Seaweed Cowboy
New member
Incredibly thorough thread, thanks for putting all this info in one spot! I just repacked my kits and this was super helpful
Yetti’s Pacific North West Exploration & Expeditions Picture heavy
- Thread starter Pacific Northwest yetti
- Start date
Pacific Northwest yetti
Expedition Medic
Thanks! I appreciate that. And its always good to hear. I have gleaned a lot of info from this platform since its inception, and returning the favor is nice.
I am slowly trying to go back through and edit stuff, as I kind of put it all up fast. And did not always take time to double check spelling, grammar, etc. I am also finding myself going back to old posts of my own.
So I appreciate anyone who has stuck with it, some of my posts are pretty rough.
Any question, don’t be shy!
Pacific Northwest yetti
Expedition Medic
I am in the Vegas area for the month. Work is keeping me pretty busy, but got a quick 4 mile hike in yesterday.
I will add more pictures and such later.
Desert tortoise crossing, traffic blocked and all.
I will add more pictures and such later.
Desert tortoise crossing, traffic blocked and all.
Pacific Northwest yetti
Expedition Medic
Vegas, was well Vegas. Hot, with no shortage of traffic and people. Glad to be back.
The first weekend there, we set out to do two petroglyph trails. However, they were not dog friendly so we did the Sloan trail. And did a 4.5-mile hike. Getting back before noon, and the temps crept up.
The guy in the van, there ended up being a few who did that. Backed into a paved spot. And climbed on the roof to take pictures facing “ the wild”…..
It took the tortoise about 35 mins to cross the road. People, are not always good. I stopped of course, and saw a van coming up on me fast. So I turned on my strobes and blocked the other lane. And shortly after a Subaru came speeding around the corner and laid on the breaks.
A bright yellow crew cab 2500 Chevy with Amber strobes on all sides is pretty easy to see….
The ranger thanked me, and the other driver cursed, wrote a few tickets…
I don’t know what this bug is, hissed when the dog sniffed it. And there were probably about 6 of them in the same spot. I uploaded to I Naturalist but nothing yet. It was not small
The first weekend there, we set out to do two petroglyph trails. However, they were not dog friendly so we did the Sloan trail. And did a 4.5-mile hike. Getting back before noon, and the temps crept up.
The guy in the van, there ended up being a few who did that. Backed into a paved spot. And climbed on the roof to take pictures facing “ the wild”…..
It took the tortoise about 35 mins to cross the road. People, are not always good. I stopped of course, and saw a van coming up on me fast. So I turned on my strobes and blocked the other lane. And shortly after a Subaru came speeding around the corner and laid on the breaks.
A bright yellow crew cab 2500 Chevy with Amber strobes on all sides is pretty easy to see….
The ranger thanked me, and the other driver cursed, wrote a few tickets…
I don’t know what this bug is, hissed when the dog sniffed it. And there were probably about 6 of them in the same spot. I uploaded to I Naturalist but nothing yet. It was not small
Pacific Northwest yetti
Expedition Medic
Glad to be out of the heat. We found a routine pretty quick, 3am alarm. Park, and run. Back to hotel, breakfast, 1/2hr traffic to work by 6am. But was usually back by 15:00 or so.
Afternoon the pavement and asphalt was scorching, so Mishka had to wear shoes.
She always sticks pretty close, so even though I have her leash with me. Its not always on her. In this case, I thought she wandered off, nope just sitting behind me in some shade. ^^
I appreciated how dog friendly the hotel was. They even left dog treats hanging on the door most days.
Afternoon the pavement and asphalt was scorching, so Mishka had to wear shoes.
She always sticks pretty close, so even though I have her leash with me. Its not always on her. In this case, I thought she wandered off, nope just sitting behind me in some shade. ^^
I appreciated how dog friendly the hotel was. They even left dog treats hanging on the door most days.
Pacific Northwest yetti
Expedition Medic
It did not take long climbing out of the valley vegas is in to find some heat relief. No more 80f 3 am mornings.
