roadtrip – Page 2 – Spinning and Grinning

HF Email From The Mobile?

Last summer when we were camping in the national parks, there were many campsites where we had no cell phone service. I am not complaining about that, but our work around to communicate back home to the XYL often required a trip to the pay phone (sometimes hard to find). I thought about perhaps using APRS’s capability of relaying short pieces of text as emails. Part of the problem is that there are many areas of the parks that don’t have any APRS digipeater coverage (Glacier and Yellowstone National Parks for example). How to get a message through?

Then I remembered my MARS station (AEN5AC) in Iraq. I was using an ICOM IC-7000 and an SCS PTC-IIusb modem to pass MARSGRAMS from my location north of Baghdad to another station at the US embassy in Qatar. The pairing worked quite well and I was consistently able to connect and pass traffic using PACTOR 3 at the 1400 baud rate. Could I use a similar setup to provide an HF email option while camping this summer?

September 2007, Taji, Iraq - MARS Station AEN5AC — September 2007, Taji, Iraq – MARS Station AEN5AC

I dug out my SCS PTC-IIusb modem. I had not used it since shutting down the MARS station in June of 2008. Everything was still in the box. To include the cables necessary to interface the modem with an ICOM IC-706MKIIG… the same rig I use for HF mobile.

I pulled out my spare IC-706MKIIG. Coming back to Kansas from Field Day in California back in 2009, my IC-706MKIIG quit on me. I ended up buying a second at the HRO in Denver and sent the broke one to ICOM. ICOM fixed it and returned it. I kept it in the box and it went back on the shelf. I did order a 6 pin Molex connector with powerpoles to allow for an easy power connection (#9). I connected the two cables from the modem to the rig. Once cable is for the data and plugs into the 706’s 13 pin accessory connection (#4). The other cable connects to the 706’s CI-V interface (#6) to have the radio change frequencies based on what station is being contacted.

I had the basic hardware of a HF email station, except for a computer. I would need one that would function out of the vehicle. This would probably require a laptop. I also decided for the ease of simplicity that the computer should be Windows driven (instead of Linux). Gasp! The bottom line is that the software and drivers required to send email via HF and use the SCS PTC-IIusb modem is Windows based. The answer ended up being an Dell XPS 15.
tux-sad

Using a Windows based computer helped me with a number of summer travel tasks that could not be accomplished by my small Linux laptop:
(1) Run the software required for HF email (more on Winlink and Airmail later)
(2) Run ARRL’s TravelPlus for Repeaters
(3) Run RT Systems radio programming software for my TM-D710A
(4) Run RT Systems radio programming software for my VX-8RGs
(5) Read the SD card from my Canon digital camera

Interestingly enough, the new laptop does not have a CD/DVD drive nor an RJ-45 connection for a LAN cable. Neither of these have been a show stopper yet.

ARRL’s TravelPlus for Repeaters

travelplus_repeaters I had purchased TravelPlus for Repeaters with the intent of installing it on my existing Linux laptop and running it under a VirtualBox Windows session (similar to how I run iTunes on my Linux laptop). However the software failed to install. I tried troubleshooting and looking at suggested fixes found on the forum sites but still had no luck. I tried installing TravelPlus using WINE. It installed but would not run as well.

Dell XPS 15 to the rescue. As the laptop does not have a CD/DVD drive, I copied the drive onto network storage. I then was able to install TravelPlus over the network and it is working without issue.

RT Systems Programming Software
The RT Systems programming software works fine under a VirtualBox Windows session. As I was moving all my vehicle related radio/computer tasks to the new Windows laptop, I attempted to install the programming software for the TM-D710A (used for beaconing the location of my vehicle and talking on VHF/UHF). Following a similar procedure that worked for TravelPlus, I copied the programming software from the install disks to a network drive. The software installation for the TM-D710A worked without a hitch. The software for the VX-8RGs (HTs we use for around camp and hiking) failed to load. The error said that I must use the original disk to install. A big challenge when the laptop doesn’t have a CD/DVD drive. The work around is that you find another Windows computer with a CD drive, load the software CD, then back on the driveless laptop, map the CD drive (like you would map a network drive). That worked and I was able to install the programing software for the VX-8GR.

