Mojave Desert Trail and Exploring March 25-27 2013

[Tbars4]

Update:

This trip will be about a week long of the Mint 400 about March 22-24th then the Mojave Desert Trail and Exploring March 25-27, and probably longer on the way back toward So Cal so that others who want to join in for a day or two can also take part..

..This year we will be heading East and then can turn around and head West...:biggthump

___________________________________________________

..I got asked today if we plan on doing this run again and I said sure so here we go...:biggthump

..Anyone want in on this trip you have plenty of time to make your plans.

..This will be held in March as we usually do it the last or next to last week of the month but I will put up a poll with some dates...

The trip will start from the Laughlin Nevada side and head into California..We usually do this in 1-1/2 to 2 1/2 days and change things up a bit each group as there is plenty of stuff to see out there..


..Here are a couple links to some previous runs..

http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=277347&highlight=mojave

http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=210706&highlight=mojave

In crowd

Tbars4
Brian1


The - We're a hopin' crowd..

Paul
Keeper0311
Dave Alfaro
bronchole
Ritsui
SpOrtTr4c
Froader
RockRanger
FatCat


Itnerary


Mint 400
Friday afternoon/evening March 22nd: Mint 400 Contingency downtown Las Vegas. Hotel or camp somewhere.
Saturday March 23rd: Mint 400 Race Jean, NV

Sunday March 24th
Break camp somehwere near Jean, NV
Stop in at ZZYZX?
In-N-Out lunch Barstow
Mojave River Valley Museum Barstow
Camp either at Calico Ghost Town or Afton Campground

Monday March 25th
Start the Mojave road Eastbound from Afton Campground, 9AM?
Short hike in Afton slot canyon
Find the buried boxcar in Afton
Rock Pile/Travelers Monument
Soda Dry Lake
Mailbox & check on the Explorerforum Frog in the Frog Shrine
Camp somewhere between Lava Beds and Kelso-Cima Road

Tuesday March 26th
Head towards Cima
Explore the few mines in the area
Return to the Mojave Road
Pass by Gov't Holes and Rock Spring
Penny Can
Camp near Piute Gorge?

Wednesday March 27th
Piute Gorge overlook on a spur road north of Mojave Road
Explore mine towards Goffs
See the schoolhouse at Goffs
Return to the Mojave Road
Down the pass and cross hwy 95
Continue to the end and refuel at the AVI around noon-1PM

 

[Keeper0311]

Oh man I hope I can make this trip. I'll be keeping an eye on this as time gets closer.

 

[Brian1]

Yes! I will try and make it if I can

 

[Tbars4]

..Updated first post..

 

[bronchole]

Can't say for sure yet, but I want to be in the loop.

 

[Tbars4]

..This will get stickied the first of the year but for now, here's a friendly bump for those who need to plan ahead..

 

[Sp0rtTr4c]

This run looks fun! I will do what I can to make this one, looks like a really good time.

 

[Tbars4]

..November first bump..

 

[FROADER]

Put me in the maybe crowd for now as I would love to make this trip. It would have to be the first weekend because my anniversary is March 27th. Unless we make it an anniversary trip together. Not sure she'd go for that though.. Need to try out he 4th gen.

 

[Tbars4]

..First weekend as in the 18th-20th?

..BTW...:shifty_ey..I heard there will be for sure a "Crown King Az." run this year in April..

 

[FROADER]

..First weekend as in the 18th-20th?

Yes, that weekend.

 

[Brian1]

I was thinking about the Mojave Rd today as I stood in the middle of the Jean dry lakebed a little north of there. Tomorrow I will be driving near the Eastern end of the trail. Wish I could run a section of it right now but there is no time

..BTW...:shifty_ey..I heard there will be for sure a "Crown King Az." run this year in April..

Funny, I heard the same thing yesterday

 

[RockRanger]

Interested. It would more then likely have to be the last week for us and that depends on how fast I drive the explorer from Virgina to CA.....

 

[Tbars4]

..I suspected Brian was in the area since Sunday..

..But for now the names have been updated in the first post..:biggthump

 

[Paul]

In !

Count me in - - voted, (either date works), and looking forward to the exploration.

Paul
'91 Sport

 

[Keeper0311]

Just went through the previous years threads...makes me wanna go that much more.

Trying to think what stuff I should be working/adding to the Explorer to make this happen. And trying to start my packing list.

 

[bronchole]

This is not a difficult trail at all. Any stock 4x4 with any driver can do it. Capable 2WD off road type vehicles that can survive crossing sand dunes can do thistrail also.

What you want is reliability. It's quite a drive to fetch parts for your fellow wheeler. Some mounting for spare gas cans probably wouldn't be a bad idea either. The wife might appreciate creature comforts like a power inverter for charging stuff, Stero upgrades... If you pack heavy maybe look in to how you are going to pack (roof rack, hillbilly rack, how its going to tie down...) If the run is going to be rolling along in the night maybe look in to lighting upgrades.

 

[Keeper0311]

That's mostly what I was looking at. I figured if my Explorer can play in Truckhaven I should be able to do the trip.

 

[Tbars4]

...Paul, will you be pulling a trailer or driving straight down?

..Depending on how much time you have we could expand this trip for those who want to hang around a few more days...We could even traverse thru Stoddard valley over to Johnson valley..:scratch:

 

[Paul]

...Paul, will you be pulling a trailer or driving straight down?

..Depending on how much time you have we could expand this trip for those who want to hang around a few more days...We could even traverse thru Stoddard valley over to Johnson valley..:scratch:

No trailer (neither to transport the Sport nor haul stuff behind it...), so no issues with staging or storing a prime mover. However, I will re-mount the Con-Ferr roof rack to carry some spare fuel and other assorted necessities...

I'm game for extending the trip, but not at the expense of other's schedules - - you mention 1.5 - 2.5 days, but if there is interest, I'd gladly stretch it out to 3.5 - 5 days. If there are decent "departure points" along the planned route where others could depart (or join) based on their schedules, then all the better. I plan on taking a week off from work, so with a planned two day drive there and back (weekends) gives me five days total to explore . . .

Paul
'91 Sport