Monument Valley Utah

Gary,

Hmmmm ... you could have gone all day without mentioning "lift kit".

Now I'm all discouraged about ever adding 4X4 to my E450 Class C because I may break something someday as brittleness sets in ... or I guess maybe I should increase my calcium intake if I want to go the 4X4 route. ;)

Yep..Steve it is...

It had an ON/OFF switch on the radio? and the driver let you touch it? cripes...


And the reason I can't drive the RV..I can't get up into it. With the lift kit...it's a job even without the busted appendage.



Gary Haupt

Gary ... who's in the photo? It looks a wee bit like Steve McQueen.

Unfortunately, whoever it is, is out motorcycling instead of motorhoming! ;)

I'm just kidding ... I used to love taking my offroad Honda out in the Utah desert ... I wore a helmet while doing it, too.

P.S. I've indeed been in an Over The Road truck ... but it's radio had an ON/OFF switch.

Phil..we didn't see the trailer but he talked about going really wide in one corner so he didn't drop it off over the edge and the consequences of that, should it happen. And if he'd been bob-tailing, that tractor would have been bouncing and going like stink down the road. You never been in a OTR truck have you...music is like...always on.

The vid..that was me in the Suzuki, and I wasn't trying to demonstrate why a person shouldn't drive an RV into VOG's..was just showing why a person would want to go and see the place. I love it there. However...if a person knows what to look for..in the vid there were 4 or 6 places where flashfloods cross. You can see the the discoloration in the road surface.

And no...no can drive nuthin. Can hardly walk with crutches. Very little upper body strength so...sad sad sad. 37 years of bus driving did not do my physique any good. We are hoping that the snow melts enough to get the RV home tho, into the driveway...Sharon will drive it.





Gary haupt

Gary,

First off ... I hope your leg mends quickly and that while it's healing ... you can still drive your rig a bit!

Regarding the two videos you posted links to earlier in this thread:

In the first Moki Dugway video, I guess the guy was towing something ... I don't think that the video showed the rig? It appears that our short Class C COULD EASILY go up/down this (assuming the DW would not die from it, as a passenger) if and only if we met no one coming at us along much of the way, as our slide-less rig is 101 inches wide ... which can be a problem at times. BTW #1 - (IMHO) I could have done without the music playing in that guy's cab ... we go along roads like that in media-silence so we can hear Mother Nature and/or hear if things are breaking on the rig! BTW #2, that "Dugway" is nothing like the Dugway Proving Grounds out in the middle of the real nowhere in Utah where we tested munitions while I was in the AF.

In the 2nd Valley of the Gods video, it looks like a relative piece of cake to me ... if and only if one goes slow enough in a small Class C (so you don't high-center hang up) ... and if one doesn't try to travel it when it's wet. The rig in the VOG video appeared to be, as usual, going TOO FAST off-pavement for me. From what I could see in the VOG video, we do travel roads like that rockhounding. We almost went on the VOG loop during our last trip in Utah.

The worst off-pavement we have traveled seemed way worse than that in the VOG video ... we took the lower valley floor "not recommended for RVs" road in Monument Valley where normally only the tribal tourist jitneys go. The secrets for traveling that road in our short Class C were to go slow, steer carefully so as to take maximum advantage of our E450's wide rear dually stance along the ruts and side-ways tipped road surface, and cross the dry flash flood washouts at an angle so as to eliminate any chance of tail dragging. It was a real hoot being way out there in a dust free, air conditioned Class C (with a restroom) right in the middle of beautiful scenery, picture taking and buying native jewelry right from the person who made it.

Yes, 2Gypsies is (are??) right -- Goosenecks would be a disappointment if you are hoping for lots of neighbors to talk to -- it can get kind of lonely out there. That is my trailer hunkered down on the edge of the cliff, a long way from anything else:

Just a heads up...Gooseneck State Park is not your typical state park. All it is a large open parking area and you park wherever you find a spot. Just don't want you to be disappointed. Also, be careful if you have pets and are taking them for a midnight walk. It's a LONG way down! :)

profdant139 wrote:
Gary, it is one thing to take a big rig up and down the Dugway. It is quite another to have to back up so that someone can pass you! If I could be sure that I would never meet anyone on the narrow part of the road, I could take my trailer up and down, all day long. But the only room to pass is at the hairpin turns, if I recall correctly.

I hope your leg is not bothering you too much! Please give our regards and condolences to the Amazing Nurse with the Red Hair.

That little dinky trailer? And the trick then is to get to the side, stop and let the other vehicle go around you. Smile and wave...it's all good.

Ahh yes..my nurse..she is quite amazing. I do love the sponge baths, too. I know..I know..it's only my leg, but I am a good actor.


Gary Haupt

I concur with many here, don’t go into the Valley of the Gods, pulling a trailer the length you pull.

This is a good way to scrape off your steps or dump pipes. There are many locations with areas that you will be high centered on, like pictured above, will be difficult to negotiate without dropping a wheel, or two, on the trailer. Then you have a water crossing at the north end. If you want, come in from the west end, but would have a difficult time turning around and heading back out the west side (Moki Dugway side).

Goosenecks is a beautiful area, but it is a campground and a fee for using this area. But, there is great possibilities for you to find here. Since you asked for boondocking locations, I tend not to recommend campgrounds in a Boondocking forum.

Just like with my rig, I know when to stop and not go any further, I suspect you are the same. There are many locations in and around the Monument Valley area. But be aware this is Indian Nation and many locations are heavily restricted. The best thing to do, is just ask. Stop in Monument Valley and check for additional locations. There is a spot, I use every time pass through, just 5 miles north of the prime viewing area. But you would not be able to get back there, pulling a trailer your size. This is a location that is often used for staging movie companies, while in the area for filming. I found out about it just by talking to one of the crew, one day.

Have fun and it is a place not to be missed!

b

Gary, it is one thing to take a big rig up and down the Dugway. It is quite another to have to back up so that someone can pass you! If I could be sure that I would never meet anyone on the narrow part of the road, I could take my trailer up and down, all day long. But the only room to pass is at the hairpin turns, if I recall correctly.

I hope your leg is not bothering you too much! Please give our regards and condolences to the Amazing Nurse with the Red Hair.