Trip to Death Valley
04-24-2006, 01:22 AM
#11
Guest
Posts: n/a
Re: Trip to Death Valley
Daniel Bibbens <dbibbens@xobjex.com> writes:
> I am taking a four day, three night trip to Death Valley and
> planning to leave my doors and windows at home. Have any of you done
> the same or similar and regretted not having your doors? Anyone
> wished they'd brought something and didn't? Thanks in advance.
>
> The weather is forecast to be sunny and in the high 90's during the
> day and high 60's at night. It's just my dog, my Jeep ('04 TJ
> w/mods), and me. I'm leaving April 20th and plan to return the
> 24th. I'll post some pics when I get back.
Well I did it. Almost nothing went according to plan, but Death Valley
is spectacular and a sight to be seen regardless of what you
drive. Pictures are here:
http://photos.yahoo.com/daniel_bibbe...b5escd&.src=ph
I started this thread asking if anyone wished they'd brought
something and didn't. Here is my advice -- put your (at least 5
gallons of) water in a cooler with lots of ice instead of a
jerry-can. Bath water just sucks on a hot day. Also, bring some octane
booster to patch the lousy gas. Travel with at least one other vehicle
-- there is *no* cell service, the canyon walls, cliffs, mountains may
block a CB signal, and the main roads are frequently a day's hike from
the far points of the trails.
Here are a few notes. In summary -- amazing views, bad and expensive
fuel, and no cell signal to be found:
* I bailed out of my plan to go with no doors and panels. The
forecast for Death Valley remained the same (it was accurate,
too), but the forecast for my return trip home was for high
50's, windy, and possibly rain showers (that turned out to be
accurate except for the showers which did come after I got
home). I could have gone without doors and panels and regret
that I checked the weather before I left and wimped-out.
* I filled up at a Shell station in Panamint Springs. The gas is
lousy and my poor Jeep is sputtering -- I have to downshift to
third to make it up a few hills.
* The first two trails I went for were closed. Titus Canyon was
closed apparently because there was a 20% chance of rain over
the mountains and Titus Canyon is a particularly bad place to be
in flash flood. The Chloride City trail was opened but the road
to get to it (Mud Canyon) was closed for repairs -- there is no
other entrance to this trail.
* At 8:00pm the first night, I pulled off the road just West of
Stovepipe wells near the trail-head of the next trail on my
list. The sky was mostly clear and the temperature was around
75. US Air Force fighter jets (possibly from nearby Edwards AFB)
were doing maneuvers until around 10pm. Beside the jets (which
couldn't be heard) there were an unbelievable number of visible
stars. No signs of civilization are visible except for the faint
glow of Las Vegas about 150 miles away. I reclined my seat and
fell asleep. The moon shining in my face woke me up for a moment
at around 4:30. Max (my dog) and I woke up around 6:30am. I made
espresso on a fuel can stove -- very please with that. Max has
breakfast and water. We head out on foot to walk around the sand
dunes nearby.
* The Cottonwood/Marble Canyon trail was open. We start the trail
around 10:00am. The ten miles of washboard dirt road just to get
to a trail that was no more challenging than say -- a washboard
dirt road.
Today I can hear the fighter jets and imagine what an
Iraqi or Taliban soldier must have pondered when hearing the
"thunder" *before* the "lightning". Poor bastards. What were
they thinking? I did take some solice in this season of the IRS
in seeing and hearing what my tax dollars help build. These are
awe-inspiring machines.
After completing this trail, a heavy coating of dust turned the
interior of my Jeep, my dog, and myself to an unmistakable
desert khaki color. The scenery was amazing. The value of the
views has overcome my disappointment with the trail.
* We head a few hundred yards to Stovepipe Wells at around 3:00pm
in search of gas, shade, and a cell signal. We find neither and
start south on 190 toward Furnace Creek. It's getting hot -- in
the upper 90's and Max is getting a funny look on his face. No
cell signal at Furnace Creek either. I gas up -- $3.64 for
regular. This fuel is lousy, too and $0.50 higher than prices
outside the park. I find a shade in a parking lot near the
Furnace Creek golf course. Max rests and cools off. I plan for
the next trail.
* We head toward Badwater -- the lowest elevation place in the
Western Hemisphere. It's hot. The 7 gallons of water I brought
is now bath temperature. The 5 gallon fuel can is venting
because of the pressure building in the heat. There is no road
across the valley here so I decide just to head for Interstate
15 on Death Valley Rd. (Rt. 127) at a town called Baker. We head
west into the sunset on I-15 toward home. This trims a day and a
half off our trip but we'd seen and had enough.
Next trip "The Mojave Road" with lessons learned.
--
> I am taking a four day, three night trip to Death Valley and
> planning to leave my doors and windows at home. Have any of you done
> the same or similar and regretted not having your doors? Anyone
> wished they'd brought something and didn't? Thanks in advance.
>
> The weather is forecast to be sunny and in the high 90's during the
> day and high 60's at night. It's just my dog, my Jeep ('04 TJ
> w/mods), and me. I'm leaving April 20th and plan to return the
> 24th. I'll post some pics when I get back.
Well I did it. Almost nothing went according to plan, but Death Valley
is spectacular and a sight to be seen regardless of what you
drive. Pictures are here:
http://photos.yahoo.com/daniel_bibbe...b5escd&.src=ph
I started this thread asking if anyone wished they'd brought
something and didn't. Here is my advice -- put your (at least 5
gallons of) water in a cooler with lots of ice instead of a
jerry-can. Bath water just sucks on a hot day. Also, bring some octane
booster to patch the lousy gas. Travel with at least one other vehicle
-- there is *no* cell service, the canyon walls, cliffs, mountains may
block a CB signal, and the main roads are frequently a day's hike from
the far points of the trails.
Here are a few notes. In summary -- amazing views, bad and expensive
fuel, and no cell signal to be found:
* I bailed out of my plan to go with no doors and panels. The
forecast for Death Valley remained the same (it was accurate,
too), but the forecast for my return trip home was for high
50's, windy, and possibly rain showers (that turned out to be
accurate except for the showers which did come after I got
home). I could have gone without doors and panels and regret
that I checked the weather before I left and wimped-out.
* I filled up at a Shell station in Panamint Springs. The gas is
lousy and my poor Jeep is sputtering -- I have to downshift to
third to make it up a few hills.
* The first two trails I went for were closed. Titus Canyon was
closed apparently because there was a 20% chance of rain over
the mountains and Titus Canyon is a particularly bad place to be
in flash flood. The Chloride City trail was opened but the road
to get to it (Mud Canyon) was closed for repairs -- there is no
other entrance to this trail.
* At 8:00pm the first night, I pulled off the road just West of
Stovepipe wells near the trail-head of the next trail on my
list. The sky was mostly clear and the temperature was around
75. US Air Force fighter jets (possibly from nearby Edwards AFB)
were doing maneuvers until around 10pm. Beside the jets (which
couldn't be heard) there were an unbelievable number of visible
stars. No signs of civilization are visible except for the faint
glow of Las Vegas about 150 miles away. I reclined my seat and
fell asleep. The moon shining in my face woke me up for a moment
at around 4:30. Max (my dog) and I woke up around 6:30am. I made
espresso on a fuel can stove -- very please with that. Max has
breakfast and water. We head out on foot to walk around the sand
dunes nearby.
* The Cottonwood/Marble Canyon trail was open. We start the trail
around 10:00am. The ten miles of washboard dirt road just to get
to a trail that was no more challenging than say -- a washboard
dirt road.
Today I can hear the fighter jets and imagine what an
Iraqi or Taliban soldier must have pondered when hearing the
"thunder" *before* the "lightning". Poor bastards. What were
they thinking? I did take some solice in this season of the IRS
in seeing and hearing what my tax dollars help build. These are
awe-inspiring machines.
After completing this trail, a heavy coating of dust turned the
interior of my Jeep, my dog, and myself to an unmistakable
desert khaki color. The scenery was amazing. The value of the
views has overcome my disappointment with the trail.
* We head a few hundred yards to Stovepipe Wells at around 3:00pm
in search of gas, shade, and a cell signal. We find neither and
start south on 190 toward Furnace Creek. It's getting hot -- in
the upper 90's and Max is getting a funny look on his face. No
cell signal at Furnace Creek either. I gas up -- $3.64 for
regular. This fuel is lousy, too and $0.50 higher than prices
outside the park. I find a shade in a parking lot near the
Furnace Creek golf course. Max rests and cools off. I plan for
the next trail.
* We head toward Badwater -- the lowest elevation place in the
Western Hemisphere. It's hot. The 7 gallons of water I brought
is now bath temperature. The 5 gallon fuel can is venting
because of the pressure building in the heat. There is no road
across the valley here so I decide just to head for Interstate
15 on Death Valley Rd. (Rt. 127) at a town called Baker. We head
west into the sunset on I-15 toward home. This trims a day and a
half off our trip but we'd seen and had enough.
Next trip "The Mojave Road" with lessons learned.
--
04-24-2006, 01:22 AM
#12
Guest
Posts: n/a
Re: Trip to Death Valley
Daniel Bibbens <dbibbens@xobjex.com> writes:
> I am taking a four day, three night trip to Death Valley and
> planning to leave my doors and windows at home. Have any of you done
> the same or similar and regretted not having your doors? Anyone
> wished they'd brought something and didn't? Thanks in advance.
>
> The weather is forecast to be sunny and in the high 90's during the
> day and high 60's at night. It's just my dog, my Jeep ('04 TJ
> w/mods), and me. I'm leaving April 20th and plan to return the
> 24th. I'll post some pics when I get back.
Well I did it. Almost nothing went according to plan, but Death Valley
is spectacular and a sight to be seen regardless of what you
drive. Pictures are here:
http://photos.yahoo.com/daniel_bibbe...b5escd&.src=ph
I started this thread asking if anyone wished they'd brought
something and didn't. Here is my advice -- put your (at least 5
gallons of) water in a cooler with lots of ice instead of a
jerry-can. Bath water just sucks on a hot day. Also, bring some octane
booster to patch the lousy gas. Travel with at least one other vehicle
-- there is *no* cell service, the canyon walls, cliffs, mountains may
block a CB signal, and the main roads are frequently a day's hike from
the far points of the trails.
Here are a few notes. In summary -- amazing views, bad and expensive
fuel, and no cell signal to be found:
* I bailed out of my plan to go with no doors and panels. The
forecast for Death Valley remained the same (it was accurate,
too), but the forecast for my return trip home was for high
50's, windy, and possibly rain showers (that turned out to be
accurate except for the showers which did come after I got
home). I could have gone without doors and panels and regret
that I checked the weather before I left and wimped-out.
* I filled up at a Shell station in Panamint Springs. The gas is
lousy and my poor Jeep is sputtering -- I have to downshift to
third to make it up a few hills.
* The first two trails I went for were closed. Titus Canyon was
closed apparently because there was a 20% chance of rain over
the mountains and Titus Canyon is a particularly bad place to be
in flash flood. The Chloride City trail was opened but the road
to get to it (Mud Canyon) was closed for repairs -- there is no
other entrance to this trail.
* At 8:00pm the first night, I pulled off the road just West of
Stovepipe wells near the trail-head of the next trail on my
list. The sky was mostly clear and the temperature was around
75. US Air Force fighter jets (possibly from nearby Edwards AFB)
were doing maneuvers until around 10pm. Beside the jets (which
couldn't be heard) there were an unbelievable number of visible
stars. No signs of civilization are visible except for the faint
glow of Las Vegas about 150 miles away. I reclined my seat and
fell asleep. The moon shining in my face woke me up for a moment
at around 4:30. Max (my dog) and I woke up around 6:30am. I made
espresso on a fuel can stove -- very please with that. Max has
breakfast and water. We head out on foot to walk around the sand
dunes nearby.
* The Cottonwood/Marble Canyon trail was open. We start the trail
around 10:00am. The ten miles of washboard dirt road just to get
to a trail that was no more challenging than say -- a washboard
dirt road.
Today I can hear the fighter jets and imagine what an
Iraqi or Taliban soldier must have pondered when hearing the
"thunder" *before* the "lightning". Poor bastards. What were
they thinking? I did take some solice in this season of the IRS
in seeing and hearing what my tax dollars help build. These are
awe-inspiring machines.
After completing this trail, a heavy coating of dust turned the
interior of my Jeep, my dog, and myself to an unmistakable
desert khaki color. The scenery was amazing. The value of the
views has overcome my disappointment with the trail.
* We head a few hundred yards to Stovepipe Wells at around 3:00pm
in search of gas, shade, and a cell signal. We find neither and
start south on 190 toward Furnace Creek. It's getting hot -- in
the upper 90's and Max is getting a funny look on his face. No
cell signal at Furnace Creek either. I gas up -- $3.64 for
regular. This fuel is lousy, too and $0.50 higher than prices
outside the park. I find a shade in a parking lot near the
Furnace Creek golf course. Max rests and cools off. I plan for
the next trail.
