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Red Mountain.

TPC

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Tonka town in the desert covers about an acre of Tonka cars and trucks and scale business buildings and roads.
The Tonka Town brothel has naked Barbie dolls.
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Camped just east of Randsberg with a Facebook off road group.

The host guy is a McGyver. His Can Am has everything for every trail problem he’s encountered in the past.

This guy is in his element and really knows the trails and points of interest.
Kicks the assholes outta camp like washing a dish. Nice group so far. A couple more arrive tomorrow

One guy on our ride on a trail quad hit a rock and blew out his side wall. Never seen a tire repair kit like this.
Had a torch and every type of plug and patch known to the human race.

Another hit a rock so hard pushed his skid plate through his oil pan.

We tow’d Him back.
McGyver got them both fixed and back on the trail.

If you cross over the 395 (west side) and head to Joburg or Randsberg you are expected to have the Cal City Sticker.
Rangers were writing tickets to everyone without it.
You also need a Cal City permit on your rv or tow vehicle. Separate charge.

Trail closures are more than ever. So many, though we honor them most others defy them.
It’s got ridiculous.

Today we’ll hit some aircraft crash memorials, roll through the train tunnel and explore a mine.
 
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grumpy88

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Train tunnel ? This one I would like to see . Keep the pictures coming !
 
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Meaney77

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Is that the train tunnel close to Searles Station road?

What's the story on the tire plug? Insert plug and heat with a torch to melt plug and fill in the hole to avoid leaks? I have a leaky sidewall plug- maybe this is what I need to try
 
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TPC

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3A85A82C-90A7-4D8B-8584-FB7EEF7556AD.jpeg

The Tonka Town brothel:
43E64E18-599B-460E-9777-374602B7897C.jpeg
The McGyver guy had these 1” & 2” mushroom shaped plugs you insert and heat.
Never seen it before.
I want that kit. Had all
Kinds of gizmos and methods.

Today the group got split up so I headed to Randsberg and am having lunch at the WhiteHouse.
Still a bunch of bastards run the place.
The General Store is nicer and better food. The Joint is the better bar and far friendlier. Occasionally has food.

If you can’t see the person following you ya stop until you do,,, or go back and check on them and the idea is the ride in front of you does the same and so on.
Well they didn’t.
Flying solo for now.
 
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TPC

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Is that the train tunnel close to Searles Station road?

What's the story on the tire plug? Insert plug and heat with a torch to melt plug and fill in the hole to avoid leaks? I have a leaky sidewall plug- maybe this is what I need to try
I’m going to find out more about that kit and do a thread on it.
It’s comprehensive
 

grumpy88

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View attachment 702769
The Tonka Town brothel:
View attachment 702768 The McGyver guy had these 1” & 2” mushroom shaped plugs you insert and heat.
Never seen it before.
I want that kit. Had all
Kinds of gizmos and methods.

Today the group got split up so I headed to Randsberg and am having lunch at the WhiteHouse.
Still a bunch of bastards run the place.
The General Store is nicer and better food.

If you can’t see the person following you ya stop until you do,,, or go back and check on them and the idea is the ride in front of you does the same and so on.
Well they didn’t.
Flying solo for now.
White house saloon and jawbone canyon store are run by ass holes . No appreciation for your business. Bump and run at the corners and nobody will ever get left behind .
 

Long Way Home

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I was told by a old friend that there are a few gold mines that are still operating and still digging up gold/silver in the red mountain area, not sure if this is true.
 
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TPC

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Several Gold mines to explore.

Day Two:
Never made it to the train tunnel.

5 responders said they’d make the meet, 24 showed up just on the directions to camp posted on Facebook.
Several were new to off roading.

Even though McGyver guy clearly explained the “bump and run” system, the new people didn’t get it.
That’s where everything went wrong.
70 miles from camp in the desert it’s really gone wrong and several sections of the ride took wrong turns.

Lucky enough several experienced off-roaders were amongst the wrong turn sections.
When everyone is 100 feet behind each other in the dust, then one person blows the system, groups split up and get separated fast.

Mcgyver had handed hand held radios to several that didn’t already have them and in time was able to round everyone up. Ch Checkers 2.

One new family froze in place up a simple climb in their Rzr. We had to take the wheel. Weird.

Another guy on a new Raptor got snake bit and wouldn’t travel
more than 5 MPH.
Bizarre. Strange dude.
Refused to talk to anyone, he showed up in an evil knievil outfit, new truck, new Yamaha Raptor, shiny new loading ramps WTF?
Finally got him back to camp, he loaded up and drove off. Damfino.

“30 years of this and this is the first time this happened” McGyver told me later.
“From now on it’s text messages of meet up sites to those that are experienced” he added.
 
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grumpy88

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Sounds like a interesting group to say the least . Normally you seam to travel with the most organized groups . Now go find the train tunnel ! Lol
 
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Hallett_Whacker

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@TPC, we used to do Randsburg a lot (I'll probably do a couple of trips this year).

