Near, Far, and In Between

Walking the Camino de Santiago de Compostela

2012-01-16T14:14:00.000-08:00

We just saw the film The Way ( and can't wait to watch it again). We hope to add this to our travel plans for 2013. It will be a walking journey for us, approximately 500 miles starting at St. Jean Pied de Port in France and finishing in Santiago de Compstella, Spain. This is known as the Way of St. James pilgrimage route. We are very excited. Of course this will not be in our beloved DAF but that is ok- variety is the spice of life, right? Learning about other cultures and meeting people who have traveled this route from all over the world will make it a truely meaningful experience for us both. Now it's time to do our homework and learn as much as we can about this route and its history, the people, the art, the cathedrals, and the countryside that we will be passing through. We look forward to getting educated before we go.

Check out the Diesel Power Magazine article on our DAF

2012-01-16T12:14:00.000-08:00

Diesel Power- February 2012

Our home away from home

DAF will take us just about anywhere we want to go

All the simple comforts of home

Steve and I spent a morning in July 2010 with Gary Westcott of Turtle Expeditions, who photographed these pictures of our DAF. After the photo shoot we enjoyed sharing our travel stories and our love for this great vehicle with Gary and Monika and were able to catch up on their next adventure - 4+ years traveling the Silk Road. We are eager to return to the far North this year and explore more dirt roads in the Yukon and Northwest Territories. Soooo much to see!

Fort Rock...sagebrush and forests...east of Bend

2012-01-15T17:38:00.000-08:00

Setting up for some exposures of Fort Rock

My partner in crime, Christina

Near Fort Rock...looking North

Deschutes National Forest
Gorgeous open environment

Sagebrush and Sky
Ever-Changing Forms and Palette

A few photos from a special day on the dirt roads to the East of Bend. Glorious!!!!!!!!

Steens Mountains Alvord Desert November 2011

2012-01-15T17:25:00.000-08:00

Approaching Canyon on Western edge of Steens

First Morning after rain and snow

Looking back to East as we head South

Christina with Great Chocolate Milkshake
Fields Roadhouse

Headed North from Fields on Eastern edge of
Steens

The Alvord Desert swings into view

Approaching the dry lakebed of the Alvord

Heading onto the lake

Not a sound!!!!!
An experience not to be missed

Northwest view as the clouds stack

A bit of wind arrived..and we were ready

Sunset coming!!

Moonrise as we prepare for the
Special Night gift of the Alvord

Sharon preparing us for the evening with
Great Coffee!! Thanks Sharon!!

Christina fixing breakfast after a fabulous night

Mid-Morning toward the Steens

Just us!!!!

Second Day..we moved to the Eastern edge of the Alvord

Mann Lake to the West
Seen on left as we departed North

Nature in her glory!!

East of Bend lies a massive mountain range, the Steens, lying on a fault-line with a sharp upthrust of nearly 5000 feet from the foothills below. The approaches lie through the desert and sagebrush of Central Oregon and culminate in the lake-lands of Harney County which provide a massive refuge for migrating waterfowl. Christina, our older daughter, made the trip with Sharon and me...this time in our FZJ80 Landcruiser hauling an AT Horizon trailer. We camped on night one deep in a canyon at the foot of the Steens and awoke in the morning to snow blanketing the peaks. Departing from our Western campsite we traversed to the south and passed over the Southern foot of the Steens near Fields, Oregon. Fields has a small stone roadhouse with a well-known kitchen offering fabulous milkshakes, burgers, and other creative treats. Don't miss it. Population of Fields...counting outlying area.....about 80. So it's a friendly spot and welcome opportunity to fill up with good food and fuel and catch up on the local news. From Fields we moved North past the old homesteads and Borax works...long abandoned....past Andrews and drove onto the Alvord Desert at the foot of the Eastern Steens. From here the Escarpment rises sharply upward and is gorgeous in the morning sunrise. We camped on the dry lake and did our very best to absorb the complete silence. Not a sound beside the occasional whisper of a breath of wind passing over the lake. As the sun set we awaited the special show of the Alvord: an unspoiled night sky with the thousands and thousands of visible stars accompanied by a very well-defined band of the milky way. The flats of the lake create a visual sense of a huge bowl full of stars...they call to you to lie down on the desert surface and just stare up at the sky, counting the myriad numbers of "shooting stars" punctuating the twinkles. I marvel that this is the best show on earth...and it is entirely free in every sense of the word. Don't miss it. The moon was full until the early morning hours...so Sharon and Christina got up in the freezing cold..and I do mean freezing...to set up a reflecting telescope and photograph this special moment. This is as good as it gets...and a great reminder of our small size and significance in a Universe of Infinities!!