Thursday and Friday were drive days, about 8ish hours each day. Vegas to Winnemucca, then Winnemucca to Hermiston. I took the route through Burns, and John Day. I just like the smaller two lane highway. Its mostly a dead zone, so pod casts, audiobooks with miles and smiles. Appreciative of the company truck, not a diesel fan. But it sure cruises nice,
I really just like the desert desolation,
All the motorcycles from the Giant Loop rally, I worked it a few years back. Is always fun, it looks like it at least tripled in size.
These bugs, and they are massive, That’s a K barrier, and I am in the truck. There were millions of them, in some spots the road was actually slippery….and just coated. It must be migrations or breeding seasons. Reminded me a little of when the cicadas hatch in Missouri.
There was no way to avoid them, miles and miles of them. Then a random patch with nothing, then many again. I feel like I have driven this route quite a few times the last few years, and have never seen them like this before. Mostly in Nv, and I did not really see any once I crossed into Oregon.
Thursday and Friday were drive days, about 8ish hours each day. Vegas to Winnemucca, then Winnemucca to Hermiston. I took the route through Burns, and John Day. I just like the smaller two lane highway. Its mostly a dead zone, so pod casts, audiobooks with miles and smiles. Appreciative of the company truck, not a diesel fan. But it sure cruises nice,
I really just like the desert desolation,
All the motorcycles from the Giant Loop rally, I worked it a few years back. Is always fun, it looks like it at least tripled in size.
These bugs, and they are massive, That’s a K barrier, and I am in the truck. There were millions of them, in some spots the road was actually slippery….and just coated. It must be migrations or breeding seasons. Reminded me a little of when the cicadas hatch in Missouri.
There was no way to avoid them, miles and miles of them. Then a random patch with nothing, then many again. I feel like I have driven this route quite a few times the last few years, and have never seen them like this before. Mostly in Nv, and I did not really see any once I crossed into Oregon.
Pacific Northwest yetti
Expedition Medic
Saturday was a nieces graduation, I was looking forward to a relaxing Sunday doing adult things, laundry, groceries, and the like before starting anothe work week.
No such luck, A phone call later. Right after a 1.5 mile trail run, and a PR w/ a 9min and 40 second mile.
They were doing a burn 2 learn. This is where someone donated a house, and for training it gets burnt. Generally starting a fire in each room, watching it grow as we are in the room. And then putting it out. And starting it again. Once 1 room is charred we go to the next. Running students through on the hose line. These are controlled ish environments, but as you can imagine. The risk is real. However there no better way to learn fire behavior, thermal layering, flash over, pyrolysis, gas exchange….And the list goes on. These really are not as common as they once were, as EPA regulations are very strict.
Since I have something like 16yrs of experience, its important to have experienced, cool headed people there to help teach, and keep the kids safe. And generally an Experienced team, backing up a new team.
Here are a few pics, of me and the fire.
Once all the rooms have been exhausted, we let the entire place go up. With the objective being cooling, and exposure protection. Here, I am just keeping this tree from burning. As well as short bursts to cool the Delta side, and keep the grass green, and of course the vehicles and a primary escape route open.
As well as the album on FB to the dept page.
<iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/post.php?href=https://www.facebook.com/firedistrictone/posts/870246455141371&show_text=true&width=500&preview=comet_preview" width="500" height="787" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; picture-in-picture; web-share"></iframe>
If you have any questions, dont hesiate to ask.
No such luck, A phone call later. Right after a 1.5 mile trail run, and a PR w/ a 9min and 40 second mile.
They were doing a burn 2 learn. This is where someone donated a house, and for training it gets burnt. Generally starting a fire in each room, watching it grow as we are in the room. And then putting it out. And starting it again. Once 1 room is charred we go to the next. Running students through on the hose line. These are controlled ish environments, but as you can imagine. The risk is real. However there no better way to learn fire behavior, thermal layering, flash over, pyrolysis, gas exchange….And the list goes on. These really are not as common as they once were, as EPA regulations are very strict.
