NC to CA and back!!

[SFROMAN]

Well as some of you know I just completed another awesome trip out west. I wanted a place to share pictures and any info that might help others thinking of taking a similar trip.

pic1: mile marker 0.0 of the Mojave Road (East to West). This is located south of Laughlin NV. on river road next to the Colorado River.
2,183.4 miles from my house in Apex NC.

 

[JoeKing5]

Sweet trailer - any problems pulling it up the mountains? How much does it weigh?

 

[SFROMAN]

No issues pulling trailer. On the interstate, off-road, and or going up and down any grade I encountered.

Unfortunately, the one thing I didn’t document on this trip is the weight of the LX450 and trailer combined.

I also have never weighed the trailer even though I have had it for a few years.

I did not fill the water tank or the fuel tanks on the trailer at anytime.

 

[JoeKing5]

Thanks for the info. I have a 91 80 and just replaced the transmission due to what I suppose was heat from pulling my trailer up the NC mountains. Was half thinking of selling my trailer and putting the RTT on the truck roof.

 

[SFROMAN]

Black mountain slowed me down to 55 mph. With power button on and overdrive off.

 

[weejub]

So glad you made it back, Del!! Look forward to more pictures. My daughter wants to do a CA trip - we are looking forward to hopefully doing it! We have planned out two, even had all of our State Park's paid for once and had to kill both trips due to work, etc

 

[SFROMAN]

So glad you made it back, Del!! Look forward to more pictures. My daughter wants to do a CA trip - we are looking forward to hopefully doing it! We have planned out two, even had all of our State Park's paid for once and had to kill both trips due to work, etc

I know how that feels. I have contributed quite a bit of money registering to events and then having to cancel last minute due to work. This trip was supposed to be a Baja trip but the dang DOS, did not approve my request in time.

 

[SFROMAN]

My prep for this trip was pretty minimal. I found some good resources and info on the Mojave Rd. Online. Plotted the route on my GAIA app on my iPad and used IOVERLAND app as a resources for places to camp if needed.

Vehicle prep: I changed the motor oil and filter, replaced 1 gallon of trans fluid and replaced brakes front and back as well as replaced brake fluid. I had Eric J help me to replace the distributor o- ring and that is about as much that went into preventive maintenance.

Equipment prep:
I purchased new -0 sleeping bags and a camp heater that uses the green butane bottle

 

[izzyandsue]

Glad you made it back! I am thinking of a similar trip next year, would be interested in seeing your route, any interesting stops along the way, etc. looking forward to the pics

 

[SFROMAN]

Day 1
Drove from NC to the ARK / OK border.

Day 2
Drove from ARK /OK border to Amarillo TX.

Day 3
Drove all the way to Kingman AZ which was my destination.

OKC stop to watch the Star Wars movie

Nothing eventful during these days other than gas stops and restroom brakes

 

[SFROMAN]

After a goods night rest in Kingman AZ we drove over the mountain and across the Colorado River into NV to start the Mojave Road. (Picture above).
Mojave Road info:
Mojave Road - Wikipedia

Using a combination of GAIA app and printed maps I made my way to mm 0.0

Picture of GAIA app indicates start point

Some of the maps I printed of the whole road.

 

[angerhater]

awesome trip for you and the boys....

 

[SFROMAN]

Ok now the fun stuff

From the Colorado River looking west you start making your way up the dead mountains. This is the first mountain range you go over and cross into California

Half way up the wash you begin to rise in elevation

in the distance you can make out the start point

The trail gets bad and hilly but nothing more than you would see in Uwharrie.

 

[SFROMAN]

Follow the road west looking for rock piles on your right side if your headed west.

You eventually begin to see the Piute Valley on the California side

California / Nevada border in the middle of the Dead mnts

Boys scouting for the rock piles. This is when I was glad I had the Gaia app.

 

[GLTHFJ60]

Bad ass!

 

[stevezero]

What an awesome trip! One day, I hope to hit the road like that.

 

[CharlestonG8R]

Awesome!!!! Mojave Road was the first time I'd taken a vehicle camping trip. Did you see the petroglyphs or the old Army fort? Hippie bus?

 

[SFROMAN]

Yeah walked around the old fort ruins and and the bus. I Wanted to check out The petroglyphs but we decided to bypass around that section to head to the Kelso sand dunes.

 

[SFROMAN]

Came down the dead mountains into California and crossed Piute Valley. The road has some washes and rocky areas but nothing serious

Fort Piute
Info: Fort Piute - Wikipedia

There was a 4x4 van and a 4 door Jeep with a trailer like mine setting up camp when we got there. You can see where we came from in the horizon.

A better shot of Piute Valley and the mountains we came from earlier. The original road is not Passible anymore. You have to take a detour just south of this location. ( currently while we were there we had to take an even further south detour around the Piute mountains into the Lanfair Valley on the other side.

 

[custyota]

Looks like a good trip! I look forward to doing the Mojave rd in the future.