Mogfest 2012 and the Oregon Coast

2012-01-15T12:22:00.000-08:00

August 2012 found us back at Mogfest near Salem, Oregon. The assemblage of mogs and Pinzgauers was, as always, impressive. We enjoyed the folks immensely. Very hot...it broke 100 degrees!! whew!! A mechanical walking beast...something out of Star Wars was on display and all of us had a good time comparing notes on places visited and our equipment. Then we drove over to the Oregon Coast and enjoyed the company of our older daughter Christina. We were able to park more or less on the beach and just relax. Weather was gorgeous!!

Overland Expo 2011 Amado, Arizona

2012-01-15T12:08:00.000-08:00

Arminius on Tour
Sharon visits with Mog Owner

Pinzgauer...refitted and ready!

Rooftop Tents everywhere

Gorgeous FJ40

Australian Product...Poptop!!
A serious world touring outfit as
it fits into a container!!!

Arminius on Tour
Headed into South America from here
Lovely fabrication work

Unicat...the top end
World class engineering

Headed home...Hawthorne Nevada
Ammunition Dump
A lovely little town near Walker Lake

April 2011....Amado Arizona. We traveled South to Amado Arizona in beautiful weather arriving for a few days at the Overland Expo where we presented a slide show discussion of our 2010 trip into the Yukon and Northwest Territories...and had a great time wandering through the exhibits admiring the equipment....Pinzgauers, Landcruisers, and all sorts of creative and capable vehicles!! It was very warm that weekend but a welcome change from the Oregon Winter!! The best part of this trip of course was the opportunity to meet folks and compare notes!!!

Crater Lake rim from Lemolo Lake by Snowmobile

2012-01-15T11:43:00.000-08:00

Looking East and South on Lemolo Lake

Sunrise across the Lake and Mt Thielsen

Resting a moment

Entering the park at Crater Lake

On the Rim!!!

Crater Lake views!!

Very steep edge..we kept our distance!!

Our accommodations

Headed Up for Second trip to the Rim

Crater Lake on second trip: still and gorgeous!!

February 2012 Sharon and I gathered up our younger daughter, Kimberly, and took off for a week at Lemolo Lake Resort in Umpqua territory. Our objective was to see Crater Lake in mid-winter by snowmobile. Our hosts at the resort were terrific and we highly recommend the resort. Snowmobiles were ready to go and we took two 60 mile guided round trips to the lip of Crater Lake. Great fun. The photos speak for themselves!!

Umpqua Wilderness October 2011

2012-01-15T11:10:00.000-08:00

Mount Thielsen from Diamond Lake

Arriving Whitehorse Falls Campground in early afternoon

Whitehorse Falls

As good as it gets!!

New fungi everywhere

Probable Amanita sp; deadly poisonous

Relaxing in Umpqua Wilderness

Early October with Winter coming....we headed South past Crater Lake to see the gorgeous Umpqua Wilderness. We stayed at White Horse Falls along the North Umpqua River and discovered recent rains had created a massive array of new mushrooms and toadstools. They were everywhere. We headed West a short distance and turned into the wilderness area at Toketee Lake following the back roads to elevations of 6000 feet with glorious views North and West. Hunters were setting up their camps and we met one gentlemen who had converted an old school bus into more or less permanent shelter. We camped several nights in the wilderness...our last night on the top of a mountain at 6000 feet with a 360 degree panorama view and watched the clouds from an approaching storm engulf us. A passing hunter advised us of fresh Cougar tracks nearby adding to the sense of wilderness. Lightning strikes and wind awakened us at about 1 am and we decided the best part of valor was to seek a lower elevation....in large part due to the probability of the wind blowing trees across our narrow exit. Our descent was a non-event...as we found the Hella Lamps gave us a sight picture approaching daylight as we threaded our way down. We stopped again and went back to sleep when we reached the "main" road. Departing we stopped at the Steamboat Springs Resort and enjoyed a fabulous breakfast while admiring the gorgeous setting. Fly Fishermen's Paradise. Another trip...as good as it gets!! We have added a chainsaw to our list of tools needed for these backcountry trips.

