DRT Lakeside

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12/20/2011 Topic: New user-New Years Options DRT Lakeside	Hi all, New to the forum, but have been lurking around the website for a while now. We love ABDSP, but have just begun to scratch the surface of available hikes/camping opportunities. We have done Blair Valley/Ghost Mountain numerous times and often stay at Agua Calient Campground as a base to venture out from. Last trip we did Mortero Palms (almost Goat Canyon but we took a wrong turn) and had a few hair raising moments at the "one way" section of trail heading back through the volcanic hills area. We have also been through Canyon Sin Nombre a few times. Anyway, we are heading out over New Years and wondered if there may be some cool stuff we might be missing near Agua Caliente Park. We have a stock (for now) suzuki samurai which gets around pretty well. Any thoughts? Thanks for the awesome website : )
12/21/2011 Topic: New user-New Years Options DRT Lakeside	Thanks to both of you, those sound like excellent options and I my wife and I (the "we") will definitely be investigating some of those. I agree that primitive camping is much more interesting and gives a much more intimate experience with the desert and all it has to offer. Our issue at the moment is that our Samurai (we call him "Bucky") is not able to carry much in the way of camping gear, etc at the moment. Especially if we bring one or both of the kids (17 and 18). We are slowly outfitting him so we can carry enough for a 2 day excursion. New front bumper coming in a week or so for Christmas. We have done Indian Gorge, but only as far as Torote Canyon, which was awesome. I like the idea of spending time around Indian Hills this trip as well. I will look through the site and our books to plan it out. We will enjoy it wherever we go. Thanks for the great advice and welcome. Dave ps what about the "Well of Eight Echoes"? Heard that was awesome : )
12/23/2011 Topic: New user-New Years Options DRT Lakeside	Thanks again for all the help. One thing I am leaning toward this time is trying to find the cave and pictographs at Indian Hill. It was helpful to find out that the topo map is inaccurate. We will also likely do the Moonlight Canyon to inner pasture hike. I will look around here to check out some more about inner pasture. We will definitely take some pictures as well I have a couple quick Indian Hill hike questions-but not sure if I should post them here or in the Indian Hill threads, but here goes (feel free to move it) Looking at the topo map it shows a jeep trail getting close to Indian Hill, but in one of the posts someone mentioned that they were surprised/unhappy to see vehicle tracks in one of the pictures. My question is: How far should/can we drive along the road paralleling the tracks until we park and hike to Indian Hill? I noticed in the topo map there is an old jeep trail going towards the hill, I assume it goes under or over the tracks. Is that closed or is it an "old" road. Should we walk it? I am wondering because, a few weeks ago we headed west along the tracks from the Dos Cabezas water tower, up the "difficult" section but then veered right toward Volcanic Hills, so I am not sure what to expect further along. Any info/advice would be appreciated as far as where to start the hike part toward Indian Hill
12/23/2011 Topic: New user-New Years Options DRT Lakeside	Awesome. Thanks a bunch. If we find the correct cave is there a way we will know it is the correct one? I am getting more and more anxious to head out : ) I am sure whatever happens it will be a great trip. Wish us luck and thanks again Dave
1/6/2012 Topic: New Years Trip-Scratching the Surface DRT Lakeside	Hi All, Thanks for the advice on places to check out over the New Years weekend. We managed to squeeze in numerous day trips and reconnoiter several places to go back and visit when there is more time. The down side of that strategy is that we only spent enough time in one place to wet our whistle for more. We managed to locate the cave/shelter on Indian Hill and spent some time checking out the hill a little. Very impressive and I would like to go back and "explore" more, as well as check out the RR camp. Makes me wonder how many similar Native American sites are out there waiting to be found for the first time The campfire remains are still there and look the same as in other pics on this site. We also hiked up through Moonlight Canyon all the way to Inner Pasture. We did not go into the Inner Pasture, but ate some snacks and hung out a while before heading back down Moonlight. I was really hoping to see some sheep, (their droppings were everywhere, some quite fresh) but we were skunked this time. Watched a couple Red Tailed Hawks for a while and saw a few lizards but that was it. No people. Later on the same day, we headed out Indian Gorge and into the south fork all the way to the end. What a pretty place... No one in the camp spot at the end, so we checked out the palms, scrambled around on the boulders and just enjoyed the solitude. Another day we drove out to the end of one fork (west?) of June Wash just to see what was there. Hiked around and explored a little. Only a few people camping along the wash, but we did see a park ranger near far end of the wash--she was heading back out. I wonder if that is part of their rounds, or they just do a "head count" occasionally. All in all a successful trip, we checked out a lot of places, the samurai didn't break down, and now we have more info about some sites for future/return trips. Cant wait to go back I am working to convince the wife to do some primitive camping in the area, she loves to hike and explore, but it might be a hard sell. She's a trooper but she doesn't have much interest in tent camping and sleeping in the back of a truck anymore. Those days might be over : ) My brother says he is game, so maybe a trip in the next few weeks, work schedule permitting. I wouldn't mind doing the Indian Valley thing and hiking to the top of Sombrero. Out of curiosity can you overnight in Inner Pasture? What about the parts that are outside of the park boundaries? Here is a link to some pics: link Happy New Year! Dave
1/6/2012 Topic: New Years Trip-Scratching the Surface DRT Lakeside	The hawk remains were pretty matted up. I was hoping to get a skull or talon picture or something cool like that. It turned out to be pretty much a lump of feathers without much else, even bones. My dad was very into falconry for a while when I was growing up and I know the mortality rate is really high for birds of prey in the wild. Between injuries, failed attempts at food and competition with other adults, I don't think many make it through the first year. About 10 years ago and closer to home, I actually saw an adult Cooper's Hawk chasing a first year hawk of the same species. The younger bird was doing all he/she could to get away, and while looking backwards flew into a building causing its death. The weird thing is the mature bird, swooped down and started eating the meat/bird parts that was in the younger birds crop. Nature is tough sometimes I guess. As far as the sheep go, I fear I was being quite hopeful and optimistic We stopped and scanned the hills every so often, but it's like you said, they could be right next to us and we may not know. Also I am starting to think that maybe all the droppings we saw could have been deer? I don't know if there is an easy way to tell them apart or not. It sure is a pretty place out there. I am hoping to get back out soon. Dave
1/6/2012 Topic: New Years Trip-Scratching the Surface DRT Lakeside	The remains I saw were at the very end of the S. Fork of Indian Valley, but I did think about the pics you had posted when I saw it, just couldn't remember where your pic was from at the time. As I look at the map, it seems like Sombrero Peak is about a mile from the end of the S. Fork road, is that a decent place to start from to get there, or is there another place that is more suitable? I know it looks steep, but how steep is it really : ) Dave