HF Email Software
There are two main choices for software to allow for HF email: RMS Express and Airmail. I installed both. Airmail was the same program I used in Iraq and it offered easy configuration with the IC-706MKIIG and the SCS PTC-IIusb.

I now had all my equipment for a test run setup in my basement hamshack: spare IC-706MKIIG, SCS PTC-IIusb, and the Dell XPS 15 with Airmail. I connected the IC-706MKIIG to my Elecraft tuner and used my existing G5RV antenna. Airmail configures easily. The software has a list of stations offering mailbox services that can be viewed on a propagation chart by frequency and distance. Based on time of day, I selected a station in Texas that offered a 40M PACTOR 3 connection. Airmail allows me to click on the frequency in the propagation chart which then changes the dial frequency of the radio. After listening to see if there were any ongoing connections, I initiated contact. The modem lights flashed and the rig clicked between transmit and receive. The connection was made and I was able to send a test email as well as a position report.

Propagation Prediction & Frequency Selection

Success! The position reports that go into the Winlink system are copied over into APRS. Now, even if I am not able to reach a digipeater with my VHF APRS beacon, I can send a position report over HF to let the XYL know where we are.

APRS.fi showing Position Report from WINLINK

I then thought about the steps I would have to take of transitioning my IC-706MKIIG configured for HF mobile to be ready to work with the PTC-IIusb to send email. As the remote head is located up near the drivers seat, this would present problems with being able to observe the modem, laptop, and radio control head all at the same time.

Remote control heads for the IC-706MKIIG and TM-D710A to the right of the center console. APRS Avmap GPS to the left of steering wheel.

What if I just dedicated the spare IC-706MKIIG rig to the task of HF email? It would save me time and bother in pulling and plugging cables. It would also give the camping option of being able to operate HF from outside the vehicle.

VHF/UHF antenna is forward, above driver's door. Tarheel antenna is mounted on a swing out jerry can holder. — VHF/UHF antenna is forward, above driver’s door. Tarheel antenna is mounted on a swing out jerry can holder.

Using an additional iPortable box, I rack mounted the spare IC-706MKIIG and the SCS PTC-IIusb. Now I will have a spare HF rig with me, so if one goes out I will still be operational. I also attached the Tarheel screwdriver antenna’s rocker switch to raise and lower the antenna on the side of the box. During normal HF mobile operations, the TurboTuner (connected to the other IC-706’s tuner connection and CI-V connection) manages achieving a correct match between the operating frequency and the screwdriver antenna.

I only have the one TurboTuner. The TurboTuner requires a connection to the CI-V. So does the SCS PTC-IIusb. My solution was to leave the TurboTuner alone. Instead, using the rocker switch, I can manually tune the antenna while visually observing the 706’s SWR meter.

HF Email Ready: SCS PTC-IIusb, IC-706MKIIG

To transition between using the 706 dedicated to HF mobile to the 706 now dedicated to HF email, I have to do the following:
(1) disconnect the antenna feedline from the TurboTuner
(2) disconnect the control line that goes from the TurboTuner to the Tarheel screwdriver antenna
(3) connect the antenna feedline directly to the HF email 706
(4) connect the control line to the rocker switch
(5) connect the laptop to the SCS PTC-IIusb via a USB cable
(6) connect the iPortable’s powerpole connection to the junction box in the back of the vehicle

… then I am ready to go. The iPortable box rests nicely on the vehicle’s tailgate, next to the laptop. All at about lawn chair height. Not only can I use this setup to send email via HF, but I can also use it for causal National Parks On The Air contacts as well.

What’s left to do:
(1) Constant cooling fan modification for both IC-706s (see AD5X’s article)
(2) An extended control cable for the Tarheel screwdriver antenna. This will allow me to further remote away from the vehicle, but still use the antenna.
(3) A length of antenna feedline for remoting.
(4) A length of powerpole-ready powerline to attach to either the travel trailer battery or directly to the spare vehicle battery… again for remoting away from the vehicle.
(5) I have a set of Heil headsets that worked with my IC-7000. I think if I get the AD-1ICM, I should be able to use them with the 706.
(6) A Heil HS-2 hand PTT switch to use with the headset.