Mogfest 2010

2010-09-23T20:08:00.000-07:00

A weekend at Waldersee Farm near Sheridan, Oregon found us at Mogfest 2010. This event features European origin military vehicles with a sprinkle of other types for zest. Folks get together to compare experiences and generally celebrate their interest in unusual vehicles. One sees many mogs (mercedes origin) and pinzgauers galore with a few daf and man vehicles. There is an opportunity drive in the "pits"...holes and trenches created to test skill, ambition, and discretion simultaneously. We thoroughly enjoyed the experience and appreciate the hard work of many folks that makes this annual event possible.

Alvord Desert Trip September 2010

2010-09-23T19:38:00.000-07:00

driving out onto the lakebed...moment of truth with 12 tons

camped with our friends

resting under camo net...perfect for high winds!!

looking West toward the Steens!!

September found us visiting the Alvord Desert in Eastern Oregon. This stretch of dry lake, about 10 miles wide by 20 miles long is an extraordinary spot of beauty and offers unique conditions to enjoy the night sky free of man-made light sources, an opportunity to "land-sail" on the often windy lakebed, and a closeup look at extraordinary fault lines forming the Steens Mountains rising to over 9000 feet just to the West as well as evidence of volcanic activity all round. We camped on the lakebed and marvelled at the night sky that revealed a mass of stars and a milky way one could almost reach out and touch. wow...a priceless show at no charge. we watched other folk with paragliders enjoy the still morning air and sailed in "land yachts" when the wind arose.

More Photos...Yukon and Northwest

2010-09-23T15:11:00.001-07:00

More Photos from Yukon and Northwest Territories

the address shown will take you to a Picasa Web Album with about 450 photos of Alaska and the Northwest. Copy and paste it into our URL. Click on the first thumbnail...it will enlarge and then navigate right and left with your keyboard arrows. enjoy!!

http://picasaweb.google.com/sbrquilter/Alaska2010Slideshow?authkey=Gv1sRgCI6O4cyg4sTZbw#

Yukon and Northwest Territory Spring/Summer 2010

2010-09-23T13:24:00.000-07:00

We have returned from 9 weeks and 9000 miles composing travel through British Columbia and the Canadian territories of Yukon and Northwest. The experience exceeded our expectations and taught us a great deal. We have 1500 photographs taken during the trip and have posted a selected few for your enjoyment.

We departed in early May and returned in July. It rained a bit on most days, but the mosquito population was minimal. There were few visitors on the road in May...especially in the backroads areas of the territories. Our route was North along Highway 97 in the United States.....up to Prince George in British Columbia and on up to Yellowknife by way of Alberta. The Great Slave Lake was still covered with ice in May and the ferry crossing of the MacKenzie River was a unique experience for us. We travelled throughout the Northwest Territory and then West into the Yukon..seeking the remote areas. Ultimately we reached Inuvik at the Northern end of the Dempster Highway. The wildlife and geography of the Arctic regions is quite spectacular. Subsequently we crossed into Alaska on the "Top of the World" highway and then re-entered Canada on the Alaska highway by way of Haines.
Our return route South in British Columbia was by way of the Cassiar Highway. This is now reasonably good road, most of which is paved...and the scenery is gorgeous.

We found DAF was an ideal vehicle for the gravel and dirt roads of the Territories. We sought out the back roads, even the "closed" roads and were rewarded with miles and miles and miles of beautiful country with no folks...or a few folks. The in-cab view gave an eye level of ten feet..so we could see a lot from the road..especially when combined with a low speed of 15-30 mph on unmaintained back roads. We saw lots of wildlife...Moose, bear, raptors, fox, porcupines and so forth...without any problems. The very long days allowed us to drive for extended hours or short hours depending on our objectives...and made remote "camping" pretty easy as lighting was never an issue.

