Overlanerd
Vagabond Outdoors
After a cancelled DV trip last year, we decided to come through in 2008. Neither my wife or I had ever been to Death Valley before, and I somehow convinced her that the Scout wouldn't leave us stranded...
After wrenching heavily on the Scout one year ago, I completely stopped in February after our landlord told us the rental was going into foreclosure. The project immediately went to the back burner. The Scout was stored at my father-in-law's shop from May to September and the Scout went untouched. We lived with the in-laws for a few months and finally closed escrow in August. The Scout didn't come to the new place until September. Our house has been the focus lately and I frantically started working on the truck again, one week before the trip.
We left late Thanksgiving morning and decided to work- out the bugs/ packing situation between San Leandro and Bakersfield. Not the best idea. Our first night was spent in Red Rocks State park. We didn't spend much time there and headed out early to DV the next morning.
After stopping over in Stovepipe Wells to refuel, we headed out to Chloride Canyon for the night. The wind was a howlin' and the box was swaying. Aerodynamic, shmerodynamic!
We had to relocate to a more protected site after nightfall. Good thing that it only takes 2 minutes to break- down camp...
The trail was fairly technical, especially in the dark. Needless to say, I couldn't convince my wife to get- out and snap pictures with the 40 mph wind factor.
Out the back way and into Nevada to 95
Back onto paved roads for 3 miles to the entrance of Titus Canyon. The 1st gear, low-range, 5 mph technical- crawling on Chloride Canyon Road made me think that the vehicle was relatively rattle- free and secure. Those thoughts went out the window when I hit the washboard surface of Titus Canyon Road...
This was taken when I pulled over to let a Ford Focus pass me...
Titus Canyon was awesome, but the days are short when you head- out late. We drove through 1/2 the canyon at dusk. We'll have to see the colors next year.
Upon hitting Scotty's Castle Road, a sign informed us that they had no gas. We reluctantly headed back to Stovepipe Wells. I’m a big fan of loops and hate backtracking when possible. When I pulled into the station at Stovepipe, it felt like my parking brake was on and the air reeked of burning pads. The front hub was untouchably hot, so we decided to camp there for the night.
I took apart the hub Sunday morning to discover a blown-out inner wheel bearing. Good times. My wife wanted to go with plan AAA, but I opted for plan B.
After sarcastically asking the gas- station clerk where the nearest Kragen was, he informed me that I was screwed. I pondered giving a Ridgecrest- bound stranger money to buy a wheel bearing, and he could pass it on to a DV- bound stranger. If only the world was that perfect… The clerk said that the hotel manager was about to head into Ridgecrest and would return the next morning. Bingo! A few calls later and the wheel bearings (2 inner and 2 outer- just in case), and a big tub-o-grease, were on hold.
In the meantime, we took the long walk to Mosaic Canyon.
Then the nearby dunes the next morning.
The hotel manager returned the next day at noon with the goods. We’re sending that guy a Christmas card.
After wrenching heavily on the Scout one year ago, I completely stopped in February after our landlord told us the rental was going into foreclosure. The project immediately went to the back burner. The Scout was stored at my father-in-law's shop from May to September and the Scout went untouched. We lived with the in-laws for a few months and finally closed escrow in August. The Scout didn't come to the new place until September. Our house has been the focus lately and I frantically started working on the truck again, one week before the trip.
We left late Thanksgiving morning and decided to work- out the bugs/ packing situation between San Leandro and Bakersfield. Not the best idea. Our first night was spent in Red Rocks State park. We didn't spend much time there and headed out early to DV the next morning.
After stopping over in Stovepipe Wells to refuel, we headed out to Chloride Canyon for the night. The wind was a howlin' and the box was swaying. Aerodynamic, shmerodynamic!
We had to relocate to a more protected site after nightfall. Good thing that it only takes 2 minutes to break- down camp...
The trail was fairly technical, especially in the dark. Needless to say, I couldn't convince my wife to get- out and snap pictures with the 40 mph wind factor.
Out the back way and into Nevada to 95
Back onto paved roads for 3 miles to the entrance of Titus Canyon. The 1st gear, low-range, 5 mph technical- crawling on Chloride Canyon Road made me think that the vehicle was relatively rattle- free and secure. Those thoughts went out the window when I hit the washboard surface of Titus Canyon Road...
This was taken when I pulled over to let a Ford Focus pass me...
Titus Canyon was awesome, but the days are short when you head- out late. We drove through 1/2 the canyon at dusk. We'll have to see the colors next year.
Upon hitting Scotty's Castle Road, a sign informed us that they had no gas. We reluctantly headed back to Stovepipe Wells. I’m a big fan of loops and hate backtracking when possible. When I pulled into the station at Stovepipe, it felt like my parking brake was on and the air reeked of burning pads. The front hub was untouchably hot, so we decided to camp there for the night.
I took apart the hub Sunday morning to discover a blown-out inner wheel bearing. Good times. My wife wanted to go with plan AAA, but I opted for plan B.
After sarcastically asking the gas- station clerk where the nearest Kragen was, he informed me that I was screwed. I pondered giving a Ridgecrest- bound stranger money to buy a wheel bearing, and he could pass it on to a DV- bound stranger. If only the world was that perfect… The clerk said that the hotel manager was about to head into Ridgecrest and would return the next morning. Bingo! A few calls later and the wheel bearings (2 inner and 2 outer- just in case), and a big tub-o-grease, were on hold.
In the meantime, we took the long walk to Mosaic Canyon.
Then the nearby dunes the next morning.
The hotel manager returned the next day at noon with the goods. We’re sending that guy a Christmas card.
