Van-Tramp adventures 2014 (part 1)

[Van-Tramp]

Arizona Trail
On our way into the Phoenix area (from Globe) Moose and I stopped for a quick hike on the Arizona Trail in the Tonto National Forest where we hiked out a mile or two before turning back. This area of the trail reminded me a lot of the Mountain Park between Tucson and Phoenix. An ideal hiking or mountain biking trail for sure.

...more pics and a map at http://www.van-tramp.com/wp/arizona-trail/

 

[WheelEstate USA]

Great shots.
Moose makes some good choices for walks.

 

[Sameer]

The photos are great!

 

[Van-Tramp]

This past week I have been camped at Buckeye Hills Regional Park (map below). It is one of my “go to” places to boondock when I’m in western Arizona. I came here for my first time last year and enjoyed having the 4000+ acres all to myself. This time around, not so much…

… but that is OK. In fact, I came here to hang out with Leigh and Brian another week upon their invitation and insistence. I also met up with Mike and Kelly (also Airstreamers, although vintage… which is cool) who ended their time at Buckeye with a naked pose in front of their trailer.

All in all, I did little other than work and try my best to occupy Moose. The group did hang out each evening before and after dinner (Leigh did fed me again, which was yummy), and I did even more drinking (it must be a record for how much I have drank in a single month).

My final day was alone, soaked, and muddy (I’m being overly dramatic). The rain did give the van it’s first bath in months – heck, it’s been carrying around the same dust since California back in December (our last rain together), but it looks much better now.

I write this as I am driving (I pulled over) towards Lake Mead to spend yet another week with the Aluminum-duo, who I must get a photo of before it is too late. It will be my first time at Lake Mead, so I hope to get out and see as many sights as I can.

maps and pics at http://www.van-tramp.com/wp/buckeye-hills-regional-park/

 

[Van-Tramp]

My slow migration to the Las Vegas area was interrupted with the ever present duty of trying to keep a puppy entertained as I travel. He is only content to sit in the passenger seat once he is good and worn out, so I try to find places I can pull over to let him run around for a bit, and that is how I happened upon Road 129 (aka Blake Ranch Road).

Road 129 runs from Hwy 93 to Interstate 40 near the 93/40 intersection (map below). It is 21 miles of dirt and gravel road through the Arizona back country (half BLM, half private land). I sat pondering the trip for some time, while Moose did his doggy thing, with a final decision of “what the heck, I’m in no rush”.

For the most part the dirt road was actually pleasant to drive. It was not wash-boarded or rife with pot holes. It was, for the most part, smooth with a little gravel thrown in. About half way through the road got very tight, windy, and mountainous – which was super exciting in the 3-ton blue monster.

There were numerous camp areas clearly marked by rocks formed into fire rings. So many in fact that I only marked the first few as my Verizon signal was still strong for those. The deeper I got into road 129 the signal went away, but I have to admit they were my favorite camping sites, if only I could camp a week without the need of the Internet.

In the end we crossed under the ranch signage, somewhat feeling like a finish to a long journey. I will never forget you Road 129, you were gentle when I needed it and just rough enough to be sexy.

more pics and map at http://www.van-tramp.com/wp/off-road-adventures-road-129/

 

[WheelEstate USA]

VT said, "....if only I could camp a week without the need of the Internet.
I will never forget you Road 129, you were gentle when I needed it and just rough enough to be sexy."

The internet will still be there next week

Good shots

 

[Van-Tramp]

Bah, my work requires me to be online multiple times each day. I could go a single night off-net, but that is only with some planning ahead.

Poor me...

 

[decodancer]

I just wanted to comment on how much I enjoyed your photos and stories of the road. I'm a fulltime workamper now but plan on ditching the trailer and going on the road with my van soon. I've even started a blog of my own because of this forum. I can now answer all the questions everybody has about why I choose to live like a gypsy.

 

[akrvbob]

decodancer, got a link to your blog? You may want to put it in a signature that is added at the end of every post so people an find you.
Bob

 

[Sameer]

I love the photographs!