We were surprised to find that the gravel and dirt roads that were in "maintained" status were very good: well-kept, relatively devoid of significant hazards, and smooth. The gravel in some areas was sharp and did contribute to tire punctures for travelers using standard road tires. We had no difficulties although we tried hard to be respectful of hazards on gravel roads. For example, it was our practice to stop and allow any commercial vehicles to pass us...thus facilitating their passage and reducing rock hazards to us and our vehicle. Slower speeds are appropriate to extend the life of one's hardware. It is also true that the dirt roads tend to conform to the lay of the land...and steep uphill and downhill slopes were the rule throughout our travels. Low range was sometimes needed. We were surprised to find that a very, very difficult stretch of highway lay along the asphalt pavement of Alaska highway running just to the East of the Alaskan-Canadian border. Here we found stretches of paved highway with significant frost heaves and broken pavement rendering travel pretty difficult. When you are within 100 miles of the Alaska border traveling on the Alaska highway..expect difficulty.

Fuel, lodging, dining, and grocery costs are high and rise as one travels North. We paid as much as the equivalent of $6 US per gallon of fuel. Simple bed and breakfast lodging was $100 and up a night...although we only used overnight lodging on one occasion. A simple sandwich in a restaurant is generally $10 and up and so forth. It's easy to understand these higher costs as transport costs add up as one moves North.

We wanted to reach Inuvik in the North..gateway to the Arctic Ocean...as a landmark point analogous to Ushuaia in the South. DAF was utilized by former owners to reach this "southernmost" point in South America; it was natural to aim for Inuvik as a "northernmost" point in North America. Daf has now been..."End to End...North to South!" This trip, while demanding, can certainly be achieved by most anyone willing to devote some time and resources to prepare. We felt the time we spent preparing paid off in a trip that was relatively free of problems. If a trip along these lines is your dream, we surely encourage you to take the steps to make it a reality. You can do it!!

We learned a number of lessons at multiple levels. We don't need complicated or luxurious equipment. A small living area with reliable heating, water, light, and food storage was more than adequate. Ours was less than 150 feet. Simple solutions tend to be more reliable than complex solutions; for example, a hand pump is often more reliable than an electric pump. Gravity is even more reliable. Sharon and I also found that the trip revealed the extent to which our day to day existence in Oregon can be governed by external demands..from paying bills to maintaining cars. These tasks are important, but they can expand to fill one's time at the expense of not making time for your own personal priorities or dreams. We had a period of weeks when we were relatively free of these tasks and found it liberating and stimulating. Sharon and I also found the experience strengthened our relationship as we relied on one another to successfully complete our individual responsibilities in provisioning and maintaining DAF during the trip. We also found that in general a trouble-shooting plan than included backups for likely problems was appropriate. In one instance we had three backups for a possible electric problem..and needed them all. Take the time to consider how you will resolve predictable problems...and some that one cannot predict.

Other significant, but less overarching lessons include the following:

1. Useful personal tools: flashlight, pocket knife, muck boots (easy on and off, warm feet, waterproof/mudproof), latex gloves to keep hands warm and clean during maintenance, small shop brush to remove mud from driving area, water key to operate water spigots lacking a handle.

2. Maintain a significant reserve of fuel...shorthand recommendation would be to keep twice as much fuel as you believe you will need. We found multiple locations where pumps were not working and fuel was not available as expected.

3. Road Conditions: suggest talk with local RCMP (Mounties). Ask about how roads will hold up in wet weather. Secure phone numbers for "help" if needed. Drive slowly and expect the occasional surprise when on unmaintained roads. These surprises may include mud slides of sinkholes that will swallow some significant part of your vehicle. Be respectful of blind turns. Be respectful of wildlife. Collision with a Moose may end your trip.

