eli

Before asking that question you donate or you might not like the answer. A lower than low budget I worked on in the area donated 10k. Kind of p**sed me off...my paycheck bounced but the BLM got paid. Don't know what it was to low fly Death Valley another time but I doubt that ever happens again at any price. On a Grade B I did special effects for they keep changing the schedule, calling fire inspector at the last second and trying to pull permits an hour before the shoot. It was a not good idea to p**s off the Las Vegas Fire Department. The last effect we did was a small burn just off the airport. In this case by small I mean smaller than most campfires at Dumont before someone thows gas on it to get it really started. In addition to all the normal stuff we had two private trucks that looked like repainted Forest Service Fire Fighting rigs. One with 300 gallons of water the other with 450. Remember this is about two minutes if that from a fire station with enough foam to cover a 747. The inspector required an Engine and off-duty engine company who laid hose to the nearest fire plug about a football field away. Welcome to Las Vegas....the plug was dry. After much discussion we did the shot anyway. Later I asked one of the fire fighters what he thought laying hose to a dry plug and he said. "What you do you think? First I get overtime to be here, then they pay me to lay this line, then they pay me to put it back in the truck, then they pay me to take it back to the station and wash it. All told I'm gonna make a house payment tonight and I got me a nice house. You all come back anytime." Then there were the four off-duty firefighters manning four water canon in a tent with a sprinker system six nights a week but that's another story. What it costs is directly related to the government offical you p**s off. Eli

The last Dumont aerial project I was working on never left the ground. Fueling a turbine with a truck and driver broke the budget. That's why the Robinson caught my interest. A flying VeeDub is better than no flying at all but don't tell that to the folks above the line. You might have to hang out the door. Eli

Still a lot of side camera mounts around and the producers are always looking to save a dime. It don't have to be a dome to be a gyro like the news copters. Even one guy in a vest can have gyro's. Take the door off, strap him in and take off. The Robinson has got to be cheaper but there is no such thing in the helicopter business as cheap. Do you know what the Robinson burns for fuel? Pump gas? What's the range on that thing? Seems to me if they flew it there they got to be refueling on-site. A Long Ranger = tanker truck with fuel from Vegas, mucho $$$ or limited filming time over the dunes. My b*tch about helicopters is I NEVER got to go because of their limited fuel and payload. I did my thing and waited for it to come back. Now jets that's another matter. Of course now chained to a desk I don't get out much but I'm thinking a movie, the film guy, the RZR, and a couple of union stickers equals an excuse to dune. Nah...better not. Better to keep a certain management owned sand car wondering which RZR contains a union rep otherwise I'll be picking sand out of my teeth and to return the favor I don't need to advertise. Eli

You are not thinking like the man.... When fuel gets too expensive people might stop buying as much and start riding mopeds or public transportation. That got the Big Oil Man thinking. If you stop driving your pickup or I stop driving mine we still gotta eat and put clothes on our backs and that and alot of other stuff gets to us how? In most cases a big truck powered by what? Diesel. In rare cases it might get to us by train or ship powered by what? Diesel or another nasty fuel oil that should be even cheaper but isn't anymore because he made it so. IMHO most people won't stop driving regardless of the price. They will just keep charging it to their credit cards until the Big Banking Man owns their Somebody said vote Clinton....who do think bought her the last time she ran for office? Yep the Big Medical Insurance Man. More $$$ contributed to her than any other....ever. Speaking of the Big Medical Insurance Man. Did you read that there's only $75.00 in malpractice insurance for each of the 40,000 tested at Endoscopy Center and the the majority owner served on the malpractive insurance board? I bet he's still gonna be the man....in India when he decides it's to hot to hang around Vegas. He also owns a Bank. Eli

Dubbed Lake Full of Muck for a reason. Eli

Ever heard an Armed Society is a Polite Society? The way they treat customers they might consider holding people up at gun point because sooner or later everybody including myself will get tired of getting robbed when we walk through the door. Eli

