Train / 4X4 / RV
Fall 2000 Trip
Durango CO, & Canyonlands UT
Fall 2000 Trip
SUMMARY: This was an informal Ham
Radio RV caravan, train ride, and 4X4 trip from California to Durango,
Colorado, Canyonlands NP, Utah, and other nearby locations, Saturday,
September 23 through Saturday, September 30, 2000. We rode the Durango -
Silverton Railroad on Sept. 26 (photo - Ed, Sunny, Marsha, Jim, Helen, Ross,
Les) and 4X4ed over Elephant Hill in Canyonlands on Sept. 28. Included is
a report on my Sept. 15th pre-trip to Lone Pine for Public Service and
camping.
PRE-TRIP: I left Sacramento on
Friday, Sept. 15 for Lone Pine to participate in the Sam's Radio Hams
communications for the Whitney Classic 140 mi. bike ride from Death Valley to
Mt. Whitney Portal. I arrived after my 360 mile trip in time to park my
trailer next to the Alabama Hills Inn with the other workers and go into town
with the Sam's Radio Hams for dinner. John, N6SEX, got in from Sacramento
while we were still at the restaurant. The ride started at Badwater at 3 PM
Sat., where it was 122.5 F. I was at Emigrant Station, between Stovepipe
Wells and Towne Pass, where it only reached 109 F. This was a new spot from
previous years, and I was able to relay and report on 147.51 MHz. simplex.
This gap was bridged with 160 meters before. I was prepared with 160, but it
wasn't needed. John worked a later shift at Whitney Portal at the ride
finish, which ended at Noon Sun. There was an awards party in the city park
afterward. John headed home, while we moved our RVs to nearby Boulder Creek
RV Resort (photo) for the Sam's Radio Hams campout which officially started the
following day.
There were a couple of day trips during the campout. One was to Darwin and
Darwin Falls, like on the Mt. Vaca 1997 Spring trip. We had lunch at China
Garden again, near the Falls, but we didn't get to the Falls. The goldfish
were fine. The other trip was to Horseshoe Meadows, over the road seen
zig-zaging up the face of the Sierras, SW of Lone Pine. On the way back to
camp, we stopped and picked free apples (photo) at a small orchard at the
south end of tha Alabama Hills.
TRAVEL: I left Lone Pine on Thurs. morning, Sept. 21, crossed Death Valley and Las Vegas, and spent a pleasant night in St. George, UT. Up to then, I had mostly 100 degree plus temperatures. But I hit Salina, UT the same time as a cold front. It was close to freezing that night and the next morning. While waiting at the local Conoco for Jim, WB6ZII, and Marsha, KD6TTS, drinking hot chocolate, I was discovered by a local Ham, Dean, W7DHH, by my HF mobile antenna and my Ham plates. His reason for stopping was made clear by the same on his vehicle. We had a short conversation which included his 17 meter mobile operating. Jim and Marsha were three hours, and 40 oz of hot chocolate, late, but I was able to work them from the other side of Delta, UT on the Salina 147.10 repeater. While waiting, I called Marc, W6MAR, on the cell phone. He was just leaving Fallon, NV and supposed to be caravaning with Ed, KE6AFB, and Sunny, KE6AFA, a day behind us. He hadn't heard from them, but after we talked, it turned out that they were within simplex range, and caravaned the rest of the way together. I talked to Ross, WØXJ, mobile to mobile on 40 meters and again the next day. He and Helen, WA6KHD had left home in KS to meet us in Durango. Jim, Marsha, and I caravaned to Green River, UT and spent the night at the KOA before going on to Durango. Ed, Sunny, and Marc spent that night in Ely, NV and drove straight to Durango the next day, arriving a few hours after all the rest of us.
