AdventureTaco - turbodb's build and adventures

For sure, all about the build up

I was thinking either someone either "found" or "work was getting rid of" the two pieces and "I know exactly what to do" was born from that. Couple modifications and away we go. The other part of the mystery is what were the pieces? I mean you don't build something like that for the hell of it. Could it be a part of an exhaust system used to vacuum fumes? A reducer? Some think it's the megaphone of a siren system--that kinda makes sense but it seems too big. Another thought involves disbursement of some kind of chemical.

Half the fun is the speculation. Right?

 

Desert Art | EMHT Segment 3A Rocky Ridge to Granite Mountains
Part of the A Bit More EMHT (Dec 2023) trip.

There was no way Mike @Digiratus, Zane @Speedytech7, and I were going to run the entirety of the East Mojave Heritage Trail when we set out to do it at the end of November. At something more than 700 miles long - not including the nearby side-adventures that I added for our enjoyment - it might seem like a Backcountry Discovery Route, but the roads are significantly slower and more technical, and the percentage of on-dirt miles is significantly larger.

Frankly, these two things make it easily twice the length of a BDR, not to mention the fact that we were trying to do it at a time of year that sported 9 total hours of daylight, vs. the 14+ hours that we often have in summer for our cross-state journeys.

And so, a week after completing segments 1 and 2 with Mike and Zane, @mrs.turbodb and I were back to run segment 3 - from Rocky Ridge to Fenner. It was perfect really, since this segment contained two, 5+ mile hikes - more and more, our favorite part of any adventure - an activity that would have been less interesting, if not downright impossible, for the previous weeks' crew.

- - - - -​

After a quick provisioning in Las Vegas - for both our bellies and the Tacoma - we headed south on I-15 for the western edge of the Mojave National Preserve. With a couple of days for our adventure, we were in no huge rush, so it seemed only sensible to pick up where Mike, Zane, and I had left off - the camp site at Mesquite Spring. A three-ish-hour drive, our 3:30pm departure out of Las Vegas meant that we'd arrive well after dark.

With no reason to rush, we were only half an hour into our adventure when I made some lame joke about a sign along the highway that read "Seven Magic Mountains," and how the Six Flags Magic Mountain amusement park had some competition out here in the desert. Little did I realize that Seven Magic Mountains was an art installation that I'd passed - without knowing its name - several times in the last year, each time wondering how to get off the freeway to see it!

Vibrant towers.​

Seven Magic Mountains is an artwork of thresholds and crossings of balanced marvels and excessive colors, of casting and gathering the contrary air between the desert and the city lights.

Ugo Rondinone​

What is Seven Magic Mountains?

A large-scale, site-specific public artwork by artist Ugo Rondinone, Seven Magic Mountains opened in May 2016. Mediating between geological formations and abstract compositions, Rondinone's Seven Magic Mountains consists of locally-sourced limestone boulders stacked vertically in groups ranging between three and six. Each stone boasts a different fluorescent color; each individual totem stands between thirty and thirty-five feet high. The artwork extends Rondinone's long-running interest in natural phenomena and their reformulation in art. Inspired by naturally occurring Hoodoos and balancing rock formations, the stacks also evoke the art of meditative rock balancing. The works appear poised between monumentality and collapse - seeming to defy gravity in their teetering formations, but equally to depend on it.

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Like kids blocks, but excavator size.​

Why was this location chosen for the artwork?

Located a short distance from Nevada's legendary Jean Dry Lake where Jean Tinquely and Michael Heizer created significant sculptures; Seven Magic Mountains is one of the largest land-based art installations in the United States completed in over forty years. The work pays homage to the history of Land Art while also offering a contemporary critique of the simulacra in nearby Las Vegas.​

Colorfully contrasted with against the desert landscape.​

After 15 minutes of magical mountains, we retraced out our back through Jean. The sun was racing quickly towards the horizon as we passed from Nevada into California, the Ivanpah Solar Plant already cooling down after a short day of lackluster production.

Soon, the Tacoma was nestled under the trees, and we were nestled under the comforters, our exploration of the East Mojave Heritage Trail ready to begin.

The following morning...

With less than ten hours between the 6:38am sunrise and 4:17pm sunset, there was no time to waste if we wanted to complete segment 3 of the EMHT in two days, so I'd set my alarm for 20 minutes before sunrise, so we could get going at the crack of dawn.

Desert sunrise.​

Wandering a bit as @mrs.turbodb was getting dressed, I really liked the circle pattern of some petroglyphs I'd never seen before!​

More circles.​

Soon enough, the sun was up and we were headed south along Crucero Road, following the old Tonopah to Tidewater rail grade towards the Broadwell Lake Playa. A fixture throughout the Mojave, this was the same grade that we'd inched our way alongside - as we'd dropped in and out of drainages across an alluvial fan - on segment 2 of the EMHT, just south of the Kingston Wilderness. Here, the going was much easier, the terrain allowing us to make good time.

Soft, sandy soil made for an extra cushy ride with our aired-down tires.​

Crossing Broadwell Lake on the old - slightly raised - rail grade.​

Outrunning the flying camera.​

Zoom zoom.​

At the south end of the playa, we found ourselves at Ludlow, where present day I-40 and the iconic Route 66 meet to play leapfrog as they continue west. It was a place we'd passed through without stopping on our previous visit, and we'd have done the same this time were it not for a waypoint I'd found for the Old Murphy General Store.

As we pulled up, I wondered if it was even worth stopping.​

Ludow in its heyday, nearly 100 years ago.​

Like the rest of Ludlow, this place was likely once a bustling business - tourists, overlanders, and freight all stopping in for a bite to eat or to fill up on gas - but with the advent of the interstate, it has become little more than a mostly-abandoned ghost town. Not overly optimistic, I wandered into the ruins.

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This is the second time I've seen this name. C'mon Zane, stop writing on walls.​

As I stumbled around a corner, I was greeted by a smile.​

Desert girls.​

A second face, perfectly placed on the crumbling concrete.​

Pleasantly surprised by the stop - though any time we find graffiti like this, it's always with mixed feelings - we altered our heading from south to east, following Route 66 for a few miles as it meandered through the landscape, a stark contrast to the arrow-straight-engineering demonstrated by I-40.

We were surprised how much traffic still flows on this route, as people old and young revel in the past.​

Our stint on pavement lasted fewer than ten miles before we were once again on dirt, following the rail grade of the BNSF towards Amboy. Plentiful train traffic - more than 125 cars in tow - raced by in both directions, the smooth rails allowing for speeds well in excess of our slow, bumpy pace. It's no wonder that trains ruled the west, they are the perfect desert transportation.

Along the way, we found EMHT Mailbox #3.​

First ones through in December!​

We had to stop for a look at Siberia Crater. A view that only the flying camera could capture!​

Back in the Tacoma and bumping along the trail, it was right around 11:00am - halfway through our limited daylight - when we approached Amboy, home to an astonishingly symmetric-looking crater.

Unlike Siberia Crater, which we'd viewed "American-style," via a technology and a screen, we planned to hike Amboy Crater. Four-miles roundtrip with only 100 feet of elevation gain, we'd use it to stretch our legs - a bit of post-lunch exercise - and as a warm-up for the much more arduous 6-mile, 3,000-foot hike we had planned for the following day. Or, so we thought.