1/31/2012 Topic: New Bumper DRT Lakeside	Hi all, Just put a new bumper on "Bucky" the samurai. We can now hook a towbar to it so we can take him on longer trips now too. It is heavy and I had to take it on and off about 10 times for drilling and fitment. (it only looks slightly crooked because I forgot to close the hood all the way before I took a few pics) The winch mount may come in handy if/when we need to get that hardcore. I also just bought 3 wheels ($20) and a cooler rack for the spare tire mount from craigslist. My plan is to try and paint the wheels with a decent automotive urethane paint just for the experience. I priced some powder coat places and it was more than I wanted to pay. I could rattle can the wheels, but want to try "real" paint on something I won't mind messing up too much. When the wheels are done I hope to get some more capable tires (General Grabber AT2) and go from there. Here are some pics of the bumper link Thanks Dave
1/31/2012 Topic: Sombrero Peak DRT Lakeside	Going to try Sombrero Peak this weekend with my bro. I have been to the end of the S. Fork of Indian Valley but am not too sure about where to start toward the peak. Should I go up the gorge and work my way toward the peak when appropriate, or is there another more suitable way. It looked to be sort of choked with shrubbery along near the water when I was there around new years. Thanks and hope the weather holds Dave
1/31/2012 Topic: New Bumper DRT Lakeside	Thanks for the compliment, It looks better than I thought it would and we were able to kill 2 birds with one stone. Much better bumper AND towability when we need it. I was afraid if I just did the towbar thing it might be in the way if I ever wanted to do a different bumper upgrade. It will go just about anywhere in stock trim. I am sure I could use a locker and bigger tires, but for us right now it does fine (even with the 20 year old weather checked street tires). The motor is only a 1.3 + bigger tires are harder on a lot of stuff. (like the poor clutch) Wheels and tires are next, followed by new clutch and tranny rebuild Slow and steady
2/1/2012 Topic: New Bumper DRT Lakeside	We had fleeting thought about doing the "Squeeze" in our stock samurai, but thought better of it for now. Doesn't going through the squeeze commit you to Pinyon Mt. Drop Off or something? I looked on YouTube and decided against it, probably a wise decision. I am always a little nervous heading in somewhere I may not be able to get back out of. We are usually by ourselves too. I almost want to check it out on a motorcycle ahead of time just to be sure. We did go down the "one way" drop off near the volcanic hills area, a few months back, and that was pretty interesting! It is hard to hear in the commentary, but my wife is saying "This is where it all started to go south!" and then points out how the wheels were up in the air, etc. link The samurai is very narrow (and short), so the normal width ruts need to be negotiated a little differently. The little drop off at the top was pretty severe, though it is hard to see in the pic. Fun though I Like the old cruiser a lot, very cool! A friend of ours had one way back with a chevy motor, we called it the "Chevota" and it would go and go as well. Dave
2/5/2012 Topic: Sombrero Peak DRT Lakeside	Went out for the day today with my brother. We jetted down in the morning and reached the end of S. Fork Indian Valley by about 8:40 and started up toward Sombrero Peak. Everyone was right, there were a lot of ducks, maybe so many that we followed the wrong ones. Not sure : ) We hiked up and along the left "fork" of the draw and in retrospect it may have been easier to veer to the right. It was steeper than I anticipated the entire way, but we made it past the few false peaks and finally arrived at the top in just about 2 hours. Wow, what great views. The weather was perfect; clear skies, just enough breeze and clear (even cool in the shade when we started). I was not expecting to see the wind turbines near Golden Acorn from the top, but we could just make them out. (the pics on google + seem to lose some detail) I have a few questions about what we could see from the top when looking back down the valley. Looking back toward the trailhead and S. Indian Valley, what are the two valleys/canyons to the right ((eastish?) I think the nearer one is Bow Willow, and the next one (much wider and sandier looking) east is Carrizo, is that right? I also noticed on the map that there is a Sombrero Peak Palm Grove, has anyone been there? Lots of scratches and scrapes, but worth it for the views and experience. Now I think my brother has the desert fever again and is going to come with me more often. We saw more people than usual along S2, and an orienteering class (it looked like) at the Indian Gorge turnoff. On the way out, there were about 8-10 vehicles camped along the road until we got to the fork and then we didn't see anyone for the rest of the day until we headed back down. All in all a great day Here are some pics of the day... link I wish they were a little clearer but oh well Dave
2/6/2012 Topic: Sombrero Peak DRT Lakeside	I was unable to open the link to the facts, but was able to open up your picture(s) and the links from your site. I hope it does not come to fruition. Hard to refute the data in the ppt. I subscribe to a BLM newsletter that comes via email once a week or so and it has tons of info r.e. what is going on in and around our public lands. (you may already get it) There are always numerous links to "renewable" power projects. (about halfway down the latest newsletter), public comment periods and other interesting things going on with the BLM. I have found it to be pretty informative, and it seems for the most part they do a pretty good job managing the public lands. Here is the link to the latest newsletter from Friday 2/3 link Is the wind project in Ocotillo on private or public land? Dave
2/6/2012 Topic: Sombrero Peak DRT Lakeside	Thanks for clearing up the wash/canyon locations for me. For the record, I heartily agree that fast tracking pseudo green projects is not the way to go. I would hate to see the good people of Ocotillo steamrolled with bogus facts and claims. Once that ball gets rolling it is hard to stop and once built we will have to look at those turbines forever (whether they work or not). Here in Lakeside we are seeing the uglification of El Monte Valley due to the Sunrise PL. I want my kids and grandkids (eventually) to enjoy the desert as it is and not talk about how it used to be. I haven't researched it a lot but tend to think that we might be better off with smaller local power generation options, i.e. private homes with solar feeding into the grid. It seems there is enough square footage available on the top of existing structures to reduce the need for Megastructures like many of the proposed wind farms. Power companies own the infrastructure, so there is that hurdle. Of course conservation is also gets you a lot of bang for your buck. Let us know if we can do something to help Dave
2/14/2012 Topic: Truck Camper DRT Lakeside	Took some not so good pics of a home built camper/truck that we usually see on the way out of Ocotillo. Not sure if it is the one mentioned in this forum, but it is definitely unique. Nice craftsmanship and you gotta love the fullsize "Whirlybird" roof vent on it. Looks like it has a lot of underneath storage and a porch of some sort on the back. I have never seen it moving though, it is always parked when we see it. Here are a couple of crummy pics, I didn't want to creep around the front of their house too long. You can see much more detail if you download them full size. link
7/2/2012 Topic: Best Mylar Ballon Trip DRT Lakeside	Started following SDGE on twitter during the last big power outage. Interesting that they just sent this out. Have a safe 4th of July. If you use Mylar balloons, tie them down, dispose properly & avoid outages: http://bit.ly/BMylarSafe Pls RT
9/17/2012 Topic: Wind Alternatives-Solar Roadways DRT Lakeside	Not specific to Anza Borrego, but could be a somewhat elegant solution to a sea of 400 foot wind turbines. You may have already seen stuff on this but I thought it was an interesting option. Solar Roadways link TED Talk on same stuff link I like the idea of something serving several purposes...
