SoCal Overland
  • Home
  • Upcoming Events
  • Store
  • About
  • Contact

Day 4 - Jackson Hole, Wyoming

6/30/2015

0 Comments

 

After arriving into Jackson Hole late on Monday night, we all got a good nights sleep to prepare for a fun-filled Day 4.

My fist task was to find the best Latte in town and so I did with kids stomping my shadow along the way. My hard work (search yelp) paid off. We landed at Cowboy Coffee, yes that's the name of the place and it happens to be right down the street from our quaint hotel. Cowboy Coffee also whips up some delicious breakfast sandwiches as well as hot chocolate for the kids with whip cream and Red, White, and Blue sprinkles. If you are ever in Jackson, give this place a try and you will be pleased.

Picture

We also needed to restock our cooler, so a trip to the local grocery store was in order. The kids also needed to get out some energy, so we spent a few hours at the park letting them run wild and kicking the soccer ball to each other.

Our afternoon had us cruising through Grand Teton National park with the roof flipped open so we could take in the tall sights. We really enjoyed seeing the Grand Terons and enjoyed trying to get that picture perfect postcard photo with our Jeep and the mountains in the background.

Picture

As we drove around the loop in Grand Teton park, the weather was looking more and more like it was going to rain. We made a few more stops for pictures, but the lighting was not perfect, however I did manage to get this family selfie with one of the Tetons in the background and the Snake River flowing behind us.

Picture

And for dinner we went on a Chuckwagon ride and ate with real Cowboys up in the Teton National Forest. The kids dressed up as a Cowgirl and a Cowboy. Once again we arrived back to our hotel late and put the kids to bed as quickly as possible. However, we all had a good time and this may as well be one of the kids favorite pictures from today.

Picture
0 Comments

Long Drive to Jackson Hole - Day 3

6/30/2015

0 Comments

 

We drove out of Parowan, Utah on day 3 at 10AM and rolled into Jackson Hole, Wyoming at 9PM. It was a long day on the road and I did not even remember to look at today's mileage, but that doesn't matter because we had a great day.


We made really good driving time to Salt Lake City, where we re-fueled the Jeep and refueled our tummies right there at the gas station; thanks to my hunny for having our cooler well-stocked with good food to keep us going. We also finished off lunch with a marshmallow covered in caramel and dipped in chocolate. Here is the Mouse biting in...

Picture

Maintaining our momentum and trying to keep up with the 80MPH speed limit, we pushed on into Idaho (our fifth state that was not in our original plan) so we could see Idaho Falls along the Snake River. A quick look at Yelp helped us find this great Tapas restaurant (Republic American Grill and Tapas) located just across the street from the falls.

Picture

After dinner, we walked over to the park that provides views of Idaho Falls. While the kids were able to run wild and get some energy out, I was able to get this selfie with me and my sweetie. Which reminds me of how much I appreciate her and enjoying this time we have together on these long drives and not thinking about our hurried lives when we are back at home. So, here is one of my favorite pictures of today...

Picture

While we really enjoyed driving through Idaho, we were quite excited to get into Wyoming and start looking for bears, moose, elk, deer, and more. We finally arrived in Victor, Idaho and reached the border of Wyoming. We were all excited and decided this would be a great place for a break. This is before heading up into the mountain pass that climbs at a 10% grade eventually reaching about 8,600 feet in elevation.

Picture
Picture

As we dropped down into Jackson Hole, it was getting late and we were focused on finding a hotel and getting the kids into bed. So, sorry, we skipped having the kids post a picture today, but reaching the Wyoming border was exciting for the kids, even if it was just for them to stretch their legs and yell out for a bear to come visit.

Now settled in our room with kids asleep, there is a heavy thunderstorm rolling through the valley of Jackson Hole, so we will enjoy the flashes of lightening and booming thunder for now and dream about tomorrow's adventure.

0 Comments

Day 2 - Exploring around Brian Head Utah

6/28/2015

2 Comments

 

After a good nights sleep, oh wait, the kids woke up at 5:45AM this morning and were ready to go. So, after mobilizing, we decided to drive up to Brian Head. On the way up, we decided to turn off and visit Yankee Meadow and came across our first jam of cows crossing the road. We waited patiently...

Picture

After visiting around the lake at Yankee Meadow, we headed up the mountain to Brian Head.

Picture
Picture

Brian Head mountain ski resort was fairly quiet as the summer season is just getting started. I would really like to come back for some Mountain Biking, so this will go on the bucket list.

We also drove to the very top of Brian Head, getting above the tree line where the temperatures fell to a refreshing 65 degrees.

Picture

At the top of Brian Head, we enjoyed views of four states: Utah, Nevada, Arizona, and Colorado. Here is a view from the top overlooking the Brian Head ski resort.

Picture

One of my favorite pictures of today was taking this selfie with the kids at over 11,000 feet with views of Utah and Arizona in the far distance.

