Truck Haven March 17-19 2023

[Stic-o]

Where is everyone at for next weekend?

I'm coming to a crossroads where I can't bring the set up I want with out doing possible more damage to the RV. The rain has really screwed me up. I can't get things done

My looming choices...

1. RV can come solo.... can't off-road. Not ready to tow again.
2. Ranger can come down for the day - not staying overnight ( hopefully can get the oil and trans fluid changed first)
3. Ranger tow the Explorer down, again for the day. Again oil and trans fluid changed, and also fixing the Explorers power steering leak. Redhead has been ordered.

Weather shows rain again going into this weekend and most of next week. So I'm kinda in a pickle here....

 

[Ray Hutchinson]

Tom! Even better. Seems like I remember your first Ham Mobile radio, Back in the Day, was 2 meters only. Glad tiosee you upgraded to the world above 300 MHZ!

 

[Ray Hutchinson]

Stico,

Since we don't have an RV, and we're so over sleeping on the ground, for several T-Havens now, we're stayed at "Ray and Carols Motel by the Sea" in Salton City. It's small, but clean and according to Ray & Carol's grandson, who now rums the place, all the rooms (only have 4 rooms) have been newly remodeled.

They're OR friendly, only about 10- 15 min from our usual campsite, and they quoted me $140 a night. We've reserved the 17th and 18th. If you're interested, Call 'em, today, they may have something left. $140 is plenty for a motel in that area, but when you consider you can run T-Haven 2 days, sleep comfortably, and not have to run 2 vehicles down and back, the cost isn't so bad.

The Motel by the Sea, Salton City, Thermal, Salton Sea, California

The Motel by the Sea is a modern, cute, friendly, upscale motel located in Salton City, near the Salton Sea. Thermal, CA; Salton City, CA

www.themotelbythesea.com

Ray

 

[Stic-o]

Stico,

Since we don't have an RV, and we're so over sleeping on the ground, for several T-Havens now, we're stayed at "Ray and Carols Motel by the Sea" in Salton City. It's small, but clean and according to Ray & Carol's grandson, who now rums the place, all the rooms (only have 4 rooms) have been newly remodeled.

They're OR friendly, only about 10- 15 min from our usual campsite, and they quoted me $140 a night. We've reserved the 17th and 18th. If you're interested, Call 'em, today, they may have something left. $140 is plenty for a motel in that area, but when you consider you can run T-Haven 2 days, sleep comfortably, and not have to run 2 vehicles down and back, the cost isn't so bad.

The Motel by the Sea, Salton City, Thermal, Salton Sea, California

The Motel by the Sea is a modern, cute, friendly, upscale motel located in Salton City, near the Salton Sea. Thermal, CA; Salton City, CA

www.themotelbythesea.com

Ray

I don't think the hotel would appreciate my two Labradors

 

[Ray Hutchinson]

Well, I just called to recind my option for a 3rd (Sunday) night, and they're all booked until March 8, so it wouldn't have worked anyway.

 

[Ray Hutchinson]

Wait, What, March 8? Maybe they do have some rooms. Guess I was still in Feb or something

 

[tdavis]

Tom! Even better. Seems like I remember your first Ham Mobile radio, Back in the Day, was 2 meters only. Glad tiosee you upgraded to the world above 300 MHZ!

The current radio has Bluetooth app control (no head set), along with APRS support. VGC VR-N7500 50W Dual Band Mobile Radio With APP Programming

 

[tdavis]

As for me.. no, not going to try to get there. The 10 day forecast is just horrible.

 

[Rick]

I've been doing my best to get myself motivated. I spent as much fixing the trailer for this trip as I did buying the trailer 20+ years ago. I'm just not feeling like wheelin' right now. I think I need to start working on the Pumpkin again to get the feeling back. Right now the upholestery on the seats is falling apart, foam coming out, rollbar padding is no longer doing it's job either, I can push a finger right through it. The front end feels like crap since the coil overs are shot and need replacing. I have an oddball size that's not made anymore. That means I have to do some fabricating to get bigger shocks in there. Worst of all, due to the eye surgeries my balance is still off when I'm doing anything, but walking on flat ground. I can't even go up high on a ladder anymore. I haven't been able to get on our roof in several years now.
bleh...

