eli

My earlier post didn't mention a date on the railroad tracks by Dumont so here's the historical quote:

From Ludlow, the railroad crossed the SP, LA & SL line at Crucero (Spanish word for "crossing") and extended over Broadwell and Soda (dry) Lakes. By March, 1906, the T & T completed the crossing of Silver (dry) Lake north of Baker. At that stage of the project, survey crews continued to chart a detailed path for the railroad, in advance of the construction operations. In May of 1906, 75 miles of rail had been completed to a point just beyond Dumont, north of the Dumont dunes in San Bernardino County.

The greatest challenge that the crew faced was the 12 mile ascent through the Alexander Hills no rth of Dumont by way of the Amargosa River Gorge. These mountains consist of a sequence of extremely hard and erosionally resistant volcanic rock formations. This great obstacle extended east to west for many miles. Going around it was not an option for Smith.3

Back when I had time for such things I studied and researched the Tonopah and Tidewater Railroad. Borax Smith named many things like stops on the railroad mines and whatever after employees, family, and associates. Razor, Baker, and Ryan are but a few examples of this habit of his.

That being said I've never heard of a Dumont family member, employee or associate. So it maybe that Dumont was Dumont before the railroad ever reached there. Perhaps I can be a bit more informative as to the earliest reference to Dumont I'm aware of. Dumont was a site, likely little more than a railroad construction camp and likely doomed to stay that way because of a lack of water. The water in Sperry Wash wasn't even considered fit for steam engines and the closest water is at Tecopa.

So 1906 or earlier is likely a good time.

Eli

I took the wife to look at toy haulers today and she actually really liked a 18' Attitude. What do you think of Attitudes and Johnny Walker as a dealer? If you were looking for an Attitude were would you go? I've bought my last few vehicles out of state because many Las Vegas dealers think they are something special and I should pay extra for it. I didn't think they were worth the thousands it would have cost me.

Eli

keeping it oround 65 to 70

had 15 gallons of fuel in fuel station, 10 gallons in gas cans, 20 pounds of dog food, yfz 450, water filled, rhino :rhino: , 2 gallons of j.d.,

um sticker says 7800 pounds loaded....

never actually weighed it loaded

That explains it....nothing works right when you are that low on j.d.

Eli

the 16' vortex we tow with our armada is one heavy trailer....

we towed it up this past weekend to gold point which is north of beatty and got 6.5 miles to a gallon....

it sucks!!! and we were loaded with a yfz450 and rhino... we are now looking for a 3/4 ton pickup!!!

If you are not feeling any love with a 16 footer I made the right decision not to try and do it with a 21 but what the heck does that darn thing weigh and how fast were you going?

Eli

I have been there many times staking power lines, problem is that BLM told us 5 years ago that we cannot hook up another consumer because the town is squatting on BLM land, it was never pvt. when it was subdivided and sold off. But it is a cool place.

They say mining claims the town sits on were never patented. Reid was trying at one point to sort it out with the BLM but knowing the BLM the town will be bull-dosed before that happens.

Of course they say the title to my property in Goldfield is clouded too but they were lazy to do the research.

They argue that the Trustee for the township of Goldfield didn't have the right to sell lots on top of mining claims. Many old mining towns were built that way. I don't care if the trustee had the right or not.

The owner of a patented claim has right to sell and define the surface rights and that's all you are likely to get in a mining area anyway. As long as that deed and all those that follow it are in my hot little hands the those lazy a..holes can go pound cloudy sand.

I'm told the patents were never issued for Gold Point but only a few hours researching at the BLM office in Tonopah will tell truly tell the tale and most of the so called local experts are simply too lazy to do so.

Eli

We were up there for 5 days over the holiday at our place in Swains Creek, very cool weather and good to get away. Where is your cabin?

Rented a cabin for a week in Swains Creek last year. Now I can't get the wife off the computer because she's always looking at cabins up there for sale. Gonna have a fight on my hands when I want to spend money for a toy hauler. Could be she's right....I love it up there.

Eli

Great weekend We took the Short Drive from our Duck Creek property, to Coral Pink.We loaded up the Rhinos on the trailer went out with Wife and Kids Saturday for our First Trip there.We Loved it wish I would Have had paddles or my Quad.Anyways Still great time Even seen some DDR Peeps

Was there for the first last weekend. Also wish I had paddles for the RZR.

Eli

Anybody know what shape Canes Bed Road is in? I feel the need to escape the heat this weekend.

Eli

Thanks Pete now I'm learning something...

Eli

Well spent the evening learning more...

If a Thor 217TB is too much....a Thor 18TB isn't enough. Can't get a 100" RZR in a 85" cargo area:( The pop out front bed was kind of different. I like the idea of going to bed without unloading. Although I don't think that's gonna happen in less than 23'.

So what do you guys like for a half ton and a RZR that isn't gonna break my wallet.

Eli

deleted....

...and out of those people ever single person upgraded to a 3/4 or 1 ton truck within a year or 2 of towing with a half ton.

I'm not trying to be an azz or talk chit about your truck eli, I just want to make you aware of what to expect. Your gonna start looking at bigger trucks if you go bigger on your trailer.

