Disco2Guy Posted March 4, 2015 Report Share Posted March 4, 2015 http://blackrockdesert.org/blackrockrendezvous/ My g/f found this on Facebook yesterday and sent it to me. I haven't been to the playa in a few years and have been itching to go back. I rsvp'd and asked a few questions about the trip and schedule, which is still TBD. But here's what Michael Myers (yes, that's his name) had to say. They had about 175 people attend last year, so there's good turn out. We can either explore with them, or find some of our own trails too. The tours are a part of the unreleased schedule. But, here are the tentative tours: Rocket Launches (out on the open playa, more of an ongoing activity rather than a "tour")High Rock Canyon - partially into the Canyon to at least the emigrant glyphHot springs (Trego, Black Rock, & Double Hot)Citizen Spring Inventory (exact location TBD) - citizen science training for one of our ongoing projectsGeode/Geology - this goes to an old geode mine on the east side of the Black Rock Range adjacent to the Black Rock Desert Wilderness AreaBlack Rock Point Hike - time permitting this also includes a stop at Black Rock Hot Springs and the mini-playas north of Black Rock PointPerhaps there will be a (migratory?) bird monitoring tour - exact location TBDOur stewardship project will likely be at Soldier Meadows and perhaps at the mini-playas behind Black Rock Point. Of course, the tours are weather permitting as most of them involve driving across the playa. It is recommended, if not necessary, to have 4WD vehicles for the tours. There will be quite a few HAM radio operators at this event, including myself (KG7FAA). I'm a certified Tread Lightly trainer, so we incorporate it in pretty much everything we do. If this sounds like something you're interested in, or if you have any other questions, feel free to contact me. If your group wants to come out other times of the year, please let us know. We're available to provide training and education in regards to Tread Lightly! and Leave No Trace outdoor ethics in addition to interpretive education about the historic emigrant trails. Thanks for spreading the word! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RedRover Posted March 4, 2015 Report Share Posted March 4, 2015 http://blackrockdesert.org/blackrockrendezvous/ My g/f found this on Facebook yesterday and sent it to me. I haven't been to the playa in a few years and have been itching to go back. I rsvp'd and asked a few questions about the trip and schedule, which is still TBD. But here's what Michael Myers (yes, that's his name) had to say. They had about 175 people attend last year, so there's good turn out. We can either explore with them, or find some of our own trails too. If you can wait until late Aug, you'll have way more than 175 people show up... -Jared Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Disco2Guy Posted March 4, 2015 Author Report Share Posted March 4, 2015 I've never been to TTITD (That Thing In The Desert). I've been for 4th of July a couple times (4th of JuPlaya). On the highway leaving the playa after my first trip out there, Dixie (my g/f) said, "Imagine 50,000 people down there". TBH, I didn't want to. I like the open, and quiet. That's not to say that I wouldn't go to The Burn, but that's a totally different trip, wink, wink. Plus, during BM you can't drive on the playa. You go from the gate to your camp and that's about it. If you bring an art car (the only vehicles allowed to drive on playa), that has to be registered with the DMV (Dept. of Mutant Vehicles) beforehand. Oh and the surrounding hot springs are all closed around that time too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
erinw.rrc Posted March 4, 2015 Report Share Posted March 4, 2015 If your group wants to come out other times of the year, please let us know. We're available to provide training and education in regards to Tread Lightly! and Leave No Trace outdoor ethics in addition to interpretive education about the historic emigrant trails. This would be a good trip for our club, a group trip/tour and for new members to learn about Tread Lightly and Leave No Trace. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
astateofmike Posted March 4, 2015 Report Share Posted March 4, 2015 I like this trip idea. Have been wanting to visit BRD for years, without 85k of friends. ..and got the tentative clear to go on my own (or bring my son). Looking at drive times and traffic inbound/outbound on 80....holiday weekend and all. Any idea of when we would leave/return? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