Guess there's no question as to whether it erupted. ​

Can't pass through Amboy without a quick stop at Roy's.​

The last third of the nineteenth century brought the railroad into southern California. The Atlantic and Pacific built west through Arizona to Needles, while at the same time the Southern Pacific built east through the California desert to the Colorado River. The Southern Pacific, working east from the town of Mojave through Waterman (now Barstow), in this region followed a route south of the Mojave Road, thereby avoiding the rough terrain through which that trail passed. The railroad skirted the Providence, Old Dad, and Bristol Mountains to the north of here, reaching Needles (about 155 miles east of Barstow) in 1883. In 1884 the Santa Fe Railroad purchased the desert right-of-way from the Southern Pacific, and operated it as the Atlantic and Pacific Railroad, Western Division. Small towns were established along this route to provide water for the thirsty steam locomotives. Starting here in Amboy, the towns were named in alphabetical order from west to east: Amboy, Bristol, Cadiz, Danby, Edson, Fenner, Goffs, Homer, Ibis, and Java. Later, Edson became Essex and Bristol became Bengal. During the golden age of rail travel, the Santa Fe Railway ran some of its most famous passenger trains over this route, including the Grand Canyon Limited, the Chief, and the Super Chief. Today, Amtrak continues this tradition, with its Southwest Chief, which makes the run between Los Angeles and Chicago in just over two days.

Information sign​

Apparently Santa is a snowbird, taking up residence at Roy's when it gets chilly at the North Pole.​

Yep, we're still in the desert.​

As the names suggest, it wasn't far - only a mile or two - from "downtown" Amboy to the trailhead for Amboy Crater. With several shaded picnic tables at the trailhead, it was the perfect spot for @mrs.turbodb's turkey sandwiches and a few Fritos before setting off on the rock-lined Amboy Crater Hiking Trail. From the get-go, the battle between the naturalists and their lawyers was obvious - a description of the trail, its history, and what we should expect to enjoy along the way posted just above a "HIKING HERE IS NOT RECOMMENDED" warning. Good work, America!

Rebel.​

Poor volcano barfed everywhere.​

It was interesting to see how the erosion was amplified down the slopes of the cone.​

From ancient art on rocks to modern art of rocks, it seems humans have always loved spirals.
​

I'm not sure why - perhaps because I had the distance wrong - but I'd envisioned the hike to Amboy Crater taking four hours to complete, so I was quite relieved - given the ground we still had to cover before finding camp - when we returned after only half that time. Still, it was 2:00pm as we got back into the Tacoma and onto the trail, the EMHT changing direction once again - heading north towards the Granite Mountains of the Mojave Preserve.

Our route would take us through the Bristol Mountains, and I'd mapped out a short detour - along old mining roads - that I hoped would allow us to poke around the Orange Blossom Mine before crossing under I-40 on our way to Budweiser Canyon.

Into the Bristol Mountains.​

Yep, we're still in the desert.​

Anatomically correct graffiti.​

Unfortunately, the mining roads I'd scouted via satellite - while passable by a 1s gen Tacoma for the first mile or so - had no evidence of travel as they transitioned from the bottom of the wash to a narrow shelf road that climbed up into the mountains. Ravaged by rain and decades of deterioration, it wasn't long before lockers and a careful line were far from enough to keep us from certain death. Alas, we were forced to back down and find a spot to turn around.

Back on the main EMHT route we soon crested the pass, our road continuing into the distance through Orange Blossom Wash.​

As it turns out, the route I'd mapped to the Orange Blossom Mine was actually a through-route, and it was with high hopes that we turned off of the EMHT for a second time to attempt access from the east. The road here seemed much more frequently travelled, and we put our odds at somewhere between 30- and 75% - depending on which one of us you asked - as to whether we'd make it to the mine or not.

In the end, @mrs.turbodb was correct. We did not make it to the mine, at least, not on the ground. The Orange Blossom is - apparently - still active, and signed for no trespassing.​

Retreat.​

While our inability to explore the mine was a bit of a bummer at the time, it was also - in retrospect - beneficial from a timing perspective. Now 3:40pm, we had only 45 minutes before sunset, and even less time before the fiery ball would drop behind the Bristol Mountains to our west. The race was on!

Let's go left.​

I don't know why it's always fun to drive under the freeway in the desert. It's not like it's an uncommon experience in the city.​

Our destination for the evening - somewhere near Budweiser Canyon - was not on the East Mojave Heritage Trail. Rather, it was a place we'd visited back in 2020 when we'd been foolish enough to think that we could hike one of the most difficult trails in the Mojave Preserve, and find a pictograph depicting a pair of red men dancing. Ultimately, we'd spent so much time searching - unsuccessfully - for the pictograph that we'd run out of time for the hike.

Into the long shadows and through a sea of rippling amber.​

And yet, it was with the same hubris that I'd added this little excursion to our trip this time. In the intervening years I'd gotten a hint as to the location of the pictographs, and surely, I thought, the hike couldn't be that bad. Of course, I'd refrained from re-reading the hike's description, an oversight that my companion would gleefully correct before we set out the following morning.

For now - having arrived in the last of the day's light - I set out in search of the pictographs, certain I knew exactly where they were.

I'd seen these modern petroglyphs before, but they are still fun to encounter.​

Now where'd I put that eraser?​

A SHIP 60, CURT 87 (left) | M POLY, E EDWA (right)​

Unsurprisingly, my certainty was misguided. Try as I might - and I was mightily trying - I was unable to will pictographs into existence in the location I was sure they should be. With light fading fast, it was a hopeless endeavor, even as I discovered what had to be a clue.

Follow the arrow?​

It was too new to be old.​

Alas, as @mrs.turbodb - who'd decided that the smart move was to warm up our chicken tender wraps while I chased faint memories of the past - called me for dinner, there wasn't enough light to keep searching anyway. This, naturally, meant we would have a decision to make in the morning - continue our search or abandon it in favor of the hike we'd already skipped once before?

During dinner, we caught the tail end of a show.​

Or perhaps - suggested @mrs.turbodb - we should try something else entirely!







.

 

I've always wanted to go to Amboy, one of these days I will make it down there. Also there's another HTML inline style translation error but this time I'm not telling you where it is

 

Unfinished Business | EMHT Segment 3B Granite Mountains to Providence
Part of the A Bit More EMHT (Dec 2023) trip.

After cleaning up after dinner and getting the tent deployed, it was still only 6:15pm, too early - even for us - to hit the sack for the night. It was, rather, the perfect time for me to be reminded of what we had in store for the morning; the trail description I'd neglected to re-read prior to planning the trek.

Whipping out what we lovingly refer to as the Mojave Preserve bible - @mrs.turbodb was happy to oblige:

From its head near the highest point in the Granite Mountains to its mouth, Budweiser Canyon climbs about 2,800 feet in 2.5 miles. This is two thirds as much elevation change as the Bright Angel Trail in the Grand Canyon, in only 30% the distance. Come here to indulge in a memorable trek into this remarkable world of slickrock, boulders, high falls, and cliffs irrigated by a seasonal stream.

The lower canyon.

As soon as you enter Budweiser Canyon you know you are in for a major treat. From its mouth just below the spring the upper canyon is exposed in all its grandeur, a wide amphitheater of tall, steep slopes capped by the crest of the Granite Mountains, just over two air miles away but more than half a mile higher.

The initially sandy wash that pushes its way into this awesome basin is fairly open at first. But it is not long before the canyon shows its true nature. A creek flows through the lower canyon, intermittently above ground some of the year, and it is creating a serious problem for hikers. The lower wash is clogged with water-loving shrubs, including plenty of less-than-cuddly blackbrush and catclaw. The sides of the wash are generally no help: they are often walled in or overrun by impenetrable mesquite groves. Progress is slow. You find yourself constantly bushwhacking or stepping right over the plants and bouncing along two feet above firm ground you cannot see.

The upper canyon.

By the time you reach Triple Fall you have gained all of 380 feet of elevation. From here on up, Budweiser Canyon means business, and getting through takes a major workout. The least painful way to circumvent Triple Fall is up the draw on the east side 40 yards below it, guarded by a small forest of mesquite.

This last stretch is a good preview of the upper canyon: nasty brush in the washes, and a deluge of boulders a bit everywhere. The main canyon gets steeper and tougher with elevation. Many falls and boulder jams interrupt its course. Monster Fall, half way to the crest, is a towering cascade of monzogranite grooved by erosion. One of the highest in the preserve, it is a befitting gauge of the dimensions and majesty of this canyon.

