Van Tramp adventures 2019
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highdesertranger
R.I.P HDR
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missed each other by a month. highdesertranger
Van-Tramp
Well-known member
wayne49 said:
The Shell at Holt's Crossing (Exit 119 on I8) has the great showers.
Van-Tramp
Well-known member
highdesertranger said:
If you are in the PNW later this year, you let me know. I will be sure to not miss you again.
Van-Tramp
Well-known member
The ghost town of Berlin, NV
https://www.van-tramp.com/wp/the-ghost-town-of-berlin-nv/
[size=medium]Sure, we could have taken the direct route to get back to Northern California, but what fun is that? Instead, and knowing our time in Big Blue is running thin with the boat calling us, we chose yet again to take a route that neither of us have traveled before into the heart of Nevada.The Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest is nearly dead-center in the state with few roads leading to or through it, yet inside those fingers of National Forest was our target to go visit; the ghost town of Berlin, Nevada.
It was early the next morning, after an additional hour’s drive into the national forest from the main highway, that we arrived at the town site from the 1890’s. We had the place to ourselves – just how we like it – paid the $5 fee, and spent another hour walking among history. There were a few original buildings still standing, but the ones there we still quite interesting. We toured the town by foot before driving up the road a bit to see the campground in the park – which was a nice, natural, and small campground. Too early in the day to think about camping, we motored out of Berlin to continue our final weekend in the wild in Big Blue.
[/size]
https://www.van-tramp.com/wp/the-ghost-town-of-berlin-nv/
[size=medium]Sure, we could have taken the direct route to get back to Northern California, but what fun is that? Instead, and knowing our time in Big Blue is running thin with the boat calling us, we chose yet again to take a route that neither of us have traveled before into the heart of Nevada.The Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest is nearly dead-center in the state with few roads leading to or through it, yet inside those fingers of National Forest was our target to go visit; the ghost town of Berlin, Nevada.
It was early the next morning, after an additional hour’s drive into the national forest from the main highway, that we arrived at the town site from the 1890’s. We had the place to ourselves – just how we like it – paid the $5 fee, and spent another hour walking among history. There were a few original buildings still standing, but the ones there we still quite interesting. We toured the town by foot before driving up the road a bit to see the campground in the park – which was a nice, natural, and small campground. Too early in the day to think about camping, we motored out of Berlin to continue our final weekend in the wild in Big Blue.
[/size]
Van-Tramp
Well-known member
Long dirt roads, ghost ranch, turning west
https://www.van-tramp.com/wp/long-dirt-roads-ghost-ranch-turning-west/
[size=medium]We hate back tracking. We prefer to take a different path out that we took in if at all possible. So when given the choice between an hour’s drive – on asphalt – the way we just came, or two hour’s drive – on dirt – on a new-to-us road, we took the longer way. Just one of those perks of living in a van I guess – no place that I must be by the end of the day. Actually, we planned to end our weekend at yet another hot spring out in the middle of nowhere Nevada, so we were just meandering towards that heading, crossing passes in the most mountainous state in our country – Nevada – with my red vine at the ready.
Between two ranges running north to south lay a valley some 50-ish miles long. Full of ranches, most probably dating back well into the 1800’s, the views straight out of a history book. We continued on our course, stopping only briefly to check out a ghost-ranch and to give the dogs a nature-break.
Arriving in the town of Austin for lunch we dropped in to my regular watering hole for a quick bite. Our supposed hot spring was only another 30 minutes to the East, though our real heading was West. We would have to back track in a few days to get the Northern California the following weekend. Not optimal.
Over the course of the meal we decided to simply scrap the whole idea of the hot spring, just 30 minutes away. As if it were possible, we argued that we have been to enough hot springs in recent months. Hot spring abandoning justified, we set Big Blue towards the Pacific. Only two and a half hours down the road, easily gotten too before sunset, is the Eastern Sierras where it is not only warmer (slightly) than the middle-of-nowhere Nevada, it is closer to our next weekend’s destination of Kerri’s parents place to finalize our full-exit of the state by picking up Kerri’s truck, both our kayaks, and what little is in a small storage unit in Grass Valley. All to be hauled up to Washington to be stored during our season of sailing.[/size]
https://www.van-tramp.com/wp/long-dirt-roads-ghost-ranch-turning-west/
[size=medium]We hate back tracking. We prefer to take a different path out that we took in if at all possible. So when given the choice between an hour’s drive – on asphalt – the way we just came, or two hour’s drive – on dirt – on a new-to-us road, we took the longer way. Just one of those perks of living in a van I guess – no place that I must be by the end of the day. Actually, we planned to end our weekend at yet another hot spring out in the middle of nowhere Nevada, so we were just meandering towards that heading, crossing passes in the most mountainous state in our country – Nevada – with my red vine at the ready.
