moon Wash turned out to be a great place to spend the night - the the air was calm, just a light breeze that kept us cool and comfortable through the night. The surrounding hills also afforded plenty of privacy, and afforded us a bit of...