goin' to california,with an aching in my heart, need advice

['round n' back again]

no not really an aching more like a light surface of rust from all the rain we are getting here in Oregon. gonna be out 4 weeks

i am leaving for cali on the 15th gonna go down the 395 all the way ending up in escondido Ca. then who knows maybe on to baja. but for sure a lot of time in Anza Borrego.

My Question
what kinda gear do you guys pack for long range camping?

Im taking a little 63x43" inch utility trailer with me. in it :
cots
range tent
propane stove
tools what kind you take?

cooler
sleeping gear etc.

first aid
flashlights
help me if you have any ideas.

Ive dirtbagged and spent a lot of time tramping after construction jobs but thats kinda different from this

Spare parts?
i have a used fuel pump. ignition coil, alt belt, timing belt.
Ive got a bucket load of tools. likely i just take 10,12,14,16, sockets and wrenches save space /weight.

Dog: a vintage australian shepard. this may be his last rodeo. it may be both our last rodeo if i dont carefully plan this.

Gun; just my usual .357 as a rabble deflector.

any suggestions?


thx

 

[Happykamper]

Sounds like you know what your doing. Just make sure when you get to your destination Escondido you and your Aussie buddy decide to go the rest of the way!

May god make smooth the path you follow.

If it's a last rodeo ride the BIG BULL !

 

[Oso]

don't take the gun to baja. they'll keep it AND you. Ive spent a lot of time in baja. they don't mess around when it comes to guns crossing the border. and they like to search 4WD vehicles.

 

[JohnnyBfromPeoria]

All good points above. Please, please do not take a firearm or even a SINGLE round of ammunition (search your vehicle carefully) across the border into MX or we will not hear from you for a long time. I am a big firearms enthusiast and I urge you to take this seriously.

Oso has had some really cool adventures in Baja and I like his stories. Bring some back, please.

John B.

 

['round n' back again]

yes of course no guns in mex. and frankly guns are often a bother to travel with.i have to talk myself into it each trip out,
except in this case im going into strange country for me.

dog, bless his paws, would likely not go to mexico.
i would hook up with a caravan if i go.
camping dispersed in the borrego...anyone done it?
im liking the idea of setting up practice camp, as i will have children along for a short while.
tools cant think of anything beyond thr regular. im taking a dewalt 3/8 and IR 1/2 impact gun. cordless. lotsa lighting. i have no communications.except cell phone
is a CB truly useful?

 

[EyeInTheSky]

yes of course no guns in mex. and frankly guns are often a bother to travel with.i have to talk myself into it each trip out,
except in this case im going into strange country for me.

dog, bless his paws, would likely not go to mexico.
i would hook up with a caravan if i go.
camping dispersed in the borrego...anyone done it?
im liking the idea of setting up practice camp, as i will have children along for a short while.
tools cant think of anything beyond thr regular. im taking a dewalt 3/8 and IR 1/2 impact gun. cordless. lotsa lighting. i have no communications.except cell phone
is a CB truly useful?

I haven't had the need yet, but there are many success stories of rescues etc from radios and GPS beacons. A Baofeng UV-5R handheld ham radio is cheap insurance at $35. Just make sure to get your frequencies figured out ahead of time and familiarize yourself with the radio.

Plenty of info on the net about how to use it. Preferably get your ham license (but 90% of Baofeng owners don't).

Regarding tools, i keep the following in all my vehicles (wife's included):
A couple sizes of Vise Grips
An adjustable wrench
A pair of regular slip joint pliers
A pair of needle nose pliers
Phillips and flat head screwdrivers

I've used them more times than I care to remember. My camping rig has a many more more since tools can save your butt in a bad situation, and some jobs are nearly impossible without the right ones.

Lastly, regarding first aid. I have a complete trauma kit in my rig, and some think I go overboard (Tourniquet, SAM splint, chest seal, tension pneumothorax decompression needle, etc). Tourniquets are not the boogeyman like they used to be, just ask the Army. Get yourself a RAT tourniquet and read up on its use.

A good first aid kit is another useful piece of insurance, especially if you're far from help or encounter a truly grave injury.

 

[Pdivizzle0112]

I haven't had the need yet, but there are many success stories of rescues etc from radios and GPS beacons. A Baofeng UV-5R handheld ham radio is cheap insurance at $35. Just make sure to get your frequencies figured out ahead of time and familiarize yourself with the radio.

Plenty of info on the net about how to use it. Preferably get your ham license (but 90% of Baofeng owners don't).

Regarding tools, i keep the following in all my vehicles (wife's included):
A couple sizes of Vise Grips
An adjustable wrench
A pair of regular slip joint pliers
A pair of needle nose pliers
Phillips and flat head screwdrivers

I've used them more times than I care to remember. My camping rig has a many more more since tools can save your butt in a bad situation, and some jobs are nearly impossible without the right ones.

Lastly, regarding first aid. I have a complete trauma kit in my rig, and some think I go overboard (Tourniquet, SAM splint, chest seal, tension pneumothorax decompression needle, etc). Tourniquets are not the boogeyman like they used to be, just ask the Army. Get yourself a RAT tourniquet and read up on its use.

A good first aid kit is another useful piece of insurance, especially if you're far from help or encounter a truly grave injury.

+1 on the tourniquets and first aid stuff. I carry a RAT-T and a CAT-T on me while on duty and have about six more in my patrol car. My parter had to use one on a motorcyclist who got his foot ripped off about a month ago. Man was he lucky we had tourniquets. I keep them in all my vehicles.