9/24/2012 Topic: It's Not a 4WD But It Does More! DRT Lakeside	Not 4WD either, but likely can get around. Went to the Coronado Speed Fest on Sunday and got a few pics of a cool camping/zombie apocalypse vehicle. It was for sale (unsure of price) and I think the guy makes them as well. Should have snapped more pics as the paper had more info but I guess I didn't get it in frame. I have seen similar stuff on TV, based on trash trucks, other heavy duty trucks, etc. Everything about it looked heavy. Thought it was pretty cool and I am sure you could get it to run on biodiesel pretty easily link
11/5/2012 Topic: Truck Camper DRT Lakeside	Spent some time at the SEMA show (Specialty Equipment Market Assoc.) in Vegas this week and took a few quick pictures of some of the off-road/camping/safari type vehicles. Clearly some are more for show, but interesting to look at. Lots of individual vendors as well, there must have been at least 50 booths just for Jeep stuff, I think if you only had a door hinge, you could still probably restore it back to normal with all the stuff available : ) Not much for our little Suzuki... Sorry about the blurriness, lack of close ups, etc. but I was trying to move fast and people were everywhere link
11/5/2012 Topic: Recycled Paper Logs for Campfires? DRT Lakeside	Decided to try and make some recycled paper logs after seeing a contraption for making something similar in the SkyMall magazine. hahahaha I took a 2 foot section of 3" PVC pipe and drilled a bunch of holes in it, filled it with soaked and "pulped" newspaper and squished out all the water with a 2" pipe and a 50-ton press. It was kind of messy and there are flecks of dried newspaper all over my garage, but it seemed to work ok. Pics are of first batch, I squished some harder the next weekend. They are definitely solid/dense once they have dried. Not quite "duraflame" solid though. I think they are supposed to burn for a while, but I have a suspicion that it might go pretty quick. Oh well...we will try them out and see what happens. Will definitely be bringing some real wood though just in case : ) link
11/6/2012 Topic: Recycled Paper Logs for Campfires? DRT Lakeside	I work at a Middle School and the John Wayne pic was donated as a prop for a play. The teacher didn't want it afterward, so in the garage it goes : ) As with most garages, the decor is what you might call "eclectic" You can't see it in the pic, but on the other side of the peg board are very large wooden framed versions of the Constitution and Gettysburg Address-also discards from a school library that was being "reorganized". I just couldn't bear to see those things go in the trash
11/6/2012 Topic: Truck Camper DRT Lakeside	You are correct. A friend of ours owns a Napa Auto Parts store in Utah, and we registered via his business. There were however tons of vehicles and vendors outside the venue and those were open to the public. I took some of the pictures out there. It was like a huge car show with every kind of car from every era and representing pretty much every interest group. This was my first time to the show and it really was quite overwhelming. It ranged from huge OEM suppliers and car manufacturers to just the regular guys with a good idea trying to make a go of it. The bummer is that there are regulations about the vendors selling things at the show, I mistakenly thought that it would be a place to get good deals on stuff at a "show price" but that was not the case. I guess it is more for making business connections, networking and placing larger orders. For me it was just a chance to see cool vehicles with lots of free posters, stickers and parts catalogs. (which I like) One thing of note might be that I was quite unaware of the number of large foreign manufacturers (chinese, taiwanese, french, etc.) angling for a piece of the market. There were at least 30 tire manufacturers from Asia with a huge presence. It really is a global marketplace now. Would be interesting to know if some of those are rebranded into some that may be more familiar to us. Oh and about 50+ companies making aftermarket wheels that all look pretty much the same to me....big, shiny and expensive : )
11/19/2012 Topic: Camping with your pet DRT Lakeside	Here are some pics of our dog Goliath. He loves camping and hiking. His name does not suit him, but he came with it when we adopted him from my daughter's friend's grandma. We just call him "Buddy" or "The Grudge" for the way he crawls under the bed. Seems she was moving and couldn't take him with her. He used to be a "Condo Dog" but now has plenty of room to romp and play, chase chickens, and go camping. I never had a dog as a kid, so was hesitant to take him in, but now we are more than best buds and he goes most everywhere with us. He sometimes gets excited and will run himself until he keels over, so we have to watch him a little, but he doesn't roam too far from us. Even though he is not the sharpest tool in the shed, we love him. (I think that is what my parents said about me) Copilot in the Motorhome somewhere in AZ Copilot in the Samurai near Sedona, AZ. Asleep on the toolboxes "Bucky" the Samurai during a long and super rough ride. Not sure how he managed to sleep Torote Canyon, ABDSP. It was only about 70 degrees, but he managed to run himself until we had to stop him, dig a hole in the cool sand and rest for a long time. Kern River with his lovely sweater He will ride in anything, as long as he gets to go
11/20/2012 Topic: New tires DRT Lakeside	OK, I am currently in the market for a set of new tires for the samurai (stock suspension for now). The tires on it are OLD, worn out and very street oriented. I had a valve stem rip/rot off on saturday just putting air in,(easy to change/hard to break the bead) and the tires are not in much better shape. They are 205/75/15 but I think 215s would fit as well. I have narrowed it down to a few different tires. Any input you guys have would likely be more useful than what I read on the reviews, etc. We drive it around on the street and most of our off roading is in ABDSP. The issue of sidewall strength/resistance to splits (brought up here somewhere) is of concern to me, then traction, then mileage type stuff. I don't want to go bigger because there is not much power available for larger diameter tires. The Generals are the least expensive, and durable from what I've read. The sidewall is supposedly only 2 ply, but thicker plys, than the 3 ply BFG. I don't know what to make of it, and have done the "comparison" on tire rack, etc. but no real info on sidewall stuff. I was wondering if anyone here has any opinions or experience with any of the tires below. Thanks and any info will be good data Thoughts? General Grabber AT-2 Firestone Destination A/T The BFG-comes in a 215/75/15 which would fit as well I think Yokohama Geolander