* We head toward Badwater -- the lowest elevation place in the
Western Hemisphere. It's hot. The 7 gallons of water I brought
is now bath temperature. The 5 gallon fuel can is venting
because of the pressure building in the heat. There is no road
across the valley here so I decide just to head for Interstate
15 on Death Valley Rd. (Rt. 127) at a town called Baker. We head
west into the sunset on I-15 toward home. This trims a day and a
half off our trip but we'd seen and had enough.
Next trip "The Mojave Road" with lessons learned.
--
> I am taking a four day, three night trip to Death Valley and
> planning to leave my doors and windows at home. Have any of you done
> the same or similar and regretted not having your doors? Anyone
> wished they'd brought something and didn't? Thanks in advance.
>
> The weather is forecast to be sunny and in the high 90's during the
> day and high 60's at night. It's just my dog, my Jeep ('04 TJ
> w/mods), and me. I'm leaving April 20th and plan to return the
> 24th. I'll post some pics when I get back.
Well I did it. Almost nothing went according to plan, but Death Valley
is spectacular and a sight to be seen regardless of what you
drive. Pictures are here:
http://photos.yahoo.com/daniel_bibbe...b5escd&.src=ph
I started this thread asking if anyone wished they'd brought
something and didn't. Here is my advice -- put your (at least 5
gallons of) water in a cooler with lots of ice instead of a
jerry-can. Bath water just sucks on a hot day. Also, bring some octane
booster to patch the lousy gas. Travel with at least one other vehicle
-- there is *no* cell service, the canyon walls, cliffs, mountains may
block a CB signal, and the main roads are frequently a day's hike from
the far points of the trails.
Here are a few notes. In summary -- amazing views, bad and expensive
fuel, and no cell signal to be found:
* I bailed out of my plan to go with no doors and panels. The
forecast for Death Valley remained the same (it was accurate,
too), but the forecast for my return trip home was for high
50's, windy, and possibly rain showers (that turned out to be
accurate except for the showers which did come after I got
home). I could have gone without doors and panels and regret
that I checked the weather before I left and wimped-out.
* I filled up at a Shell station in Panamint Springs. The gas is
lousy and my poor Jeep is sputtering -- I have to downshift to
third to make it up a few hills.
* The first two trails I went for were closed. Titus Canyon was
closed apparently because there was a 20% chance of rain over
the mountains and Titus Canyon is a particularly bad place to be
in flash flood. The Chloride City trail was opened but the road
to get to it (Mud Canyon) was closed for repairs -- there is no
other entrance to this trail.
* At 8:00pm the first night, I pulled off the road just West of
Stovepipe wells near the trail-head of the next trail on my
list. The sky was mostly clear and the temperature was around
75. US Air Force fighter jets (possibly from nearby Edwards AFB)
were doing maneuvers until around 10pm. Beside the jets (which
couldn't be heard) there were an unbelievable number of visible
stars. No signs of civilization are visible except for the faint
glow of Las Vegas about 150 miles away. I reclined my seat and
fell asleep. The moon shining in my face woke me up for a moment
at around 4:30. Max (my dog) and I woke up around 6:30am. I made
espresso on a fuel can stove -- very please with that. Max has
breakfast and water. We head out on foot to walk around the sand
dunes nearby.
* The Cottonwood/Marble Canyon trail was open. We start the trail
around 10:00am. The ten miles of washboard dirt road just to get
to a trail that was no more challenging than say -- a washboard
dirt road.
Today I can hear the fighter jets and imagine what an
Iraqi or Taliban soldier must have pondered when hearing the
"thunder" *before* the "lightning". Poor bastards. What were
they thinking? I did take some solice in this season of the IRS
in seeing and hearing what my tax dollars help build. These are
awe-inspiring machines.
After completing this trail, a heavy coating of dust turned the
interior of my Jeep, my dog, and myself to an unmistakable
desert khaki color. The scenery was amazing. The value of the
views has overcome my disappointment with the trail.
* We head a few hundred yards to Stovepipe Wells at around 3:00pm
in search of gas, shade, and a cell signal. We find neither and
start south on 190 toward Furnace Creek. It's getting hot -- in
the upper 90's and Max is getting a funny look on his face. No
cell signal at Furnace Creek either. I gas up -- $3.64 for
regular. This fuel is lousy, too and $0.50 higher than prices
outside the park. I find a shade in a parking lot near the
Furnace Creek golf course. Max rests and cools off. I plan for
the next trail.
* We head toward Badwater -- the lowest elevation place in the
Western Hemisphere. It's hot. The 7 gallons of water I brought
is now bath temperature. The 5 gallon fuel can is venting
because of the pressure building in the heat. There is no road
across the valley here so I decide just to head for Interstate
15 on Death Valley Rd. (Rt. 127) at a town called Baker. We head
west into the sunset on I-15 toward home. This trims a day and a
half off our trip but we'd seen and had enough.
Next trip "The Mojave Road" with lessons learned.
--
04-24-2006, 03:59 AM
#13
Guest
Posts: n/a
Re: Trip to Death Valley
Glad to hear it was a good trip overall.
Carl
"Daniel Bibbens" <dbibbens@xobjex.com> wrote in message
news:86odyrpmye.fsf@cheyenne.xobjex.com...
> Daniel Bibbens <dbibbens@xobjex.com> writes:
>
>> I am taking a four day, three night trip to Death Valley and
>> planning to leave my doors and windows at home. Have any of you done
>> the same or similar and regretted not having your doors? Anyone
>> wished they'd brought something and didn't? Thanks in advance.
>>
>> The weather is forecast to be sunny and in the high 90's during the
>> day and high 60's at night. It's just my dog, my Jeep ('04 TJ
>> w/mods), and me. I'm leaving April 20th and plan to return the
>> 24th. I'll post some pics when I get back.
>
> Well I did it. Almost nothing went according to plan, but Death Valley
> is spectacular and a sight to be seen regardless of what you
> drive. Pictures are here:
>
> http://photos.yahoo.com/daniel_bibbe...b5escd&.src=ph
>
> I started this thread asking if anyone wished they'd brought
> something and didn't. Here is my advice -- put your (at least 5
> gallons of) water in a cooler with lots of ice instead of a
> jerry-can. Bath water just sucks on a hot day. Also, bring some octane
> booster to patch the lousy gas. Travel with at least one other vehicle
> -- there is *no* cell service, the canyon walls, cliffs, mountains may
> block a CB signal, and the main roads are frequently a day's hike from
> the far points of the trails.
>
> Here are a few notes. In summary -- amazing views, bad and expensive
> fuel, and no cell signal to be found:
>
> * I bailed out of my plan to go with no doors and panels. The
> forecast for Death Valley remained the same (it was accurate,
> too), but the forecast for my return trip home was for high
> 50's, windy, and possibly rain showers (that turned out to be
> accurate except for the showers which did come after I got
> home). I could have gone without doors and panels and regret
> that I checked the weather before I left and wimped-out.
>
> * I filled up at a Shell station in Panamint Springs. The gas is
> lousy and my poor Jeep is sputtering -- I have to downshift to
> third to make it up a few hills.
>
> * The first two trails I went for were closed. Titus Canyon was
> closed apparently because there was a 20% chance of rain over
> the mountains and Titus Canyon is a particularly bad place to be
> in flash flood. The Chloride City trail was opened but the road
> to get to it (Mud Canyon) was closed for repairs -- there is no
> other entrance to this trail.
>
> * At 8:00pm the first night, I pulled off the road just West of
> Stovepipe wells near the trail-head of the next trail on my
> list. The sky was mostly clear and the temperature was around
> 75. US Air Force fighter jets (possibly from nearby Edwards AFB)
> were doing maneuvers until around 10pm. Beside the jets (which
> couldn't be heard) there were an unbelievable number of visible
> stars. No signs of civilization are visible except for the faint
> glow of Las Vegas about 150 miles away. I reclined my seat and
> fell asleep. The moon shining in my face woke me up for a moment
> at around 4:30. Max (my dog) and I woke up around 6:30am. I made
> espresso on a fuel can stove -- very please with that. Max has
> breakfast and water. We head out on foot to walk around the sand
> dunes nearby.
>
> * The Cottonwood/Marble Canyon trail was open. We start the trail
> around 10:00am. The ten miles of washboard dirt road just to get
> to a trail that was no more challenging than say -- a washboard
> dirt road.
>
> Today I can hear the fighter jets and imagine what an
> Iraqi or Taliban soldier must have pondered when hearing the
> "thunder" *before* the "lightning". Poor bastards. What were
> they thinking? I did take some solice in this season of the IRS
> in seeing and hearing what my tax dollars help build. These are
> awe-inspiring machines.
>
> After completing this trail, a heavy coating of dust turned the
> interior of my Jeep, my dog, and myself to an unmistakable
> desert khaki color. The scenery was amazing. The value of the
> views has overcome my disappointment with the trail.
>
> * We head a few hundred yards to Stovepipe Wells at around 3:00pm
> in search of gas, shade, and a cell signal. We find neither and
> start south on 190 toward Furnace Creek. It's getting hot -- in
> the upper 90's and Max is getting a funny look on his face. No
> cell signal at Furnace Creek either. I gas up -- $3.64 for
> regular. This fuel is lousy, too and $0.50 higher than prices
> outside the park. I find a shade in a parking lot near the
> Furnace Creek golf course. Max rests and cools off. I plan for
> the next trail.
>
> * We head toward Badwater -- the lowest elevation place in the
> Western Hemisphere. It's hot. The 7 gallons of water I brought
> is now bath temperature. The 5 gallon fuel can is venting
> because of the pressure building in the heat. There is no road
> across the valley here so I decide just to head for Interstate
> 15 on Death Valley Rd. (Rt. 127) at a town called Baker. We head
> west into the sunset on I-15 toward home. This trims a day and a
> half off our trip but we'd seen and had enough.
>
> Next trip "The Mojave Road" with lessons learned.
> --
Carl
"Daniel Bibbens" <dbibbens@xobjex.com> wrote in message
news:86odyrpmye.fsf@cheyenne.xobjex.com...
> Daniel Bibbens <dbibbens@xobjex.com> writes:
>
>> I am taking a four day, three night trip to Death Valley and
>> planning to leave my doors and windows at home. Have any of you done
>> the same or similar and regretted not having your doors? Anyone
>> wished they'd brought something and didn't? Thanks in advance.
>>
>> The weather is forecast to be sunny and in the high 90's during the
>> day and high 60's at night. It's just my dog, my Jeep ('04 TJ
>> w/mods), and me. I'm leaving April 20th and plan to return the
>> 24th. I'll post some pics when I get back.
>
> Well I did it. Almost nothing went according to plan, but Death Valley
> is spectacular and a sight to be seen regardless of what you
> drive. Pictures are here:
>
> http://photos.yahoo.com/daniel_bibbe...b5escd&.src=ph
>
> I started this thread asking if anyone wished they'd brought
> something and didn't. Here is my advice -- put your (at least 5
> gallons of) water in a cooler with lots of ice instead of a
> jerry-can. Bath water just sucks on a hot day. Also, bring some octane
> booster to patch the lousy gas. Travel with at least one other vehicle
> -- there is *no* cell service, the canyon walls, cliffs, mountains may
> block a CB signal, and the main roads are frequently a day's hike from
> the far points of the trails.
>
> Here are a few notes. In summary -- amazing views, bad and expensive
> fuel, and no cell signal to be found:
>
> * I bailed out of my plan to go with no doors and panels. The
> forecast for Death Valley remained the same (it was accurate,
> too), but the forecast for my return trip home was for high
> 50's, windy, and possibly rain showers (that turned out to be
> accurate except for the showers which did come after I got
> home). I could have gone without doors and panels and regret
> that I checked the weather before I left and wimped-out.
>
> * I filled up at a Shell station in Panamint Springs. The gas is
> lousy and my poor Jeep is sputtering -- I have to downshift to
> third to make it up a few hills.
>
> * The first two trails I went for were closed. Titus Canyon was
> closed apparently because there was a 20% chance of rain over
> the mountains and Titus Canyon is a particularly bad place to be
> in flash flood. The Chloride City trail was opened but the road
> to get to it (Mud Canyon) was closed for repairs -- there is no
> other entrance to this trail.
>
> * At 8:00pm the first night, I pulled off the road just West of
> Stovepipe wells near the trail-head of the next trail on my
> list. The sky was mostly clear and the temperature was around
> 75. US Air Force fighter jets (possibly from nearby Edwards AFB)
> were doing maneuvers until around 10pm. Beside the jets (which
> couldn't be heard) there were an unbelievable number of visible
> stars. No signs of civilization are visible except for the faint
> glow of Las Vegas about 150 miles away. I reclined my seat and
> fell asleep. The moon shining in my face woke me up for a moment
> at around 4:30. Max (my dog) and I woke up around 6:30am. I made
> espresso on a fuel can stove -- very please with that. Max has
> breakfast and water. We head out on foot to walk around the sand
> dunes nearby.
