a month in the Mojave

A place to discuss all activities related to the Great Outdoors & Camping

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photo_van
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a month in the Mojave

Post by photo_van »

Just returned from a month long photo assignment in the Mojave Desert. 2400 miles of which probably 1800 were dirt. One sheared upper A-frame bolt (doesn't steer very well w/out that), 1 flat, and a LOT of dust.
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[attachment=0]1403_1250_D1A.jpg
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1403_1250_D1A.jpg
1998 AWD/4WD
4" lift, 31x10.50's, NP 242j/c hybrid, 4.10 gears, S10 front disconnect, rack & pinion steering, trans cooler, rock sliders, ARB fridge, house battery and 100w solar, swing out rear rack with foldout camp table, bed and passenger swivel chair
dirt bag camping rig
1981 Toyota 4x4 pu
1974 John Deere 710

Topic author
photo_van
I sleep in my van
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Joined: Wed May 18, 2011 4:38 pm
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Re: a month in the Mojave

Post by photo_van »

a few more
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for those old enough to remember, it's not a Corvette, but it is a Chevy!
for those old enough to remember, it's not a Corvette, but it is a Chevy!
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Last edited by photo_van on Wed Apr 23, 2014 7:17 am, edited 1 time in total.
1998 AWD/4WD
4" lift, 31x10.50's, NP 242j/c hybrid, 4.10 gears, S10 front disconnect, rack & pinion steering, trans cooler, rock sliders, ARB fridge, house battery and 100w solar, swing out rear rack with foldout camp table, bed and passenger swivel chair
dirt bag camping rig
1981 Toyota 4x4 pu
1974 John Deere 710
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T.Low
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Re: a month in the Mojave

Post by T.Low »

Sweeeeet.

More! More!
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Topic author
photo_van
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Re: a month in the Mojave

Post by photo_van »

1403_1242_D1A.jpg
_MG_1289.jpg
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_MG_1364.jpg
1998 AWD/4WD
4" lift, 31x10.50's, NP 242j/c hybrid, 4.10 gears, S10 front disconnect, rack & pinion steering, trans cooler, rock sliders, ARB fridge, house battery and 100w solar, swing out rear rack with foldout camp table, bed and passenger swivel chair
dirt bag camping rig
1981 Toyota 4x4 pu
1974 John Deere 710
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mdmead
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Re: a month in the Mojave

Post by mdmead »

Nice! Would like to do some exploring there someday.
Matt
Selah, WA
-96 GMC Safari AWD Hi-Top Conversion -->Stalled 5.3L swap & 5" lift
-74 Ford Bronco -->Far from perfect but mine!
-99 V-10 Ford Super Duty Super Cab 4x4 -->Stock with 285 Cooper ATs
-00 Ford Focus Wagon -->The Red Turd
-95 Ford 24' Class C Motorhome -->My big block sleeper
-07 Can-Am Outlander XT -->My yellow 4x4 quad for work & play
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Re: a month in the Mojave

Post by Herbie »

Great photos!

How did you recover from the sheared bolt? I'm always wondering what I'd do in such situations. Especially since I dropped a shock bolt over the washboards last month!
"My minivan is cooler than your bro-truck"
2003 Astro AWD Astrolander/ZMB - GTRV Top Transplant, 4" OLV Lift, NP233 T-case, evolving interior
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Topic author
photo_van
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Re: a month in the Mojave

Post by photo_van »

I have a very small assortment of bolts in my tool box and got lucky. I had a couple of the old body mount bolts left over after the lift. It was the wrong diameter but long enough. I robbed a nut off my HiLift jack mount (wrong thread pitch but went on far enough that I could get it tight and keep the bolt from rattling out). Limped 100 miles into 29 Palms Pick and Pull. Found a Chevy 4x4 PU that uses the same A-frame, bolts and alignment cams. $5 for the bolt, nut and cams. Twenty minutes in the parking lot and we were on our way!
1998 AWD/4WD
4" lift, 31x10.50's, NP 242j/c hybrid, 4.10 gears, S10 front disconnect, rack & pinion steering, trans cooler, rock sliders, ARB fridge, house battery and 100w solar, swing out rear rack with foldout camp table, bed and passenger swivel chair
dirt bag camping rig
1981 Toyota 4x4 pu
1974 John Deere 710

allmntrider
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Re: a month in the Mojave

Post by allmntrider »

Is the third from last photo the west side of the turtle mountain's ?

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photo_van
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Re: a month in the Mojave

Post by photo_van »

_MG_1289? The Last Chance Range. Here's one from the east side of the Turtles though
1403_1135_D1L.jpg
1998 AWD/4WD
4" lift, 31x10.50's, NP 242j/c hybrid, 4.10 gears, S10 front disconnect, rack & pinion steering, trans cooler, rock sliders, ARB fridge, house battery and 100w solar, swing out rear rack with foldout camp table, bed and passenger swivel chair
dirt bag camping rig
1981 Toyota 4x4 pu
1974 John Deere 710

allmntrider
I am merely driving my van
I am merely driving my van
Posts: 11
Joined: Wed Apr 23, 2014 9:37 pm
Location: prescott az

Re: a month in the Mojave

Post by allmntrider »

yes 1289. Sweet looked familiar. I go out rock hunting from time to time out in the turtles. I've been collecting Opalite and different types of agate out there since I was a kid. Every thing from Amboy east is amazing if you take the time to explore it. Thanks for the extra photo of the Turtles.

wkastro
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Re: a month in the Mojave

Post by wkastro »

Spectacular!
2003 Astro AWD bought in January 2009
103,000 miles, Trucool 4590, ScanGageII, Michelin LTX 215/70R16, Tekonsha P3

2009 Chevrolet HHR
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wkastro
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Re: a month in the Mojave

Post by wkastro »

Spectacular!
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T.Low
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Re: a month in the Mojave

Post by T.Low »

It certainly is!
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AstroLander Build Slideshow
Church bells ringing in the middle of a gunfight.
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T.Low
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Re: a month in the Mojave

Post by T.Low »

It certainly is!
ImageImageImageImage
AstroLander Build Slideshow
Church bells ringing in the middle of a gunfight.

Topic author
photo_van
I sleep in my van
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Location: 7000' in the Mountains of California
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Re: a month in the Mojave

Post by photo_van »

thanks guys. BTW allmntrider, we saw about half a dozen vehicles in three weeks (on the dirt) and half of them were rock hounds! We learned about Opalite and agate! The other three vehicles were utilities working the power lines. Pretty quiet out there.

If I can find the time and some harddrive space, I'll try and put up some video.
_MG_1371Untitled_Panorama1.jpg
1998 AWD/4WD
4" lift, 31x10.50's, NP 242j/c hybrid, 4.10 gears, S10 front disconnect, rack & pinion steering, trans cooler, rock sliders, ARB fridge, house battery and 100w solar, swing out rear rack with foldout camp table, bed and passenger swivel chair
dirt bag camping rig
1981 Toyota 4x4 pu
1974 John Deere 710
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