Breaking in the New Rig “Titus” at Death Valley

After returning from our beautiful hike to Thousand Island Lake near Yosemite, we headed out immediately to Death Valley. Jenine’s birthday was on October 8th, and we wanted to spend it camped underneath the famous death valley skies! Death Valley was also going to be the place where we could truly test the capabilities of our new Sportsmobile.

After checking in with the visitor’s center and buying a 4×4 guidebook to Death Valley, we headed straight to a trail that looked interesting and would be a great place to camp (it was also the trailhead on the back cover of the guide book) – Echo Canyon.

[pe2-image src=”http://lh5.ggpht.com/-PzMWalzt0Pg/VEKRb48v7fI/AAAAAAAAoSk/mMTRkqBbqdY/s144-c-o/IMG_0814.JPG” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/115263927216347870948/BreakingInTheNewRigAtDeathValley02#6071575155978530290″ caption=”First off road trail – the amazing Echo Canyon” type=”image” alt=”IMG_0814.JPG” ]

Echo Canyon was spectacular, it was so beautiful to be camped off road for the first time ever, with nobody around for many miles.

[pe2-image src=”http://lh3.ggpht.com/-9LZNaM65C5w/VEKZYD4E8oI/AAAAAAAAoSk/WSX3xuJ2Mgs/s144-c-o/IMG_0827.JPG” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/115263927216347870948/BreakingInTheNewRigAtDeathValley02#6071583886285271682″ caption=”sitting on the Rig” type=”image” alt=”IMG_0827.JPG” ]

[pe2-image src=”http://lh6.ggpht.com/–kSc0avTbng/VEKa49u4kxI/AAAAAAAAoT8/fBPrbhzwmFs/s144-c-o/IMG_0860-EFFECTS.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/115263927216347870948/BreakingInTheNewRigAtDeathValley02#6071585551083410194″ caption=”Eye of the needle – Echo Canyon” type=”image” alt=”IMG_0860-EFFECTS.jpg” ]

[pe2-image src=”http://lh3.ggpht.com/-g9lZwWLgxJg/VEKZgCoMzkI/AAAAAAAAoSk/XYEm5glIqag/s144-c-o/IMG_0835.JPG” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/115263927216347870948/BreakingInTheNewRigAtDeathValley02#6071584023389195842″ caption=”First night camping” type=”image” alt=”IMG_0835.JPG” ]

[pe2-image src=”http://lh4.ggpht.com/-tL0UKMN5S3Q/VEKaR8eiPrI/AAAAAAAAoSk/nBLU-v62x_Y/s144-c-o/IMG_0853.JPG” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/115263927216347870948/BreakingInTheNewRigAtDeathValley02#6071584880731504306″ caption=”Jenine waking up to the sunrise” type=”image” alt=”IMG_0853.JPG” ]

The next day we checked out some of the key sights like Zabriskie Point and the sand dunes.  Then we headed down a trail that would prove a little too rough for us, Hanaupah Canyon.  The two hours we spent on that trail nearly destroyed our bike rack and shook loose almost every bolt in the van, but it was fun and a good way to shake up the rig.

[pe2-image src=”http://lh3.ggpht.com/-DKR66ZQ1Pk4/VEKbQT2XNfI/AAAAAAAAoSk/5dVe76iA21E/s144-c-o/IMG_0871.JPG” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/115263927216347870948/BreakingInTheNewRigAtDeathValley02#6071585952157349362″ caption=”Jenine posing – it’s her bday!” type=”image” alt=”IMG_0871.JPG” ]

[pe2-image src=”http://lh3.ggpht.com/-sVInFodTyqE/VEKa5S43xoI/AAAAAAAAoSk/H-j5oCYxIq0/s144-c-o/IMG_0868.JPG” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/115263927216347870948/BreakingInTheNewRigAtDeathValley02#6071585556762445442″ caption=”Zabriskie Point” type=”image” alt=”IMG_0868.JPG” ]

[pe2-image src=”http://lh6.ggpht.com/-ChXh2WNrBuU/VEKcN8CcM1I/AAAAAAAAoSk/Vn8VvC5wDnA/s144-c-o/IMG_0875.JPG” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/115263927216347870948/BreakingInTheNewRigAtDeathValley02#6071587010917446482″ caption=”This trail shook the heck outta Titus, but was a great way to break in the rig” type=”image” alt=”IMG_0875.JPG” ]

For Jenine’s bday we found a great camp out in public BLM land and cooked a beautiful steak dinner.

[pe2-image src=”http://lh3.ggpht.com/-Hn4fAGGhRbM/VEKagqGKBaI/AAAAAAAAoSk/1_vvJD6us3g/s144-c-o/IMG_0856.JPG” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/115263927216347870948/BreakingInTheNewRigAtDeathValley02#6071585133495453090″ caption=”heading out to find the perfect camp site” type=”image” alt=”IMG_0856.JPG” ]

[pe2-image src=”http://lh4.ggpht.com/-Lh4JN4ZQWto/VEKdyrrj4cI/AAAAAAAAoSk/N2m-fUvUzzg/s144-c-o/IMG_0897.JPG” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/115263927216347870948/BreakingInTheNewRigAtDeathValley02#6071588741693301186″ caption=”Campsite for Jenine’s bday” type=”image” alt=”IMG_0897.JPG” ]

The next day, we woke up and Jenine did yoga until a big tarantula walked over to her mat 🙂

[pe2-image src=”http://lh3.ggpht.com/-mIGLH1QCGyc/VEKegw1FiJI/AAAAAAAAoSk/DJFiOesYSjc/s144-c-o/IMG_0901.JPG” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/115263927216347870948/BreakingInTheNewRigAtDeathValley02#6071589533349415058″ caption=”Jenine’s buddy the tarantula” type=”image” alt=”IMG_0901.JPG” ]

After that we packed up, and headed to the Titus Canyon trailhead. This was going to be the best off road trail we could have ever imagined. It was 24 miles of awesome scenery and fun turns. Our SMB handled this course so well, that we decided that we are going to name our van “Titus” in honor of that amazing ride.

