Hoarder23's War Wagon build

Looks like it. Let me know when you’re back and we’ll fix it. Maybe make a valving change if you feel it necessary after your trip.

 

Now all you need is some orange brake calipers....

 

And lots of hashtags truck looks sweet bro

 

Better have lots of hashtags.

And some orange trucknutz.

 

Hashtags are overrated, just do stuff

 

#Alabamahills #overlandAF

 

I've got to spend a month in Oak Harbor, WA for work so I decided I'd make a road trip of it. This will allow me to explore the Pacific Northwest a lot better while I'm there and I can bring Belle along. Plan is to take 15 to 295 towards Tahoe and wing it from there.

Day 1 Sunday July 14
I got a later start to my trip than I'd wanted but I had to get the truck aligned and pick up some stuff from work before I could go. I finally got on the road a little before 4. Definitely need to get some ET lugs so I can properly mount the tire on the swing gate and free up valuable bed space. I'm carrying a little more than I usually would on a trip but I definitely need to work on my storage layout to make best use of the space I have.

I met @AY_ARONTRD in Murrieta to provide some goods and services in exchange for cash. My only other stops were gas just after getting on 395

and some groceries in Ridgecrest, which was lacking evidence of "the big one". It was dark by the time I left the grocery store so I found a dispersed camping area on the map and headed toward Sage Flats Rd a bit south of Olancha. At the end it turns into 20S01B at the bottom of Olanthe Pass, a hiking/stock trail over the Sierras. Found a nice flat spot on an open area that seemed nice, made a sandwich and realized there were too many bugs. The full moon would have made camping out in the open awesome but hard to sleep with things crawling all over you. Backtracked to where the base of the pass is and found a tree covered area that allowed me to setup the hammock. A simple fleece bag was all I needed to fall asleep but it did get a bit uncomfortable when it dropped to the 60s in the early morning.

 

Sub’d for trip updates drive safe!

 

Good and services?

 

Day2
Wake up spot

The first spot I'd stopped the night before.

On the way back out spotted a two good campsites with fire pits already in place that would be way better but hard to spot in the dark. I explored 36E411 which is a short loop off the main road behind a stand of trees thinking it might be a decent spot for future endeavors but it was just bees.

Gassed up in Lone Pine at one of the most scenic gas stations ever with a view of Mount Whitney and the headed for dirt. A right turn at Manzanar put me on Manzanar Reward Rd which is part of the CABDR section 7, straight washboard allowed me to get the truck up to speed to see how the new shocks work but more testing is still required. I followed the BDR a bit to the 'harder' Mazourka Wyman Silver Canyon section which was mostly pretty tame gravel road. Saw a Tundra with a slide in camper and waved at the owner who was enjoying his coffee.

Took a detour to the top of a hill, Mazourka Peak is 9393 ft but I got to 9413 just a couple hundred yards away so I'm not sure what happened there. After that the road turned into something Flats Rd, and it got a bit more difficult so I ignored the 4wd only sign and put it in 2LO. Nothing terribly difficult but the lower wheel speed helped me not leave ruts on the times I did have to give it a little.
Some random mine

Drove through Bishop skipping places I'd heard have excellent food because apparently the brother of a friend of the family owns the McGee Creek Lodge in Crowley. Stopped there for an excellent lunch and a delicious cookie and Belle even got some bacon from the cook.
The creek was running just a bit high.
I think these are the happy cows those old cheese commercials talked about.
Then I decided I didn't really want to get to Tahoe and try to find a campsite so stared at the map to find a likely destination and saw many lakes along FS roads off Carson Pass. Headed towards Red Lake and then as I got close saw a road 31079 that zigzagged up to a lake. Followed a Ranger and a Murano for a bit until the trail split in two directions, they went left so I went right on 31079B and was able to beat them to the merge and ended up and a great spot right on the water of Scotts Lake just below Waterhouse Peak.
Bugs were again a problem so set up the tent and was out before it was even dark.

 

#thatsthejoke

 

What happened to your front bumper hoop?

 

I hit things, it fell off

 

Day 3

A big tree on the way out

Tree is stronger than someone's chainsaw
@Prayn4surf not sure why you think these flowers are rare, they were everywhere the sun shined
The split of 31079 and 31079B, the non-Murano friendly route
After putting away camp I headed towards Tahoe and Belle got to go to Nevada for the first time. I'd only ever been to Tahoe in the winter and to the Tahoe City area so it was pretty interesting to see what you could see along 50 all the way to Carson City. Stopped at Discount Tire to get ET lugs for the spare, then picked up a hamburger and dog towel for Belle. I decided my next camp spot would be in Modoc National Forest so I followed 395 North stopping in Reno for beer, Lead Dog Brewing Citra Solo IPA and The Brewer's Cabinet Dirty Wookie Imperial Brown Ale. Next was Bordertown for ice, gas and self tapping screws for the backup mount. Belle made a good impression on the pretty lady checking for vegetables and firewood at the state line.

As I headed north saw a the remains of a few brush fires including one that had an airplane help put it out.
Stopped at the Honey Lake Rest Area for Belle to do dog stuff and me to blog about my trip. I found what I thought was a solid destination and set off North again.
Passed my twin in Likely, CA, pop 99, a dark early 2nd gen with an orange ARB front, an orange plate rear and a 4wheelcamper.
I thought Alturas would be a big town but apparently 2500 people is not enough for TMobile to give a fuck. I turned onto Crowley Flats Rd and soon enough saw the "Pavement Ends" and I entered the Devil's Garden.

The wild horses of Modoc National Forest
Why they call it the Devil's Garden

The next 25 miles were straight and flat with plenty of bumps to exercise the new shocks. My next turn was 46N07 which quickly became a cow path.
Found the first spot I needed 4wd, a washout that was loose enough to get wheel spin. I left some aluminum on a local rock but crawled right out with the right levers.
The normal traffic on 46N07.
The county should put in a stop sign at the busy intersection of 46N07 and Deer Hill.
Deer Hill Lake was quite scenic but not a good campsite, what with the cows chilling nearby.

A long bit of backtracking took me to the designated campsite at Jane's Reservoir. No services but there is a vault toilet.
Finally got the spare properly mounted.

And even the dust on my truck knows we are overlanding. #stillindenial

And no bugs so another hammock night.
Belle was shivering so she climbed back in the truck and I gave her her blanket.

 

Never said Mule's ear was rare, just that Ive never seen em blooming like that. Mostly cause I usually am back packing or wheeling up there well after they have bloomed. Looks like youre finding some good spots...n glad your pup got some free bacon haha

 

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Escaping the heat up in the PNW, there's been a heat wave that brought in 80° temps

 

That's bad ass. Always wanted to visit that area

 

It’s 110° in Vegas.