Good thing you were looking that direction....if you looked south you might have seen a RZR stuck up to the belly pan. Now I ain't saying it was me....but four spinning tires throw sand everywhere. I ain't had sand in those body parts since ....well let's just say when you get beds have a certain appeal over beaches. Eli

Well then go to Rasor....I was there and moved to Dumont Saturday afternoon. Dumont's entrance seemed like it was paved after Rasor's. Alot of crazies camped at Rasor this weekend apparently avoiding the LEO's at Dumont. Eli

I used to like to bounce Lake Mead in the Narrows. Looking back....could and maybe should of ended badly. Where'd I get bent...Mexico, first dive, 45' of water, and way above my bottom time. They got me in the boat and laid me on the engine hatch. The dive boat captain knew I was in trouble when he started the engines. I was laying a couple of feet from the loudest air starters I've ever heard and couldn't even jump. I ain't saying if my wet suit got any wetter. 45 minutes later I was able to move. An hour later the captain stopped heading for US waters as fast that old tub could go and put the other divers down. He called it a bad case of the the skin bends, rare but he'd seen it before. I was glad that old salt head headed for help and that I recovered before he got there. I'd never heard of skin bends in all the classroom I took but not being able to move is pretty damned scary. Whatever you think you know, whatever the science, the dive tables, or the computer says...unexpected sh*t happens. It's human nature to second guess it. Don't....divers and anybody else that doesn't live in a rocking chair should morn his loss and send our condolences to his family. I know I do. Eli

I know you do I've read your postings. Just hoping it ain't gonna happen isn't enough. I get excited about closures. I trusted a greenie when they said "We all can work together at Dumont, there's room for us all"....once. I won't make that mistake again.... Eli

I ain't going anywhere.....at least until Don returns the favor and gives me a ride in that car. Hope he got the clutch fixed. As far as who said it. It's not important thanks for the Eli

As Vegas Style points out I ain't nothing if I'm not verbose. All I and a couple hunderd others wanted was to be able to follow a strip 50' wide by 167 miles through the deserts of Nevada and California. The Tonopah & Tidewater Railroad. I've been doing that for over 20 years. I put the Nevada Shortline on the internet over 8 years ago. I've been through countless BLM managers in three different offices including Barstow and dealt with the NPS at the Preserve and DV many times. I've orginized historical meetings, done several presentations and lead many trips. AND they still have closed the T&T bit by bit. I'm told I ain't welcome here despite I discovered I like duning as much as exploring. I'm told I don't fit in. If you don't learn anything from my mistakes you might as well add Dumont to the list above. You won't stop closures by doing nothing but getting drunk around the campfire not that I wouldn't be doing that too if I could. As for far a anything else you've heard get both sides of the story. Eli

Shoshone Crowbar food and free wireless Eli

I had this conversation with the NPS once before. I wanted to lead a trip that entered a National Park by 25' for the distance of about 250' on an exsisting trail instead of making a new one just outside of it. They had just moved the line in the sand. The guy in charge said if I allow you to do that I'll have 100 greenies (my word not his) yelling in my office. I said what if I bring 200 off-roaders and we start yelling in your office? He laughed and said that will never happen....the minute I see 12 of you it's a illegal gathering and I start calling the LEO's to throw your in jail. Next Story I think this LEO at the Preserve is long gone now. Years ago we were and burning ammo in rapid mode at private inholding within the Preserve. I'm thinking this guy's OK then he says I gotta go...I gotta get up in the morning. I gotta go see those a...hole towtruck drivers in Baker. Yea I said I can't believe what they charge to tow somebody out of Soda Lake which was really wet at the time. He says no it's not that, I'm not letting the tow trucks on the Preserve unless they call me so I can go cite the drivers of 4X4s that get stuck. Let's see big tow bill and cited too? I said what about the Mojave Road isn't it a open route? He said what Mojave Road? I started to explain and he said you ain't listening...let them tell it to the judge. I got both messages.... Nah I don't think they would start shooting at Kelso.......unless it was in rapid mode. BTW that LEO shot like he was born with an automatic in his hands or maybe us taxpayers were buying his pactice ammo which he had done...a lot. Eli

