We started in Panamint springs. I stayed in a motel Friday night because I knew I would get a late start just coming in off two weeks on the road. I Drove all day from San Jose ca. kept in touch with Dan Grooters as he was leaving from Ventura area of Socal. He was about 2 hours ahead of me on show time at Panamint Springs.
When I arrived TurtleX(John) was already having a beer at the springs resort. Out on the patio.
Their beer cooler has hundreds of microbrews and they have about 8-10 beers on taps including Black butte porter.
Not to bad for out in the middle of nowhere.
In the morning we all meet at the resort for breakfast. Left around 9 am. We missed ATH211 who had some clutch and switch problemos. Aired down at the start of the saline valley road (south end) had lunch 1/8 of the way up Lippencott mine road.
At the lunch break we were in radio contact with the other group of expedition off roaders. First night camping was at homestake camp at the south end of the Race track.( so named for the stones that move about out on a dry playa.
Next day saw expedition offroaders leave to go south and us to go north . we stopped at teakettle junction and took pictures and then on to Ubehebe crater. After a short lunch we headed to the north toward crankshaft junction on the way to Eureka Dunes. Night camp at Eureka dunes , I got a chance to use my Zodi shower and had a wonderful shower to knock the trail dust off. And some fine scotch. Danny Grooters helped John TurtleX change a flat tire on the front of his rig. Seems he picked up a nail. This would be the only flat of our group.
Next day saw us crossing steel pass and though a large number of washes and debris fields on our way to saline valley hot springs. We did the customary stop to visit the Blue Marble bath on a spur trail off the main trail between Steel pass and saline valley hot springs
This is where we soaked with the hippies. Next days we headed home out the North pass and on to Big pine for a gas up and hand shaking all around. Danny Grooters (DannyX) headed South with his daughter Lily and GeoXplorer , TurtlX and I headed North up 395 to the Yosemite east entrance and hiway 120 which was open. After crossing the Tioga pass we parted ways on our onwn timelines to finish the remainder of our trips. I did get a chance to see all of the damage from the rim fire the year before.
We may have to check this out next season on a Clavey bridge run. A good time had by all