The 2016 Summer Plans Are Shaping Up

It looks like the summer plans are coming together. In an effort to capitalize on the success of last summer’s trip, this summer’s agenda is a bit more aggressive. 60 days and eight national parks: Yosemite, Kings Canyon, Zion, Grand Canyon’s North Rim, Bryce Canyon, Glacier, Yellowstone, and Grand Teton.

I got the last reservations I needed on Friday. Yosemite seems to be the odd duck when it comes to reservations due to its popularity and scarcity of campsites in the Yosemite Valley. Last summer we were able to make only a day trip to the Yosemite Valley and had a wonderful time. But we only saw just a tiny bit of what the Valley can offer, not to mention anywhere outside the Valley.

For this summer’s trip, we have reservations for a few days at a campsite on the valley floor. Yosemite will be our first national park this summer. After Yosemite, we will head south to Kings Canyon/Sequoia National Park. Although I grew up in California and attended Boy Scout camp near Kings Canyon, I have never actually been there. Then we make our way to Zion National Park followed by the North Rim of the Grand Canyon. Heading back north, we will spend a few days at Bryce Canyon National Park. This area of Utah, Arizona, and Colorado is loaded with national parks. Some folks spend the summer making the “Grand Circle Tour” seeing all of them. Our Grand Circle Tour will have to wait until another summer. I have never been to Zion, Bryce, or the Grand Canyon. Our visit this summer should give me a good idea about this area and I will know if I will want to come back again to see other national park gems like Mesa Verde, Arches, Canyonlands, and Capitol Reef.

Finding our way back to I-15, we will head north, north, north…. up to Glacier National Park. Glacier was on of our stops last year and Glacier rivals Yosemite in beauty (my opinion). Glacier also has a lot less people. We will spend a week on the west side of the park and then a week on the east side (even less people). There were lots of things we did not have time to see last year and there are many things we would like to see again. We have reservations at St. Mary Campground now, but I would be thrilled to get one of the first-come first-served spaces at Many Glacier Campground. We’ll see.

Back on I-15 and heading south, we will find our way to the northern entrance into Yellowstone. Yellowstone was another park we visited last year and I am looking forward to this return trip. We are starting our stay at the Canyon Campground, located centrally on the eastern side of the figure eight loop. From here I hope to explore the Mammoth Hot Springs and the old Army garrison. We will probably make one or two twilight trips into the Lamar Valley to see the wildlife (at a safe distance). Then we move down to Grant Campground, located on the western portion of Yellowstone Lake. I would enjoy a day trip out to the Norris Geyser Basin as well as exploring Lewis Lake to the south.

Our last national park this summer will be Grand Teton. This year I have reservations at their RV park on Colter Bay. This place has full hooks up for our trailer which may be helpful as temperatures climb a bit in July. We never got to explore much of Jenny Lake or look around the Moose Visitor Center which has a few attractions nearby.

Then we’ll make our way back home to Kansas.

A few goals for this summer’s trip:
– Have fun and make sure the schedule does not become oppressive. The time allotted for Yosemite, Glacier, Yellowstone, and Grand Teton should allow for a relaxed schedule.
– Balance taking pictures with having fun. I usually error on the side of not taking pictures in order to make sure I am enjoying “the moment”. I think there is a balance. There are those who spend their vacation looking through the screen of a cell phone as they swing around a selfie stick. Not for me.
– Make a few NPOTA contacts. I plan on getting an HF rig installed in my vehicle by mid-March. My intent is for casual operation and to keep a paper log.
– I have toyed with the idea of using my PACTOR III modem to allow for an email capability. There are many locations I will be this summer that does not allow for cell or internet access. If I can design an easy way to integrate the modem into the mobile setup, testing it with a mini-laptop and am sure it will work without issue… I may do this.

Mid-America RV Show

We went to the Mid-America RV Show in Bartle Hall at the Kansas City Convention Center. All kinds of RVs, from micro light travel trailers to million dollar buses.

