Chinook RV

Just finished a 1300 mile tour of the CA desert. Quite a pleasant place to visit in the dead of winter, despite getting snowed upon in Death Valley (paradoxically), and rained upon in Mojave. With a bit of warm food, a camp fire, and the right gear, winter camping in the desert in a Chinook is very comfortable, and outstanding. Amazing hiking and views everywhere!

Love that last photo with the purpley hills. And it's very enjoyable to read of your Chinook journeys. Glad you post them!

Before ever camping in the desert I would never have imagined it to be so beautiful and addicting. I pictured it as just vast stretches of sand and nothing more. So at first it was just a place to get away from the worst of the winter cold (and avoid the more popular/crowded winter places); but now I find that I crave the wide open space, vast horizons, micro-life, beautiful sunsets, etc. (Not that I don't "re-crave" more northern places too, but that's what wheels are for ).

Beautiful Pictures Scott. I would love to see Death Valley in the winter. We were there in the late 90's in the Summer when the temp was 120+. We had a Tioga motorhome then and ran the generator and AC the entire visit.

Thanks for the replies, guys!

Yeah, so true, Blue. Another thing worth mentioning is how much these three spots vary. Mojave is just teeming with vegetation and animals, whereas Death Valley is pretty baked, although still beautiful.

Wow Steve. I don't think I'm brave enough to endure the desert summer. I think I'd shoot for the Boundary Waters or the PNW!!!

Scott wrote:Thanks for the replies, guys!


Wow Steve. I don't think I'm brave enough to endure the desert summer. I think I'd shoot for the Boundary Waters or the PNW!!!

It wasn't a planned destination but we were close so said what the heck. My Dad lived in the deserts of Arizona in a modified 55 passenger school bus for a little over a decade and we visited him quite a few times (when we could find him). He was one of those guys who wintered in Quartzite AZ and would move to the pine forests in the heat of the summer.

There is something,that escapes words,at least for me,in the Desert Southwest.....You can read all about how the West was conquered,settled and Won,,but for the most part the people reading it are 'safe'behind Walls that they built to shut out that overwhelming Vastness.Its a lie,but it serves.....beyond that Edge,it's hard not to want to hold your Breath as if all that sand was not still under a Dark and invisible Ocean of time.....so nice to visit...especially with a wagon on a trail.....Which is to say thanks for the post,and photos.....Rooney.

SMan wrote:It wasn't a planned destination but we were close so said what the heck. My Dad lived in the deserts of Arizona in a modified 55 passenger school bus for a little over a decade and we visited him quite a few times (when we could find him). He was one of those guys who wintered in Quartzite AZ and would move to the pine forests in the heat of the summer.

"When we could find him" had me laughing. Great story, Steve. Pops sounds like a cool dude...

A Rooney wrote:There is something,that escapes words,at least for me,in the Desert Southwest.....You can read all about how the West was conquered,settled and Won,,but for the most part the people reading it are 'safe'behind Walls that they built to shut out that overwhelming Vastness.Its a lie,but it serves.....beyond that Edge,it's hard not to want to hold your Breath as if all that sand was not still under a Dark and invisible Ocean of time.....so nice to visit...especially with a wagon on a trail.....Which is to say thanks for the post,and photos.....Rooney.

Thanks for that message. You certainly have a way with words, Rooney. Sometimes it feels like I'm reading Thoreau.