>
> * The Cottonwood/Marble Canyon trail was open. We start the trail
> around 10:00am. The ten miles of washboard dirt road just to get
> to a trail that was no more challenging than say -- a washboard
> dirt road.
>
> Today I can hear the fighter jets and imagine what an
> Iraqi or Taliban soldier must have pondered when hearing the
> "thunder" *before* the "lightning". Poor bastards. What were
> they thinking? I did take some solice in this season of the IRS
> in seeing and hearing what my tax dollars help build. These are
> awe-inspiring machines.
>
> After completing this trail, a heavy coating of dust turned the
> interior of my Jeep, my dog, and myself to an unmistakable
> desert khaki color. The scenery was amazing. The value of the
> views has overcome my disappointment with the trail.
>
> * We head a few hundred yards to Stovepipe Wells at around 3:00pm
> in search of gas, shade, and a cell signal. We find neither and
> start south on 190 toward Furnace Creek. It's getting hot -- in
> the upper 90's and Max is getting a funny look on his face. No
> cell signal at Furnace Creek either. I gas up -- $3.64 for
> regular. This fuel is lousy, too and $0.50 higher than prices
> outside the park. I find a shade in a parking lot near the
> Furnace Creek golf course. Max rests and cools off. I plan for
> the next trail.
>
> * We head toward Badwater -- the lowest elevation place in the
> Western Hemisphere. It's hot. The 7 gallons of water I brought
> is now bath temperature. The 5 gallon fuel can is venting
> because of the pressure building in the heat. There is no road
> across the valley here so I decide just to head for Interstate
> 15 on Death Valley Rd. (Rt. 127) at a town called Baker. We head
> west into the sunset on I-15 toward home. This trims a day and a
> half off our trip but we'd seen and had enough.
>
> Next trip "The Mojave Road" with lessons learned.
> --
04-24-2006, 03:59 AM
#14
Guest
Posts: n/a
Re: Trip to Death Valley
Glad to hear it was a good trip overall.
Carl
"Daniel Bibbens" <dbibbens@xobjex.com> wrote in message
news:86odyrpmye.fsf@cheyenne.xobjex.com...
> Daniel Bibbens <dbibbens@xobjex.com> writes:
>
>> I am taking a four day, three night trip to Death Valley and
>> planning to leave my doors and windows at home. Have any of you done
>> the same or similar and regretted not having your doors? Anyone
>> wished they'd brought something and didn't? Thanks in advance.
>>
>> The weather is forecast to be sunny and in the high 90's during the
>> day and high 60's at night. It's just my dog, my Jeep ('04 TJ
>> w/mods), and me. I'm leaving April 20th and plan to return the
>> 24th. I'll post some pics when I get back.
>
> Well I did it. Almost nothing went according to plan, but Death Valley
> is spectacular and a sight to be seen regardless of what you
> drive. Pictures are here:
>
> http://photos.yahoo.com/daniel_bibbe...b5escd&.src=ph
>
> I started this thread asking if anyone wished they'd brought
> something and didn't. Here is my advice -- put your (at least 5
> gallons of) water in a cooler with lots of ice instead of a
> jerry-can. Bath water just sucks on a hot day. Also, bring some octane
> booster to patch the lousy gas. Travel with at least one other vehicle
> -- there is *no* cell service, the canyon walls, cliffs, mountains may
> block a CB signal, and the main roads are frequently a day's hike from
> the far points of the trails.
>
> Here are a few notes. In summary -- amazing views, bad and expensive
> fuel, and no cell signal to be found:
>
> * I bailed out of my plan to go with no doors and panels. The
> forecast for Death Valley remained the same (it was accurate,
> too), but the forecast for my return trip home was for high
> 50's, windy, and possibly rain showers (that turned out to be
> accurate except for the showers which did come after I got
> home). I could have gone without doors and panels and regret
> that I checked the weather before I left and wimped-out.
>
> * I filled up at a Shell station in Panamint Springs. The gas is
> lousy and my poor Jeep is sputtering -- I have to downshift to
> third to make it up a few hills.
>
> * The first two trails I went for were closed. Titus Canyon was
> closed apparently because there was a 20% chance of rain over
> the mountains and Titus Canyon is a particularly bad place to be
> in flash flood. The Chloride City trail was opened but the road
> to get to it (Mud Canyon) was closed for repairs -- there is no
> other entrance to this trail.
>
> * At 8:00pm the first night, I pulled off the road just West of
> Stovepipe wells near the trail-head of the next trail on my
> list. The sky was mostly clear and the temperature was around
> 75. US Air Force fighter jets (possibly from nearby Edwards AFB)
> were doing maneuvers until around 10pm. Beside the jets (which
> couldn't be heard) there were an unbelievable number of visible
> stars. No signs of civilization are visible except for the faint
> glow of Las Vegas about 150 miles away. I reclined my seat and
> fell asleep. The moon shining in my face woke me up for a moment
> at around 4:30. Max (my dog) and I woke up around 6:30am. I made
> espresso on a fuel can stove -- very please with that. Max has
> breakfast and water. We head out on foot to walk around the sand
> dunes nearby.
>
> * The Cottonwood/Marble Canyon trail was open. We start the trail
> around 10:00am. The ten miles of washboard dirt road just to get
> to a trail that was no more challenging than say -- a washboard
> dirt road.
>
> Today I can hear the fighter jets and imagine what an
> Iraqi or Taliban soldier must have pondered when hearing the
> "thunder" *before* the "lightning". Poor bastards. What were
> they thinking? I did take some solice in this season of the IRS
> in seeing and hearing what my tax dollars help build. These are
> awe-inspiring machines.
>
> After completing this trail, a heavy coating of dust turned the
> interior of my Jeep, my dog, and myself to an unmistakable
> desert khaki color. The scenery was amazing. The value of the
> views has overcome my disappointment with the trail.
>
> * We head a few hundred yards to Stovepipe Wells at around 3:00pm
> in search of gas, shade, and a cell signal. We find neither and
> start south on 190 toward Furnace Creek. It's getting hot -- in
> the upper 90's and Max is getting a funny look on his face. No
> cell signal at Furnace Creek either. I gas up -- $3.64 for
> regular. This fuel is lousy, too and $0.50 higher than prices
> outside the park. I find a shade in a parking lot near the
> Furnace Creek golf course. Max rests and cools off. I plan for
> the next trail.
>
> * We head toward Badwater -- the lowest elevation place in the
> Western Hemisphere. It's hot. The 7 gallons of water I brought
> is now bath temperature. The 5 gallon fuel can is venting
> because of the pressure building in the heat. There is no road
> across the valley here so I decide just to head for Interstate
> 15 on Death Valley Rd. (Rt. 127) at a town called Baker. We head
> west into the sunset on I-15 toward home. This trims a day and a
> half off our trip but we'd seen and had enough.
>
> Next trip "The Mojave Road" with lessons learned.
> --
Carl
"Daniel Bibbens" <dbibbens@xobjex.com> wrote in message
news:86odyrpmye.fsf@cheyenne.xobjex.com...
> Daniel Bibbens <dbibbens@xobjex.com> writes:
>
>> I am taking a four day, three night trip to Death Valley and
>> planning to leave my doors and windows at home. Have any of you done
>> the same or similar and regretted not having your doors? Anyone
>> wished they'd brought something and didn't? Thanks in advance.
>>
>> The weather is forecast to be sunny and in the high 90's during the
>> day and high 60's at night. It's just my dog, my Jeep ('04 TJ
>> w/mods), and me. I'm leaving April 20th and plan to return the
>> 24th. I'll post some pics when I get back.
>
> Well I did it. Almost nothing went according to plan, but Death Valley
> is spectacular and a sight to be seen regardless of what you
> drive. Pictures are here:
>
> http://photos.yahoo.com/daniel_bibbe...b5escd&.src=ph
>
> I started this thread asking if anyone wished they'd brought
> something and didn't. Here is my advice -- put your (at least 5
> gallons of) water in a cooler with lots of ice instead of a
> jerry-can. Bath water just sucks on a hot day. Also, bring some octane
> booster to patch the lousy gas. Travel with at least one other vehicle
> -- there is *no* cell service, the canyon walls, cliffs, mountains may
> block a CB signal, and the main roads are frequently a day's hike from
> the far points of the trails.
>
> Here are a few notes. In summary -- amazing views, bad and expensive
> fuel, and no cell signal to be found:
>
> * I bailed out of my plan to go with no doors and panels. The
> forecast for Death Valley remained the same (it was accurate,
> too), but the forecast for my return trip home was for high
> 50's, windy, and possibly rain showers (that turned out to be
> accurate except for the showers which did come after I got
> home). I could have gone without doors and panels and regret
> that I checked the weather before I left and wimped-out.
>
> * I filled up at a Shell station in Panamint Springs. The gas is
> lousy and my poor Jeep is sputtering -- I have to downshift to
> third to make it up a few hills.
>
> * The first two trails I went for were closed. Titus Canyon was
> closed apparently because there was a 20% chance of rain over
> the mountains and Titus Canyon is a particularly bad place to be
> in flash flood. The Chloride City trail was opened but the road
> to get to it (Mud Canyon) was closed for repairs -- there is no
> other entrance to this trail.
>
> * At 8:00pm the first night, I pulled off the road just West of
> Stovepipe wells near the trail-head of the next trail on my
> list. The sky was mostly clear and the temperature was around
> 75. US Air Force fighter jets (possibly from nearby Edwards AFB)
> were doing maneuvers until around 10pm. Beside the jets (which
> couldn't be heard) there were an unbelievable number of visible
> stars. No signs of civilization are visible except for the faint
> glow of Las Vegas about 150 miles away. I reclined my seat and
> fell asleep. The moon shining in my face woke me up for a moment
> at around 4:30. Max (my dog) and I woke up around 6:30am. I made
> espresso on a fuel can stove -- very please with that. Max has
> breakfast and water. We head out on foot to walk around the sand
> dunes nearby.
>
> * The Cottonwood/Marble Canyon trail was open. We start the trail
> around 10:00am. The ten miles of washboard dirt road just to get
> to a trail that was no more challenging than say -- a washboard
> dirt road.
>
> Today I can hear the fighter jets and imagine what an
> Iraqi or Taliban soldier must have pondered when hearing the
> "thunder" *before* the "lightning". Poor bastards. What were
> they thinking? I did take some solice in this season of the IRS
> in seeing and hearing what my tax dollars help build. These are
> awe-inspiring machines.
>
> After completing this trail, a heavy coating of dust turned the
> interior of my Jeep, my dog, and myself to an unmistakable
> desert khaki color. The scenery was amazing. The value of the
> views has overcome my disappointment with the trail.
>
> * We head a few hundred yards to Stovepipe Wells at around 3:00pm
> in search of gas, shade, and a cell signal. We find neither and
> start south on 190 toward Furnace Creek. It's getting hot -- in
> the upper 90's and Max is getting a funny look on his face. No
> cell signal at Furnace Creek either. I gas up -- $3.64 for
> regular. This fuel is lousy, too and $0.50 higher than prices
> outside the park. I find a shade in a parking lot near the
> Furnace Creek golf course. Max rests and cools off. I plan for
> the next trail.
>
> * We head toward Badwater -- the lowest elevation place in the
> Western Hemisphere. It's hot. The 7 gallons of water I brought
> is now bath temperature. The 5 gallon fuel can is venting
> because of the pressure building in the heat. There is no road
> across the valley here so I decide just to head for Interstate
> 15 on Death Valley Rd. (Rt. 127) at a town called Baker. We head
> west into the sunset on I-15 toward home. This trims a day and a
> half off our trip but we'd seen and had enough.
>
> Next trip "The Mojave Road" with lessons learned.
> --
04-24-2006, 03:59 AM
#15
Guest
Posts: n/a
Re: Trip to Death Valley
Glad to hear it was a good trip overall.
Carl
"Daniel Bibbens" <dbibbens@xobjex.com> wrote in message
news:86odyrpmye.fsf@cheyenne.xobjex.com...
> Daniel Bibbens <dbibbens@xobjex.com> writes:
>
>> I am taking a four day, three night trip to Death Valley and
>> planning to leave my doors and windows at home. Have any of you done
>> the same or similar and regretted not having your doors? Anyone
>> wished they'd brought something and didn't? Thanks in advance.
>>
>> The weather is forecast to be sunny and in the high 90's during the
>> day and high 60's at night. It's just my dog, my Jeep ('04 TJ
>> w/mods), and me. I'm leaving April 20th and plan to return the
>> 24th. I'll post some pics when I get back.
>
> Well I did it. Almost nothing went according to plan, but Death Valley
> is spectacular and a sight to be seen regardless of what you
> drive. Pictures are here:
>
> http://photos.yahoo.com/daniel_bibbe...b5escd&.src=ph
>
> I started this thread asking if anyone wished they'd brought
> something and didn't. Here is my advice -- put your (at least 5
> gallons of) water in a cooler with lots of ice instead of a
> jerry-can. Bath water just sucks on a hot day. Also, bring some octane
> booster to patch the lousy gas. Travel with at least one other vehicle
> -- there is *no* cell service, the canyon walls, cliffs, mountains may
> block a CB signal, and the main roads are frequently a day's hike from
> the far points of the trails.