I enjoyed looking at the Class A motorhomes. These are the size of a Greyhound bus. Inside, the enmities are breathtaking. Washer/dryer. Walk in closet. Full-sized shower. Tile. Everything made me think of what the presidential suite in an upscale Las Vegas hotel would look like.

Our ideal RV is a travel trailer:
– not longer than 25′
– has two axles
– bunk beds
– queen sized bed
– slide out for the dinning area

Picking an RV is definitely a matter of trade offs. It all comes down to what you want to be able to do with your RV. Live in it full-time? Spend the winters in Florida? Attend NASCAR races? Visit the in-laws? Right now, our goal is to have an RV to support summer camping trips to national parks.

Camping in national parks generates a number of requirements:

(1) limitations in length. Most national parks have relatively small campsites. If the campground has larger sites, they tend to be few in number…. maybe only one or two. Greyhound buses are off the list. Campsite options open up with a trailer under 25′ in length.

(2) no hook-ups. No electricity. No water connections. The trailer needs to be able to dry camp (or boondock) for a week.

(3) for touring the actual park, there can be limitations in vehicle size. Again, no Greyhound bus. It makes life a lot easier to leave a travel trailer at the campsite when touring a park then trying to maneuver around even a Class C motorhome and find a parking spot.

I have my own requirements:
(1) RV storage. We can use the storage lot at our local military base which is steeply discounted. This comes with size restrictions. If we get a longer RV that could force us to store off post, generating a significant increase in our current storage fees.

(2) Using my current vehicle as the tow vehicle limits me to only travel trailers. The tow vehicle can pull a bit over 8000 lbs but it would be best to limit the weight to only 2/3 of that capacity.

(3) The wheelbase of the tow vehicle is 112″ (9’4″). When researching on the internet, the general rule that you find is that for a wheel base of 110″ you can tow a 20′ trailer. For every additional 4″ to that wheel base, you can add one additional foot. Others say that by adding a weight distribution hitch and sway control, the general rule can be bent to a certain degree. Our current travel trailer is 21’8″. Using our weight distribution hitch and sway control, there have been no issues. Another important factor that is mentioned is the actual weight of the tow vehicle (heavier being better). The tow vehicle weighs in at 5765 lbs. (about 500lbs heavier than my old Toyota Tundra). I feel that I could comfortably pull a trailer that was slightly longer than what we currently have (up to 24′).

(4) I would feel safer pulling a trailer with two axles. If a blowout occurs on one of the trailer tires, I believe it would be easier to minimize the issues inherent with a blowout if there were another set of tires. With only one axle, if you loose a tire I think you could anticipate significant axle damage (at a minimum).

There is the option of getting a larger tow vehicle. A larger tow vehicle would generally allow for a longer travel trailer. Dedicating a pick-up to haul a fifth wheel is another option. However, I am currently happy with my tow vehicle and want to remain in the limits of the vehicles capabilities.

So.. what is wrong with our current trailer? Honestly, what we now have works fine. Two draw backs of our current travel trailer (2014 Coachmen Clipper 17BH) are (1) the bed size and orientation and (2) the small space for the dinning table. Generally – the space gets tight inside if all four of us are in there.

Here are some possible candidates to replace the Clipper 17BH:

Rockwood Mini Lite 2306 (23’7″)
201BHXL Cruise Lite FS Edition (23’7″)
Keystone Bullet Crossfire 2070BH (23’10”)

All of these models use a Murphy bed for the master bed which allows for side access. During the day, the bed is pulled to a vertical position leaving a coach underneath. This opens a great deal of room inside the trailer. All these models also have two axles and significantly larger refrigerators.

Kay Everett Calls CQ

Vanguard Press; First Edition edition (1951)

Pick up your D-104 and Press To Talk for… ADVENTURE! I purchased this book a while back and I finally dug it off the shelf. Kay Everett Calls CQ, by Amelia Lobsenz, is about a young college girl who takes a summer road trip from North Carolina out to the West with three friends, a travel trailer, and ham radio. For me, this book has several things going for it: (1) strong female protagonist (I have two daughters), (2) HF mobile (I need to get my rig installed in my new vehicle), and (3) a travel trailer trip to Yellowstone National Park, Idaho, and the Colorado Rocky Mountains. The plot centers around a jewel thief, who is also roaming the West, and Kay learning about the amateur radio hobby. Ham radio plays a critical role in several places and the author has the main characters explore several aspects of the hobby (… they even go to a hamfest).

