The Inaugural Run of the Oregon Zephyr

Mad Matt

Adventurer
This trip really starts nearly 3 years ago, but I will spare you those details. The important part is that I moved from NorCal to the east coast last summer and this January I somehow managed to convince my wife to let me buy a 1996 Land Cruiser back in my hometown of Portland.


pre-purchase sales photos by blindranger, on Flickr

Over the next 3 months it sat at my folks and with the family mechanic who carried out all of the needed maintenance and installed a brace of new mods.


Forest Hall by blindranger, on Flickr

The plan was simple, fly out to Portland on Friday (3/9), spend some quality time at the Acropolis with some old friends and hit the road early Saturday morning. I had about a week to get back to the east coast before my wife would kill me, so let the adventure and my first trip report begin!


Route by blindranger, on Flickr

We started in by climbing out of the Columbia River Gorge

Columbia River Gorge @ Crown Point by blindranger, on Flickr

and crossed the Bull Run river as we headed over Mt Hood.

Bull Run River by blindranger, on Flickr

We headed straight for the Painted Hills National Monument

Painted Hills National Monument by blindranger, on Flickr

About 30 miles from nowhere we stumbled across this oddity

Shoe Tree somewhere in Eastern Oregon by blindranger, on Flickr

Followed by this great ruin

Eastern Oregon by blindranger, on Flickr

As the sunset as we paralleled the Steens it became apparent how amazing the HIR bulbs and Hella 4000's were at lighting the way!
http://youtu.be/CRJAKSp5uDc?hd=1

We managed to make it all the way to Elko, NV that night. Early Sunday morning we stumblied accross the remains of a cool old ghost town in Cobre, NV

Nevada Ghost Town by blindranger, on Flickr


Nevada Ghost Town by blindranger, on Flickr


Nevada Ghost Town by blindranger, on Flickr


Nevada by blindranger, on Flickr

Next we were off to the the Boneville Salt Flats...which were sadly flooded

Bonneville Salt Flats by blindranger, on Flickr

That night we made camp along the Colorado River just outside of Moab, UT

Stars over Colorado River near Moab, UT by blindranger, on Flickr

Monday Morning we made our way into Arches NP via Willow Springs Trail. Dino Tracks!

Dinosaur Tracks Arches National Park by blindranger, on Flickr


Arches National Park by blindranger, on Flickr

Still too early for the spring bloom

Arches National Park by blindranger, on Flickr


Arches National Park by blindranger, on Flickr

Heading north on Salt Valley Rd out of Arches NP

Arches National Park by blindranger, on Flickr

We decided to head north of I-70 to try to find the old Sego Mine

Ghost Town Thompson / Sego Canyon Area by blindranger, on Flickr


Ghost Town Thompson / Sego Canyon Area by blindranger, on Flickr

And the Rock Art in Sego Canyon

Rock Art Thompson / Sego Canyon Area by blindranger, on Flickr


Rock Art Thompson / Sego Canyon Area by blindranger, on Flickr

That afternoon the mission was to make it to the Ranger Station in Canyonlands NP to pick up our back county camping permit and head for the White Rim Trail. I didnt realize that when the park ranger said on the phone to try to make it to the ranger station by 3pm that there was an implied hard deadline. needless to say they saw us running fro the front door at 4pm (closing time) and we were meet by some very gracious and accommodating Park Rangers who kindly issued us our permit for the night. The original plan was to head straight down the Schafer switch backs to our campsite, but the road were closed to motorized traffic due to ice. This gave us a nice 2hr detour to the Schafer Camp.

Colorado River outside of Canyonlands National Park by blindranger, on Flickr

The only wildflowers I found in bloom in Southern Utah

Canyonlands National Park by blindranger, on Flickr
 

Mad Matt

Adventurer
Awesome balancing rock!

Balancing Rock Canyonlands National Park by blindranger, on Flickr

obligatory hero shot of the Land Cruiser

Canyonlands National Park by blindranger, on Flickr

We managed to make into Shafer Camp just in time to watch Venus and Jupiter light up the night sky

Venus and Jupiter Canyonlands National Park by blindranger, on Flickr

The next morning we were greeted by a beautiful sunrise and perfect weather!

Canyonlands National Park by blindranger, on Flickr

There was enough haze to make the perfect shot elusive

Canyonlands National Park by blindranger, on Flickr

Musselman Arch

Canyonlands National Park by blindranger, on Flickr

The long road

Canyonlands National Park by blindranger, on Flickr


Canyonlands National Park by blindranger, on Flickr

The Colorado River

Colorado River Canyonlands National Park by blindranger, on Flickr


Canyonlands National Park by blindranger, on Flickr

Awesome Face of stone

Canyonlands National Park by blindranger, on Flickr


Canyonlands National Park by blindranger, on Flickr

Green River

Green River Canyonlands National Park by blindranger, on Flickr

With our early start we managed to finish the White Rim Trail before sunset...barely :D

outside of Canyonlands National Park by blindranger, on Flickr
 

Mad Matt

Adventurer
Wednesday morning we broke camp and headed to Mesa Verde National Park

Mesa Verde National Park by blindranger, on Flickr

This early in the spring access in the park was very limited, but we managed to see the Spruce Tree House

Mesa Verde National Park by blindranger, on Flickr

and got a decent look at the Cliff Palace from afar.

Mesa Verde National Park by blindranger, on Flickr

Next on the list was Durango, CO. I think I am in love with Durango, it has the perfect mix of hippies and Rolex's to make for what seemed to be a vibrant little town and I have never seen so many built Land Cruisers in my life...they were freakin EVERYWHERE! I'm not sure how I'm going to do it, but I will live here some day.

Durango & Silverton RR by blindranger, on Flickr

Our last glimpse of Colorado before heading into New Mexico

Random Colorado by blindranger, on Flickr

I had no idea there were so many elk in Colorado and New Mexico

Elk in New Mexico by blindranger, on Flickr

The Next morning we pealed out of Santa Fe at the butt crack of dawn to begin the long, long final two days. Cool Cactus

New Mexico by blindranger, on Flickr

We did manage to catch some of the sites on Route 66, like Cadillac Ranch

Cadillac Ranch by blindranger, on Flickr


Cadillac Ranch by blindranger, on Flickr

But this marks the end of the pictures and the beginning of my experience as a long haul trucker. I managed to drive the roughly 1,900 miles from Santa Fe, NM to just outside of Washington DC in 2 days...dude that was so burly, but I managed to get home before my wife killed me, which means I will live to do this again some other day.

Peace,
Matt
 

KSmart

New member
Great pics, thanks for sharing. The shoe tree is the new one ,they cut the old one down when they improved the road. It actually had more shoes.
 

Mad Matt

Adventurer
After Driving the Land Cruiser cross-country I am seriously contemplating some form of LNC/CNG/Propane duel fuel conversion. I can see many future treks back to the four corners states for some proper family camping/wheeling fun, but at $5/gal and 13mpg it was slightly painful on the wallet.

Nitetrain --> What happens in the Acropolis, stays at the Acropolis :costumed-smiley-007

KSmart --> We definitely scrounged around the base of the tree for shoes we could tie back together and throw back up...which is way harder then I would have thought.
 

addicted56

Adventurer
Wow cool wife. Lets you buy a cruiser, fly home alone to drive it back and hang out with your buddies at the Acrop!! Hope you enjoyed a beer and a bit more for me :coffeedrink: Great Photos and looks like a great time. Good inspiration for a eastward bound trip myself later this year from the homeland.
 

Mad Matt

Adventurer
I'm loving this thing. It's the S-Class Mercedes built for 3rd world dictators that I have always wanted!
 

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