11/26/2012 Topic: New tires DRT Lakeside	Thanks for the help. I just got back into town after Thanksgiving, hence my slowness in replying. I will check out the goodyear wranglers, and like the Hankooks a lot, we just put 4 Hankook tires on my wife's Explorer about 2 weeks ago. I did not know they made off road tires. It looks like the smallest 15 inch tire is a 235 which might be too wide for a stock samurai. (guess there might be some suspension work in my future) I also heartily agree with the mud terrains, my brother lived in Omaha for 10 years and used them on a 2 wheel drive 1976 F250. They would go just about anywhere in the mud and snow. They are expensive, so I probably won't go that route. Whatever I get, I will try to post some pics when they show up. Thanks again
11/26/2012 Topic: Box Canyon DRT Lakeside	I have not been to that area in years. We "hiked" it when I was a cub scout. I remember it was really hot, but the best part was the adults gave us crackers and beef jerky to represent the diet of dried beef and hard tack biscuits I guess. I remember thinking how cool it would be to eat beef jerky and soda crackers all the time. Also didn't realize how short it was, everything seems a lot longer when you are only 8 : )
11/27/2012 Topic: So How Did You Spend Your Thanksgiving Holiday? DRT Lakeside	We spent from Wednesday-Sunday at Superstition Mt. OHV Area. It is kind of a tradition in our family. My parents came as well. I did get to try out my new (to me) dual sport motorcycle, with the hope of getting to use it this winter to explore ABDSP. Caveat was that the wife gets one too. Anyway during the trip we were out exploring and discovered a marker. I took a pic with my dads flip phone, but he doesn't know how to send it to me yet. The marker did not seem to be the usual benchmark, it was about the same size and material but had a cross on it with #s (12,13, 7, 18) we surmised related to the corner of 4 quads there were tons of other #s on it as well. I checked caltopo and the #s matched nicely to the quads. Also tried to look up info via http://www.ngs.noaa.gov/cgi-bin/ds_quads.prl but just got more confused with the plethora of info. Is it just a reference mark? What do you think. My kid is taking a bunch of engineering classes and surveying was one he just finished. We were guessing at a lot of possibilities. Anyone know what the marker might be for? or what "kind" of marker it is to help with info retrieval? Marker is at the "?" in the middle of nowhere and flush with the ground like it was hammered in. $250 for removing it. Thanks
11/28/2012 Topic: So How Did You Spend Your Thanksgiving Holiday? DRT Lakeside	Daren Sefcik wrote: For the last handful of years it has been with my oldest son in Death Valley and recently in ABDSP. This year though it was with the family and then a 3 day backpack trip afterwards (TR coming soon). @DRT Lakeside: Is the wife/dual sport caveat so bad..?? I don't know what your marker is but at $250 it can't be too important....did it have a date on it? The wife with a motorcycle is actually awesome! The hard part is finding one that fits her and still has enough in the power and looks dept. to make her happy. Cheap is nice too. She will also need to get the M1 designation on her license as she does not have that yet. I picture us towing the bikes down to a base camp and then exploring and maybe an overnight. She is not a big fan of sleeping on the ground anymore but I am hoping... As far as the marker goes, I don't remember seeing a date, but there were a lot of numbers on it. I will try to check the picture on my dad's phone, hopefully it turned out. I think you are right, about the $ fine, it is either old or not very important. I noticed that on the NGS site a lot of the markers were "active" i.e. Continuously Operating Reference Stations (CORS) -provide reference data to GPS. Ever see one of those, or are they likely on military/secure land? Dave
12/3/2012 Topic: Sombrero Peak Hike Report DRT Lakeside	Here is a pic of the register from February when we hiked up from the desert floor. My brother opening it up. Post and Chain on one of the "flats" on the way up. What do you think it is/was for? Securing instruments of some sort? The concrete looked pretty new in february but the post and chain did not...
12/10/2012 Topic: Yuha Day Trip DRT Lakeside	Took a day trip with the dog out to Yuha Desert. I had wanted to get out to the Shell Beds since I was a kid and a friend gave me some fossil oysters. Figured I would swing by the Crucifixion Thorn Wilderness Area and then head out to the shell beds from the 98, maybe catch the geoglyphs etc., end up at the Dunaway exit and head out to Superstition Mt. area to visit some friends camping out there. I have driven past the sign for the Crucifixion Thorn area a bunch of times and the map shows a campground, so I wanted to check it out. Not what I pictured, and may have been nicer in the past + it turns out the Crucifixion Thorns are right by the road anyway.... Heavy USBP presence but they were very friendly. Forgot my map of the Yuha trails (turns out the maps are not that accurate, at least for me) It was fun, but the deep power sucking sand is not easy in our little samurai. Made it to the shell beds, but I think many of the trails are sort of washed out or have meandered around. It was fun, but I want to go back and explore a little more when I have time to spare. Pics and captions are here: https://plus.google.com/photos/111004590236580500907/albums/5820349641107685665?authkey=CJbLg4X675j_Lg Dave PS one of the wind turbines was spinning on the way down, slowly and maybe just for show since the newspaper article said they were powering up. Also noticed on the way home in the dark that each tower has a blinking red light on top and a bunch of them blink in unison. All night long.....