>
> Here are a few notes. In summary -- amazing views, bad and expensive
> fuel, and no cell signal to be found:
>
> * I bailed out of my plan to go with no doors and panels. The
> forecast for Death Valley remained the same (it was accurate,
> too), but the forecast for my return trip home was for high
> 50's, windy, and possibly rain showers (that turned out to be
> accurate except for the showers which did come after I got
> home). I could have gone without doors and panels and regret
> that I checked the weather before I left and wimped-out.
>
> * I filled up at a Shell station in Panamint Springs. The gas is
> lousy and my poor Jeep is sputtering -- I have to downshift to
> third to make it up a few hills.
>
> * The first two trails I went for were closed. Titus Canyon was
> closed apparently because there was a 20% chance of rain over
> the mountains and Titus Canyon is a particularly bad place to be
> in flash flood. The Chloride City trail was opened but the road
> to get to it (Mud Canyon) was closed for repairs -- there is no
> other entrance to this trail.
>
> * At 8:00pm the first night, I pulled off the road just West of
> Stovepipe wells near the trail-head of the next trail on my
> list. The sky was mostly clear and the temperature was around
> 75. US Air Force fighter jets (possibly from nearby Edwards AFB)
> were doing maneuvers until around 10pm. Beside the jets (which
> couldn't be heard) there were an unbelievable number of visible
> stars. No signs of civilization are visible except for the faint
> glow of Las Vegas about 150 miles away. I reclined my seat and
> fell asleep. The moon shining in my face woke me up for a moment
> at around 4:30. Max (my dog) and I woke up around 6:30am. I made
> espresso on a fuel can stove -- very please with that. Max has
> breakfast and water. We head out on foot to walk around the sand
> dunes nearby.
>
> * The Cottonwood/Marble Canyon trail was open. We start the trail
> around 10:00am. The ten miles of washboard dirt road just to get
> to a trail that was no more challenging than say -- a washboard
> dirt road.
>
> Today I can hear the fighter jets and imagine what an
> Iraqi or Taliban soldier must have pondered when hearing the
> "thunder" *before* the "lightning". Poor bastards. What were
> they thinking? I did take some solice in this season of the IRS
> in seeing and hearing what my tax dollars help build. These are
> awe-inspiring machines.
>
> After completing this trail, a heavy coating of dust turned the
> interior of my Jeep, my dog, and myself to an unmistakable
> desert khaki color. The scenery was amazing. The value of the
> views has overcome my disappointment with the trail.
>
> * We head a few hundred yards to Stovepipe Wells at around 3:00pm
> in search of gas, shade, and a cell signal. We find neither and
> start south on 190 toward Furnace Creek. It's getting hot -- in
> the upper 90's and Max is getting a funny look on his face. No
> cell signal at Furnace Creek either. I gas up -- $3.64 for
> regular. This fuel is lousy, too and $0.50 higher than prices
> outside the park. I find a shade in a parking lot near the
> Furnace Creek golf course. Max rests and cools off. I plan for
> the next trail.
>
> * We head toward Badwater -- the lowest elevation place in the
> Western Hemisphere. It's hot. The 7 gallons of water I brought
> is now bath temperature. The 5 gallon fuel can is venting
> because of the pressure building in the heat. There is no road
> across the valley here so I decide just to head for Interstate
> 15 on Death Valley Rd. (Rt. 127) at a town called Baker. We head
> west into the sunset on I-15 toward home. This trims a day and a
> half off our trip but we'd seen and had enough.
>
> Next trip "The Mojave Road" with lessons learned.
> --
Carl
"Daniel Bibbens" <dbibbens@xobjex.com> wrote in message
news:86odyrpmye.fsf@cheyenne.xobjex.com...
> Daniel Bibbens <dbibbens@xobjex.com> writes:
>
>> I am taking a four day, three night trip to Death Valley and
>> planning to leave my doors and windows at home. Have any of you done
>> the same or similar and regretted not having your doors? Anyone
>> wished they'd brought something and didn't? Thanks in advance.
>>
>> The weather is forecast to be sunny and in the high 90's during the
>> day and high 60's at night. It's just my dog, my Jeep ('04 TJ
>> w/mods), and me. I'm leaving April 20th and plan to return the
>> 24th. I'll post some pics when I get back.
>
> Well I did it. Almost nothing went according to plan, but Death Valley
> is spectacular and a sight to be seen regardless of what you
> drive. Pictures are here:
>
> http://photos.yahoo.com/daniel_bibbe...b5escd&.src=ph
>
> I started this thread asking if anyone wished they'd brought
> something and didn't. Here is my advice -- put your (at least 5
> gallons of) water in a cooler with lots of ice instead of a
> jerry-can. Bath water just sucks on a hot day. Also, bring some octane
> booster to patch the lousy gas. Travel with at least one other vehicle
> -- there is *no* cell service, the canyon walls, cliffs, mountains may
> block a CB signal, and the main roads are frequently a day's hike from
> the far points of the trails.
>
> Here are a few notes. In summary -- amazing views, bad and expensive
> fuel, and no cell signal to be found:
>
> * I bailed out of my plan to go with no doors and panels. The
> forecast for Death Valley remained the same (it was accurate,
> too), but the forecast for my return trip home was for high
> 50's, windy, and possibly rain showers (that turned out to be
> accurate except for the showers which did come after I got
> home). I could have gone without doors and panels and regret
> that I checked the weather before I left and wimped-out.
>
> * I filled up at a Shell station in Panamint Springs. The gas is
> lousy and my poor Jeep is sputtering -- I have to downshift to
> third to make it up a few hills.
>
> * The first two trails I went for were closed. Titus Canyon was
> closed apparently because there was a 20% chance of rain over
> the mountains and Titus Canyon is a particularly bad place to be
> in flash flood. The Chloride City trail was opened but the road
> to get to it (Mud Canyon) was closed for repairs -- there is no
> other entrance to this trail.
>
> * At 8:00pm the first night, I pulled off the road just West of
> Stovepipe wells near the trail-head of the next trail on my
> list. The sky was mostly clear and the temperature was around
> 75. US Air Force fighter jets (possibly from nearby Edwards AFB)
> were doing maneuvers until around 10pm. Beside the jets (which
> couldn't be heard) there were an unbelievable number of visible
> stars. No signs of civilization are visible except for the faint
> glow of Las Vegas about 150 miles away. I reclined my seat and
> fell asleep. The moon shining in my face woke me up for a moment
> at around 4:30. Max (my dog) and I woke up around 6:30am. I made
> espresso on a fuel can stove -- very please with that. Max has
> breakfast and water. We head out on foot to walk around the sand
> dunes nearby.
>
> * The Cottonwood/Marble Canyon trail was open. We start the trail
> around 10:00am. The ten miles of washboard dirt road just to get
> to a trail that was no more challenging than say -- a washboard
> dirt road.
>
> Today I can hear the fighter jets and imagine what an
> Iraqi or Taliban soldier must have pondered when hearing the
> "thunder" *before* the "lightning". Poor bastards. What were
> they thinking? I did take some solice in this season of the IRS
> in seeing and hearing what my tax dollars help build. These are
> awe-inspiring machines.
>
> After completing this trail, a heavy coating of dust turned the
> interior of my Jeep, my dog, and myself to an unmistakable
> desert khaki color. The scenery was amazing. The value of the
> views has overcome my disappointment with the trail.
>
> * We head a few hundred yards to Stovepipe Wells at around 3:00pm
> in search of gas, shade, and a cell signal. We find neither and
> start south on 190 toward Furnace Creek. It's getting hot -- in
> the upper 90's and Max is getting a funny look on his face. No
> cell signal at Furnace Creek either. I gas up -- $3.64 for
> regular. This fuel is lousy, too and $0.50 higher than prices
> outside the park. I find a shade in a parking lot near the
> Furnace Creek golf course. Max rests and cools off. I plan for
> the next trail.
>
> * We head toward Badwater -- the lowest elevation place in the
> Western Hemisphere. It's hot. The 7 gallons of water I brought
> is now bath temperature. The 5 gallon fuel can is venting
> because of the pressure building in the heat. There is no road
> across the valley here so I decide just to head for Interstate
> 15 on Death Valley Rd. (Rt. 127) at a town called Baker. We head
> west into the sunset on I-15 toward home. This trims a day and a
> half off our trip but we'd seen and had enough.
>
> Next trip "The Mojave Road" with lessons learned.
> --
04-24-2006, 10:49 PM
#16
Guest
Posts: n/a
Re: Trip to Death Valley
In the summer you can usually keep your water cool with a canvas bag,
but you do need a bit of velocity. Where cool is relative if you are
near Furnace Creek area.
Carl proclaimed:
> Glad to hear it was a good trip overall.
>
> Carl
>
> "Daniel Bibbens" <dbibbens@xobjex.com> wrote in message
> news:86odyrpmye.fsf@cheyenne.xobjex.com...
>
>>Daniel Bibbens <dbibbens@xobjex.com> writes:
>>
>>
>>>I am taking a four day, three night trip to Death Valley and
>>>planning to leave my doors and windows at home. Have any of you done
>>>the same or similar and regretted not having your doors? Anyone
>>>wished they'd brought something and didn't? Thanks in advance.
>>>
>>>The weather is forecast to be sunny and in the high 90's during the
>>>day and high 60's at night. It's just my dog, my Jeep ('04 TJ
>>>w/mods), and me. I'm leaving April 20th and plan to return the
>>>24th. I'll post some pics when I get back.
>>
>>Well I did it. Almost nothing went according to plan, but Death Valley
>>is spectacular and a sight to be seen regardless of what you
>>drive. Pictures are here:
>>
>>http://photos.yahoo.com/daniel_bibbe...b5escd&.src=ph
>>
>>I started this thread asking if anyone wished they'd brought
>>something and didn't. Here is my advice -- put your (at least 5
>>gallons of) water in a cooler with lots of ice instead of a
>>jerry-can. Bath water just sucks on a hot day. Also, bring some octane
>>booster to patch the lousy gas. Travel with at least one other vehicle
>>-- there is *no* cell service, the canyon walls, cliffs, mountains may
>>block a CB signal, and the main roads are frequently a day's hike from
>>the far points of the trails.
>>
>>Here are a few notes. In summary -- amazing views, bad and expensive
>>fuel, and no cell signal to be found:
>>
>> * I bailed out of my plan to go with no doors and panels. The
>> forecast for Death Valley remained the same (it was accurate,
>> too), but the forecast for my return trip home was for high
>> 50's, windy, and possibly rain showers (that turned out to be
>> accurate except for the showers which did come after I got
>> home). I could have gone without doors and panels and regret
>> that I checked the weather before I left and wimped-out.
>>
>> * I filled up at a Shell station in Panamint Springs. The gas is
>> lousy and my poor Jeep is sputtering -- I have to downshift to
>> third to make it up a few hills.
>>
>> * The first two trails I went for were closed. Titus Canyon was
>> closed apparently because there was a 20% chance of rain over
>> the mountains and Titus Canyon is a particularly bad place to be
>> in flash flood. The Chloride City trail was opened but the road
>> to get to it (Mud Canyon) was closed for repairs -- there is no
>> other entrance to this trail.
>>
>> * At 8:00pm the first night, I pulled off the road just West of
>> Stovepipe wells near the trail-head of the next trail on my
>> list. The sky was mostly clear and the temperature was around
>> 75. US Air Force fighter jets (possibly from nearby Edwards AFB)
>> were doing maneuvers until around 10pm. Beside the jets (which
>> couldn't be heard) there were an unbelievable number of visible
>> stars. No signs of civilization are visible except for the faint
>> glow of Las Vegas about 150 miles away. I reclined my seat and
>> fell asleep. The moon shining in my face woke me up for a moment
>> at around 4:30. Max (my dog) and I woke up around 6:30am. I made
>> espresso on a fuel can stove -- very please with that. Max has
>> breakfast and water. We head out on foot to walk around the sand
>> dunes nearby.
>>
>> * The Cottonwood/Marble Canyon trail was open. We start the trail
>> around 10:00am. The ten miles of washboard dirt road just to get
>> to a trail that was no more challenging than say -- a washboard
>> dirt road.
>>
>> Today I can hear the fighter jets and imagine what an
>> Iraqi or Taliban soldier must have pondered when hearing the
>> "thunder" *before* the "lightning". Poor bastards. What were
>> they thinking? I did take some solice in this season of the IRS
>> in seeing and hearing what my tax dollars help build. These are
>> awe-inspiring machines.
>>
>> After completing this trail, a heavy coating of dust turned the
>> interior of my Jeep, my dog, and myself to an unmistakable
>> desert khaki color. The scenery was amazing. The value of the
>> views has overcome my disappointment with the trail.
