Monday 12/4 Tuesday 12/5
I stayed last night at Salt Lick, a BLM site. No official camping site but a pit toilet and nothing saying no camping. Another truck camper ( triple-slide ) from Montana settled in while I was hiking to the mine site. A couple from New Zealand, Bert&Ann. Bought it 5-6 weeks ago, a friend had camped with it for a couple of weeks and this was their second night camping. I explained BLM dispersal camping and recommended a DeLormes Map Book. They are going to Dallas then Florida. Nice BIG camper- triple slides! $40,000!!! The prairie schooner slides just fine.
Only a short way to the park. I stop at the unmanned entrance station to get a map and the little newspaper type thing they put out. Three…my guess Russians standing there talking. They look like solders. Short hair, trim, no facial hair. I say “ You guys on leave?” They say.. nothing. Look at me like I’m from outer space and I smile and do not say another word. I run into them all day long at the different venues I stopped at. They went by me like the wind on a uphill on the return of the Badlands Loop. A nice 2.7M (and that ain’t meters) I really enjoyed the walk. Mid 60s and the wind blowing. Jacket weather. Meant up with Bert&Ann in the parking lot. I told them i was heading north to Mesquite Springs Campground. They thought they might also but had to backtrack to Furnace Creek for diesel. Five miles down the road sign that the campground was closed….I head east towards Beatty NV and US95.
Death Valley deserves another visit. This is the second time in a couple of years but depending on the season, it can be quite different. Dispersal camped south of Goldfield NV which is south of Tonopah.
It was a COLD one. The schooner is froze up. No water, but my drinking water inside isn’t frozen and I have plenty. Have to heat water to open the valve on the shitter. For crying out loud. I’m not more than 60 miles north of Death Valley and it’s 14 degrees this morning. No screwing around this morning. Kick the heater on and stayed in bed till she warmed up a bit. God dammit. I don’t thing it going to be to bad but…..
I was going by 7:15. The temp didn’t get above 28 all morning. My plan is 65 mph and no stops. Want to get to Jackpot at least. I keep trying the water but still froze. I really want to dump my tanks too. It doesn’t look like it is a anomaly but life in Nevada. I know it will warm up as soon as I drop into the Boise Riff but not sure how much. Finally about 5:00 PM, it’s dark, the temp has been at 32 for a hour or so and I see a dump station. I had already opened the fresh water drain earlier. Get my headlamp out, get set to dump and dump black first. Yea baby, sounds like a good rush. Pull the gray and another good flow. Hop up into the schooner and the pump is unfrozen. All day long and finally it warms up enough.
Craters of the Moons 47 miles. It’s dark, I don’t make it and pull in to Silver Creek Campground, how nice is that? I got coverage and will post tonight. Should be home tomorrow.
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