12/10/2012 Topic: Yuha Day Trip DRT Lakeside	It was a fun brief trip and lots more to explore. There are numerous campgrounds, but I didn't see much evidence of people having camped there aside from some old fire rings. Samurai has been reliable so far, big test today as I have a 4pm smog appt. Fingers crossed Here are some of the fossil oysters from the reef. BLM says you can collect up to 25# for personal use. I just picked up a couple and gave them to a few teacher/geologist friends + 1 for my kids rock collection. (he's almost 20) Wind tower videos are crazy. The shadow one made me think of what kind of flickering there is when all the turbines are going. Plus when the sun is low, the long shadows from those 400ft towers probably stretch a long way. I was wondering how they get the power from each turbine to the station? Did they dig trenches for cable? Also watched the documentary "Windfall" a while ago on netflix about a windfarm being pushed through in New York. Sort of one-sided but interesting in a land-grab sort of way and seems to have some stuff in common with Ocotillo project. It will be interesting to see how the wind stuff plays out long term.
12/11/2012 Topic: Yuha Day Trip DRT Lakeside	Most of the area is "limited use" which means you need to stay on the designated trails and have a street legal vehicle. However a couple of the larger trails are "open" which I think means anything goes, but not sure, you may want to double check with BLM. Here are the only 2 readable maps I was able to find.
12/13/2012 Topic: What are you reading? DRT Lakeside	Another interesting read is Pat Abbott's "Rise and Fall of San Diego-150 Million Years of History Recorded in Sedimentary Rocks" Dr. Abbott was at SDSU and is often the guy you see on the local news when there is an earthquake/tsunami/volcanic eruption somewhere. I think he was also "The Professor" on some failed reality show based on Gilligan's Island Book has lots of interesting field trips and location info. Nice that it starts off with some basics and then walks you through different areas/formations/history. Ch. 7 is on the Salton Trough area and also has a cool "Miocene" field trip Fish Creek Wash through Split Mountain Gorge. I enjoy the geology stuff, but don't know all that much so this is helpful to bring with me on our trips and also to peruse around the campfire.
12/17/2012 Topic: East Carrizo Canyon and June Wash DRT Lakeside	Stayed at Agua Caliente Friday and Saturday night. On Saturday we went out Carrizo Canyon and up the East Fork hoping to see the palms as explained in the Lindsay book "The Anza Borrego Desert Region". Did not make it all the way to the palms, but now that I check the maps/google earth, we were not far off. We were wondering if we took a wrong turn. Book says about 2 miles, and we hiked for 2 hours before we turned around and figured we should have seen them by now. Finally started a GPS track on my phone once we headed back and it indicated 2.2 miles. We were pretty close. bummer. On Sunday we headed out June Wash and decided to hike up and get a look at Sandstone Canyon as indicated in the same book. I had hoped to stumble upon the Diablo BM, as the book referenced it, but it was not on the map I had. (Anza Borrego Desert Region-Recreation Map). Anyway, hiked up the ridges, faint trail with a few ducks made it easy, but I think I passed the Diablo BM, but had a great view of Sandstone Canyon and surrounding area. Using a GPS app on my phone I created a waypoint and then plotted it on Caltopo. (pic below-I'm the blue dot) We had a great time, weather was awesome, I just need to work on my GPS skills before I head out. Also checked out Bow Willow and a few other places we had driven by but never checked out. Pics and captions are here. Roughly in sequence https://plus.google.com/photos/111004590236580500907/albums/5822934782766175985?authkey=CMDNuYXUspuabw Dave
12/17/2012 Topic: East Carrizo Canyon and June Wash DRT Lakeside	Thanks. Good to get a better idea of the true distance. Based on the # of footprints, it seems a pretty active route for illegal entry, but we did not see much evidence other than footprints. Only one sweatshirt and nothing else. I think next time I might try to go the opposite way. Maybe from Indian Hill area down the canyon and out to S-2, will give me a chance to see some new stuff. I've been to Indian Hill, but not to the other stuff around there. I'll leave the dog this time and bring my brother instead. Thinking about ways to get out again during winter break.
12/18/2012 Topic: East Carrizo Canyon and June Wash DRT Lakeside	Thanks for the virtual tour. That pretty much nails it and shows a great view of where I was standing. In my fever to get to the edge and check it out, I must have kept the BM off to my right and did not really backtrack. Should have snooped around, but only stayed there for a few minutes as the wife and dog were waiting. On the plus side, I was able to find my old GPS Unit (never used it much and had it in a box in the garage as I thought it had stopped working-turns out the "new" batteries I kept putting in were not new) Anyway it took a while to find satellites once powered up, but it works fine now. I will be studying up ahead of our next trip It is not the latest but should work fine for me once I get the hang of it. Thanks again
12/18/2012 Topic: East Carrizo Canyon and June Wash DRT Lakeside	I always take a compass and map of the area with me, and can usually get by ok on our short trips, but as with most things, I wish I had more practice and a deeper working knowledge. When my kid was in middle school we took part in the Science Olympiad. One of his events in 6th grade was called "Road Scholar" and was related to maps and navigation-mostly topo. The test was written in story form and was really fun. I figured it would be very basic, but they had to learn quite a bit and then apply it (all the symbols, tick marks, profiling, declination, bearing, azimuth, etc). My wife practiced and practiced with him; she was way more into than he was He was more into the trebuchet event. Here is a link to some practice test and basic info r.e. the event. Just for fun.... Description and Basics: http://scioly.org/wiki/index.php/Road_Scholar#The_Basics Practice test: (You would get the maps at the event) http://scioly.org/wiki/images/8/8a/2007_Regional_Road_Scholar_Story_Exam_Rev_NC.pdf
12/19/2012 Topic: Looking for a place to camp/sleep with electricity DRT Lakeside	A good bet for a place with electricity would be Agua Caliente County Park. It is close to lots of great places and is very reasonable. I don't think the tent spaces have electricity, but they also have full and partial hook up sites. We use it as a "homebase" pretty often. As an aside, we stayed there last weekend, and it looks like they are starting to put in some cabins; all the parts were there and many footings were being dug. http://www.sdcounty.ca.gov/parks/Camping/agua_caliente.html Casey Van Tieghem wrote: I have sleep apnea, so I'm somewhat dependent on the CPAP machine which requires electricity of course. But I want to camp or sleep in the desert so I can cut time out of the 2 hour drive out there. Normally what I would do would be to get on Priceline and find a hotel for cheap, but I probably could only find a Hotel in El Centro, or north up near Indio. I am not totally dependent on the CPAP, it's just that I have a terrible time sleeping, and I'm used to using it. I'm not talking about hiking to a place, then camping, but rather just being in the area. I see a hotel in Jacumba, and Boulevard, and then there is the Golden Acorn. I think there's a hotel in Ocotillo but it doesn't sound recommended. Any suggestions? Maybe I could get some batteries that would last overnight, and an AC inverter.
