Van Tramp adventures 2018

[Van-Tramp]

The 2018 year is all about staying on the West Coast for the duration of the year. And, I am very happy to say we will be in the van the whole time, leaving the trailer behind with family. Our plan starts with another trip into Baja for the winter, then a slow migration up California, Oregon, Washington, and maybe even a little bit of Canada again. So, here goes...

 

[Van-Tramp]

Tan acres is the life for me
http://www.van-tramp.com/wp/tan-acres-is-the-life-for-me/

[size=large]It took six stinking days to fix the wiring on the van and get us ready to start our 2018 travels again. But, we did get moving on Saturday with due South as the heading. This time we went with the easier (on the van) route of Interstate-5 straight down the state of California. We really needed a confidence boost in that Big Blue would make a few hundred miles before trying to climb over a mountain range again. The wide open, and boring, Interstate-5 did the trick, and after 250 miles we started to breathe something close to normal.[/size]

[size=large]Embedded Instagram images at http://www.van-tramp.com/wp/tan-acres-is-the-life-for-me/


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[size=large]By the end of day-1 we had driven 9+ hours and were roughly 400 miles, over the Tehachapi Pass, and into the proper desert of southern California. Here we pulled into a rest area just outside of Boran and settled into our first sleep on the road. I’m happy to report that all went well while unconscious as the van successfully resisted spontaneous combustion during that time. It didn’t take long, only the following morning – for a fellow traveler to approach and ask me about the van. I must admit, I’d take a second look at it if I saw it on the road too. I am very happy with how it turned out in the end.[/size]
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[size=large]The next day was a simple 90 minute drive to our destination – on a dry lake bed in the desert – an hour South of Death Valley National Park. Here we met up with some friends for the New Year and settled in for the work week. Being in the van, we could have hopped around each day/night, but it was nice to have friends nearby and to get some organizing done in the van. We were able to really give our new Lithium battery and the 300 watts of solar a real-world run, and so far all is looking great. The new water tank we installed has made personal hygiene and minor dishes much easier. The foot pump is going to build up some major ankle-muscles though.[/size]
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From here we will pop into Death Valley and Joshua Tree National Parks before settling in for our final work week in the USA before crossing into Baja.[/size]
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[muddy]

Did you do a post on what went into the decision to go to the van only for a while? (apologies if I missed it)

 

[Travelmonkey]

Van looks great. I enjoyed reading the posts on the remodel your blog. Safe travels.

 

[Van-Tramp]

Did you do a post on what went into the decision to go to the van only for a while? (apologies if I missed it)

I am not sure I ever really talked about it on my blog or here. It just came down to that we both actually enjoy the van more. We stayed in the trailer in 2017 because we were going to the South and AC was needed down there. The two+ years in the trailer may sound great, but I really preferred the van by leaps. Kerri did too once she experienced it in early 2016.

 

[bullfrog]

Then you and she feel it is worth the loss of space to not have to deal with towing and setting up a trailer?

 

[Van-Tramp]

Then you and she feel it is worth the loss of space to not have to deal with towing and setting up a trailer?

It isnt the towing and setup as much as the gratification of living smaller. In the van, everything you do has real meaning. Making a meal, washing a dish, eating, everything -  comes with more satisfaction. There is a sense of achievement that is lost when in a larger rig, at least for us. 

Then there is the freedom of the smaller rig. More dirt roads and off the beaten path camping, all of ehich makes us happier

 

[rvpopeye]

Vandwelling Psych 101,,,,,,,,,,,,(you passed !)

 

[bullfrog]

You my friend more than pass, most people don't realize the value of being happy even when it involves hard work. Just hope your health and bad back don't make it harder than it needs to be. My wife and I before physical problems enjoyed kayaking but Lake Powell is a big lake and distance became a problem. What I did was make a 5' wide x 8' long frame out of 4 pieces of cedar 2" x 4" lumber. Mounted it on the the roof of our old Baja Bug with some big eye bolts and carried the kayaks upside down side by side (30" plus 30" equaled 5'). When we got to the water we would set the kayaks parallel to each other and lay the long side of the rack across both kayaks. Using eye bolts in the rack and ratchet straps make a catameran with a platform in between for camping gear and a mount for a small outboard. My wife being right handed and I being left handed were able to paddle canoe style till we got tired and then use the outboard to get to our base camp. We would remove the rack and with 4 poles and a tarp make a shelter. Next morning we could single paddle into the slots and shallows we would have never gotten to other wise. Maybe if the tandem doesn't work out you can just get an identical one and carry more food for longer stays!