4. Credit Cards and Cash: Mastercard and Visa widely accepted. However, it was not uncommon to find an entire town unable to process credit cards if communications links were down....and then cash was the only means of purchase. Maintain a reasonable level of cash. Do not count on ATMs for this purpose. Be sure to have a second credit card...in event of theft or other unexpected problem. I actually had a credit card begin to crack into pieces.

5. Communications: Cellphones may be expensive in Canada if you have a US based carrier. Be sure to check. Cellphone coverage in remote areas is spotty at best. Consider a Satellite phone. Globalstar offers hardware in the range of $400 plus installation fees for an in-cab system and monthly service plans of $40 per month for unlimited use. However, the Globalstar system is also subject to intermittent periods when one cannot put through a call due to degradation of their satellite system. We found Globalstar more than met our needs...the phone was used for family communications and emergencies. The interruptions would preclude its suitability for business use, in my opinion.

6. Emergency Services: these are very limited in remote areas as you would imagine. Overall, suggest adapting one's objectives and plans to a format that is basically self-supporting. Be careful. Stay healthy. There will not be helicopters and EMTS arriving on short notice to help. Folks will do all they can to be helpful in this difficult environment but the options are often very limited. An ounce of prevention in driving safety and personal safety is surely worth a pound of cure.

7. Firearms: these have a role in providing safety from wildlife. However, one must be thoroughly familiar with use of a firearm in self-defense. It is also essential to be familiar with Canadian firearms laws and comply fully. We found compliance was straightforward and had no difficulty entering and exiting Canada repeatedly. The information and forms are readily available on the internet.

8. Tires: we highly suggest commercial or off-road grade tires with thick tread and heavy sidewalls. One or more mounted spares makes sense. Know how to change a tire. Low profile street tires are an invitation to difficulties. Check lug nuts regularly. If you are accumulating mud in the wheels...be sure to wash it out when you have an opportunity to avoid an unbalanced wheel. Kits to repair tires are avialable; consider purchasing one and learning how to use it.

9. Brakes: an exhaust brake is really helpful is you are towing or have a heavy vehicle. grades are often quite steep.

10. Bugs: bring DEET. It does work. Apply it. Consider clothing with mosquito repellent embedded in it...the bugs up North easily penetrate a t-shirt or jeans. Clothing with embedded repellent seemed quite effective. Bugs are less of a problem in May and early June..go early.

11. Spare parts and back up lubricants: consider what is likely to need to be replaced and take additional parts and lubricants with you.

The final take home lesson we learned: Think about life and actively define your dreams. Dreams can become reality and change your life.

DAF Type YA4440 Preparation

2010-02-03T16:52:00.000-08:00

Exhaust Fan location on container roof with satellite antenna. In Progress
One of two 125 Watt Solar Panels visible on Left: Charge 12V House Batteries

Lines and Tanks for Air Brakes taken from below

Manual ZF 5 Speed Gearbox and Clutch Above with Front Differential below looking forward. Two Ranges. 4 Wheel Drive actuated from Cab

DT615 Diesel Engine with Turbocharger (behind aluminum enclosure) taken from Left
6.17 litres, 6 cylinder, Bosch Fuel Injection

Engine taken from Right. Massive 24V Alternator charges Starting Batteries Awaiting new Injectors...Woo Hoo!!

Planning for a trip to the Arctic circle area. Addressing opportunities to improve reliability include upgraded injectors, new valve cover seals, inspection of starter motor and solenoid, upgraded clamps for carrying motorcycle, in-cab satellite phone, exhaust fan for container, upgraded 12v house batteries, upgraded 24v starter battery system, chains for mud and snow, repair of main fuel tank gauge, enhanced LED lighting of container, wheel bearing check and service on all wheels, and so forth. making good progress. trying to follow the military standard of simple, robust, functional. luxury doesn't have a place here. learning a lot and impressed with the build standards: the military works with an entirely different budget and build standard than i have ever seen on civilian side.

Ochocos and Fremont Forest

2010-02-03T16:25:00.000-08:00

This Fall we travelled from Chemult area through the Fremont Forest area on down into the Christmas Valley desert area of Oregon...and then up into the Ochocos. Great Weather, relatively isolated, and loads of fun! Daf handles very well in all wheel drive mode!! Much to learn about shifting smoothly and understanding the capabilities of this vehicle. Great views from the cab.

