Glamis Camping 101

Summer winding down doesn’t have to signal the end of camping season, especially if you live in Southern California. Once the extreme heat lessens and we swing into autumn, desert season officially begins. One of my favorite desert camping destinations is Glamis, officially called the Imperial Sand Dunes Recreation Area. It’s located in the southeast corner of California and borders Mexico, and it happens to be an offroading playground with giant, smooth sand dunes that stretch for miles. Keep reading for an explanation of the different camping areas at Glamis and what you need to know before heading out there.

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Jeep Project: LCOG Build Phase 1

For the past year I’ve been experiencing massive Jeep withdrawals because our Jeep has been undergoing a suspension and fender alteration to achieve a lower center of gravity (LCOG). After driving around for five years with a  tall, top-heavy Jeep, we’re reducing our lift from 5.5 inches to 2.5 inches to make it a little more highway friendly and easier to hop into, while still maintaining its off-road capabilities. The stock fenders are getting trashed and we’ll be installing  Poison Spyder high-line  fenders to maintain similar (or better) suspension travel that we enjoyed before. Accompanying these fenders in the front will be new taller shock towers (via Ford truck shock towers), a new track bar by JKS, new Bilstein 5125 shocks and new 2.5 inch front progressive coil springs from Rough Country. Read More

Day 3: Mojave Road Jeep Camping Trip

Day 3 of our Mojave Road offroad trip completes our three day, 130 mile Jeep trip from Laughlin to Barstow. The final day covers 51 miles and traverses through Soda Lake, sand dunes, Afton Canyon, and a river crossing at the end. (And what camping trip wouldn’t be complete without a Del Taco feast!)

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DIY Spare Tire Rack

The toughest part about Jeep camping trips is organizing all your gear and fitting it in your Jeep… and still being able to take a furry buddy in the backseat. My husband, Matt, decided to make a Frankenstein spare tire rack out of $60 Harbor Freight receiver hitch cargo carrier that attaches to the Smitty Built spare tire carrier currently on our Jeep.IMG_1216Our spare tire rack loaded up with firewood and gas on the Mojave Trail. Read More

Red Rock Canyon

If you’re looking for a picturesque day of offroading amidst tall cliffs and geological formations, then Red Rock Canyon is the spot. Located off highway 14 north of Mojave, California, Red Rock Canyon State Park offers camping, offroading, hiking and spectacular views. Read More