Picture

OK, now for the kids favorite pictures on day 2 in Brian Head.

Hi, I'm the Mouse, that's what my Dad calls me. Today, we drove around in the Jeep and we got our hands wet in the lake at Yankee Meadow and I saw three fishes.

And today, I wanted my Dad to wear the same Jeep shirt as me because I love it (the shirt). Here is my favorite picture from today. It's Mouse (Me) and my Dad in a boat. I hope you like it.

Picture

This is my other favorite picture and it's named Aspen tree like my friend. Me and my Sister are in this picture and here we touched the icy cold water in the creek.

Picture

Hi, I'm KK Bella and I want to share this favorite picture from my adventure today. We went to Yankee Meadow and I saw lots and lots of Aspen trees. Here is a picture of me with an Aspen Tree.

Picture

Here is my other favorite picture from today it is me and my little brother at the top of Brian Head. And I hope you like the picture of me and my brother at the sign for Brian Head.

Tomorrow we are going to drive all day. We are going to drive through Salt Lake City and Idaho Falls before arriving in Jackson Hole, Wyoming.

Picture
2 Comments

520 Miles to Utah - First day on the Road

6/27/2015

0 Comments

 
Picture

For our first day on the road, we made it through California, Nevada, cut through a corner of Arizona, and into Utah.

We drove 520 miles without any casualties. As we left San Diego, the weather was cool and gloomy with some rain showers. As we drove north, the clouds dissappeared and the sun turned into the blazing ball of fire that it is. Despite having the air conditioning cranked, our bodies wanted only to sweat.

Las Vegas was hot, but as we rolled through Mesquite, UT, the temperature hit 117 degrees!

While it was hot enough to fry an egg on the pavement, the Jeep soldiered on. I watched the temperature gauge climb a few times on some of the long grades, but it came right back down as soon as we were on the downhill side.

The kids had a really good first day on the road. We listened to music and they got creative in the back seat while I enjoyed a homemade iced coffee.

Picture
Picture
Picture

We are close to Brian Head in Utah, so we may head up there in the morning to check out some of their fun activities.

Let us know if you have any recommendations for exploring in this corner of Utah!

0 Comments

Family Road Trip - America

6/26/2015

0 Comments

 

A few years back, my wife and I took a trip to Moab and left the kids behind with family. I really enjoyed getting out on the road and seeing new places and doing some wheeling.

So, this year, we are hitting the road for two weeks and bringing the kids with us. It should be quite an adventure. We are planning to see seven states from California, Nevada, Utah, Wyoming, Montana, Colorado, and Utah.

We have not much of a plan, except to get as far north-east as quickly as possible so we can spend more time in places like Yellowstone and Telluride.

So, similar to when my sweety and I did our last trip to Italy, which seems like it was decades ago even though it was probably like eight years ago, we only have a rough plan and will be going with the flow and some times not quite sure where we will land each night.

And to help keep our kids engaged with the adventure, I told them that they can each post up one picture every day with their own description of what they captured.

So let the adventure begin! And if you see us on the road, give us a wave and we will give you some stickers!

Picture
0 Comments

New Goodyear Duratrac Tires for the Jeep

6/26/2015

0 Comments

 

Well, after 60,000 miles on the ProComp tires it was time for some new shoes. I really like the aggressive tread pattern of the Pro Comp M/T and the tires lasted a long time, in fact there was still usable tread remaining, but when it's time it's time.

So, this time I took the recommendation of a friend (El Chupacabra) who is running the Goodyear Duratrac tires on his JK Unlimited Sahara. When I drove the Sahara with the Duratracs, the ride was noticeably softer and quieter.

So, making the decision to install the Duratrac tires on my JK Unlimited Rubicon seemed like a good move.

As it turns out, the Goodyear Duratrac tires provided an immediately noticeable difference with a softer ride and also a quieter ride. While the softer rubber compound may not last 60k miles, the ride is worth it. And the tread pattern is still aggressive enough to provide enough bite for rock crawling and overlanding.

Here are some pics...

Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
0 Comments

    Share your Overland Story

    Are you an overland travel adventurer?

    Then share your adventure with the world on SoCalOverland.com

    From trips to tricks to gear and vehicle upgrades or just a favorite camping recipe.

    Submit your story and pictures via email to me at Mike@Socaloverland.com and have your adventure posted right here!

    Now Available! SoCal Overland Shirts

    Picture

    SoCal Overland Hats are Here

    Picture

    Categories

    All
    Anza Borrego
    Big Bear
    Camp Gear
    Camp Gear
    Camping
    Daily Inspiration
    Death Valley
    Hiking
    Jeep And Accessories
    Jeep Repairs
    KTM 350 EXC-F
    Land Cruiser
    Off Roading
    Overlanding
    Safety
    Tent Accessories
    Tent Accessories

    Archives

    June 2016
    March 2016
    July 2015
    June 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    May 2013
    November 2012
    October 2012

    RSS Feed