 

[Van-Tramp]

Re-visiting Death Valley
http://www.van-tramp.com/wp/re-visiting-death-valley/

[size=large]This was a much needed weekend just to ourselves. The group meetups are always a blast, but after a few days of it solitude is the medication I need. It was good timing as the group had broken up by early Saturday and Kerri and I took off on our own to visit Death Valley National Park for the weekend. She had never been, and I have only had a 1 night sample of the park back in 2011.[/size]
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We took it slowly, driving North first down into the valley and then up the old dry lakebed that is the valley floor, stopping breifly to walk the trail at the lowest point in the USA. It took a few hours to drive the 72 miles to the first campground (Furnace Creek) in the park, but our plan was to pass it by for the Stovepipe Wells campground another 30 miles in.  There we were able to setup camp, relax with a cocktail, chips and dip, and some down time as the sun began to set.[/size]
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[size=large]Once that show was complete, we packed up our toiletry bags and walked in to the lodge where a cool $4 each gained up access to the showers in the pool area. Far from the greatest showers but damn good after a week unshowered and properly stinky. Going to bed clean is always a nice feeling.[/size]
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The following morning we took off early (for us) and started the long climb out of the valley to pickup fuel before dropping right back down into the park. It was then that we came upon the 20-mule canyon road. Big Blue could finally try out the new all terrain tires! We took off down the dirt and sand road, even after the sign at the entrance warned of numerous ways it would end in death and destruction for us. It turned out to be the highlight of the park for me, as the miles of trail slithered through and over the badlands. Not really all that 4WD in all honesty, but secluded and photogenic it was.[/size]
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[size=large]We had planned to stay a second night in the park, but as van dwellers do, we left without notice for other adventures down another road. South again, actually down the same roads we came up North just a day ago, to stay a night on BLM land and to make our trip to Joshua Tree a little shorter. There we meet back up with the friends (and more) again for a final hurrah before our Baja adventures begin.[/size]
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[Van-Tramp]

Returning to Rhyolite
http://www.van-tramp.com/wp/returning-to-rhyolite/

[size=large]While in Death Valley National Park I made sure to bring Kerri up to see Rhyolite, my first ever ghost town from a road trip I took with my Mother back at the beginning of 2011. My Mother and I stumbled onto Rhyolite at the time and it has always held a special place in my heart, both because if was my first, but also because I got to experience it with my Mother who, at the time, I really did not know that well. She took a month long road trip with me back then, and this ghost town was day-3 for us.
This time around, Kerri and I parked Big Blue at the beginning of town and walked all over the place with the dogs, who loved all the morning activity (at least Moose did). My memory recalls more standing buildings when I was here last, but it has been proven numerous times lately that my memory makes shit up. Still, what is left of the structures are dramatic and cool.

At the end (or beginning depend on how you lean) is an artist compound with some pretty unique displays.

We browsed, ate a quick breakfast, used the vault toilet nearby (always a plus when van dwelling) and rolled into Beaty, NV for fuel for the following day’s long drive.[/size]

 

[rvpopeye]

Brings back memories of my time there (7months in '07/'08).
I don't remember that statue in Rhyolite must be new......
Did you go on the road by Scotty's Castle? Still closed ?

There's a twin to my old class A in a campground in Beatty and one in Pahrump too...."Sportscoach Longranger ,made by Timex !"
Skuh kuh kuh kuh

 

[Van-Tramp]

Scotty’s Castle is still closed, yea.

 

[rvpopeye]

Bummer , that place is too cool ("especially the underground tour") !

 

[Van-Tramp]

Furnace Creek Wash boondocking
http://www.van-tramp.com/wp/furnace-creek-wash-boondocking/

[size=large]Just a short drive out of Shoshone (the Southern entry into Death Valley National Park) is Furnace Creek Wash (added to my boondocking map), a washboard gravel road that leads you West off the asphalt. Not a mile down that road is a bit of a gem of a boondocking area with huge views of the mountains surrounding all sides.[/size]
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We dropped in here for a simple overnight stay, pulling in just before sunset, and leaving just after it’s return the following morning. A longer stay would have been in order if we did not have other plans as the beauty of the place was top-notch. I made sure to give Kerri some extra time in bed the following morning as I had us on a pretty stiff pace the past few days.[/size]
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[size=large]We are still getting accustomed to our van-lifestyle, and the routines that come with it. One thing in particular is that once the bed is pulled out, there is a drawer and a cabinet that is not accessible anymore. It was that drawer that we stored the can opener, and only after I was zonking out in bed did we realize the mistake, and we could not open the can of baked beans (I know, so cowbow right?) we were going to share for dinner. She ate a can of Spam (ew, but thankfully it is gone) and I simply snacked on my driving time jelly-beans. Luckily, all went well over that night. There were serious concerns from both parties after that meal.[/size]

 

[rvpopeye]

......sunrise on the Panamints................... perfect start to the day !

