ETAV8R's build: Gini and some wanderings

Teaser pic and plug for the Nitecore LE keychain light and my buddy's firearms training company. Did photo/video for the OpTempo Training Group CQB course. The light was gifted as well as the challenge coin. Check out OpTempo on IG and YT and here https://optempotraining.com/ . On the way home I took some pics to share with him. The location had been on my list for many years long before I had my FWC even.

 

Awesome thread here. Wandered through all 9 pages and it was fun to revisit so many of my favorite spots. You've certainly covered some good ground in these parts. Surprised we haven't run into each other at the springs. Definitely recommend the hike up to Seephole and beyond. I've been to the crest and need to continue down the other side. Sparkplug is always a fun hike too. There's three different routes to get there from the lower trailhead so let me know if you ever want GPS files for them.

 

I'd definitely like the files. Thank you. Didn't know there are three routes.

 

As the year comes to an end I reflect on not only the trips I've done but the circumstances around this unique year. It has been a stressful and chaotic year. The trips I've done have all given me respite from the stress and chaos.

Following on the earlier post...
Leavitt Lake has been on my radar since I had the Flippac. A trip report was one of the first places I saw a popup camper. It seemed so far north of my normal realm and the road reports were mixed. After more than ten years of driving off-road in various states in the southwest I have gained enough experience and confidence to (hopefully) know when to stop and/or turn around. I had passed this turn off on two previous trips from my buddy's place in Livermore. I literally parked across from it after I picked up my current shell. This trip I would go there. On the Solstice. The next day was a hike and head south through Owens Valley.








The hike itself wasn't too long nor was it very difficult other than the altitude. It was wonderful to be out in nature. A nice meadow with a couple deer wandering around. A saddle looking towards the Hoover Wilderness. There are so many old roads in areas where these places have been closed. They remind me of areas of other states where "wilderness" areas haven't limited vehicular access. There are pros and cons to each way to manage our public lands. Sadly there are many people that don't have access due to having limited mobility issues.









The next stop was another high altitude stop in an area off the beaten path. A place I've named Deep View 2. It is in the White Mountains overlooking Deep Springs Valley. It was a great trip and the world continues on it's path to where no one knows...plan your next trip.

 

very nice!
love the photo of the scree field with the lake far below...

 

Very nice truck! Your and @Crom 's truck are my favorites I've seen so far, both super functional. Got a few questions for you as I'm planning a similar build.

Are you drawing power straight from your main/starting battery and keeping it charged with the solar panel? Seems like a good way to not spend on a dual-battery / goal zero type system. I just need power to charge lights, so far I've just looked at little self charging solar lights like the BioLite Sunlights.

And is your bed platform / drawer made out of 3/4 or 1/2 inch ply? The build + wood finish looks great.

 

First off thank you for the kind words. Crom has been an inspiration and has become a good friend. If our builds share a similar theme that is why.

My solar panel charges both of my batteries via a CTEK dual battery manager. I used to have my 2nd battery under the hood until it broke the mount. Now it resides behind the passenger seat mounted to the floor. Before the system was fully connected I did drain the main battery on one occasion. My fridge is powered by the 2nd battery as is all my accessory lighting.

My sleeping platform is made with 1/2" birch. I considered doing it with 3/4" but after I was done I realized that 3/4 would have been overkill. I'd like to redo it with slides or extruded aluminum but it isn't necessary. The drawer holds a ton of stuff with the more commonly used items towards the front of the drawer. Keep it simple right?

 

Awesome going to the lake! Great pics! It's on my list.... one day. Thx for your post.

 

Enjoyed the write-ups! Papoose Flat is one of my favorite places. Need to do more exploring in the White Mtns

 

A one night adventure...

 

long haul for a one nighter!

 

Not as long as DV or Owens. I would have stayed a second night but temps were forecast to be a bit less than my preference so I went adventuring around the southeast part of the preserve.

 

The plan was to get out to the Mojave National Preserve for two nights. With the forecast for the 2nd day showing colder temps and increasing wind velocities I pulled chocks and bailed...but I went exploring places I'd not been before.