The Nomad private car in 1971 on our first group trip to Durango. Yes, that's me. |
The Nomad as it looks in 2000 in the museum at Durango, still available for trips. |
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DURANGO: Ross and Helen stayed at a motel in town, while the rest of us were at the Hermosa Meadows RV Park. Jim and Marsha had a conventional travel trailer, while Ed and Sunny had their tent trailer which is much larger than mine. Marc stayed in a cabin there. While we individually have been much further than this with our trailers, this was the first time that we undertook to take them on one of these longer group trips. The results were good.
MESA VERDE: The next day was an open day before our train ride. Jim and Marsha wanted to go to Mesa Verde to see the cliff dwellings and Ed, Sunny, and Marc decided to go too. I dropped my vehicle off for some work, and not having wheels for the day, rode along. In the rush, my camera stayed in camp. Ross and Helen looked over Durango.
TRAIN: We had tickets for the third
train out, which gave us time to visit the new train museum before departure.
I had reserved two tickets on an open car for Marc and myself, and six in a
chair car for the others, with the understanding that we could swap within
our party for photo taking. We found that we could not even visit since the
two ends of the train were blocked at the center of the refreshment car. This
was relaxed on the return trip due to fewer passengers. We had a good time on
the train trip, though, and enjoyed Silverton as always. We all had dinner at
Francisco's that evening, my first visit since I was sick for three days
afterward in 1991.
HOVENWEEP: The next day, saying
goodby to Ross and Helen, we moved to Montecello, UT, preparatory to going to
Canyonlands the next day. After setting up camp, we drove to Hovenweep
National Monument for an interesting hike among more cliff dwellings.
ELEPHANT HILL: This was the first
time that we went over Elephant Hill in the Needles District of Canyonlands
National Park as a day trip. On every previous visit, we camped at Devil's
Kitchen in the backcountry. We left our trailers in the RV park in Montecello
and drove to Canyonlands in two vehicles. Jim and Marsha rode with Marc in
his Grand Cherokee, and I rode with Ed and Sunny in their Cherokee. We
stopped at Newspaper Rock on the way in. (Photo - First-timer Marc going up
Elephant Hill.)
Not to be cheated out of a visit to Devil's Kitchen, we had lunch there
(photo). We did hike to the Confluence Overlook, to see where the Colorado
and Green Rivers meet, but we didn't have time to visit the Joint Trail to
Chesler Park in the Needles. We drove back to Montecello, getting there after
dark.
NATURAL BRIDGES: We split into two
groups the next day to start home. Ed and Sunny had not seen Arches National
Park, so they headed north through Moab. The rest of us went through Blanding
to Natural Bridges National Monument. We toured the bridges and hiked to one,
then had lunch there. Continuing north and east through Capitol Reef National
Park, we rejoined Ed and Sunny near Salina. At that point, Jim and Marsha
turned south on I-70 with the intent of going to Cedar City, Las Vegas, and
Lone Pine. The rest of us spent the night in Delta, UT, and drove home the
following day.
RADIO: The group used 147.555 MHz FM simplex for caravaning. Ross and I had 40 meter SSB mobile schedules on 7261 kHz at 1030, 1230, and 1430 Pacific. I also talked to Larry, K6AAW, on one of these skeds. Ross and I also checked into the Elks Net on 14328 kHz at 0900 Pacific. PRE-TRIP: The Sam's Radio Hams use 147.51 MHz. FM for caravaning, talk-in, and public service. Their weekly net is on 7268.5 kHz SSB at 0900 Pacific Sunday, with an informal net preceeding at 0830. Other informal SRH nets are on 7273 kHz at 0830 Pacific, Mon - Sat, and 3918.5 kHz at 2000 Pacific, Mon - Fri. The 160 meter frequency mentioned that was not used is 1945 kHz. There is a San Diego group on there nightly at 1900 Pacific.
Although this was not a Mt Vaca Radio Club activity, we invited MVRC members and guests to come along. This invitation was only with the usual understanding that we take these trips as friends and equals and no responsibility or liability is assumed by anyone.