DAF Type YA4440 Goes to Mog Fest

2009-09-06T10:16:00.000-07:00

Here are some photos from our recent visit to the annual Mog Fest in Oregon. The festival lasted for 11 days this year and was a great opportunity to meet other folks like us. Hopefully we will return next year and in the meantime, we will be traveling to Canada, Alaska, and scoping out what great adventures the U.S. has to offer. Enjoy the photos!

(Below) Our beloved "Daf"

(Below) Enjoying our home away from home

(Below) Stephen driving the Daf

(Below) A few of our visiting friends

(Below) Relaxing after lots of driving and walking

(Below) Sharon in the Russian Ural Sidecar with our friend John Lammers!

We had a great time at the festival and sure hope to return next year. Stay tuned for more photos as I continue to upload!

-The Russells

Lessons from a Long...Long...Long Road

2009-03-01T18:14:00.001-08:00

We are in zion park this afternoon contemplating our utah adventures of the past few weeks.

we are truly novices so please give us the benefit of a doubt if our thoughts seem self-evident:

1. our biggest help was the auxiliary fuel tank. some of the best runs, such as white rim drive, are up to 150 miles in length and that can be a lot longer if a loop is blocked by a landslide and one has to return from one end to the other, nearly doubling the trip length. low range probably yields about 5 miles per gallon. do the homework, do the math.

2. water: carry it in different containers so that if one container ruptures you haven't lost the lot.

3. gps: good maps with gps coordinates is a big help...some of the trails are difficult to follow and become a veritable maze over a distance of a few miles.

4. travelling alone: a winch is good and a pull-pal is essential to be able to use the winch. don't leave home without it.

5. mud: chains for all 4 tires

6. clothing: can't say enough about merino wool in layers. we frequently had 4 layers, plus a hat with ear covering for winter winds. the wool stays warm when wet and, despite two weeks straight in the same clothes, no stink reported/detected. recommend icebreaker brand. really superior stuff. leather boots coming high on the leg helped keep us warm and gave some sense of reduced probability of a problem with a snake encounter. not very likely at this time of year, anyway, but comforting to me.

7. time of year: this is a great time to explore southern utah. very few folks and almost no bugs. we are advised that soon the slightly warmer temps will lead to ravenous female sand flies looking for a blood meal...and a person in the vicintiy may be the only target for miles and miles. am not sure what, if any, sort of insect repellent will work on these folks.

8. uv: you can and will get a sunburn right through the windshield. apply and reapply tanning lotion with regularity and don't miss the ears.

9.communications: satellite phone may be your best friend. globalstar currently offering unlimited usage for $20 per month. some windows in which not able to get a satellite due to loss of adequate number of satellites currently being addressed by globalstar but will require several years for full fix. still...no cellphone coverage outside of town. some vhf/uhf...lots of park service vehicles with it...but rangers advised it was pretty spotty..even with repeaters.

10. be cautious: getting hurt out here is a big problem. and pay attention to warnings..they tend to be low-key and not exaggerated. the park service is definitely not your mother.

11. flashlights: suggest a high power led flashlight. we are using a light that provides loads of illuminatin for up to 9 hours on two AA batteries...believe it is a fenix unit. not particularly expensive. AA batteries easily available.

12. don't ever try to drink from a nalgene bottle while driving on shelf rock unless your real objective is a bath.

13. the slowest way to arrive at an offroad destination for neophytes like us...is to hurry. for sure driving fast, for us, means mechanical damage and not enough time to assess the best "line" on the rock. make time your friend.

14. satellite radio: consider sirius or xm. benefit is the ability to get a current take on weather in the area and the next few days. many trails are simply impassable when wet..and driving in a wash in a rainstorm is prescription for a burial.

