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Redneck Adventure (with a lil hiking)
#1551 01/05/10 11:25 PM
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Loaded my friend, both of our boys and another friend of theirs in my 1966 Kaiser-Jeep Deuce and Half truck (yes a real Army truck) and headed north. The boys rode in the back with the gear, which we seemed to have too much of since we were only going for about 40 hours. We headed north on the I15 until just past the I215 connector on the northern end. Stopped at McDonald's for breakfast (we left at 0430 so it was too early to eat) and to wait for my buddy and his friend in another deuce.

After eating some fine greasy food we loaded up and rolled north up the grade, splitting off on the 395. Tried to keep the speedo around 50-53 mph so the engine rpms would be below 2600. Redline is 2700 and they like to come apart once you get past that (which is why we travel in pairs).

An hour and half later we stopped to top off tanks. I won't scare you with my fuel bill, but I was hoping to pull 8 mpg and DIDN'T.

Wallet lighter we kept moving north on the 395 looking for those beef jerky signs. When we got to the 190 we turned right towards death valley. About 25 miles in I found the desert road I was looking for and we took the party off road.

When I was there a year ago with Tom G and another wreck chasing friend I remember having to be careful because of the rough road and rocks. This time we just drove over anything in the road that was in our way. No hassles at all.

Roads fork off to the left and right and I was under a lot of pressure not to screw this up. As the canyon narrowed and the road I had picked faded away I started to get worried. U turns require major real estate to pull off driving trucks that big, but luckily I found the right spot.

In as far as we could go we unloaded and grabbed the packs. Everyone was too excited for lunch so we skipped it and headed in on foot. Shortly the tail section of a crashed F4 Phantom was in plain sight. We hiked up to it and I let everyone check it out. Mike and I had been there last year (well 2008 - damn it's 2010 already?). Mike thought he knew where another kewl peice of wreckage was so he led the way up to the ridge. It was great seeing him take charge like that - even though he couldn't exactly remember the right spot.

After a 1/2 hour or so I regrouped everyone and hiked them back to the canyon floor and up higher onto the other side. The wing section needed checking out too. A few people were struggling a little bit so we didn't push on to some of the other goodies uphill. Insteaded we headed down and deeper into the canyon where the weapons pod and a horse skeleton waited.

Then it was back to the trucks - hiking was over for now. Somehow I got the big, no power steeering truck turned around and we headed into another canyon. At the end is a crappy rat infested cabin. The boys loved it, but no one wanted to sleep in it. After two fires (boys made one in the cabin fireplace, adults had a bigger one next to our outdoor BAR), steaks, stories, lies, tall tales and good laughs we stuffed 5 people into the back of my truck to sleep. My buddy and his friend slept in the other truck. Bedtime temps were about 20 degrees.

In the morning we loaded up and headed to an open spot in the desert to teach the boys how to drive a deuce. Wide open and nothing to hit. Of course I kept my hand on the transfer case shifter, ready to put it in nutrual if needed. The boys did great and no damage was done.

We missed our turn (no street signs in the dez) and nearly ran onto the base. A quick u turn got us on track and we soon were downtown Darwin, Ca. Freaksville USA. We checked out the scenery, the spooky (even in the daytime) cemetary and a couple of old mines. If you get the chance, do a drive by on this semi ghost town.

With everyone getting hungry we found the blacktop and stormed into Lone Pine for pizza. Two big Army trucks parked on the main road seem to get a lot of attention. Bellys full we made our way south with a quick stop in some one horse town to check out another deuce we saw. Running down the Cajon Pass was no fun with rain and dumbchit drivers.

Turned out to be nearly 500 miles total in those 40 hours. Exhaust is so loud you can't even talk to your passenger on the freeway. You get to see a lot more at 50 mph too. And think about a lot when your rolling that slow with no radio, cell phone etc.

Pics are here (I know they still need tags):

http://www.flickr.com/photos/30467211@N04/sets/72157622980982011/

Re: Redneck Adventure (with a lil hiking)
DUG #1552 01/05/10 11:49 PM
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Wow, what a fun trip for the boys! Learning to drive in a 10-wheeler... Now THAT's got to be something they'll remember. Did you teach them how to double-clutch? wink

And I thought the picture in your avatar was just an antique truck. Didn't know it was yours and you could actually drive it.