>>
>> * We head a few hundred yards to Stovepipe Wells at around 3:00pm
>> in search of gas, shade, and a cell signal. We find neither and
>> start south on 190 toward Furnace Creek. It's getting hot -- in
>> the upper 90's and Max is getting a funny look on his face. No
>> cell signal at Furnace Creek either. I gas up -- $3.64 for
>> regular. This fuel is lousy, too and $0.50 higher than prices
>> outside the park. I find a shade in a parking lot near the
>> Furnace Creek golf course. Max rests and cools off. I plan for
>> the next trail.
>>
>> * We head toward Badwater -- the lowest elevation place in the
>> Western Hemisphere. It's hot. The 7 gallons of water I brought
>> is now bath temperature. The 5 gallon fuel can is venting
>> because of the pressure building in the heat. There is no road
>> across the valley here so I decide just to head for Interstate
>> 15 on Death Valley Rd. (Rt. 127) at a town called Baker. We head
>> west into the sunset on I-15 toward home. This trims a day and a
>> half off our trip but we'd seen and had enough.
>>
>>Next trip "The Mojave Road" with lessons learned.
>>--
>
>
>
but you do need a bit of velocity. Where cool is relative if you are
near Furnace Creek area.
Carl proclaimed:
> Glad to hear it was a good trip overall.
>
> Carl
>
> "Daniel Bibbens" <dbibbens@xobjex.com> wrote in message
> news:86odyrpmye.fsf@cheyenne.xobjex.com...
>
>>Daniel Bibbens <dbibbens@xobjex.com> writes:
>>
>>
>>>I am taking a four day, three night trip to Death Valley and
>>>planning to leave my doors and windows at home. Have any of you done
>>>the same or similar and regretted not having your doors? Anyone
>>>wished they'd brought something and didn't? Thanks in advance.
>>>
>>>The weather is forecast to be sunny and in the high 90's during the
>>>day and high 60's at night. It's just my dog, my Jeep ('04 TJ
>>>w/mods), and me. I'm leaving April 20th and plan to return the
>>>24th. I'll post some pics when I get back.
>>
>>Well I did it. Almost nothing went according to plan, but Death Valley
>>is spectacular and a sight to be seen regardless of what you
>>drive. Pictures are here:
>>
>>http://photos.yahoo.com/daniel_bibbe...b5escd&.src=ph
>>
>>I started this thread asking if anyone wished they'd brought
>>something and didn't. Here is my advice -- put your (at least 5
>>gallons of) water in a cooler with lots of ice instead of a
>>jerry-can. Bath water just sucks on a hot day. Also, bring some octane
>>booster to patch the lousy gas. Travel with at least one other vehicle
>>-- there is *no* cell service, the canyon walls, cliffs, mountains may
>>block a CB signal, and the main roads are frequently a day's hike from
>>the far points of the trails.
>>
>>Here are a few notes. In summary -- amazing views, bad and expensive
>>fuel, and no cell signal to be found:
>>
>> * I bailed out of my plan to go with no doors and panels. The
>> forecast for Death Valley remained the same (it was accurate,
>> too), but the forecast for my return trip home was for high
>> 50's, windy, and possibly rain showers (that turned out to be
>> accurate except for the showers which did come after I got
>> home). I could have gone without doors and panels and regret
>> that I checked the weather before I left and wimped-out.
>>
>> * I filled up at a Shell station in Panamint Springs. The gas is
>> lousy and my poor Jeep is sputtering -- I have to downshift to
>> third to make it up a few hills.
>>
>> * The first two trails I went for were closed. Titus Canyon was
>> closed apparently because there was a 20% chance of rain over
>> the mountains and Titus Canyon is a particularly bad place to be
>> in flash flood. The Chloride City trail was opened but the road
>> to get to it (Mud Canyon) was closed for repairs -- there is no
>> other entrance to this trail.
>>
>> * At 8:00pm the first night, I pulled off the road just West of
>> Stovepipe wells near the trail-head of the next trail on my
>> list. The sky was mostly clear and the temperature was around
>> 75. US Air Force fighter jets (possibly from nearby Edwards AFB)
>> were doing maneuvers until around 10pm. Beside the jets (which
>> couldn't be heard) there were an unbelievable number of visible
>> stars. No signs of civilization are visible except for the faint
>> glow of Las Vegas about 150 miles away. I reclined my seat and
>> fell asleep. The moon shining in my face woke me up for a moment
>> at around 4:30. Max (my dog) and I woke up around 6:30am. I made
>> espresso on a fuel can stove -- very please with that. Max has
>> breakfast and water. We head out on foot to walk around the sand
>> dunes nearby.
>>
>> * The Cottonwood/Marble Canyon trail was open. We start the trail
>> around 10:00am. The ten miles of washboard dirt road just to get
>> to a trail that was no more challenging than say -- a washboard
>> dirt road.
>>
>> Today I can hear the fighter jets and imagine what an
>> Iraqi or Taliban soldier must have pondered when hearing the
>> "thunder" *before* the "lightning". Poor bastards. What were
>> they thinking? I did take some solice in this season of the IRS
>> in seeing and hearing what my tax dollars help build. These are
>> awe-inspiring machines.
>>
>> After completing this trail, a heavy coating of dust turned the
>> interior of my Jeep, my dog, and myself to an unmistakable
>> desert khaki color. The scenery was amazing. The value of the
>> views has overcome my disappointment with the trail.
>>
>> * We head a few hundred yards to Stovepipe Wells at around 3:00pm
>> in search of gas, shade, and a cell signal. We find neither and
>> start south on 190 toward Furnace Creek. It's getting hot -- in
>> the upper 90's and Max is getting a funny look on his face. No
>> cell signal at Furnace Creek either. I gas up -- $3.64 for
>> regular. This fuel is lousy, too and $0.50 higher than prices
>> outside the park. I find a shade in a parking lot near the
>> Furnace Creek golf course. Max rests and cools off. I plan for
>> the next trail.
>>
>> * We head toward Badwater -- the lowest elevation place in the
>> Western Hemisphere. It's hot. The 7 gallons of water I brought
>> is now bath temperature. The 5 gallon fuel can is venting
>> because of the pressure building in the heat. There is no road
>> across the valley here so I decide just to head for Interstate
>> 15 on Death Valley Rd. (Rt. 127) at a town called Baker. We head
>> west into the sunset on I-15 toward home. This trims a day and a
>> half off our trip but we'd seen and had enough.
>>
>>Next trip "The Mojave Road" with lessons learned.
>>--
>
>
>
04-24-2006, 10:49 PM
#17
Guest
Posts: n/a
Re: Trip to Death Valley
In the summer you can usually keep your water cool with a canvas bag,
but you do need a bit of velocity. Where cool is relative if you are
near Furnace Creek area.
Carl proclaimed:
> Glad to hear it was a good trip overall.
>
> Carl
>
> "Daniel Bibbens" <dbibbens@xobjex.com> wrote in message
> news:86odyrpmye.fsf@cheyenne.xobjex.com...
>
>>Daniel Bibbens <dbibbens@xobjex.com> writes:
>>
>>
>>>I am taking a four day, three night trip to Death Valley and
>>>planning to leave my doors and windows at home. Have any of you done
>>>the same or similar and regretted not having your doors? Anyone
>>>wished they'd brought something and didn't? Thanks in advance.
>>>
>>>The weather is forecast to be sunny and in the high 90's during the
>>>day and high 60's at night. It's just my dog, my Jeep ('04 TJ
>>>w/mods), and me. I'm leaving April 20th and plan to return the
>>>24th. I'll post some pics when I get back.
>>
>>Well I did it. Almost nothing went according to plan, but Death Valley
>>is spectacular and a sight to be seen regardless of what you
>>drive. Pictures are here:
>>
>>http://photos.yahoo.com/daniel_bibbe...b5escd&.src=ph
>>
>>I started this thread asking if anyone wished they'd brought
>>something and didn't. Here is my advice -- put your (at least 5
>>gallons of) water in a cooler with lots of ice instead of a
>>jerry-can. Bath water just sucks on a hot day. Also, bring some octane
>>booster to patch the lousy gas. Travel with at least one other vehicle
>>-- there is *no* cell service, the canyon walls, cliffs, mountains may
>>block a CB signal, and the main roads are frequently a day's hike from
>>the far points of the trails.
>>
>>Here are a few notes. In summary -- amazing views, bad and expensive
>>fuel, and no cell signal to be found:
>>
>> * I bailed out of my plan to go with no doors and panels. The
>> forecast for Death Valley remained the same (it was accurate,
>> too), but the forecast for my return trip home was for high
>> 50's, windy, and possibly rain showers (that turned out to be
>> accurate except for the showers which did come after I got
>> home). I could have gone without doors and panels and regret
>> that I checked the weather before I left and wimped-out.
>>
>> * I filled up at a Shell station in Panamint Springs. The gas is
>> lousy and my poor Jeep is sputtering -- I have to downshift to
>> third to make it up a few hills.
>>
>> * The first two trails I went for were closed. Titus Canyon was
>> closed apparently because there was a 20% chance of rain over
>> the mountains and Titus Canyon is a particularly bad place to be
>> in flash flood. The Chloride City trail was opened but the road
>> to get to it (Mud Canyon) was closed for repairs -- there is no
>> other entrance to this trail.
>>
>> * At 8:00pm the first night, I pulled off the road just West of
>> Stovepipe wells near the trail-head of the next trail on my
>> list. The sky was mostly clear and the temperature was around
>> 75. US Air Force fighter jets (possibly from nearby Edwards AFB)
>> were doing maneuvers until around 10pm. Beside the jets (which
>> couldn't be heard) there were an unbelievable number of visible
>> stars. No signs of civilization are visible except for the faint
>> glow of Las Vegas about 150 miles away. I reclined my seat and
>> fell asleep. The moon shining in my face woke me up for a moment
>> at around 4:30. Max (my dog) and I woke up around 6:30am. I made
>> espresso on a fuel can stove -- very please with that. Max has
>> breakfast and water. We head out on foot to walk around the sand
>> dunes nearby.
>>
>> * The Cottonwood/Marble Canyon trail was open. We start the trail
>> around 10:00am. The ten miles of washboard dirt road just to get
>> to a trail that was no more challenging than say -- a washboard
>> dirt road.
>>
>> Today I can hear the fighter jets and imagine what an
>> Iraqi or Taliban soldier must have pondered when hearing the
>> "thunder" *before* the "lightning". Poor bastards. What were
>> they thinking? I did take some solice in this season of the IRS
>> in seeing and hearing what my tax dollars help build. These are
>> awe-inspiring machines.
>>
>> After completing this trail, a heavy coating of dust turned the
>> interior of my Jeep, my dog, and myself to an unmistakable
>> desert khaki color. The scenery was amazing. The value of the
>> views has overcome my disappointment with the trail.
>>
>> * We head a few hundred yards to Stovepipe Wells at around 3:00pm
>> in search of gas, shade, and a cell signal. We find neither and
>> start south on 190 toward Furnace Creek. It's getting hot -- in
>> the upper 90's and Max is getting a funny look on his face. No
>> cell signal at Furnace Creek either. I gas up -- $3.64 for
>> regular. This fuel is lousy, too and $0.50 higher than prices
>> outside the park. I find a shade in a parking lot near the
>> Furnace Creek golf course. Max rests and cools off. I plan for
>> the next trail.
>>
>> * We head toward Badwater -- the lowest elevation place in the
>> Western Hemisphere. It's hot. The 7 gallons of water I brought
>> is now bath temperature. The 5 gallon fuel can is venting
>> because of the pressure building in the heat. There is no road
>> across the valley here so I decide just to head for Interstate
>> 15 on Death Valley Rd. (Rt. 127) at a town called Baker. We head
>> west into the sunset on I-15 toward home. This trims a day and a
>> half off our trip but we'd seen and had enough.
>>
>>Next trip "The Mojave Road" with lessons learned.
>>--
>
>
>
but you do need a bit of velocity. Where cool is relative if you are
near Furnace Creek area.
Carl proclaimed:
> Glad to hear it was a good trip overall.
>
> Carl
>
> "Daniel Bibbens" <dbibbens@xobjex.com> wrote in message
> news:86odyrpmye.fsf@cheyenne.xobjex.com...
>
>>Daniel Bibbens <dbibbens@xobjex.com> writes:
>>
>>
>>>I am taking a four day, three night trip to Death Valley and
>>>planning to leave my doors and windows at home. Have any of you done
>>>the same or similar and regretted not having your doors? Anyone
>>>wished they'd brought something and didn't? Thanks in advance.
>>>
>>>The weather is forecast to be sunny and in the high 90's during the
>>>day and high 60's at night. It's just my dog, my Jeep ('04 TJ
>>>w/mods), and me. I'm leaving April 20th and plan to return the
>>>24th. I'll post some pics when I get back.