 

[Van-Tramp]

I’ve been boondocking at the Government Wash area of Lake Mead. It is free to camp here for up to 14 days. Truth be told, you do have to buy a weekly pass for $10 to make it official, but considering what you get for that $10 it is money well worth spending.

It is clear that this place is no secret. Dozens of RVs sprinkle the hillsides in this area. My goal was to camp near the Aluminarium duo without crowding them. As luck would have it I think I got the best place of them all, with easy access to the water and a view of nothing but the lake. Only small rigs can make it out to where I am, surrounded on 3 sides by water with only a thin gravel road giving access and no area to turn around anything larger then my van. I feel secluded in a crowded place although I do run the risk of fisherman coming around, but that is no issue to me.

There are a lot of things worth photographing out here, from the sunsets, to the birds, or just the odd "Moose" lounging around.

Speaking of Moose, since this is our first opportunity to go swimming I have been slowly working with him to get into the water. He was afraid at first, but his urge to chase-that-stick got him into water, but only to where he could still stand. Swimming will be another time I guess.

These were the final days of a month long caravan with Leigh and Brian, (“Who is that weird guy in a van following us?“). Leigh fed me another fine meal, we shared a few more beers, and we went to their favorite pizza place which hit all the right spots! Ironically, this happens to be the *only* time I have ever entered the Greater-Vegas area other than traveling through.

One casualty of staying here was my portable BBQ; On day-2, I decided to turn the van 90 degrees to give Moose a bit more shade in the afternoons. I figured I would just pile everything that was already outside the van in a single stack and I would drive around it. Um, yea… you get the idea. A flattened BBQ and a shit-ton more shade did result.

More pics and stuff at http://www.van-tramp.com/wp/boondocking-at-lake-mead/

 

[WheelEstate USA]

Great place. I've spent several restful layovers there.

 

[Spirituallifetime]

I love Government wash, I have spent many nights there camping and looking at the stars with my telescope! I had a house just off Lake Mead Blvd & Nellis Blvd so I could be near Lake Mead!

 

[Van-Tramp]

Lake Mead – Redstone Dune Trail

On the final day of my time at Lake Mead I visited the Redstone Dune Picnic area, which also has a short trail. The red sandstone rock formations were the star of the show, of course. T’was a short hike, but it tired Moose out enough to warrant a nap.

More pictures at http://www.van-tramp.com/wp/lake-mead-redstone-dune-trail/

 

[Sameer]

As always the photos are wonderful! I had been reading about Government Wash and wanted to visit Lake Mead. You have convinced me to move this to the top of my list. I have always liked this area having lived in Las Vegas for 16 years. Not spending much time at the lake when I lived in Las Vegas, I will take my van, dog and my camera and spend some time at the lake.

 

[Van-Tramp]

It was not on the agenda, but a long day of driving and a well placed off-ramp got me to pull into Fremont Indian State Park in Utah. I dropped into the Visitor's Center to ask about camping (yes, $15 for off-season full hookups) where I also watched the 15-minute video about the park and strolled the museum.

Moose and I took to the trails, (Court of Ceremonies & Parade of Rock Art), which shuttled us past many of the pictographs and petroglyphs of the area. Moose also made a new friend; a static hunters deer target. Just as we were finishing up our small stroll the snow started falling.

Thankfully, I had already decided to stay the night so we had an RV site with power. The good ol' electric heater came out for a nights work while I got on with a reconfiguring of the interior of the van (I have an idea). Moose and I were the lone campers in the entire park.

In the morning we bundled up and went for the few-mile hike (from the camping location) out to 100 hands cave.

More at http://www.van-tramp.com/wp/fremont-indian-state-park/

 

[caseyc]

I like your dog. Looks like Chewbacca's kid brother.

 

[Van-Tramp]

Yea, he is quite the muppet actually. More hair than dog for sure.

http://www.van-tramp.com/wp/about-moose/

 

[Bela's Mom]

I enjoy your adventures and pictures very much! Thanks for sharing!

 

[Van-Tramp]

Now in the Moab area...

Conor and I wanted to do this last year but the weather failed us. This year the weather was so-so, but a full moon teased us into making the journey anyway. Ironically, it was the same moon that prevented us from getting the photo we really wanted; a 30-minute exposure of the arch with the stars behind.