Finally, we cannot sufficiently express our gratitude to all who have helped us get this far. the good work is theirs, the mistakes are ours. Zach, Ozzie, Tim and Jonathon at German Master Tech in Bend, OR helped us prepare the vehicle and gave us encouragement. Our daughters Christina and Kimberly have been our advocates and teachers all along the way...as good as it gets for a parent. and we thank all those along the way who have shared their stories and insights. experiencing a remote area such as the white rim drive...and recognizing that the area has been a tropical inland sea, a sahara desert, and now deep canyons and high snow capped peaks provides a perspective on humanity and our place in the world that simply cannot be described. If you have a chance, go change your life!!

-The Russells

To Natural Bridges and Beyond!

2009-02-27T17:09:00.000-08:00

We've gone back in time and lost track of where we are. woo hoo!! we arrived in needles section of canyonlands several days back about noon....along the way we stopped at Newspaper Rock-

(Below) a photo of Newspaper Rock

...and conferred with the rangers. There were only a handful of cars in the park..period. The gatehouse was closed...all buttoned up except for the visitor center. We discussed some back roads..passed the quiz....do you have a winch, a sand anchor (pull-pal), a pick and shovel? I thought they were really asking if we had the brains to look after ourselves. Very understated..when they say it's tough..believe me it's tough. Not at all the usual tourist precautions. Their

motto seemd to be "go do it" if you passed the test questions. We did..and sharon took off down what was described as an easy off road passage of roughly 7 miles to find the colorado river overlook. Started off easy...why is this a 4X4 road?...and soon we reached the rocks...and the shelves. We were followed briefly by a new arrival...tacoma with two "kids" behind the wheel. When got to the first set of dropoffs we left them behind scratching their heads...

(Below) Negotiating a mellow patch of shelf rock

they were not happy to have sharon drive away from them...and they ultimately did make it out to the overlook, kudos to them "cause without a lift they were lucky to come away with an intact oilpan.

The overlook was almost right across the river from one of our white rim camping areas (bless gps) and it tickled me we had to drive 150 miles plus to wave at ourselves across the colorado.

We camped two nights in canyonlands..with nearly NO one present..tucked back into slickrock with pinion pines..and watched the setting sun light up the verticals.

(Below) The author enjoying the view

Hiked and oooohed and aaaahed. Then...night. Wow...talk about stars....a full bowl...you could see horizon for nearly 360 degrees and watch the night sky rotate. stars and stars and stars...good therapy to make your troubles shrink, dry up, and blow away in the infinity of the universe. i watched satellites cross the sky at high speed...hard to do in an urban nightscape with loads of light pollution. i was stargazing at seven thirty pm!!

Reluctantly we headed for natural bridges..another 100 miles down the road and arrived in time to see all three bridges...worn through by river water and camped at 7000 feet. watched another round of night sky viewing...priceless...paid our $5 camping fee..and luxuriated. morning at seven thousand is cold...fingertips freeze to whatever metal you touch..get that coffee goin..please. left natural bridges and drove back toward the west, past top of lake powell and, yes captain, we are ready, reached gobelin state park...scene of galaxy quest.

captain..can you build a primitive lathe? whoo, whoo...seems ok to me. what's wrong?...it's inside out and it blew up (i heard that). the gobelins are great...lots of photos. talked extensively to rangers..got maps..compared notes about flash floods. Believe me..we have the goods on places to go and things to see for next trip. We will never be seen again. From gobelin we drove up to Capitol Reef State Park..a hundred mile long fault line...and endured blistering winds of 50 plus with sand and ycccch! now reloading in a best western just outside the park.

On to escalante!

-Near, Far, and In Between

We are in Needles!

2009-02-25T11:57:00.000-08:00

We will have photos up soon but here is a google image of just where we are.... take a look!

A Piece of the Past in Moab

2009-02-25T11:52:00.001-08:00

Driving through Moab, pieces of the past are everywhere...take this old ambulance for example. Doesn't this remind you of the Ghostbusters vehicle?

Arches National Park

2009-02-23T17:51:00.000-08:00

Yesterday we traveled to Arches National Park which was quite the change from Canyonlands... We even had paved roads! The weather wasn't cooporating but the landscape sure was beautiful. Check back later for more photos from the day. Today, we are off to Needles for some OFF road exploring....