12/20/2012 Topic: Desert Renewable Energy Conservation Plan-Article DRT Lakeside	Saw this today. Haven't checked out too many of the details but it seems that there are big plans afoot to mess with many of the desert areas we all enjoy. I'm all for renewable energy, but there has got to be a better way than many of these options. (Alternative 7 seems ok) A Glimpse at What's Coming in the Desert Renewable Energy Conservation Plan http://www.kcet.org/news/rewire/government/drecp/a-glimpse-at-whats-coming-in-the-desert-renewable-energy-conservation-plan.html --- Sent from Zite personalized magazine app.
12/20/2012 Topic: Canyon Sin Nombre to Indian Gorge DRT Lakeside	Great pics! I really like the one with the truck next to the "protected area" We have been down Canyon Sin Nombre a few times. We were there this last weekend and were going to go down Canyon Sin Nombre and then to the old stage station. I was worried it might be a little marshy or wet after the rains, plus we ran out of time so we did June Wash instead. Looked pretty cold since your son had his jacket on, did it rain on you guys?
12/21/2012 Topic: Desert Renewable Energy Conservation Plan-Article DRT Lakeside	I still think this solar roadway idea is a pretty elegant solution. I know it is a huge paradigm shift and infrastructure undertaking, but even if they just did new parking lots or new roads it might be worth a try. Rooftops are probably much easier though Link to earlier topic and TED Video click here
12/26/2012 Topic: Davies Valley and Pinto Canyon DRT Lakeside	Great trip and photos. I would love to check out that area as well. Nice to know about the gate as well. Maybe I could paint the samurai in USBP livery and mosey on through....though I fear that might only add one more to the # of bullet riddled vehicles out there. Nice info on the Land Office marker as well. We found one near Superstition Mt. on Thanksgiving, and could only figure out that it was the corner of 4 sections, with a ton more marks on it. Now the mystery may be solved. I finally got ahold of the (bad) photo I took with my dads flip phone and it seems I only got a part of the marker in the photo. "Land Office" is there but no #s in the pic. We are going out to that area this weekend and I will try to find it again if it is not covered in blowing sand.
12/26/2012 Topic: Davies Valley and Pinto Canyon DRT Lakeside	Saw this on our almost hike to the Diablo BM via June Wash and it was on a ridge/overlook/saddle area on the way up. Sleeping circle? or more modern? If I knew what it was, I wouldn't have let the dog on it. dsefcik wrote: Tom, that is just an awesome TR...!! I have been looking at my maps for sometime thinking about a route close to that, now I am inspired to get out there. I have seen pictures of those glyphs before, glad you were able to find them. Seeing those two vehicles all shot up near the border like that all I could think of was the movie No Country for Old Men.....you didn't find any cash did you?? The sleeping circles are interesting, I have found many of them in the park, usually up on small hills that have small saddles overlooking a valley. Thanks for Earthpoint lead, that looks interesting.
12/27/2012 Topic: Davies Valley and Pinto Canyon DRT Lakeside	You are correct, there definitely was a cross with the 12,7,13,18 around it, but those were the only numbers we were able to remember, and my crummy pic did not help. I hope to grab a better picture, rubbing or something this weekend. I will definitely let you know if you have the hang of the Township stuff. Dave tommy750 wrote: DRT Lakeside wrote: Great trip and photos. I would love to check out that area as well. Nice to know about the gate as well. Maybe I could paint the samurai in USBP livery and mosey on through....though I fear that might only add one more to the # of bullet riddled vehicles out there. Nice info on the Land Office marker as well. We found one near Superstition Mt. on Thanksgiving, and could only figure out that it was the corner of 4 sections, with a ton more marks on it. Now the mystery may be solved. I finally got ahold of the (bad) photo I took with my dads flip phone and it seems I only got a part of the marker in the photo. &quotLand Office&quot is there but no #s in the pic. We are going out to that area this weekend and I will try to find it again if it is not covered in blowing sand. I'm going to go out on a (short) limb and say your marker will have a cross with S12\|S7 on top and S13\|S18 below and above the cross T14S R10E. If it doesn't, I still don't have the township thing figured out
1/1/2013 Topic: Davies Valley and Pinto Canyon DRT Lakeside	Just got back last night from Superstition area, and long story short-I couldn't find the marker again. I didn't put it into the GPS/Phone and figured I could find it. No luck after driving and walking all over the area for an hour or so. It was getting very cold and the wind and rain was starting, so we gave up (for now) but I put it in the GPS this morning FYI it rained hard on us Sunday night and on the way back home (monday) there was still snow on the north facing slopes directly across from the In-Koh-Pah offramp. Never seen that before DRT Lakeside wrote: You are correct, there definitely was a cross with the 12,7,13,18 around it, but those were the only numbers we were able to remember, and my crummy pic did not help. I hope to grab a better picture, rubbing or something this weekend. I will definitely let you know if you have the hang of the Township stuff. Dave tommy750 wrote: DRT Lakeside wrote: Great trip and photos. I would love to check out that area as well. Nice to know about the gate as well. Maybe I could paint the samurai in USBP livery and mosey on through....though I fear that might only add one more to the # of bullet riddled vehicles out there. Nice info on the Land Office marker as well. We found one near Superstition Mt. on Thanksgiving, and could only figure out that it was the corner of 4 sections, with a ton more marks on it. Now the mystery may be solved. I finally got ahold of the (bad) photo I took with my dads flip phone and it seems I only got a part of the marker in the photo. &quotLand Office&quot is there but no #s in the pic. We are going out to that area this weekend and I will try to find it again if it is not covered in blowing sand. I'm going to go out on a (short) limb and say your marker will have a cross with S12\|S7 on top and S13\|S18 below and above the cross T14S R10E. If it doesn't, I still don't have the township thing figured out
1/2/2013 Topic: June Wash, Torote Canyon, Indian Hill DRT Lakeside	Looks like a fun trip! Those clouds were a little ominous, lucky you had a Shaman with you. We call them "Independence Day" clouds--from the movie. Also enjoyed the Star Wars references. Did you stay for he rain?