>>
>>Well I did it. Almost nothing went according to plan, but Death Valley
>>is spectacular and a sight to be seen regardless of what you
>>drive. Pictures are here:
>>
>>http://photos.yahoo.com/daniel_bibbe...b5escd&.src=ph
>>
>>I started this thread asking if anyone wished they'd brought
>>something and didn't. Here is my advice -- put your (at least 5
>>gallons of) water in a cooler with lots of ice instead of a
>>jerry-can. Bath water just sucks on a hot day. Also, bring some octane
>>booster to patch the lousy gas. Travel with at least one other vehicle
>>-- there is *no* cell service, the canyon walls, cliffs, mountains may
>>block a CB signal, and the main roads are frequently a day's hike from
>>the far points of the trails.
>>
>>Here are a few notes. In summary -- amazing views, bad and expensive
>>fuel, and no cell signal to be found:
>>
>> * I bailed out of my plan to go with no doors and panels. The
>> forecast for Death Valley remained the same (it was accurate,
>> too), but the forecast for my return trip home was for high
>> 50's, windy, and possibly rain showers (that turned out to be
>> accurate except for the showers which did come after I got
>> home). I could have gone without doors and panels and regret
>> that I checked the weather before I left and wimped-out.
>>
>> * I filled up at a Shell station in Panamint Springs. The gas is
>> lousy and my poor Jeep is sputtering -- I have to downshift to
>> third to make it up a few hills.
>>
>> * The first two trails I went for were closed. Titus Canyon was
>> closed apparently because there was a 20% chance of rain over
>> the mountains and Titus Canyon is a particularly bad place to be
>> in flash flood. The Chloride City trail was opened but the road
>> to get to it (Mud Canyon) was closed for repairs -- there is no
>> other entrance to this trail.
>>
>> * At 8:00pm the first night, I pulled off the road just West of
>> Stovepipe wells near the trail-head of the next trail on my
>> list. The sky was mostly clear and the temperature was around
>> 75. US Air Force fighter jets (possibly from nearby Edwards AFB)
>> were doing maneuvers until around 10pm. Beside the jets (which
>> couldn't be heard) there were an unbelievable number of visible
>> stars. No signs of civilization are visible except for the faint
>> glow of Las Vegas about 150 miles away. I reclined my seat and
>> fell asleep. The moon shining in my face woke me up for a moment
>> at around 4:30. Max (my dog) and I woke up around 6:30am. I made
>> espresso on a fuel can stove -- very please with that. Max has
>> breakfast and water. We head out on foot to walk around the sand
>> dunes nearby.
>>
>> * The Cottonwood/Marble Canyon trail was open. We start the trail
>> around 10:00am. The ten miles of washboard dirt road just to get
>> to a trail that was no more challenging than say -- a washboard
>> dirt road.
>>
>> Today I can hear the fighter jets and imagine what an
>> Iraqi or Taliban soldier must have pondered when hearing the
>> "thunder" *before* the "lightning". Poor bastards. What were
>> they thinking? I did take some solice in this season of the IRS
>> in seeing and hearing what my tax dollars help build. These are
>> awe-inspiring machines.
>>
>> After completing this trail, a heavy coating of dust turned the
>> interior of my Jeep, my dog, and myself to an unmistakable
>> desert khaki color. The scenery was amazing. The value of the
>> views has overcome my disappointment with the trail.
>>
>> * We head a few hundred yards to Stovepipe Wells at around 3:00pm
>> in search of gas, shade, and a cell signal. We find neither and
>> start south on 190 toward Furnace Creek. It's getting hot -- in
>> the upper 90's and Max is getting a funny look on his face. No
>> cell signal at Furnace Creek either. I gas up -- $3.64 for
>> regular. This fuel is lousy, too and $0.50 higher than prices
>> outside the park. I find a shade in a parking lot near the
>> Furnace Creek golf course. Max rests and cools off. I plan for
>> the next trail.
>>
>> * We head toward Badwater -- the lowest elevation place in the
>> Western Hemisphere. It's hot. The 7 gallons of water I brought
>> is now bath temperature. The 5 gallon fuel can is venting
>> because of the pressure building in the heat. There is no road
>> across the valley here so I decide just to head for Interstate
>> 15 on Death Valley Rd. (Rt. 127) at a town called Baker. We head
>> west into the sunset on I-15 toward home. This trims a day and a
>> half off our trip but we'd seen and had enough.
>>
>>Next trip "The Mojave Road" with lessons learned.
>>--
>
>
>
04-24-2006, 10:49 PM
#18
Guest
Posts: n/a
Re: Trip to Death Valley
In the summer you can usually keep your water cool with a canvas bag,
but you do need a bit of velocity. Where cool is relative if you are
near Furnace Creek area.
Carl proclaimed:
> Glad to hear it was a good trip overall.
>
> Carl
>
> "Daniel Bibbens" <dbibbens@xobjex.com> wrote in message
> news:86odyrpmye.fsf@cheyenne.xobjex.com...
>
>>Daniel Bibbens <dbibbens@xobjex.com> writes:
>>
>>
>>>I am taking a four day, three night trip to Death Valley and
>>>planning to leave my doors and windows at home. Have any of you done
>>>the same or similar and regretted not having your doors? Anyone
>>>wished they'd brought something and didn't? Thanks in advance.
>>>
>>>The weather is forecast to be sunny and in the high 90's during the
>>>day and high 60's at night. It's just my dog, my Jeep ('04 TJ
>>>w/mods), and me. I'm leaving April 20th and plan to return the
>>>24th. I'll post some pics when I get back.
>>
>>Well I did it. Almost nothing went according to plan, but Death Valley
>>is spectacular and a sight to be seen regardless of what you
>>drive. Pictures are here:
>>
>>http://photos.yahoo.com/daniel_bibbe...b5escd&.src=ph
>>
>>I started this thread asking if anyone wished they'd brought
>>something and didn't. Here is my advice -- put your (at least 5
>>gallons of) water in a cooler with lots of ice instead of a
>>jerry-can. Bath water just sucks on a hot day. Also, bring some octane
>>booster to patch the lousy gas. Travel with at least one other vehicle
>>-- there is *no* cell service, the canyon walls, cliffs, mountains may
>>block a CB signal, and the main roads are frequently a day's hike from
>>the far points of the trails.
>>
>>Here are a few notes. In summary -- amazing views, bad and expensive
>>fuel, and no cell signal to be found:
>>
>> * I bailed out of my plan to go with no doors and panels. The
>> forecast for Death Valley remained the same (it was accurate,
>> too), but the forecast for my return trip home was for high
>> 50's, windy, and possibly rain showers (that turned out to be
>> accurate except for the showers which did come after I got
>> home). I could have gone without doors and panels and regret
>> that I checked the weather before I left and wimped-out.
>>
>> * I filled up at a Shell station in Panamint Springs. The gas is
>> lousy and my poor Jeep is sputtering -- I have to downshift to
>> third to make it up a few hills.
>>
>> * The first two trails I went for were closed. Titus Canyon was
>> closed apparently because there was a 20% chance of rain over
>> the mountains and Titus Canyon is a particularly bad place to be
>> in flash flood. The Chloride City trail was opened but the road
>> to get to it (Mud Canyon) was closed for repairs -- there is no
>> other entrance to this trail.
>>
>> * At 8:00pm the first night, I pulled off the road just West of
>> Stovepipe wells near the trail-head of the next trail on my
>> list. The sky was mostly clear and the temperature was around
>> 75. US Air Force fighter jets (possibly from nearby Edwards AFB)
>> were doing maneuvers until around 10pm. Beside the jets (which
>> couldn't be heard) there were an unbelievable number of visible
>> stars. No signs of civilization are visible except for the faint
>> glow of Las Vegas about 150 miles away. I reclined my seat and
>> fell asleep. The moon shining in my face woke me up for a moment
>> at around 4:30. Max (my dog) and I woke up around 6:30am. I made
>> espresso on a fuel can stove -- very please with that. Max has
>> breakfast and water. We head out on foot to walk around the sand
>> dunes nearby.
>>
>> * The Cottonwood/Marble Canyon trail was open. We start the trail
>> around 10:00am. The ten miles of washboard dirt road just to get
>> to a trail that was no more challenging than say -- a washboard
>> dirt road.
>>
>> Today I can hear the fighter jets and imagine what an
>> Iraqi or Taliban soldier must have pondered when hearing the
>> "thunder" *before* the "lightning". Poor bastards. What were
>> they thinking? I did take some solice in this season of the IRS
>> in seeing and hearing what my tax dollars help build. These are
>> awe-inspiring machines.
>>
>> After completing this trail, a heavy coating of dust turned the
>> interior of my Jeep, my dog, and myself to an unmistakable
>> desert khaki color. The scenery was amazing. The value of the
>> views has overcome my disappointment with the trail.
>>
>> * We head a few hundred yards to Stovepipe Wells at around 3:00pm
>> in search of gas, shade, and a cell signal. We find neither and
>> start south on 190 toward Furnace Creek. It's getting hot -- in
>> the upper 90's and Max is getting a funny look on his face. No
>> cell signal at Furnace Creek either. I gas up -- $3.64 for
>> regular. This fuel is lousy, too and $0.50 higher than prices
>> outside the park. I find a shade in a parking lot near the
>> Furnace Creek golf course. Max rests and cools off. I plan for
>> the next trail.
>>
>> * We head toward Badwater -- the lowest elevation place in the
>> Western Hemisphere. It's hot. The 7 gallons of water I brought
>> is now bath temperature. The 5 gallon fuel can is venting
>> because of the pressure building in the heat. There is no road
>> across the valley here so I decide just to head for Interstate
>> 15 on Death Valley Rd. (Rt. 127) at a town called Baker. We head
>> west into the sunset on I-15 toward home. This trims a day and a
>> half off our trip but we'd seen and had enough.
>>
>>Next trip "The Mojave Road" with lessons learned.
>>--
>
>
>
but you do need a bit of velocity. Where cool is relative if you are
near Furnace Creek area.
Carl proclaimed:
> Glad to hear it was a good trip overall.
>
> Carl
>
> "Daniel Bibbens" <dbibbens@xobjex.com> wrote in message
> news:86odyrpmye.fsf@cheyenne.xobjex.com...
>
>>Daniel Bibbens <dbibbens@xobjex.com> writes:
>>
>>
>>>I am taking a four day, three night trip to Death Valley and
>>>planning to leave my doors and windows at home. Have any of you done
>>>the same or similar and regretted not having your doors? Anyone
>>>wished they'd brought something and didn't? Thanks in advance.
>>>
>>>The weather is forecast to be sunny and in the high 90's during the
>>>day and high 60's at night. It's just my dog, my Jeep ('04 TJ
>>>w/mods), and me. I'm leaving April 20th and plan to return the
>>>24th. I'll post some pics when I get back.
>>
>>Well I did it. Almost nothing went according to plan, but Death Valley
>>is spectacular and a sight to be seen regardless of what you
>>drive. Pictures are here:
>>
>>http://photos.yahoo.com/daniel_bibbe...b5escd&.src=ph
>>
>>I started this thread asking if anyone wished they'd brought
>>something and didn't. Here is my advice -- put your (at least 5
>>gallons of) water in a cooler with lots of ice instead of a
>>jerry-can. Bath water just sucks on a hot day. Also, bring some octane
>>booster to patch the lousy gas. Travel with at least one other vehicle
>>-- there is *no* cell service, the canyon walls, cliffs, mountains may
>>block a CB signal, and the main roads are frequently a day's hike from
>>the far points of the trails.
>>
>>Here are a few notes. In summary -- amazing views, bad and expensive
>>fuel, and no cell signal to be found:
>>
>> * I bailed out of my plan to go with no doors and panels. The
>> forecast for Death Valley remained the same (it was accurate,
>> too), but the forecast for my return trip home was for high
>> 50's, windy, and possibly rain showers (that turned out to be
>> accurate except for the showers which did come after I got
>> home). I could have gone without doors and panels and regret
>> that I checked the weather before I left and wimped-out.
>>
>> * I filled up at a Shell station in Panamint Springs. The gas is
>> lousy and my poor Jeep is sputtering -- I have to downshift to
>> third to make it up a few hills.
>>
>> * The first two trails I went for were closed. Titus Canyon was
>> closed apparently because there was a 20% chance of rain over
>> the mountains and Titus Canyon is a particularly bad place to be
>> in flash flood. The Chloride City trail was opened but the road
>> to get to it (Mud Canyon) was closed for repairs -- there is no
>> other entrance to this trail.
>>
>> * At 8:00pm the first night, I pulled off the road just West of
>> Stovepipe wells near the trail-head of the next trail on my
>> list. The sky was mostly clear and the temperature was around
>> 75. US Air Force fighter jets (possibly from nearby Edwards AFB)
>> were doing maneuvers until around 10pm. Beside the jets (which
>> couldn't be heard) there were an unbelievable number of visible
>> stars. No signs of civilization are visible except for the faint
>> glow of Las Vegas about 150 miles away. I reclined my seat and
>> fell asleep. The moon shining in my face woke me up for a moment
>> at around 4:30. Max (my dog) and I woke up around 6:30am. I made
>> espresso on a fuel can stove -- very please with that. Max has
>> breakfast and water. We head out on foot to walk around the sand
>> dunes nearby.
