OB Net notes 25JAN2019
Topic – Favorite camping spot or trip
Control – K5TIN (Shane)
- KB6POE – Richard in CA - MOBILE. Round 1 - New to all of this and trying to be on the net each week. Owned a few 4x4 but never had time to make use of them. Now looking to start. Round 2 - Great to hear everyone’s favorite spots. Death Valley seems interesting. Imogene is a place I've been researching.
2. KM6YSO - Dan in CA – MOBILE. Round 1 - Been wheeling for a short time. Picked up jeep a few years ago. Only organized runs near Shasta Mtn. Still exploring CA. Moved here about 5 years ago. No multiday, been to Moab, Ouray with day trips, but want to get back to doing longer durations. In the near term Mohave trip. Round 2 - Mohave and Death Valley are high on the list for the next outing. Did day trip on motorcycle on White Rim as well. Just need to start making plans.
3. KJ7BHN – Brent in WA – Round 1 - Thanks for the support and participation. On the forum, please continue to suggest topics. Think we will be doing a topic every other week with open topic weeks in between. As for outings, White Rim trial x3 and was spectactular. Grand Staircase, Ouray with Jeep. Just did Mohave Rd last weekend. Round 2 – Death Valley is on the list//vast//also want to do Joshua Tree. QUESTION for Brien. How difficult is it to go over the border going to Baja ANSWER from Brien. For Baja, pretty simple//only one thing you need to do right away, get Mexican insurance. If in mainland Mexico, deeper than 25 miles south of border, need temporary vehicle import permit that you can get at a consulate. Also possibly in Phoenix or believe can get when you cross. Check first.
4. K7ECH – Chris in NV – Round 1 - lived in Tahoe for a while also Breckenridge. Favorites, Beartooth, Summit County, CO and Eastern Sierras. Family camping and rock crawling. Round 2 – No traffic.
5. WD6TED – Ted in CA – Round 1 – Grand Staircase - tried 3 times and always rained, so want to try again. Go to Tahoe a lot/have a place there. Favorite places is Death Valley/100s miles of trails. Anza-Borrego State Park is in my back yard, so go there a lot. Joshua Tree is good but no dispersed camping. A few trails, but campgrounds are nice. Hidden Valley is a cool place especially if you like rock climbing. Round 2 - Did Hannah Pass Rd in the Sierras last year. Its the last dirt Trans Sierra dirt rd. Tons of awesome spots, great fishing, dispersed camping. Sierras Foothills group probably knows all about that.
6. WX5SKY – Jon in OK – Round 1 - Not too many places in OK, but have Ouachita NF. I work too much and play too little. Do a good bit of hiking and fishing with kids, though. Plan to go into Arkansas for more in the future. Round 2 – Black Bear and Imogene passes are on the to-do list. Colorado is my favorite area.
7. K7XPO – Brien in AZ – Round 1 - inTuson and enjoy everywhere, but spend a lot of time in the borderland. Tons of mines and things, very remote. Lots of scattered ranges and you’ll travel through desert, but look for sky islands to camp in order to get up high out of the heat and bugs. I usually have no plan, but just drive. Ruby, AZ is ghost town, privately owned, $12/person to get in, but then free reign to look around. Also Slaughter Ranch in the southeast, $5 donation for packet and self-guided walking tour//right in the middle of the Sonoran Desert. Round 2 - Also spend time in Mexico. Just got back from Baja with another trip planned for 4 weeks down Sonoran coast. Updated Mexico stuff//Sonora - zone called free zone- if in that zone don't need import permit and goes all the way down to kilometer 98 on Hwy 15. No permit needed for Baja either. As for insurance, bajabound.com and mexpro.com. Bajabound gives multiple quotes. 2 weeks vs 6 months might only be $100 difference, so if you think you may go back within the 6 months, it might be worthwhile to just get the 6 month plan. Another suggestion is El Camino del Diablo (Devil's Hwy), if anyone has experience or is interested in participating in a run, please let me know.
8. W8ILL – Will in MI – Round 1 - at Walmart on portable showing a friend how ham radio works. Hatfield and McCoy Trails in the Appalachians supposed to be pretty good, but haven't been. Round 2 – No response. Was having issues staying connected to repeater via HT.
9. K1RAC – Ryan in MI – Check-in via text box. No mic, so just listening.
10. KI7RAM – Bill in NV – Round 1 - Been with OB for about a year and 4-wheeling for four. Retired from VA and moved to NV. Mojave and Mengel Pass with Mengel for night pics. Vancouver Island as well, but favorite is Death Valley, 2nd is Alabama Hill which is where all the westerns from the 30-40s and today are filmed. Round 2 - One place I forgot, Black Rock Desert. Fun playa, crawl through Applegate Trail that goes to some hot springs; great camping, wildlife.
11. KM4GHN – Mitch in FL – Checked in, but no response during 1st and 2nd rounds.
12. KQ6K – Eddie in CA – Round 1 – Have a tent trailer and spend good amount of time Ventura Ranch where the Thomas Fire broke out last year. Round 2 – nothing heard.
13. K5TIN – Shane in LA – Net control. Nothing to add other than slightly jealous of those out West with so many cool places close by.
SUMMARY - 13 check-ins including Net Controller. GREAT topic with lots of interest in Mexico trip. Mexico to be added to topic list for more detailed info on a later net.