Since I have something like 16yrs of experience, its important to have experienced, cool headed people there to help teach, and keep the kids safe. And generally an Experienced team, backing up a new team.
Here are a few pics, of me and the fire.
Once all the rooms have been exhausted, we let the entire place go up. With the objective being cooling, and exposure protection. Here, I am just keeping this tree from burning. As well as short bursts to cool the Delta side, and keep the grass green, and of course the vehicles and a primary escape route open.
As well as the album on FB to the dept page.
<iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/post.php?href=https://www.facebook.com/firedistrictone/posts/870246455141371&show_text=true&width=500&preview=comet_preview" width="500" height="787" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; picture-in-picture; web-share"></iframe>
If you have any questions, dont hesiate to ask.
Last edited:
NevadaLover
Forking Icehole
The black one with the red head is a Master blister beetle, very common from vegas south, their blood is a defensive weapon and when touched will burn and blister the skin, nasty little critters best avoided.
This one is a Shield backed katydid, aka the mormon cricket, a serious pest anywhere they are found, when the population is up they swarm by the billions destroying crops, ornamental plants and even the siding on houses, they cause vehicle accidents just from the sludge created by millions of them getting squished crossing the roads.
Pacific Northwest yetti
Expedition Medic
Nevada Lover,
Thank you for taking the time to educate me! Those blister beetles are nasty when I googled them after you gave me a name. Glad I trusted the dog, when she backed away from it, and did not try to pick one up. Good ole bright colors in nature…
https://askabiologist.asu.edu/explore/big-bad-beetle
The mormon crickets, ill vouch for everything the article says. Its was still kind of hard to fathom the sheer amount of the mormon crickets, and I was there.
Thank you for taking the time to educate me! Those blister beetles are nasty when I googled them after you gave me a name. Glad I trusted the dog, when she backed away from it, and did not try to pick one up. Good ole bright colors in nature…
https://askabiologist.asu.edu/explore/big-bad-beetle
The mormon crickets, ill vouch for everything the article says. Its was still kind of hard to fathom the sheer amount of the mormon crickets, and I was there.
Last edited:
NevadaLover
Forking Icehole
I hope you have already washed your truck, dead mormon cricket sludge leaves a stench all over every thing it gets on, really nasty!
Luinil Explorations
Adventurer
we have taken the two lane down to Vegas several times. Very pretty route.
Pacific Northwest yetti
Expedition Medic
Thanks! Before I even unloaded my stuff, I hosed it down really well. And got the vast majority. When I let my dog out, the other dogs of course were excited to see their friend again after a month. Except one of the bear dog puppies, who just started licking the bug guts off the truck. So nasty
That is something about that route, and for almost all of it. You can pretty much find a road into the BLM and camp anywhere. With out seeing anyone else.
Pacific Northwest yetti
Expedition Medic
Nothing new or exciting. Just work, and it’s looking like I may need to go back to Vegas again for at least part of July…
Last Thursday, when 4kibs of water reactive white powder shows up at the dump… that was a 4 hour stand by. Good Ole Haz mat. Sodium Hydroxide, You don’t want to be the facility that did that…..
The garbage truck did a pick up from an Ag Supply place, followed by the fast food route.
Last Thursday, when 4kibs of water reactive white powder shows up at the dump… that was a 4 hour stand by. Good Ole Haz mat. Sodium Hydroxide, You don’t want to be the facility that did that…..
The garbage truck did a pick up from an Ag Supply place, followed by the fast food route.
Sierra Valley
Wander
I did John Day last month came over from La Grande and ended over in Madrid for the night. WOW what a drive and very remote the people friendly.
Pacific Northwest yetti
Expedition Medic
Its a fun route on a moto as well. And this spring weather has been great for these trips. Still cool at night, and not super hot during the day. Were you going that route for the Expo?