17-days in Utah

Originally Posted by Mr Geek

Hello all,

Still in Moab, will be until the 3rd and tonight will be the coldest yet.

...

My TM grew a pretty impressive ice sickle (see photos). I decided to measure it and thought I would challenge TM owners to guess the length to the nearest 1/4 foot (3"). The winner gets...wait for it...bragging rights and I will post an answer to this thread when I get home, around Jan 10th.

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UPDATE AREA for Ice Sickle length guesses:
Countrygirl 7' 4"
Tim (of Barb&Tim) 7' 1"

Cheers...Mr Geek (aka Bob) and PC (the cat)

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WINNER of the Monster Moab Ice Sickle length guess is ..... (see photos below)

Tim (of Barb&Tim) Congratulations!

I measured the Ice Sickle at 7".

Both Countrygirl and Tim were very close, pretty impressive!!!!!

We love our travasac and pull our 2720 with a 2005 Jeep Liberty Renegade
No problems. Love our TM.

Any experience with going south and RVing in the Baja Peninsula?
Do you feel it is safe to do these days?
Enjoyed the Moab and Zion saga.

Originally Posted by moaboy

Any experience with going south and RVing in the Baja Peninsula?
Do you feel it is safe to do these days?
Enjoyed the Moab and Zion saga.

Hey Moaboy, how's things? This Utah trip was great. To me it was a very good test of what's possible in a TM for cold weather. Interestingly enough the only trouble I had towing was when I got home, backing into my backyard. One side of the RV sank just up to the axle on one side. Luckily after a little jockeying the Jeep and using 4WD I was able to muscle the RV through it.

Boy oh boy is the Jeep and RV DIRTY, just a mess after driving on the roads, Utah mud. Plus my Jeeps tires are wider than the fender flares so anything I track through sprays all over the RV. Talk about a mess, yikes!

Anyway, about RVing/Camping in Mexico. I was born and raised in San Diego. I was in elementary school when I saw President Kennedy speak at SDSU, that gives you an idea of how long I have been fermenting all those years here in SD. Through the years I have camped on the beach in Mexico way back when I was still a kid and I have had some great times in Rosarito, Ensenada and Tijuana and other places further south, having much more fun that I probably should have. Mexico has a unique ability to make an ordinary day a darn good reason to celebrate that's for sure. The beaches of San Felipe in Baja California was always a very popular OHV camping destination for many.

I also rode in a couple of those organized bike rides, like Rosarito to Ensanada ride, where you ride 50 to 100 miles with 1000s of others bikers (bicycles), become totally exhausted and sore, then party like a crazy fool afterwords in Esenada guaranteeing the worst hangovers I can barely remember

I love the people and the overall pace of things and cultural values, the atmosphere of the lifestyle and the food, love Mexican food. My Dad in his later years surprised us and took the "kids" on a cruise to Mazatlan, Pureto Vallarta and Cabo San Lucas which opened my eyes to just how different Mexico can be from region to region. The boarder cities aren't the best places to hang out, that's for sure.

But these days the violence from the out of control drug culture is very real and extremely violent. It's truly scary stuff. It's not that tourists are targeted but people become mistaken targets and the drug culture has really degraded overall safety by creating a lot of very desperate victims. Young kids are addicted to all kinds of stuff and used by the cartels to carry out unbelievable tasks, including murder and worse...it's as bad as anything I have seen.

So these days I opt to stay north of the border, it's sad but I feel it's best for now. I am sure if I knew the country better or even owned (or leased) property there, I would know where to go and feel safe. Since I don't I am happy to explore the US. I was in Vancouver for the 1986 Expo (World's Fair) and I would love to spend some time there or other places in Canada if possible, beautiful country.

Bob.

[countrygirl]

Originally Posted by Mr Geek

**********************************
WINNER of the Monster Moab Ice Sickle length guess is ..... (see photos below)

Tim (of Barb&Tim) Congratulations!

I measured the Ice Sickle at 7".

Both Countrygirl and Tim were very close, pretty impressive!!!!!

Very cool...thanks for letting me know!

Thanks. Back in the late 60's and early 70's my parents took us kids on numerous trips all over Mexico in a school bus they converted into a RV (something to see as it was painted green with "jolly green giant" on the side...locals thought it was the "local bus" and always tried to board when we stopped by the road) and I went back in 76 to summer school in Mexico City. So I've had an itch to take the TM and go back and spend time in the Yucatan and on the West coast. So I appreciate your sense of the danger traveling there these days. Sounds like it would be real easy to be at the wrong place at the wrong time. I hope it settles down in the future as it would be a great country to visit again.

Originally Posted by moaboy

Thanks. Back in the late 60's and early 70's my parents took us kids on numerous trips all over Mexico in a school bus they converted into a RV (something to see as it was painted green with "jolly green giant" on the side...locals thought it was the "local bus" and always tried to board when we stopped by the road) and I went back in 76 to summer school in Mexico City. So I've had an itch to take the TM and go back and spend time in the Yucatan and on the West coast. So I appreciate your sense of the danger traveling there these days. Sounds like it would be real easy to be at the wrong place at the wrong time. I hope it settles down in the future as it would be a great country to visit again.

Love the Green Bus, just awesome. That must have been a great time, probably one of those times you look back on nowadys and appreciate more today than when you were actually living them. Those sure were great times when you could just enjoy Mexico without so much concern as we have these days.

I feel if you know someone knows Mexico well or lives there, you could get valuable information about safe places to travel too. A general concern for me is because of tough times worldwide and especially with the drug situation there, there are some very desperte people who might see you as an opportunity if found in the wrong place at the wrong time. BUT finding a nice camping area that has been recommended by someone who knows the area could be great.


Thanks again for the Green Giant Express story!

[T and C]

I read the thread "17 Days in Utah" with great interest. MoabBoy's experience with living in a TM in freezing weather was enlightening.


Glad he did it...but I wouldn't. Or so I thought.

We are staying in an RV campground just east of Tucson, AZ. Son and
DIL have a brand new baby and a 2 year old. Son is a fireman and is gone for 24, then comes home with little or no sleep for 24...not worth much. Sooo, enter Grandma to the rescue until he hits his next off cycle.

When I looked at the weather before leaving SoCal, it was running in the 60's days, and in the mid to high 40's nights. A cold spell arrived yesterday with rain and hail.

Tonight the low is supposed to be 30F, with 24, 22, and 32 forecast for the next few days. How much freezes will probably depend on how many hours it stays that cold.

I have an electric space heater with me. I plan on opening cupboard doors like MoabBoy did. I will keep the inside good and warm with the electric heater supplemented by the TM heater.

We'll see how it goes.

I might have to buy a hair dryer if the wife didn't bring one.

I will post again if there are any interesting, (or expensive), developments.

Tom