K_Dub
New member
Seeing as I'm new to the forums, and this is my first trip report here, perhaps I should start with some perfunctory expedition exposition. I've done a handful of true expeditions in my life, at one point spending 4 months traveling the west coast from Southern California to Alaska and back. Otherwise it's mostly weekend trips or taking the scenic route to visit family out of state. Beyond travel, automotive photography is another hobby of mine and to two interests compliment each other well. In short, I like to drive to scenic, remote locations and pose my cars for pictures. I've been doing this for almost two decades now, and posting on various make/model forums, but I believe I've finally found my home with like minded folks here at Expedition Portal.
I don't get out as often as I used to, but each year I manage to spend my birthday and Summer Solstice some place special. This would also be my first multi-day trip in a 1995 Jeep Cherokee that I'd bought off my friend last fall. The old XJ has taken the name Brosef Bromley, and we've done a couple of local day-trips around Southern California to get a feel for things but never too far off the beaten path. I was worried about getting Brosef up to snuff for a longer trip, and I spent the week leading up to the trip in a last ditch effort to get everything ready. With the help of my mechanic, I swapped out the climate switch and charged the freon, replaced the power steering pump, torched out the axle-studs for my sway-bars (which had been removed since last winter) and then installed a set of disconnects. Before re-assembling the dash I installed a new Pioneer head unit (a nice BT receiver unit with no CD so it's tiny in back to make room for some extra wiring that's been done), and then put some faux chinchilla-fur covers over my torn vinyl seats. I removed my rear bench and bought a toolbox that fits in the footwell behind the passenger seat and it makes a surprisingly large, flat, cargo area. The night before my planned departure, Brosef was all buttoned up and ready but I was not.
We were headed out for a 5 day/4 night trip to the South Sierra Nevada, specifically the South Fork of the Kern River where it comes down from the Golden Trout Wilderness into Monache Meadows in the Sequoia National Forest. I woke early on the day of my planned departure. I had breakfast with the lil' 'Dub and then ran to the grocery. I always have a bunch of Mountain House meals on hand, but I also bring lots of extra food and provisions on my trips. So i picked up some snacks and lunches, lots of water, spare batteries for the headlamps, etc. When I got home I was just tearing through my garage, throwing tools and parts into bins, throwing clothes and jackets into duffle bags, and generally just making a mess of things. I didn't get on the road until 2pm, which is terrible. The long, hot, slog of a drive to Pearsonville was also my shakedown for the last of my repairs. The sway-bars gave me a newfound confidence at speed, but it took forever for me to figure out my iPod with the new stereo (for those following along at home, the soundtrack of the trip was Adios Maria by The Cactus Blossoms). The A/C blows cold, but it redirects to the defrost vents when under load so I have a vacuume leak somewhere. All in all, Brosef is much improved but still not a pleasant drive on the freeway. I got to Peasonville at 5:30 to gas up and buy local firewood (which doesn't actually look local, but at least I tried). From there I was headed straight up the mountain on 9 Mile Grade Rd to Kennedy Meadows. I continued on to Sherman Pass Rd as the sun began to dip behind the trees. At the trailhead for ************** Flats, I pulled off and found the most amazing map of OHV trails in the Sequoia Nat'l Forest in a box at the trail head kiosk. 2000 miles of trails with marked difficulty on each one, thanks USDA for that little gift. I pressed on and finally reached my trail right at sundown. I aired down, disconnected my sways, turned on my lights and headed into unknown territory. By the time I reached Monache Meadows is was officially dark out, the last of the dusk light vanishing while I was deep in the woods. I struggled to find a spot to camp in the dark, so I simply pulled off the first side trail I found. There was a fire ring there, but it was too late to get that started. I backed onto a log to level out and jettisoned a couple bulky items to make room for sleeping quarters. I haven't got many pictures to back this all up, but there's a lot more to come. Here are a pair of shots I took on the way in; my first glimpse of Olancha Peak and Brosef in the Magic Hour light.
To be continued...
I don't get out as often as I used to, but each year I manage to spend my birthday and Summer Solstice some place special. This would also be my first multi-day trip in a 1995 Jeep Cherokee that I'd bought off my friend last fall. The old XJ has taken the name Brosef Bromley, and we've done a couple of local day-trips around Southern California to get a feel for things but never too far off the beaten path. I was worried about getting Brosef up to snuff for a longer trip, and I spent the week leading up to the trip in a last ditch effort to get everything ready. With the help of my mechanic, I swapped out the climate switch and charged the freon, replaced the power steering pump, torched out the axle-studs for my sway-bars (which had been removed since last winter) and then installed a set of disconnects. Before re-assembling the dash I installed a new Pioneer head unit (a nice BT receiver unit with no CD so it's tiny in back to make room for some extra wiring that's been done), and then put some faux chinchilla-fur covers over my torn vinyl seats. I removed my rear bench and bought a toolbox that fits in the footwell behind the passenger seat and it makes a surprisingly large, flat, cargo area. The night before my planned departure, Brosef was all buttoned up and ready but I was not.
We were headed out for a 5 day/4 night trip to the South Sierra Nevada, specifically the South Fork of the Kern River where it comes down from the Golden Trout Wilderness into Monache Meadows in the Sequoia National Forest. I woke early on the day of my planned departure. I had breakfast with the lil' 'Dub and then ran to the grocery. I always have a bunch of Mountain House meals on hand, but I also bring lots of extra food and provisions on my trips. So i picked up some snacks and lunches, lots of water, spare batteries for the headlamps, etc. When I got home I was just tearing through my garage, throwing tools and parts into bins, throwing clothes and jackets into duffle bags, and generally just making a mess of things. I didn't get on the road until 2pm, which is terrible. The long, hot, slog of a drive to Pearsonville was also my shakedown for the last of my repairs. The sway-bars gave me a newfound confidence at speed, but it took forever for me to figure out my iPod with the new stereo (for those following along at home, the soundtrack of the trip was Adios Maria by The Cactus Blossoms). The A/C blows cold, but it redirects to the defrost vents when under load so I have a vacuume leak somewhere. All in all, Brosef is much improved but still not a pleasant drive on the freeway. I got to Peasonville at 5:30 to gas up and buy local firewood (which doesn't actually look local, but at least I tried). From there I was headed straight up the mountain on 9 Mile Grade Rd to Kennedy Meadows. I continued on to Sherman Pass Rd as the sun began to dip behind the trees. At the trailhead for ************** Flats, I pulled off and found the most amazing map of OHV trails in the Sequoia Nat'l Forest in a box at the trail head kiosk. 2000 miles of trails with marked difficulty on each one, thanks USDA for that little gift. I pressed on and finally reached my trail right at sundown. I aired down, disconnected my sways, turned on my lights and headed into unknown territory. By the time I reached Monache Meadows is was officially dark out, the last of the dusk light vanishing while I was deep in the woods. I struggled to find a spot to camp in the dark, so I simply pulled off the first side trail I found. There was a fire ring there, but it was too late to get that started. I backed onto a log to level out and jettisoned a couple bulky items to make room for sleeping quarters. I haven't got many pictures to back this all up, but there's a lot more to come. Here are a pair of shots I took on the way in; my first glimpse of Olancha Peak and Brosef in the Magic Hour light.
To be continued...
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