Annual Death Valley run pics!

[chicago]

Just getting around to posting my pics from last weekend.
Every year I go on this 4WD excursion with a group called the West Coast Blotchers. The trip is called Blotch!
We start in the Olancha sand dunes on Thurs. night, camp, then we head out in ANY direction that strikes us.
This year, after our night at the dunes, we decided to head up Cerro Gordo, drop down into the Saline hot springs for Friday noc, head into Panamint Springs for Sat. to run up South Park and camp at the top of Ballerat at the old cabin, then shoot down and head home.
The temps were warm in the valleys...around a 100 deg. I was surprised to find that the washboard to the Sailine hot springs werent AS bad as they had been in years past. I didnt have to clinch my jaw so tight to keep my teeth in place this year.

Anyway, here are the pics!

Chicago

 

[chicago]

More!

 

[chicago]

More.
One of the guyz drove a stock Nissan pick up to this. He nailed a rock with a tire pressure of 40PSI. He didnt air down like everyone else did...

 

[chicago]

More!
First...My beloved cruiser!
Next
Saline!
I love Saline valley.

 

[chicago]

More!

 

[chicago]

Heading out of Saline.
We found a friend on the way!

 

[chicago]

Ballarat and South park Canyon.
We were gonna try and stay at the Briggs cabins, but they were occupied. That would have been cool!

 

[chicago]

More up South Park!

 

[chicago]

Previous post...
the last two pics were the line waiting to go over "chicken Rock", and the canyon looking back on the Briggs cabins/ South park.
I wasnt diggin the drop off into that canyon!

It was a bit dusty!

 

[chicago]

A few more then Im done!
A pic of the mine ruin
The road home!
I forgot what the other pic is that I posted

We had a BLAST!
I always leave, anticipating the next years trip. 09 will mark the 20th annual.
Bummer it only happens once a year!

A photographer Im NOT, but I hope you enjoyed the photos!

Chicago

 

[chicago]

The Blotchers!

 

[450 DUDE]

Very cool bro!
Looks like good times , were the springs crowded ?
I gonna try for a trip in november...

Thanks for the pics

 

[rusty_tlc]

I don't think it would be SAFE for you to go solo next year.

I know my and your want you to be SAFE.

So maybe you need a co-pilot next time, wink wink nod nod.

 

[spressomon]

Looks like you had a great time...good pics too! How'd you like your new rear bumper?

 

[jb welda]

hey cool pics! last fall i stayed two nights in clairs camp (which i think is the mine you have pics of) and it was a very nice few days there, plenty to explore so it didnt get boring.

your time up cerro gordo, did you go straight up and down (up from the highway up the well graded steep wide road and then down to saline), or did you go up to the mine and then to the north on the shelf road and back down to that little town on the highway (im forgetting the name)? cause if you just went up and down you missed the best part! im surprised there wasnt snow up there though and the shelf road could well have been closed still.

anyway great pics, making me want to leave here and go there!

one love
jah bill

 

[chicago]

hey cool pics! last fall i stayed two nights in clairs camp (which i think is the mine you have pics of) and it was a very nice few days there, plenty to explore so it didnt get boring.

your time up cerro gordo, did you go straight up and down (up from the highway up the well graded steep wide road and then down to saline), or did you go up to the mine and then to the north on the shelf road and back down to that little town on the highway (im forgetting the name)? cause if you just went up and down you missed the best part! im surprised there wasnt snow up there though and the shelf road could well have been closed still.

anyway great pics, making me want to leave here and go there!

one love
jah bill

I think that we just ent up and down. We tried that route youre talking about a couple of years ago and were denied by the snow.
I remeber reading your post here about Clare's.
DV is one of my favorite places!

Chicago

 

[chicago]

Looks like you had a great time...good pics too! How'd you like your new rear bumper?

I loved the bumper. The test was the washboard. If anything is gonna fail its gonna do it on that stuff! I just kept my eye on the rear view, but everything held up great down there.
However, Im going to have to weld in nuts into the bumper for the gas shocks. The drill and tap didnt hold up so well in the end.
My tirp home is what is prompting my V8 swap though. Im DONE with the power issues on the grades...

K

 

[chicago]

I don't think it would be SAFE for you to go solo next year.

I know my and your want you to be SAFE.

So maybe you need a co-pilot next time, wink wink nod nod.

If youre up for it, youre welcome to come!
My co pilot bailed a couple fo days before the trip...I almost couldnt make it either cuz my father in law had emergent open heart surgery the day I was supposed to leave...He came out great, but it was touch and go.

K

 

[rusty_tlc]

If youre up for it, youre welcome to come!
My co pilot bailed a couple fo days before the trip...I almost couldnt make it either cuz my father in law had emergent open heart surgery the day I was supposed to leave...He came out great, but it was touch and go.

K

I'm always up for camping or DV or both. I just need to figures out how to wrangle another man pass.

Sorry to hear about Pops, glad everything turned out okay. That had to be tough for J.

 

[Cruiserdrew]

I. Im DONE with the power issues on the grades...

K

Can I have your 3FE? I'm collecting them.