I keep extra can openers around for just such an occasion !
(Not being able to find one is the reason most often !)

 

[FlowerGirl]

Love your story-telling and accompanying photos, Van Tramp. You have a knack for conveying to the reader just what it's like where you're at. That photo of your wife sleeping in is so perfect. I'm tired of seeing "Perfect Life" photos of van life on social media sites- this one you posted has got REAL written all over it. So, thanks for that.
Your new rig looks sweet and cozy! Wishing you two a lot of communing with the simple life, nature, each other.....out there!

Looking forward to watching for more of your stories, updates and photos here.

Thank you

 

[Van-Tramp]

Mojave National Preserve
http://www.van-tramp.com/wp/mojave-national-preserve/

[size=large]You know how many times I have driven past the Mojave National Preserve and not stopped in to check it off my list? Me neither, but it numbers at least a dozen times. This time around, there was no driving past it. Not only was in on our way, it was the shortest way, and I desperately wanted to at least drive through it (with it being a road I had not traveled before).[/size]
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It is desert, of course, but I must admit it has a draw to it that a lot of other desert land does not. It was not until we passed nearly all the way through (from North to South) that we stopped at the Kelso Visitor’s Center and took the tour of the exhibits. The visitor’s center is in an old train depot – something Kerri brought up as being unique to other visitor’s center she had been in… I agreed – and gave us our first peek at a map of the area. We were really skipping past the whole area with the trails, camping,  and other recreation, but the desert mountain pass kept us company as we continued South towards Joshua Tree National Park. We both agree that when we area back in this area (probably will be in a few months) that we would like to stay some time in the preserve and see more of it.

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[Van-Tramp]

A final week in the USA
http://www.van-tramp.com/wp/a-final-week-in-the-usa/[/SIZE][/size]

[size=large]We spent one final week in the States, with friends, boondocking near the south entrance of Joshua Tree National Park. This gave us time to really button up some final to-do’s on the van rebuild and take care of the last items on the going-to-baja checklist. The week consisted of work days, each followed by happy hour(s) by the fire as a group, then retreating to bed after a dinner of beans-n-something. Kerri packed so many dried beans – the exact same beans that we brought to Baja in 2016, then carried around for two years, and still never ate them in all that time – that I am force feeding us beans to lighten the load. After two weeks of near constant farting Kerri says we barely have any beans left. Mission accomplished!

My nephew and his girl came out to camp with us the final few days. They are just re-starting their RV-life in their newly purchased Class-C, after two previous attempts in smaller rigs. It was great to have them around for more then a single night as they learn the more relaxed way to be a nomad.

It has been nice to have the extra time before taking on Baja. With the extra projects out of the way, and a large box of items shipped back to the parent’s place, we opened up a lot of room inside the van, making life a lot easier. With that, Kerri and I left the group early Monday morning to make it into Mexico as somewhat re-tenured van-lifers.

 

[Van-Tramp]

Arriving in Baja again
http://www.van-tramp.com/wp/arriving-in-baja-again/

[size=large]Google maps said it would be about five and a half hours to go from our last camping in the USA to the Ensenada area in Baja. Everything was packed the night before and we were up and rolling soon after 7am. No, it’s true, even Kerri was ready to go. By noon we were just crossing the border, and nearly four hours later we had finally made it through and then to the South side of Ensenada, where we planned to stay the work week. For the math-impaired, that is 9 hours to make a 5-and-a-half hour drive.
It was all good though. We had all day set aside to make the drive and an early arrival wouldn’t have made any difference. The only thing I cared about was arriving before sunset, which we did.

Unfortunately, Kerri woke that morning feeling quite under the weather. The long drive took a lot out of her – me too, but worse on her. She was happy to get stopped, put down her first meal of the day (it stayed down too, bonus!) and then promptly helped me setup the bed where we retired grandparents-style; early as shit!
The following morning we moved to a campground at the tip of our peninsula and overlooking the Pacific Ocean. Kerri needs her ocean vibes, and who am I to argue? The day went quickly. I tried to keep the dogs busy while getting in a healthy serving of reading under the rickety palapa before the sunset then a few more hours in bed later.


Not everything is sunrises and sunsets though. We woke on our second morning with a notification on Kerri’s phone informing us that our “unlimited” plan has a 500MB per day limit here in Baja. Kerri can blow thru that in one Instagram sitting, and since our International T-Mobile plan also decided not to connect to any towers since arrival, we were without Net. That means Kerri can’t work, and that is all bad news. We had to drive into Ensenada to spend the morning at a busy McDonalds until we got it sorted out. Not the best start to what should be a relaxing week in Baja – sick and Internetless (sounds like a reality show) – but we are finally here![/size]