Progress is so persistently tedious that it becomes laughable - here you are, with scraped legs and arms, puffing up an intractable landscape, snagged by catclaws, poked by tree limbs, a cholla stem hitchhiking on your shoe, enjoying the healing power of nature. The rare stretches of open ground inspire ecstasy. In washes or on ridges, a great deal of time is spent scrambling and scouting. Along the last half a mile to the crest, the ground is too steep - in excess of 50% - to hold a pinyon pine upright.

Hiking the Mojave Desert​

Well, that sounded ...scary. Having allocated - in my head - five-and-a-half hours to do the entire hike, I knew it wouldn't be enough. "Maybe we should just go explore Sheep Corral ," I suggested, since it was a nearby wonderland of rocks we'd not visited on our previous trips.

I could see the edges of @mrs.turbodb's mouth turn up at that suggestion, but ultimately that decision would have to wait till morning. For now, it was time for teeth brushing and a bit of shut eye. After a couple photos, of course.

Rising above the lights of Las Vegas, the Milky Way was putting on a show.​

So. Many. Stars.​

The following morning...

If we were going to hike Budweiser Canyon and still have time to finish what we were really here to do - running Segment 3 of the EMHT - we were going to need to get an early start. Even that was unlikely to be enough, frankly. Still, in situations like this - where I'm faced with a series of impossibilities given the time constraints - I'm liable to suggest that we do everything, which is exactly what I suggested to my companion as we lay under the covers enjoying the pre-sunrise show in the sky.

Taking its cue from nearby Vegas, the sky was at it 24 hours a day!​

"Why don't you make sandwiches for lunch while I look for the pictographs," I started, before adding, "Then we can hike up the canyon a way, and check out Sheep Corral on our way out."

C'mon man, what are you doing?! Seriously, even as I said it, I knew I was proposing a full day - or more - of activity. Something was going to have to give, but I was unwilling to give it. Not yet, anyway. And @mrs-turbodb - ever the trooper - just looked at me and smiled as she got started making the sandwiches. I wasn't fooling her. She knows how to tell time.

Before long, she'd wrapped up the sandwiches - literally, I suppose - and I knew that my chances of ever finding the pictographs were quickly fading. If we stood any sort of chance at accomplishing the hike and getting to Sheep Corral - again, let me be clear that we didn't stand any chance - we were going to need to go.

So, that's what we did.

Two of these little hummers were getting a good look at us as we began our climb.​

Everything about Digonnet's description turned out to be correct. The wonderland of granite was spectacular, boulders cascading down the mountainside, a varied desert flora exuding a sense of purposeful planting. And yet, our progress was slow - catclaw, blackbrush, and endless greenery blocking the wash; cholla, barrel cactus, and yucca hindering movement a bit higher. Still, in those moments where we raised our eyes from the few feet in front of us, splendor reigned.

Reading the description again, in the middle of this granite wonderland.​

This awesome tafoni was a joy to behold.​

At the top of a slickrock fall, a tub, worn deep over time.​

We made surprisingly good time - better than either of us could have predicted - through lower Budweiser Canyon. With no trail to be found, routing was tedious but fun; surprises presenting themselves on a regular basis. We stopped frequently - not to catch our breath, but to admire that which we'd stumbled upon as we worked our way towards the top.

Nestled into the boulders, this Hedgehog(?) Cactus looked as happy as could be.​

Strikingly deep blue Canterbury Bells. (Phacelia campanularia ssp vasiformis)​

A dainty purple, waiting to be pollinated. (Hydrophyllaceae Phacelia crenulata?)​

Just before 9:00am, we reached Triple Fall. While we were on no pace to reach the top of the canyon - we'd only gained 400- of the 2,800-feet to the top, we'd covered the mile of ground with significantly less effort - and significantly more enjoyment - than we'd readied ourselves for upon setting out. Now, the question was - should we continue?

Why bypass a fall that can result in certain death when you can climb it?
(Don't worry Mom, I returned to the bottom after the photo )​

We waffled for a few minutes after my "climb" up Triple Fall. The bypass looked easy enough - and @mrs.turbodb even started up as I contemplated the time - but ultimately, we decided that we'd never be able to finish the hike on this particular trip.

With the smart money on saving the hike for a future adventure, @mrs.turbodb started back down the wash. I, on the other hand, couldn't leave well enough alone. Calling back to her that I would catch up, I continued to climb - leaping from rock to rock as I increased my pace - to see what the upper canyon had to show.

As I crested the bypass at Triple Fall, there was still a long way to go to the top.​

Monster Fall was intimidating, even from a distance.​

#worthit​

Satisfied - or as satisfied that I could be knowing that it would be an all-day effort to get to the top - I retraced my steps, finally catching up with my hiking partner only a few hundred feet before we reached the mouth of the canyon. Big smiles covered both our faces - it'd been one of our most enjoyable hikes in the Preserve.

Plus, since it was still early - only 10:00am - we had "plenty" of time to check out Sheep Corral . You know, because once something has been suggested, it becomes a required part of the adventure. Seriously, says so right here .

From one wonderland of rocks to another.​

Unlike most canyons - where material erodes from the surrounding hillsides and flows out the canyon mouth as an alluvial fan - Sheep Corral is carved down into an alluvial fan. As such, it's nearly invisible as one is approaching, the ground-level perspective making it seem as though the fan simply continues along the base of the Granite Mountains below which Sheep Corral sits. It's only as one enters this stealth labyrinth - sunken 100 feet beneath the surface of the fan - that the true beauty of this place is revealed.

Boulder hall.​

Into the maze.​

Which way should we go?​

As with Budweiser Canyon, the boulders were the highlight, but they weren't the only game in town. Nestled here and there life was abundant in this harsh landscape, juniper and Coyote Melon vying for our limited attention.

My own personalized watermelon?​

Thank goodness there were no roadrunners and coyotes around here at the moment.​

View from the top, looking west.​

Much to explore.​

We returned to the Tacoma - and the sandwiches that'd been prepared as I searched futilely for the pictographs - a few minutes after noon. Hungry after two vigorous trek-climbs, we wasted no time in demolishing the tasty treats, a few Fritos, water, and perhaps a Duet Bite, rounding out our meal. And then, we finally made our way back to the EMHT, for the first time today!

After cresting Granite Pass, Kelso Dunes peaked out from behind a yucca garden.​

The trail turned momentarily toward the Providence Mountains, a view too good to pass up.​

Getting closer.​

Rising 500 feet above their surroundings, the Kelso Dunes are the second tallest in the California Desert, surpassed only by Eureka Valley's mighty dunes. While we wouldn't be climbing their highest summit today, this is - understandably - the preserve's most popular hiking destination. Covering about 45 square miles, the Kelso Dunes form the southern end of Devil's Playground, and offer near endless possibilities for enjoying the magic world of sand.

It was the wandering into this world that we were unsure about. We've done it before, and given the dunes popularity, it takes some serious doing to get to a point where no other prints mar the surface and plants don't fill the frame. Today, there was no time for such a slog - hiking in the sand is always harder than we think - but we weren't satisfied with a simple drive by, either.

I always love finding these grass circles.​

With a little creative positioning, it almost looks like we made it halfway.​

Even our mini-hike of the Kelso Dunes took us an hour given the speed with which we were able to plod through the fine, soft, sand. So, by the time we were headed into the Providence Mountains - and still more than 20 miles of trail in front of us, not to mention the mines we planned to explore - we had less than two hours of sunlight remaining. Once again, the winter race was on.

Hurricane Hillary had not been kind to the road to the Vulcan Mine.​

Behind us, late afternoon sun added amazing depth to the Kelso Dunes.​

First discovered in 1902, the Vulcan Mine remained largely untouched for four decades. But it rose to stardom with a vengeance.