Thanks Pete now I'm learning something...

Eli

Being the trailer is only 21 feet it probably weighs 6,000-7,000 lbs max. I think you'd be fine towing it. I'm sure you can get some air bags to help the suspension handle the load. Before you buy you might want to have the seller run the trailer over the scales at a truck stop to make sure you are safe.

Already got the air bags and a great brake controller. I'm very happy with both.

Pete....in a previous life 80,000 pounds gross meant 80,000 pounds. The load could be sloshing around, swinging around, not there at all in high cross winds, wide, high or even well over 80,000 pounds and I had to learn to deal with it. Didn't always mean I liked it very much.

You could pull 80,000 with a 318 Detroit and hate it. A 350 Cummings and like it. Or 3406 Cat and love it. The 1693 Cat I had you drove by the temps because it would pull until it melted. Got in the habit and still pull hills that way. If the tranny, engine, or rear end start going up too much I drop a gear. If they get too high I stop and cool things off. The key is not waiting to do something till you are in trouble. I don't go down hills faster than I went up them. I don't want my brakes overheated when I need them the most. I think people that ride their brakes all the way down the hill belong well in front of me anyway.

It's not a matter of being legal I will be going the scale. The questions are not because I doubt the truck. It's a matter of will I hate it, like it, or love it? A million accident free miles happened because I was extremely careful and a bit lucky. I wasn't pulling a toy hauler at the time. So I'm asking those that have. I listened to a lot of drivers when I first got started.....some of them were full of crap.....some of them weren't.

Eli

My half ton Titan is rated to tow 9,400 pounds but....

I'm looking at 2000 21' Thor Wanderer. It's loaded with options which are not helium filled so I'm not sure I trust the empty weight on the builders plate. Newer toy haulers seem to be lighter at least if you believe the advertising. I don't know that I want to run the Titan at max tow rating. I don't mind going uphill and downhill slow but don't like to see the temps get too high. Upgrading the truck isn't gonna happen. I owe I owe.....

So am I gonna be happy pulling this thing? Are the newer ones really that much lighter given the same 21' length? Should I be looking at nothing above a 18'? What do you think of the Thor Wanderer in general?

Eli

I ride Amaragosa a lot. I've never seen or heard anything about a ghost fence. I'm very sorry for Mike's wife and family loss.

That being said I was my side in the RZR Monday before I knew what hit me. The only way I'm going know if I can climb a steep and difficult rutted hill is to try it and I've climbed worst. This time it bit back. If I'd been on a bike or quad I've no doubt I've have gotten hurt. Both I and RZR got anyway with minor damage so I was lucky. Sometimes you are not.

I didn't know Mike but I doubt he ran out of skill although we all have at some point. I doubt it was a ghost fence. We should not even go there. Unfortunately stuff happens and we aren't always lucky. It wasn't Mike's idea to stay in bed with the covers over his head. Neither is it ours.

God bless him and look over his family.

Eli

need your help .. k what air filter should i buy for my rzr s 2009 all i do is dumont dunes baby!!thanks...........

I forgot the most important thing if you have dust in the stock airbox, tube and thottlebody. Take pictures you'll need them.

Eli

need your help .. k what air filter should i buy for my rzr s 2009 all i do is dumont dunes baby!!thanks...........

I run a BTI Semi Sealed on my 08. It's $$$ and the UTM is cheaper. No cutting required with the BTI which is also sold by Dragonfire with their name on it. I don't like the idea of the vented model and don't need the waterproof one. Dragonfire is supposed to have a mount that connects the can to the engine and not the frame. Although I never had a problem (I did change the hose clamp) and your S likely has a lip and bellows to help prevent the tube (hose) from coming off the thottle body it happened alot on the 08's as the engine flexed in the frame. It's also easy to go back to stock..PM me if you don't know why you would do that.

Both use a Donalson paper filter inside the can. So cleaning is easy just tap it on something hard a few times and blow it out when you have a compressor. Regardless of which filter you use CLEAN IT EVERY NIGHT. Check the tube and the thottle body for dust when you clean the filter. You are not going to be different if you wait till you get home, IT WILL be top end time. Do something soon as RZR's suck dust.... the new filter, the lip and the bellows just seem to be Polaris band-aids to me.

Eli

If I recall, it leads to the Date Ranch, then ya take the Speary Wash route into the dunes.

Some of it the old Tonapah & Tidelands RR right of way.

And some of it on the power line rds.

Did hear once from Hallet Dave some sections may be closed,, but I never believe that until I see it. But it could be fact.

The BLM office is the best place to get the real scoop.

We want to put together a ride to from the dunes Crowbar restaurant/bar in Shoshone next to the Parump turn-off.

Comfortable sand runners like the Rzr make the trips fun and easy.

http://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Revi...ia.html#REVIEWS

The closest the T&T got to Pahrump is Shoshone. You may not get south from Shoshone to Tecopa I think they closed the lake/meadows. You aren't getting to China Ranch via the T&T south from Tecopa on a ATV except through an ACEC. Not advised since 1974. Unless they cleaned out the salt cedar you may not be able to walk it. The ACEC border is Tecopa Trail Head on the north by the old mill site. The southern border is three miles north of Sperry but now they turn you up Western Talc Road before you get there.