The author, Amelia Lobsenz, was an experienced ham, licensed in 1941. After a stent in publishing, she ran her own public relations firm. She based some of the characters on her actual friends, to include Theresa Korn, K7JGU. In the story, Terry, a YL and pilot, takes two of the girls flying over Idaho (aeronautical mobile, where they end up directing smokejumpers into a wildfire). The protagonist, Kay, is named after Ms. Lobsenz’s own daughter.

Ms. Lobsenz used a 1940’s trip out West to serve as inspiration for Kay’s trip. Among the many places the girls go include:
– National Elk Refuge National Wildlife Refuge
– Grand Teton National Park
– Yellowstone National Park
– Craters of the Moon National Monument
– The Great Salt Lake in Utah
– Rocky Mountain National Park

Amelia became a Silent Key in 1992, but I think her written work will live on.

2016: The Grand Tour

The travel trailer is now winterized and back in storage. I was also able to get the water heater fixed and get the hitch on the tow vehicle lowered (the Land Cruiser’s hitch was about 4″ higher than that of the Tundra).

It is time to put the plans together for the 2016 Summer Trip! Only 208 days until we roll out.

I am looking at a few different possible itineraries. Much will depend on if I am able to get reservations where I need to get them.

The mission will be similar to last year’s: exploring our National Parks. The wife has never been to Yosemite (gasp!) and it would be nice to spend some time there early in the season. I have never been to the Grand Canyon (gasp!) or any of the other major national parks in Utah and Colorado.

I really enjoyed my time at Glacier National Park and would like to spend more time there. We didn’t get to see all of Yellowstone.

For reservations, I already have them for Yellowstone and Grand Teton. They start accepting reservations two years out. Yosemite is a gamble. It is hard to get reservations there and I have to wait until January or February to try. Pretty much all the rest of the parks do not take reservations until 6 months out. That puts me at the end of November and the beginning of December to get my reservations in.

Most likely I will dash out to the West first. That will take four days of driving. If I can’t get reservations in Yosemite, I could always go to neighboring Kings Canyon or Sequoia National Parks. I have never been to either.

The fastest approach would probably be taking I-70 west until hitting I-15 in Utah. Then heading towards Las Vegas, take I-15 until I hit Barstow, CA. Alternatively, I could head south first, down to I-40 and make my way to Barstow, CA by way of Albuquerque and Flagstaff.

In California, we can stay either in Yosemite, Kings Canyon, or Sequoia. This would allow us to take a day trip (or overnight) out to the Bay Area to see relatives. I most likely would come in from the south through the San Joaquin Valley and approach from the west. Alternatively, I could head north up the eastern side of the Sierras to Lee Vining, CA. From there I could take Tioga Pass into Yosemite. But that would mean that Tioga Pass was open in early June and I had reservations for Yosemite. We will see.

After California, I will head south and then east to Las Vegas, back up I-15 and head for Zion National Park. From Yosemite to Zion is 650 miles, making this leg a two day trip.

After spending a few days at Zion, it is a 125 mile jog south to the North Rim of the Grand Canyon.

A few days here and then up to Bryce Canyon National Park, a 150 miles north.

After Bryce Canyon, I can hop back on to I-15 and make my way towards Glacier National Park. This will be a three day trip with stops in Pocatello and Great Falls. It would be nice to spend two full weeks at Glacier. Probably mostly on the east side, but maybe the west too.

Logan Point Visitors Center on The Going To The Sun Road, Glacier National Park

From Glacier it will take one or two days down to Yellowstone. I have reservations for the Canyon Campground. I think this should put at us for a good location for exploring. We need to devote some time to see Mammoth Hot Springs. I think we could spend the day there, head east having dinner at Roosevelt Lodge near tower and then spend an early evening watching in wildlife in the Lamar Valley.