1/3/2013 Topic: Recycled Paper Logs for Campfires? DRT Lakeside	Completely forgot to explain how the paper logs worked. Bottom line, they worked pretty well; I got about 45 minutes to an hour of burn from each "log", but they definitely don't burn like a duraflame--sort of a blend between a real flame and a smolder, they kind of looked like the lit end of a giant cigarette. Maybe I packed them too tight?We used them over Thanksgiving and also last weekend and they may be better suited as fire starters, as they helped to get the wet wood going on both occasions. No sparks, or embers floating away at least. Next time I might try to make larger diameter logs and try that out, It might also help to have holes in them. Definitely worth pursuing, but a back burner kind of project. Dave
1/6/2013 Topic: Recycled Paper Logs for Campfires? DRT Lakeside	They did not seem to light especially easy. I would say easier than wood but much more difficult than regular paper, and without much of a flame it is hard to tell when they were "lit". I think you are right on the density issue, although they were not nearly as dense as something like a duraflame log (I think they add paraffin or something to help those get started, and I was trying to not add anything + I'm cheap They were actually pretty light in weight but very hard if that makes sense. Which is weird since I compressed the heck out of them. My guess would be that they need a lot more oxygen available to get going. I have seen some online that were rolled around a rod or something so they are hollow tubes. I could drill mine full of holes or something like that, and that would likely work well. Somehow I need more surface area:volume, so maybe smaller pieces or briquette/puck size would be good too. I will keep messing around with them, but like I mentioned before it is a back burner kind of project with so many other things/projects that require my time. One thought I had would be to turn it into a Project Based Learning kind of deal for science students at the middle school as I am scheduled to return to the classroom next fall. It is always fun to mess around and try to figure stuff out dsefcik wrote: Interesting...did they ignite easily? Maybe they were so dense all they could was smolder...?? A++ for ingenuity...
1/6/2013 Topic: 7 Days in Anza Borrego Desert State Park DRT Lakeside	Super cool trip! The sheep are awesome. How close were you to them, and how did they react? (looks close but maybe you have the super camera) I have still never seen any....although they may have seen me Those fossil prints are great, I will probably pick up the book you mention. Just cold, no rain?
1/14/2013 Topic: Lower Myer Creek and Old Hwy 80 DRT Lakeside	Great Pics. I have always wanted to see what was down that concrete road. Does anyone know when the New Millers closed for good? I ask because as a kid in the early 80s we had a truck in our group burn to the ground at Superstition Mt. and I remember us hanging out at Miller's to regroup and figure out how to get their trailer and other gear up the grade and home. I feel like I went inside and bought a soda or something, but it might be my goofy kid memory not working right. Perhaps it was a tad farther east in Ocotillo.... Dave
1/15/2013 Topic: Lower Myer Creek and Old Hwy 80 DRT Lakeside	Found this link to a story about Miller's that indicates it closed in the early 70s. Would like to confirm though. I was bummed that they were getting ready to tear it down soon........until I read the date on the story http://www.sandiegoreader.com/news/2003/mar/20/prehistoric-gas-station-eyesore/
1/17/2013 Topic: What are you reading? DRT Lakeside	While not specifically about the desert and its people, this is a pretty interesting read that works to dispel a lot of the "noble savage" kind of myths about people in the early Americas. It always amazes me how people of the present day tend to assume that people in the past were not as smart or capable of doing great things. i.e. Aliens help build the pyramids, etc. In this groundbreaking work of science, history, and archaeology, Charles C. Mann radically alters our understanding of the Americas before the arrival of Columbus in 1492. Contrary to what so many Americans learn in school, the pre-Columbian Indians were not sparsely settled in a pristine wilderness; rather, there were huge numbers of Indians who actively molded and influenced the land around them. The astonishing Aztec capital of Tenochtitlan had running water and immaculately clean streets, and was larger than any contemporary European city. Mexican cultures created corn in a specialized breeding process that it has been called man’s first feat of genetic engineering. Indeed, Indians were not living lightly on the land but were landscaping and manipulating their world in ways that we are only now beginning to understand. Challenging and surprising, this a transformative new look at a rich and fascinating world we only thought we knew.
1/22/2013 Topic: ACTIVE EAGLE NEST REMOVED TO MAKE WAY FOR WINDFARM DRT Lakeside	http://www.eastcountymagazine.org/node/12258 Not ABDSP but related and could set some nasty precedents I would think. As the article mentions, it is for the safety of the people and the eagles............Yeah right
4/12/2013 Topic: What are you reading? DRT Lakeside	Since my map and navigation skills leave something to be desired, I started reading "The Natural Navigator" book above. I have only really perused it quickly so far, but it seems to have a lot of interesting hints and clues that nature provides as a resource for finding your way. Reminds me of how in touch with the world and observant you had to be in the past without technology as a fallback. I did not realize how many little things were going unnoticed to me as I plodded along; its more than the moss on a tree deal Here is the book description from Amazon: Before GPS, before the compass, and even before cartography, humankind was navigating. Now this singular guide helps us rediscover what our ancestors long understood—that a windswept tree, the depth of a puddle, or a trill of birdsong can help us find our way, if we know what to look and listen for. Adventurer and navigation expert Tristan Gooley unlocks the directional clues hidden in the sun, moon, stars, clouds, weather patterns, lengthening shadows, changing tides, plant growth, and the habits of wildlife. Rich with navigational anecdotes collected across ages, continents, and cultures, The Natural Navigator will help keep you on course and open your eyes to the wonders, large and small, of the natural world.
