Heading down to southern Nevada for a few days....

[Jim in Idaho]

Chris and I are headed south. Going to poke around the Johnnie, NV area. If anybody's in the area, stop and say "hi". We'll be in my white Dodge 4x4 with an aluminum flatbed, towing a little, white, Casita camp trailer. We plan on staying at the campground by the "Gold Searchers of Southern Nevada" gold claim north of Johnnie. I'll be testing the dry sluices, and the Arc Geo-Logger in conjunction with both the Discovery 1200 two-box, and the two-coil setup I built for my Whites 6000 XL Pro. We plan on lunch at Gemma's Cafe in Beatty, NV in the early afternoon on Thursday the 23rd.
Jim

 

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[DizzyDigger]

Love that country!!

Beatty is a bit of a drive from there, but also a very cool old town. I can imagine there are lots of old homesteads and foundations in the area you can detect around.

Have fun, be safe!

 

[Assembler]

Love to hear and see how things go with the trip

The main thing is have some fun along the way

 

[russau]

Good luck Jim on this adventure!!!

 

[Jim in Idaho]

We've driven that trip several times the last few years. We go to Twin Falls, from here, and then down 93 to Ely. Then take 6 southwest to Tonopah, and then down thru Beatty. We usually turn south at Amargosa Valley, but this trip staying on 95 to 160, and then south. Long trip and not much excitement. We'll stop for the night at the Black Lava beds tomorrow night. I appreciate the "best wishes".
Jim

 

[ArfieBoy]

Good luck on your travels!

 

[DizzyDigger]

Jim, with the route your taking and the speed limits in Nevada, so long as the roads aren't icy I wouldn't think it would take you more than 7-1/2 to 8 hrs. to make it to Beatty.

You say "not much excitement", but to me that's some of the most beautiful country there is, so I'd have my head out the window with my tongue hanging out like a big dog...

 

[Jim in Idaho]

Jim, with the route your taking and the speed limits in Nevada, so long as the roads aren't icy I wouldn't think it would take you more than 7-1/2 to 8 hrs. to make it to Beatty.

Well, it takes 3 hrs and 15 minutes to get to Jackpot. Another 3, including a fuel stop at Wells, to get to Ely. Then 200+ miles to Tonopah. That's about 8-9 hours to Tonopah. Still have 150 miles down to Johnnie. I've driven it all the way once, going to Las Vegas and up I-15, and it took about 11 hours. I don't drive over 70 anymore. I believe Clint Eastwood when he said "a man has to know his limitations". I'm 76, so know mine...LOL

 

[Jim in Idaho]

Anyway...it looks like bad weather down there, so we're going to delay a week. No sense going down to not enjoy the weather.
Jim

 

[DizzyDigger]

Anyway...it looks like bad weather down there, so we're going to delay a week. No sense going down to not enjoy the weather.
Jim

Wise move. That country can get downright chitty when it's nasty out. Driving roads in the middle of nowhere that are covered in glare ice is no bueno at all. As for taking it easy, that's just the wisdom gained in those 76 years talking.

 

[russau]

Waiting the bad weather is a smart move on your part ! I used to drive 16 hour trips by myself pulling a 16 foot enclosed trail with my dredge and ATV, with only fuel stops and I'd do this after work with only a short nap. I carried a cooler with ice water and a wash rag to wipe my face to "wake up" when I got a little wozie! I can't do that anymore at 78 ! My last trip I had a friend ask to go along to learn about dredging , GOOD THING ! It was hot out and I lost 3 tires due to the heat and the long drive!

 

[Jim in Idaho]

Waiting the bad weather is a smart move on your part ! I used to drive 16 hour trips by myself pulling a 16 foot enclosed trail with my dredge and ATV, with only fuel stops and I'd do this after work with only a short nap. I carried a cooler with ice water and a wash rag to wipe my face to "wake up" when I got a little wozie! I can't do that anymore at 78 ! My last trip I had a friend ask to go along to learn about dredging , GOOD THING ! It was hot out and I lost 3 tires due to the heat and the long drive!

Yup, Russ, we aren't kids anymore. Though the last trip home from down there I drove straight thru, and had ice and snow at Beaver Utah, and rain all thru SLC, with the usual heavy traffic. Not at all fun, and I try hard not to end up in that weather, And I normally avoid SLC like the plague! But 93 up thru ELY was much higher (6000'+), and the weather and roads were much worse.
Jim

 

[southfork]

Anyway...it looks like bad weather down there, so we're going to delay a week. No sense going down to not enjoy the weather.
Jim

I was just thinking about the wind getting sandblasted is no fun.

 

[mtdoramike]

Wish I was going with you.

 

[ArfieBoy]

Friends and I rode our motorcycles through SLC once. I will never do it again! Or even drive through in a vehicle.

 

[Jim in Idaho]

Friends and I rode our motorcycles through SLC once. I will never do it again! Or even drive through in a vehicle.

Yup....absolutely horrible drivers, and lots of accidents. Been that way since I was in my twenties. Good place to avoid. They never learned how to drive on multi-lane hiways. They even proposed a law (might have passed by now) that you should, when there is a closed lane, wait until the last few seconds to merge into the open lane, rather than smoothly merge over several hundred yards. Supporters claimed it made traffic move faster. Bunch of morons.
Jim

 

[tamrock]

Yup....absolutely horrible drivers, and lots of accidents. Been that way since I was in my twenties. Good place to avoid. They never learned how to drive on multi-lane hiways. They even proposed a law (might have passed by now) that you should, when there is a closed lane, wait until the last few seconds to merge into the open lane, rather than smoothly merge over several hundred yards. Supporters claimed it made traffic move faster. Bunch of morons.
Jim

I drove though SLC so many times on my way to Elko I development a plan of attack that got me out again on I80 west of the airport lickedy split. I knew which lanes to use and when to switch with the hammer down all the way to Tooele where I'd then gas up for the long haul to Wendover. Of course heading southbound on I215- I15 was always a nightmare to pull the same stunt.

 

[Jim in Idaho]

I drove though SLC so many times on my way to Elko I development a plan of attack that got me out again on I80 west of the airport lickedy split. I knew which lanes to use and when to switch with the hammer down all the way to Tooele where I'd then gas up for the long haul to Wendover. Of course heading southbound on I215- I15 was always a nightmare to pull the same stunt.

Yeah, Grant. I always wanted to buy an old, dented, '53 Chevy 1 ton, with big old heavy bumpers, and drive like a maniac thru there. Told Chris I probably wouldn't have one of those shiny new cars within a hundred yards of me for a hundred miles...LOL
Jim

 

[DizzyDigger]

Back in the early 90's I drove long-haul for a company based out of SLC, and SLC drivers weren't the most skilled at operating a 4-wheeled vehicle..but then, that is consistent with most large urban areas.

I used to get a chuckle out of the "NO ENGINE BRAKE" signs on I-80 as you're coming down the west side of Parley's grade into SLC. You've just dropped down miles of fairly steep grade, your 80,000 lbs. and the brakes are already getting toasty plus you're coming into a high traffic area....and then they tell you that you can't use your Jake brakes?

Yep...that's not gonna happen....go ahead, write me a ticket.

 

[russau]

Your correct on buying / driveling a clunker .......I did that 50 years ago ! I had a opportunity to buy a very old and beat up 63 Ford 1/2 ton pickup truck that was dented up completely and it had a 4x12 green Oak front bumper and this was all I needed to get me where I wanted to be without fear of getting cut off by some nice shiny car . Heck back then I old paid $100. for it and it ran . I got it to haul metal for my weld shop ! NO BODY CUT ME OFF AFTER THAT !!!