I once came upon an old Dodge Power Wagon somewhere high up at a gold mine site in the Panamints. Thought it would be a great toy. But then, 50 mph, 8 mpg, and all that noise! Mercy!

Re: Redneck Adventure (with a lil hiking)
DUG #1555 01/06/10 03:24 AM
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You missed one good opportunity to show them a fantastic canyon with one of the richest petroglyphs outside the base boundary. You were less than a mile from the location.

Good trip report and lots of sun. This weekend was great to be out wandering in the desert.

Re: Redneck Adventure (with a lil hiking)
Tomcat_rc #1557 01/06/10 06:13 AM
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What a great trip, DUG! Sorry I missed you guys with my crazy schedule. Next time fer shure... I wanna ride in one of those trucks!


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Think outside the Zone.
Re: Redneck Adventure (with a lil hiking)
Tomcat_rc #1559 01/06/10 08:16 AM
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Originally Posted By: Tomcat_rc
You missed one good opportunity to show them a fantastic canyon with one of the richest petroglyphs outside the base boundary. You were less than a mile from the location.

Good trip report and lots of sun. This weekend was great to be out wandering in the desert.


We only had the 40 some hours. The checklist was:

F4 wreck
Crappy cabin
Drive the deuces
Ghost Town
Old Mines
Pizza

I hit all those bucket list items, the petroglyphs will have to be another trip - I assume they'll be there longer than anything on the list. smile

Re: Redneck Adventure (with a lil hiking)
MooseTracks #1560 01/06/10 08:28 AM
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Originally Posted By: MooseTracks
What a great trip, DUG! Sorry I missed you guys with my crazy schedule. Next time fer shure... I wanna ride in one of those trucks!


Next time for sure Moosie. Talking about another trip in Feb.

Re: Redneck Adventure (with a lil hiking)
Steve C #1561 01/06/10 08:34 AM
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Originally Posted By: Steve C
Wow, what a fun trip for the boys! Learning to drive in a 10-wheeler... Now THAT's got to be something they'll remember. Did you teach them how to double-clutch? wink

And I thought the picture in your avatar was just an antique truck. Didn't know it was yours and you could actually drive it.

I once came upon an old Dodge Power Wagon somewhere high up at a gold mine site in the Panamints. Thought it would be a great toy. But then, 50 mph, 8 mpg, and all that noise! Mercy!


No double clutching. Actually, no shifting at all this time - we only used 2nd gear. The truck is impossible to kill even if you mess the clutch release up. We plan on exploring in the desert a lot more since the trucks make a good base camp where ever you park them.

Oh, and I didn't even get 8mph..........

I want a trip with more hiking - I suggested a spot I heard about called Bevridge - I hear that's a tough hike.........................

Re: Redneck Adventure (with a lil hiking)
DUG #1562 01/06/10 08:53 AM
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Thanks for the TR DUG. I have missed you around here.What a great memorable experience for all the boys. Very cool truck.That is a lot of vehicle.

Re: Redneck Adventure (with a lil hiking)
Rod #1564 01/06/10 09:04 AM
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Originally Posted By: Rod
Thanks for the TR DUG. I have missed you around here.What a great memorable experience for all the boys. Very cool truck.That is a lot of vehicle.


So when are you coming with us Rod?

The best part of the trip was seeing the boys - who acted dead tired heading up to the wing - climb the nearest peak by the cabin to yell and wave at us. I guess they have more energy when not hanging with the 40+ club. The way they sat around that small fire in cabin and talked, you would have thought they smubbled an xBox in there. That's the kind of impact I'm trying to have - yeah the games and toys are fun, BUT........... check THIS out!

Re: Redneck Adventure (with a lil hiking)
DUG #1565 01/06/10 09:16 AM
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DUG
Let me know when you are going again and I'll try to fit it in. I am back in training to get in shape for hiking or whatever.It feels good to be working out again.I ate a lot of crap I have to get out of my system over the Holidays.
Rod

Re: Redneck Adventure (with a lil hiking)
Rod #1566 01/06/10 09:21 AM
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From the pics it looks like 3 adults and 3 boys? No wonder you want more adults,you were waaaay outnumbered.