[pe2-image src=”http://lh4.ggpht.com/-YBf1Uu-T_lM/VEKeU5Beb_I/AAAAAAAAoSk/_lILWUud1co/s144-c-o/IMG_0906.JPG” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/115263927216347870948/BreakingInTheNewRigAtDeathValley02#6071589329390432242″ caption=”Heading down Titus Canyon – best ride ever” type=”image” alt=”IMG_0906.JPG” ]

[pe2-image src=”http://lh4.ggpht.com/-E>MZJvWl1o/VEKe1pfvYfI/AAAAAAAAoSk/LxKzuXb1HoI/s144-c-o/IMG_0919.JPG” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/115263927216347870948/BreakingInTheNewRigAtDeathValley02#6071589892158087666″ caption=”” type=”image” alt=”IMG_0919.JPG” ]

[pe2-image src=”http://lh3.ggpht.com/-qYrnRvMl50k/VEKiOYx3ejI/AAAAAAAAoSk/n9-ei04rLH0/s144-c-o/IMG_7842.JPG” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/115263927216347870948/BreakingInTheNewRigAtDeathValley02#6071593615702325810″ caption=”Jenine at the wheel of TItus” type=”image” alt=”IMG_7842.JPG” ]

[pe2-image src=”http://lh5.ggpht.com/-RwrUrqiU2Vo/VEKinrM0xcI/AAAAAAAAoSk/05HdFQUJnZA/s144-c-o/IMG_7846.JPG” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/115263927216347870948/BreakingInTheNewRigAtDeathValley02#6071594050143962562″ caption=”More Vistas at Titus Canyon” type=”image” alt=”IMG_7846.JPG” ]

[pe2-image src=”http://lh3.ggpht.com/-5UynArqXDPw/VEKfMmK2iAI/AAAAAAAAoSk/8pCxagtqdx0/s144-c-o/IMG_0924.JPG” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/115263927216347870948/BreakingInTheNewRigAtDeathValley02#6071590286402160642″ caption=”Getting into the Narrows” type=”image” alt=”IMG_0924.JPG” ]

[pe2-image src=”http://lh6.ggpht.com/-lKKEDajMdjw/VEKf5M6_MOI/AAAAAAAAoSk/1d0hIkR7lBs/s144-c-o/IMG_0943.JPG” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/115263927216347870948/BreakingInTheNewRigAtDeathValley02#6071591052718846178″ caption=”Just incredible landscapes all around death valley” type=”image” alt=”IMG_0943.JPG” ]

That night we camped in a old mining ghost town and left early the next morning for Flagstaff, AZ, one of our favorite mountain towns.  The Grand Canyon awaits us next!

Finally, here are some pics of the inside of the new Rig “Titus”:

[pe2-image src=”http://lh3.ggpht.com/-Z9esXM-QNZ8/VEKgROKcvrI/AAAAAAAAoSk/Gt5N9IvZW48/s144-c-o/IMG_0957.JPG” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/115263927216347870948/BreakingInTheNewRigAtDeathValley02#6071591465368993458″ caption=”inside the our home” type=”image” alt=”IMG_0957.JPG” ]

[pe2-image src=”http://lh6.ggpht.com/-joVkzTR6g80/VEKg1gHVHLI/AAAAAAAAoSk/6WgA_871d84/s144-c-o/IMG_0963.JPG” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/115263927216347870948/BreakingInTheNewRigAtDeathValley02#6071592088663039154″ caption=”Passenger seat swivels around to create an inside chair” type=”image” alt=”IMG_0963.JPG” ]

[pe2-image src=”http://lh5.ggpht.com/-BYAqd8_lGOs/VEKga0IHEeI/AAAAAAAAoSk/mzSj11z-Tco/s144-c-o/IMG_0961.JPG” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/115263927216347870948/BreakingInTheNewRigAtDeathValley02#6071591630178554338″ caption=”view from above (missing the bed which drops down)” type=”image” alt=”IMG_0961.JPG” ]

[pe2-image src=”http://lh5.ggpht.com/-EGq6Zb7YkS8/VEKht3dn4kI/AAAAAAAAoSk/Na4tmM65PaU/s144-c-o/IMG_0972.JPG” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/115263927216347870948/BreakingInTheNewRigAtDeathValley02#6071593057003233858″ caption=”Bed in place up top” type=”image” alt=”IMG_0972.JPG” ]

[pe2-image src=”http://lh4.ggpht.com/-qSRlz7O0KEI/VEKhuwRSWLI/AAAAAAAAoSk/6o3KpztL_fs/s144-c-o/IMG_0967.JPG” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/115263927216347870948/BreakingInTheNewRigAtDeathValley02#6071593072252311730″ caption=”Jenine’s kitchen” type=”image” alt=”IMG_0967.JPG” ]

Google Plus Album:

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What we are listening to – The new Alt-J!