The first prominent figure in the mine's history was Charles Colcock Jones, a mining engineer from Los Angeles who first visited the property in the spring of 1906 while on a professional trip in the area. Well experienced in iron deposits, Jones quickly realized the Vulcan's outstanding commercial value. Two years later, he secured rights to it with five patented claims. Over the next few years, Jones repeatedly called attention to the fact that some 200 million tons of high-grade iron ore were waiting to be exploited, opening a few cuts and a 100-foot tunnel to expose the formation and confirm its economic value.

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Final approach.
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Jones' strategy paid off. Around the late 1930s, he sold his claims to Henry John Kaiser - the same Henry Kaiser who, a few years later, would cofound for his employees one of the country's first health maintenance organizations, Kaiser Permanente. Kaiser needed steel for the mass production of commercial and military ships at his West Coast shipyards - World War II was raging, and heavy metals were in high demand worldwide. Kaiser had already erected a huge steel smelter in Fontana, near San Bernardino, and to fuel his plant he proceeded to buy all the iron deposits he could lay his hands on. The Vulcan was up for sale, so it was the first to be exploited.

The Vulcan Mine had two major assets. First, based on bore holes and a tunnel that passed through nearly half a mile of ore, Kaiser knew he was sitting on at least six million tons of ore. Second, it was backed by a competent and financially secure organization. So, unlike most desert mines, the Vulcan Mine was developed in style. Between December 1942 and July 1947, a team of about 100 explosives experts, shovel operators, truck drivers, foremen, and engineers proceeded to excise this huge iron blister from the side of the mountain. To match the Fontana smelter capacity, about 2,500 tons of ore were shipped every day - a heap the size of a one-story house. Until 1943, the ore was removed from a wide staircase-like quarry 130 feet tall. The ore was blasted with dynamite, shoveled into trucks, then hauled to an onsite jaw crusher. The average blast ripped up some 30,000 tons of ore, but it took nearly two weeks to grind and ship this much ore.

After the above-ground portion of the deposit was exhausted, mining proceeded downward into an open pit that traced the oblong contour of the deposit. The pit was excavated in a succession of 50-foot benches over the course of several years.

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Follow the money.
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There was a lot more water in the pit the last time we visited.
​

By 1944, the pit was three benches deep. In July 1947, the miners had cleaned out the fifth bench. Less than 50% of the ore had been extracted, but further work would require more costly underground mining. Kaiser had also acquired a huge iron deposit in Riverside County, much closer to his Fontana smelter, called Eagle Mountain, its estimated reserve a whopping 60 million tons. Kaiser moved its operations there, and the Vulcan Mine shut down.

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High on the hillside, the foundations of the old crusher still watch over the site.​

In less than five years, the Vulcan Mine had produced 2.64 million tons of ore, nearly doubling California's production, and grossed over $2.5 million. Jones' old dream had come true: California was well on its way to becoming a major steel producer.

Hiking the Mojave Desert​

After a quick exploration of the Vulcan Mine, we were ready to tackle a road - up and over the Providence Mountains - that'd beaten us on our last attempt to reach the other side.
​

By now, it was clear - even to me - that we weren't going to make it to the end of Segment 3 by the time we needed to find camp for the night. This area - along the southern flank of the Providence Mountains - is unique along the EMHT in that there are three out-and-back segments before ultimately ending up in Fenner for fuel and the beginning of Segment 4.

We weren't going to do all the legs. The first - Mitchell Caverns - was one that we'd visited less than a year earlier. With limited spaces and generally booked months in advance, we'd lucked out when we showed up at 9:00am and walked on to the 11:00am tour. And the last - Hole in the Wall - was a place we've not only visited, but also camped and hiked several times in our explorations of the Mojave Preserve. That left only the middle out-and-back - an old mining road to the Bonanza King mine, Silver King mine, and ghost town of Providence - another spot we've been, but a place that we knew had plenty more for us to see.

Up and over the Providence Mountains, we conquered the gas line road!
(It was easy when it wasn't covered in snow. )​

Follow the yellow-dust-road.​

Much of the road to Providence and the Bonanza King Mine is shared with the nearby ranch, and as such is well graded. However, the last few miles - after the final fork - more than make up for the pleasant experience, the road covered in football sized rocks, seemingly placed loosen every filling in a human mouth. As such, it was just as the sun was dropping below the horizon that we found ourselves at the Bonanza King, a race against light for a few shadowless photos.

The collapse mill of the Bonanza King.​

While most of the old buildings of Providence have been reduced to nothing more than stone foundations, a few quarried-stone houses have aged a little more gracefully.​

The last time we'd visited, we hadn't even noticed the swiss-cheesing of the mountainside behind the mill.​

Tempting, but we walked it instead.​

Little mouse was not happy to have us in his mine, and kept running away from his nest - full of baby little mice - every time we shined our light on him.​

Apparently, the "normal" camp site for EMHT explorers.​

I don't know why, but I always enjoy seeing the wood stoves in these cabins.​

As usual, we didn't have enough time to see everything, but with light running out, it was time to find camp. There were a few options: the cabin-with-a-stove seemed like an obvious one, but there were also the quarried walls or even the top of the waste platform at the old mill. In fact, the latter was perfect except for one minor detail - less than 25 feet away, the main shaft of the Bonanza King plunged 600 feet strait down.

Obviously, given my tendency to always favor "a spot on the edge," we chose the waste pile and set about deploying camp and making dinner.

Seems ...safe?​

By the time we climbed into bed - the sky dark, but our clocks informing us that it was only slightly after 7:00pm - we were pooped. Though it'd been a day of revisiting places we'd seen before, it'd been nice to get a little further into each one, unravelling a few more seemingly endless layers of exploration that the desert affords.

We'd do a bit more of that in the morning before heading to Fenner, and then enjoy a little more excitement on the way home!






.

 

I was in Amboy last week … however I was in my NonTaco for this trip, with the steel tent on the back. Call me a wimp, but it’s nicer for winter desert camping especially with our new pup. Though for 5 days straight there was no wind nor rain, and a few times I wished I had my real Taco.

 

Definitely seems more comfy! Was the Christmas display still rockin' in the lobby there at Roy's?

 

Comfy to hang out and cook and sleep, yes. Comfy over a mile or two of Aiken Mine Rd washboard, not to mention South Pass in DV, no. I looked in the lobby but I don’t recall any Christmas stuff … maybe I just didn’t even notice. I did notice the sign discouraging hikers at Amboy Crater, though. On a 50° January day it seemed really weird.

 

I was wondering if you got out to the Crater, but didn't want to pry since you hadn't mentioned it. That was a weird sign; seems like it'd be much more appropriate to say something like "Hiking not recommended in temperatures over 85°F" or something like that. But, I guess someone could sue at 84°F, so... gotta sign for the world we live in.

This is what we were treated to inside Roy's. Granted, we were only a 10 days or so before "Presents Day."

 

I feel like the sign might be a little more direct because of the consequence of being unprepared. Especially during warm weather. Plus, if I remember correctly the trail favors boots or at least hiking shoes over say Vans.

 

My and my friend’s vans were way too big for that trail, at 148 and 159” wheelbases respectively. Not to mention with 550 combined hp it wouldn’t be in the spirit of Tread Lightly.

 

I recognize the 1950’s countertop items but definitely no Christmas stuff left on Jan 20th.

 

Vans and vans are two different things Vans are sneakers.

 

Got a new "Desert Thing™" for you to visit Dan

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Republic_of_Molossia

 

I'll need to visit when I get my passport stamped by Slowjamastan!

https://youtu.be/bZoXW2dhy8I

"Technically we are a dictatorship, I like to throw the hat around — the suggestion box if you will," Williams said.
"If I agree with the votes, the votes will survive. If not, I will strike it down with a vengeance."​

 

Seems "Safe" | EMHT Segment 3C The Bonanza King to Fenner
Part of the A Bit More EMHT (Dec 2023) trip.

Just to remind everyone where we left off - we'd found the perfect camp site, with one minor caveat: it was located about 25 feet from a rather deep, Tacoma-sized, hole in the ground. With no barriers.

