Date: Wed, 12 Jan 2005 07:41:04 -0800
Reply-To: "Stewart, Donna" <DStewart@REEDSMITH.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: "Stewart, Donna" <DStewart@REEDSMITH.COM>
Subject: Re: Pahrump NV - place to camp ----> TECOPA
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"
My mom has subscribed to the Trailer Life campground directory for years and I was surprised to notice that there are RV parks in AZ where your rig can only be a few years old or you can't stay there (let's us out). I once stayed at Sam's Town RV park in Las Vegas and got strange looks and comments from the guy who checked me in. My funniest stay, speaking of people in giant RVS, was a couple of years ago at a newish RV park in Carson City which was attached to a casino. Had a very pleasant stay; we brought my parents' 74 orange deluxe Westfalia poptop, and my husband drove his old GMC cowboy dually pickup as we were towing antique tractors to a show in nearby Minden. Not only was it the only VW camper, but it was by far the smallest rig in the park, and I think the dually pickup is actually longer than the van. We got some strange looks but the people in the giant RVs got over it and stopped by to chat, have coffee, etc.
-----Original Message-----
From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com]On Behalf
Of Joy Hecht
Sent: Tuesday, January 11, 2005 8:54 PM
To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
Subject: Re: Pahrump NV - place to camp ----> TECOPA
That place in Nevada sounds kind of Hot Wells Dunes in south eastern
Arizona. BLM land, $3/night to stay there, lots of open space, vanagonauts
are quite normal compared to some of the other folks hanging out there, and
104-degree hot springs to hang out in. Wonderful when it's 26 degrees in
the morning! I met very interesting people who were waiting for the
carnival circuit to begin in the southwest, when they would get back to
work.
I've never camped anyplace that didn't want poptops. How strange! I don't
much go to the places in the AAA campground guides - they are all full of
RVs and frankly I'm a bit tired of folks who spend all their time hanging
out in their huge vehicles watching TV. (Even though I've been known to
spend a good bit of time in my little vehicle on the internet...) The
private campgrounds are kind of expensive, too, if you don't care about
hookups.
At the moment I'm into truck stops, myself. Just camp in the car parking
part, not the truck parking part. Those truckers don't seem to know about
extra batteries or something, or they are wimps about the cold - they run
their engines all night, and you could get asphyxiated in half an hour by
the exhaust! I've never had anyone seem to object to my camping there.
Of course state parks are always fine too. Much prettier than trucks stops!
Joy
****************************************************************
Joy Hecht
and Matilda, 1989 Burgundy Vanagon
For musings about life and the vanadventures:
http://users.rcn.com/jhecht/gypsy
****************************************************************
:::-----Original Message-----
:::From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM] On Behalf
:::Of Joel Cort
:::Sent: Tuesday, January 11, 2005 8:18 PM
:::To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
:::Subject: Re: Pahrump NV - place to camp ----> TECOPA
:::
:::Hi and happy New Year.
:::
:::Sorry to respond so late.
:::
:::I used to hang out a lot in that area. Of Course I'm crazy! I own a VW
:::van (actually 2 right now) and YES I was a geologist.
:::
:::There are some neat side roads to adventure on. Most are marked on the
:::AAA map of Death Valley area.
:::
:::I used to camp in the open desert across the dry lake from the hamlet of
:::Tecopa off the Charles Brown Highway on the road back to Baker. This is
:::a wonderful open desert area. People leave you alone out here, even if
:::you have long hair or a VW van.
:::
:::The best part of all of this is going over to the Tecopa bath house and
:::enjoying the cool 108 degree hot springs. All year long it is a
:::pleasure. In the winter it will warm you and in the summer it will cool
:::you down.
:::
:::Even if you drive by in the area it is well worth the stop over.
:::
:::PS: I've been fortunate enough to have bicycled this whole area from Lost
:::Wages to Death Valley over the Goodsprings Mt. to Parumph, to Tecopa,
:::Over Salisbury pass up to Dante's View and across the valley to Telescope
:::peak. Not all in one sitting of course but over several years of hanging
:::out in DV. I've used a road bike, a mt. bike, a tandem and a recumbent.
:::The recumbent was the best. but going downhill in the road bike, clocked
:::at 56mph was also pretty great. I did say I was crazy.
:::
:::Joel
:::shovelling snow in Rochester NY, dreaming of the desert and the hot
:::springs.
:::89 Syncro Westy
:::84 Westy.
:::
:::
:::
:::
:::Chuck Reisinger <chuckphoto@EARTHLINK.NET> wrote:
:::I'm doing some trip planning for Pahrump NV....using AAA maps, campground
:::directory and guide book and Woodall's Western Edition....also....checked
:::several Pahrump web sites....seems there aren't many places that welcome
:::Westy's....the restrictions section in the AAA travel guides say "no
:::motorcycle camping, vans, or pop-tops"....any ideas?
:::
:::Amy I using the "Wrong Guides"...suggestions please....!
:::
:::Thanks
:::Chuck
:::
:::
:::---------------------------------
:::Do you Yahoo!?
::: All your favorites on one personal page Try My Yahoo!
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