First trip west

[buzzman]

Well, you all have been teasing me way too long with your great trip reports from the mountains of the west. I am finally gonna be wandering the west for and open ended trip for about a month in my '07 Grandby and '77 model truck. I even ordered absentee ballots! If I get my act together, should be departing west TN tomorrow, Oct 10th. Plan to head to northern NM for a few days, then into southern CO for a few more days, then southern UT to see as much as I can. Eventually I need to make it to Santa Barbara CA for a visit and then up to Carson City NV for another visit. I hope to visit Stan at the FWC factory and whatever else I see in northern CA.

This is covering a lot of territory so I won't get to all the great places. I don't have a real off-road expedition truck, but hope to do some back country camping on 2wd roads. Sean Dempsey, in Eagle WI, has given me some tips for free camping in USFS and BLM land, which will be new for me, and everyone in this forum has definitely helped. I got some Benchmark maps, and a couple Tony Huegel "Byways" books to help also. I plan to NOT read, hear, or watch any depressing news for a month.

I'll send pics and reports when I have a chance.

 

[erod]

good luck on your journey buzz...winter is on its way so pack lots of warm gear...oh yea, take lots of pics! have fun!

 

[Tomas Tierra]

near Santa Barbara...

Hey Buzz,

We are about a half hour south of SB. Drop me a PM if you have any Q's about this area or want to pop the top at the beach, we have a level driveway steps to the sand..

Have a great trip!! Weather here is stellar this time of year..

TT

 

[Sam]

Good job! Enjoy the trip & be ready for some winter in the mountains. If you need any repairs or places to stay just drop a note on the board, no shortage of folks here more than willing to accommodate a fellow "wanderer". Feel free to look me up if you get to the Yosemite area.

 

[pvstoy]

Buzz,

If in southern Utah and the road is wet and there is a sign "Unpassable When Wet" believe it. The road has clay and is very slipperly. There is a lot to see in Utah and Colorado that I could spend months and not see it all.

We always camp on back roads and places out of the way with no problems. Just have to get used to doing it.

Carson City, Nevada?? If you need any help for your equipment or help finding CC give me a PM.

Have a great trip and dress for warmth and prepare for changing weather.

 

[Marc]

Buzzman I'm envious. Have a great time WTW.

marc

 

[John D]

Buzzman, Have a good trip. One of the things I have done over the years is to make a check list before departure. (If I think it might rain or snow, I put tire chains and a shovel on my list.) After each trip, the list is reviewed and improved. Check lists help, especially when traveling so far.

If you have not seen it, go to Grand Canyon.

Don't worry about 2WD because 4WD will just get you more stuck. Whoever said wet dirt roads can be slick is not kidding. With a 2WD truck, you will get about 200 yards up one of these slick roads and you will KNOW you had better turn around. I have seen clay roads so slick the truck would just slide over into the ditch and there was not a darn thing I could do about it.

If you do happen to get rained on while down a slick dirt road in some National Forest or BLM spot, just stay where you are camped until it dries out. In the desert everything dries out in a day or two. Take along a couple of good books, nice food, and some boots for walking in mud. Be patient. Obviously, when the 4WD guys can't get out, there is no point in trying. You can tell by watching them, and talking to them, when it is OK to try it with your 2WD.

John D

 

[pvstoy]

And tire chains are not just for snow....Help in the mud also.

 

[buzzman]

Thanks to all for the suggestions, ideas, and offers.

We are all packed and ready to head out Friday morning. I went down to a nearby Pilot truck stop tonight after we had everything loaded up, to weigh the rig on their Cat scales. I had my traveling partner with me and I also filled both 20 gal fuel tanks that this truck has. The weight ticket showed 3200 lbs front axle and 3760 lbs rear axle. Yikes...6960 lbs! My truck GVWR is listed as 6200 lbs, with the GAWR Frt 3250 lbs, and the GAWR Rear 3750 lbs. I weighed my truck last year without the camper, but with passenger and both fuel tanks full as now, and it weighed 5020 lbs, so my cargo weighs 1900 lbs! That's hard to believe but the scales probably don't lie. I guess I put too much wine and beer aboard? It drives fine, but I'll keep an eye on things.

 

[pvstoy]

Adjust air pressure in tires. Put a chalk line across your tires and drive straight about 200 – 300 yards. Look at the chalk wear and add or remove pressure until the chalk wears even. This will give you even wear and better gas mileage.

Have fun on your trip and don’t forget to take pictures.

 

[Mark W. Ingalls]

Remember this thread?

Has anyone weighed their truck?

Sounds about right to me. These things-- tiny, little things though they are-- definitely allow us to exceed the load rating of a half-ton truck.

Some people choose to disregard the load rating. A few choose to lighten their load. We were 700# overloaded, but the truck seemed to operate fine so we chose not to carry less stuff.

That knowledge was one reason I recently "upgraded" my Hawk to a 3/4 ton truck.

 

[the fisherman]

Buzzman

I'm as far west as you can get, without gettin' your feet wet, if you want to see some of the most beautiful parts of Calif. come to the Lost Coast, by the time you get out here we'll be cooking fresh Dungeness Crab. If you do find yourself in my neighborhood, PM me, I have lots of parking area. ................THE SEA IS SELECTIVE.........SLOW AT RECOGNITION OF EFFORT AND APITITUDE, BUT FAST AT SINKING THE UNFIT......FELIX RESINBERG

 

[Stan@FourWheel]

Look forward to meeting you in person.

Stop by our factory if you have time and I will give you the full tour.

You can always park in our parking lot for the night if you don't want to grab a campsite.

Woodland kinda sucks for campgrounds, but we are next to the fields, so it is quite at night where we are.

There is a nice campground on Putah Creek over in Winters, CA (approx. 35 minutes away)

We get some windy days this time of year out here, but no big deal.

It is getting colder at night now too. Sierras are getting some snow, so bring the chains. Weather in the valley is usually really nice this time of year !





.

 

[buzzman]

Visit to FWC

Stan,

I'll email you. Sherri and I are looking forward to a visit. We're in Santa Barbara now and enjoying some fine weather. We plan to depart Tuesday,Oct 21 and probably spend a night in Sequoia NP on the way north.

Having fun,
Buzz

 

[EdoHart]

I probably just missed you.

Stan,

I'll email you. Sherri and I are looking forward to a visit. We're in Santa Barbara now and enjoying some fine weather. We plan to depart Tuesday,Oct 21 and probably spend a night in Sequoia NP on the way north.

Having fun,
Buzz

I've been away for a while and I'm sending this Tuesday night, but if you haven't passed Santa Maria yet (about 60 miles north of Santa Barbara on the 101) drop me a PM and I'll buy you lunch (or dinner as the case may be).

 

[buzzman]

Darn!

Ed,

Sorry I missed you. Thanks for the offer. I seldom turn down free food. You live in a very pretty area. I enjoyed my visit to Santa Barbara and the beach.

We just finished a visit and overnight stay at Sequoia national park. Heading farther north Thursday and hopefully a visit to the FWC factory.

I'll continue this thread in the "Trip Reports" section so I can start making a trip report with pics.

 

[pvstoy]

Stan is off Thursday but will be in Friday and Saturday

 

[John D]

Golden Age Passport

Buzzman, Don't forget, your Golden Age Passport works in National Forest campgrounds. John D

 

[chnlisle]

Better passport is the inter agency pass for 65 plus

 

[buzzman]

Hey guys, I'm not quite old enough for those passes. I do have the annual pass that cost $80, however. But thanks for the thought anyway.