>>
>> * The Cottonwood/Marble Canyon trail was open. We start the trail
>> around 10:00am. The ten miles of washboard dirt road just to get
>> to a trail that was no more challenging than say -- a washboard
>> dirt road.
>>
>> Today I can hear the fighter jets and imagine what an
>> Iraqi or Taliban soldier must have pondered when hearing the
>> "thunder" *before* the "lightning". Poor bastards. What were
>> they thinking? I did take some solice in this season of the IRS
>> in seeing and hearing what my tax dollars help build. These are
>> awe-inspiring machines.
>>
>> After completing this trail, a heavy coating of dust turned the
>> interior of my Jeep, my dog, and myself to an unmistakable
>> desert khaki color. The scenery was amazing. The value of the
>> views has overcome my disappointment with the trail.
>>
>> * We head a few hundred yards to Stovepipe Wells at around 3:00pm
>> in search of gas, shade, and a cell signal. We find neither and
>> start south on 190 toward Furnace Creek. It's getting hot -- in
>> the upper 90's and Max is getting a funny look on his face. No
>> cell signal at Furnace Creek either. I gas up -- $3.64 for
>> regular. This fuel is lousy, too and $0.50 higher than prices
>> outside the park. I find a shade in a parking lot near the
>> Furnace Creek golf course. Max rests and cools off. I plan for
>> the next trail.
>>
>> * We head toward Badwater -- the lowest elevation place in the
>> Western Hemisphere. It's hot. The 7 gallons of water I brought
>> is now bath temperature. The 5 gallon fuel can is venting
>> because of the pressure building in the heat. There is no road
>> across the valley here so I decide just to head for Interstate
>> 15 on Death Valley Rd. (Rt. 127) at a town called Baker. We head
>> west into the sunset on I-15 toward home. This trims a day and a
>> half off our trip but we'd seen and had enough.
>>
>>Next trip "The Mojave Road" with lessons learned.
>>--
>
>
>
04-24-2006, 11:09 PM
#19
Guest
Posts: n/a
Re: Trip to Death Valley
I freeze water in plastic milk jugs and then put them in a cooler covered in
crushed ice.
Then refill a smaller container from the main cooler's drain. The water
stays ice cold for several days..
"Lon" <lon.stowell@comcast.net> wrote in message
news:stydnXusmPvJE9DZnZ2dnUVZ_tmdnZ2d@comcast.com. ..
> In the summer you can usually keep your water cool with a canvas bag, but
> you do need a bit of velocity. Where cool is relative if you are near
> Furnace Creek area.
>
> Carl proclaimed:
>
>> Glad to hear it was a good trip overall.
>>
>> Carl
>>
>> "Daniel Bibbens" <dbibbens@xobjex.com> wrote in message
>> news:86odyrpmye.fsf@cheyenne.xobjex.com...
>>
>>>Daniel Bibbens <dbibbens@xobjex.com> writes:
>>>
>>>
>>>>I am taking a four day, three night trip to Death Valley and
>>>>planning to leave my doors and windows at home. Have any of you done
>>>>the same or similar and regretted not having your doors? Anyone
>>>>wished they'd brought something and didn't? Thanks in advance.
>>>>
>>>>The weather is forecast to be sunny and in the high 90's during the
>>>>day and high 60's at night. It's just my dog, my Jeep ('04 TJ
>>>>w/mods), and me. I'm leaving April 20th and plan to return the
>>>>24th. I'll post some pics when I get back.
>>>
>>>Well I did it. Almost nothing went according to plan, but Death Valley
>>>is spectacular and a sight to be seen regardless of what you
>>>drive. Pictures are here:
>>>
>>>http://photos.yahoo.com/daniel_bibbe...b5escd&.src=ph
>>>
>>>I started this thread asking if anyone wished they'd brought
>>>something and didn't. Here is my advice -- put your (at least 5
>>>gallons of) water in a cooler with lots of ice instead of a
>>>jerry-can. Bath water just sucks on a hot day. Also, bring some octane
>>>booster to patch the lousy gas. Travel with at least one other vehicle
>>>-- there is *no* cell service, the canyon walls, cliffs, mountains may
>>>block a CB signal, and the main roads are frequently a day's hike from
>>>the far points of the trails.
>>>
>>>Here are a few notes. In summary -- amazing views, bad and expensive
>>>fuel, and no cell signal to be found:
>>>
>>> * I bailed out of my plan to go with no doors and panels. The
>>> forecast for Death Valley remained the same (it was accurate,
>>> too), but the forecast for my return trip home was for high
>>> 50's, windy, and possibly rain showers (that turned out to be
>>> accurate except for the showers which did come after I got
>>> home). I could have gone without doors and panels and regret
>>> that I checked the weather before I left and wimped-out.
>>>
>>> * I filled up at a Shell station in Panamint Springs. The gas is
>>> lousy and my poor Jeep is sputtering -- I have to downshift to
>>> third to make it up a few hills.
>>>
>>> * The first two trails I went for were closed. Titus Canyon was
>>> closed apparently because there was a 20% chance of rain over
>>> the mountains and Titus Canyon is a particularly bad place to be
>>> in flash flood. The Chloride City trail was opened but the road
>>> to get to it (Mud Canyon) was closed for repairs -- there is no
>>> other entrance to this trail.
>>>
>>> * At 8:00pm the first night, I pulled off the road just West of
>>> Stovepipe wells near the trail-head of the next trail on my
>>> list. The sky was mostly clear and the temperature was around
>>> 75. US Air Force fighter jets (possibly from nearby Edwards AFB)
>>> were doing maneuvers until around 10pm. Beside the jets (which
>>> couldn't be heard) there were an unbelievable number of visible
>>> stars. No signs of civilization are visible except for the faint
>>> glow of Las Vegas about 150 miles away. I reclined my seat and
>>> fell asleep. The moon shining in my face woke me up for a moment
>>> at around 4:30. Max (my dog) and I woke up around 6:30am. I made
>>> espresso on a fuel can stove -- very please with that. Max has
>>> breakfast and water. We head out on foot to walk around the sand
>>> dunes nearby.
>>>
>>> * The Cottonwood/Marble Canyon trail was open. We start the trail
>>> around 10:00am. The ten miles of washboard dirt road just to get
>>> to a trail that was no more challenging than say -- a washboard
>>> dirt road.
>>>
>>> Today I can hear the fighter jets and imagine what an
>>> Iraqi or Taliban soldier must have pondered when hearing the
>>> "thunder" *before* the "lightning". Poor bastards. What were
>>> they thinking? I did take some solice in this season of the IRS
>>> in seeing and hearing what my tax dollars help build. These are
>>> awe-inspiring machines.
>>>
>>> After completing this trail, a heavy coating of dust turned the
>>> interior of my Jeep, my dog, and myself to an unmistakable
>>> desert khaki color. The scenery was amazing. The value of the
>>> views has overcome my disappointment with the trail.
>>>
>>> * We head a few hundred yards to Stovepipe Wells at around 3:00pm
>>> in search of gas, shade, and a cell signal. We find neither and
>>> start south on 190 toward Furnace Creek. It's getting hot -- in
>>> the upper 90's and Max is getting a funny look on his face. No
>>> cell signal at Furnace Creek either. I gas up -- $3.64 for
>>> regular. This fuel is lousy, too and $0.50 higher than prices
>>> outside the park. I find a shade in a parking lot near the
>>> Furnace Creek golf course. Max rests and cools off. I plan for
>>> the next trail.
>>>
>>> * We head toward Badwater -- the lowest elevation place in the
>>> Western Hemisphere. It's hot. The 7 gallons of water I brought
>>> is now bath temperature. The 5 gallon fuel can is venting
>>> because of the pressure building in the heat. There is no road
>>> across the valley here so I decide just to head for Interstate
>>> 15 on Death Valley Rd. (Rt. 127) at a town called Baker. We head
>>> west into the sunset on I-15 toward home. This trims a day and a
>>> half off our trip but we'd seen and had enough.
>>>
>>>Next trip "The Mojave Road" with lessons learned.
>>>--
>>
>>
crushed ice.
Then refill a smaller container from the main cooler's drain. The water
stays ice cold for several days..
"Lon" <lon.stowell@comcast.net> wrote in message
news:stydnXusmPvJE9DZnZ2dnUVZ_tmdnZ2d@comcast.com. ..
> In the summer you can usually keep your water cool with a canvas bag, but
> you do need a bit of velocity. Where cool is relative if you are near
> Furnace Creek area.
>
> Carl proclaimed:
>
>> Glad to hear it was a good trip overall.
>>
>> Carl
>>
>> "Daniel Bibbens" <dbibbens@xobjex.com> wrote in message
>> news:86odyrpmye.fsf@cheyenne.xobjex.com...
>>
>>>Daniel Bibbens <dbibbens@xobjex.com> writes:
>>>
>>>
>>>>I am taking a four day, three night trip to Death Valley and
>>>>planning to leave my doors and windows at home. Have any of you done
>>>>the same or similar and regretted not having your doors? Anyone
>>>>wished they'd brought something and didn't? Thanks in advance.
>>>>
>>>>The weather is forecast to be sunny and in the high 90's during the
>>>>day and high 60's at night. It's just my dog, my Jeep ('04 TJ
>>>>w/mods), and me. I'm leaving April 20th and plan to return the
>>>>24th. I'll post some pics when I get back.
>>>
>>>Well I did it. Almost nothing went according to plan, but Death Valley
>>>is spectacular and a sight to be seen regardless of what you
>>>drive. Pictures are here:
>>>
>>>http://photos.yahoo.com/daniel_bibbe...b5escd&.src=ph
>>>
>>>I started this thread asking if anyone wished they'd brought
>>>something and didn't. Here is my advice -- put your (at least 5
>>>gallons of) water in a cooler with lots of ice instead of a
>>>jerry-can. Bath water just sucks on a hot day. Also, bring some octane
>>>booster to patch the lousy gas. Travel with at least one other vehicle
>>>-- there is *no* cell service, the canyon walls, cliffs, mountains may
>>>block a CB signal, and the main roads are frequently a day's hike from
>>>the far points of the trails.
>>>
>>>Here are a few notes. In summary -- amazing views, bad and expensive
>>>fuel, and no cell signal to be found:
>>>
>>> * I bailed out of my plan to go with no doors and panels. The
>>> forecast for Death Valley remained the same (it was accurate,
>>> too), but the forecast for my return trip home was for high
>>> 50's, windy, and possibly rain showers (that turned out to be
>>> accurate except for the showers which did come after I got
>>> home). I could have gone without doors and panels and regret
>>> that I checked the weather before I left and wimped-out.
>>>
>>> * I filled up at a Shell station in Panamint Springs. The gas is
>>> lousy and my poor Jeep is sputtering -- I have to downshift to
>>> third to make it up a few hills.
>>>
>>> * The first two trails I went for were closed. Titus Canyon was
>>> closed apparently because there was a 20% chance of rain over
>>> the mountains and Titus Canyon is a particularly bad place to be
>>> in flash flood. The Chloride City trail was opened but the road
>>> to get to it (Mud Canyon) was closed for repairs -- there is no
>>> other entrance to this trail.
>>>
>>> * At 8:00pm the first night, I pulled off the road just West of
>>> Stovepipe wells near the trail-head of the next trail on my
>>> list. The sky was mostly clear and the temperature was around
>>> 75. US Air Force fighter jets (possibly from nearby Edwards AFB)
>>> were doing maneuvers until around 10pm. Beside the jets (which
>>> couldn't be heard) there were an unbelievable number of visible
>>> stars. No signs of civilization are visible except for the faint
>>> glow of Las Vegas about 150 miles away. I reclined my seat and
>>> fell asleep. The moon shining in my face woke me up for a moment
>>> at around 4:30. Max (my dog) and I woke up around 6:30am. I made
>>> espresso on a fuel can stove -- very please with that. Max has
>>> breakfast and water. We head out on foot to walk around the sand
>>> dunes nearby.
>>>
>>> * The Cottonwood/Marble Canyon trail was open. We start the trail
>>> around 10:00am. The ten miles of washboard dirt road just to get
>>> to a trail that was no more challenging than say -- a washboard
>>> dirt road.
>>>
>>> Today I can hear the fighter jets and imagine what an
>>> Iraqi or Taliban soldier must have pondered when hearing the
>>> "thunder" *before* the "lightning". Poor bastards. What were
>>> they thinking? I did take some solice in this season of the IRS
>>> in seeing and hearing what my tax dollars help build. These are
>>> awe-inspiring machines.
>>>
>>> After completing this trail, a heavy coating of dust turned the
>>> interior of my Jeep, my dog, and myself to an unmistakable
>>> desert khaki color. The scenery was amazing. The value of the
>>> views has overcome my disappointment with the trail.