I'll see you at the pole on Saturday. I may go south on Sunday. Eli

Maybe...what do you have in mind??? Dunes or Wash? I was going to try to make the south pole meet at 2:00 Saturday and go exploring on Sunday. Eli

Well it looks like I have dealt with the last (known) issues that have tried to keep me from going. My credit card may never be the same..... The parts I needed for the RZR got here friday by next day air. I bent wrenches over the weekend and it's ready to go. My trailer doesn't have heat so I use a 12v bunk heater. The battery is only good for one night so I needed a way to recharge it every day. After considering cheaper ideas...generator purchased. I should even be able to run a electric heater if the bunk heater fails. After NOT hearing it run ( deaf guy) you guys were right Honda's are the best idea but a lot more than I wanted to spend. The wife has to work and the dog is staying home on Big Red's advice. I'm and boring but I wouldn't mind hooking up for camping or for an exploring run. I'm thinking about a run to either Riggs or Noonday or.....? My trailer is Vegas Style's old one complete with DDR sticker on the back. My truck is a gray four door Titan with a bed cover. It's two wheel drive so I'll likely stay back on the flats but I am going to try to get a little closer to a restroom than I did last time. Nothing too different from stock about the RZR. It's red with a black top. By day there's a black Ram (GPS) mount above the dash on the drivers side. By night I'll be running a single red Wired Whip. I generally wear a black....I can't spell it.....head thing to keep the sand out of my personel sound system. I'm not yet sure when I'll get there....if I'm not out exploring I'll make the meet at the south pole. Eli

RZR is getting a late Christmas. I ordered the stuff two weeks ago but dealer didn't ship anything when they said they would. I'd better be out at Dumont before it's even scheduled to get here Dog may not get to go cause the parts aren't here. He heads for the RZR ever since our last Logandale trip but given any kid under 12 that might play with him I'm afraid we and RZR are much less important. Keeping an eye on him myself while driving just isn't an great idea unless he's up front with me. I haven't had time to deal with what the wife is getting but what she isn't getting is any peace. If either of us isn't home when we are supposed be the dog wants nothing but to be held until the missing party returns. Eli

You gotta to try and put this behind you. I've been riding motorcycles for over 35 years. I've got four of them. I like to go fast. The score this year alone for my street bike friends is one dead, one in a comma since July, and two seriously injured. Two accidents, two fathers, two sons, two harleys, four badly hurt or killed. You went and bought a harley and I went and bought a RZR. I don't think the keys are in the bikes. Maybe the wife will give them back if I put for-sale signs on them. Maybe she'll give them back if I load one in the trailer and get out of town before I get on it. Maybe she'll give them back when she sees that look in my eyes come spring. I'm not sure I'll like the look in hers. The streets of Vegas are extremely dangerous to motorcycles. Mine haven't left the garage in months. You'll make your own decision and I'll make one come spring. Don't do it when the pain is fresh and get back on the horse before you do. This much I'll tell you I'll damn sure dune or ride with you any day. What experience teaches us is sometimes very hard but IMHO the dunes will be little safer with you around. It's not about what what happened. You can't unring that bell. It's about what you do from this point. If you quit nobody gains. Eli

This year I'm getting an motorcycle jack, 3/8 drive torex bits and a trip to Dumont. The RZR is getting if it all gets here: Rock Sider Bars Uni Air filter HID Headlights Lighted Whip Oil Change The dog is getting to ride up front this trip. The wife has to work so her seat gets replaced by a doggy platform again if the parts get here. The wife is getting...chit I knew I forgot something. Eli

DO NOT BUY ANYTHING IN VEGAS! Go to Utah even if you have to pay the taxes here later. Check out my posts at: http://www.prcforum.com/ Eli

Mine isn't broken in yet and I did have a little left but my passenger waved me off at what she said was over 60. GPS said 54. I think Polaris and BMW motorcycles get their speedo's at the same place. Guy at Logandale with one far from stock advised first order of business is getting rid of the stock shocks. I'd have to agree. I think it's got more guts than shocks and springs and it isn't a matter of longer travel. Eli