While my campsite was great upon arrival it was too close to the highway and I could hear vehicles throughout the time I was there. The condition of the highway made certain vehicles sound like jet aircraft. When I woke up it was 32 degrees but I was pretty cozy in my bag even though my water bottle was no longer hot. The "warm" water is then used for morning coffee since it takes less time to boil than the cold water in my potable container. After making coffee I decided to walk around the area to check out the other sites. Most were taken and there were more than I had originally known about. I even checked out a structure that turned out to be a research center for the UC system.

I perused Digonnet's "Hiking The Mojave Desert" for something nearby to check out. Initially my goal was to pass through the Foshay Pass and onto Essex Road. While I was heading up I noticed some tailing piles. I looked in the book again and discovered the Vulcan Mine. Henry Kaiser developed the mine after finding out that the area held at least six million tons of ore! "In less than five years, the Vulcan Mine had produced 2.64 million tons of ore, nearly doubling California's production...California was well on its way to becoming a major steel producer". More often now the masses have no idea how California became such a rich state. Sad that industry, of all kinds, has and continues to leave the "Golden State". The views from the area are wonderful and from certain areas even Telescope Peak can be seen.

Arriving at pavement I had a decision to make. Head home or check out more areas near by. I had the time. I'd been in the area more than ten years ago when I visited the Mitchell Caverns. They are something to check out if you find yourself in the area...make sure they're open though. As of this writing they aren't open for tours of the caverns but a well done virtual tour is available online. http://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=615

I'd never been to Hole In The Wall and it wasn't that far away so I decided to check it out. On the way I found an interesting camper enjoying some solitude. Hole In The Wall is really neat and I need to go back. By the time I got there I was hungry and parked in the small lot for picnics and hiking. Apparently somewhere along my travels my potable water container had been punctured and 2-3 gallons had drained out and was now dripping out the front of the truck bed. When I got home I removed everything from the bed and dried it all out.

The trip was a good one and renewed my interest in the Preserve. So much to see and do.







The overwatch provided by reptilian rocks






Morning walk discovery


The Vulcan Mine




These rocks must have fallen from above and pushed the fence out. The fence surrounds the area. Someone must have fallen into the pit in the past.


The view from the mine...Kelso Dunes and Telescope Peak can be seen from various vantage points.




I startled these three cows. Sad they are so skinny. There is/was a nearby ranch and these three must have missed a round up while grazing.


View looking east from Foshay Pass






Interesting finds






Some holes in the walls

 

During this trip I had an opportunity to finally make a video about "The Murphy Method". Still need to do an updated video for the sleeping pad inflation video in a more scenic area. Enjoy and share anywhere you might think people would benefit from using The Murphy Method. Many thanks to my friend @HBMurphy for his mentoring and inspiration through the years.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w-Jku2U3-8E

 

love it!

 

Great video Eric. This needs to be posted on every overland and van life forum out there.

 

Thanks for an enjoyable thread.

Ken

 

Very welcome.

 

Eric, I am trying to come up with mounting solutions for an awning, lights and shower tube for my ARE MX topper and would love to be able to skip the stupid expensive Yakima bases, towers and bars. I was looking back through your thread as I remembered you had mounted your awning with a DIY compression type mount and was looking to replicate it for my truck. I found what I was looking for but continued through the thread again for other ideas. I now have a couple of questions about how you have the shower tube and awning mounted now. It looks like you have your cross tubes mounted directly to the tracks with just the cam nuts, is this correct? They are able to take the vibrations without the fancy (and very expensive) bases and towers? Also, in your picture after the White Mountains pose, it appears you now have the awning mounted with some type of L bracket? This looks like a more solid mount, where did you source this and is it mounted to the round cross bar or directly to the track?

Could you take a few pictures showing some of the details? Thanks for your time.

 

I took off the round conduit bars I bought from Lowes and replaced it with extruded aluminum bars from Tnutz. I got the mounting hardware and the L-brackets for my awning from tnutz too. I did have to drill new holes in the L brackets for the awning track. My shower is still mounted in the same way as the tube rides on top of the cross bars.