Date: Wed, 1 Mar 95 17:31:13 PST
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@vanagon.com>
From: Al Knoll <alf@hpptc38.rose.hp.com>
Subject: CDOs and RRSP vs DVNP Panamint Springs
First off in answer to some fine fellow on the list, I've got two Camp Dutch
Oven's in the brick, yep under the seat. And from a post from long ago they
get used every now and then. BUT the BPacker makes great quickbreads.
Now onto more interesting topics. As a confirmed "Strange" lurker, I've been
surprised that no one has mentioned what they plan to DO wherever we go on the
March excursion. I for one tire easily of just sitting there and watching the
rocks erode. Usually, hiking, bicycling, skiing, birding, CDO cooking, poppy
watching, hot pottin', f-stopping, or GF fixing the conveyance take up a big
part of the day. Of course we could have the desert spring Bocce tournament as
armadillo heaves are not permitted in State or National parks. Trout season
opens for streams south of Lone Pine in the Eastern Sierras on 1MAR95 too. So
what do y'all want to do after the crisco runs out and you're tired of eatin'
green chili, posole, chipotle cornbread, sourdough flapjacks etc etc?
Red Rocks SP (in Califunia) is a bit different than Red Rocks Amphitheatre (Br.)
just outside Colorado Springs, (Coloradio). From what I saw there's a bit of
hiking, a 20minutes worth Visitor Center and potentially lots of flower watchers
from LALA land. The facilities will be crowded and more than likely we will not
have adjoining sites. The area is geologically diverse and quite reminiscent of
Canyonlands NP in SE Utah although on a much smaller scale.
A similar distance from Sacramento ~375mi is Panamint Springs, a "desert resort"
with a decent cafe/dining room, running water, Draft Beer, lots of birds, the
cat named taz, the pig named charlotte, hot showers, a dandy view and easy
distance to kelso dunes, scotty's castle, badwater, Furnace Creek ranch, Saline
Valley Oasis, Wildrose canyon and other such desert wonders. Flower season
should be WFO at the time and the opportunities to see the best in 20yrs might
just abound. The drive down for me would be through the Owens valley, flanked
by the mighty Eastern Sierra Escarpment and the White Mountains one hell of a
better spent four hours than the I5 superslab. BTW we can circle the wagons
in one spot about a 3 minute walk from the showers and the other amenities.
The drive for the southern contingent is somewhat longer to Panamint Springs than
Red Rocks SP but not nearly the 375mi the otter folk will have to hoof.
Either place has the same opportunity for culinary extravaganzas, star watching,
conversation and bocce tournaments. Either will provide a nice flat spot for
your trusty conveyance. Both cost the same per site and the essential differences
have been mentioned in all the collected verbiage above. The Eagles new CD sounds
equally fine in either locale.
I'll cast the first dissenting vote. I'd like to traipse on over to Panamint Spgs,
I've seen both recently. The travel options from Panamint Springs are better IMHO.
I just 1MAR95@1705 spoke with Judi Graham (619.764.2010) the Panamint Springs Manager
and a group of 15 loaves, bricks, and so on with their trappings and camp followers
would be welcome.
Recommended Reading is "Drylands" Philip Hyde, "Desert Solitaire" Ed Abbey, and "Desert
Images" photography by David Muench, text by Ed Abbey.
For the Norcal folks it's a 2.5 day weekend with 14+ hours of driving. I do that
sort of thing but not often so I'll be making it a 4dayer to burn off some of my
14 weeks of accrued time off. Like I said, for the options I'd pick Panamint Springs.
So let nrubin know your wishes.
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___ / __ __/ ____/ Al Knoll HP Performance Technology /
/ / / / Center Roseville, CA, USA 95747 /
_____/ / / 916.785.5317 (Telnet 785-5317) /
/ / / email: alf@hpptc44.rose.hp.com /
__/ __/ ______/ ___________________________________/
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