That's Riggs. Named after one of the owners of the mines if I remember correctly. The road you are talking about is the Tonopah and Tidewater Railroad grade. It was built by Borax Smith in the early 1900's to get his borax out Death Valley. Valjean is about 10 miles south of Dumont before you got there. If you followed the grade a little ways south of the sort of valley containing the mines you came to the Riggs section house. Although it like the Sperry version was adobe the shorter walls of the Riggs version were cement so there is more left of it. Riggs like Sperry stored water in a cistern and it remains as well. These two lowly railroad section houses were carefully studied by those that built the Death Valley Inn before they decided to use the same type of construction. The greenies were trying to push the Valjean Wilderness from the east side of the railroad grade all the way out to 127 I guess they didn't get it done. I wish I'd have know you were going, though I considered it, it's a bit long for a single vehicle trip. Eli

Warning very long post with a little Dumont history. It's been years since I've been to Dumont. I figured I have different interests and just wanted to do my own thing while I was there. I was wrong but more on that later I got there after dark on Thursday and worried about getting stuck I'm glad I didn't find that soft spot. Got up early the next morning and went up to Sperry. Sperry always upsets me because of promises the BLM broke and the fence further up which forces you up Western Talac Road. The Amargosa trestle location and the Palisades are really impressive but they are inside the ACEC and you have to hike to get there. Now you have to hike just to get to the ACEC and that puts them beyond my range. There was nobody up that way that early in the morning which was kind of nice. When I returned a couple leo's were kicking with a group of four wheelers who had sinned by being on the "old" route before the BLM cut the new one and re-directed it through the arch . I decided to visit the vendors and left with a smaller wallet. I then decided to head south to the Dumont Wye. The sand fills the smaller cuts which must have been a lot of fun to shovel out by hand back in the days of the railroad. I always bypassed a larger one when I had visited before and I did so again. I couldn't find the south end of the wye although I was right next to it. The sun can play tricks on you the desert. I used to find a lot of soldered tin cans around the wye but the days of metal detectors at Dumont are long past. I continued south to what the maps call Dumont but I've never found any evidence anything was ever there. Noticed a large er sorry Mr leo a small gathering of to the west and went to take a look. I had found the North Pole. I was back to the trailer before I realized I hadn't bypassed that cut. That felt good. Found the mouth and comp and relaxed watching the runs. I returned to the trailer to cook dinner before dark. Grilling a $20 steak around camp racers isn't much fun but the dust didn't appear to affect the taste any. After dark I returned to comp and relaxed some more. RZR lights suck and I hope Santa brings me some HID's for Christmas. Next morning I decided to find the south side of the wye and figured the open area the maps call Dumont might be the place to see what I could do. RZR speedos suck GPS said 54 mph and the RZR isn't broken in yet. That was fun. Decided the Drag Strip would be fun and it was...figured I saw comp, it was. Decided to find the South Pole and did. Figured I would have lunch at the North Pole and packed a lunch. Returned via the dunes this time and that was very fun. I checked out a stock Liberty going places I won't thought possible. I think the wife's might be visiting Dumont soon. I later returned to Sperry. A wise historian from Barstow now gone once told me I had a great grasp on things but history is about people. So I reflected on what it would have been like to live and work there without air conditioning and limited water. They brought water by tank car from Tecopa and filled a cistern that still can be found there. It would have had to last until the next car load. I know the son of the last bridge and building forman. He grew up in a box car parked on the closest siding to where ever his father was working. They too had a water tank car, he remembers being bathed by hose from that tank car in the winter....he didn't think it was too much fun as I recall. I wondered what his Thanksgiving as a kid was like compared to ours. I wondered if his parents gave him a bath before dinner. I got to revisit places that are of interest to me. I found that going fast on the dunes is a heck of a lot of fun. I didn't think about work. This weekend more of the same railroad and more dunes this time Amargosa. Eli

Where past the North Pole? Straight south down the roadbed there are mines at Riggs but it's a long ways. Eli