Near, Far, and InBetween....

- The Russells

Just Where is the White Rim Trail???

2009-02-23T11:10:00.000-08:00

Here is a Google Earth image of where we were on the White Rim Trail. Check out Google Earth for yourself and zoom in on the Green River area of Utah! Check back soon for more photos from our next adventure to...dun dun dun.... Arches National Park!

Near, Far, and In Between

-The Russells

White Rim Trail

2009-02-22T18:09:00.000-08:00

we arrived at canyonlands on friday about 11.

only a few people with a beautful blue sky and red and off-white spires of sandstone all round...about 6000 feet.

We decided to go for it and booked two campsites along the white rim trail.

one at potato bottom b and one at gooseberry a. We had full fuel tanks and drove back to the start of the drive...we thought...but three hours and twenty miles later we determined we had followed the hell roaring jeep trail out to the very rim of the green river canyon. Very rugged trail..so we went back and determined we had missed the start of white rim (mineral bottom road) by about 150 feet and off we went...a bit late.

8 miles later we reached the start of white rim trail...a very rugged

1500 foot drop of hairpin turns and switchbacks..enough to make you close your eyes and pray if you were so inclined...big, big rocks....drove to the bottom and reached the green river only to find we had some miles of "shelf" road to negotiate (read a very, very narrow shelf of rock overhanging the river...leaving perhaps a foot between the tire and a long, long..very long drop into the river)...and at times this road had inclines of well over 20 degrees..maybe 30 degrees when you could see nothing but hood of the vehicle...and a lip coming up.

I becaome very familiar with diff lock and low range..and we never even slid a wheel..but mom and i both still have "nightmares" of the images at some critical moments...and in theory we could have met a ca

r coming the other way. we reached potato bottom about 5 in the afternoon...cooling fast...and getting dark...

quiet..although a car arrived about seven thirty and scared us..folks lost looking for a place to camp (we saw only 4 people the whole time). slept ok but dreamed about the murphy hogback ahead..book said it was tough. off we went in the morning..and after another 25 miles or so reached murphy hogback..and we did really well and congratulatged ourselves and turned a corner...whoops!!...the last part of the hogback was still to come and impressive...probably 30 degrees up, loose scree, a sheer dropoff on my left, and...a LIP at the top to climb over. we both sat quietly in the car. no words were spoken..put it in low range

, locked the diff, pulled up to over 3500 rpm and went for it hard. a minute later we were on top. stopped to pee....added engine oil...high fived and started down the steep other side.

after about 20 more miles of driving along the edges of the canyon, and i do mean the edges, we found our second campsite about 2 pm and stopped to rest. pretty tired. saw two other folks. the canyons are beyond description..made you want to just disappear into the wilderness. the colorado and the green rivers have carved deep,deep circuitious canyons through multiple layers of rock varying from current to about 250 million years old. some layers are old beaches withripple marks from the ocean, others contain uranium. the layers vary in resistance to erosion so there are wild, wild features resembling forts and turrets and pillars and faces..

all in a variety of colors. today we were up early..this morning was probably about 30 degrees..much warmer than previous day. we finished the white rim trail and then exited another 40 miles of winding dirt road.....into moab. moab reminded me of bend....on steroids...new motels everywhere. ugh..we decided to go back to sleepy, tiny town of green river. pressure washed the car to reduce the weight of the mud...don't worry..we are going back for MORE.

Near, Far, and In Between...

Gettin' started

2009-02-19T19:03:00.000-08:00

we are stopped in green river, utah...an hour from moab. yesterday we camped at brunneau dunes state park outside mountain home, idaho. sunset at six-fifteen and we pulled into our lonely spot about eight. brrrrr!!! cold....dropped to the low 20s. serenaded by a pair of great horned owls all night. in morning we walked the dunes...big one is 400+ feet high..largest dune in north america..left over from a flood 14,000 years ago. drove east and then south into utah..past salt lake city...and out through a narrow pass of nearly 8000 feet elevation....and on down into the desert. meeting nice folks at every stop!! moab tomorrow

Where to?

2009-02-12T14:09:00.001-08:00