>>>
>>> * We head a few hundred yards to Stovepipe Wells at around 3:00pm
>>> in search of gas, shade, and a cell signal. We find neither and
>>> start south on 190 toward Furnace Creek. It's getting hot -- in
>>> the upper 90's and Max is getting a funny look on his face. No
>>> cell signal at Furnace Creek either. I gas up -- $3.64 for
>>> regular. This fuel is lousy, too and $0.50 higher than prices
>>> outside the park. I find a shade in a parking lot near the
>>> Furnace Creek golf course. Max rests and cools off. I plan for
>>> the next trail.
>>>
>>> * We head toward Badwater -- the lowest elevation place in the
>>> Western Hemisphere. It's hot. The 7 gallons of water I brought
>>> is now bath temperature. The 5 gallon fuel can is venting
>>> because of the pressure building in the heat. There is no road
>>> across the valley here so I decide just to head for Interstate
>>> 15 on Death Valley Rd. (Rt. 127) at a town called Baker. We head
>>> west into the sunset on I-15 toward home. This trims a day and a
>>> half off our trip but we'd seen and had enough.
>>>
>>>Next trip "The Mojave Road" with lessons learned.
>>>--
>>
>>
04-24-2006, 11:09 PM
#20
Guest
Posts: n/a
Re: Trip to Death Valley
I freeze water in plastic milk jugs and then put them in a cooler covered in
crushed ice.
Then refill a smaller container from the main cooler's drain. The water
stays ice cold for several days..
"Lon" <lon.stowell@comcast.net> wrote in message
news:stydnXusmPvJE9DZnZ2dnUVZ_tmdnZ2d@comcast.com. ..
> In the summer you can usually keep your water cool with a canvas bag, but
> you do need a bit of velocity. Where cool is relative if you are near
> Furnace Creek area.
>
> Carl proclaimed:
>
>> Glad to hear it was a good trip overall.
>>
>> Carl
>>
>> "Daniel Bibbens" <dbibbens@xobjex.com> wrote in message
>> news:86odyrpmye.fsf@cheyenne.xobjex.com...
>>
>>>Daniel Bibbens <dbibbens@xobjex.com> writes:
>>>
>>>
>>>>I am taking a four day, three night trip to Death Valley and
>>>>planning to leave my doors and windows at home. Have any of you done
>>>>the same or similar and regretted not having your doors? Anyone
>>>>wished they'd brought something and didn't? Thanks in advance.
>>>>
>>>>The weather is forecast to be sunny and in the high 90's during the
>>>>day and high 60's at night. It's just my dog, my Jeep ('04 TJ
>>>>w/mods), and me. I'm leaving April 20th and plan to return the
>>>>24th. I'll post some pics when I get back.
>>>
>>>Well I did it. Almost nothing went according to plan, but Death Valley
>>>is spectacular and a sight to be seen regardless of what you
>>>drive. Pictures are here:
>>>
>>>http://photos.yahoo.com/daniel_bibbe...b5escd&.src=ph
>>>
>>>I started this thread asking if anyone wished they'd brought
>>>something and didn't. Here is my advice -- put your (at least 5
>>>gallons of) water in a cooler with lots of ice instead of a
>>>jerry-can. Bath water just sucks on a hot day. Also, bring some octane
>>>booster to patch the lousy gas. Travel with at least one other vehicle
>>>-- there is *no* cell service, the canyon walls, cliffs, mountains may
>>>block a CB signal, and the main roads are frequently a day's hike from
>>>the far points of the trails.
>>>
>>>Here are a few notes. In summary -- amazing views, bad and expensive
>>>fuel, and no cell signal to be found:
>>>
>>> * I bailed out of my plan to go with no doors and panels. The
>>> forecast for Death Valley remained the same (it was accurate,
>>> too), but the forecast for my return trip home was for high
>>> 50's, windy, and possibly rain showers (that turned out to be
>>> accurate except for the showers which did come after I got
>>> home). I could have gone without doors and panels and regret
>>> that I checked the weather before I left and wimped-out.
>>>
>>> * I filled up at a Shell station in Panamint Springs. The gas is
>>> lousy and my poor Jeep is sputtering -- I have to downshift to
>>> third to make it up a few hills.
>>>
>>> * The first two trails I went for were closed. Titus Canyon was
>>> closed apparently because there was a 20% chance of rain over
>>> the mountains and Titus Canyon is a particularly bad place to be
>>> in flash flood. The Chloride City trail was opened but the road
>>> to get to it (Mud Canyon) was closed for repairs -- there is no
>>> other entrance to this trail.
>>>
>>> * At 8:00pm the first night, I pulled off the road just West of
>>> Stovepipe wells near the trail-head of the next trail on my
>>> list. The sky was mostly clear and the temperature was around
>>> 75. US Air Force fighter jets (possibly from nearby Edwards AFB)
>>> were doing maneuvers until around 10pm. Beside the jets (which
>>> couldn't be heard) there were an unbelievable number of visible
>>> stars. No signs of civilization are visible except for the faint
>>> glow of Las Vegas about 150 miles away. I reclined my seat and
>>> fell asleep. The moon shining in my face woke me up for a moment
>>> at around 4:30. Max (my dog) and I woke up around 6:30am. I made
>>> espresso on a fuel can stove -- very please with that. Max has
>>> breakfast and water. We head out on foot to walk around the sand
>>> dunes nearby.
>>>
>>> * The Cottonwood/Marble Canyon trail was open. We start the trail
>>> around 10:00am. The ten miles of washboard dirt road just to get
>>> to a trail that was no more challenging than say -- a washboard
>>> dirt road.
>>>
>>> Today I can hear the fighter jets and imagine what an
>>> Iraqi or Taliban soldier must have pondered when hearing the
>>> "thunder" *before* the "lightning". Poor bastards. What were
>>> they thinking? I did take some solice in this season of the IRS
>>> in seeing and hearing what my tax dollars help build. These are
>>> awe-inspiring machines.
>>>
>>> After completing this trail, a heavy coating of dust turned the
>>> interior of my Jeep, my dog, and myself to an unmistakable
>>> desert khaki color. The scenery was amazing. The value of the
>>> views has overcome my disappointment with the trail.
>>>
>>> * We head a few hundred yards to Stovepipe Wells at around 3:00pm
>>> in search of gas, shade, and a cell signal. We find neither and
>>> start south on 190 toward Furnace Creek. It's getting hot -- in
>>> the upper 90's and Max is getting a funny look on his face. No
>>> cell signal at Furnace Creek either. I gas up -- $3.64 for
>>> regular. This fuel is lousy, too and $0.50 higher than prices
>>> outside the park. I find a shade in a parking lot near the
>>> Furnace Creek golf course. Max rests and cools off. I plan for
>>> the next trail.
>>>
>>> * We head toward Badwater -- the lowest elevation place in the
>>> Western Hemisphere. It's hot. The 7 gallons of water I brought
>>> is now bath temperature. The 5 gallon fuel can is venting
>>> because of the pressure building in the heat. There is no road
>>> across the valley here so I decide just to head for Interstate
>>> 15 on Death Valley Rd. (Rt. 127) at a town called Baker. We head
>>> west into the sunset on I-15 toward home. This trims a day and a
>>> half off our trip but we'd seen and had enough.
>>>
>>>Next trip "The Mojave Road" with lessons learned.
>>>--
>>
>>
crushed ice.
Then refill a smaller container from the main cooler's drain. The water
stays ice cold for several days..
"Lon" <lon.stowell@comcast.net> wrote in message
news:stydnXusmPvJE9DZnZ2dnUVZ_tmdnZ2d@comcast.com. ..
> In the summer you can usually keep your water cool with a canvas bag, but
> you do need a bit of velocity. Where cool is relative if you are near
> Furnace Creek area.
>
> Carl proclaimed:
>
>> Glad to hear it was a good trip overall.
>>
>> Carl
>>
>> "Daniel Bibbens" <dbibbens@xobjex.com> wrote in message
>> news:86odyrpmye.fsf@cheyenne.xobjex.com...
>>
>>>Daniel Bibbens <dbibbens@xobjex.com> writes:
>>>
>>>
>>>>I am taking a four day, three night trip to Death Valley and
>>>>planning to leave my doors and windows at home. Have any of you done
>>>>the same or similar and regretted not having your doors? Anyone
>>>>wished they'd brought something and didn't? Thanks in advance.
>>>>
>>>>The weather is forecast to be sunny and in the high 90's during the
>>>>day and high 60's at night. It's just my dog, my Jeep ('04 TJ
>>>>w/mods), and me. I'm leaving April 20th and plan to return the
>>>>24th. I'll post some pics when I get back.
>>>
>>>Well I did it. Almost nothing went according to plan, but Death Valley
>>>is spectacular and a sight to be seen regardless of what you
>>>drive. Pictures are here:
>>>
>>>http://photos.yahoo.com/daniel_bibbe...b5escd&.src=ph
>>>
>>>I started this thread asking if anyone wished they'd brought
>>>something and didn't. Here is my advice -- put your (at least 5
>>>gallons of) water in a cooler with lots of ice instead of a
>>>jerry-can. Bath water just sucks on a hot day. Also, bring some octane
>>>booster to patch the lousy gas. Travel with at least one other vehicle
>>>-- there is *no* cell service, the canyon walls, cliffs, mountains may
>>>block a CB signal, and the main roads are frequently a day's hike from
>>>the far points of the trails.
>>>
>>>Here are a few notes. In summary -- amazing views, bad and expensive
>>>fuel, and no cell signal to be found:
>>>
>>> * I bailed out of my plan to go with no doors and panels. The
>>> forecast for Death Valley remained the same (it was accurate,
>>> too), but the forecast for my return trip home was for high
>>> 50's, windy, and possibly rain showers (that turned out to be
>>> accurate except for the showers which did come after I got
>>> home). I could have gone without doors and panels and regret
>>> that I checked the weather before I left and wimped-out.
>>>
>>> * I filled up at a Shell station in Panamint Springs. The gas is
>>> lousy and my poor Jeep is sputtering -- I have to downshift to
>>> third to make it up a few hills.
>>>
>>> * The first two trails I went for were closed. Titus Canyon was
>>> closed apparently because there was a 20% chance of rain over
>>> the mountains and Titus Canyon is a particularly bad place to be
>>> in flash flood. The Chloride City trail was opened but the road
>>> to get to it (Mud Canyon) was closed for repairs -- there is no
>>> other entrance to this trail.
>>>
>>> * At 8:00pm the first night, I pulled off the road just West of
>>> Stovepipe wells near the trail-head of the next trail on my
>>> list. The sky was mostly clear and the temperature was around
>>> 75. US Air Force fighter jets (possibly from nearby Edwards AFB)
>>> were doing maneuvers until around 10pm. Beside the jets (which
>>> couldn't be heard) there were an unbelievable number of visible
>>> stars. No signs of civilization are visible except for the faint
>>> glow of Las Vegas about 150 miles away. I reclined my seat and
>>> fell asleep. The moon shining in my face woke me up for a moment
>>> at around 4:30. Max (my dog) and I woke up around 6:30am. I made
>>> espresso on a fuel can stove -- very please with that. Max has
>>> breakfast and water. We head out on foot to walk around the sand
>>> dunes nearby.
>>>
>>> * The Cottonwood/Marble Canyon trail was open. We start the trail
>>> around 10:00am. The ten miles of washboard dirt road just to get
>>> to a trail that was no more challenging than say -- a washboard
>>> dirt road.
>>>
>>> Today I can hear the fighter jets and imagine what an
>>> Iraqi or Taliban soldier must have pondered when hearing the
>>> "thunder" *before* the "lightning". Poor bastards. What were
>>> they thinking? I did take some solice in this season of the IRS
>>> in seeing and hearing what my tax dollars help build. These are
>>> awe-inspiring machines.
>>>
>>> After completing this trail, a heavy coating of dust turned the
>>> interior of my Jeep, my dog, and myself to an unmistakable
>>> desert khaki color. The scenery was amazing. The value of the
>>> views has overcome my disappointment with the trail.
>>>
>>> * We head a few hundred yards to Stovepipe Wells at around 3:00pm
>>> in search of gas, shade, and a cell signal. We find neither and
>>> start south on 190 toward Furnace Creek. It's getting hot -- in
>>> the upper 90's and Max is getting a funny look on his face. No
>>> cell signal at Furnace Creek either. I gas up -- $3.64 for
>>> regular. This fuel is lousy, too and $0.50 higher than prices
>>> outside the park. I find a shade in a parking lot near the
>>> Furnace Creek golf course. Max rests and cools off. I plan for
>>> the next trail.
>>>
>>> * We head toward Badwater -- the lowest elevation place in the
>>> Western Hemisphere. It's hot. The 7 gallons of water I brought
>>> is now bath temperature. The 5 gallon fuel can is venting
>>> because of the pressure building in the heat. There is no road
>>> across the valley here so I decide just to head for Interstate
>>> 15 on Death Valley Rd. (Rt. 127) at a town called Baker. We head
>>> west into the sunset on I-15 toward home. This trims a day and a
>>> half off our trip but we'd seen and had enough.
>>>
>>>Next trip "The Mojave Road" with lessons learned.
>>>--
>>
>>