​

"If you get up during the night to pee, do it on the driver side of the truck,"​

The main shaft of the Bonanza King

Framed by enormous lumber, this is one of the most impressive shafts in the preserve. It plunges down 600 straight feet, then continues as a winze for another 200 feet. When the shaft encountered a new ore body, a drift was sunk along it as far as the ore would run. This shaft eventually developed six levels and nearly four miles of tunnels. It produced a cornucopia of minerals: cerussite, argentite, sphalerite, bromyrite, smithsonite, cerargyrite, and galena. Its size is mirrored by the volume of the tailings - the 100-yard-long pile of waste rocks around it and the conical hill looming besides the mill. The tailings still hold an estimated 2,500 pounds of silver.

Hiking the Mojave Desert​

With only a few miles left until we finished Segment 3 of the East Mojave Heritage Trail - and a flight that didn't leave Las Vegas until 5:00pm - we weren't in any huge rush to get going on this final morning of our adventure.

Still, I very much enjoy the 30 minutes or so before sunrise - the landscape illuminated but shadowless - so I threw on my sweatshirt and grabbed the camera for a quick survey of the Bonanza King Mine.

We really couldn't have asked for a nicer spot.​

Not to be outdone by the sky above, the Providence Mountains were showing off as the sun crested the horizon.​

After wandering around for a few minutes - and careful to steer clear of the swiss-cheesed swaths of hillside - I climbed back into the tent for a bit more snuggle time, and to discuss our plan for the day.

Half an hour later, and all warmed up, we were dressed and heading up the hillside. My suggestion - that we wander into some of the swiss-cheese - wasn't so much agreed to as it was acknowledged, but we both love following the old mining trails, and some of the adits had neat rock platforms at their entrances, so @mrs.turbodb was happy to explore.

When you can't decide whether to dig left or dig right, why not both?​

Inside, it was a maze of tunnels and shafts.​

We scurried from one complex of openings to another, knowing that many of them likely connected beyond the distance which we were willing to explore.

In the spring of 1880, two prospectors from Ivanpah, George Goreman and Pat Dwyer, stumbled upon high-grade silver ore while poking around the Providence Mountains. True to their trade, they filed claims, and the following year sold the richest one - the Bonanza King - to four businessmen from San Bernardino. One of them was Jonas B. Osborne, who he sank a few exploratory tunnels to show how good his ore was and to attract investors. In 1882, after a rich vein was exposed, Senator George Hearst, one of the world's richest men of the time and an astute mining investor, became interested. Well aware of Osborne's keen eye for mineral wealth, he acquired the Bonanza King for $200,000. The claim thus became the property of the Bonanza King Consolidated Mining and Milling Company, and with Hearst's solid backing, development began.

Through 1882, the new company hired upward of 100 miners to sink a huge shaft and access the silver veins. This small army was housed in the town of Providence, parallel rows of stone houses strung down a sloping alluvial plain next to the mine. A post office was added in June, and in the fall the booming town was large enough to become an election precinct. In July, the company put in its last major piece of equipment, a 10-stamp mill that it purchased and hauled from San Francisco for $50,000.

The mill went into operation on January 1, 1883. The ore came out of wide veins containing as much as $100 in silver and gold per ton, and there was plenty of it. Six months later, the mill had already churned out $573,000 in bullion. The outlook was so bright that the company started offering stock on the New York mining exchange. For two full years, the Bonanza King Mine operated at a nice profit, spending on average $20,000 in supplies and wages and earning a minimum of $35,000 every month. It even paid its stockholders regular dividends, a rare feat for a desert mine. In early 1885, the shaft reached 800 feet below the surface, and production topped the $1.5 million mark.

As in any mining venture, the mine's welfare was at the mercy of the market. In March 1885, when the price of silver dipped from around $1.10 an ounce to near $1, profits slipped, and the mine owners suspended operations. It might have been a ploy to lower wages, because a week later they reopened the mine but hired miners for at a reduced pay - from $3.50 to $3.00 - per day. With a team of 40 men working the tunnels, 35 running the mill, and the ore looking as good as ever, production resumed at a whopping average of $60,000 a month - nearly double what it'd been prior to the wage cut! But just when everything was running smoothly again, the Bonanza King was dealt a second blow, this one fatal: in late July 1885 its mill was destroyed by fire.

Like many mines with prior success, the Bonanza King Mine came back to life - many times. Between 1906, and 1920, at least three companies gave it a go, each one revamping and modernizing the equipment, but each one producing less silver than the last. Then, in 1923, another company - grand plans to dewater the shaft and push downward exploration - gave it a go with a team of six men. One lone car full of ore came out of the aging shaft in May 1924.

The Bonanza King Mine retired with a whimper, but it did it with pride. In its long career, it produced silver amounting to $1.8 million between 1883 and 1887, and at approximately $70,000 after 1901 - one of the richest historic mines in the east Mojave Desert.

Hiking the Mojave Desert​

Looking into (left) and out of (right) one of the few horizontal adits we found. Even this adit was filled with stopes, rooms, and shafts that dropped hundreds of feet. Watch your step!​

Wooden supports in rainbow stopes.​

We'd spent nearly two hours by the time we picked our way down the overgrown and disintegrating miner trails and got the camp stowed for the final time. That gave us a couple more hours - since I wanted to drop the Tacoma off by about 2:00pm - to make our way over to the nearby Silver King Mine, by way of a deteriorating road and the old Bonanza King mill.

This road was flexier than it looks, but no problem at all.​

Remnants of the 1920s-era resurrection.​

Old tanks, once used to facilitate the movement of material through the mill.​

After a short journey on a rock road, we found ourselves at a wilderness boundary, and the beginning of our hike to the Silver King mine. This place is much smaller than the Bonanza King, but still sports three deep vertical shafts, two adits, and an old (collapsed) headframe, in addition to the ruins of a few cabins.

No motor vehicles beyond this point.​

Off we go!​

According to these tracks we found, wilderness boundaries don't apply to UTVs.
Assholes.​

A couple miles round trip, the hike up the wash is a pleasant one. Halfway to the mine we came upon what were once two "twin" cabins, one of which has now collapsed, time and weather taking their toll on the simple sheet metal construction. As we neared the mine shafts further up the wash, I found the remnants of a quarried rock building, one of the more interesting - and unique - things that we'd see in our explorations. The sheer amount of work that must have gone into quarrying and then shaping these enormous stones is unfathomable - even if the building was, as it appears, never completed.

Even if the mine wasn't a huge success, the miners sure knew how to pick the views!​

"You know, instead of mining silver, I think I'll quarry some worthless stone for a cabin."​

This agave caught my eye on the way up the wash toward the mine.​

After a bit more dodging of catclaw and mesquite in the wash, the tailings piles of the Silver King came into view. Quite large, they were a good indicator that the vertical shafts were no joke, a fact we confirmed when we tossed a rock into the void, the echos taking several seconds for to die out.

A rather wimpy ladder on the now-collapsed headframe.​

A wooden collar and door on one of the adits wasn't really necessary. This adit was only a couple dozen feet deep!​

Ultimately - without some ropes and serious safety equipment - there wasn't much to see during our second visit to the Silver King. Frankly, even with a means into the shafts, I'm not sure that'd be a smart move - the openings not collared in any way, rocks and debris sure to cascade down during any descent/ascent that might be attempted. And with that, we headed back to the Tacoma.

As we exited the Mojave National Preserve - the Providence Mountains rising in the distance - it was @mrs.turbodb who noticed that the NPS logo had been stolen from the entrance sign.
Probably a UTVer.​

From the Preserve boundary to Fenner wasn't very far, and with only wide-open desert between us and there, we made better time than we usually do ...when we're easily distracted by just about anything!

