As things here in sunny south Central Oregon have been spring style since the first of the year, a few adventures have been had. Mostly car based when camping or day trips on the moto, but the worm is turning.

A couple weeks ago conditions presented a great opportunity to get the Super Soob out in the desert so I headed SE on mainly dirt roads to the Black Rock Desert to camp out and hang in a hot spring. Had some less than fun foot deep rock hard snow ruts to deal with while cutting across the Modoc NF to Alturas, but the Soob handled it well. I’m impressed with how well a battered and modded 25 year old car with over 300K miles on it just keeps trucking on. Turned over 300k on the trip, which was intentional. Wanted to have it out on an adventure for the big event, not rolling to the grocery store…so pedestrian!

Got to the 12 Mile access point to the playa on the 34 road and noticed the hot springs I was after were directly across the playa, or an hour around on the roads. Saw a rig on the flats and decided I’d giver a go and hope not to find a soft spot as early February is questionable as to the firmness of the playa. No worries, bombed across in 5 minutes without a single “oh shit!” moment.

I had a bunch of wood scraps for a fire, but not a lot. On the run out through the Modoc I happened upon a juniper someone had cut up for firewood. They left a bunch of 2ish foot long limbs and a few rounds that I hucked in the back for a big bitching bonfire. The springs had a few folks at them on a late Sunday afternoon, so I set up camp on the playa and went back a couple hours later and had them all to myself while staring at the stars. Finestkind!

As usual, when going out to the ruggedish boonies, I never see any of those $200k Instagram “Overlander” pieces of shit. Usually see those on the highway or at developed campgrounds. The soob got the white trash version of a camper build, ripped out the back seat and seat belts, built a low modular platform (I like head space) and rigged a bunch of cubbies and storage spots for the essentials. Now all it takes is throwing in food, clothes, sleeping kit, and a kitchen box and I’m on the road in 15 minutes.

Super Soob (formerly Mighty Whitey – being a very capable white car, but given the zeitgeist I don’t need to catch shit from all the retards that don’t know what context means) is a ’97 Legacy L wagon I bought in ’08 as a “2-3 year” ride. 15 years and going later, it’s my long term experiment. New cars are expensive as shit and being a minimalist in a number of ways, I’m just going to see how long this thing can be kept on the road. I’ve turned it into an Outback by way of adding all the gear they do to turn a legacy into an OB at the factory, I just used parts from junkyard cars. Struts, frame spacers, sway arms – all the goodies. Without the shitty 2.5 motor or all the weight and ugly plastic body cladding they add. Put 215/75/15 AT tires on it and the damn thing will go almost anywhere. It’s about 3″ taller than when I got it and it’ll get about 1.5 inches taller with strut top lifts after I round up some Forester struts. When the motor goes it’ll get the Frankenmotor treatment for a few more ponies and many more miles.

Cheap entertainment.

Figure I blather on about the moto so much it would be cool to give props to my other adventure mobile.

I’m so super fucking jazzed to get after moto adventures this year, and with the winter being so mild, that will be starting this weekend. Been getting in a lot of day trips, but it’s time to get out into the boonies for some overnighters. Shakedown runs are always good, get the shitshow out of the way early on so when it’s time for the big adventures prep is minimal.

The next post will be here soon and, yes, will be more blathering about my stupid fucking motorcycle and adventures had on it.

Howdy professor!! Just checking to see if you’re still cyber stalking me 🙂 Can’t wait to see you next week.