 

[Stic-o]

Maybe we just need to motivate you @Rick . Come do a crown king run

 

[Josh P]

I've been doing my best to get myself motivated. I spent as much fixing the trailer for this trip as I did buying the trailer 20+ years ago. I'm just not feeling like wheelin' right now. I think I need to start working on the Pumpkin again to get the feeling back. Right now the upholestery on the seats is falling apart, foam coming out, rollbar padding is no longer doing it's job either, I can push a finger right through it. The front end feels like crap since the coil overs are shot and need replacing. I have an oddball size that's not made anymore. That means I have to do some fabricating to get bigger shocks in there. Worst of all, due to the eye surgeries my balance is still off when I'm doing anything, but walking on flat ground. I can't even go up high on a ladder anymore. I haven't been able to get on our roof in several years now.
bleh...

Sounds like me. Knees gave out several times, now my ankles want to give up on me next. Getting old sucks, I didn't sign up for it.

 

[Rick]

Sounds like me. Knees gave out several times, now my ankles want to give up on me next. Getting old sucks, I didn't sign up for it.

As they say, getting old sucks, but it sure beats the alternative.


"Come do a crown king run"

Not the best trail for me at this time. Too remote if there is a problem.

 

[Josh P]

As they say, getting old sucks, but it sure beats the alternative.

A dirt nap

 

[Ray Hutchinson]

OH, COMMON Guys: My best HS Buddy's Dad said it best! "Growing old isn't for the faint of heart". So let's not become Faint of Heart! I hope we're (Debby and I) not going to be doing T-Haven SOLO! Yeah, I still got stuff to do to the rig, but today is finally not feelin' like it's sub-zero outside, so I've been working on it today. Ya'll got a week to try to get stuff done. I've been prioritizing and only doing the #1's Must do's and some of the #2's Should Do's. All the rest is gonna be on hold like (#3 nice to do, and #4 Just for show, to do. Gotta stick to the Go's and not the Shows.

Anyway, TD, I understand it's a long haul, sorry you don"t think you'll be there, and Rick: working on the trailer and rig is just like the Pigmy eating the elephant. One bite at a time! We gotta Do this and we're gonna do this! See you there!

Ray

 

[Ray Hutchinson]

The latest 10 Day Weather forecast for Borrego Springs, thru Saturday, 3/18. Should be pretty good. Possible showers on Wed 15th, other than that, Good Wheelin' WX!

 

[Ray Hutchinson]

Latest 10 Day WX forecast for Borrego Spr. Deb and I are going out to Salton City / Borrego Spr. on Fri am and leaving Sunday am. If anyone else shows up, great! Otherwise we'll poke around the A-B State Park, etc.

I'll be monitoring CORA's MT Laguna 2M Rpt @ 147.240+ (107.2) , 146.520 SPX, and squawking AE6H-2 on APRS
My cell # is (949) 322-8468

Hope somebody else can make it!

 

[Ray Hutchinson]

Addendum to above post:

In addition to 147.240+, and 146.520 MHz, I'll also be monitoring GMRS Ch 19: 462.650 MHz, AKA as "Six Fifty". I think CB will be mostly useless as the sunspot cycle has risen to the point where local stations are pretty well blanked out by the skip during the daylight hours, unless you're in very close proximity to one another.

 

[Ray Hutchinson]

Well, 4 pm on Friday. We're at "The Motel By The Sea" in Salton City! Checked out the old campsite area, off N Marina, but NO EXPLORERS!

Anyone else gonna be here?

 

[Rick]

Well, 4 pm on Friday. We're at "The Motel By The Sea" in Salton City! Checked out the old campsite area, off N Marina, but NO EXPLORERS!

Anyone else gonna be here?

What's the motel like? We stayed at Ray and Carol's the first year we went to Truck Haven. It was an experience to say the least. LOL

Sorry, I'm not going to be out there.

 

[Ray Hutchinson]

So Far, So Good. Ray and Carol passed away a few years ago. Their Grandson is running the Motel now. They've remodeled all the rooms. We'
re in "First Mate" room, downstairs and in the corner. Clean quiet. and roomy. No complaints. I'd recommend it to anyone.

Also had dinner almost next door at the Johnson's Landing Cafe and Bar. Food was very good, and the pie is to kill for!

Maybe we can re-schedule for a little later in the spring? If no one else shows, we'll do some easier trails in the Ocotillo Wells SVRA, which now includes most of T-Haven., and all the way down to the 78. Not into extreme trails, solo.