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).
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).