Spot on about the Whitehouse, peeps that work there are not nice in my experience. Maybe I caught them on a bad day (all 20 times). The Joint is awesome. Cheap drinks, stiff drinks, old school drunks.

Question, how much for the Cal City permits for the RV and bikes? Are they annual?

Good luck on your rides, be safe.
 
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TPC

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@TPC, we used to do Randsburg a lot (I'll probably do a couple of trips this year).

Spot on about the Whitehouse, peeps that work there are not nice in my experience. Maybe I caught them on a bad day (all 20 times). The Joint is awesome. Cheap drinks, stiff drinks, old school drunks.

Question, how much for the Cal City permits for the RV and bikes? Are they annual?

Good luck on your rides, be safe.
Yeah annual.
A Placard for the truck sticker for the toy.
Roughly about $50 total.
They sell them at many Cal City stores.
I remember Cal City lots advertised on afternoon TV shows.
May have been some shady deals going on back then but I forget.

The jingle went:

You’ll be sitting pretty in California City,
Buy a piece of the Golden State and you’ll be sitting pretty”.
 

TPC

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Sounds like a interesting group to say the least . Normally you seam to travel with the most organized groups . Now go find the train tunnel ! Lol

Yep what a bunch.
Just a pick up group off Facebook.
McGyvers You Tubes of the rides looked straight but it all went south this trip.

My neighbors from back home are up at Wagon Wheel and the wife is due out today. All our wives are.
The Facebook group just left.
Kids are all with the Ex’s so Ali and I will spend thanksgiving here
 
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TPC

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BLM rolled through and placed these on the Joberg gas/Randsberg RM 155 trail;
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thmterry

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I will be in Spangler Wednesday. I will have to start planning rides for our group.
 
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OutCole'd

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View attachment 702769
The Tonka Town brothel:
View attachment 702768 The McGyver guy had these 1” & 2” mushroom shaped plugs you insert and heat.
Never seen it before.
I want that kit. Had all
Kinds of gizmos and methods.

Today the group got split up so I headed to Randsberg and am having lunch at the WhiteHouse.
Still a bunch of bastards run the place.
The General Store is nicer and better food. The Joint is the better bar and far friendlier. Occasionally has food.

If you can’t see the person following you ya stop until you do,,, or go back and check on them and the idea is the ride in front of you does the same and so on.
Well they didn’t.
Flying solo for now.
Next time you go to the General Store, ask for Carol and Brad (owners) tell them Billy from Vegas says hi. great people, been friends forever.
 
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yz450mm

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Sounds like BLM out there are even more douchey than normal? I know some are just doing their job, but from some of the descriptions it sounds like they are really out to get some people???

Sent from my SM-G965U using Tapatalk
 
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grumpy88

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The randsburgh permit campaign has been going on for years . There had to be a end game . Unfortunately it's soon going to mean a fee for cal city . A fee for randsburgh . And a fee for dove springs . Sucks
 
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TPC

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These are the mushroom plugs I use. You heat em up and they seal great. The refills are cheap too, like 10$ for a bag of them.

View attachment 703070
Yep that’s one one kit and he had another mostly spares and various other methods.
It’s worth having.
The pressurized air bottles eventually run out.
I had the $4.99 Tiny HF 12v compressor along and it really cranks out the air.
I have a nicer mini 12V too but it takes up to much room on the SxS.
 

TPC

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Wow . That sucks . I usually ride over to randsburgh and pick up there permit while I'm in town . Sounds like they might not like that anymore
Used to be 7 direct trails to the X15 memorial.
Now only one and it’s a long way around to it.
All the displays have been refurbished recently. Always in excellent shape.
 

HotRod82

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One thing that is really strange to me is the BLM puts those red closed signs on the edge of the trail. If you want to close the route, why not put the sign in the middle of the trail? Very confusing in the busy areas around the Husky monument...."is that trail closed or this trail closed?" Me and a ranger had a few words there a couple years ago. I told him "I'd be glad to stay off the closed routes if you people would get your shit together and mark things properly. Also, this map you just handed me is at least 6 years out of date. If you feel like citing me today, I'll just bring this incorrect map with me to court and see what the judge says". He walked off muttering something under his breath. Sadly, I think the days are numbered for that entire area with the new LA airport plan, let alone the development going on everywhere up there.
 