Re: Redneck Adventure (with a lil hiking)
MooseTracks #1568 01/06/10 10:06 AM
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Originally Posted By: MooseTracks
I wanna ride in one of those trucks!
I want to see a picture of Moosie DRIVING that truck! cool   It kind of matches her big backpack style.

One more question: Your top speed was 50, but what was the lowest on the I-15 or 395 on any of the grades?

Back in college, I drove a U-Haul truck pulling a big trailer, both loaded to the top with Geology summer camp gear, up from Big Pine to Westgard Pass. The 12 miles took 2 hours -- tached-out in Granny Low was all it could do!

Re: Redneck Adventure (with a lil hiking)
Steve C #1569 01/06/10 12:35 PM
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Originally Posted By: Steve C
Originally Posted By: MooseTracks
I wanna ride in one of those trucks!
I want to see a picture of Moosie DRIVING that truck! cool   It kind of matches her big backpack style.

One more question: Your top speed was 50, but what was the lowest on the I-15 or 395 on any of the grades?

Back in college, I drove a U-Haul truck pulling a big trailer, both loaded to the top with Geology summer camp gear, up from Big Pine to Westgard Pass. The 12 miles took 2 hours -- tached-out in Granny Low was all it could do!


Top speed in my truck is nearly 60. My buddys truck will do 70 because his is 1500 pounds lighter (it has been BOBBED or shortened) and he has huge tires.

I kept it at about 50ish to keep the RPMs down.

However, the Cajon Pass is a 3rd gear event near the top and a few other grades require 4th and sometimes 3rd to clear. Max speed in 3rd is 27. You can pull 44 in 4th.

The have a "cruise control" which is basicly a cable with a twist lock that holds the throttle. They are normally used to hold a set RPM while you use the PTO for a winch, generator, whatever, but my buddy uses his to just cruise behind me, When I'm pullig 2600 RPM, he pulls 2000. I would love to swap over to some monster tires, but this truck came with 11 brand new ones. So for now, I watch the tach closely and watch my wallet get lighter.

Re: Redneck Adventure (with a lil hiking)
DUG #1574 01/06/10 08:55 PM
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DUG, you don't post often, but when you do it's a blast! Now I can relate to your avatar every time I see it. Very cool trip report - not the typical "I hiked, I returned, it was pretty" TR. Extremely entertaining.

On the mileage misery, I can faintly relate. My first car in 1974 was a ragged-out '68 Charger with a 426 Hemi. The way I drove at 17, I was lucky to get 4 mpg. 'Course, gas was about 50 cents a gallon back then, even after the Oil Embargo, but that was damn expensive for the era. Running 8 mpg now, with California gas prices - well, your wallet has my sympathy!

Re: Redneck Adventure (with a lil hiking)
Bulldog34 #1575 01/06/10 09:36 PM
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Originally Posted By: Bulldog34
DUG, you don't post often, but when you do it's a blast! Now I can relate to your avatar every time I see it. Very cool trip report - not the typical "I hiked, I returned, it was pretty" TR. Extremely entertaining.

On the mileage misery, I can faintly relate. My first car in 1974 was a ragged-out '68 Charger with a 426 Hemi. The way I drove at 17, I was lucky to get 4 mpg. 'Course, gas was about 50 cents a gallon back then, even after the Oil Embargo, but that was damn expensive for the era. Running 8 mpg now, with California gas prices - well, your wallet has my sympathy!


It's my "off" season so I don't have much to post about. smile When things pick up in May I'll be a regular chatty Kathy.

I still have my 1st car in the garage - a 67 Chevelle. Put over 200,000 miles on it and it had 65,000 when I bought it in 85. Many engines, a few transmissions.........

Good thing about the deuce is it will burn ANYTHING - it likes diesal, but gas, waste oil, tranny fluid, veggie oil, what you got and can filter to 10 microns is ok. It has insanely high compression which is why they don't like to turn max rpms all day long.

The truck is a ton of fun - we use it in scouts a few times a month.

Re: Redneck Adventure (with a lil hiking)
DUG #1577 01/07/10 08:47 AM
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Ahhh...the reliable deuce-and-a-half...

It was the military's version of going green way before the hybrids...

Flat tire? Hell, it can still run on the deflated mode.

One thing know, I bet you don't have to worry about road rage! grin "Here! Have some of this for that 'bird'!"

Having military flashbacks...

Have fun.


Journey well...

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