The Getaway...Crom's build and adventures

Yeah, we tend to follow streams and lakes on our Sierra trips, and time water loading with climbing over passes when possible. Hydrate at each source before filling up the containers.

Yes, were on the way down after a day of exploring out there and taking arty shots of those awesome trees. I'd love to go back up there some time. It was so fun blasting out that ridge road on 4H.



The truck is the black dot at dead center in the saddle.

 

I used to have a Gregory Denali pack from back in the mid 90's. I used it on a few trips down the Grand Canyon. I loved that pack, and I have no idea where it is now. I still have a Gregory day pack that I've had for nearly 20 years.

 

I've got a Baltoro 75 for New Mexico next summer... It was that or an Osprey. The Gregory just fit me better.

I'm usually in the 28-32lbs range when dry. Last trip I was 45lbs wet just to make sure the boys had enough water.

 

Make sure my front and rear dash cams are rolling too.

 

Reserve / Emergency Fuel Transport

In the Overland Expo BS thread, there was an interesting discussion about fuel storage and transport. For my usage, I do this on the Death Valley Trips because of the vast distances that are traveled. Plus it's just a smart thing to do.

Here is my setup that I'm using.

• Midwest 5-gallon gas can - $18.99
• Ez-Pour Solid Base Replacement Gas Tank Cap - $3.00
• Ratchet straps ~ $5.00

• Throw the CARB spout into the trash upon exiting the retail store, and replace with solid cap from Amazon.
• User a super siphon to transfer gas into gas tank.

Simple, clean, effective, no leaks, not one drop.

Just goes to show you don't have to spend a fortune solving off-road / back country / expo challenges.



The gas can will expand and contract with temperature and elevation changes. All gas cans do this and it's normal. Manufacturers even will tell you this now on the consumer labeling. Manually venting a gas can during a hot day, will result in a gas can where the walls go practically inverted at night with cold temps as the fluid and vapor will contract. I just leave them the hell alone on trips and they are fine. In my experience, I've used Scepter, Blitz, Briggs, and this latest can is a Midwest. They all do the job well enough for 5-day adventures into the back country.

 

Sweet build thread! I need to get around to doing one some time. Been too dang busy since getting the truck earlier this year though, but yours is inspiring!

I like your roof rack setup, very sensible and functional. Not an option with my Flip Pac though!

I've got the same propane fire ring, it is really nice but the regulator died on my second use Picked up a replacement for not too much though. I use a Mr. Heater Little Buddy - that's the smallest one that screws to the top of a 1lb can - in the Flip Pac and it is amazingly effective. Over New Year's was in Borrego and using an indoor/outdoor thermometer we were getting about 20F increase in the Flip Pac tent, 34F outside and 54F inside. My wife in particular loves it and I always worry our three year old is going to end up out of her sleeping bag so the higher interior temp is a blessing. I get 6.5 hrs per 1lb bottle on it so in winter just change it once in the middle of the night.

Love the most recent DV write up. I've been to the same microwave station and those mines down by Ibex. Chloride Cliffs is wonderful, been about a decade since I've been there. Need to revisit again this year maybe. If you want driving pucker factor in the area try the road from Cerro Gordo to the salt tram over in the Inyos. I did that back in 2003 or so and was certain I was going to die. I'd love to go back to the salt tram again but get wobbly knees just thinking about it.

 

Instead of siphoning, I use the EZ-Pour Spout to complement the EZ Pour solid base cap. The kit includes a spout, spout cap and a push in vent cap. I think I feel more comfortable with the vent cap which will pop open in case of too much pressure. Probably overcautious, since it has never really popped open.
If you order the black "fuel" spout, then it's illegal in your state and most other states. If you order the white "water" spout, then its very legal to use for water, but seems to be just fine for other liquid fossil fuels, LOL.

 

Good to know about the spout and alternative vent cap.

After using a super siphon, I'll never go back to holding a can and pouring. Super siphon transfers at 3GPM and I don't have to hold 40 lb of gas.

Random youtuber video, jump to 51 second time index for action scene.
https://youtu.be/5XLY87zaot4?t=51s

 

Damn... I never knew this thing existed. Ever since I've sucked gasoline into my mouth thirty years ago, I've avoided siphons like the plague.
Crap... now I gotta get one.

 

I will try to explain how I do it. I leave the cans in the bed. I stick a plug with two hoses into the can (the military Septer cans). One hose goes into the tank as far down as I can get it (below the bed of the truck). I blow on the other hose and the siphon has begun. I've used the jiggle siphons before but I have taken a liking to this method as well.