TPC

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Spangler/Red Mountain excellent camping.
Lots of interesting places to off road to.
 

stokerwhore

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they have been getting nuts with those fuckin red signs. especially out by tonka town. there is no way they were authorized by anyone to put up that many since last season alone. they have new ones on marked roads that are streets to poeple's property. The barstow office in particular just does what ever the fuck they want. there's a case or two pending i believe where miners had their own access roads red signed. then they made a bunch of silly assed hicking trails out of single track made by dirt bikes with our green sticker money. this is right by one of the memorials at red mountain. sickening. I'm finding it real hard to give a shit about their signs. I dont stop for rangers either. did that once. anyway, i'll be camped out at prospectors camp wednesday night or thursmorn. it's a little north of dirt diggers. stop by for a cold whatever ;)
 

TPC

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36F outside last night and we woke up at 3 AM freezing.
Heater fan came on and in 20 seconds timed out.
So I busted out the Mr Buddy indoor propane heater and in minutes the RV was warm again.

So at daylight I checked out the heating system for faults.
If you hear it trying to light then it shuts down ya first check out the propane feed.
This happened once before about 10 years ago with a different RV.
Happened right after a propane refill.

Sometimes the refill damages the propane tank valves innards causing them to loose flow. RV supply house told me the little ball check and spring in the valve eventually gets jazzed.
I have a new tank for a spare on hand and just like that problem solved.

Now ya get stuck with two tanks of filled propane you can’t use.
Well maybe ya can. Ya screw on the supply hoses and just when you hear the gas fizz and if it doesn’t leak you are ok. Ya can’t tighten it down all the way but if it isn’t leaking you’re good to go.
I do that at the barbecue. Burn it off in the backyard.

New tanks are the cure.
 

grumpy88

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TPC your life could be a book of adventures ! Even when there is a bump you seam to keep a calm attitude and breeze through .
 
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TPC

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198EEC3F-4D30-42CB-AE4B-0C0841AFC17C.jpeg

Trail RC 185 led us to the BLM Wild Horse and Burro facility. 60 acres.
Feeding them is encouraged and the girls took advantage of that
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TPC

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2ADD2CC3-85A0-4C54-A3EF-4242CEDE30C5.jpeg
We did the Burro Schmidt tunnel yesterday
1/4 mile tunnel he dug following a quartz vein. Gold runs with quartz. No one knows if he ever found any I’d say something kept him motivated to dig a feat of that magnitude.
 

TPC

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100F232A-869F-4ACE-9C90-CE25B27EC56D.jpeg

This is most likely the train tunnel they talk about.
Is that the train tunnel close to Searles Station road?

What's the story on the tire plug? Insert plug and heat with a torch to melt plug and fill in the hole to avoid leaks? I have a leaky sidewall plug- maybe this is what I need to try
 

TPC

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I was told by a old friend that there are a few gold mines that are still operating and still digging up gold/silver in the red mountain area, not sure if this is true.

We didn’t see activity in the areas we rode but could be near Trona.

Sections of the gas line that parallels Trona rd were being replaced at Stephens mine rd. Massive construction activity.
Water trucks were spraying the trails in that area keeping the dust down.

Area smelled like the Sour Apple #7 odorizer they use in gas or what ever it’s called as opposed to the pigs feet and tangerines farts #8 smell the propane companies use.
Oh hell I dunno what they call it.
 

Meaney77

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View attachment 705497
This is most likely the train tunnel they talk about.
I think I know about where that is...

There is also a train tunnel over by Searles Station where they change trains. You can ride your dirt bike through the tunnel, I think it goes about 1/2-3/4 mile. It gets awfully dark and you hope to god no trains come through. Kinda messes with your head as your going through it- good times!
 
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TPC

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The kids are all with the Ex's over Christmas so we'll be back if anyone wants to join us. PM for the camp location.
We're planing to visit the goldfish pond, B1 bomber crash memorial and the Husky.

 
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TPC

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Sounds like BLM out there are even more douchey than normal? I know some are just doing their job, but from some of the descriptions it sounds like they are really out to get some people???

Sent from my SM-G965U using Tapatalk

I'm told it's not the BLM that's placing the BLM red signs but the volunteer Enviro monitors that you may see out there with clip boards roaming about that select the spots.
Damfino how accurate that take is.
It's got really bad.
 

TPC

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The randsburgh permit campaign has been going on for years . There had to be a end game . Unfortunately it's soon going to mean a fee for cal city . A fee for randsburgh . And a fee for dove springs . Sucks

Ya drive down the main drag in Cal City and several business sell the permits.

I bought mine at the Hardware store. The cashier chix are dialed in and it’s a hit and run purchase.
Required from the 395 west.
 

thmterry

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We will be at Spangler New Years also. One of these days we will run into each other TPC.
 
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grumpy88

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Ya drive down the main drag in Cal City and several business sell the permits.

I bought mine at the Hardware store. The cashier chix are dialed in and it’s a hit and run purchase.
Required from the 395 west.
Thank you for the info but we usually stay in dove springs . We ride over the mountain going near Schmidt's tunnel . In the last few years we would run into a ranger in randsburgh and get the map and there signature . I wonder if the ranger station sells them near jaw bone store ?
 

TPC

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Some of the ranger stations were gutted under remodeling and un-manned so we had to head to town to get the permits.
 
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