Lets do a BBQ Sat night at SPW!! I'll bring some meat, but will need to borrow some BBQ space on somebodies grill. Don't drink too much as Sun will be a long day.

Here is my proposal.
Death Valley Itinerary

Sat:
- Meet Stovepipe Wells (SPW) Campground (9:30 to 10am leave at 10am)
- Drive (190) to Saline valley Road on 190 (30-60 min) (Time to air down a bit)
- Saline Valley Rd to Lippencott Rd (1h)
- Lippencott to Racetrack (1.5 h) (This will be hardest part of day)
- Lunch at Racetrack Playa (1h) (1-2 PM approx hopefully earlier)
- Race track rd to Ubehebe Crater (1.5-2h)
- Crater (30-60 min)
- Pending on time of day we can swing by Scotty’s Castle
- Back to SPW (1h or less)
- Dinner TBD (BBQ at SPW at the campground??)

Sun: (long day)
- Start Furnace creek (8:30 to 9am leave) (gas up!!)
- West side road (2-2.5h ) (stop and take some pics along the way
- Mengel Pass Trail (Butte Valley Road)(5-6h) (Have lunch on the road somewhere)(Most difficult rating for the day) (50 mile section)
- We’ll be at Ballarat. Pending on time of day we can take Panamint Valley RD and 190 to SPW or Wildrose and Emigrant Canyon (2-3 h)
- Stovepipe Wells (or Furnace Creek Dinner)

Mon + Tue: (Take it easy)
Some suggested places to go see
- Titus Canyon (Hope is repaired by then or we can see if a 4Runner can clear a 5ft trench )
- Badwater and Devil’s Golf course ( do a quick round of golf )
- Artist Palette
- Dunes by SPW
- Echo Canyon (see eye of the needle)
- Dante’s view
- Scotty’s Castle
- Cottonwood Canyon

Pending on how fast we drive, how many times we get lost and how many times we stop, the time estimates are very conservative. I normally do trails a lot quicker than this book suggests. I think we should be fine. I will have to leave Tue after lunch or so.

 

Yes, I highly recommend a cargo box too, like perhaps a Yakima Space Booster, about $250. Pep Boys now sells the Thule Frontier, similar size, for about $200. You can put all your light stuff (sleeping bags, tent, etc.) in it and keep the heavy stuff in the Runner. I feel your pain Mark; I've had to pretty much buy everything from scratch too. Time-consuming and expensive. I have a wife and 2 small ones too (not coming on this one) so I think I can forego the cargo box this time around myself.

 

just bought a mobile cb from fry's for 19.99. i've read through the articles here but i'm still unsure how it should be installed (no electronic skills and afraid to blow something up). is there a place that installs cb's? i would buy a handheld one but the guy at fry's said that they're all sold out everywhere . i'd hate to miss out on all the great chatter over the cb during the trip.

 

chief,

did u see my writeup? http://www.4runners.org/articles/cobra

what dont you udnerstand? i can walk you through what you dont understand.

its not as difficult as you might think. the writeup's process will be nearly identical to any other cb on the market.

you cna email me at bobkim at 4runners.org w/ questions

bob

 

thanks bob! too bad it's raining right now otherwise i'd try to take a look at what is going on in there. part of my confusion is on whether or not i need to buy a fuse box like the one in your write up. i was reading the manual and i dont remember anything about an additional fuse box. i'll have to re-read it to make sure.

 

you dont need the aux fuse box, but if you plan on adding any additional accessories, it makes it A LOT easier. recently, i added a set of hella 500 driving lights. having added the fuse box, it made connecting the relay as simple as plugging it in. same is true for my full time 12v aux fuse box mod.

if you dont want to add the fuse box, simply connect the fused power wire from the battery directly to your cb.

bob

 

New Shoes on the Baby for DV!!

B-Dog:
Nope...Haven't Aligned it yet...still sizing that up gonna stop by the Stealer to see if they can reflash my computer for tire size...

Was thinking of SEARS for the Align...Will Probably do this on Friday...

RBLACAUSA:
Paid $800 OTD with No Hazard Certificate, In other words...will only fix throught the LUG damage, blown side walls = $174 loss...

Being from Vegas, I'm gonna gamble on keeping the $100 Insurance...figure its 60% of a new tire...probably wont tear 2 siddewalls in the lifetime????

 

Henry I installed mine by running the red wire (should have a fuse already in-line) thru the firewall where the electrical cable bundle travels and directly to the + on the battery. The black wire I ran to a screw holding the plastic facia that is directly under the steering wheel and on the left side (near the kick panel).

Where do you live?

I've gotta get my antenna SWR'd so if we're not too far apart we could get together if you like. If I can't get off work early tomorrow to get a shop to do my antenna I'll probably buy one from Frys.

Later (after DV) I'm going to do the fuse box like Bob - that's an awesome upgrade. I just couldn't find a shop that had that type of gang bus in time.