Best thing to do is trailer to Western Talc and follow Sperry Wash. If you could find a place to park you might be able to drop somewhere around the Pass and take the Tecopa RR from the Gunsight to the Noonday. From there to Western Talc and down Sperry Wash. The mines themselves are private property. So unless the BLM got permission from the owner.......

Eli

ahh whateva...I'm sure if it were a problem we could build a bridge via paypal donations alone. I bet we could get the DDR midget that runs the water valve for the river to even turn it off while construction is being done.

Unfortunately not funny....even if you could fund the bridge you'd need to fund the tree-hugger studies that would cost several times that.

The only good news is that the tree-huggers have moved their efforts north........but I think only for a while.

Eli

What do African Grays like best?

Bananas which make a mess or banana chips that don't make as much of one and toilet paper rolls. Hey you asked......

Eli

Can you say Amateur Zoologist: This time when I got home from work I'm trying to enjoy Dr. Phil and all of his infinite wisdom when all I can here is the whistling (loud). So I go in search for the obnoxious noise and I go in the back and here random talking, whistling so I look around and there it is, an African Gray Parrot in my yard. I went out and he flew up on my roof. So now I'm WTF I'm gonna do this time.

They have a reputation for being the most unfriendly of all the parrots. So I am contemplating what to do. This goes on of about two hours when this man shows up to my door knocking and as a towel in his his hand. I'm thinking ( I ain't answering the door) So I go around back and get my dogs and then approach the man wtih the towel in his hand. He says the bird is his and is name is ?????? I don't remember, and that he bites and swears alot. So I talk the old, fat man into going on my roof and getting the bird. Well he retrieves the bird, but now can't get down with out someone holding the bird that bites and swears. Well he finally makes in down, I didn't get bite and all is right with the world.

Sorry no pic's. The Batteries in my camera are dead. Lesson learned.

Can I go back to cleaning my house now or just have a beer

I don't know about unfriendly....however our Afican Gray calls me Eli when he wants something, Eha when he is slightly unhappy with me and my wife's ex's first name when he is really p'd off at me. Last time we took him to the vet the vet looks at his chart for his name and said "How is Nikki today?" Bird looks at him and said "nervous."

Towels are good......welders' gloves work too. Better on the Blue and Gold.

Eli

Just one question Mr. Boss......

Who the hell is gonna buy the stuff you make if the middle class working men and women can't afford it? Henry Ford when asked why he paid his workers so much money answered Who would buy my cars if I didn't. Guess you are pretty glad those workers brought your stuff on credit when they couldn't afford it otherwise. The government can't bail out somebody who's sales is down 40% like the automakers.

BTW Mr President....conventions are good for business and Las Vegas is cheap compared to some other locations.

Eli

Ok boy and girls, I'm dropping Sprint Cell Service for a mulitude of reasons but mainly because they are more expensive and their service sucks in the Lake Mead Rec Area on the lake and they at best spotty at the Big D. I've had problems with them while riding the back areas near searchlight and into and around Bullhead at Lake Mojave. So, I do spend alot of time traveling the USA, and International, but 60% of my travel is between here in Vegas and the LA area. Just looking for some input on remotes locations and our local Sand Box at Dumont and up North in Utah as well.

SP2 Mike

Work changed from Verizon to AT&T a while back. Best thing that ever happened I don't have coverage anywhere compared to Verizon. Some voicemails take longer than the postal service. The best thing is AT&T has very limited coverage at Dumont compared to Verizon. In fact I can see Las Vegas on the way home and still not be able to make a cell call.

My personal wireless card (Verizon) has also coverage in a lot of places including Dumont where I can't make an AT&T cell call.

I love AT&T

Eli

Ridenow on saraha closed.. They moved yamaha to the honda and kawasaki shop they have on rancho.

Now the other one's need to go...

Isn't a dealer that deserved it more. Absolutely the rest need to go.

Eli

I think he meant the crowds were mild this year, not the weather?

What crowd???? That's why I'm at Amaragosa.

Eli

Does anyone know of an RV storage in Baker? I have an old MOHO thats great for staying in but sucks to drive.

I kept mine in Shoshone in the lot north of the RV Park for dirt cheap. That's been a several years ago but I bet they could use the business. Don't know how secure it is but I never had a problem. It was within sight of the managers.

Eli

Going out this weekend to try out my buddys RZR. I just finished the cage for him (he rolled it first time out) and since i've had it, i'm really wanting one!!! There fast, a hell of a lot of fun and i think did ok on the cage. but, rhinos look like they have a lot more room. Heres the deal... I actually plowed our horse pasture with it and pretty much got the wife sold on that end... so, how hard is it to make a Rhino keep up with the RZR?

Here is my cage, what do you think?

Comparing a RZR to a Rhino is like comparing a sports car to a SUV. Stock RZR is faster vers stock Rhino, narrower so there's more trails you can ride, rhino's have more room but if you don't have kids.......

Eli