Between two ranges running north to south lay a valley some 50-ish miles long. Full of ranches, most probably dating back well into the 1800’s, the views straight out of a history book. We continued on our course, stopping only briefly to check out a ghost-ranch and to give the dogs a nature-break.
Arriving in the town of Austin for lunch we dropped in to my regular watering hole for a quick bite. Our supposed hot spring was only another 30 minutes to the East, though our real heading was West. We would have to back track in a few days to get the Northern California the following weekend. Not optimal.
Over the course of the meal we decided to simply scrap the whole idea of the hot spring, just 30 minutes away. As if it were possible, we argued that we have been to enough hot springs in recent months. Hot spring abandoning justified, we set Big Blue towards the Pacific. Only two and a half hours down the road, easily gotten too before sunset, is the Eastern Sierras where it is not only warmer (slightly) than the middle-of-nowhere Nevada, it is closer to our next weekend’s destination of Kerri’s parents place to finalize our full-exit of the state by picking up Kerri’s truck, both our kayaks, and what little is in a small storage unit in Grass Valley. All to be hauled up to Washington to be stored during our season of sailing.[/size]
Van-Tramp
Well-known member
Them thar mountains
https://www.van-tramp.com/wp/them-thar-mountains/
[size=medium]We had one final week on the road before we had to start with the real chores associated with our drive back up to Washington, we aimed to stay at a free campground in the Eastern Sierras that we enjoyed last year around this time – where we got a little snowfall on us during our stay. This would make the following weekend’s hop over the mountains very easy as well. Unfortunately, and just after me bragging to Kerri about how driving in 2 inches of snow is not a big deal to me, the short dirt road leading to the campground had a few inches of snow on it – stopping us dead in our tracks.
I stand by my statement, but add the caveat that 2 inches of snow *on pavement* is no big deal. Add in a muddy road with deep ditches on both sides, AND a steep incline, and it becomes not worth the risk. I swallowed my pride and backed out of the almost certain rest-of-the-day-stuck-in-the-snow-and-mud. Kerri approved, without giving me any shit about it. Instead we backtracked (NO!) a few miles to our backup spot on the other side of the highway. It wasn’t under the pine trees like the planned location, but it was open to the sun and had one helluva view of the Sierras.
The week progressed as it always does, with us mostly hunkered down in the van, working. We had the luxury of a vault toilet nearby, which is always welcomed, and mostly peace and quiet of the high desert. The location we chose was at a off highway trail head, so there were a couple vehicles that popped in each day but all were respectful and gone shortly. It was a pleasant place to call ours for the week… or most of the week anyway. We decided to leave a day early (Friday) to get over the mountains before some weather rolled through California. The fear being that Caltrans would shut down the roads if a single drop of moisture fell out of the sky – which they often do when moisture falls. We did so without a scratch, and now had an extra day to knock out some of the long todo list before heading towards Washington.
[/size]
https://www.van-tramp.com/wp/them-thar-mountains/
[size=medium]We had one final week on the road before we had to start with the real chores associated with our drive back up to Washington, we aimed to stay at a free campground in the Eastern Sierras that we enjoyed last year around this time – where we got a little snowfall on us during our stay. This would make the following weekend’s hop over the mountains very easy as well. Unfortunately, and just after me bragging to Kerri about how driving in 2 inches of snow is not a big deal to me, the short dirt road leading to the campground had a few inches of snow on it – stopping us dead in our tracks.
I stand by my statement, but add the caveat that 2 inches of snow *on pavement* is no big deal. Add in a muddy road with deep ditches on both sides, AND a steep incline, and it becomes not worth the risk. I swallowed my pride and backed out of the almost certain rest-of-the-day-stuck-in-the-snow-and-mud. Kerri approved, without giving me any shit about it. Instead we backtracked (NO!) a few miles to our backup spot on the other side of the highway. It wasn’t under the pine trees like the planned location, but it was open to the sun and had one helluva view of the Sierras.
The week progressed as it always does, with us mostly hunkered down in the van, working. We had the luxury of a vault toilet nearby, which is always welcomed, and mostly peace and quiet of the high desert. The location we chose was at a off highway trail head, so there were a couple vehicles that popped in each day but all were respectful and gone shortly. It was a pleasant place to call ours for the week… or most of the week anyway. We decided to leave a day early (Friday) to get over the mountains before some weather rolled through California. The fear being that Caltrans would shut down the roads if a single drop of moisture fell out of the sky – which they often do when moisture falls. We did so without a scratch, and now had an extra day to knock out some of the long todo list before heading towards Washington.