June 2015 – Bison in Lamar Valley, Yellowstone National Park

After Yellowstone, a week in Grand Teton exploring much of went unexplored before is in order. Then generally heading the direction of home, perhaps a few days in Rocky Mountain National Park? When all is said and done, this could be a seven week trip – but could be tailored for less if needed.

End of the season

That’s it. It is over. We were lucky enough to spend Columbus Day weekend at Perry Lake State Park near Lawrence, Kansas. The weather was great and the camping was fun. No problems with the trailer. The heater worked… it was pretty cold on the first night. The water heater worked without issue.

A new edition to the camping equipment was my grandfather’s Coleman two-burner stove. He had it in the basement of his cabin up in the California Sierra Nevadas and it had never been used. I would guess the stove is at least 20 years old, maybe older. The stove works like a champ. I got a griddle for it and used it to cook hamburgers for dinner one evening and french toast for a breakfast meal.

Another test subject during the trip was the new tow vehicle: a Toyota Land Cruiser. Compared to the older Tundra, the Land Cruiser has twice the towing capacity as well as a bigger engine. It is not quite as tall as the Tundra and quite a bit shorter (which means it is a lot easier to maneuver, park, and turn around). The towing performance was great. Even with a heavy Kansas side wind on the way home, the towing stability was great despite the shorter wheel-base of the Land Cruiser.

The travel trailer is now getting winterized and I have to start thinking about what I want to get done before I cast off for next summer’s trip:
(1) Replace three of the stabilizer jacks. I already replaced one. The other three are either rusted, bent, or both.
(2) Get the black water sensor repaired. This should have been repaired went I took my travel trailer to Camping World last spring, but Camping World ended up doing more damage to the trailer than actual repairing anything.
(3) Repair the spring latch on the screen door.
(4) Get the water heater serviced. There were many on this past summer’s trip where the water heater worked inconsistently. Either it had trouble lighting or would not stay lit.
(5) Get the roof inspected.
(6) Repack the bearings and replace the tires.
(7) Get the trailer brakes adjusted.
(8) Get a torque wrench for tightening the trailer tire lug nuts.
(9) Develop a plan for carrying the bicycles. Without a truck bed, I am going to have to get creative.

Nice to have repairs:
(1) Replace the connecting cable from the trailer to the tow vehicle. The Land Cruiser’s towing electrical connection is in a position which requires the connecting cable to be a bit longer. Right now I have an extension cable for the connection but would prefer just one cable completing the connection.
(2) Replace the propane tank to trailer hose. With my installation of the two 6v batteries, the path of the propane hose was slightly disrupted. A longer hose would fix the issue.
(3) Replace the water pump with something more electrically efficient.
(4) Install and inline water filter for the galley sink.
(5) Figure out an efficient way to carry our fishing poles.

Toyota Transition

This blog started in conjunction with my return to the United States in 2005 and purchase of a Toyota Tundra. After being away from the US for four years, I celebrated my return by the purchase of the new truck and a (mostly) circumnavigation of the lower 48. My first encounter with Toyota was through my friend Robb and a 1980s Toyota 4×4 he had. Robb was going to school at Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo. Robb was fond of taking his truck to Pismo Beach and enjoying the beach and dune experience. Robb loved his truck.

After spending a year in Monterrey, CA learning Russian at the Defense Language Institute and a few months honing my listening abilities at Goodfellow Air Force Base near San Angelo, TX, I got my follow on orders to Fairbanks, Alaska (Fort Wainwright). I didn’t have a car. I was an enlisted Army soldier making not a whole lot of money. Heading way, way up north. I figured I needed a 4-wheel drive vehicle to make my life a bit more comfortable. My first thought was a Ford Ranger. But it ended up being too expensive. The most reasonable costing 4-wheel drive vehicle was a Toyota 4×4. It was 1993 and the Tacoma had not come along yet. 1993 Toyota 4×4. Manual locking hubs. Manual windows. AM/FM radio. Bench seat. No A/C. 4 cylinders. That truck was to go on to perform flawlessly in Alaska, transported me from Alaska to Georgia and several cross-country trips. Arizona. Washington State. Texas. And California. For seven years, that truck never let me down. I was heading off to Korea for a year to be followed by three in Germany. I sold the truck.