Moar gas pipeline road.​

​

As usual, fuel in Fenner was essentially highway robbery. Luckily, with three Scepter jerry cans, we had plenty to get us back to Vegas.​

From Fenner, it was all pavement and much skinny pedal as we headed little bit east, but mostly north. Along the way, we stopped only twice: once, a quick stop in Goffs - so @mrs.turbodb could see some of what I'd seen a few weeks earlier; a second time at a BNSF rail crossing - having chased a 175-car freight train for the better part of 15 miles, the Tacoma straining at speeds rarely reached.

The best way to move truck trailers.​

Two trains meet.​

Six locomotives - 1120, 3876, 6941, 7889, 3697, and 7061.​

Matching speed.​

The generators were purring away.​

We'd arrive in Las Vegas just after noon, our Chipotle order already placed, our chips and burritos waiting to be consumed. We'd had a great time on Segment 3 of the EMHT, and it was only a matter of time before we'd be back - to tackle the final miles of Segment 4, through the Turtle Mountains.



.

 

There are a number of Law Enforcement agencies who've purchased UTV/SXS for patrol work using OHV funding. It's possible some tracks are made by these vehicles.

 

It is possible. Unlikely in this case though, as UTV/ATV/SxS are not permitted in the Preserve as a whole. I understand they could still have them, since they are the ones that make the rules, but they generally try to set a good example.

 

The Park Service could use them in non-Wilderness areas of the Preserve but I’ve never heard of any motorized vehicles in designated Wilderness regardless of the situation, not even for wildfire fighting or medical emergencies.

 

Rig Review - First One in a Long Time
Part of the A Bit More EMHT (Dec 2023) trip.

December 28, 2023.

It's been quite a while - eight months to the day - since the last Rig Review, making this only the second review of 2023. That's just pure lazy on my part, but I'll plead "no way to work on the truck since it's been in Las Vegas" most of that time ...and move on with my fingers in my ears and a la-la-la escaping my lips, as though that were the real reason.

With that in mind, let's get down to it, because there is a lot to cover. This Rig Review is the result of living out of the Tacoma during the following trips. Just know that it's most of 2023.

I'm Loving the Truck in Las Vegas (One Year Update)
TL;DR - Having the Tacoma in Las Vegas is by far the best thing I've done for exploring, ever. The convenience of not having to drive forever at the start/end of a trip is worth it alone. Icing on the cake is that it's been even cheaper than I originally estimated (which itself was cheaper than driving).

Moving the Tacoma to Las Vegas was the best "adventure" decision ever (for me). Everything I mentioned in my previous review still holds true, but I have a couple updates.


Pros
Cost. Previously I thought the cost of driving back and forth (vs. flying) would be about the same, but it's turned out to be significantly cheaper to fly. Granted, this is on Spirit Airlines (which comes with its own set of pros/cons), but the cost has been - on average - about $75 roundtrip, compared to the $250 I estimated (on Alaska). That saves about $700/month ($8400/year), which has cut my overall adventure expenses in half as compared to last year - $15,500 vs $27,924 - with approximately the same number of trips/nights.


Cons
Photo gear. Flying back and forth means that I don't have everything at home between trips. In general this hasn't been a problem, but it is rather inconvenient for all my photo gear (both the camera and drone). To address this, I've begun to shuttle my camera and my RF 24-240mm walkaround lens home between trips, but everything else still stays in the truck.

"Seems ...Unsafe."​

I Need New Headlights (resolved)
TL;DR - The new OEM headlight housings into the Tacoma are working great with high-powered halogen lamps. This is the way, LEDs are crap.

After my last rig review, I replaced the housings with new OEM housings (left) (right), updated the bulbs to high-wattage OSRAM Super Bright H4 9003 90/100W halogen bulbs (as discussed previously), and adjusted the beams to point in the same place as the originals.

I couldn't be happier.

Old (cloudy) housings (left). | New housings with OSRAM Super Bright Halogen lo-beams (right).​

The Dometic Fridge Works Well So Far
TL;DR - After switching over to a Dometic Fridge, things have been working "just fine." I think I still technically preferred the ARB overall, but the Dometic has a few nice features the ARB did not. And, most importantly, it's actually cooling.

Back in May, I had to get a new fridge when my 7-year-old 50qt ARB stopped cooling. Ultimately - mostly due to price and warranty length - I went with a Dometic. At the time, I had two reservations about the Dometic:

1. The latching mechanism for the lid. I'm still worried about this, but it's seemed to work fine so far, and I'm a little less worried about it breaking now than I was back when I initially got the fridge. I'll continue to monitor it.
2. The interior size - which is slightly smaller, with not-quite-as-good organization. This hasn't been too much of an issue, either, though I did have to figure out a new set of containers that would use the space optimally, since the old set I was using did not fit the new dimensions.

There are also a couple things I like about the Dometic that I didn't know when I was only going off first impressions.

• The Bluetooth app is nice. I can quickly and easily monitor the fridge temp or turn the fridge on/off without being at the control panel for the fridge. I thought this was a total gimmick when I first got the fridge, but I've used the feature a few times now - to adjust the fridge temp at night - rom the comfort of the tent - having forgotten to do so before getting into bed, and to turn the fridge off - when I was driving - while heading back to Las Vegas to put the truck in storage.
• The fridge stays at a much more consistent temperature than the ARB. Where the ARB would oscillate between 34° and 40° when set to 37°, the Dometic keeps the temp between 36.5° and 37.5° when set to the same temperature. I'm sure the ARB did this to be efficient when turning the compressor on (running it for a longer period of time), but as long as the Dometic doesn't burn out the compressor, it keeps food at a much more consistent temperature, reducing freezing of veggies and warming of foods that spoil easily.
• The Dometic is a little quieter than the ARB. It's not significantly different, and it might just be that the pitch is a little different, but I don't hear the Dometic at night (when I'm in the tent) as much as I heard the ARB.

And one thing I dislike about the Dometic:

• The LCD display on the front of the fridge is useless. It shows almost no information when the fridge is running normally - perhaps to save power - and only shows the temperature when you push a button on the control panel. The ARB always showed the current temperature in big, bold numbers, so that was better.

So far, the Dometic is working out.​

The Floor of My Tent Has Holes in It (Fixed)
TL;DR - the aluminum plates that I installed to address the holes forming where the ladder standoffs were wearing through the floor skin have worked great. Highly recommend.

With a 2x2.5" pad of aluminum, there's plenty of surface area to spread out the force of the ladder standoffs.​

Bed Spread (new)
TL;DR - I've not really had any noticeable bed spread over the last 5 years, despite every other Tacoma seeming to have the problem. However, I've noticed recently that the gap around the tailgate is not as even as it used to be. I'm not worried for now, but I'll likely address it with and update to the bed rack.


LutzAuto Speedo Correction Device Issues
TL;DR - I've been happy with the device, though I had to replace it, and I discovered (because of the device) that getting the speedometer to be accurate is NOT what we should all be shooting for!

In May, I installed a LutzAuto Toyota 3-wire Speedometer Correction Device. It was an easy process, and I was looking forward to finally having my speedometer and odometer be 100% accurate. Imagine my surprise then, when they were not!

As I noted in the install, it's easy to calibrate the device in 0.5% increments, and knowing that my speedometer was off (high) by 6%, I made sure the device was "reset" and then pressed the "down" button 12 times, resulting in my speedometer being 100% accurate (compared to a multitude of GPS devices that I compared it against).

Sure that calculating my gas mileage would be so much easier now - since I wouldn't have to adjust the miles travelled in the - you can imagine my surprise when I was watching the odometer as I passed mile markers on the freeway and noticed that my odometer was ticking off miles much more slowly than the mile markers indicated. After a bit of long-range experimentation - a 100-mile stretch of GPS-and-mile-marker highway - I determined that my odometer was off (low) by approximately 4.5%, though the speedometer was spot on.

That meant that I had a decision to make: calibrate the device so that the speedometer was correct OR calibrate it so the odometer was correct, because it's impossible to make them both accurate at the same time. I'll get into why in just a second, but for me, the odometer is much more important. Luckily, the LutzAuto device is easy to calibrate, so I slid under the Tacoma, pressed the "up" calibration button 9 times (4.5% change from its current calibration) and boom, my odometer is now 100% accurate.