5/7/2013 Topic: What are you reading? DRT Lakeside	Started reading Chris Wray's Historic Backcountry as well as the Highways to History books (Thanks to this site). They are great and I look forward to checking out some of the locations soon. Also wanted to mention that my rediscovery of the SD County Library and its numerous resources has been great. I hadn't used my card in a long time; they have tons of e-books, audio books, etc., and you orchestrate a lot of it online to save time and trips. (renewals, requests, catalog searches) Still miss the microfiche and card catalog though as I spent many summer days in the library as a kid just exploring. I requested the Chris Wray books and they showed up in a week or so. Awesome. I have too many books but I may need to buy a copy of these 2. Lastly some of my favorite books that I go back to every so often are the Foxfire Series that I inherited from my grandfather. I really enjoy learning and reading how things used to be done. The ingenuity and hard work of people that flat got things done always lends perspective to our society of convenience and disconnect with the natural world. I dont have them all but might check the library now
6/28/2013 Topic: Any Home Brewers out there? DRT Lakeside	I have made about 6 batches over the last couple of years with 4 of them turning out pretty nice, one that was sort of blah and 1 that LOOKED awesome after bottling but ended up tasting vinegary. (I keep trying it every month or so to see if it improved, but it is a lost cause) In the meantime I have been collecting some more equipment (another carboy, wort chiller) and plan on trying again in the next few weeks. Came into possession of an older restaurant fridge that was used as a sandwich station. It is big enough to hold a carboy or 2 so I might try my hand at a lager. Sometimes, it is a lot of work and waiting to find out that it didn't work......: )
5/30/2014 Topic: DStretch tutorials DRT Lakeside	Got this via twitter and thought I might share it. DStretch or something like it being applied elsewhere
6/30/2014 Topic: Samurai Surprise...Hit and Run DRT Lakeside	Didn't get out to the desert as often as we wanted this year for various reasons related to heavy work schedules, weekends and breaks used up for college visits, etc. Anyway, I had planned to spend some of the hot summer months freshening up the samurai (everything worked fine already) with some spare wheels I already painted, tires, and maybe a minor OME suspension upgrade. In fact, I had just replaced the transmission output shaft seal as a start, and then........... In the middle of the night last week, some clown smashed into the back of it, knocked it into my other truck, left his car (undriveable), and took off on foot. Long story short, CHP is looking for him, insurance is waiting, and the samurai is sitting wounded in my driveway. If they total it, I will likely buy it back and try to get it going again, maybe by the time it cools off. At least there are lots of samurai parts out there... Photos of "Bucky"
7/1/2014 Topic: Samurai Surprise...Hit and Run DRT Lakeside	dsefcik wrote: Ouch...doesn't look tooo bad...broken leafs and such? Or is it really messed up? Not sure how bad it really is, but I am crossing my fingers. Could be as simple as straightening the hangers, getting new springs and adding new axles/housing + body work, or there could be plenty of other "hidden" issues. Transmission seems to move through the gears OK, but can't drive it since the wheel is bound up in the fenderwell. Just to check, I did look for Samurai frames on craigslist and when I saw a few pics, there is not much to them so hopefully mine is not tweaked.
7/1/2014 Topic: Samurai Surprise...Hit and Run DRT Lakeside	Nolan (anutami) wrote: You will also have to get a brake and light inspection for about $200 and go down to the dmv a couple times to re-register it as a salvage title. I know this from experience curios but what is the insurance waiting for? Do you have collision coverage for the samurai? Nolan If I can, I will try to get it back and do the repairs, as you say, I fear it is a total loss from their perspective. As far as insurance, I don't have collision on the samurai or the truck, but do have uninsured motorist coverage. Sounds like insurance is waiting to find out who was driving so they know who to go after..I suppose the owner could claim someone else "borrowed" the car, or according to the tow driver it is not uncommon for some to run home and report their car stolen. Right now the police report doesn't list a name. I am going to call today or tomorrow to see if I can move the process along some. Stinks about me paying for inspection, etc. In the meantime, I am pricing and locating parts I think that may be needed. Kind of enjoy that part--sort of like the Bionic Man TV show---"we can rebuild him; better; stronger; faster....." ............well maybe not faster
12/15/2014 Topic: Jorgensen Bighorn Lecture at SDNHS 12-16-14 DRT Lakeside	Sorry for the late notice. Assuming many may know about this: http://www.sdnhm.org/education/naturalists-of-all-ages/lectures-and-films/ Come hear author Mark Jorgensen discuss his five decades of experience studying the elusive symbol of southwest United States and northern Mexico, the desert bighorn sheep, through the beautiful images taken by photographer Jeff Young. A book signing of their new book, Desert Bighorn Sheep: Wilderness Icon, will follow the lecture.
10/23/2017 Topic: Samurai Surprise...Hit and Run DRT Lakeside	Hi All, As with everyone, busy work schedule(s) and the trials and tribulations of life in general, we haven't been out to Anza Borrego hardly at all the last few years....maybe twice. I still check the site every few days though. We do have 2 trips planned in November this year Wanted to share that after just over 3 years, the Samurai has been resurrected. I purchased it salvage from the insurance company for about $200 and with the $ they gave me created a budget (complete with spreadsheet) so I would not spend my own dough....I know how these projects can quickly get away from you with upgrades and the like. Happy to say I came in just under budget. I am not a stranger to working on cars/motorcycles, but looked at this project as more of a learning and sort of therapeutic experience....plus an excuse for some more tools. I haven't learned to weld yet and definitely am not skilled with any kind of body work, so I left the dents where they were. Turned out OK for an Off-Road vehicle and I had fun plus learned some cool stuff. Here is a link to a google album with A LOT of pictures. Most of them have captions, but they often randomly decide to not show up; I think you can click the info button as well. FYI as indicated, the Brake and Lamp Inspection was very thorough, and expensive. At least most everything was new, so there were no issues other than multiple trips to the DMV... If you see a bright red samurai out in the park, come say hi. On to the next project

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