1993 Toyota 4×4, driving across western Arizona with my pet iguana

1993 Toyota 4×4, California – just before I had to sell the truck, ~December 2000

1993 Toyota 4×4, exploring south eastern Arizona near Fort Huachuca

When I was planning my return to the US, I knew I wanted to get another Toyota. I settled on the Tundra. But instead of the minimum package, I was able to swing a 2005 Toyota Tundra Limited Double Cab 4×4. This truck offered to support a newly forming family. I broke the truck in with a trip around the US. I continually upgraded my ham radio installation in the truck, further enhancing my mobile enjoyment. The Tundra performed flawlessly. Never an issue.

2005 Toyota Tundra, Fort Story, Virginia

2005 Toyota Tundra, Leavenworth, Kansas – the snowy winter of 2010

The Tundra proved to be the hero of the 2015 Summer trip. Five national parks. From Kansas to Montana, Wyoming, out to California and back. Pulling a travel trailer. No issues, no problems. Over 120,000 miles.

2005 Toyota Tundra, Lansing, Kansas – January, 2013

It was time to think about the future. A future of summer travel. Exploration of national parks in the west. Colorado. Arizona. Utah. Maybe an upgrade to the travel trailer. The 2005 Tundra had an older drive train and a towing capacity topping out at 4,200 lbs. Comparing the aging 2005 Tundra to the current available 4x4s… the 2005 had a hard time measuring up.

I wanted to find something that was as reliable and dependable. Offered increase towing capability. But maybe smaller? Truth be told, I often had difficulty parking the Tundra. The turning radius was… challenging. Was there something available in a smaller package, yet offering increased performance and towing capabilities? Oh… did I mention that it has to be a Toyota?

Wednesday, July 8th [Day 35] – Yosemite

We had a great day at Yosemite. We left the cabin at about 7:15am. It was difficult getting Emily going. I got up early and loaded the bikes the in the truck. I should have made some sandwiches but at least I packed a six pack of water bottles and two bags of Cheerios.

The total distance from the cabin to the Yosemite Valley floor in about 75 miles. The drive started pretty easy. Down the mountain on CA 108 to the junction with CA 49 heading south. CA 49 then leads to CA 120 and moves quickly until the Priest Grade. 8 miles of slow, steep and windy road. Then things moved fast again through Groveland… which reminded me of Sweeney (was he Grandpa Barrios’ brother?). I also remember the adults making a trip to the Iron Door Saloon from Family Camp one time. We passed that too.

After the turn off for San Jose Family Camp (I wish we had had some extra time to take that detour) the road got a bit more windy and you could still see plenty of evidence of the Rim Fire. The park entrance is about 20 miles from the valley floor. I got the newspaper they hand out and a map. It is a windy drive down into the valley, but very pretty.

Once down on the valley floor, I pulled into parking which I thought was the Visitors Center. The drive had taken about two hours. After we parked, we started walking to find the bathrooms prior to going to the Visitors Center. Then I saw a sign that said the Visitors Center was a 10 minute walk along the bike path, or you could take a shuttle bus. I realized we were just in a parking area – no where close to the Visitors Center. Back to the truck and we unloaded the bikes. We were off.

After a short ride we arrived at the Visitors Center. We got our National Park Passports stamped and the Junior Ranger worksheets. I also got a map that showed the bike trails around the valley floor.

We then hit a nearby deli and got sandwiches…. as breakfast was kind of skipped in an effort to get out the door. Once fueled up with a bit of food, we took our bikes over to Yosemite Falls. Emily was really excited to see the waterfall. You can’t ride bikes up too far but after we parked them, it was a short hike with a pretty view of the lower falls.

Back on the bikes, we swung across the valley floor and crossed the Merced River on a bridge. When we were coming up behind people on the bikes, I gave my little bike bell a ring to get them to scoot over.

Our next stop was Camp Curry and their General Store where we got ice cream and took a quick break. Then we continued on to the Mirror Lake trailhead. We made a short hike to the lake (which looked much different than I remembered it), found some rocks, took a break and drank water.