So, why the discrepancy? I believe this is a conscious decision by Toyota. From the factory, Toyota tries to ensure that when the odometer is accurate, that the speedometer will always read slightly higher than the actual speed that the vehicle is traveling. This is a CYA (cover your ass) strategy - essentially, it ensures that when the speedometer implies the vehicle is travelling at the posted speed limit, it's actually travelling at that speed or slightly slower, reducing their liability in court, should the speedometer reading be called into question.

At any rate, it means that calibration of the speedometer is not as important as I once thought, but that calibration of the odometer is the key. The LutzAuto device does both, so it's still the best way to perform that calibration (as compared to speedo gears, etc.)

The incremental calibration is really nice - so much easier than "hoping" with a speedo gear, and having to get a new gear if something between the transmission and ground changes in the future.​

Since the install, it should also note that I had had to replace the LutzAuto device when it started malfunctioning. I'd be driving along at a consistent speed/RPM, and the speedometer would suddenly begin to jump all over the place. After a couple emails to Bryan (the owner/creator), we weren't able to figure out the issue and he sent me a new device (and a shipping label to return the original). I installed the replacement and it's been working well ever since. Great customer service, as well!


https://www.youtube.com/embed/dp42Sli5O10?si=GgYoz_79uPId2k4p

I have to admit, this was sort of fun, even if I wanted it fixed.​

My "New" Leaf Springs Need Replacing
TL;DR - I think Alcan makes great leaf springs, but I'm going to ditch them for Chevy 63s because my second set is too stiff and I want a better ride.

I want to start by saying that I think Alcan makes the best custom leaf packs out there. I highly recommend them (and the owner Lew), if you need a leaf pack that will last a very long time and carry loads well beyond what our trucks were designed for. They are pricey, but worth every penny.

So then, why am I replacing mine less than a year after I installed them?

That's a great question, with a rather lengthy answer. It's a fun story though, so here goes...

When I bought my first leaf pack from Alcan, the company was owned by Bill Ford. Bill was a fantastic fabricator of springs, but not the most communicative/friendly guy in the business. He'd make what you asked for, but provided little help in educating his customers on what to ask for. And, any help that was provided, generally made one feel ...just a little smaller. Frankly, the company is in much better hands with the new owner - Lew - who is just as good a fabricator, and leaps and bounds better on the customer service end of things.

When I ordered my first leaf pack from Bill, I speced out a pack that would support +600lbs over stock weight, with a 3" lift - to carry all my gear and keep the rear of the truck a little higher than the front. Bill was happy to make that for me and leafs showed up on my doorstep in less than a month, which I thought was great given the 8-week estimate. However, when I looked at the packing slip attached to the springs, I was surprised to see that it said “+400lbs w/3” lift.”

I immediately contacted Bill, and was told, “sorry, that was just a typo, you actually got what you ordered.” Funny thing was, he couldn’t tell me what I ordered, even though he was sure that’s what I got. Still worried, I asked if there was a way that I could tell whether they were +400 or +600, he told me to install them, and if they were +600, then I’d have the lift I was looking for. Since I knew that was no way to “really” tell, I asked if he could just make me a new "for sure +600lbs" set and I’d send the first set back, but he said no.

Side note: I also ran into an issue with the placement of the center pin on that first set, and had to go through another rigamarole with Bill (and send another $200 to get another set of top leaves made), but I’ve never really been sure that was his fault; the center pin positioning seems to be a Toyota issue that affects 30-60% of Tacomas. (if you’re curious, see: Updating the Alcan Leaf Pack)

In the end, that first pack rode great and was the perfect +[weight] for my rig ...whatever [weight] really was. Personally (and you’ll see why in a moment), I think it was +400, not the +600 that Bill claimed.

Fast forward to a couple years ago when I picked up my second Alcan pack. I wanted a bit more lift, just to give me a bit more rake in my stance. Not much - just an inch or so, since the truck sat quite level with the current Alcan pack. I also knew that I now carried a bit more weight (dual battery, more gear, etc.) than I when I got the first pack, so I ordered +750lbs and a 4” lift. Lew was great, and once again, I had my order faster than I’d expected - he even rushed it a bit b/c I happened to be in CO, able to pick it up on the way home from running the New Mexico Backcountry Discovery Route (NMBDR). Super cool dude.

I have no doubt that I got +750lbs w/4” lift from Lew. The problem was that it was way too much - stiff as can be, and way too high - even when the Tacoma was fully loaded with fuel, water, etc. It was so much more than the +150lb, 1” height difference that I reached out to Lew with photos. He agreed - there definitely seemed to be a huge difference between the old pack and the new. But he’d sent me what I ordered, and I knew it wasn’t his fault at all. I’d ordered “incorrectly,” thinking that I was running +600lbs springs from Bill, when I was really running the +400lbs springs that were on my original packing slip.

For now - with Lew’s help as to the amount of weight that each “leaf level” supported - I took out a leaf (~200lbs, bringing the pack into the +550lbs range) from the new pack and it got a lot better. I’ve been considering taking out a second to bring it back down to the ~400lb range, since it still has that extra inch of lift as well.

Currently, the Tacoma has a stinkbug stance. Too much rake, even for me.​

My solution is to move to Chevy 63s. This is a reasonably standard - if relatively uncommon - swap for 1st gen Tacomas, and I'll be following the methodology that Zane @Speedytech7 used, frenching the front hangers into the frame. In fact, I'll be heading to Zane's shop to do the work - hopefully later this winter - and will write up the details when the time comes.



Leaking Transmission-Transfer Case (again)
TL;DR - After replacing the transmission seal on the transfer case input shaft, my leak disappeared for about three months. But, it's back, so I need to replace the seal again.

When replacing the seal in the transmission where the input shaft of the transfer case connects to the output shaft of the transmission, I was super careful to ensure that I aligned the two components so the shaft wouldn't mar the surfaces of the seal. Or so I thought. I've got the same leak as before, so I'll be doing the job again. Oh, joy!

Still dripping.​

DJI Air 3 Drone Three Month Review
TL;DR - I've enjoyed taking still photos with the drone, but I've not enjoyed trying to shoot videos as my piloting skills leave many things to be desired. I've also got several more things to add to my like/dislike list, which I'm sure will continue to grow.

The DJI Air has allowed for shots I would have never been able to capture previously!​

So, the DJI Air 3 drone has been a fun addition to my photography arsenal. A lot of what I liked and/or was concerned about when I got it three months ago has been spot on, but there are a few additional details that I thought would be good to capture.

• The Return to Home (RTH) functionality is amazing. As I mostly takeoff/land from the same spot (more on that later), it's so cool to fly around wherever I want to go, and then just press a single button to have it end up right where it started, with no input from me. The only thing I don't like about RTH is the incessant beeping out of the controller when the drone is on its way back.
• I suck at flying. (Because I don't play video games?) Getting the hang of the controls - which require flying in 3D space as well as control of the camera gimbal to keep the subject in view - has been really hard for me. I think part of this is because it's really hard, but part is also because I've never been one who is into 1st-person shooter video games, which use the same sort of control for game play. As such, using the drone for videos is really not something that I can do in any sort of enjoyable - for me or the viewer - way at this point in time. Gives me a whole new respect for those who can drone and drive, and keep the drone shot steady on both the foreground and background at the same time.
• The DNG files it produces are lackluster. I was really excited that the Air 3 would produce RAW DNG files, because I knew I'd be able to edit them in Adobe Lightroom Classic. The problem is, there doesn't seem to be much detail in the RAW files - at least compared to my Canon R6 - so editing them is a bit like editing a JPEG: a little hit-and-miss. Additionally - and I suppose understandably, since the drone is constantly vibrating as it hovers in the air - the images aren't all that sharp compared to what I'm used to. They're fine for viewing on a screen, but fuzzy - at either the 12MP or 48MP resolution - when zooming in for a look at the details.
• It takes too long to setup/tear down. I was worried about this at the beginning, but it's turned out to be one of the biggest issues I have with the drone. Setup and teardown involve a ton of steps:
  1. Take drone out of bag
  2. Remove gimbal cover
  3. Remove velcro that keeps propellers stowed against the drone when it's in the bag.
  4. Unfold propeller arms
  5. Insert battery
  6. Turn on drone
  7. Take remote controller out of bag
  8. Turn on remote controller.
  9. Screw joysticks onto remote controller.
  10. Wait for remote controller to boot the DJI Fly app.
  This all takes something on the order of 2-3 minutes on each end of the flight. Not a ton of time, but also a lot longer than just getting out of the truck to shoot a photo with the camera.
  
