We did a weekend trip out to Means Dry Lake / Johnson Valley OHV area. We left Carlsbad around 8 pm and got out there just before 11 pm. After setting up the tent (an experience because it’s all new equipment that we hadn’t set up before) we spent a restless night waiting for sunrise. I was like a kid before Xmas just waiting for the sun to rise so we could start getting ready for our first trip. Wendy because it was her first primitive camping trip and there were a ton of strange noises.

The first spot we stopped at was a nearby sand dune. Last time I was worried about the rocks so didn’t lower my air pressure below 20 lbs PSI. This time I didn’t want to have the sand issues that I had last time so I lowered all of them down to 14 lbs PSI. What a difference! We easily climbed this dune half way up and made sweeping turns to get back down without getting stuck no problem. I probably could have pushed it and tried to climb all the way up but figured to leave well enough alone and just cruise the dunes having fun. I did try a run on the right side of the dune, but there was large whoops at the base (causing us to get airborne and spill the ice chest) that took away our momentum.

Some shots of the wide open areas out here. Since we’re so use to Ocotillo Wells this is a great place to go and “get lost”.

One of the buggies broke the front frame of the buggy at the passenger wheel. We used the broken frame, a steel pipe we found in some debris, and hose clamps to support the frame so he could limp back to camp unassisted. Innovation is the key to getting back to the beer safe and sound.

This is our camp after the windstorm of the night before. Wendy wanted the Ritz-Carlton in Laguna Niguel, I thought 50 mph winds with sand would be a much better character builder for her first southern California camping trip.

My cousin Scott doing the “sideways across the dunes cause I can” trick.

This is the part I enjoyed. We came down a rough rocky trail on the backside of the “Hammers”. Nothing like skidding on your plates all the way down to convince the wife we need a lift kit Manipulation at it’s finest.

admin