astateofmike Posted March 4, 2015 Report Share Posted March 4, 2015 Leave No Trace. Yeah... "welcome to the club, remember leave no trace. We suggest a bucket for you bodily wastes on the roof rack." eewwwwwww Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ROVRMAN2 Posted March 5, 2015 Report Share Posted March 5, 2015 Count me in I haven't been there since the tragic accident Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TomOwen Posted March 5, 2015 Report Share Posted March 5, 2015 Hmmm... Also looks cool, thanks Dixie! What an awesome bench we have of cool trios in our backyard! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TigerDan Posted March 6, 2015 Report Share Posted March 6, 2015 I've never been to TTITD (That Thing In The Desert)...Oh and the surrounding hot springs are all closed around that time too. Well duh. 10,000 dirty, sweaty hippies wallowing in the hot springs, can you imagine how disgusting they'd get? I don't think they'd ever recover...! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RedRover Posted March 12, 2015 Report Share Posted March 12, 2015 One of these days I'll hang out with the 10,000 dirty sweaty hippies (not at the hot springs) -- until then maybe this trip will work out for me. I'm going to check with the calendar (and the wife) and get back to this thread. Brenton, I noticed the site says they don't recommend bringing pets but it's not prohibited. We'll probably leave the guinea pig and cockatiel behind but we like taking Checkers with us on trips when possible... are you bringing Quake? Also, this trip is in the NCLR calendar for people to RSVP on. -Jared Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Disco2Guy Posted March 12, 2015 Author Report Share Posted March 12, 2015 No, Mr. Quake-Asaurus-Wrecks-The House will be staying home. Temps will likely be in the 90's. He did 'ok' at the Annual with temps in the 100's, but there was lots of shade and free flowing water. He went through almost 3 gallons of water/day. I also had 2 frozen gallon jugs of water that he would lay on while in the back seat. If my sister's broken ankle is better by then, she'll be staying at the house to watch him for us. The real danger of life on the Playa is the ground itself. The dry lake bed is caustic and if left unprotected, bare feet will develop what amounts to chemical burns (alkalai, not acid burns). Vinegar is the neutralizing agent. Old school burners bring this by the gallon for people not in the know. It's even recommended that you use and old garden sprayer full of vinegar to wash the underside of the truck when you get home (or sooner if you want to Tread Lightly!). The Playa dust will cause rusty spots to appear fairly quickly. Even the coated stainless tubes of the Bilstein shocks started to get some pitting after a few times out there. It wasn't until I sent the pair to Bilstein for a rebuild that I realized how much they changed. They were cleaned really well (or turned on a lathe) and when I opened the box, I could see the difference. I haven't done the vinegar wash, but will after this trip. I know we're as prepared as possible, but the BR Playa is a beast unto itself with conditions we don't typically run into. I hope you and Erin can both make it. It really is a fascinating place to visit and it sounds like there will be quiet a few HAMS out there as well. Personally, I'm looking forward to spending a day taking some geology tours and another just driving around. There are no real trails out there except for the Applegate/Lassen Emigrant trail, but I haven't looked it up yet to see how close it runs to the Playa. There are quiet a few graded but rough roads all along the Playa. Trego (one of these roads) is the 'fun' approach to the Playa. It follows the east side of the Playa, and you'll have to cross the railroad tracks and then about 5 miles of Playa to get to the BRR camp site, which is nestled against the mountains to the west. This road is usually closed when it rains, but this typically applies more to cars than our trucks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RedRover Posted March 19, 2015 Report Share Posted March 19, 2015 It's a bust! My littlest sister's graduation is the same weekend. I will have to wait until next year or beyond but want to do it. -Jared Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alpaca Posted April 5, 2015 Report Share Posted April 5, 2015 Is there a meet up plan to head out there from Bay Area on Friday ? Martin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Disco2Guy Posted April 6, 2015 Author Report Share Posted April 6, 2015 This may be a bust for me as well:( I was checking with my Producer again about the schedule and it looks like I'll have to be there all of Friday. It's "pencil's down" for the Art dept that day, so I'm expected to work a full day. It doesn't make the 8+ hour trip to the Playa early Saturday worth the trip out unfortunately. I'm more than happy to help anyone who stills wants to go and take over the trip co-ordination. I would have pushed more for the time off, but my contract ends the following Tuesday. Everything is pointing to a full time gig after 9 months of conract, so it was best to not rock the boat. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.