  I'm hoping to solve some of this setup/teardown by getting a foam "holder" created that will keep the assembled drone and controller safely stowed by easily accessible. Then I'll just have to wait for the software to boot before I'm ready to go.
  
  Also, I really dislike forcing anyone travelling with me to wait while I'm setting up/tearing down plus flying around. As such, I've found that I really only use the drone when I'm in camp or when something else is occupying the time of my travelling companions.
• It's too bulky to take hiking. I picked up a larger fanny pack that I thought would allow me to carry the drone on a hike, but it's about 1" too long to close the zipper on the pack. At this point, since I'm mostly a still-photo-guy anyway, I'm not sure if I'll look for another pack or just continue to use the drone when I'm around the Tacoma.

I've Found My Favorite USB Charger
TL;DR - I found a compact, 65W USB A/C charger that can be used for my laptop, camera, drone, flashlight, phone, and just about anything else, and it charges faster than the dedicated chargers for those devices. Fantasticly amazing.

It seems like every electronic device I get needs a different combination of batteries and charger.

• Camera - uses a dedicated battery (of which I have four) that needs either:
  • A dedicated 120V charger
  • A USB-C carger that outputs 8-9V (rather than the usual 5V) to charge the battery while it is in the camera
• Laptop - internal battery uses a dedicated charger, but at least it has a USB-C connector to the laptop now.
• Laptop Mouse - use AAA batteries, and a 120V battery charger
• Drone - the batteries need a lot of juice (100W recommended), via USB-C
• Flashlight - some internal battery and any power level USB-C
• iPhone (SE 2020) - generally works with any USB cable with a lightning port on the phone end, but more wattage means faster charging.
• Lenovo Tab 8 FHD - generally works with any USB cable with a microUSB on the tablet end, but more wattage means faster charging.
• Kindle Paperwhite - generally works with any USB cable with a microUSB on the tablet end, and always charges slowly.
• Headlamps - use AAA batteries, and a 120V battery charger
• Garmin inReach Mini - generally works with any USB cable with a microUSB on the tablet end, and always charges slowly.

To this point, I've been bringing along four chargers:

1. Laptop charger - powered from my silent 175W inverter on the house battery.
2. Camera battery charger - powered from my silent 175W inverter on the house battery.
3. A combo AA/AAA charger - powered from my silent 175W inverter on the house battery.
4. A 30W USB-A charger - installed in the dash and powered from the starting battery.

The new charger I found is a mouthful - it's currently titled TECKNET USB C Charger 65W PD 3.0 GaN Type Foldable Adapter with 3-Port Fast Wall Compatible with iPhone 15 Pro Max/15 Plus/15 Pro/15/14/13, MacBook Pro, iPad Switch, Galaxy S23/S22 on Amazon, so as to catch every keyword search in the known universe.

This charger is fantastic. It plugs into my silent 175W inverter on the house battery and fast charges - at a whopping 75W (10W more than the stated 65W) - on the USB-C ports, and up to 30W on the USB-A port. Even when all three ports are in use, I get 55W out of one USB-C, and 20W each out of the other two ports. That means it can charge all my devices except for the AA/AAA batteries, and if I got a charger with USB-C input, it could do those as well.

I like this charger so much that I've bought a second one to use at home.

It gets warm, but not what I would call hot.

There are more powerful chargers out there, but at least for now, this one seems perfect.​

Chicken Tender Wraps - A Great Dinner
TL;DR - with trips to Las Vegas now taking place via plane, it's much harder to bring avocados (compared to packing them securely and driving them from home). Becuase I refuse to eat tacos or burritos without guacamole, I had to find an alternative. Chicken Tender wraps have fit the bill fantastically.

Prior to flying down to Las Vegas, part of my pre-trip preparation was to purchase a bunch of avocados (one per day) at the grocery store, 3-5 days prior to start of the trip. They'd ripen (mostly) at home, and I'd wrap each one in a hand towel before placing them in a cardboard box for protection and final ripening on the trip.

This is - obviously - not possible anymore, and purchasing avocados in Las Vegas is pointless, since most trips are five days long, and they take at least that long to ripen.

Enter chicken tender wraps. I first saw Ben @m3bassman do this on our trip to The Maze District, and it couldn't be simpler:

• Buy one chicken tender per person per meal at the grocery store deli. Place in fridge for safe keeping.
• At dinner time, heat the chicken tender in an aluminum foil pouch for 8 minutes, flipping every 2 minutes to avoid burning the breading.
• Add to a toasted tortilla, with mayo, mustard, and lettuce. Other fillings to taste (tomato, avocado if you have it, etc.) are fine as well.
• Eat. So. Yum.

The best part - which is even better than tacorittoes - is that there's nothing to wash at the end. Just recycle the aluminum foil and you're laughing!

I do miss my avocados, but these always hit the spot.​

I'm (Eventually) Changing my Wheel/Tire Setup
TL;DR - I'm done with 16" wheels and the limited tire selection they offer. My next set of tires (and therefore wheels) will be 17".

I don't need new tires quite yet, but mine will only last another 6-9 months. Finding skinny 16" tires (255/85/R16) with a hybrid AT/MT tread pattern is nearly impossible, so I'm moving to 17" wheels for more options. I've already got the new wheels - which the ever-helpful Zane picked up for me for a steal - and after some cleaning and several coats of my favorite bronze coating, they are going to be fantastic.

These are 17x7.5" double five-spoke from an early 2000s Sequoia. With 4.5" backspacing, they are perfect for a 1st gen Tacoma.​

My Tent Lighting Works Great, But I Want to Change It
TL;DR - currently I have 12V LED strip lighting in my tent and it works great. However, I want to update the lighting to use 5v, so I can power it from a (more versatile) USB port, rather than using a 12v receptacle.

One of the things that my newly found perfect charger illuminated for me is that charging my laptop can be done with any USB-C charger; I don't need to use the power brick that came with the laptop. As such, I'd like to update the power box in the bed of the truck - currently equipped with two (2), 12V receptacles - to have a USB charger as one of the form factors. This, however, will mean that one of the 12V receptacles will have to go, and since the fridge needs to keep running in order for me to not die from food poisoning, that means the LED lights in my tent will need to change from 12V to 5V lights.

I don't know any of the details as of yet, but this is a change that's in the works.






Seemingly solved from previous Rig Reviews

1. I'm Loving the Truck in Las Vegas
2. I Need New Headlights
3. The Floor of My Tent Has Holes in It
4. LutzAuto Speedo Correction Device

Unchanged / Still an issue from previous Rig Reviews
There are some things that have been featured in Rig Reviews that are - as yet - unchanged from when I originally reviewed them. Rather than highlight those things again, I'll simply link to them here.

1. The Transmission is Leaking
2. The Rear Diff is Weeping
3. My Suspension Squeaks
4. Skid plate attachment could be better

 

How did you adhere the aluminum blocks to the tent base? I made something similar with Delron and could not get it to stick. I tried double sided tape (the 3M automotive stuff which is usually pretty good) and adhesive. Neither last.

I like to bring along some Asian sauces to add flavor to store bought stuff. I love the chicken tender wrap and would likely season them with those sauces.