 

I did that too as a kid, gas has a taste that's never forgotten. The super siphon at one end as a captured marble in a copper valve. Put the valve end into the gas jug and shake it. Gas will travel up the vinyl tubing and eventually gravity will take over and it's easy peasy. I'll monitor the fluid level and when it's almost empty, I'll tip the can to one corner and siphon will take almost all the fluid. Pretty nice invention and very economical.

 

Yeah, I've got a Super Siphon but haven't had to use it yet. I like how at the end of the youtube video the guy from Arkansas says "it evaporates" meaning the tube gets dry quickly when done. I can imagine the folks at CARB all throwing up in their mouths a little bit at that!

 

I got a kick out of that too, I like his accent. If CARB personnel saw the video, I'm sure they'd probably try to craft onerous heavy fuel-siphon regulation.

It's true the siphon will dry out pretty quick. I keep the siphon coiled up in a home made bag kit with a sock rag I use to wipe clean, and some rubber dish/kitchen gloves. I hate when gas gets on me cause it's hard to get the smell off. lol

 

You know @Crom , when I read your thread, I feel like I'm watching The Truman Show. Where as an audience member I wonder what you're up to next. Then I make sad faces and stare blankly at my cubicle walls as I long for the outdoors. As much as I'd love to take a solo trip like your DV trip, I've never ventured alone for more than a day and really wouldn't know how to prep/pack for such an endeavor. On the other side of that, everyone I know has extremely limited outdoor knowledge and look to me as the "outdoor guy" so I can't take any of them with me because they would be entirely dependent on my skillset. This makes being able to enjoy the outdoors that much harder for me...
At least I have your pictures, and for that, I thank you.

 

Thanks for the compliment. I liked The Truman Show movie. I'll watch it again. Glad you like the thread, if I didn't get positive feedback, I'm not sure it would continue. It's been a lot of work, but fun too, I'll keep it up as long as I'm able.

Build threads are such a curious oddity to me. Here we have a Toyota Tacoma (a canvas), and an owner (me), performing additions and modifications to an end. My end is off-road travel, adventure, exploration, photography, and family travels. I have a lot of material I want to get to, some of it quite unique. I'm only limited by my time and energy.

Last year I read through a record number of build threads. Each one is totally unique and I learn from them all. It's like reading books on building trucks with a lot of personality and flare thrown in. I am currently reading Tor's TORSPD: NEVR. At 199 pages it's no joke, much of it is very technical and internal to the 1GR-FE engine. Tor is and has been a pioneer in every sense of the word. But reading them does something for me. It gains me knowledge and I make these mental notes. And the notes stick.

Something about my personality. I remember events, places, things, people in great detail. My brother says I have a photographic memory. I'm not sure about that. I bring this up because today at my work, I ran into someone who knew my Uncle (past away 2-years ago @ 72), what she told me was nothing short of amazing. She told me he could sit down and talk to her and recall with amazing detail things that happened 20+ years in the past, things like what was on the walls in the room, the colors and patterns of clothing, etc. Hearing this was very interesting to me.

Later I called my pops and asked him about his brothers memory and he confirmed that it was great, and told me he was always like that. So I'm thinking it's genetic and not environmental (a learned behavior). Weird and crazy stuff!

Regarding the outdoor solo stuff, I agree with @HBMurphy that it shouldn't be promoted. I am comfortable with it because I've been doing it for a long time. The risks are significant, but manageable like @DoorDing stated prior. Before owning the truck, I used to do a lot of backpacking and rugged hiking. When my friends couldn't go, I'd go alone. Going in groups is always safer, and sharing the experience is the best part.

I'll say this, the more you go exploring, the more that can be learned. I learn and adapt constantly. Kiazen.

A glimpse in the future of the build thread... I need to wrap up my DV trip report, a navigation post, a post-DV maintenance report, and then I've got some unique stuff to share that I think is really neat, it originated as an Expo project, and finally I'll be soliciting input on solving two truck building issues I'm facing.

 

I have a pornagraphic memory. I can remember every vagina I've been in.

 

Death Valley Day 4, part 3

After filling up my tummy at Dennys it was time to shove off and head back into Death Valley. I debated on running Titus Canyon as the return from Beatty, NV passes the trail head. In an era where the word epic is used so commonly now, let me just say that Titus Canyon is truly epic. I would recommend that destination to anyone (with HC vehicle) visiting the park for the first time. It never disappoints, and it is truly very awe inspiring.

Instead I decided to make a run for the springs in Saline Valley. Saline Valley is a perplexing place with numerous opportunities for adventure and exploration. Entire books have been written about this location alone.

It was going to be a long haul to get there and I had two choices for routes.

