Death Valley Off-Road Adventures

Reno News:

https://www.kolotv.com/2024/05/16/visitor-who-tore-down-historic-salt-tram-comes-forward/

 

Interesting they are refusing to ID but glad this person did the right thing.

 

These two jackasses got stuck first. They don't like the truth and turned off the comments on their video.

https://youtu.be/IPnw4x9t_I8?si=gTUkUbcbafcHLKXK

 

Without clicking to watch (because I don't want to give them clicks), please tell me that they aren't camped on Racetrack Playa in that lower right thumbnail...

 

I believe they camped at Homestake which has a new toilet. They flew a drone for video of the young lady on the playa. Then they went down Lippincott and to the Salt Tram where they got stuck in the mud where they shouldn't have been. The hiked from there to the springs and found two Jeeps willing to tow them out of the mud. So they drove where they weren't supposed to be off trail. I commented on following the rules/regs of DVNP last night and today the comments were turned off.

 

And this why we can't have nice things.

 

Lower right is Eureka Dunes campground (you can see the dunes on the right edge and the Last Chance Range in the background is distinctive).

But as already outlined they are asshats for multiple other reasons.

 

There are many times a day I believe this ...

Humans suck.

 

Obviously, not Death Valley, but consistent with the discussion here. I’m getting close to a rant about overlandy people. By definition, they are new to four wheeling and camping. Entitled.

 

Well these two special individuals recently posted another video of themselves at Mojave National Preserve where they flew a drone at Kelso Dunes. The rules and regs definitely don't apply to them. So I decided to comment again...and maybe the NPS for both DVNP and MNP might be aware of their antics.

 

https://www.nytimes.com/2024/05/18/us/death-valley-tower-visitor.html

 

I just saw this in the Times. It seemed like a missed opportunity for the NPS to educate people about the rules and the reason for the rules, though I suspect there’s not much overlap between people who read mainstream media and drive off the roads in National Parks. The last time I was at the Grand Canyon I got in a verbal spat with a New York tourist who was flying a drone 25 feet from a big “no drones” sign.

 

Not everything DV National Park posts is this cool...

 

Nothing like a little upper ball joint work on the side of the road in DV at 6:30 when it's still 104°.


Almost a dozen cars passed me and didn't bother to check to see if everything was okay. Turned out to be a relatively easy fix and I was rolling on 40 minutes later but it could have been worse. If you see someone wrenching in only takes a second to stop and ask if they're okay.

Rant over. In other news, the silt beds on the east side of eureka dunes heading up Steele pass were worse than I remember but the rest of the trail was uneventful. I probably have a cubic foot of silt to clean from my skids.

 

What happened with the ball joint

 

Glad you got it resolved.

 

The ball joint slid in the UCA and my alignment was way off. I would have just driven home to deal with it if I wasn't halfway through a 10 day trip with a bunch of highway mileage to get to Palm Springs and then back home.

My attempt at a quick wheel on fix made it worse so I had to remove the wheel to get it lined back up with a pair of channel locks and a crescent wrench.

 

Quick jaunt into the park after a two week trip to CO, UT, and NV.
I've never seen the bee warning at the single holer up near Dantes View.

 

Oh and spotted @turbodb on my way home...snuck by with my prius...got off the freeway and came by for a second run to get a couple pics. Sorry had the family and we were ready to get home so I couldn't flag you down.