Back on our bikes and heading down the road, we saw a small black bear just off the side of the road. He was on a fallen log, pulling it apart – probably looking for grubs. The bear was about 20 feet away.

After more riding, we stopped at The Ahwahnee – the fancy resort hotel on the valley floor. We got water there and rested a bit. Nothing we could live without in the gift shop (lots of fancy stuff).

Back to the Visitors Center. We worked on the Junior Ranger worksheet, then attended a Junior Ranger program conducted by one of the rangers. After that, the girls got their Junior Ranger badges. In recognition of their achievement, we took a trip to the gift shop where Sarah got a Yosemite Half Dome baseball cap and Emily got a puzzle with a picture of a black bear on it.

A short bike ride back to the truck. The parking lot was PACKED. I am so glad we took the bikes. After I packed up the truck (now 3:30pm) we made our way back out. Cars parked everywhere. I am glad we got there when we did.

The drive back had more traffic than the drive there.

A great day – the girls had a lot of fun.

Friday, July 3rd [Day 30] – Sparks,NV to Mi-Wuk, CA (300 miles)

The Donner Pass ended up not being too bad. Nothing compared to the Teton Pass. As I made my way over I-80 and down the western slope of the Sierras, I decided to take CA 49 south, following the foothills of the Sierras to Sonora. Mistake! Major mistake! It was twisty, hilly, with some serious grades. What was I thinking.

I arrived in Placerville and headed west of US 50 towards Sacramento. From there I picked up CA 99 south. CA 99 is a multilaned road traveling parallel to I-5. But wow! Californians drive like maniacs! Swerving, darting in and out, speeding. When I completed drivers training in California, we covered a device called the blinkers… what you use to indicate a lane change. Apparently this has been dropped from the curriculum.

CA 99 leads to Manteca and CA 120. CA 120 travels east (all the way to Yosemite) but we made the turn on to CA 108 south of Jamestown. After passing through Sonora, we headed up CA 108 gaining a bit of elevation. We made it to Mi-Wuk Village with the only trouble of backing the trailer into the driveway of my dad’s cabin. The driveway was smaller than I remember. So were the residential roads. After a few attempts, I got the trailer spotted on the driveway. We had made it to California.

Thursday, July 2nd [Day 29] – Twin Falls, ID to Sparks, NV (460 miles)

In the back of my mind, I am starting to think about crossing the Sierras west of Reno. Well, not so much thinking about it as stressing about it. I had researched the Donner Pass. First – it is a well maintained, year-around US interstate (I-80). It is just that I have never driven the pass before. I am from California and have driven in and out of the state more times than I can remember. I have taken I-5 north (and never liked the steep part around the northern border). I have driven out of the state from the south on I-8 and I-10. One time I took I-40 west coming into California. The thing about California is that you have to pass over some type of pass to get into it. With my trailer, I was worried. But I still had another full day to worry about crossing Donner Pass.

The morning started early in Twin Falls and we got on the road heading south on US 93 to Wells, Nevada and I-80. US 93 was not too bad, no real elevation changes. There were parts that had no shoulder or lane to allow me to get over and let faster traffic pass.

We gassed up in Wells, NV and turned west. The Nevada dessert was hot but the Tundra performed flawlessly. The temp gauge never moved. I kept my speed at a solid 65 miles per hour. For lunch and gas, I decided to stop at Winnemucca. Apparently, everyone else decided to stop there as well. It was a nightmare getting through the gas station adjacent to the McDonald’s and then finding a place to park. Lesson learned, on the way back east I found a travel stop on the western edge of Winnemucca… easy in, easy out with a Subways for lunch.

The afternoon heat continued as we continued to make our way west. No significant issues, just a long day of driving… a bit over 450 miles. Well over what I like to do in a day. We arrived at our destination, just east of Reno at the Sparks Marina RV Park.

Check in was easy and the RV park looked like it had nice facilities. I dropped the trailer in our slot and headed to a nearby Jiffy Lube for an oil change. I was due. Good thing I did as I was low. Dinner was at Applebees. The RV park had a nice pool which I took advantage of with the girls. We slept soundly, with the AC on low.