Mark

 

mark,

the fuse box is made by buss. i've always had good luck finding buss products at kragen and never at poop boys. i vaguely recall seeing some buss products at autozone, but definitely try kragen first.

bob

 

See, I thought the term "buss" was being borrowed from the term buss bar. My bad! Learn something new each day

 

ahhhhh... its starting to make sense now. i bought the antenna from fry's, it's about $20, magnet mount, cheap. i'll probably just use that for now. it's supposed to be tuneable too. is it absolutely necessary to tune an antenna? i just want something thats functional for this trip.

 

fiji,

i betcha right out of the box, it will be tuned around the middle somewhere which means that you will be able to communicate w/ everyone in the group within a 1/4 mile (best guess). so just hook it up properly (esp the antenna ground) and we'll be talking w/ you on the trails.

bob

 

Got back from DV at midnight last night. I'll have more info and whatnot tonight. Titus Canyon was till closed, but I don't know what condition it's in (we didn't head up there). The roads we're in some of the best states my teacher has seen in years. Also, while you guy are at racetrack you should jump up to Hidden Valley (turn at Tea Kettle Junction) and maybe go to the top of Whitecap Mountain (left at the first crossroads in Hidden Valley), although after the storm yesterday how much snow will be there. Cottonwood Canyon was a breeze, except the ground was saturated near the top (this was before the rain). Hope everyone has a great time. I wish I could go again, get paid, and not have to make the drive from San Diego.

 

A couple of questions:
1) Are we going to all have a BBQ Sat night at SPW?
2) If so can I borrow some grill space for some steaks from somebody? (I'm not taking my grill with)
3) First official meet 9:30am Sat at Stovepipe wells, OK? Guys coming in Friday can hook up too. I'll only there by Sat morning.
4) CB channel 4 till we get together Sat morning, OK?
5) You guys fine with the trip planning for Sat/Sun or do you want to do something else?? Mon/Tue will be more short trips and sightseeing, playing around, etc. If we drive fast enough (from what I understand some roads are more comfortable at speed anyway), we will be back before sundown on both days, and probably have time to do other stuff on the way as well.


Also:
The list of attendees we have is below. If your name is not on it, add it to the list and make sure to send all your info to Expat. He is compiling a contact list, this is important. If you dont we might just leave without you.

- Scottiac (fri PM -> tue PM, FC)
- Bonnie (Scottiac's mom, taco dbl cab, but may ride with S., FC)
- Bulldog( fri PM (Have to sleep in Ridgecrest but will be there early Sat) -> tue PM, SW)
- Bob_98SR5 and Good Times (fri PM -> Sun. Taking Bob's truck)
- Chiefiji (fri PM -> Sun, backcountry) (Assume you are in since Scott cleared tire issue)
- Expat (Friday departing Calabasas approx 2.00pm)
- RBLACAUSA (Friday - to ??)

 

1) a bbq sounds good.
2) i was going to pan fry my steak since i dont have a grill.
3) i'll be there friday. when are you friday guys leaving? i'd still like to meet up and caravan there, if not, meet up at least in dv.
4) channel 4 is fine if i can get my cb to work still working on the wiring and placement of the cb so that it doesnt get in my way.
5) the schedule seems fine, but i might trim the trip short for sunday. i dont want to get home too late.

let me know who wants to meet up on friday

 

Bob will be meeting at my place in Hacienda Heights at around 11ish. We expect to depart at Noon with a quick run at krispy kreme for Bob (none of which I will touch...) and be on our way out to DV. If any of you LA folks want to meet up at my place, feel free to just me a PM or email and I'll give you the appropriate directions to find us.

 

chiefiji will be meeting bob and I at krispy kreme at the puente hills mall (60 freeway and azusa) at noon. If anyone else wants to meet us there, please make sure to arrive promptly as we will be departing at noon.

pm me your cell and we'll exchange numbers.

thanks!

 

is there a cb channel that has some action? i've almost got the cb and antenna installed and want to test to see if it's working.

edit: haha! it worked! i just turned it on and some people were chattering. i know this isnt a ground breaking event but it was cool.

 

Hopefully you all have the contact list by now. The only addition I am aware of is hkollie who I sent a copy of the schedule to. As he has everyone elses details I won't send out another copy of the contact list (with his details) to anyone unless you specifically want me to (pm if so, before 10am Fri.).

I'll see you guys when we get there on Friday night. I don't finish work until 12 so by the time I get home, grab the family and get on the road it will be 2pm.

Where are you guys planning to sleep Fri night? I guess will hook-up via CB 4.

Lance - Did you want a copy of the contact list? Bob should have a copy now. Send me a pm with your email if you do want a copy.

I am planning to BBQ on Sat. night. I have a small grill which people are welcome to use (after mw )

 

Have fun out there guys!
I'm looking forward to seeing some good pictures when you all get back