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Death Valley


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#1 Ted

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Posted 25 February 2007 - 04:29 AM

First of all, thank you to Simimike for putting out the call to join him in Death Valley over the Presidents' Day weekend. Unfortunately, we missed Mike but had a good trip anyway. Next, unlike other trip reports, my photos are from a cheap film camera and are not the quality seen in other reports. I'm having a problem inserting the photos in the right locations. Since they follow the message, you will have pan back and forth. anyway, here is our report.

We headed out after work on Thursday. We overnighted at a Walmart south of Fresno. for those of you that aren't aware of it, most Walmarts allow RV's to overnight in their parking lots. If you are trying to go long distance and want to stop only to sleep without paying for it, it is a good way to go. Due to city ordinances, not all stores allow this. Call ahead to be safe.
Anyway, Friday we headed over the Tehachapi Mountains and towards Death Valley. Stopped for lunch at the Trona Pinnacles (first photo). These are essentially 140 foot tufa towers in an old lake bed. If you watched the 2001 remake of Planet of the Apes, you have seen them. These are not far from China Basin Naval Air Station and the pilots use the towers as a landmark while flying. We did get an F-15 in full afterburner at 300 feet while we were there. Pretty exciting! There is a very clean pit toilet here and it is a good spot for free camping and stunning stars. We also met some people here that are HAM radio operators. Apparently the openness of the area allows for good reception.

Friday night we spent at Stovepipe Wells campground - basically a gravel parking lot. There is a store, gas station, and showers are available across the street. Next day we headed out to Racetrack Playa, famous for the mysterious moving rocks. This is a gravel road about 26 miles long but easily passable by most vehicles. About 20 miles out is Teakettle Junction. It is a tradition to hang, you guessed it, teakettles on the sign (second photo).

Here are some of the rocks at Racetrack Playa (third and fourth photos).

On the way back we camped at Teakettle Junction (fifth photo). Right before this, we pulled over to let a group of oncoming jeeps pass. Behind us was a Honda Pilot that thought we pulled over for him. He misjudged going around us and the leg on the camper can-openered his whole right side, from the front fender to the rear quarter panel. Literally cut and peeled back the steel the whole length of his vehicle, plus tore his mirror off. No damage to the leg or camper at all. Goes to show Ben was building these campers right!
photo).Trona Pinnacles.jpg

junction sign.jpg

Racetrack Playa.jpg

stop that rock.jpg

Camp at teakettle.jpg
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#2 Ted

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Posted 25 February 2007 - 04:48 AM

Apparently a five photo maximum, so had to break up the report...

Next day we went back to pavement and did Salt Creek, Furnace Creek, Devil's Golf Course, Bad Water, and Artist's Drive (first photo). That night we went back to Stovepipe Wells campground (second photo). It rained heavily Monday morning and it was snowing at the pass as we left Death Valley (third photo).

From here, we visited Manzanar, the Japanese internment camp on Hway 395, and camped at Mammoth Lakes Monday night. While there, we met a couple from the Bay Area with a FWC that have done a three month trip! Now that is something to look forward to. Meanwhile, we'll have to put with our extended weekends or occasional weeks off. Still, it was a great trip and the camper provided us with plenty of comfort. Why do we love our FWC? Because we can be 20 miles from the nearest pavement, have our feet up, a good bottle of wine, and good food cooking (last photo).

Attached Thumbnails

  • artist's palette.jpg
  • Stovepipe Wells Camp.jpg
  • summit in snow.jpg
  • Sunset and wine at Teakettle.jpg

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#3 captainkettel

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Posted 25 February 2007 - 05:36 PM

Thanks for the trip report and photos. I'm going to DV NP the second week in March for a week or two. Was there much of a bloom out yet? I have never been to Death Valley so it looks like it might be a real Adventure...:D
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#4 Ted

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Posted 25 February 2007 - 06:05 PM

Hi Captain,

There was no bloom to speak of while we were there. However, we were a little early for a typical bloom. The rain that hit Monday morning was some of the heaviest downpours I have experienced. Most roadway gully crossings were overrun with mud and rocks as we headed out. So with the amount of water that came down and better timing on your behalf, it seems like you should have decent bloom while you are there.

As for adventure, there are more off-road trips to do there than can be covered in a vacation. This was our first trip also and we really had to pick and choose what to see and do. Besides the Racetrack Playa we went to, there are many mines and ghost towns that can be explored. There are some good books and maps at the visitor center in Furnace Creek. We will certainly be making return trips.

Hope you have a good time.
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#5 kcowyo

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Posted 25 February 2007 - 08:49 PM

......and the leg on the camper can-openered his whole right side, from the front fender to the rear quarter panel. Literally cut and peeled back the steel the whole length of his vehicle, plus tore his mirror off.


Yikes! :eek:

And their reaction was.....?

This is a cool photo Ted, livin' the good life!

Great pics and write-up. DV is a very special place.
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#6 Ted

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Posted 26 February 2007 - 04:14 AM

He was strangely calm about it. After we determined there was no damage to our vehicle, he seemed to just accept it. He apologized, threw his mirror in the back, and left. I guess he was more worried about what his wife was going to do to him when he got back.;)
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#7 erod

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Posted 10 June 2007 - 04:09 PM

great report, thanks for the pics!
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#8 Sam

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Posted 10 June 2007 - 05:33 PM

:P No picture of the Pilot?
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#9 Ted

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Posted 11 June 2007 - 04:15 AM

Sam,

Regretfully not. It is one of those things that in hind sight seem obvious but I didn't think of at the time. Since then, we bought a digital camera (yes, we are behind the times technologically) and are taking many more photos. Hopefully it won't happen again, but if it does, we will be ready.
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#10 erod

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Posted 11 June 2007 - 03:13 PM

glad to hear you entered the digital era:D ! looking forward to more pics of your camping adventures. cheers ted!
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Erod 2002 Tacoma, TRD supercharger, exhaust, headers, URD 3.4L 5VZ-FE Toyota Truck Supercharger Fuel Upgrade Kit, ARB front bumper, OME shocks and coils, OME 7 leaf packs, Ride-rite airbags. 2002 FWC Eagle





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