[/size]
Van-Tramp
Well-known member
Chores and spring cleaning with family
https://www.van-tramp.com/wp/chores-and-spring-cleaning-with-family/
[size=medium]Adventuring has taken to the back burner while we complete some chores needed to make the transition to boat-life. A week hanging out with Kerri’s parents in Grass Valley, then a week with my Mother in Washington state, gave us the time to get Kerri’s truck up and running again (battery) and to do a bunch of spring cleaning in our lives. This included a major donation run and a small dump run. It is crazy just how much stuff we have collected in the past couple years, and how much of it we really did not use. We still have a lot of bigger-ticket items to sell off, but did not have the time right then. Personally, I think I like getting rid of stuff more than I like buying it, so it was a good week.[/size]
[size=medium]
As Kerri and I arrived in Washington after two days of driving – literally within minutes of arriving – Kerri got the phone call that her Airstream needed to be picked up and removed from the ranch where it has been used as an Air B&B for the past year. With both the absolute worst timing (we just drove 700 miles away from the trailer) and best timing (we have the week to resolve it), Kerri got straight too the task – turning around to go right back to where we left only two days prior… ugh.
It took her four *more* days of driving to recover her trailer. Now, it too has been hauled up to Washington where we will have the time to get it sold before we leave land. And without the trailer there will be no need to retain her truck either, so it appears that too will be let loose soon. And, even though we will be spending all our time on the water soon, the kayaks have to go as there is no room for them on the boat. So says the major life-change.[/size]
https://www.van-tramp.com/wp/chores-and-spring-cleaning-with-family/
[size=medium]Adventuring has taken to the back burner while we complete some chores needed to make the transition to boat-life. A week hanging out with Kerri’s parents in Grass Valley, then a week with my Mother in Washington state, gave us the time to get Kerri’s truck up and running again (battery) and to do a bunch of spring cleaning in our lives. This included a major donation run and a small dump run. It is crazy just how much stuff we have collected in the past couple years, and how much of it we really did not use. We still have a lot of bigger-ticket items to sell off, but did not have the time right then. Personally, I think I like getting rid of stuff more than I like buying it, so it was a good week.[/size]
[size=medium]
As Kerri and I arrived in Washington after two days of driving – literally within minutes of arriving – Kerri got the phone call that her Airstream needed to be picked up and removed from the ranch where it has been used as an Air B&B for the past year. With both the absolute worst timing (we just drove 700 miles away from the trailer) and best timing (we have the week to resolve it), Kerri got straight too the task – turning around to go right back to where we left only two days prior… ugh.
It took her four *more* days of driving to recover her trailer. Now, it too has been hauled up to Washington where we will have the time to get it sold before we leave land. And without the trailer there will be no need to retain her truck either, so it appears that too will be let loose soon. And, even though we will be spending all our time on the water soon, the kayaks have to go as there is no room for them on the boat. So says the major life-change.[/size]
Van-Tramp
Well-known member
Gone sailing
[size=medium]Kerri and I have returned to the sailboat in the Puget Sound where we plan to spend the sailing season, at least. We will return to being van-tramps as the weather gets colder and we head South for the winter once again. To keep my blog van related, we have decided to separate our sailing life to another blog. [/size]
[size=medium]If you wish, you can follow our sailing adventures at – Road to the Sea[/size]
[size=medium]Kerri and I have returned to the sailboat in the Puget Sound where we plan to spend the sailing season, at least. We will return to being van-tramps as the weather gets colder and we head South for the winter once again. To keep my blog van related, we have decided to separate our sailing life to another blog. [/size]
[size=medium]If you wish, you can follow our sailing adventures at – Road to the Sea[/size]
highdesertranger
R.I.P HDR
- Joined
- Apr 4, 2012
- Messages
- 22,892
- Reaction score
- 86
best wishes, I got a little tear in my eye. seriously all the best and don't be strangers. highdesertranger
B and C
Well-known member
Fair winds and following seas in your new adventure.
JimMcBride
Member
- Joined
- Nov 2, 2016
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Fair weather to you on your new adventure. And I am sure it's been said but bears repeating "a sailboat is an RV".
I and many others have greatly enjoyed sharing your journeys.
Remember that poor quality internet service is available just about everywhere, so keep in touch!
I and many others have greatly enjoyed sharing your journeys.
Remember that poor quality internet service is available just about everywhere, so keep in touch!
regis101
Well-known member
Happy sails, to you, until , we meet, again.... Oh wait. That's Happy trails.
Same thing though, right?
Same thing though, right?