 

[Swift_45a]

I live(d) in S. OC and worked and went to school in SD, so many surf spots to mention, but I'm not sure that's what you're there for.

Tools for even my basic surf trips in my Montero with overnight camping within SoCal:

200 piece mechanic set
Ramps or Hi-lift jack
Cordless Impact wrench and impact sockets
Breaker bar

No comment on a gun, as I own one, too; but I just have one question: Bro, do you even lift?

Have fun drop me a line if you want to try some surf spots, i was in Ashland earlier this year and yea... completely different Beach vibe than SoCal.

 

[ManfromSnowyRiver]

Fuel I would take at least 5 cans for Baja.

 

[SDDiver5]

If you bring that gun, enjoy a mexican jail. I went into mexico this past weekend and had a great time. Had my truck packed with dive gear, surfboards and food and at one of the routine stops they looked in my truck and made me pull a bunch of stuff out so they could have a better look at my spear guns all the while having a machine gun aimed at my truck.

Mexico is wonderful. Be smart and you wont have any use for a gun.

I remember someone saying you need a permit to bring your dog back into the US...not sure if thats absolutely needed but might be worth checking in to.

Dont forget mexican Insurance.

Good luck!

Edit: Just realized you said California, not Baja California. That explains my mexico advice.

 

[Oso]

Fuel I would take at least 5 cans for Baja.

nah. realistically you only need two. there are plenty of fuel stops along the main road. and to get from either coast to the main road is usually never more than half a tank away. my usual M.O. was to fill my tank when half empty and refill at the next stop. had two 5 gallon cans on the roof rack and siphoned them into the tank when i was updating my route on the paper maps. 5 cans is a lot of weight up top. And in the sun tanks tend to expand and leak fuel. the less mess the better.

regarding fuel stations - here are three tips to avoid rigged pumps that dispense less than the gauge says.

1. if you see a local taxi use a certain pump at a station, then use that one. it'll be the most accurate.
2. ALWAYS check to see that the pump is zeroed out.
3. ALWAYS fill your 5 gallon spare first. If the pump is off you'll know. Mark a line on the tank at exactly 5 gallons. write 18.97 liters next to the line. when they fill it to the line it'll be easy to see if the pump is accurate.

 

[chet6.7]

It's a good time to get out of OR,don't worry there will be plenty of rain left when you get back.
I hope the dog enjoys the trip too.



Understand CA gun laws.
https://oag.ca.gov/firearms/travel

 

[IncorpoRatedX]

regarding fuel stations - here are three tips to avoid rigged pumps that dispense less than the gauge says.

1. if you see a local taxi use a certain pump at a station, then use that one. it'll be the most accurate.
2. ALWAYS check to see that the pump is zeroed out.
3. ALWAYS fill your 5 gallon spare first. If the pump is off you'll know. Mark a line on the tank at exactly 5 gallons. write 18.97 liters next to the line. when they fill it to the line it'll be easy to see if the pump is accurate.

Wow, learn something new every day. It hadn't even crossed my mind.

 

[ManfromSnowyRiver]

nah. realistically you only need two. there are plenty of fuel stops along the main road. and to get from either coast to the main road is usually never more than half a tank away. my usual M.O. was to fill my tank when half empty and refill at the next stop. had two 5 gallon cans on the roof rack and siphoned them into the tank when i was updating my route on the paper maps. 5 cans is a lot of weight up top. And in the sun tanks tend to expand and leak fuel. the less mess the better.

regarding fuel stations - here are three tips to avoid rigged pumps that dispense less than the gauge says.

1. if you see a local taxi use a certain pump at a station, then use that one. it'll be the most accurate.
2. ALWAYS check to see that the pump is zeroed out.
3. ALWAYS fill your 5 gallon spare first. If the pump is off you'll know. Mark a line on the tank at exactly 5 gallons. write 18.97 liters next to the line. when they fill it to the line it'll be easy to see if the pump is accurate.

To be honest, with 5 cans I ended up buying gas out of roadside barrel's and remote villages. 5 is borderline in my opinion. But thats assuming you are attempting to stay off road. If you stay on the highway or close you can certainly do 2. I would never put any fuel on the roof however, good point.

 

[Oso]

It changed drastically in the 5-6 years I was there. The hwy is now paved from the border all the way to Cabo. It's still a great place to explore and still wild if you're willing to venture out a bit. My last road trip was nearly 100% off road from la Paz to the Az border. I spent about 100 miles altogether on the hwy and that was only when Id come back up for fuel.

If you head deep into Baja stop at Cocos corner and get directions to the mission ruins about 30 miles south of there. It runs thru some amazing canyons and arroyos.

And find a Baja Almanac. It's an amazing set of maps. They are rare but I've heard you can order them from Allende books in la Paz. The shop is owned by gringos so there shouldn't be a language barrier of you call (assuming you don't Habla). Just know that their definition of an unimproved road means "goat trail".

Three more tips. 1. I use 18" lag bolts and my impact driver to stake my tent when it gets windy. Makes penetrating the rocky soil a breeze. 2. Bring a bottle of good tequila and a few cups. Many of the roads cross private land. Be sure to shut the gate behind you when you cross. And if you see cabelleros on horseback, wave and offer them a drink. 3. Bring extra bottles of water and cheap sunglasses from the dollar store. Generosity goes along way at the military checkpoints and the soldiers appreciate it. I'd get searched heading south and then driving back up a week or two later they'd recognize me and save me thru.