I bypassed Titus Canyon, staying on the 374, then took CA-190 North. At the junction just after Scotty's Castle turn off, I had to make a choice. Either I drive 71 miles on Big Pine road / Eureka Valley / Steel Pass, or I go for Racetrack / Lippincott route, 62.5 miles.


I found this sign at Kit Fox Hills (CA-190 / 374 Junction)
In October 2015, Death Valley received the 1,000 year flood that did catastrophic damage to certain sections of the park.

The road to Scottie's Castle was closed.

If you could get back there you'd see things like this:



Nothing a Tacoma couldn't handle.

Anyways, continuing on, at the junction I decided to chose Racetrack, because I wanted to see the legendary moving rocks, one more time.

I stopped the rig at Ubehebee Crater to let the air out of my tires, back down to 20 PSI. It was beautiful here, but f'ing cold and windy, and I was glad to get back in the truck and continue on. I was in a race against daylight and not sure I'd make my destination before having to shut down.

Racetrack road was god awful and washboarded from hell. I regretted it almost immediately. I hadn't traveled this route in 6 years and forgotten how bad it was. Every now and then, the park service will run a blade through, and it helps a lot, but it never lasts.

Since I was on a mission to get through, I didn't stop to take too many pics. I did get this one pic of racetrack where it was a bit smoother.

And just look at all these J-trees growing out there! So Cool!

I finally made it Teakettle junction. I think it was Rob @trailbound , who told me that the park service had cleaned out all the tea kettles. I looked and photographed each one, the oldest was dated Nov-11, 2015

I like the time-honored custom, didn't feel it necessary to bring another one out out there, so I signed onto a lonely one that had no outside markings.

I decided to climb a mountain and take a photo of these folks in their rental jeeps.

Finally made it the hallowed racetrack.

In the summer of 2014, it was announced that scientists finally witnessed and discovered how the rocks move. You can read about that here.

It was freezing here (32*F). I didn't stay long, the sun had disappeared behind the mountains and I still had a ways to go.

I went to where Lippincott Pass begins. I had a nice conversation with an owner of a Westfalia van. I told him I was on my way to the springs, and he remarked how wonderful they are, and wished me well. I did the same in return and was off. In the pic below, strangely enough, the truck pictured is not mine. It was another Tacoma! We didn't have a chance to talk too much, very brief, but great to see another Tacoma out there.


The beginning of the seven mile shelf road.


I stopped here for this pic, in a special place, one of the few places where a pullout exists.

Took this pic of the Lippincott mine.

Winding my way down.

At one point, I thought I had gone off trail, I have no picture of this, but it was dark and the shelf road was so narrow and bad, that I thought I'd made a mistake and was on some spur. The GPS told me I was on route, so I cautiously stayed the course. I eventually rounded a corner and instantly recognized the ruins of a flume that I had seen 6 years ago and I knew then I was on the right path.

Pic of trail in the dark, some jeeper coming down the trail.




After seven miles, I finally made it to the bottom and headed towards the junction for Saline Valley Rd, the main North / South route through the rugged and remote valley.

 

Thank you for the compliment! I debated going with a flip pac for the longest time. I think I would like one very much if I had one.

Very good. Great info, appreciated! I have a 5 year old and 3 year old, so fun to take them out into the wilds.

Thanks for your comments, especially in the DV thread, I've learned a number of very useful things from you. Much appreciated.

Seriously, the shelf trails are no joke. lol I have Cerro Gordo / Swansea on my list of trails to run. I'm sure with every season, it's going to get tougher. Some of my worry is that some historical trails will become impassable with time.

 

Excellent. If you wanted company on the trail, and I can swing it, I'd go. it would be fun.

I'm curious how much the trails will change with the snow / rain were getting.

 

Let us know how it goes if you make it over to the salt tram station. I keep reading conflicting and overly brief trip reports and so I haven't the foggiest what the conditions are like from the tram to Cerro Gordo these days. When I did it some of the shelf parts were scary because you were very off camber but that wasn't what terrified me. I drove Swansea to the tram and then over to Cerro Gordo. There was a section between the tram and Cerro Gordo where the road dives down a steep talus slope and it has these nasty switchbacks in it that seem sure to cause a roll over. My old truck was an MT and I was in 1st gear in 4WD-LO going down just letting the compression take me down. The truck still slipped from time to time and I suspect if I had decided to tap the brakes even once I wouldn't be here to type this message. It really gave me a scare, though I am a bit of a wimp to be honest.

Parts of the road are just amazing though, running along the ridge south of the tram is probably my favorite stretch I road I've ever driven anywhere. And the view from the tram is to die for. (Unfortunately I felt like I almost did...)